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Kia Sorento 2016–2020 problems by year and mileage

3rd generation (UM)

A DO NOT DRIVE recall covers part of this generation — check the VIN before driving it home.

Which year is yours? Tap it to see what breaks on it.

The 2016 Kia Sorento

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Median failure report
66,000 mi
Complaints filed
1,250
Recalls naming this year
8

At least 40% of the complaints about the 2016 were filed after 2020, and most complaints filed since then carry no odometer reading. The median here rests on the earlier reports and likely understates the mileage these failures happen at.

Most reported on the 2016

  1. Engine694 reports · median 83,000 mi
  2. Problems owners could not categorise165 reports
  3. Transmission and driveline125 reports · median 71,000 mi

8 recall campaigns name the 2016: Trailer hitches; Power train — automatic transmission; Engine. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.

The 2017 Kia Sorento

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Median failure report
46,000 mi
Complaints filed
804
Recalls naming this year
4

At least 40% of the complaints about the 2017 were filed after 2020, and most complaints filed since then carry no odometer reading. The median here rests on the earlier reports and likely understates the mileage these failures happen at.

Most reported on the 2017

  1. Engine386 reports · median 64,000 mi
  2. Exterior lighting125 reports · median 37,000 mi
  3. Problems owners could not categorise104 reports

4 recall campaigns name the 2017: Trailer hitches; Engine; Engine and engine cooling — engine. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.

The 2018 Kia Sorento

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Median failure report
49,000 mi
Complaints filed
254
Recalls naming this year
3

At least 40% of the complaints about the 2018 were filed after 2020, and most complaints filed since then carry no odometer reading. The median here rests on the earlier reports and likely understates the mileage these failures happen at.

Most reported on the 2018

  1. Engine106 reports
  2. Exterior lighting41 reports
  3. Problems owners could not categorise37 reports

3 recall campaigns name the 2018: Trailer hitches; Steering — electric power assist system; Air bags — side/window. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.

The 2019 Kia Sorento

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Median failure report
22,000 mi
Complaints filed
426
Recalls naming this year
2

At least 40% of the complaints about the 2019 were filed after 2020, and most complaints filed since then carry no odometer reading. The median here rests on the earlier reports and likely understates the mileage these failures happen at.

Most reported on the 2019

  1. Engine155 reports · median 40,000 mi
  2. Problems owners could not categorise110 reports
  3. Electrical system68 reports

2 recall campaigns name the 2019: Back over prevention — sensing system; Trailer hitches. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.

The 2020 Kia Sorento

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Median failure report
too few reports to time
Complaints filed
135
Recalls naming this year
1

Most reported on the 2020

  1. Engine64 reports
  2. Problems owners could not categorise24 reports
  3. Electrical system19 reports

1 recall campaign names the 2020: Trailer hitches. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.

Each tile shows the median mileage at which that model year’s failures were reported. † marks a year whose median likely understates the mileage: much of its reporting came after 2020, when most complaints stopped recording an odometer reading. The 2016 reports latest and the 2019 earliest, but part of that gap is age: the 2016 has had 3 more years on the road to accumulate mileage. 1 of these years carries fewer than 30 reports with an odometer reading and shows no median at all, rather than one computed from a handful.

The short answer

“Is the 2016–2020 Kia Sorento reliable?”

Median of reported failures
56,000 mi
90% of reports came by
119,000 mi
Reports with mileage
905
Recalls
12

At least 40% of this generation’s complaints were filed after 2020, and most complaints filed since then carry no odometer reading, so the median likely understates the mileage these failures happen at.

Most reported

  1. Engine49.0% of complaints · median 72,000 mi
  2. Problems owners could not categorise15.3% of complaints · median 23,000 mi
  3. Electrical system11.1% of complaints · median 45,000 mi

When each system fails ↓

Owners filed 2,869 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016–2020 Kia Sorento; the engine leads with 49% of them, and half of the 905 that record an odometer reading came by 56,000 miles. A count like this can’t rate reliability on its own: NHTSA records what owners chose to report, not how many of each car were sold.

Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 20,000 and 85,000 miles.

Before-you-buy checklist ↓At your mileage ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗

How many miles does a 2016–2020 Kia Sorento last?

Complaint records can’t measure how long a car lasts; they show when reported failures happened. On the 2016–2020 Kia Sorento, half of the 905 complaints that record an odometer reading were filed by 56,000 miles and 90% by 119,000 miles.

28 reports came in past 150,000 miles and 2 past 200,000 — each one proof that a Sorento reached that mileage, not that it failed there.

Figure 1 · Kia Sorento 2016–2020 · 905 reports with mileage

Mileage at failure

Complaints per 10,000-mile bin, 0 to 200,000 miles, equal bins on a linear scale. Tallest bar = 124 complaints.

Mileage at failure, Kia Sorento 2016–2020Histogram of 905 owner-reported failures by mileage, in 10,000-mile bins from 0 to 200,000. The tallest bin is 0 to 10,000 miles with 124 complaints, 13.7 percent of the total. Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 20,000 and 85,000 miles. A further 2 complaints, 0.2 percent, were reported above 200,000 miles and are shown as a separate detached bar. Median mileage at failure is 55,673.
  • Rest of the range
  • Median
  • 200,000+ — 2 complaints (0.2%), plotted separately
10%
5,000
25%
20,194
Median
55,673
75%
85,000
90%
119,000

Tallest bin: 124 complaints between 0 and 10,000 miles. Based on 905 complaints that record mileage. Bin width 10,000 miles.

Show the numbers
Complaints by mileage bin
MileageComplaintsShare
0–10,00012413.7%
10,000–20,0009310.3%
20,000–30,000576.3%
30,000–40,000909.9%
40,000–50,000525.7%
50,000–60,000626.9%
60,000–70,000869.5%
70,000–80,000707.7%
80,000–90,000586.4%
90,000–100,000444.9%
100,000–110,000444.9%
110,000–120,000364.0%
120,000–130,000222.4%
130,000–140,000222.4%
140,000–150,000171.9%
150,000–160,00091.0%
160,000–170,00091.0%
170,000–180,00020.2%
180,000–190,00050.6%
190,000–200,00010.1%
200,000+20.2%

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain. Complaint counts reflect what owners reported and are not a measure of failure rate per vehicle sold.

What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.

Common Sorento problems, and when they happen

Figure 2 · Kia Sorento 2016–2020

When each system fails

Bar spans the middle half of reports; the notch inside each bar is the median. Miles at failure on a proportional scale — equal distances are equal ratios, not equal miles.

  1. Problems owners could not categorise440 reports23,0009,500–61,000Problems owners could not categorise: 440 reports, median 23,000 miles, middle half 9,500 to 61,000 miles.
  2. Steering218 reports30,00016,000–50,000Steering: 218 reports, median 30,000 miles, middle half 16,000 to 50,000 miles.
  3. Transmission and driveline240 reports34,0009,000–82,000Transmission and driveline: 240 reports, median 34,000 miles, middle half 9,000 to 82,000 miles.
  4. Exterior lighting260 reports38,00023,000–68,000Exterior lighting: 260 reports, median 38,000 miles, middle half 23,000 to 68,000 miles.
  5. Electrical system319 reports45,00025,000–70,000Electrical system: 319 reports, median 45,000 miles, middle half 25,000 to 70,000 miles.
  6. Body structure190 reports45,00030,000–65,000Body structure: 190 reports, median 45,000 miles, middle half 30,000 to 65,000 miles.
  7. Engine1,405 reports72,00040,000–102,000Engine: 1,405 reports, median 72,000 miles, middle half 40,000 to 102,000 miles.
  • Your odometer — appears after you enter it in “Where your car sits”

Ordered by median mileage, earliest first. The first 12,000 miles are shaded: that is the boundary this site uses between a manufacturing defect and ordinary wear, not a property of the world.

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.

All systems in a table
Complaints by vehicle system
SystemComplaintsShareMedian25–75%
Engine1,40549.0%72,00040,000–102,000
Problems owners could not categorise44015.3%23,0009,500–61,000
Electrical system31911.1%45,00025,000–70,000
Exterior lighting2609.1%38,00023,000–68,000
Transmission and driveline2408.4%34,0009,000–82,000
Steering2187.6%30,00016,000–50,000
Body structure1906.6%45,00030,000–65,000
Fuel and propulsion system1384.8%62,00031,000–74,000
Throttle and speed control1093.8%31,00012,000–72,000
Engine and its cooling system792.8%98,00075,000–125,000
System by system, in words

Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 56,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.

The engine accounts for 49.0% of complaints (1,405 reports, 356 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 72,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 40,000 and 102,000 miles.

A single system taking 49.0% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.

Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 15.3% of complaints (440 reports, 67 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 23,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 9,500 and 61,000 miles.

The electrical system accounts for 11.1% of complaints (319 reports, 91 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 45,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 25,000 and 70,000 miles.

The exterior lighting accounts for 9.1% of complaints (260 reports, 95 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 38,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 23,000 and 68,000 miles.

The transmission and driveline accounts for 8.4% of complaints (240 reports, 86 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 34,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 9,000 and 82,000 miles.

The steering accounts for 7.6% of complaints (218 reports, 94 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 30,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 16,000 and 50,000 miles.

Known problems with the 2016–2020 Sorento

Engine

Theta II GDI connecting rod bearing failure continues; addressed through Kia's extended engine warranty and the Knock Sensor Detection System software campaign rather than a fresh mechanical recall for all years.

Engine

Engine compartment fire reports associated with oil leakage onto hot components following bearing failure; subject of NHTSA scrutiny across the Hyundai-Kia GDI fleet.

Before you buy a 2016–2020 Sorento: the 3-minute check

Generated from 905 mileage-tagged complaints, 12 recall campaigns, 2 documented problem areas. Print this page — the checklist survives print.

  1. Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 12 campaigns cover this generation; an open recall is a free repair you can make the seller's problem.
  2. Check engine. Theta II GDI connecting rod bearing failure continues; addressed through Kia's extended engine warranty and the Knock Sensor Detection System software campaign rather than a fresh mechanical recall for all years.
  3. Check engine. Engine compartment fire reports associated with oil leakage onto hot components following bearing failure; subject of NHTSA scrutiny across the Hyundai-Kia GDI fleet.
  4. Complaint reports are not spread evenly across model years here — see the by-model-year table below before you settle on a year.
  5. End with a pre-purchase inspection of this car. Aggregate data describes the population; the example in front of you has its own history.

For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 20,000 and 85,000 miles, with a median of 56,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.

On inspection, the engine and problems owners could not categorise are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. Problems owners could not categorise in particular shows a median failure mileage of 23,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.

None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.

Sorento problems by mileage: where your car sits

Type your odometer reading, or read the common mileages in the table. Your marker lands on the timing chart above and on the curve below.

earlier most reports on that system came below this mileage — ask for repair records. in window this mileage sits inside the middle half of its reports. later most reports came above it. That describes reports, not your odds.

Where each system’s reports sit against common odometer readings
SystemMiddle half of reports, miAt 60k mi53% belowAt 90k mi76% belowAt 120k mi90% belowAt 150k mi97% belowAt 200k mi100% below
Engine40,000–102,000in windowin windowearlierearlierearlier
Problems owners could not categorise9,500–61,000in windowearlierearlierearlierearlier
Electrical system25,000–70,000in windowearlierearlierearlierearlier
Exterior lighting23,000–68,000in windowearlierearlierearlierearlier
Transmission and driveline9,000–82,000in windowearlierearlierearlierearlier
Steering16,000–50,000earlierearlierearlierearlierearlier
Body structure30,000–65,000in windowearlierearlierearlierearlier

Figure 3 · Kia Sorento 2016–2020 · 905 reports with mileage

Share of reports below each mileage

Share of mileage-tagged reports filed at or below each odometer reading. Steps rise only at bin edges, by exact counted shares.

Cumulative share of reports by mileage, Kia Sorento 2016–2020Of 905 reports that record mileage, the share filed below each odometer reading, rising in steps at each 10,000-mile bin edge. 53 percent below 60,000 miles. 76 percent below 90,000 miles. 90 percent below 120,000 miles. 97 percent below 150,000 miles. 100 percent below 200,000 miles. Median 55,673 miles.
  • 60,000 mi — 53% of reports below
  • 90,000 mi — 76% of reports below
  • 120,000 mi — 90% of reports below
  • 150,000 mi — 97% of reports below
  • 200,000 mi — 100% of reports below
  • Median — the staircase crosses the 50% line here
  • Your odometer — appears after you enter it above

The staircase tops out at 100%: the remaining 0.2% of reports (2) came above 200,000 miles.

Nothing is smoothed or interpolated. Linear axis, same as Figure 1.

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.

2016–2020 Kia Sorento recalls (12)

NHTSA records 12 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.

1 of these carry a severe advisory — NHTSA's do not drive or park outside warnings, which the agency applies only when it considers the risk immediate. If you own one of these vehicles, that is the first thing to check by VIN.

The campaigns cluster around trailer hitches (2), the reversing camera and sensors (1), the transmission and driveline (1). Several campaigns against one area can mean a remedy that did not hold, or separate defects in parts filed under the same heading; the summaries below name each defect.

Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.

Recall repairs are free at an authorized dealer, for any owner. Summaries below shorten NHTSA’s own wording.

  1. Sep 2023 · 2019 · Back Over PreventionA rearview camera that does not display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a…

    The defect. Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2019 Sorento vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, water may leak into the rearview camera, which can cause the rearview camera image not to appear on the display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the…

    What can happen. A rearview camera that does not display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.

    The free fix. Dealers will inspect the rearview camera and add additional water proofing to the camera harness, or replace the camera as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 8…

    NHTSA campaign 23V-639 (2023-09-15).

  2. Sep 2022 · 2016–2020 · Trailer Hitches park outsideA fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.

    The defect. Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Sorento, 2021-2022 Sorento Hybrid (HEV), 2022-2023 Sorento Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV), and 2017-2022 Sportage vehicles equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an…

    What can happen. A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.

    The free fix. Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will inspect the vehicle, and, as necessary, replace the fuse and/or tow hitch harness module…

    NHTSA campaign 22V-703 (2022-09-19).

  3. Aug 2022 · 2016 · Power TrainA vehicle rollaway increases the risk of a crash and injury.

    The defect. Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016 Sedona and Sorento vehicles. The vehicles may have been manufactured with faulty automatic transmission shift lever assembly components, preventing the shift lever from locking, which can allow the vehicle to…

    What can happen. A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of a crash and injury.

    The free fix. Dealers will inspect and replace the automatic transmission shift lever assembly components, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 7, 2022. Owners may contact…

    NHTSA campaign 22V-612 (2022-08-10).

  4. Dec 2018 · 2016–2017 · EngineA fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.

    The defect. Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product…

    What can happen. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.

    The free fix. Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at…

    NHTSA campaign 18V-907 (2018-12-19).

  5. Sep 2018 · 2018 · SteeringIf the steering column separates, it can cause a loss of steering ability, increasing the risk of a crash.

    The defect. Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2018 Kia Sorento vehicles. The cowl crossbar that connects to the Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS) steering column may be improperly welded, allowing the steering column to separate.

    What can happen. If the steering column separates, it can cause a loss of steering ability, increasing the risk of a crash.

    The free fix. Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the cowl crossbar, free of charge. The recall began October 26, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this…

    NHTSA campaign 18V-656 (2018-09-21).

  6. Dec 2017 · 2018 · Air BagsIf the component detaches during deployment, it may enter the passenger compartment and be a projectile…

    The defect. Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2018 Kia Sorento vehicles. The side curtain air bags on these vehicles have a component that may detach during deployment of the inflatable curtain air bag.

    What can happen. If the component detaches during deployment, it may enter the passenger compartment and be a projectile within the vehicle cabin, increasing the risk of injury.

    The free fix. Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver and passenger side curtain air bags, free of charge. The recall began on December 18, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at…

    NHTSA campaign 17V-784 (2017-12-08).

  7. Sep 2017 · 2017 · Engine and Engine CoolingIf the crankshaft fails, the engine will stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

    The defect. Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017 Sorento vehicles equipped with 3.3L engines. The engine crankshaft may have been improperly heat treated and may fail.

    What can happen. If the crankshaft fails, the engine will stall, increasing the risk of a crash. A failed crankshaft also increases the risk of a fire.

    The free fix. Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the crankshaft, and, as necessary, replace the engine sub assembly, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer…

    NHTSA campaign 17V-586 (2017-09-21).

  8. Nov 2016 · 2016–2017 · Trailer HitchesIf the trailer brake lights stay illuminated while being used, other drivers may be confused, increasing the…

    The defect. Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Sorento vehicles manufactured October 27, 2014, to August 25, 2016, and 2017 Sportage vehicles manufactured December 10, 2015, to August 26, 2016. The affected vehicles are equipped with an…

    What can happen. If the trailer brake lights stay illuminated while being used, other drivers may be confused, increasing the risk of a crash.

    The free fix. Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the trailer tow hitch harness, free of charge. The recall began January 18, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's…

    NHTSA campaign 16V-862 (2016-11-30).

  9. Oct 2016 · 2016 · SeatsIn the event of a crash, the driver seatback frame could break and fail to restrain a seat occupant…

    The defect. Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016 Kia Sorento vehicles manufactured March 3, 2016 to March 21, 2016. The driver's seatback frame may have been produced with inadequate weld joints and, as a result, the seatback may not function as…

    What can happen. In the event of a crash, the driver seatback frame could break and fail to restrain a seat occupant, increasing the risk of injury.

    The free fix. Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the welds and replace the driver seatback frame, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on December 9, 2016. Owners may contact Kia customer…

    NHTSA campaign 16V-770 (2016-10-24).

  10. Jun 2016 · 2016 · SuspensionThe improper weld may break, affecting the rear suspension alignment, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.

    The defect. Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016 Sorento vehicles. A component of the rear suspension may not be properly welded.

    What can happen. The improper weld may break, affecting the rear suspension alignment, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.

    The free fix. Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the welds at the rear suspension cross-member, replacing the rear cross-member assembly, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began July 27, 2016.…

    NHTSA campaign 16V-480 (2016-06-29).

  11. Jul 2015 · 2016 · Seat BeltsIf the front passenger seat belt cannot be latched, an occupant sitting in the front passenger seat has an…

    The defect. Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016 Kia Sorento vehicles manufactured October 23, 2014, to December 10, 2014. The affected vehicles have a front passenger seat belt whose buckle latch assembly may prevent the front passenger from…

    What can happen. If the front passenger seat belt cannot be latched, an occupant sitting in the front passenger seat has an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.

    The free fix. Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger seat belt buckle cover, free of charge. The recall began on August 18, 2015. Owners may contact Kia customer service at…

    NHTSA campaign 15V-446 (2015-07-14).

  12. Feb 2015 · 2016 · Vehicle Speed ControlIf the vehicle is unable to be accelerated, there is an increased risk of a crash.

    The defect. Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016 Sorento vehicles manufactured October 27, 2014, to January 29, 2015. Due to an improperly soldered component in the accelerator pedal assembly, the driver may not be able to accelerate the vehicle.

    What can happen. If the vehicle is unable to be accelerated, there is an increased risk of a crash.

    The free fix. Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the accelerator assembly, free of charge. The recall began on February 19, 2015. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's…

    NHTSA campaign 15V-089 (2015-02-13).

Crashes, fires and injuries owners reported

What owners reported alongside the failure itself, out of 2,869 complaints against this generation:

Crashes
74 (2.6%)
Fires
122
Injury reports
61
Fatality reports
2

These flags are self-reported by complainants and unverified by NHTSA; one report can carry several flags, so the counts overlap and do not sum to a total. They are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. No chart is drawn here on purpose: overlapping counts spanning very different magnitudes cannot be honestly encoded as lengths.

Sorento problems by model year

The 2016 drew the most complaints of this generation, 1,250, most of them about the engine, and the 2020 the fewest, 135. A typical year drew about 426.

That makes the 2016 stand out at roughly 2.9 times a typical year. A count like this follows how many cars of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as how often they failed, so it is not by itself evidence of a worse year; what each year's reports name, in its card and row, is the useful part.

Complaints by model year
YearComplaintsWith mileageMedian milesMost reportedRecalls
20161,25042466,000†Engine (694)8
201780427146,000†Engine (386)4
20182546949,000†Engine (106)3
201942611422,000†Engine (155)2
202013527under 30 reportsEngine (64)1

† At least 40% of this year’s complaints were filed after 2020, and most complaints filed since then carry no odometer reading. Its median rests on the earlier reports and likely understates the mileage these failures happen at.

What Sorento owners reported

The contact owns a 2020 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle and shifting into gear with the brake pedal depressed, the vehicle unexpectedly jerked back and forth, accelerated unintendedly, and crashed into the corner plaster wall of a friend's garage, causing plaster to fall onto the front…

2020 · 35,000 miles · Throttle and speed control

The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the vehicle had started independently. While the vehicle was in the driveway, the contact became aware that the vehicle had been running for a while. While driving at 45 MPH, the vehicle shut off but restarted independently. While driving 35 MPH, the vehicle…

2017 · 149,000 miles · Electrical system

The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced excessive oil consumption. The vehicle was inspected several times; however, no oil leaks were found. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle shuddered, and the check engine warning light illuminated and flashed on…

2017 · 100,000 miles · Engine

The contact owns a 2019 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost automotive power and failed to properly accelerate. The vehicle was slowly driven to the residence and stalled in the driveway. After restarting the vehicle, the engine immediately shut off. There were…

2019 · 125,000 miles · Engine and its cooling system

Built from 905 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-09-26 · open data · how it is built

Other Sorento generations

Other midsize SUVs from the same years