Kia Sorento 2016–2020
3rd generation (UM)
NHTSA data through 12 August 20263,800 complaints, 1,168 with mileageMethod
On this generation, failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 20,100 and 83,537 miles.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 1 complaints (0.1%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 5,073
- 25%
- 20,100
- Median
- 54,068
- 75%
- 83,537
- 90%
- 117,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10,000 | 156 | 13.4% |
| 10,000–20,000 | 124 | 10.6% |
| 20,000–30,000 | 78 | 6.7% |
| 30,000–40,000 | 120 | 10.3% |
| 40,000–50,000 | 69 | 5.9% |
| 50,000–60,000 | 80 | 6.8% |
| 60,000–70,000 | 122 | 10.4% |
| 70,000–80,000 | 86 | 7.4% |
| 80,000–90,000 | 74 | 6.3% |
| 90,000–100,000 | 54 | 4.6% |
| 100,000–110,000 | 54 | 4.6% |
| 110,000–120,000 | 44 | 3.8% |
| 120,000–130,000 | 24 | 2.1% |
| 130,000–140,000 | 27 | 2.3% |
| 140,000–150,000 | 22 | 1.9% |
| 150,000–160,000 | 11 | 0.9% |
| 160,000–170,000 | 11 | 0.9% |
| 170,000–180,000 | 3 | 0.3% |
| 180,000–190,000 | 6 | 0.5% |
| 190,000–200,000 | 2 | 0.2% |
| 200,000+ | 1 | 0.1% |
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.
Owners filed 3,800 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016–2020 Kia Sorento, and 1,168 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 20,100 and 83,537 miles. The median is 54,068 miles.
The most-reported areas are the engine (36.5% of complaints, typically around 72,000 miles), problems owners could not categorise (11.5% of complaints, typically around 23,000 miles), the electrical system (8.3% of complaints, typically around 44,000 miles).
12 recall campaigns cover this generation.
What fails, and when
- Engine72,000median 72,000 miles, middle half 39,000 to 102,000
- Problems owners could not categorise23,000median 22,712 miles, middle half 9,500 to 61,000
- Electrical system44,000median 43,800 miles, middle half 25,000 to 70,000
- Exterior lighting37,000median 37,100 miles, middle half 23,000 to 67,000
- Transmission and driveline38,000median 38,000 miles, middle half 9,000 to 83,000
- Steering30,000median 30,000 miles, middle half 16,000 to 50,000
- Body structure44,000median 44,000 miles, middle half 30,000 to 65,000
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 1,387 | 36.5% | 72,000 | 39,000–102,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 436 | 11.5% | 23,000 | 9,500–61,000 |
| Electrical system | 314 | 8.3% | 44,000 | 25,000–70,000 |
| Exterior lighting | 259 | 6.8% | 37,000 | 23,000–67,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 237 | 6.2% | 38,000 | 9,000–83,000 |
| Steering | 215 | 5.7% | 30,000 | 16,000–50,000 |
| Body structure | 187 | 4.9% | 44,000 | 30,000–65,000 |
| Fuel and propulsion system | 136 | 3.6% | 62,000 | 31,000–74,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 109 | 2.9% | 31,000 | 12,000–75,000 |
| Engine and its cooling system | 78 | 2.1% | 98,000 | 75,000–130,000 |
Which systems, and when
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 54,068 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The engine accounts for 36.5% of complaints (1,387 reports, 353 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 39,000 and 102,000 miles.
A single system taking 36.5% 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 11.5% of complaints (436 reports, 67 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 22,712 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 9,300 and 61,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 8.3% of complaints (314 reports, 90 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 43,800 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 6.8% of complaints (259 reports, 94 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 37,100 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 23,000 and 67,059 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 6.2% of complaints (237 reports, 87 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 8,975 and 83,000 miles.
The steering accounts for 5.7% of complaints (215 reports, 93 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 15,700 and 50,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2016 model year drew the most — 1,624 complaints — while 2020 drew the fewest at 188. The median year sits at 622.
That makes 2016 an outlier: roughly 2.6 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.
Recalls and what they cover
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.
The campaigns cluster around trailer hitches (2), the reversing camera and sensors (1), the transmission and driveline (1). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
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.
Reported severity
Of the 3,800 complaints filed against this generation, 113 reported a crash; 187 reported a fire; 124 reported an injury; 4 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 3.0% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
What this means if you are buying one
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 20,100 and 83,537 miles, with a median of 54,068. 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 22,712, 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.
Documented problems
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.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 1,624 | 551 |
| 2017 | 1,032 | 349 |
| 2018 | 334 | 90 |
| 2019 | 622 | 146 |
| 2020 | 188 | 32 |
Recalls (12)
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 23V639000 | 2024-03-08 | Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera |
| 22V703000 | 2023-07-27 | Trailer Hitches |
| 22V612000 | 2022-10-07 | Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever and Linkage:column Shift |
| 18V907000 | 2019-01-17 | Engine |
| 18V656000 | 2018-10-26 | Steering:electric Power Assist System |
| 17V784000 | 2017-12-18 | Air Bags:side/Window |
| 17V586000 | 2017-11-06 | Engine and Engine Cooling:engine |
| 16V862000 | 2017-01-19 | Trailer Hitches |
| 16V770000 | 2016-12-09 | Seats |
| 16V480000 | 2016-07-27 | Suspension:rear |
| 15V446000 | 2015-08-18 | Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly |
| 15V089000 | 2015-02-20 | Vehicle Speed Control:accelerator Pedal |
What owners reported
Xenon hid headlights auto adjusting, driving down hills the low beam headlights drop sharply to about 27 ft. In front of vehicle. Drove the vehicle with the service manager, frank petrozzi of grieco Kia of johnston ri and district manager, barry zoll from Kia motors america 732-372-8295 at night.11/8/2017, So they…
2016 · 30 miles · Exterior lighting
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V703000 (Trailer Hitches) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while…
2016 · 50 miles · Engine
When a cushion (small pillow) is used (i am a short person) on the front passenger's seat, the air bag detetecor turns off the passenger air bag leaving the passenger unprotected. I have contacted the dealer's service dept. And was told there was no work-around for this problem. I also contacted Kia motors and was…
2016 · 256 miles · Airbag system
Tl* the contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. After parking the vehicle on an incline, the driver exited the vehicle. Approximately 15 minutes later, the vehicle began to roll down the hill and crashed into several trees. A police report was filed and there were no injuries. The cause of the failure was not diagnosed or…
2016 · 1,000 miles · Transmission and driveline
Built from 1,168 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-12 · open data · reproduce this page