2016 Kia Sorento: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 1,239 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 8 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
1,239
Complaints
8
Recalls
29
Crash reports
49
Fire reports
19
Injuries
45.4
Severity index
Severity index 45.4 - Medium. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 140 2016 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2016 Kia Sorento ranks 93 of 140 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 34% of its model-year peers. See the full 2016 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | 688 | 55.5% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 164 | 13.2% |
| POWER TRAIN | 122 | 9.8% |
| STRUCTURE | 107 | 8.6% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 106 | 8.6% |
| STEERING | 80 | 6.5% |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 66 | 5.3% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 62 | 5.0% |
The single most-reported system is ENGINE, cited in 688 of 1,239 complaints (55.5%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 17 |
| 2016 | 20 |
| 2017 | 38 |
| 2018 | 53 |
| 2019 | 71 |
| 2020 | 90 |
| 2021 | 132 |
| 2022 | 220 |
| 2023 | 250 |
| 2024 | 183 |
| 2025 | 113 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 52 |
Complaint volume is broadly steady year over year.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18V907000 | 19/12/2018 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 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 Improvement Campaign. The h |
| 15V446000 | 14/07/2015 | SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 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 fastening the seat belt |
| 16V770000 | 24/10/2016 | SEATS | 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 designed in the even |
| 16V862000 | 30/11/2016 | TRAILER HITCHES | 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 accessory trailer hitc |
| 16V480000 | 29/06/2016 | SUSPENSION:REAR | Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016 Sorento vehicles. A component of the rear suspension may not be properly welded. |
| 15V089000 | 13/02/2015 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL | 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. |
| 22V612000 | 10/08/2022 | POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT | 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 rollaway. |
| 22V703000 | 19/09/2022 | TRAILER HITCHES | 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 accessory through a Kia d |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.