2016 Kia SORENTO problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
1,248 owner complaints analyzed
8 distinct recall campaigns
66,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2016 model year. Data snapshot: . 425 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 693 of 1,248 complaints (55.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine operation | 115 | 9.2% |
| Steering behavior | 91 | 7.3% |
| Braking behavior | 79 | 6.3% |
| Transmission and shifting | 57 | 4.6% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 57 | 4.6% |
| Fuel system concerns | 25 | 2.0% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine | 693 |
| Unknown Or Other | 165 |
| Power Train | 120 |
| Structure:Body | 105 |
| Electrical System | 104 |
| Steering | 80 |
| Exterior Lighting | 62 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 56 |
Engine: 693; Unknown Or Other: 165; Power Train: 120; Structure:Body: 105; Electrical System: 104; Steering: 80; Exterior Lighting: 62; Vehicle Speed Control: 56
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 78 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 69 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 99 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 84 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 78 |
| 150,000 and above | 17 |
Under 25,000: 78; 25,000 to 49,999: 69; 50,000 to 74,999: 99; 75,000 to 99,999: 84; 100,000 to 149,999: 78; 150,000 and above: 17
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (99). 823 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 17 |
| 2016 | 20 |
| 2017 | 38 |
| 2018 | 53 |
| 2019 | 71 |
| 2020 | 90 |
| 2021 | 132 |
| 2022 | 220 |
| 2023 | 250 |
| 2024 | 183 |
| 2025 | 113 |
| 2026 | 61 |
2015: 17; 2016: 20; 2017: 38; 2018: 53; 2019: 71; 2020: 90; 2021: 132; 2022: 220; 2023: 250; 2024: 183; 2025: 113; 2026: 61
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 115 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 91 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 79 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10806192 · 2015-11-23 (November 23, 2015)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. THE CONTACT LOST ALL POWER TO VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,300.
Owner-reported narrative. 6,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10806192 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10908432 · 2016-09-21 (September 21, 2016)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND SEVERAL WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WAS REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,500.
Owner-reported narrative. 4,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10908432 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10806207 · 2015-11-23 (November 23, 2015)
IN MOTION,ON A STRAIGHT ROAD,ON THE CROWN OR NOT, NO WIND, DRY PAVEMENT---THE ELECTRONIC STEERING CONSTANTLY HAS THE DRIVER MAKING STEERING CORRECTIONS.IT IS A SMALL CORRECTION BUT CONSTANT RIGHT OR LEFT. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO HOLD THE WHEEL IN ONE POSITION AND TRAVEL THAT LANE.UNLIKE MY LAST SIXTY YEARS OF DRIVING! MORE NOTICEABLE ON THE HIGHWAY
Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10806207 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10808874 · 2015-12-07 (December 7, 2015)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LOW BEAM HEAD LAMPS WERE ACTIVATED, BUT THE INTERIOR DOME LIGHT, HEAD LAMPS, REAR LAMPS, AND INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING CONSOLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE OR REPAIR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000. THE VIN W…
Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10808874 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10748410 · 2015-08-17 (August 17, 2015)
2016 KIA SORENTO. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE "FORWARD COLLISION WARNING" SYSTEM ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE FORWARD COLLISION WARNING SYSTEM DOES NOT APPLY THE BRAKES AUTOMATICALLY IN A NEAR CRASH SITUATION AND THE SYSTEM MAY NOT PROVIDE A WARNING WITH ENOUGH TIME TO HELP AVOID A CRASH. THE CONSUMER STATED THE WARNING SYSTEM WAS NOT DESIGNED LIKE ITS COMPETITORS AND HE BELIEVED KIA OVERSTATED THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE PRODUCT. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10748410 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10818710 · 2016-01-07 (January 7, 2016)
YOU CAN SHIFT THE CAR FROM PARK TO REVERSE/DRIVE WITHOUT PUTTING ENOUGH PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDDLE TO ACTUALLY ENGAGE THE BRAKE PADS TO THE BRAKE ROTORS. IF YOU AREN'T PAY ATTENTION TO HOW HARD YOU ARE PRESSING ON THE BRAKE PEDDLE, THE CALL WILL START TO MOVE AT A NORMAL SPEED. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO TWO KIA DEALERSHIPS AND I HAVE BEEN TOLD THIS IS NORMAL AND SAFE. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. ONE DEALERSHIP EVEN CHECKED OTHER 2016 SORENTOS ON THE LOT AND IT WAS THE SAME FOR THEM AS WELL. THIS HAPPENS EVERY DAY.
Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10818710 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11006672 · 2017-07-20 (July 20, 2017)
WHEN SLOWING DOWN TO 2ND GEAR THE TRANSMISSION DOES A HARD DOWNSHIFT RIGHT AROUND 25-31 MPH CAUSING THE CAR TO JERK.
Owner-reported narrative. 1,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11006672 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11129977 · 2018-09-17 (September 17, 2018)
MY TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE DRIVING, STOPPING AND PICKING UP BECAME UNSAFE. I TOOK IT INTO A KIA DEALERSHIP SINCE IT BECAME DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. I WAS THEN TOLD THAT THERE WAS A TSB SA292 PATCH THAT WAS INTENDED TO PREVENT THIS EXACT ISSUE. KIA IS ONLY WILLING TO COVER PART OF THE COST. I FEEL THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE A RECALL SINCE IT MAKES THE VEHICLE DANGEROUS TO DRIVE.
Owner-reported narrative. 66,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11129977 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10993030 · 2017-06-03 (June 3, 2017)
THE KIA SORENTO 2016 MY FAMILY AND WERE DRIVING AND THE CAR WENT INTO "LIMP MODE" ON A BUSY STREET. WE NEARLY HAS AN ACCIDENT. IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER DID NOT KNOW WHY IT OCCURRED. THEY SAID THEY SECURED THE WIRING AND RETURNED THE CAR TO US. APPROXIMATELY A WEEK LATER THE CAR WENT INTO "LIMP MODE" AGAIN ON ANOTHER BUSY ROAD AGAIN PUTTING US IN DANGER OF HAVING AN ACCIDENT. IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THEY SAID THAT THEY THEN REPLACED THE THROTTLE. WE ARE NOT CONFIDENT IT WILL NOT OCCUR AGAIN.
Owner-reported narrative. 24,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10993030 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11055951 · 2017-12-21 (December 21, 2017)
WE ARE SECOND OWNERS OF A 2016 KIA SORRENTO. DEC 6, 2017, I WAS DRIVING HOME AND TRAVELING ABOUT 60MPH ON A 2LANE HWY WHEN I FELT A VERY SEVERE CLUNK IN THE FRONT AREA OF THE CAR AND I LOST THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE. I CHECKED THE CAR AND FOUND NOTHING UNORDINARY. I DROVE AT DECREASED SPEED (40MPH) FOR ANOTHER 3 MILES WHEN AGAIN THE CAR DID 2 QUICK, HEAVY THUMPS AND THE ENGINE QUIT ALONG WITH ALL POWER AND ELECTRICAL. I GOT IT OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE ENGINE RESTARTED, SO I DROVE HOME. I CALLED THE KIA DEALER IN ST. AUGUSTINE A…
Owner-reported narrative. 22,712 miles reported. Look up ODI 11055951 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11111110 · 2018-07-13 (July 13, 2018)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY. AFTERWARDS, FLAMES EMERGED FROM THE FUEL TANK AND THE VEHICLE BLEW UP. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,555. *TT
Owner-reported narrative. 10,555 miles reported. Look up ODI 11111110 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11121787 · 2018-08-22 (August 22, 2018)
WE BOUGHT OUR CAR FROM CARVANA JUNE 19, 2018. ON JUNE 27TH THE VEHICLE WASN'T RESPONDING TO ACCELERATION. IT WAS STALLING. IT WOULD GO INTO REVERSE BUT AS SOON AS I PUT IT IN DRIVE IT WOULD STALL. UPON INSPECTION THE SERVICE PERSON HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE BELT AREA. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION THEY FOUND THE WATER PUMP LEAKING PROFUSELY COVERING THE SPLASH SHIELD. THE SOP WATER PUMP AND GASKET WERE REMOVED AND REPLACED. THEY TOPPED OFF THE COOLANT AND TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE AND IT BEGAN OPERATING AS DESIGNED. ON AUGUST 21, 2018, T…
Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11121787 at NHTSA ↗