10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 7
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
9,340 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2016 Kia Sorento:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #67

Jul 302022

Sorento

  • miles
I purchased my 2016 KIA Sorento in October of 2018. Oil changes and everything has always been up to date along with regular maintenance. I never had any issues with it then in April 2022 I was driving to work and had complete engine failure with only 88k miles on it. The first obstacle was reaching KIA corporate. Would call several times a day just to be on hold for 30 plus minutes and sometimes over an hour. After speaking to several different people, they advised there was nothing to they could do, and I would have to pay for it out of pocket due to them saying they sent a piece of paper to the fist owner in June/July 2018 and then another one to me the end of 2019 or 2020. They were unsure of when it was sent to me and there was no proof that I received it. With my hands being tied since still owed money on it I went ahead and paid the $5700 to have my engine replaced. Fast forward I finally got my car back the end of July and two days later realized my heat no longer worked (worked before car went in to have engine replaced). Here it is over two weeks later, and I still do not have my car back. I have to call the dealership for an update and when I do call them, they have no clue who I am or why I am calling. Even though throughout this whole process with engine have only spoken to 1 service rep. KIA-??s customer service across the board is very poor. I called the dealership today and they said they finally heard back from corporate again to try and run more tests and they will follow up with me by EOB I am not holding my breathe.

- Bowling Green, OH, USA

problem #66

Jul 312022

Sorento

  • miles
Ignition switch/steering column lock/anti-theft device. It is widely known key start KIA-Hyundai vehicles are easy to steal due to lack of sufficient steering column/ignition switch/anti theft device which makes these high risk vehicles for theft which also puts owners and bystanders at unreasonable risk of violence. These same vehicles sold in Canada and elsewhere are equipped with different parts making them much more theft resistant. KIA-Hyundai therefore made a decision to NOT install on US market vehicles, deliberately indifferent to safety of owners, occupants, and others of violence and of increased vehicle theft.

- Bumpass, WA, USA

problem #65

Jul 062021

Sorento

  • miles
2021 on my passenger side paint literally peeled off. I-??ve had a small small chip on my roof and this was few years back. Though was just a chip. Now about last week literally my roof is peeling demalation. I see online many many recalls and issues with this type of pain and I have the Snow White paint

- Hemet, CA, USA

problem #64

May 212022

Sorento

  • miles
Paint chipping in multiple spots

- Santa Fe, TX, USA

problem #63

Dec 112021

Sorento

  • miles
My 2016 pearl white Kia Sorento started to chip and peel. It started on the front edge of hood (both sides) and now is starting to peel on the roof line at windshield.

- Pico Rivera, CA, USA

problem #62

May 132022

Sorento 4-cyl

  • miles
Sometime Mid May 2022 I was driving back from Tri City Washington. As I was passing a semi truck I noticed my car was losing some power. I ten was able to to get in front of the semi when I seen a place to pull off. During this time I noticed my dash lights were coming on. Engine light. I was lucky enough to pull off where on a side road in Warden, Washington. My car then ceased and would not start. I had to have it towed in my home town of Moses Lake, Washington to a auto mechanic by my resident. The name is Customs Auto on Broadway. They said it needed to go to a Kia Specialist/Mechanic for repairs. So I then had it towed to Over Turf Kia Dealership in Tri City, WA. where my car has been sitting since the end of May 2022. Nathan from Over Turf said I needed to replace my engine and quoted me at $6300 which is what I owe my bank loan with Wells Fargo. I only had 135,000 miles on it and not sure why all of a sudden my engine ceased. Now I have filed a complaint with NTSB they gave me a complaint #11466956 on Kia and their recalls. I had a recall repair on it September 2017 and had contacted Kia out of Wenatchee, WA where the recall was done. But they are closed down because of the covid. I am lost to what to do at this point. I was given an email address to send an email of pictures or important documents pertaining this problem. I am asking for any direction as to what to do or who to contact. If you need to call me please fill free at [XXX]. Thank You! Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Moses Lake, WA, USA

problem #61

Jun 032020

Sorento

  • miles
Have a 2016 Kia sorento 93000 miles it is pearl white the paint is coming off peeling off, chipping off

- Madison, TN, USA

problem #60

Jan 012022

Sorento

  • miles
Paint is chipping off in large chunks on various places on my vehicle. I did see another Kia Sorento (white and same year) that had the same issue happening on their vehicle. There is clearly an issue with the white paint from that year. There has not been any incident that has caused this to occur, it seems to have happened randomly.

- Rosenberg, TX, USA

problem #59

May 052021

Sorento

  • miles
My car has the Pearl White paint, it started peeling in 2021 and now is increasing. It mostly on the hood of the car.

- Woodway, TX, USA

problem #58

Mar 162022

Sorento

  • miles
White pearl paint finish is flaking off on hood and along roof line at windshield. No impact or abrasion caused this. From reading other complaints this appears to be from incompatible primer used at factory

- East Islip, NY, USA

problem #57

May 152022

Sorento

  • miles
My paint is peeling. KIA SORENTO SNOW WHITE PAINT PEELING CHIPPING AND DELAMINATION

- Waynesville, OH, USA

problem #56

Apr 302022

Sorento

  • miles
The car engine was using excessive amounts of oil at 80,000 miles. The dealer in an attempt to save the engine did a major flush. Several components failed within 10,000 miles of that service. Spark plugs, fuel pump and catalytic converter. The car would lurch forward. It stalled at 65 mph! We were scared it would start on fire or stall again. The first time it happened there were no warning lights. After the spark plugs and fuel pump were replaced there was an engine warning light on. The dealer did check it out and the latest test revealed a hole in the catalytic converter. They could not guarantee that that was the only issue. We chose not to have any additional repairs and sold the car at a loss because we were scared to have our grandkids in the car.

- Naperville, IL, USA

problem #55

Apr 212022

Sorento

  • miles
My kia started making knocking noise. NO warning light came on while driving car home check engine light came on and car just quit. Engine is seized up for no reason.checked recalls but says none. But there was a major recall on these engines but I just bought this car from dealer 3 years ago. And, when I give it gas it don't always accelerate..I can have gas pedal to floor and go nowhere then all the sudden it will finally lunge forward. I have almost been hit a few times in my car. There has to be something wrong

- Wintersville, OH, USA

problem #54

Apr 192022

Sorento

  • miles
During a mpi, valve cover gasket was brought to my attention as needed. I was told that I had a very small leak. During scheduled service maintenance, service advisor requested spark plugs and fuel assembly part to be done to since getting gasket cover replaced. I was told that I could wait due to it being a minor leak and it wouldn't cause any problems yet after discussing concern of oil leak and an upcoming road trip that I'd rather be safe than sorry. Previously had knock sensor replaced(recall item). Since having the gasket cover, plugs, fuel assembly, and topping off oil, I have noticed a white smoke today( near oil dip stick and oil cap), oil consuption still burning fast (very light travel since repair) and louder idling noise. There has never been a low oil light coming on or any other lights since I've had the knock sensor(check engine light near the end of last year) recall part fixed. I don't want to be stranded nor lose an engine with only 123k plus miles. I'm afraid that this issue may be related to all the other kia engine complaints and cause more unseen damage. I do have pics on my phone and videos. My vehicle is still being paid on via a very high interest rate and is my only source of transportation. I also have my receipts for oil changes not documented under carfax....car fax is not correct with the vehicle maintenance information. The shop that did the repairs isn't the same shop that pointed out the valve gasket cover but the are part of the same car shop..different locations

- Fayetteville, NC, USA

problem #53

Apr 152022

Sorento

  • miles
After 30 minutes parking in driveway rear underneath rear hatch erupted in flames. Flames engulfed entire rear of vehicle. Only outside no damage from fire inside vehicle. Started in trailer hitch rear area. Hitch was installed by Kia dealership when we purchased vehicle. Hitch was never used.

- Melrose, MA, USA

problem #52

Apr 012022

Sorento

  • miles
Problems with parking lock, no release. Possible body control module.

- Mayaguez, PR, USA

problem #51

Mar 292022

Sorento

  • miles
I was driving on Route 78 (an interstate highway) when I heard a loud "POP" and suddenly my sunroof's glass was raining down on me. The front window of my sunroof totally shattered leaving a huge hole in the roof. Luckily, I did not lose control of the vehicle as I tried to figure out what happened to the sunroof. I recently had to have the car towed and I did not want to wait for another tow truck so I drove home with the huge hole in the roof. Upon my arrival home, my husband met me with the shop vac and he cleaned up the glass. His notes about the situation - there were no scratches or dents on any part of the car, there was no foreign object in the car that may have fallen through the roof, and he thought that the amount of glass he vacuumed out was not all of the glass missing from the roof. He believed that a lot of the glass must have burst out of the window and onto the highway. The next day when I drove home (in another car as mine was unable to be used for several days), I looked to see if I could see an unusual object on the side of the road that could have perfectly missed my windshield but hit my sunroof. There was nothing out of the ordinary on the road. FYI - The day's weather was fair, in the high 50-s to low 60-s. It was a cloudy but dry day. I posted my harrowing experience on Facebook, and a friend told me about the NHTSA.gov website. Upon searching, I found that several other 2016 Kia Sorentos had exploding sunroof issues. I reported the issue to my insurance company as I wanted to know how much my deductible was. Unfortunately, the cost is coming out of my pocket. I have since had the window fixed. I did not file a police report as I honestly believed that somehow something got kicked up off the road and onto my roof. I do not believe that to be the case anymore. I did call my local Kia dealer and he was shocked to hear what happened. He did not say he had any experiences like this.

- Plainfield, NJ, USA

problem #50

Apr 042022

Sorento

  • miles
my vehicle is exhibiting symptoms of a defective gas pedal as described in kia recall SC115 for the 2016 kia sorento. however my vehicle is not part of the recall group. i took my car to the dealer to request this recall (SC115) be done on my vehicle but they would not make an exception. my vehicle is unsafe to drive because the accelerator pedal will randomly stop working causing the vehicle to go into "forced idle" mode for several minutes while driving on the road. this is dangerous because the car just idles and will not accelerate. kia dealer has inspected the vehicle but will not assist me with this recall issue.

- Hudson, FL, USA

problem #49

Sep 012021

Sorento

  • miles
Paint chipping in large areas occurring rapidly over the course of 6-7 months with no external damage or accidents to cause this.

- Glen St. Mary, FL, USA

problem #48

Jan 252022

Sorento

  • miles
in September 2021 between regular oil changes, lost most of oil and check engine light on. After using many quarts of oil, service center replaced the valve cover gaskets needed. Misfiring of engine traced to cylinder damage due to loss of oil. Evaluation and diagnosis by local independent service center, recommended replacing engine.

- Glen Allen, VA, USA

Read the next 20 complaints »