2016 Kia Sorento Problems, Recalls & Reliability
1,624 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2016 Kia Sorento, alongside 8 recall campaigns and 3 defect investigations. It scores 74/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Engine leads the reports, typically around 84,997 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 2016 Kia Sorento sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 2003–2004, 2006–2009, 2018, 2020–2022.
Avoid
Where 2016 sits among all Sorento years
What owners report
“My engine seized. There were no warning lights prior. I was driving on the highway and my engine lost power vehicle shut down and engine light and battery light came on. No prior warning lights were on the car.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Sorento
“My kia sorento 2016 hatch door will not open. I have to get in and crawl over two row to get unlock from the inside. Since this started happening i have found numerous complaints about this happing to other people.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Sorento
“While driving at night while my headlights are in auto position they will randomly turn off for a few seconds and then click back on. This has happened twice in one week. The last time, was while driving 70 mph down the interstate and my headlights went out without warning.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Sorento
“Was driving to work RPM's jumped up and stayed after releasing gas pedal. The engine started knocking. Pulled off the road at gas station near by. Shut car off. Had to have car towed to back to my house.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Sorento
“I have a 2016 KIA Sorento. The paint is pearl white and it is peeling. The peeling is on the hood, roof and A pillars so far.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Sorento
“While driving steering has play in it which makes you correct your steering too much”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Sorento
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 538 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 67,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 33,000 and 96,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (8)
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016 Sorento vehicles. A component of the rear suspension may not be properly welded.
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,…
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…
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…
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.
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…
Federal defect investigations
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2016 Kia Sorento reliable?
The 2016 Kia Sorento drew 1,624 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 74/100, scored against the model's worst year (2011).
What are the most common 2016 Kia Sorento problems?
The top reported problems for the 2016 Kia Sorento are engine (721 complaints), other (185), and electrical (172).
At what mileage do 2016 Kia Sorento problems show up?
Owners most often report 2016 Kia Sorento problems around 67,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 33,000 and 96,000 miles.
Does the 2016 Kia Sorento have recalls?
8 recall campaigns apply to the 2016 Kia Sorento. At least one carries a do-not-drive or park-outside warning — check your VIN before driving.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.