NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 Kia Sorento. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
We were driving down the road and a rod went through my engine. We have always kept our oil changes up to date and maintenanced our car as soon as it’s needed it. We called Kia to ask them if we could get this fixed and Kia of Cookeville let us know it was under recall for an engine issue but because our software wasn’t updated it wouldn’t be covered. We then called Kia of Knoxville and they said it was covered under the recall but we would need to call a corporation number to see if the cost were covered. The corporation number wasn’t willing to corporate at all. He preceded to tell us because it wasn’t brought in there was nothing they could do. We have never received a letter saying we were under a recall. We had no idea. Please help I have 4 kids and no way of transportation for them. My husband just lost his job and I need this fixed free of charge ):
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 not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect. The contact has tried contacting the manufacturer several times but they claim that there isn't a solution to the problem. The contact also states that Uhaul could fix it with third-party harnesses and that Kia should be responsible for the cost of that repair.
The engine in burning oil at a fast rate, also no check engine lights appear to inform you of an engine issue.
Engine failed on the highway. Regular maintenance performed on vehicle. No warning lights came on before engine failure.
While driving car, a burning oil smell came thru car and I heard a bubbling noise under the hood. No indicator light came on. I immediately looked at the temp gauge to see it was sitting on hot. I pulled over and looked under the hood to find out that coolant was spitting out. After 45 mins of letting it cool down I checked the engine oil to find none, and the radiator had oil in it. My car is currently at the shop being taken apart.
Desconocido
Drive side brake light keeps burning out, even after several replacements. The bulb becomes black each time. Not sure if it's related, but headlight will intermittently turn off when in Auto light mode, even at night.
My 2016 Sorento started using oil in between oil changes last summer. Per Kia dealership's instructions, I performed an "oil consumption test" which resulted in being told that it was using oil, but not enough to qualify for any type of repairs or assistance from Kia. I continued getting the oil changed on schedule and adding additional oil in between changes, checking the oil almost daily. Now, my engine has completely locked up and have been told I need a new engine, at my own expense of course. Kia should be made to fix these cars! I took good care of my car with regular oil changes and overall maintenance. This is obviously a case of a bad product on Kia's part, and they should be made to stand by their work!
This morning while driving on the highway I was unable to accelerate. It triggered an engine light & then went off. I have taken my car in for paid services a few months back just to be told to wait until my car knocks in order for them to replace the engine. This is unsafe and an terrifying option on the highway with my Children.
Oil consumption problem with GDI engine. No leaks, it is burning oil on a weekly basis and the oil light does not come on. There are several online blogs and YouTube videos of people with the same issue but no fix. I am constantly having to add oil. This is a known issue with GDI engines.
Low oil light NEVER came on. Went in for a check and they said it was bone dry but the indicator light never came on.
2016 Kia Sorento with 123K miles with all recall completed and maintained. We were driving on backroad where all traffic were diverted because of highway 101 closure when the car suddenly have the MIL blinks then stalls and would not start back up again.
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, his wife was unable to shift into drive (D) as the gear shifter remained stuck in park (P). The contact's wife used a screwdriver to depress a button as instructed by an online tutorial. The contact's wife was then able to shift into drive (D) and continued driving; however, the failure reoccurred whenever the vehicle was parked. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not be repair the vehicle under NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V612000 (Power Train) as the VIN was not included due to the manufacturing date of the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.
I own a 2016 Kia Sorento. When the incident happened I was far away from home on a way to a weekend conference. I was driving in the left lane on a very busy 3-lane highway at high speed while the engine suddenly lost power, slowed down and started shaking. There were no warning lights beforehand until after the failure. The check engine turned on at the time when the failure occurred. The oil pressure light did not came on. Oil was checked prior to the trip because the car had been using excessive oil for the past several months. I had to refill the oil every week. I had the Knock Sensor Detection Software installed a few months before and I had the engine oil pressure switch/sensor replaced as well but it didn’t fix the oil consumption issue. The incident on the highway put myself and others at risk as I had to cross three lanes to the right shoulder (there was no left shoulder) while others (including large tractor trailers) were passing me at a very high speed; I was moving slowly at 30/35 MPH because the car lost power and didn’t accelerate. It became a traffic hazard. It was a very frightening experience as I could have caused an accident and get myself and others injured. The car eventually stalled. It was a Friday evening – I contacted a local Kia dealership but they said that they were closing for the day and couldn’t help me. They said that they were backed up and weren’t sure if they could look into the car the next day either, even if I left it there. I had the car towed to a mechanic and then to another KIA dealer closer to my home. I waited for nearly two weeks to get an appointment at the dealership to have the car diagnosed. I have been told that the car needs an engine replacement at my cost (approximately $10,000). This was my only "reliable" vehicle used for a daily commute and longer travel until the engine failure incident. The car has been at a dealership for weeks waiting to be repaired.
I was driving the car at approximately 40 mph. The engine light flashed on briefly. I immediately lost power and had no acceleration. The light went off but the car stopped. The incident put myself and others at risk as I lost power and was in an area where I shouldn't have stopped and it became a traffic hazard. The car is currently at the KIA dealership. There were not prior lights, messages or symptoms prior to the failure. I am the first and only owner with approx 55 k miles. Never had an issue before. Dealership conducted all oil changes and maintenance.
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle lost power and stalled. The contact was able to maneuver the vehicle off the road when the check engine warning light, the oil pressure warning light, and an unknown warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was awaiting a call back. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of the NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V703000 (Trailer Hitches) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. Additionally, the contact mentioned that a recall notice was received confirming the remedy was available and to contact a local dealer however, the dealer informed the contact that the part was not yet available. The manufacturer was notified of the issue and confirmed that parts were unavailable. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
I was driving down the road and heard a grinding noise from engine. I pulled over to check under the hood for fluid leaks or check engine lights which everything checked out good temp gauges and everything giving normal readings. I then proceeded to keep traveling my route and about 5 minutes in I was loosing power and my car wasn't accelerating any more. I contacted the dealership I received my car from letting them know of these problems and informed them of a recall that was in affect a couple years back and also about the recent one I then asked if they fixed this problem or had any Knowledge of these defects which they stated it's not on them I have to take it up with the manufacturer even though I wasn't informed of these problems before my vehicle purchase. I then contacted the manufacturer and let them know of the troubles and got them in contact with the mechanic that was in charge of my diagnostic at the time and they did an investigation and turned out the recall caused this problem but since the problem already occurred they can't help me with repairs. This shouldn't be on me when they sold me a faulty vehicle without disclosing the recalls that needed attention which in return could've cost me or someone's life that day.
My car is facing a huge amount of oil consumption in a short time period of a month after change the oil. I have an appointment this morning and see what they can do.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? A tow hatch could catch on fire when driving which is terribly dangerous and saying it could cause fire while being parked as well. How do you expect people to keep driving and be stressed about being burned? How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Me and my family and I have been put at risk by letting us know that when driving our vehicle a fire can start anytime and we have to park away from all other cars outside. We live in a community where kids are playing outside all the time so if a fire does start not only are we putting ourselves in danger when driving the car but other people live if the car goes into flames. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? I have contacted a Kia dealer where I live and nobody has reached back out to me about the situation and that was the first that I received the letter. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? It hasn't been inspected by a dealer if the dealer will not respond back and they are not taking appointments online from the Kia Dealer. If I am not hearing anything back I will have to take this further because, someone can get hurt if it's a recall on my car. I need a new car or something. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? I didn't have any warnings because I always take my car to Valvoline for an oil change and they give me a paper if something is needed done to the car and this never came up until I received the message from GEiCO and the letter in the mail about the recall.
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact received recall notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V703000 (Trailer Hitches); however, the part to do the repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
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 manufacturer had not been made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
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 attempting to drive at highway speeds, the vehicle lagged and was unable to exceed 50 MPH. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was unknown. Parts distribution disconnect.
This has been an ongoing issue, headlights set in automatic mode will turn off at night with no warning. They will also turn on in direct sunlight. This is an intermittent issue. Have taken to Kia service on two separate occasions, told they can not find issue or replicate problem. Have video of lights at night turning completely off set in auto mode.There is no warning when headlights turn off, which has happened to us in the rain and on roads that have no overhead lighting creating very dangerous situations.
Last year driving on a highway, my car suddenly lost power. I was able to coast another mile onto a 2 lane roadway, then it just died*every light on panel came on & went off. I was very lucky & very scared that no one rear ended me. My car was towed to a Kia dealer where the RECALLED ENGINE was Replaced. Now here it is a year later & the Knocking noise has been reported & videoed by me to the Kia mechanics(nothing done). This past saturday(9-17-2022) we were in the car & the exact same thing happened(backed up & car was on but would not do anything*No Warning Lights). After sitting for a few minutes we were able to start the car (this time) & went home, called Kia mechanic and left a message. I was on my way out of town but definitely changed my mind about driving my Kia. Monday we took it to the Kia mechanic & he said it just needed something RESET .... This morning knocking noise( I recorded it again) was present . It really makes you mad. Should Kia be held responsible for another ENGINE. I hate having a car that i'm scared to drive to far from home.
I have a 2016 Kia Sorento that was purchased Certified Pre-Owned on 5/18/2022. On 9/16/2022, I was driving the car at approximately 50 MPH when the care began to lose significant power. The car completely lost power making it hard to drive and adjust steering. I was able to safely pull over; however, being stranded in the dark as a woman is not safe, and I feel had another car been in front of or near me, I could have easily crashed. At that time, the car would not restart, and I noticed when I tried to start the car, smoke coming from under the hood. I sat for about 30 minutes, tried to start the car again, the car would not start. Prior to the car shutting down, there was no warning. The engine light has never been on in the car. What I did notice is the engine light flashed just before it went into this coasting mode. So, whatever was happening, happened without any warning at all. I had the car towed to my home. The tow driver parked the vehicle in a spot where I do not park; I noticed upon inspection oil had puddled on the ground. The car has never had or shown any previous leaks. I park in the same spot daily and have never seen a leak. Since having the car towed into the dealer, I have learned from Kia, the engine locked up; however, they have not been able to determine the cause as of yet. What they have shared with me is that they ran the diagnostic on the vehicle and confirmed that oil was everywhere (as I reported). They stated although the oil was dirty, the oil was full in the engine. They have confirmed the engine is locked but stated any claim with Kia against the Theta II Settlement Claim was denied because the KSDS had not been upgraded. When I asked how would I have known the car needed this recall because my car's VIN does not produce any recall notices on neither the KIA site nor NHTSA, I was told Honda (the Seller) should have performed the update before selling the car to me. So currently I am looking at $8K-$12K in repairs.
The engine has been burning oil - I have to put oil in every week. No leaks are evident. Three days ago, I began hearing a loud knocking when I start the car. Took to local mechanic, he said it's the bottom end. Needs a new motor. No warning lights have come on.
In our 2016 Kia the engine seized according to the mechanic at AAA. There was no warning. The car ceased operating going 45 miles per hour. It powered down with no dash light indicators to give warning and no other signs of engine failure in the middle of a merge lane leaving me stranded at the end of the merge lane at ask risk of causing a major accident. No lights came on (check engine and battery) until the car stopped working. I easily could have been rear-ended or caused a major backup on several roads in the area, putting myself or others at risk of injury or death. Per NHTSA, there is no active unrepaired recall on this vehicle. However, research indicates many Kia Sorentos of the same year were recalled. Kia has been contacted several times. Once they indicated there was no active recall on this car but could not explain why the engine seized. On a separate occasion, Kia was contacted and indicated there was a recall on the vehicle for this reason and advised that 2 separate recall notices were mailed--one in 2018 and one in 2019. Kia was again contacted and informed the vehicle was under recall, but a previous owner was listed as having the car.
I was driving down the interstate and my car made a loud noise and then it lost power. I was able to steer it off the exit. Tried to start it it turned over but wouldn't start . Before this happened my car was using up oil like crazy I took it to a mechanic and he said it wasn't leaking it and it isn't burning it so where is it going? I paid 10,000 cash for this vehicle and was only able to drive it 2 months the engine is gone. No warning, nothing... Kia needs to replace my engine along with all the other people that are having this problem, it's obviously kias fault too many of these 2016 serentos are having the same issue. I found out about all the other cars when I put it on the market place trying to sell it as is two different people told me that Kia had a recall and replaced their engines . How do you fix some and not all that are having the same issue?
Engine failed and Kia not doing anything about it
The engine and yes it is available for inspection The Car stalled at a red light at a busy intersection on my way to work I was afraid I was going to be hit The car is at a mechanic shop There was no warnings lights it all the sudden started tapping and then stalled and would not crank back up
oil burning reported to freehold kia numerous times car broke down on road needed to be towed
We bought our vehicle in April of 2020. In July 2020 our car broke down and Kia replaced the engine due to a recall that caused the engine to fail. We continued to get our oil changed per the recommended miles. In August of 2022, our turbo failed. We brought it into the dealership and were advised that the engine was bone dry of oil. There has been no oil leaks, nor was our oil light on. After some research we discovered despite this being a common issue with this motor that there is not a recall. Our turbo was replaced and now our entire engine of only two years old needs to be replaced again.
premature engine failure due to excessive oil consumption, without indication from warning light of low oil. Checked my oil and registered 0 on the dip stick. the engine knock became present pulling into my driveway
The engine has not worked properly in over a year and has problems accelerating and skipping. Engine light remains on at all times.
Engine seized with no warning. Kia is stating there was a recall but I never received a notice in the mail. They stated it was sent in July of 2022. Even if I did receive the recall letter, that wouldn't be enough time.
My 2016 Kia Sorento has large places on the body (hood, roof, door rails) where the paint has peeled off extensively. We noticed the paint peeling on the hood in August 2022 and the roof and door rails were noticed this month, March 2023.
To whom it may concern, I recently came across an article stating the NHTSA is investigating KIA about the faulty engine. I personally found out the hard way when my family vehicle, a 2016 KIA Sorento EX V6 3.3L V6 lost power on I75 while driving back from a trip to Disney World Orlando. I was able to pull aside but almost got hit by a speeding car. I looked in the engine bay and the coolant was overflowing from the reservoir and was very hot. I towed it back home and then followed up with my mechanic who said the head gasket was blown and that it needed to be replaced. The car is only shy of 50,000 miles and I got it with 4000 miles. I tried to get the engine replaced but KIA doesn’t have any engines for replacement. I have been looking to buy a car to get the engine from a newer KIA because I’m 100% sure this is a factory defect that they won’t fix on their own. I just received a letter stating to take the car to the dealer for a diagnostic on this exact issue and that they would fix it if they found the fault. Well, they said the issue was not about the head gasket and that the motor of the cooling fan was at fault. Yet I talked in person to the tech that diagnosed the car and only VERBALLY they would acknowledge the issue is the head gasket but not only that, they even said the entire engine needed replacing. Are they trying to get away from taking responsibility? Why they wouldn't state it in the paperwork? But if I send you the diagnostic they produced it would only say yellowing tires and wiper replacement to be necessary. This confirms there is a “cat in the bag.” But what they don’t know is that there was a prior inspection at another dealer that stated the head gasket was indeed blown. You are welcome to contact me at any time. My name is [XXX] . The vehicle is under my wife’s name [XXX] . My direct number is [XXX] . Thank you for your help and I hope you make KIA accountable for this really bad experience. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Since 2019, the power steering for my Kia Sorento has failed on at least 30 occasions while my vehicle is in motion, placing vehicle occupants and nearby drivers at significant risk of a serious accident. All failures have the following in common: - Vehicle becomes very difficult to steer and requires significant arm strength to turn the wheel to either the left or the right - The red EPS warning light illuminates, no other warning lights nor alarms - The steering wheel feels a minor shudder before fully locking - Upon stopping them vehicle, placing in park, turning the engine off, and then turning the engine back on, the EPS warning light is no longer illuminated and the steering is restored ("as if nothing happened") - There no known common causes, such as vehicle speed, temperature, nor any other triggers which cause this error, as a driver, there is the distinct chance that it can happen at ANY time Documented instances8 with video include: 11/20/2021 8/2/2022 8/4/2022 8/18/2022 (highway speed, specified in Additional Details) 8/24/2022 3/13/2024 Kia America issued an "MDPS Warranty Extension Notice" on January 7 2022 which appears to be specific to this problem sine it references EPS warning light, however this is a categorically insufficient response by Kia since it offers no clear remediation to address the actual acknowledgment by the manufacturer of their problem, offering coverage "if the diagnosis indicates the condition" but stating "vehicle steering will continue to be operational" after EPS illuminates. This is false since a person of my size is unable to operate the steering I have taken the vehicle to a Kia dealership for this problem on several occasions, including 2/7/22 after receiving the above "warranty notice," however their equipment is incapable of finding any record of the problem using any advanced OBD scanners, nor able to replicate the problem through driving since the problem is random, hence Kia will not repair under warranty.
My 2016 Kia Sorrento is burning oil, about 1 quart every 300 miles. It only has 64,000 miles on it. We have the oil changed every 3000 miles and last time it was black and sludge like. This is not acceptable and called the dealership and they suggest paying $700 to do a carbon test. Not paying that when the car has a warranty still!!!! This issue needs to fixed!!! We have dealing with this for months!! Also the lights on dashboard flicker once in a while.
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at 65 mph, the vehicle stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine seized and was not covered under the warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 138,000.
The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The engine was burning oil at a very high rate, with no indication of a problem. We went in for an oil change and they said the oil was extremely low and we would need to replace the engine. I've reached out to the local dealership to see if there's anything else that can be done, but the engine is making a loud clicking sound now. The fuel pedal stopped working while my son was taking the car to the shop and he had to push the car off of the road. There were no indicator lights or signs of a problem prior to this issue.
Twice now the oil has completely burned out of the car. With the first incident, I went to a location and they were going to top off the oil as a courtesy while they were changing my tail light. When they went to do that, they noticed that there was no oil in the car at all. A week and a half later I checked the oil myself and it was bone dry once again. The oil light does not come on at all. When I check it is saying there is no safety recall for my car, but there absolutely needs to be. I'm afraid that my engine is going to blow and I'm going to be left without a car. I took the car to the dealership and they said that there was no recall with it. They put oil dye in the car to check it. This is unacceptable. I'm told that the oil light does not come on because The light is only designed to detect pressure and not level. That is a horrible design. There is no evidence of leak in my garage or my driveway where my car is parked all the time.
Vehicle is consuming an excessive amount of oil, I see this is a common issue with this make and model , even a TSB regarding this issue. Yet, dealership states it is normal. I’m sorry but I have never owned a vehicle where it is normal to have to add 4 qts of oil between oil changes. This is a serious concern for engine wear and tear. I would like to escalate this issue to seek resolution. Another issue I see is both rear window regulators failed at same time. This I believe is due to poor design and low quality parts being used. Plastic pieces are used to hold metal wire in place to raise and lower windows. This plastic easily breaks over time causing windows to fall down suddenly and potentially shatter sending glass and debris in rear passengers. Headlight switch is defective causing headlights to turn off randomly while driving and then not being able to turn back on immediately. Huge safety concern at night.
Gear shift unable to put into drive, and unable to reset. I have to use a screwdriver to maneuver gear shift
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the vehicle would not immediately start after pressing the start button. After finally starting the engine and while driving 35 mph, the engine suddenly shut off and could not be immediately restarted. After restarting the vehicle, the check engine and traction control warning lights remained illuminated. The cause of the failures was not yet determined. The local dealer was notified of the failures. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 181,000.
The engine is making a hammer noise when you try to get past 2000rpm. Which has to do with the piston rod system. This will be to be towed if being inspected. This is currently causing engine failure and could blow the engine if it was still on the road. It has been replicated by several people now. And there was not early symptoms just the noise out of no where.
The engine consumed the oil prior to the recommended regular oil change without any warning or indication. This has resulted in the need for a total engine replacement uncovered by Kia.
I was driving 65 miles per hour on US 23, when my engine locked up. No warning, wasn't time for oil change, had plenty of oil.
In 2020 Kia replaced the engine on our 2016 Sorento. The new engine is doing the same thing with regards to oil consumption and causing us to repeatedly have to put oil in the vehicle at almost every fuel stop. There are no obvious oil leaks observed by us or Kia, we are also experiencing error code 0420 on the vehicle as often as 2-3 times a week. The dealership states that the engine replaced in 2020 only had a 1 year, 12000 mile warranty on it and it is no longer covered. The check engine light was unable to be diagnosed by the dealership despite being illuminated when taken to the dealer. We believe the engine oil leak and 0420 code are related as there are no other codes being shown on the vehicle.