2016 Kia Sorento Complaint Log

Headlights turn off by themselves at night

white paint chipping fast

There is a problem with the engine in my Kia. I believe that this is a similar problem to other recalled Kia vehicles from the same production year, 2016, that caused metal to be present in the engine. My local Kia dealership informed me that I need a new engine due to this issue, after other issues had been ruled out as the cause of continued check engine light warnings were fixed.

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at a low rate of speed, the oil warning light flashed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the contact was informed that the engine was consuming oil at an excessive rate. The contact was informed that an oil consumption test would have to be performed to determine the extent of the failure which may result in the need for an engine replacement. The contact stated that the engine was replaced before under an unknown recall and was instructed to contact the dealer who performed the repair. The dealer was notified and referred the contact to the manufacturer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while attempting to leave the residence, the vehicle hesitated and shifted out of gear independently. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V612000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 15,000.

Vehicle has paint that is delaminating in numerous places. It starts as a raised area then the paint just flakes off leaving bare metal exposed. My vehicle value has gone down and the cost to repaint is over $4000 because the damage is not isolated to one area, but is scattered across all sections of the car body. The paint color code is SWP, Snow White Pearl. We have been to the Kia dealership where the car was purchased new. They said we would have to call Kia corporate, which we did, but their answer was for us to pay out of pocket for repainting and then TRY to get reimbursed from them. Corporate told us they were not taking any action for paint beyond the 3 year / 36K warranty period.

ABS light and Traction Control light are coming on intermittently-noticed that when vehicle is in park the needle on the mph will jump-nothing has really happened yet-it’s just intermittent. I have researched and noticed quite a few others have had the same instances

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving 60-65 MPH, the temperature gauge was fluctuating from Normal(N) to Hot(H) very quickly. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and allowed the engine to cool down. The contact had received a notification regarding an Extended Warranty coverage for the engine overheating and oil consumption. The dealer was notified of the failure and provided a fee for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the repair could not be covered due to the mileage on the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 181,000.

My SUV is having all of the problems associated with a bad engine. This started a week ago and on Thursday, [XXX] my SUV completely stopped running and I had to get it towed to my residence. I had an ASE certified mechanic to check it out and he said your engine is BAD. I have had all of my required oil changes as well as servicing as recommended. I got this SUV in 2020. It has a little over 100,000 miles. I cannot afford a engine repair at this time. Please advice. Thank you [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V612000 (Power Train); 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 the shift lever was easily moved without the brake pedal being depressed. The dealer was contacted, and an appointment was rescheduled several times. The contact stated that once the parts were available, the dealer informed the contact that there would be a charge to replace the shifter assembly, even though the VIN was included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and assisted the contact with scheduling an appointment with another dealer. The failure mileage was 134,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

The paint is bubbling up and peeling/chipping off on the hood and roof. Color is snow white pearl

On [XXX], I was on my way to the Orlando airport to pick up my daughter in her car (Kia Sorento 2.4L GDI). At about the halfway point to the airport, I increased my speed so I could go around a slow moving truck on the turnpike. After I passed the truck, I guess maybe a few 10ths of a mile give or take. The car just died. I looked at the dash and I see it's lit up like a Christmas tree. I pulled over to the side of the road and onto the shoulder. I put the car in park, turn off the car, and then try to start it. It didn't start so I popped the hood and first thing I checked was under the car to make sure there was no oil or coolant leaks. Then I checked the oil dipstick and there was plenty of oil and the coolant tank was at the full mark. I called my insurance agency to get roadside assistance and the car was towed to the city of Clermont in Florida. We charged the battery due to it being low from trying to start the car. After the battery was placed back in the car we tried again to start the car. I was told to stop because there was smoke coming from the front of the engine. No fire, but it may have been the starter smoking trying to start the car. After trying several times, I gave up and filled out paperwork for the Christian Bros Auto group to check the car to see what is wrong with it. After a few days we were told that the motor was seized up and needs to be replaced. We have all the documentation of all oil changes and repairs since my daughter got that SUV. Vehicle was well maintained and documented. I see that there is a class action lawsuit against KIA for this size engine. Our next step is to see what we have to do to get the car repaired. She still owes over 18K still on the car. I heard that KIA was a good car but we'll see what happens now. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I own a 2016 Sorento SXL AWD and this issue just started. I work evening shift and get off at 11pm. I always have the lights set to "auto", while driving home on a rural road at night and the headlights switch off on their own. I have to manually switch the lights off and back to auto for them to come back on. Potentially dangerous situation and Kia should issue a recall. Can find any recall but have done research and find it is an on going issue seems be be a multi function switch.

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that after the vehicle was started, the check engine warning light illuminated, with an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced due to a lack of engine oil. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact stated that the previous oil change was approximately three weeks before the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 117,990.

I want to report the incident occurred on July 30, 2024 when I turned on the ignition. I pressed the brake to shift the transmission to the drive/reverse mode from Park mode. The shift stick was stuck at one position Park and did not move. I searched on line and found that I could manually shift the car and get the car moving at least by removing the cap next to the shift stick and insert a screw driver to press it inside. This allowed me to change the gear and move the car temporarily. Since, my car is parked and I am not driving it fearing it would stop instantly on my putting my life and others in danger. The vehicle has not been troubleshooted by Kia dealership or mechanic. I would like NHTSA that this vehicles be recalled for safety concerns and fix the issue without any charge to the owners.

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the vehicle failed to shift into an intended gear, and was stuck in park(P). The contact placed a screwdriver in the shifter to manually shift into the intended gear to drive the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 81,000.

I was driving in fast moving traffic on a highway when my car suddenly shook and lost power. The check engine light came on. I pulled over and turned the car off for a few minutes. restarted the car, no light came on, so I continued. After a little while the car started hesitating as I would press the gas peddle then it would rev high rpm's and then take off very fast. The engine light came back on. I was able to get to a garage where they checked it. They said it was total engine failure. A spark plug broke inside the cylinder causing internal damage. I then towed it to a KIA dealership but have not heard back from them yet what their diagnosis might be. I could have been run over from behind by a semi truck or at least hit from behind when my car suddenly slowed down. I looked on line and have seen countless failures of this same engine for various reasons. It seems to me that this engine is a lemon in many ways. KIA has a settlement in place but only if the failure is caused by one certain thing. This engine as a whole is dangerous. Reports like mine are numerous, also engines catching fire. How is this engine not recalled? 1. engine failed 2. could have been hit from behind 3. automotive garage confirmed internal damage 4. still at KIA dealership with no response yet 5. engine light came on

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving 60-70 MPH, the vehicle made an abnormal loud cracking sound and stalled. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to pull to the side of the freeway. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to a safe location. The vehicle was then towed to the residence. The contact stated that upon opening the hood to inspect the vehicle, the contact noticed that the coolant reservoir had exploded, causing coolant to splash underneath the hood and to leak out on the front passenger's side of the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where the engine was taken apart. The dealer diagnosed that there was oil intrusion in the coolant, and that the engine had overheated excessively, causing the engine block to become distorted. The Extended Warranty field technician later informed the contact that the repair could not be covered. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 79,000.

while driving at night the headlights will go out. it has done so several times in the past. it is very scary when it happens on the freeway. Also the brake lights, specifically the drivers side, will stop working about every 2 weeks or so. I replace it and shortly after, it will stop working.

The button on the gear shift will not push in to move the shifter out of park.

Was driving the vehicle down the highway going about 65mph. Vehicle went into limp mode, check engine light came on and started flashing. There was no warning signs prior to this! Had the vehicle towed home and threw a code reader on it, to find the code P1326 come up. Says it's a code for knock sensor. After reading other forums found that most likely I will need to replace the engine. I have only had this vehicle for 2 months!! It is the same 2.4L engine that has been recalled on several other Kia vehicle but not mine. I bought this vehicle to have a reliable vehicle for my family and now I will be out more money!

While driving on the parkway, the vehicle would not accelerate and would stall. After pulling over, vehicle would restart but repeated the pattern. Made it to Advanced Auto who ran codes and had the camshaft modulator changed. Vehicle made it back onto parkway. 40 miles from home, the vehicle began to shake, loose power, made loud sound and died. Towed home. Mechanic said out of oil but I had oil changed less than 1000 miles ago when vehicle purchased. New codes showed crankshaft position sensor. Changed part. Replaced starter and a new battery. Still nothing. Stating probable engine failure. I've only owned this vehicle for 2 months!

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel had seized and there was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The vehicle was towed to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The approximate failure mileage was 76,800.

Car will not shift, I have to manually release it. It just started happening very randomly. I constantly have to release it with a screw driver.

I am having an issue with my Kia headlights when on dim. The lights are so dim I am afraid to drive the car at night because I am scared I will hit a person, animal or object. I am replacing light bulbs frequently. Cars are flashing their lights at me (when I need to drive at night) because of the dimness. I took my car to a Kia dealer and they could not diagnosis the problem. They advised to replace the entire headlight assembly with a cost of $2,600.00. I am on Social Security and can't afford to have the repair made. I have read a lot of complaints of other Kia lighting issues. I feel a recall should be made immediately due to the seriousness of the issue.

I change my oil regularly and driving my car started knocking and I let a mechanic checked it and he said the engine was blown and I didn't understand why that happened. it was not out of oil and I still don't know why it happened

My front driver seat slips out of recline position to another position on its own Had engine replaced, got car back, made humming noise, took back to dealer, could not find noise, car still makes noise and now there’s seems to be louder noise coming from steering or front suspension while car is driven, dealer claims with no extension of warranty and over 60,000 miles, any work for this issue with steering/suspension is not covered, this was not an issue before engine was replaced under the engine recall

I purchased a used 2016 Kia Sorento during the used vehicle rise in pricing back in 2021. I owned a 2012 Hyundai sonata (which also required an engine replacement), but I my grandmother's car died, and I needed a better vehicle for a new job. June 16th I was driving with my daughter at around 9am and suddenly the vehicle started to shake and loss of power with the radio system beeping all dash lights flashing "engine system component" and check engine light remained on. (very similar to how my sonata died before engine replacement). I pulled over got the vehicle towed to my house due to it being a weekend and unable to reach a shop. I have a code reader, which I read the codes. Upon getting it to the dealer they said it was the Cam Shaft Phaser and new spark plugs, costing about $4800. As a single mother and one income I need a vehicle to survive (and still owing over $6,000) and pay my bills. Now here I am September 15, and I get an "engine system component" and check engine light back on. Now I have read so many similar issues on Kia blogs and nothing is being done to fix these issue and I am stuck with a vehicle that I still owe money on and overpaid because of COVID, and continues to break down. I'm disgusted with Kia as they could care less.

Was driving down the street no lights on the dashboard no overheating no warnings whatsoever and I heard a click and the engine just went out and the Dashboard lit up if this had happened on the expressway, it could’ve been very dangerous It appears the engine is seized, but it had oil . Apparently, this is become a common problem with this vehicle. Once they hit over 100,000 miles.

I was burning oil in my car. I had put oil in my sorento every 1000 miles. I had ask the service dept about when I had 92000 miles. She then informed me that was normal and if I had put more oil in there that I might have a problem. I thought I was under warranty at that time through Kia but was informed that I didn’t have warranty unless I bought it extra. I gave over 109783 miles on it now and blown a rod. I got a tune up about 2 weeks ago and they told me I burning oil and they thought I might have a leak inside the motor possibly in one my rods. A week after I got a tune I blew a rod. I have read that sorento are known to have these problems. What they said they built the engines and never fixed the problem they had on blowing there engine. They’d said they don’t drill there heads properly. They don’t allow enough oil into cylinders and the engine blows. I have put oil in the car every 1000 miles . I should not have replace that much oil all the time.

The transmission shift lever locked up. The car could not be started. It is available for inspection. This caused the owner not to be able to start the vehicle and be stranded in a parking lot, unable to drive home. A tow truck was called and the vehicle is currently at a service station, where it was inspected and the problem was diagnosed. As a result, the owner has rented a car, due to a three business day wait period for the replacement part. There were no warning lights or indications prior to the problem! This event has caused the owner much undo stress, and over $1200 in expenses. Also, because the owners live out of state, and needed to head back home (NY), they now have to travel back again to the State of MASS in order to pick up their vehicle. This constituted a minimum of a one week car rental. The closest dealership is over an hour away from where the vehicle broke down and is very costly to have it towed there.

2016 Kia Sorento with 80,000 snow white pedal paint peeling at a rapid paste. Factory defect

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the contact’s place of employment. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 98,000. The VIN was not available.

I was driving on the highway and the vehicle stalled would not start again had it towed to local repair shop where I was told the engine was blown due to no oil in the car

The engine seized without any warning. There was no sounds no smoke no anything that would indicate a issue with the engine. After engine failure come to find out that there is a little over three quarts of oil missing with no leak and no warning light came up on the dash, which if it had it would have saved me from having this happened where they now want me to replace the engine. There are many different recalls and complaints about this same problem with the 3.3 l V6 and I don't think owners should have to take on the large cost of repairs due to a manufacturer's defect. We tried to get to a mechanic shop fast enough where they stated that the car was missing that much oil and we tried adding the oil back but it was already too late. The car is currently at a Kia dealership with a seized motor.

The Snow White Pearl paint is coming off of the vehicle due to issue of the paint is not adhering to the sealant coat on the car. This is causing big chunks of paint being removed when it rains heavily. KIA knows about this issue, when I talked to a manager at their body shop he informed me that this is a ongoing issue with this paint color. KIA doesn't want to take ownership of the problem.

The problem started after a quick stop at a convenient store on the way to work. After starting the engine the vehicle would not shift from park. I was able to bypass this after a quick Internet search by removing a small cover near the stick shut and a small straw to bypass the shift control. I've had the car twice at the mechanics without a diagnosis as to a possible cause and was able to have the mechanic permanently disabled the shift lock but was warned the vehicle could be shifted to drive or neutral at any time and moved with a key. About a month later I found myself without headlights and shortly after this without wiper controls. Another visit to my mechanic would this time show the problems, shift lock, headlights and wipers were all from a faulty PCM. My mechanic has shipped my PCM out twice for repair but both time only caused the replacement part to blow. It's not suggested they use the dealer to further repair the problem. I've been 3 weeks without my vehicle and it's another week before the earliest availability from my local dealer. I'm only hoping now it's not a long backorder to gets the parts necessary to fix my vehicle. I have also read this has been a common problem and costly repair with other 2016 Kia Sorento owners.

I was driving my Car when it stalled the police helped me to get my car towed to my home I then had it towed to Gilbert Az Kia Dealership where it is now and waiting for Kia to approve Engine Replacement

Engine lost power while driving at normal speed(45 mph). Car will not start after stalling after coming to stop. This is after three years of massive oil usage and dozens of spark plug failures. Dealer and manufacturer were made aware of situation. They couldn't or wouldn't replace engine unless it completely failed or caught fire. Now that it has failed, it is beyond the "warranty". Researching this model year, it is obvious they have an issue that needs to be addressed.

The paint on my car is peeling off. Attached is pictures of the top of the back door window(In back of the driver’s seat)and the flap on top of the back window.The paint is Snow White.

My wife was driving down the road when all of a sudden the motor shuts off and wont start again... the engine had zero oil in it. Looking online, I see this is a big issue with other Kia owners.

My engine made a loud knocking sound and started shaking I tried to start after car was cut off but noise was worse. I then called for roadside assistance from my insurance policy. My 100,00 mile warranty is not in effect. My car was towed to my home at an out of pocket cost of$269.07 on May 20, 2024 I have not driven the car since and have been carless. I have spent approximately $1200 dollars on car rentals. I had a mechanic come by my house and he said it sounded like I would need a new engine. I checked on the price and it is out of my reach. I am retired senior citizen and really don't have $2000-$3000 to purchase an engine. I have done all recalls as, my car does not have a trailer hitch. What can be done to help.

On 12/15/2023 I was driving and my Car stalled as I was pulling in to my father’s RV Park and would not start again I went back next day and it started Then a Month later and I was on my way home from Costco and my car just stopped I had to have it Toed to my house it started the next day then on 04/01/2024 I went to the store and on the way home my Car just started making a loud noise like a rod is knocking I think my Engine is gone

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? A) The engine died while driving. Yes, it is. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? A) While driving on the both the highway and in town on the streets, the engine failing could have resulted in death or harm to myself, my children and those on the road driving around me. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? A) No. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? A) No. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? A) Check engine light came on after vehicle stopped working.

In April 2022, I received a letter dated April 7, 2022, informing me of an extended warranty coverage for the Oil Pressure Switch leak in 2014-2018 Sorento vehicles equipped with the 3.3L GDI Engine, extending from 5 years/60,000 miles to 15 years/150,000 miles. Additionally, I was notified of an Important Safety Recall (NHTSA Recall Number: 22V612) indicating a defect that could lead to vehicle rollaway, significantly increasing the risk of a crash and injury. The letter assured me that Kia would inspect and, if necessary, replace the shift lock lever and holder at no cost. I took the vehicle in for inspection in May and the vehicle has not been returned to me yet. the vehicle has been at the dealership with no indication on when the issues would be remedied. The vehicle is used for services to minority and low income youth and it appears that the company does not care about BIPOC safety.

Going 70 on the interstate luckily I was in the right hand lane when my motor just died!now my motor is fried knocking had it at the shop two weeks prior for oil problems said it was the valve head gasket took it to get fixed now a few weeks later I now longer have a warranty I'm 5 thousand Over it I still owe money for something I have to put more money into!

Engine failed due to apparent head gasket leak. Incident happened on [XXX] near Richmond, Kentucky. Failure of engine caused loss of speed and power. Fortunately, an exit was available to get the car off the road quickly. We had to tow the car home and replace the engine at a cost of $8,000. Kia has had to recall 4 cylinder engines for this year. They should be recalling the 6 cylinder engine as well. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

My 2016 Kia seronto was fine wasn’t throwing any codes not even the code that tells me my oil is low. But always kept it changed and maintained never had a problem with it only the code that says 02 sensor then I started having an exhaust leak near my engine it was getting so hot to the point it was catching my carpet inside my car on fire so I had to pull up the carpet that never bother me or made an issue for the car I was driving and it started knocking like a rod knock I check the oil and there’s oil in it with no metal shavings or a creamy color to it. Car still starts gets louder when the rpms go up so I’m just a bit confused to what happened when I kept my oil changed and my car never warned me of any problems and only thru a code for the o2 sensor I seen the recall for different Kia for the rod knock sensor detection so could that have happened to my Kia since it just messed up without any time of warning please let me know at [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I keep having problems with the brake lights and all of the back lights, have fixed or replaced them 7 to 8 times in the last 2 years, and my passenger door will not lock, know another person that has a Kia that has the same problem

My 2016 kia Sorento has had oil consumption issues, I have got regularly services, i have had a tune-up, fixed leaky valves and still needed to add oil to my car 3 weeks after an oil change. 4/28/2024 I was traveling down a busy highway and suddenly my car shut off at 65 mph, that could have killed others and myself had I not been in the far right lane. My mechanic said my engine was gone. Now I am stuck with a payment for a car I do not even have.