2016 Kia Sorento complaints

Fuel pump leaking gas from a crack around electrical connections on top of it. Fire hazard.

Got into my vehicle pushed button to start, could hear a clicking for the first few seconds, then clicking went away. Drove off, went approximately 0.30 mile at a stop light when started to go it stalled in the the middle of an intersection. No warning light no other warning of anything wrong with vehichle, no other warning signs that there could be anything wrong. In July 2025 I had just took vehicle in for a major maintenance, oil, air filters, spark plugs, timing belt, and I checked oil and again no warning signs that there was anything wrong with vehicle. Took to a shop, mechanic believed it was the key fob, due to immobilize, had a new key reprogrammed and still not start, then proceeded to check the starter and installed a new starter still not start and found to be engine siezed.

Engine seized up while driving. I had just visited the dealership and had 5 RECALLS done.

The red steering wheel with an exclamation point pops up on the dashboard and instantly I lose power steering the wheel gets really hard, it went out as I was making a turn and I almost hit the truck . I had to yank the wheel really hard to control the steering, then had to pull over turn the truck off then back on to reset the problem. This have been going on mildly for a few years now has gotten to its worst

I have a pearl white painted Kia (2016) and the paint has severely flaked off where no damage has caused this. I believe the paint is defective, exposing the car to rust.

My headlights flicker when the left turn signal is used. I have taken this vehicle to the dealership previously for headlight flickering issues. I have owned it since 2019. When the lights flicker at night driving at highway speeds, it is dangerous for me and other drivers around me. The Ray Skillman Kia dealer has confirmed these issues and offered fixes that have not lasted. the most recent flickering did not come with warnings or messages prior to malfunctioning.

I now believe I've had a lemon. Since I purchased my car in 2016 they have been trying to diagnose a smell from the exhaust and started replacing parts, this was in Miami. Then for a few years in Vegas the car spent months at the dealership trying to fix a burning oil issue which I've been told there is a known problem with the turbo still isn't fixed. From the first year I had paint peeling on my snow white pearl color which has numerous forums about KIA/Hyundai paint issues especially with my color. I had them repaint the hood which took twice after the bad job the first time. I saw little bumps in the paint which I thought was over-spray from that incident and now I have peeling from one of those spots which is how they form from what i read. My car is 2016 but only has 65k miles. The spot now is getting bigger by the week, the rain isn't helping. there are other spots around the edges and a big spot on the roof and others I've already filled in with a paint pen which looks ugly. If you see my car, inside and out it looks pretty close to new from the way I've taken care of the car. The paint started in August of 2016 but most recently 2025. The engine issues were day one but most recently 2024 they fixed a cylinder that got a hole in it after consuming all the oil and it seems to be headed down that path with the remedy they are offering at KIA. The engine and paint should be convered under a class action lawsuit or recall to hold them accountable and fix the issues.

83,000 miles just changed oil and knock sensor and engine seized

Manufacture paint peeling all over my car

Paint on our Pearl White 2016 Sorento is beginning to delaminate on the front of hood and the two pillar posts. It began as a small bubble and continues to spread and chip off. Several quarter-sized spots now and two hand-sized places.

Driving on the freeway going 75-80 mph and my steering wheel locked up. When this happens I am unable to turn my steering wheel. Have to let my foot of the gas and try with all my muscle to get the car to go to the side of the road to put the car in park. Turn it off and turn it back on. This exact incident has happened to me 3 times in a row on the freeway on [XXX]. Once while the road had a curve. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The had the same oil leakage recall fixed two times by a dealership which it is still leaking BAD! That was said to be an oil pressure switch. My trunk also will not open.

Lights shut off by themselves at night in auto mode in dark environments!

My son was driving on the hwy and a banging sound started- lights started flashing on dash and it lost speed. Stranded on road. Read that 2016 KIA SORENTO v6 engines have this prob but apparently ours doesn’t??? According to Kia these run quite a while so 160K isn’t many miles! And all maintenance done at same location the life of vehicle. Makes no sense that it states everywhere I’ve read 2016 V6 have this problem, why not ours?? Now we battle with putting a new motor in a vehicle I just bought less than a year ago for the same price that I bought it for! It’s very nice interior and body but that does me no good with no engine! UNFAIR KIA!

We have been having problems with the speed control not functioning. Sometimes we couldn't set the speed or slow it down. Now it doesn't function at all! When it was working the cancel switch would also not work and we had to use the brake pedal to shut it off. Later on while driving through town with the cruise control still on, I stopped at a traffic light and the engine began to race at a high rpms. I took my foot off the gas pedal not knowing exactly what it would do and rpms settled down. Luckily the suv didn't accelerate into the vehicle in front of me. The engine has done this a couple of times with or without the cruise control on. My wife drives this vehicle with our grand children onboard and I am highly concerned about their safety.

This scenerio happened and fire resulted with total loss. Fuel system, gasoline: Delivery: Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings Recall date 2018-12-18 Recall no. 18V907000 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 Improvement Campaign. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, possibly causing a fuel leak. Hide details Recall consequence A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire. Recall action 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 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC172.

My traction control light is on along with my abs sensor light and another light indication red figure with like a stop sign only when someone in passenger seat as well as a exhaust issue my vehicle sounds loud driving out of no where

I purchased my Kia sorento in August of 2024 in April 2025 my Kia went into limp mode p1326. It was determined to be part of the ksds recall but all they did is replace the sensor. Something caused that sensor to go off and I feel they just masked the problem. At the same time in April I was told that there is a severe case of oil consumption that the Kia dealership requested information i do a $700 engine cleaning but actually made the oil consumption worse. Also just in the last 11 months ive had excessive paint issues where overall there's random chips, then peeling on the hood, side of the windshield and top of vehicle. I messaged Kia USA where I was informed neither situation is covered under warranty. My thoughts on oil consumption is i myself and the previous owners via carfax show consistent maintenance which in turn make it seem to be a manufacturer issue. I'm in imperial MO 63052 USA Not sure if your company can help or refer me to someone who can.

My 2016 Kia Sorento has a paint peeling on the hood and roof. I have reached out to Corporate but they will not help due to expired warranty. Learned on FB group chat that the paint is defective also the same color paint white pearl. Have you had any other complaints?Any idea on what I need to do? Thanks.

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 97,000, and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 167,000.

Not recall

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at 15 MPH, she attempted to park the vehicle in her driveway. As the contact tapped on the brake pedal, the vehicle independently accelerated as the contact slammed on the brake pedal and steered the vehicle out of the way of her home. The contact ran over a gutter and a bird feeder before applying the emergency brake, which stopped the vehicle. The contact was uncertain if any warning lights had appeared on the instrument panel prior to the failure. The contact was not injured, the air bags did not deploy, and a police report was not filed. The next day, the contact had the vehicle towed to a dealer. The contact was informed that rust was discovered on the vehicle's brake rotors; however, they had yet to determine the cause of the failure. The contact stated that the engine had been replaced almost a month prior to the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired and remained in the possession of the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 83,000.

Paint peeling everywhere an innocent burning excessive oil.

Driving in traffic at night. Engine suddenly began running erratically, lost power and died. Upon opening the hood I found oily coolant all over the engine compartment that had shorted out the engine electrical systems. I determined that it has shorted out from coolant because after sitting for about 30 minutes the coolant apparently evaporated and the engine started again. This could have been life threatening to my wife, me and others if the engine had died on the very curvy road we'd just gotten off of. I have since found out that there is a TSB (WTY035) that extends the warranty due to faulty head bolts. But this is also a safety issue.

I have now replaced the headlight bulbs in my 2016 KIA Sorento 6 times and it's getting worse as it gets older. I believe it is a safety issue since the last time I was out of town, traveling in the middle of the night when it went out. I had to wait until morning to find an auto parts store to buy and replace the bulb. No inspections have been done by anyone. Yes, the warning lamp comes on and stays until reset.

My Sorento burned oil excessively, without warning, and now has a damaged engine, requiring replacement. This is a serious problem and common. There are two other Kia vehicles with the 3.3L Lambda engine in Weston Kia for the same problem - low/no oil and no “low oil” light. Those two vehicles and mine now require new engines. When my car experienced the problem, the car shook and the engine vibrated with a significant loss of power. This would’ve been extremely dangerous if towing anything or driving uphill. This is a common problem among Kia forums and Kia is unwilling to assist.

The specific issue I’ve encountered is that the vehicle intermittently becomes stuck in “Park” and cannot be shifted into “Drive” or any other gear using normal methods. The only workaround has been to manually engage the shift lock override by inserting a screwdriver or similar tool into the override slot near the gear shifter. This is not a normal or acceptable method of operating the vehicle and clearly indicates a failure of a system that should function reliably. Upon further investigation, I discovered that this problem is not isolated. Hundreds of Kia Sorento owners from various forums and complaint boards (including Reddit, Kia owner groups, [XXX] , and even other reports on NHTSA.gov) have documented the same problem with identical symptoms: the gear shifter becomes stuck in Park, the brake lights do not illuminate, and in many cases, this is traced back to a faulty Body Control Module (BCM). Many owners have noted that when they contacted Kia corporate or their dealerships, the representatives either acknowledged the issue was known but not recalled, or simply claimed there was no current recall to address it. This is disappointing and raises serious questions about Kia’s willingness to take accountability for systemic flaws in their vehicles. I respectfully request that NHTSA: 1.Initiate an investigation into the prevalence and root cause of BCM-related failures in the 2016 Kia Sorento, particularly those that result in gear shift locking and/or brake light malfunc

Driving on the frwy when car started loosing power/acceleration, no warning lights or indicators on dashboard. Safely able to merge off the frwy. Turned off vehicle, engine would not turn back on. But all the dash lights came up as warning including engine light. Started to smell like burnt. Open the hood and it smelled like burning oil. Towed my vehicle & under the vehicle a pool of engine oil. Dealer confirmed engine seized. When repairs began water pump was damaged & engine mounts due to engine seizing.

I’m driving down the road my engine started knocking like head gasket lifter and rod was knocking

While I am driving it can be jerking anytime and also the slippery light come on the dashboard.Sometimes the engine light come on too.

While driving on the highway, the vehicle engine began to shake violently. The check engine light came on. The car was driving normally prior to this moment. The car has been well maintained and is in excellent condition. I looked it up and found tons of cases that reference a judgement directive from the Theta II Engine Class Action Settlement (Case No. 8:17-cv-00838-JLS-JDE), where the warranty coverage has been extended due to known engine issues. The KSDS software update (SC260) was installed in 2023, by Kia of Orange Park. The vehicle now has approximately 127,121 miles. We towed the vehicle to Daytona Kia who diagnosed the engine as failed, but declined to initiate a warranty claim or submit the case to Kia Corporate because diagnostic trouble code P1326 was not present. I purchased this diagnostic for nearly $200 from Daytona Kia and they verified the second cylinder failed. They blamed it on a sticking fuel injector, but did not verify that this was the issue. Only stating that they believed this to be the case in their review. They did not conduct testing to rule out rod bearing failure or to verify fuel injectors were to blame for the issue. I asked for that. They checked to see if the service manager would be willing to do a BCS test on the vehicle. It was denied. I asked for definitive verification of the cause of the failure. They said I would have to pay for additional diagnostics to start that process. I contacted Kia corporate and asked them to intervene. Kia

Vehicle stuck in park. Able to use emergency procedure to drive. Repair of fault would have cost 1600.00 if not covered by my extended warranty. There is a similar recall for not requiring brake to be applied before the shifter can select a gear. This is caused by the BCM body control module. I believe that most of these units are failure prone and they control a number of functions that are related to safety.

My 2016 Kia Sorento (VIN: [XXX] ) has suffered a head gasket failure due to a known manufacturing defect identified in a Kia Technical Service Bulletin (TSB WTY035). The defect causes head gasket failure, which in my case has resulted in external oil leakage. While Kia issued a TSB acknowledging this defect, they are denying warranty repair on a technicality — stating that the failure must involve coolant entering the combustion chamber to qualify, despite acknowledging the underlying part defect. The vehicle’s engine is losing oil through the failed gasket, and the issue poses increasing risk of engine damage or sudden performance loss. Kia’s denial is inconsistent with the intent of the warranty and the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. This problem affects vehicle function and reliability. It is also being experienced by other owners of the same model and engine. I am filing this complaint so NHTSA is aware of this known defect and the manufacturer's refusal to take accountability unless the failure meets arbitrarily narrow criteria. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The electric power brake (EPB) on my vehicle had a fault three separate times. The first time, the rear brakes were engaged by the EPB for approximately a half an hour. The second time a few weeks later, they stayed locked for approximately one hour. A few weeks after that, the brake locked up while the car was parked, and would not release for almost 7 days. It isn’t the fault itself that is of the greatest concern. It is the fact that there is no apparent emergency release for the parking break. I’m grateful I did not need to use the car to drive my kids to the emergency room, for example. I’m very surprised and disappointed that Kia, throughout all of their other innovations, does not have an emergency EPB/brake release handle. One could easily be put in the back of the car, near the spare tire, with a cable and set of release pins, which when pulled, would release the EPB and the car could be driven.

Fuel pump is leaking, unsafe to drive vehicle, no check engine light just really bad smell of gas

I own a Kia Sorento with a recurring electrical wiring failure that affects the passenger-side blinker and hazard lights. The issue has been “repaired” multiple times, but it returns within a day. This prevents me from safely signaling lane changes or using hazard lights in dangerous situations. The wiring becomes loose or faulty repeatedly, creating a persistent safety hazard. This defect has not been permanently resolved despite multiple service visits. I am concerned for my safety and the safety of others on the road.

He component that failed was the engine. Specifically, the engine block burst while the vehicle was traveling on the highway at over 50 miles per hour. The explosion of the engine block during driving posed a serious risk to my safety and that of other drivers. The sudden failure could have caused a loss of vehicle control, a collision, or even a fire. Fortunately, I was able to stop in the emergency lane in time without causing an accident. The issue was confirmed by an independent mechanic, who verified the structural damage to the engine block and its complete loss of functionality. At no time before the incident did any warning lights—oil or engine—come on. There were no messages on the dashboard indicating a potential imminent failure. The engine is available for inspection if necessary.

I was driving my Sorento SXL on a highway, at approximately 50 mph. With no warning, the engine began to run rough. The check engine light immediately began flashing. I was able to drive the car approximately three more miles to an auto service center. The engine ran very rough the entire time, wanting to stall when slowing down. The mechanic determined that my car’s oil reservoir was 4 quarts low, yet no engine oil light ever illuminated on the dashboard. It holds 6.2 quarts, and had only 2.2 quarts in it. Again, there was no illuminated light whatsoever telling me my car was dangerously low on oil. Because of this low oil condition, one of my timing chains skipped, and the cam rotated approximately 62° out of center. That’s what caused it to run rough. It appears my only options now are to have the engine apart, and hope no real damage was done, or replace it entirely. The engine for my car has been discontinued, with seemingly no suitable replacement from Kia. This could have been completely avoided if my car had alerted me to a low oil condition sometime before. This is very dangerous and it seems it is a common ailment among some Kia cars like mine. A low oil light would have informed me immediately that my car was in need of oil, a critical fluid for proper and safe operation. If I were towing a trailer when this happened, or on a winding stretch of road in snow or ice, this could have been catastrophic.

My wife was taking my granddaughter to her dance recital on 06/14/2025 she went to pass a car and the Sorento started missing out then died. She had to get to the side of the road and call for help. Once I arrived, I noticed oil on the ground under the vehicle. After I had my mechanic look at the car it was determined that it threw a rod out bottom of motor and the car was towed home. This is a 2016 kia sorento LX with the 3.3 motor. We have had no issues with this car and it has had regular maintenance perforemd since we purchased it at 27000 mikes. It now has 11000 miles warranty ran out at 100000

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle experienced a loss of automotive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the road. However, upon further inspection, the engine oil dipstick had an abnormal fuel odor. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to a lack of maintenance records and the costs. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 56,000.

Possible Head Gasket Failure, present problems Coolant leak, scent of coolant, oil leaks, overheating, hydrocarbons where found in cooling system, Engine failed Coolant pressure test. Complete engine may need to be replaced.Car presently has 74,000 miles break down reported at AllStar Kia, San Bernardino, Ca 92408 on May 29, 2025. 909-763-4740 Victor Morales & Joe West. Car running fine, took in for simple oil change, and the problems above were reported.

Put vehicle in park while waiting at a gas station. It won't come out of park. Managed to get it to the pump, and used a screwdriver to bypass the shift lock control, and was able to drive home. With the bypass enabled, it puts my family at risk while driving. The car can shift without the brake being applied. I looked this problem up and it is extremely common with Kia Sorento (the BCM fails, and it's not an affordable fix).

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the vehicle shuddered and made an abnormal sound. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle vibrated while being turned off. The vehicle was taken to AutoZone, where unknown diagnostic codes were retrieved. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving 40 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The check engine warning light was flashing continuously. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the fuel injectors had failed, and the cylinder #6 spark plugs were replaced. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with oil intrusion into the engine and the cylinders. Additionally, the contact was informed that the vehicle was experiencing excessive oil consumption. The dealer determined that the cylinder block assembly and the engine needed to be replaced; however, an unknown spark plug was replaced. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic, where a scope with a camera was used to inspect the cylinders, and no oil was found; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact that the vehicle needed to undergo an oil consumption test. The contact was advised to drive the vehicle for 1,000 miles. The contact had parked and had stopped drivin

Engine failure

1) I bought this car in October 2021, when it had ~79,000 miles on it. After ~2,000 miles, it showed a low engine oil sign, and it has been showing this issue since then, i.e., I have to change my oil/filter after every ~2000 miles. It has incurred a huge cost. I talked to the dealers, but they did nothing to solve this problem and charged me ~$1200. Funny part. Whenever I go for an oil change, they say that KIA/HYUNDAI cars have this engine problem. It's a joke to this system that the Govt still allows them to roll on the USA roads. 2) Today, this car had a flashing engine light. I will go to a mechanic tomorrow, but afraid of how much they will charge.

As I drove on the highway, the car made a loud rattling sound and all the lights on the dashboard lit up. I pulled over immediately and turned off my car. I let it sit for a few minutes and tried to turn it back on - it would not start. I was on the side of a 4-lane highway in the early evening, with my 3 children in the car with me. I had the car towed to a mechanic - they discovered the oil tank was completely empty - I was not overdue for an oil change. They conducted an oil change - the car started and then immediately the engine seized and shut down. However they could not conclude what happened to cause the engine to fail. I took the car to the Kia dealership for an evaluation. The engine had seized due to bearing failure (bottom end). There is an open class action lawsuit and engine warranty for the same system failure, but on a different-sized engine. There were no warnings of an engine failure or a problem with the vehicle prior to the engine shut-down. It all happened within a matter of seconds as I was driving. The transmission, catalytic converter and flex hose had been replaced 8,000 miles prior to this incident.

Pearl white paint on hood is peeling

Driving my KIA on a highway, no engine light came on and it slowed down and eventually turned off. Tried starting it and heard rattling noise. Had it towed to KIA dealer in Fargo, ND and told me it was normal wear and tear.

The shift interlock system stopped allowing the car to come out of park however the vehicle would still roll when in Park, have to do a manual override to take it out of park but it will hesitate on the highway. I have had too many near miss accidents with this vehicle. Especially due to my break lights working intermittently although they've been replaced. I'm not sure if it's electrical (my locks would randomly lock and unlock) or due to the shifting gear.

Steering wheel has a "sticky" feeling when driving at high speeds. You have to keep the steering wheel moving back and forth or else it sticks while driving high speeds. I have reported to dealership multiple times, but I have been told there is no issue.