10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 5
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
20,686 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2016 Kia Sorento electrical problems

electrical problem

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2016 Kia Sorento Owner Comments (Page 1 of 5)

problem #82

Jul 012024

Sorento

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

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. 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.

- Conyers, GA, USA

problem #81

Oct 062024

Sorento

  • miles
my car is completely in good working order but i want to send it to tyro and they say i have a problem with it SC249F TOW HH INSPECT/REPLACE +FUSE: DIO (NHTSA #22V703)

- San Diego , CA, USA

problem #80

Jun 162024

Sorento

  • miles
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.

- Concord, NH, USA

problem #79

Aug 172017

Sorento

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

My left headlamp always goes off. The lights go off all the time. I changed the bulb but its Not it. It the faulty light cable connections. I replace higher lights 12000k and the left light cable never stays on. Cause the left light cable is crap and never probably done. So i bought a lemon new off the lot

- Hollywood , FL, USA

problem #78

May 012024

Sorento

  • miles
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

- North Chesterfield, VA, USA

problem #77

Jun 032024

Sorento

  • miles
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.

- East Hartford, CT, USA

problem #76

Jul 072024

Sorento

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

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!

- Lexington, KY, USA

problem #75

Jun 062024

Sorento

  • 98,000 miles
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.

- Indianapolis, IN, USA

problem #74

May 082024

Sorento

  • miles
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)

- Morganton , NC, USA

problem #73

Aug 182022

Sorento

  • miles
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.

- Monrovia, CA, USA

problem #72

Mar 062024

Sorento

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

While driving this evening my power steering light came on and shortly after I lost all power steering. Had I not been strong enough while pulling out of the flow of traffic I would have lost control and hit a vehicle or run off the roadway. After turning the vehicle off it would not restart without a jump start. This same vehicle had its engine replaced not long ago for a separate safety issue mentioned in ODI 11565586. Kia of America needs to be forced to fix the issues with this vehicle. Other numerous reports of these same issues exist. These issues need to be investigated and Kia held accountable. This vehicle is a lemon and still under warranty but I feel I have no recourse and I'm being forced to be without the vehicle I paid for for long spans of time. This vehicle is a huge safety issue for myself and others.

- Blythewood, SC, USA

problem #71

Feb 082024

Sorento

  • miles
We were driving on the [XXX] on [XXX] with a speed of around 70 miles per hour. We started to see a small amount of white smoke coming from under the hood and at the same time the truck started to slow down by itself unexpectedly and then started to jerk back and forth. No indicators showed up on the dashboard. The speed reduced quickly and hitting the gas pedal did nothing to accelerate our speed. The white smoke started to increase and it became difficult to see. We then saw the temperature gauge go all the way up to hot out of nowhere. There were vehicles all around us and the passengers in the car started to yell to try to get to the shoulder. We had to maneuver very quickly through traffic with the car continuing to jerk at a very slow speed, which was very scary and dangerous. We were finally able to slowly get over to the shoulder. We turned off the truck. When we opened the hood, white smoke was everywhere coming from the engine and the coolant in the plastic receptacle was bubbling. The coolant looked like it was about to explode and the driver got burned trying to remove the cap. There was significant heat coming from the engine. The coolant then drained out of the receptacle. When we tried to start the truck again it would not start. We spend hours trying to get a tow to a shop in NJ miles from where we live in NY. Several days later, the mechanic in NJ took a look at the car and he reported this week that the head gasket is blown and that we need a new engine. We plan to tow the truck back to NY to KIA where we have the car serviced normally to have it looked at. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Oakland Gardens, NY, USA

problem #70

Jan 122024

Sorento

  • miles
My engine blew with no light to indicate there was even a problem with the engine.

- Salem, CT, USA

problem #69

Apr 082023

Sorento

  • 122,357 miles
After parking and turning the car off, when restarting the vehicle the shift lock would no longer release to shift out of park. In order to shift out of park it requires the shift lock clip to be removed, a screw driver placed down and pressure applied to release the shifter. The vehicle was taken to the dealership to be assessed and owner was told it was the BCM and the entire component would need to be replaced as it is not sensing that the brake is being applied. There are no service or warning lights. The BCM controls several other safety features including park assist, the heated seats, and other electrical components Serious safety concern if the computer system within the vehicle is not able to detect that the brake is being applied. It could also lead to other electrical failures throughout the vehicle.

- Fort Pierce, FL, USA

problem #68

Nov 222023

Sorento

  • miles
Knock sensor goes bad. Car does not receive fuel to engine. Cuts off while driving and will not accelerate over 20 mph

- Rochester , NY, USA

problem #67

Nov 172023

Sorento

  • miles
A lot of oil in the floor. Oil Pressure Sensor Fail Lock of all doors are crazy (lock and unlock so many times)

- Gurabo, PR, USA

problem #66

Feb 152023

Sorento

  • miles
At 45mph or faster, when turning left.. the steering sticks briefly and the EPS (electric power steering) over-corrects it. Makes the steering wheel jump. So the driver has to perform constant corrections. I believe it-??s very serious safety issue.

- Flower Mound, TX, USA

problem #65

Sep 282023

Sorento

  • miles
Car got caught on fire while driving with my 5kids

- Chattanooga , TN, USA

problem #64

Nov 162022

Sorento

  • miles
the anti lock button does not work, kia will not fix it, they stated that there recall on it was for locks that can move the car forward and backwards. I've never used my anti lock button its down beside the gear shift so the only way I can drive my suv to put my car in drive, reverse etc to use the gear shift is by holding a screwdriver down in it the whole time and I complained to kia about that knows that but they won't do anything about it unless I pay out of pocket for something I've never even used since I had the vehicle/I'm not at fault for. I suddenly could not put my suv back in drive after cutting my car off at my daughter school in 2022 bc of the anti lock button being stuck or something of that nature and kia done nothing about it since, they turned my down to fix n/or replace it. And my dashboard is cracking by the airbag on passenger side from the top all the way down unknowingly on its own. Also my engine light suddenly comes on and stays on for days then goes off and that happened on several occasions/ twice so far, kia was notified about it and said if its not jumping or flashing I'll have to pay to get it checked.

- Shorter , AL, USA

problem #63

Aug 122023

Sorento

  • miles
Car ran fine until we stopped for gas, went to get back on the highway when the car wouldn't accelerate >25mphs, almost got hit from this. The car was then towed to the near by Kia dealership and they found that it was a compression issue with a known issue in the engine and now we need a new engine or scrap the car. Kia is not willing to fix their horrible product and has told us to just suffer.

- Corinth, NY, USA

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