Owners have filed 1,237 safety complaints about the 2016 Kia Sorento with U.S. regulators. Here's what the federal data shows, system by system.
Complaints for this vehicle report 29 crashes, 49 fires, 19 injuries. No deaths have been reported.
Complaints filed with NHTSA name the vehicle system involved. For the 2016 Kia Sorento, engine & cooling issues stand far above everything else.
"My husband and I got the oil changed at Walmart, one week later we took a trip to Cincinnati zoo with my children. On the way home we were driving on the interstate, car jolted and caught fire. something went through the oil pan and the oil dumped on the exhaust and caught flame. The car had to be towed to my parents and has been sitting since. We are paying on a car just for it to sit. No one will give us answers."
"Was in for service on recalls 2 weeks ago may 2026...dealer did not fix shift solenoid recall..stated bcu need replaced...driving may 28 26 without warning no lights anything lost power while driving and engine and or transmission failed..lost oil...metal shavings in dipstick oil.oil on skid plate cover..3.3L V6 2016 kia sorento LX was able to get off road without crashing"
For most vehicles, complaint volume spikes early and tapers off. The 2016 Kia Sorento peaked later than usual, in 2023.
Across the Kia Sorento model years we track, the 2011 has the most complaints on file (1,516); the 2016 ranks 2 of 3.
8 recalls apply to some or all 2016 Kia Sorento vehicles. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, with no time limit.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016 Sorento vehicles manufactured October 27, 2014, to January 29, 2015. Due to an improperly soldered component in the accelerator pedal assembly, the driver may not be able to accelerate the vehicle.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016 Kia Sorento vehicles manufactured October 23, 2014, to December 10, 2014. The affected vehicles have a front passenger seat belt whose buckle latch assembly may prevent the front passenger from fastening the seat belt.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016 Sorento vehicles. A component of the rear suspension may not be properly welded.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016 Kia Sorento vehicles manufactured March 3, 2016 to March 21, 2016. The driver's seatback frame may have been produced with inadequate weld joints and, as a result, the seatback may not function as designed in the event of a rear-end colli…
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Sorento vehicles manufactured October 27, 2014, to August 25, 2016, and 2017 Sportage vehicles manufactured December 10, 2015, to August 26, 2016. The affected vehicles are equipped with an accessory trailer hitch wiring harness that…
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 pip…
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016 Sedona and Sorento vehicles. The vehicles may have been manufactured with faulty automatic transmission shift lever assembly components, preventing the shift lever from locking, which can allow the vehicle to rollaway.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Sorento, 2021-2022 Sorento Hybrid (HEV), 2022-2023 Sorento Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV), and 2017-2022 Sportage vehicles equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Kia dealership. Debris an…
Recall repairs are free at any dealer, with no time limit. Look up your 17-character VIN on the official NHTSA site to see open recalls for your specific vehicle. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov →
NHTSA crash ratings measure how the car protects occupants in a crash — a separate question from the reliability complaints above. A vehicle can be both crashworthy and trouble-prone.
As of July 14, 2026, owners have filed 1,237 complaints about the 2016 Kia Sorento with NHTSA. The most-reported system is engine & cooling.
The 2016 Kia Sorento has 8 NHTSA recalls on file. Recall repairs are free at any dealer.
NHTSA gives the 2016 Kia Sorento an overall crash rating of 5 out of 5 stars. Crash ratings measure occupant protection in a collision; they do not measure reliability, which is what the complaint data above reflects.
All figures come from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public APIs: the Office of Defects Investigation complaint database, the recalls database, and NCAP safety ratings, retrieved July 14, 2026.
Complaints are self-reported by consumers and are not verified by NHTSA or by this site. A single complaint may cite multiple vehicle systems, so system mentions can sum to more than the complaint total. Complaint volume is influenced by fleet size, media attention, and recall notices, and is not by itself a measure of defect rates.
This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer. Nothing here is repair, purchase, or legal advice. For your specific vehicle, use the official NHTSA VIN lookup and consult a qualified technician.