2016 KIA SORENTO Complaints

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.

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.

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)

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.

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.

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

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.