general problems of the 2016 Kia Motor Sorento - part 2

161 problems related to equipment have been reported for the 2016 Kia Motor Sorento. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2016 Kia Motor Sorento based on all problems reported for the 2016 Sorento.

36 Equipment problem

Failure Date: 11/01/2023

Paint for this car has been delaminating and peeling off from regular use of the car. No accidents or scratches caused the paint to begin peeling, it just started on it's own. I am reporting this because I found it was a common issue for kia owners with a pear white paint.

37 Equipment problem

Failure Date: 10/25/2023

The engine of the vehicle and other parts had a problem which had caused the vehicle to not accelerate fast enough. It also made the car shake when it was stopped. The component that is malfunctioning is available for inspection. If the car does not accelerate on the road, then it can cause a crash which can lead to injuries or even death. Especially if the car has to turn left and other cars are incoming, it can lead to serious issues if the car does not go fast enough. It can lead to injuries to the driver and the passengers. The vehicle was initially put for inspection to the manufacturer in lou sobh kia, "fixed", and then was given back in a condition where the effects stated above continued to occur. We then took the vehicle back to the manufacturer where they further reviewed the car. They reviewed it again and did not tell us enough information about the issues going on with the car. Since we did not think they were reviewing the car properly, we took it rick case kia where they were able to spot out the engine problem. It was also reviewed by a korean service center and good year where they both told us that it was an engine and timing belt/chain problem, whereas lou sobh kia weren't able to properly capture the issue. Both the engine light and oil light were on which is why we took it to kia lou sobh, and they first appeared around October-November 2023.

38 Equipment problem

Failure Date: 09/28/2023

Car got caught on fire while driving with my 5kids.

39 Equipment problem

Failure Date: 09/08/2023

The headliner in the truck does not roll back properly and just out the blue falls down when I open the sun roof.

40 Equipment problem

Failure Date: 09/08/2023

The roller for the headliner falls when I open the sunroof and this causes me not to be able to see out of my mirrors when driving. There has not been an accident or anything to the vehicle and the vehicle has been taken care of the entire time.

41 Equipment problem

Failure Date: 09/01/2023

White pearl paint peeling significantly.

42 Equipment problem

Failure Date: 09/01/2023

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.

43 Equipment problem

Failure Date: 08/10/2023

My engine failed with no warning, my car shut down on the hwy. It was a safety issue because the car shut down while driving on the hwy and could have resulted in a traffic accident. This problen is all over the internet. There were no warning lights. Car ran fine up until it stalled and lost power and shut down. When towed to the repair shop, I was told it was completely out of oil, metal shavings were in the oil filter. The shop replaced oil and the car ran for a bit with knocking noise. On the way to the kia dealership, after learning this was an issue with my type of vehicle, the car shut down again and had to be towed to the dealership. My request for engine replacement was denied even though it is well within 100. 000 miles and or 10yrs. It has 84,000 miles. I feel this is kia's responsibilty to replace my engine. At this time, they are charging me $10,600 to replace my engine.

44 Equipment problem

Failure Date: 08/10/2023

I was driving, pulled over to the side of the street, put the car on park. When I was getting ready to leave, my car would not shift back from park to drive. Shift linkage was detached and was stuck in park.

45 Equipment problem

Failure Date: 08/01/2023

I have the pearl white paint on my 2016 sorrento and the top front ,hood and pillars are all delaminating. I have tried to touch up paint some areas but it has gotten too bad to keep up. The paint is peelin g now all over the car.

46 Equipment problem

Failure Date: 07/28/2023

My kia Sorento 2016 uses excessive amount of oil resulting in engine failure. At the moment my car need an engine replacement. I took my car to get a diagnostic at the auto shop, I was informed that my car engine was dying. I did some searching online, and I find out that kia Sorento are known to have engine issues and unusual excessive consumption of oil.

47 Equipment problem

Failure Date: 07/22/2023

My shifting lever acts all wonky. Feels lose. It acts as if it does not want to go into the gears I put it in, especially park. I have to wiggle the lever before it will lock. When I put it in reverse it takes a minute before the r comes up and then my back up camera won’t come on because I feel it’s not telling it that’s it’s in reverse. Yesterday I was driving the SUV and going down the road and all of a sudden it was like my SUV was put into to neutral going down the road, nothing touched the shifting lever but it was as if the car had no idea what gear it was in. This worries me as if someone was behind me I could have been rear ended. This is a real safety concern to me and my family. The SUV only has 60,000 miles on it. Are there any issues with this make and model? I would really hate to get into an accident.

48 Equipment problem

Failure Date: 07/12/2023

After I got the for my car. I took my carto a mechanic. He ran several test and concluded that my car has an electrical problem.

49 Equipment problem

Failure Date: 07/11/2023

Unknown possible radiator or water pump damage. Constantly have to fill car up with antifreeze & water every few miles. Car is never driven over 45 mph. Car easily overheats & leaves us stranded as we live in a rural location. Have to purchase antifreeze every 3 days that we cannot afford. Have very limited funds to assist with mechanical work, but we can contribute a little. No income whatsoever coming in due to job loss. Can't rely on car to get to work, but can work from home. Currently seeking employment, but competition has been tough. This is our only car for our family of 4. 2 kids in school age 8 & 4. No bus or friends/relatives who can help. Was referred to this program by a friend as they informed me that it offers financial assistance for some repairs. This affects the safety of the vehicle as we have small children, and the car constantly overheats leaving us stranded in areas without sufficient cellular coverage to make calls. Located in sevierville, TN.

50 Equipment problem

Failure Date: 07/11/2023

Unknown possible head gasket, radiator or water pump damage. Light smoke from engine. Constantly have to fill car up with antifreeze & water every few miles. Car is never driven over 45 mph. Car easily overheats & leaves us stranded as we live in a rural location. Have to purchase antifreeze every 3 days that we cannot afford. Have very limited funds to assist with mechanical work, but we can contribute a little. No income whatsoever coming in due to job loss. Can't rely on car to get to work, but can work from home. Currently seeking employment, but competition has been tough. This is our only car for our family of 4. 2 kids in school age 8 & 4. No bus or friends/relatives who can help. Was referred to this program by a friend as they informed me that it offers financial assistance for some repairs. This affects the safety of the vehicle as we have small children, and the car constantly overheats leaving us stranded in areas without sufficient cellular coverage to make calls. Located in sevierville, TN.

51 Equipment problem

Failure Date: 06/27/2023

Primary emission test performed:obd - fail obd system - readyness status fuel system not ready my 2016 kia Sorento repeatedly fails for above cause. Kia dealer proposed driving the car varying speed (highway, city etc. ) their first recommendation was to drive car for 100 miles and problem will clear. Then they recommended 300 miles, then 600 miles and they continued to escalate the mileage. I have driven the car 1200 miles and the problem persists. I contacted kia corporate and the customer rep said that she knew nothing about the problem and she said that I should just tell the dealer to fix the car. I told the rep that I already had several interactions with the dealer without any luck. I told her to contact the dealer, which she would not commit to doing. I am driving the car that has inspection sticker which is two months past due. This is the only car that I have and my wife and I require the car for necessities and doctor appointments and medical procedures. Please help!.

52 Equipment problem

Failure Date: 06/27/2023

Yesterday while driving the engine began to shake and seize, it would not accelerate above 40 mph. I was seconds from entering the hwy but pulled into quick trip where it died and had to be towed at own expense. Oil pressure sensor had been flashing on periodically when breaks were applied between regular oil changes. Vehicle was consuming 3-4 qts of oil between oil changes, which is not normal. There were no signs of any oil leaks, oil light did not remain illuminated to suggest low oil levels, nor a check engine light warning. Vehicle has less than 100,000 miles. When contacting kia was told I would need a warranty to fix. This is not a warranty issue, this is a known issue and class action lawsuit related to these symptoms. I was seconds from a possible fatal accident on the highway and I'm sure a buy back or vehicle exchange would be better than a lawsuit involving corporate negligence resulting in a death.

53 Equipment problem

Failure Date: 06/04/2023

Vehicle inspection catalytic converter fumes coming inside vents causing fire an frame issues.

54 Equipment problem

Failure Date: 05/15/2023

I called kia to replace fuse per their safety recall information. They are really uninterested in fixing these recalls or allowing me to speak to a manager to fix the issue. What's the point?.

55 Equipment problem

Failure Date: 04/06/2023

My 2016 kia Sorento was parked in my garage. When I went out in the morning to start the car, I turned on the ignition and the red warning light indicating a power steering failure went on and the power steering wasn't functioning. It was much harder to turn the wheel in either direction than it had been previously. I backed out of my driveway and with some difficulty drove another 2-3 blocks. At that point the power steering started functioning again and I was able to continue driving it to a nearby automotive repair place. When I dropped the kia off they suggested that I leave it there overnight to give them as much time as possible to see if they could replicate the problem I just had. The problem didn't repeat while the car was in the shop, but I was told the power steering could go out again at any time. This is a major safety concern since I don't know if I'd be able to maintain control of the vehicle if this happened unexpectedly - particularly if I was traveling at a high rate of speed. Since then I've read reports of similar incidents with other 2016 kia Sorentos. I've also learned that kia has extended the warranty for the steering mechanism on my vehicle to 150,000 miles, but that is of no help if the problem doesn't present itself when it's in for repair at the dealership because if it doesn't service will be denied. To the best of my knowledge there is currently no recall for this issue. I've tried contacting the kia consumer assistance center about this, but finally gave up after being put on hold for over an hour. My vehicle is available for inspection at any time.

56 Equipment problem

Failure Date: 03/28/2023

My engine stalled while driving, there was no warning it just cut off. The car would not turn over to start only a click. I held the key in the start position it started, the engine shook and it cut off immediately. What is wrong with my car ???? the oil is good, the coolant is good etc.

57 Equipment problem

Failure Date: 03/13/2023

In March of 2023, my 2016 kia Sorento was stolen in shorewood, wisconsin as several teenagers broke the window and ripped open the ignition system. Due to a design flaw in the ignition system and no immobilizer in kia vehicles that were created from 2011-2022, theft became very easy and a widespread problem ensued in the milwaukee area as well as other cities in the midwest. The vehicle was stolen by these teenagers and ultimately crashed and totaled. Law enforcement officials in milwaukee, WI were able to apprehend the teenagers but this was after they had crashed and totaled the vehicle.

58 Equipment problem

Failure Date: 03/04/2023

While driving on a major high my vehicle suddenly caught fire. There were no warning lights and my vehicle was not in a collision. The road was clear and I was in a steady flow of traffic.

59 Equipment problem

Failure Date: 03/01/2023

My vehicle is still leaking oil bad after paying over $700 to get the oil pressure switch and gasket replaced on March 1, 2023. I was promised a reimbursement of my funds spent to fix the issue and have not heard back for over a month nor have they addressed the issue with the vehicle still leaking badly. As others are having the same issue it is not fair to us costumers we are left with a defective vehicle. I have small children and this is my only vehicle which is not safe to operate. I need help just like the others who are being ignored. I have included the estimate of the other issue as well.

60 Equipment problem

Failure Date: 03/01/2023

Car will not shift out of park.

61 Equipment problem

Failure Date: 03/01/2023

The contact owns a 2016 kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 22v703000 (trailer hitch) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

62 Equipment problem

Failure Date: 02/15/2023

1. Local neighborhood mechanic (s) after many checks determined head gasket blown and unable to repair. Requires complete new engine. Car has 120k. Good condition no other major mechanical issues. Shop estimate is $10,000 to repair. 2. Gear shift won’t budge - must use a flat head screw driver to shift gears 3. Passenger front door sticks and has trouble opening door. Was shown this video about issues and thought I was only one having but I have several of the issues listed here. Never even tried to fix #2 & 3 bc with kids and all didn’t have extra money. Bought car brand new. Only owner. I am looking for guidance on how to proceed cause this is like a punch in face 10k to fix! https://youtu. Be/suv945jacfo.

63 Equipment problem

Failure Date: 02/08/2023

The contact owns a 2016 kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 22v703000 (trailer hitches) several months ago; 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 dealer was contacted and confirmed that the part was not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue but could not confirm when parts would become available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

64 Equipment problem

Failure Date: 01/30/2023

2016 kia Sorento. Consumer writes in regard to paint peeling on vehicle.

65 Equipment problem

Failure Date: 01/11/2023

The contact owns a 2016 kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 22v703000 (trailer hitches) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

66 Equipment problem

Failure Date: 01/10/2023

Power latch assy. The rear hatch does not open problem was reproduced at tameron kia, 10611 boney avenue, d'iberville, ms. 39540 (228)679-5200 problem was diagnosed as internal open/short making rear power tail gate inoperable. No warning lamp or signal advised of the failure. Problem was first noted in January 2023 assy. The rear hatch latch does not open.

67 Equipment problem

Failure Date: 01/01/2023

The contact owns a 2016 kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 22v703000 (trailer hitches) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

68 Equipment problem

Failure Date: 12/30/2022

I have a 2016 kia Sorento with pearl white paint. My paint started chipping/pilling off. I would really call it pilling because it comes off while going down the road. It’s start with a small spot on the driver side with part that goes up the windshield. At first we thought it was from a rock but later that day more paint was missing. I just noticed that now a huge section on my roof right above the windshield is now doing the same thing. The spots are growing rapidly and more of them are happening.

69 Equipment problem

Failure Date: 12/23/2022

My vehicle broke down on 12/23/2022, it seemed engine failure. It happened while I was arriving to my job in the evening. I parked my car on parking lot and did not move it. Due to christmas holiday, I was unable to tow the vehicle to my closest kia dealership (owings mills, MD) until 12/27/2022. Once my vehicle was towed, the kia dealership informed me that my vehicle had a total of four (4) recalls, but one of the recalls expired. I informed the kia dealership that I never received recall notifications from any kia department regarding my vehicle. Kia dealership referred me to contact kia corporation at 1-800-333-4542, because they were not able to assist me with any vehicle repairs and it seemed this was an engine issue related to a recall. On 12/27/2022, with the help of a family member I contacted kia corp. And confirmed they did not have my personal information on their records in relation to my vehicle. I was advised they only had information about my vehicle's prior owner. I provided all my information: name, address, phone number, email address. I inquired about the recall notification issue and they stated it was my responsibility to look for recalls on my vehicle. However, kia corp. Acknowledged they sent notices to prior owner on 12/7/2018 and 6/12/2019. I have escalated this matter to kia corp and received no help. They failed to send me recall notices, and as I understand is their responsibility to confirm ownership information through mva and to send recalls to the current owner of the car. Please understand, I financed this vehicle through a kia dealership and still owe money for this vehicle. Kia even offered extended warranty, which I added when I financed this vehicle, but they refused to fix my car due to recall issue. I need your help to get this situation resolve, because the dealership now says it will cost me over $7000 to get this fix and this is not my fault. Kia corp and dealership have failed me. Thanks.

70 Equipment problem

Failure Date: 12/09/2022

The contact owns a 2016 kia Sorento. The contact stated that she heard an abnormal sound at the front of the vehicle. The contact then stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated. The contact was unsure of any warning lights being illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer but was not yet diagnosed. The contact then received notification of the NHTSA campaign number: 22v703000 (trailer hitches). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 123,000. The VIN was unavailable.


Other Equipment related problems of the 2016 Kia Motor Sorento


Safety Ratings of Sorento Cars
Fuel Economy of Sorento Vehicles
Sorento Defect Investigations