2016 KIA Sorento Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 107 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the 2016 KIA Sorento, 9% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 51,747 miles. The words owners use most often: “body control” (7% of reports).
- 107electrical system complaints
- 51,747median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 49%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Body control: mentioned in 7 of 107 complaints (7%)
- Shift lock: mentioned in 6 of 107 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 34 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 107 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 8 a fire, 2 an injury.
KIA Sorento electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Sorento | 1 | 17% | — |
| 2025 Sorento | 22 | 29% | 15,000 |
| 2024 Sorento | 11 | 26% | — |
| 2023 Sorento | 37 | 30% | 2,000 |
| 2022 Sorento | 30 | 16% | 32,500 |
| 2021 Sorento | 47 | 19% | 34,256 |
| 2020 Sorento | 20 | 15% | 60,594 |
| 2019 Sorento | 68 | 16% | 18,000 |
| 2018 Sorento | 30 | 12% | 33,000 |
| 2017 Sorento | 96 | 12% | 59,000 |
| 2016 Sorento | 107 | 9% | 51,747 |
| 2015 Sorento | 58 | 8% | 69,027 |
| 2014 Sorento | 153 | 15% | 66,000 |
| 2013 Sorento | 116 | 12% | 74,500 |
| 2012 Sorento | 127 | 14% | 71,329 |
| 2011 Sorento | 246 | 16% | 88,000 |
| 2009 Sorento | 14 | 25% | 66,000 |
| 2008 Sorento | 32 | 15% | 63,000 |
| 2007 Sorento | 21 | 14% | 115,167 |
| 2006 Sorento | 53 | 22% | 78,050 |
| 2005 Sorento | 49 | 16% | 67,625 |
| 2004 Sorento | 28 | 13% | 96,200 |
| 2003 Sorento | 29 | 10% | 67,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Trailer hitches; electrical system
Problem: 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, due to a malfunction of the tow hitch module, may result in the trailer brake lights being constantly illuminated. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: If the trailer brake lights stay illuminated while being used, other drivers may be confused, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the trailer tow hitch harness, free of charge. The recall began January 18, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC142.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
I am filing a safety complaint regarding a severe, sudden electronic and mechanical failure of the shift interlock system and the Body Control Module (BCM) that compromises vehicle control and leaves the vehicle stranded in active traffic conditions. While attempting to operate the vehicle, the…
(Transmission and motor) I had taken my car to the dealership on XXX for recalls and all the signal were fine before going there. They took my car back to do the recalls and my son and I waited . Once they were done we left closer to closing time is noticed there was a burn mark on my dash board…
Fire at the rear bumper of car
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2016 KIA Sorentos have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 107 owner complaints about electrical system for the 2016 KIA Sorento (9% of the 1,254 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2016 KIA Sorento electrical system?
Yes: 1 safety recall list electrical system. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do electrical system problems start?
The median reported mileage is 51,747 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the 2016 KIA Sorento?
The most frequent phrase is “body control”, in 7 of 107 complaints, followed by “shift lock” (6).
Other 2016 KIA Sorento problems
See all 2016 KIA Sorento problems or electrical system problems across all Sorento years.