2016 KIA Sorento Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 126 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 2016 KIA Sorento, 10% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 71,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “shift lock” (6% of reports).
- 126power train complaints
- 71,000median miles at failure
- 6mention a crash
- 3mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 41%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.
- Shift lock: mentioned in 7 of 126 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 41 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 126 complaints, 6 mention a crash, 4 a fire, 3 an injury.
KIA Sorento power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Sorento | 19 | 25% | 2,532 |
| 2024 Sorento | 5 | 12% | — |
| 2023 Sorento | 22 | 18% | 21,700 |
| 2022 Sorento | 67 | 35% | 24,864 |
| 2021 Sorento | 143 | 56% | 64,500 |
| 2020 Sorento | 18 | 13% | 5,000 |
| 2019 Sorento | 51 | 12% | 12,600 |
| 2018 Sorento | 9 | 4% | 32,717 |
| 2017 Sorento | 37 | 5% | 56,574 |
| 2016 Sorento | 126 | 10% | 71,000 |
| 2015 Sorento | 42 | 6% | 74,000 |
| 2014 Sorento | 72 | 7% | 70,000 |
| 2013 Sorento | 69 | 7% | 55,768 |
| 2012 Sorento | 55 | 6% | 33,000 |
| 2011 Sorento | 265 | 17% | 34,000 |
| 2009 Sorento | 9 | 16% | 5,200 |
| 2008 Sorento | 23 | 11% | 40,000 |
| 2007 Sorento | 20 | 13% | 11,650 |
| 2006 Sorento | 35 | 14% | 79,000 |
| 2005 Sorento | 38 | 12% | 94,000 |
| 2004 Sorento | 40 | 18% | 84,235 |
| 2003 Sorento | 22 | 7% | 60,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:column shift
Problem: 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.
Risk: A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of a crash and injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the automatic transmission shift lever assembly components, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 7, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC246.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Transmission failure at 99,000 miles Replaced by dealer under warranty
Hard shifting and kia said I need a new transmission, 99,500 miles
Upon a catastrophic engine failure Tasca Kia replaced engine under Theta II settlement. I picked up my kia on 9/12. Engine is not running properly. Itâs jerking and there is loud mechanical knocking. I donât feel safe driving. Iâve contacted Kia corporate beginning 9/16 who contacted Tasca to…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2016 KIA Sorentos have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 126 owner complaints about power train for the 2016 KIA Sorento (10% 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 power train?
Yes: 1 safety recall list power train. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 71,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 2016 KIA Sorento?
The most frequent phrase is “shift lock”, in 7 of 126 complaints.
Other 2016 KIA Sorento problems
See all 2016 KIA Sorento problems or power train problems across all Sorento years.