2021 KIA Sorento Engine Problems
Owners have filed 68 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2021 KIA Sorento, 27% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 33,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “transmission oil pump” (7% of reports).
- 68engine complaints
- 33,000median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 25%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.
- Transmission oil pump: mentioned in 5 of 68 complaints (7%)
- Safely immediately: mentioned in 5 of 68 complaints (7%)
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 10 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 68 complaints, 1 mention a crash.
KIA Sorento engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Sorento | 1 | 17% | 7,000 |
| 2025 Sorento | 19 | 25% | 4,000 |
| 2024 Sorento | 5 | 12% | 31,000 |
| 2023 Sorento | 31 | 25% | 1,600 |
| 2022 Sorento | 52 | 27% | 50,000 |
| 2021 Sorento | 68 | 27% | 33,000 |
| 2020 Sorento | 66 | 48% | 61,500 |
| 2019 Sorento | 158 | 37% | 40,000 |
| 2018 Sorento | 107 | 42% | 72,000 |
| 2017 Sorento | 387 | 48% | 64,000 |
| 2016 Sorento | 695 | 55% | 83,500 |
| 2015 Sorento | 362 | 48% | 87,560 |
| 2014 Sorento | 388 | 39% | 100,000 |
| 2013 Sorento | 496 | 51% | 89,691 |
| 2012 Sorento | 461 | 52% | 99,612 |
| 2011 Sorento | 284 | 19% | 103,000 |
| 2010 Sorento | 1 | 33% | 52,000 |
| 2009 Sorento | 4 | 7% | 140,000 |
| 2008 Sorento | 35 | 16% | 75,000 |
| 2007 Sorento | 7 | 5% | 133,000 |
| 2006 Sorento | 67 | 28% | 92,700 |
| 2005 Sorento | 63 | 21% | 101,000 |
| 2004 Sorento | 46 | 21% | 112,000 |
| 2003 Sorento | 43 | 14% | 118,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine for the 2021 KIA Sorento. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
UNKNOWN. Car all of a sudden wouldnât accelerate while driving on the road. It was hesitating while pressing the gas pedal.
This is my third report regarding a dangerous loss of drive power on my vehicle, which completely matches NHTSA Recall 22V760000. Kia of Rainbow City in Alabama diagnosed the failing transmission oil pump in March 2026 but refused to honor the recall because a software patch was previously marked…
While driving my 2021 Kia Sorento, the electronic power steering suddenly failed/intermittently cut out while the vehicle was in motion. The steering wheel became extremely stiff and difficult to turn, making the vehicle very hard to control and creating a serious risk of a crash. I had to muscle…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2021 KIA Sorentos have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 68 owner complaints about engine for the 2021 KIA Sorento (27% of the 253 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 2021 KIA Sorento engine?
No recall currently lists engine for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 33,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2021 KIA Sorento?
The most frequent phrase is “transmission oil pump”, in 5 of 68 complaints, followed by “safely immediately” (5).
Other 2021 KIA Sorento problems
- Power Train problems (142)
See all 2021 KIA Sorento problems or engine problems across all Sorento years.