RoadVitals

2016 Kia Sorento Interior & seats Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the interior system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Interior & seats reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
10
Latest Oct 22, 2025
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
<1%
of 1,241 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2016 Kia Sorento submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 10 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming interior

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Interior & seats
Filed Oct 22, 2025

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the dashboard was cracked in the shape of an air bag on both the left and right sides, causing concerns about a potential inadvertent air bag deployment. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, who confirmed that the crack was cosmetic and advised the contact to reach out again if the air bag started to protrude through the crack. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact reached out to the manufacturer and provided photos, but received no assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 86,711.

NHTSA ID
11694941
Incident
Jan 1, 2025
Mileage
86,711 mi
ElectricalInterior & seats
Filed Feb 24, 2025

My heated seats stopped working when my new engine was installed and I took it to the dealership and they never fix it and charged me 200.00 and then my air and heat keeps coming on and off then I got my new engine installed

NHTSA ID
11644517
Incident
Feb 24, 2024
Interior & seatsSteeringSuspension
Filed Aug 13, 2024

My front driver seat slips out of recline position to another position on its own Had engine replaced, got car back, made humming noise, took back to dealer, could not find noise, car still makes noise and now there’s seems to be louder noise coming from steering or front suspension while car is driven, dealer claims with no extension of warranty and over 60,000 miles, any work for this issue with steering/suspension is not covered, this was not an issue before engine was replaced under the engine recall

NHTSA ID
11608162
Incident
Jun 18, 2024
Interior & seats
Filed Mar 20, 2024

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked when the contact attempted to open the trunk, however, the trunk failed to open. The contact stated that the failure recurred multiple times and after multiple attempts, the trunk was able to open. The contact stated that the failure continued to recur and the trunk became inoperable. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer. The contact stated that there were no warning lights illuminated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and they informed the contact that the warranty did not cover the failure. The failure mileage was 110,000.

NHTSA ID
11578471
Incident
Jan 5, 2024
Mileage
110,000 mi
Interior & seats
Filed Dec 28, 2023

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at 20 MPH, the front passenger’s side door was unintendedly unlocked, causing the door to open independently. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on several occasions. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The manufacturer has not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 50,000.

NHTSA ID
11562400
Incident
Nov 1, 2019
Mileage
50,000 mi
Interior & seats
Filed Aug 28, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S DOOR REMAINED LOCKED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DOOR ONLY OPENED FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND THE TRUNK WAS LOCKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO JEFF WYLER KIA (5815 DIXIE HWY, FAIRFIELD, OH 45014, (513) 682-2500) WHERE THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR LATCH WAS REPLACED AND THE TRUNK WAS UNLOCKED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO CALL NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,300. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID
11251963
Incident
Aug 24, 2019
Mileage
89,300 mi
Body & structureEngineInterior & seats
Filed Nov 9, 2018
Fire reported

OCTOBER 10, 2018 DROVE CAR INTO DRIVEWAY, SHUT CAR OFF, PARKED, WENT INTO HOUSE FOR ABOUT 2 MINS, CAME BACK TO CAR, IT WAS SMOKING FROM UNDER HOOD. I TURNED ON FAUCET IN GARAGE, AND SPRAYED WATER ON CAR. CALLED 911. WITHIN 2 MINS, I SAW FIRST SPARK, LEFT AREA, RAN OVER TO MY SISTERS HOUSE, NEXT DOOR, ON PHONE WITH 911 AND WITHIN 4 MINS OF CAR SMOKE, BURST INTO FLAMES, 2 EXPLOSIONS. FIRE DEPT ARRIVED WITH IN 10 MINS OF SMOKE DETECTION. FLAMES HIGHER THAN THE HOUSE. CAR TOTALED, AND HOUSE SIDING MELTED AWAY FROM HOUSE.

NHTSA ID
11150346
Incident
Oct 10, 2018
Mileage
33,500 mi
Interior & seats
Filed Sep 4, 2018

THIS MODEL HAS 3 ROWS OF SEATS. THE 3RD ROW IS PULLED TO THE UPRIGHT POSITION FROM THE BACK HATCH ACCESS DOOR. HOWEVER, THERE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE A LOGICAL WAY TO GET TO THIS 3RD ROW OF SEATING WITHOUT PHYSICALLY CRAWLING ON HANDS AND KNEES. WHAT AM I MISSING ?

NHTSA ID
11124202
Incident
Jan 6, 2017
AirbagsInterior & seats
Filed Jul 28, 2015

WHEN A CUSHION (SMALL PILLOW) IS USED (I AM A SHORT PERSON) ON THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SEAT, THE AIR BAG DETETECOR TURNS OFF THE PASSENGER AIR BAG LEAVING THE PASSENGER UNPROTECTED. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER'S SERVICE DEPT. AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO WORK-AROUND FOR THIS PROBLEM. I ALSO CONTACTED KIA MOTORS AND WAS TOLD THE SAME THING..NOT FIXABLE. SITTING IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT IS UNCOMFORTABLE FOR ME (ARM REST HEIGHT, WINDSHIELD VISIBILITY, ETC.) WITHOUT THE SMALL PILLOW. I CANNOT BELIEVE THERE IS NO WAY TO DISCONNECT THE SENSOR (WHICH I WAS TOLD WAS WEIGHT SENSITIVE....OBVIOUSLY NOT, BECAUSE MY WEIGHT IS THE SAME WITH OR WITHOUT THE PILLOW). THIS LEAVES ME WITHOUT AIR BAG PROTECTION OR ELSE UNCOMFORTABLE. HAD I KNOWN THIS IN ADVANCE, I WOULD NOT HAVE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE. NOT ALL PEOPLE ARE THE SAME HEIGHT (I'M 5'3"...NOT ALL THAT SHORT) AND IF KIA WAS PUTTING IN THIS SYSTEM, THEY SHOULD HAVE MADE THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT HEIGHT ADJUSTABLE...DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ELECTRIC, JUST ADJUSTABLE IN HEIGHT. IT IS AN UNSAFE CONDITION WHICH YOU HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF UNTIL YOU READ THE OWNER'S MANUAL....A MANUAL YOU DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO UNTIL AFTER YOU'VE PURCHASED THE CAR. IT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED.

NHTSA ID
10744244
Incident
Jun 2, 2015
Mileage
256 mi
Interior & seatsSeat belts
Filed Mar 30, 2015
Crash reported

SEAT BELT DID NOT UNLATCH AFTER CRASH. *TR

NHTSA ID
10702705
Incident
Mar 24, 2015
Mileage
10 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .