2016 Kia Sorento Problems

Severe high-pressure fuel system failure and engine oil fuel dilution creating a fire hazard and engine seizure risk following a corporate engine replacement. On July 15, 2026, my 2016 Kia Sorento (2.4L GDI) received a corporate-covered engine block replacement due to rod bearing failure. On September 30, 2026 (2,332 miles later), the vehicle jerked violently while driving. Inspection revealed the engine oil was heavily diluted with gasoline due to an internal failure of the High-Pressure Fuel Pump (HPFP), creating a fire hazard. The HPFP was replaced out-of-pocket. Kia Corporate Case #26456059 is open regarding this safety issue. A severe safety hazard currently persists. Within 20 days and 176 miles of this fuel pump repair (totaling 2,512 miles on the new block), the vehicle exhibits severe drivability issues and the oil dipstick again smells heavily of gasoline. This fuel dilution compromises oil viscosity, threatening catastrophic engine seizure and creating an active fire hazard. Due to the severity of this fire risk, the Kia Executive Director of Customer Care intervened, ordering an emergency flatbed tow to a different authorized facility. An invoice audit revealed the dealer violated Kia repair protocols, factory TSBs, and federal safety guidelines. Kia’s factory TSB mandates that the high-pressure fuel pipe is a strict, single-use component that must be replaced upon pump removal; however, this part was completely omitted from my invoice, confirming it was dangerously reused. Reusing it introduces a volatile engine-bay fuel leak risk, mirroring the hazardous pattern in NHTSA Recall 18V-907 (Kia Campaign SC172) regarding fuel lines mishandled during engine swaps. Furthermore, the dealer illegally charged retail fees for Service Campaign SC340 materials and withheld all diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs). I request a formal NHTSA investigation into unsafe recall compliance and systemic powertrain installation failures originating from the engine replacement.

Vehicle caught on fire when driving, putting my mother's life and her passenger at risk. My mother is an elderly Deaf woman, but was able to pull over in time for Fire Department to help contain fire. There were no warning lamps or messages of any problems with car, the car started smoking (smoke also entered cabin) and they pulled over where there was a fire under hood and bystander call emergency services. The car is currently at a tow lot and should be available for inspection upon request. We are waiting for car to be inspected by insurance.

Transmission failure at 99,000 miles Replaced by dealer under warranty

Hard shifting and kia said I need a new transmission, 99,500 miles

I am the original, single owner of a 2016 Kia Sorento in Snow White Pearl. My vehicle currently has approximately 96,000 miles on it. Roughly one year ago, the factory paint began catastrophically peeling, flaking, and deteriorating in large sheets on the roof and near the passenger-side door. This damage is not the result of environmental wear, stone chips, or poor maintenance. It is a documented, widespread manufacturing defect—specifically, a factory primer-adhesion failure (delamination)—that uniquely impacts Kia and Hyundai vehicles painted in this specific Snow White Pearl finish. I contacted Kia Consumer Care to resolve this issue and was assigned Case Number 26409995. Despite my status as a loyal, original owner of a vehicle under 100,000 miles, Kia issued a blanket denial of assistance. Kia is well aware of this systemic manufacturing defect, as their sister company Hyundai has previously extended paint warranties to 10+ years for identical white paint delamination issues. Kia’s refusal to remedy this known defect constitutes unfair and deceptive consumer business practices under California law. My vehicle specifically features Kia’s "Snow White Pearl", which is widely documented to have a latent factory defect. The core issue stems from an original chemical failure where the white base paint layer did not properly bond or fuse to the factory primer layer. Over time, exposure to atmospheric heat, rain, or vibration causes the top layers to completely delaminate and flake off in massive chunks, often exposing the bare gray primer underneath. When multiple panels peel, it presents a safety hazard if paint flakes off into the vision of drivers behind me.

See attached document for complaint.

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 shifter lever suddenly became physically jammed and highly resistant, refusing to shift out of the "Park" position or smoothly engage into "Drive." Simultaneously, the gear selector indicator (P-R-N-D) on the digital dashboard display went completely blank, indicating a total loss of network communication between the transmission range system and the vehicle's central computer network. Because the vehicle's electronic safety "handshake" failed, the vehicle suffered a no-start condition. To operate the vehicle or move it out of harm's way, I am forced to use the mechanical manual shift-lock override tool. Diagnostic scanning at a professional repair facility confirmed a hard Code P0955 (Auto Shift Manual Mode Circuit Malfunction) due to an internal electronic failure inside the Body Control Module (BCM), which handles the safety grounding circuit for the shift interlock solenoid. Safety Risk Statement: This component failure introduces a severe safety hazard. If a driver is required to quickly shift gears or move the vehicle out of an active roadway, intersection, or railway crossing during an emergency, the physical locking of the shifter and sudden communication dropout prevents immediate vehicle control. Bypassing a safety system via a physical override tool while stranded in traffic is a dangerous distraction. There is an existing safety recall for this model year regarding shifter rollaways (Recall SC246), but it does not address this opposite, widespread BCM circuit failure that permanently traps the shifter and disables dashboard monitoring. I request that the NHTSA investigate this systemic Kia BCM failure pattern for a retroactive safety recall.

(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 that wasn’t there before the recalls. Going forward on the way home. We were waved down by a man stating that my signal and brake light weren’t working . So that next day we took my car back to the dealership to see what happen, why all the sudden different alerts were coming up. They had the same mechanic relook at the car and a when finish 31/2 hour latter was told I needed a new transmission, costing $7384.94 which I don’t have . They charge me $179.00 just to confirm what they said about needing a new transmission. I was devastated and confused why I wasn’t told that the day before. So a few days later I took it to another machanic to see if the could see why the lights weren’t working and he ended up putting new bulbs in and got them working but also he put it in a diagnosis machine 2 of them and couldn’t get a reading at all and said I should take it back to find out why he couldn’t get a reading. I was so frustrated at that point I just was upset! I then had a friend of the family mechanic look at it and he said it wasn’t the transmission it was a knock sensor that I needed so I ordered it. When I called him to install the knock sensor he was too busy to do it and it had already been a whole month of waiting so I reached out to a place in Cumberland RI to see if he could install the knock sensor had it towed there and he kept it for three days and said it was a transmission computer and he tried two of them and neither of them worked and charged me $150 for that I was humiliated and crying , I went there to have my car towed home seen him while waiting for the tow truck to come he said I needed a new transmission and now a motor, crying again. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA)

The red steering wheel with an exclamation point pops up on the dashboard and instantly I lose power steering the wheel gets really hard, it went out as I was making a turn and I almost hit the truck . I had to yank the wheel really hard to control the steering, then had to pull over turn the truck off then back on to reset the problem. This have been going on mildly for a few years now has gotten to its worst

We have been having problems with the speed control not functioning. Sometimes we couldn't set the speed or slow it down. Now it doesn't function at all! When it was working the cancel switch would also not work and we had to use the brake pedal to shut it off. Later on while driving through town with the cruise control still on, I stopped at a traffic light and the engine began to race at a high rpms. I took my foot off the gas pedal not knowing exactly what it would do and rpms settled down. Luckily the suv didn't accelerate into the vehicle in front of me. The engine has done this a couple of times with or without the cruise control on. My wife drives this vehicle with our grand children onboard and I am highly concerned about their safety.

The Steering binds/ sticks at the 12 o’clock position on the highway, requiring sudden extra physical force to break free, which causes the vehicle to oversteer left to right. For record, Auffenberg Kia verified a steering torque measurement of 7.3 Nm (failure limit: 4.5 Nm) per TSB CHA060, but denied warranty repair under WTY023 solely because the instrument cluster lamp was not illuminated. I paid $163.69 and the dealer released an unsafe car back to me.

Car completely stalled while on the freeway with no warning, no engine lights, nothing….luckily we were going downhill and were able to pull over to the side safely. Still owe 6k to the finance company but mechanic claimed I needed a new waterpump…after being changed and charged the car still wouldn’t turn on despite the new waterpump….and a bunch of new obd codes showed up & now I need a new engine. After a lot of research I’ve learned this car is notoriously known for many recalls and overall complains…..I wish I had done research before buying it, now I’m in debt for a car I can’t even drive

See attached document for complaint.

All tail lights of suv go in an out randomly.

Severe high-pressure fuel system failure and engine oil fuel dilution creating a fire hazard and engine seizure risk following a corporate engine replacement. On July 15, 2026, my 2016 Kia Sorento (2.4L GDI) received a corporate-covered engine block replacement due to rod bearing failure. On September 30, 2026 (2,332 miles later), the vehicle jerked violently while driving. Inspection revealed the engine oil was heavily diluted with gasoline due to an internal failure of the High-Pressure Fuel Pump (HPFP), creating a fire hazard. The HPFP was replaced out-of-pocket. Kia Corporate Case #26456059 is open regarding this safety issue. A severe safety hazard currently persists. Within 20 days and 176 miles of this fuel pump repair (totaling 2,512 miles on the new block), the vehicle exhibits severe drivability issues and the oil dipstick again smells heavily of gasoline. This fuel dilution compromises oil viscosity, threatening catastrophic engine seizure and creating an active fire hazard. Due to the severity of this fire risk, the Kia Executive Director of Customer Care intervened, ordering an emergency flatbed tow to a different authorized facility. An invoice audit revealed the dealer violated Kia repair protocols, factory TSBs, and federal safety guidelines. Kia’s factory TSB mandates that the high-pressure fuel pipe is a strict, single-use component that must be replaced upon pump removal; however, this part was completely omitted from my invoice, confirming it was dangerously reused. Reusing it introduces a volatile engine-bay fuel leak risk, mirroring the hazardous pattern in NHTSA Recall 18V-907 (Kia Campaign SC172) regarding fuel lines mishandled during engine swaps. Furthermore, the dealer illegally charged retail fees for Service Campaign SC340 materials and withheld all diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs). I request a formal NHTSA investigation into unsafe recall compliance and systemic powertrain installation failures originating from the engine replacement.

Vehicle caught on fire when driving, putting my mother's life and her passenger at risk. My mother is an elderly Deaf woman, but was able to pull over in time for Fire Department to help contain fire. There were no warning lamps or messages of any problems with car, the car started smoking (smoke also entered cabin) and they pulled over where there was a fire under hood and bystander call emergency services. The car is currently at a tow lot and should be available for inspection upon request. We are waiting for car to be inspected by insurance.

The exterior paint on my 2016 Kia Sorento (Snow White Pearl, paint code SWP) is peeling off in large chunks across multiple panels. The clear coat is delaminating and lifting in sheets from the surface, exposing bare metal underneath which is now actively rusting. This is consistent with a known defect documented in hundreds of complaints about 2013-2016 Kia Sorentos in Snow White Pearl (SWP). I have photographic documentation showing significant progression of this damage over the past few months. The vehicle has not been inspected by a dealer or manufacturer regarding this issue. No warning was given prior to the paint failure — it began suddenly and has spread rapidly. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Additionally, the gear shift randomly locks in Park without warning, leaving me unable to operate the vehicle. This has occurred on multiple occasions and presents a direct safety risk as it strands me without notice. No warning lights or messages appeared prior to the shift lock engaging. The dashboard is also cracking in multiple locations, including near the airbag housing, which may present an additional safety concern.

To Whom It May Concern, I am submitting a formal safety complaint regarding my Kia Sorento and a recurring brake light failure that poses a serious risk to my safety and the safety of my children. After every single oil change, without exception, my brake lights stop functioning properly. This has happened repeatedly and consistently. Most recently, immediately after an oil change, both brake lights went out. I replaced the bulbs, but the issue did not resolve. Instead, the lights are now stuck on continuously, which strongly suggests a failure related to the brake light switch or associated electrical components—not normal wear and tear. This pattern is extremely concerning. The fact that the failure occurs every time the vehicle is serviced indicates either a defect in the design or a component that is highly susceptible to failure during routine maintenance. Brake lights are a fundamental safety feature. When they fail, other drivers are not alerted when I am slowing down or stopping, putting me, my children, and everyone around me at risk of a serious rear-end collision. I understand that brake light switch failures have been a known issue in Kia vehicles in the past, including recalls for similar defects. Given the repeated nature of this problem and the safety implications, I do not believe I should be responsible for the cost of repairs for what appears to be a known or recurring defect. I am requesting that this issue be formally investigated and that Kia be required to repair or replace the faulty brake light switch and any related components at no cost to me. Additionally, I ask that this matter be reviewed to determine whether further action, including a broader recall or service campaign, is necessary to protect other drivers. This is an ongoing and dangerous issue that has now occurred multiple times. I should not have to worry that a routine oil change will leave my vehicle unsafe to drive. I urge you to take this complaint seriously and act quic

Driver side headlight keeps going out. Bulb doesn’t blow and fuses are fine….take the bulb out and put back in and after a couple minutes light starts working again for a couple days before it goes back out. If you go to the passenger side and pull that one out the bulb is smoking.

The rear camera on my 2016 Kia Sorento no longer works. Over the past year, the camera images have been getting blurry and smaller. Now, there is no indication or warning of cars or people behind my vehicle, which is a safety concern. I found online that there is a recall on the rear camera for this model, but the dealership claims they haven't been informed. I'm worried about the safety risks this presents.

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that after the vehicle was parked and turned off for approximately an hour, the vehicle was restarted and there was a knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. The contact continued driving and the knocking sound increasing in volume and frequency. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic and was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be repaired. The mechanic referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that since the vehicle was not repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V703000 (Trailer Hitches); the dealer was unable to repair the engine ffailure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 119,000.

My traction control light is on along with my abs sensor light and another light indication red figure with like a stop sign only when someone in passenger seat as well as a exhaust issue my vehicle sounds loud driving out of no where

The dash is split all over the soft padded dash from the heat started with 1 small split grew larger and all over the dash even with a windshield shade and dash mat heat cracks could affect the passenger side dash airbag brought the vehicle new has just over 40000 mi photo enclosed show just a few cracks the whole dash is affected

Dear Kia America Customer Care Team, Thank you for your response regarding Case Number While I understand that my vehicle is technically outside the standard factory warranty period, I am formally requesting a managerial review of this decision. This is not a request for a cosmetic repair, but a critical safety concern regarding a life-saving component. The dashboard material directly above the passenger airbag is cracking. As you are aware, the structural integrity of the airbag cover is essential for its correct deployment. My primary concern is that during a collision, these cracks could cause the airbag to deploy incorrectly, or worse, turn fragments of the brittle dashboard into dangerous projectiles aimed directly at the front passenger. A vehicle’s airbag system should not degrade into a safety hazard under normal operating conditions, regardless of warranty mileage. This structural degradation points to a potential material defect rather than standard wear and tear. Before I take further action, I request that Kia America reviews this case under a goodwill consideration (Goodwill Policy), as it directly impacts the crashworthiness and occupant safety of the vehicle. For your records, I am also documenting this issue with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to ensure it is registered as a potential safety risk for this model line. I look forward to your reconsidered response and hope we can resolve this matter safely and professionally. Sincerely Dear Thank you for contacting Kia America, Inc. We appreciate your feedback and the opportunity to address your concerns. We have concluded the research regarding your request for assistance. Your vehicle is out of warranty as outlined in your Warranty and Consumer Information Manual and the

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle made an abnormal cranking and popping sound. Upon researching the failure online, the contact learned that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V480000 (Suspension); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure by phone. The failure mileage was approximately 93,000.

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

My car totally stopped on me due to one of the 8 recalls I have undone related to my car. My insurance company verified that the recalls were open related to my car. I verified it to make sure by vin number at NHTSA.gov. up until today 2/13/2026 as I spoked with a representative at NHTSA my 8 recalls went from 8 to 0 recalls all of a sudden. I'm pretty sure the young lady went updated they website to read just that. I still have some proof that the 8 recalls pertain to my car and needs to be repaired.the dealership had me to bring my car in due to the recalls but because it had a motor failure now they're saying it's my fault for going over the approximate mileage of getting an oil change which is not true. The recalls were due way before my time and should have been taken care of before the car was sold to me. I purchased the car in March of 2025 and the car just failed on me in November of 2025. Within that time frame of me purchasing the car, I took good care of the car getting and oil change as well. Providing all oils where needed replacing tires that were needed, keeping gas tank clean. Changing air filters, and just keeping up with the maintenance. The car had no accidents no losses perfectly good car other than the recalls that were pointed out. When I brought the car in they told me everything was fine and that they would take care of those for me. My car has been there for like three weeks now and now they're telling me that the car is showing that the car was driven 11 thousand miles before it had an oil change. I have no idea of who drove the car before I purchased it and that I can only provide them with documents of what I took care of within the time frame I drove it up until the day it just stopped on me while I was driving. I really need my car and they is holding my car doing nothing to it all this time just to tell me that it's up to the manufacturer and sending him my documents for them to decide wether they will approve the repairs or not.

On [XXX] I was in a car accident. When it happened the airbags did not deploy and the seatbelt not locking. This resulted in me hitting my head in on the dash and chest on the steering wheel multiple times and having to go to the er to receive care and be put out of work. This is a major safety risk INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

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.

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

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while the vehicle was stationary when the engine stalled. The vehicle was not able to restart. The vehicle was not towed to a dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was contacted. However, the contact did not speak with anyone. The contact parked the vehicle to be not driven any longer as it was a safety concern. The contact received 3 notifications of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V612000 (POWER TRAIN ). The failure mileage was 153,000.

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while pulling the gear shift lever to shift the vehicle into reverse, the lever then would not shift into drive or any other gear. The check engine warning light illuminated but turned off after a couple minutes. The contact noticed that the gear shift lever was locked and placed a screwdriver into the shifter lever lock and the contact was able to shift the lever to reverse and drive. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 190,000.