Is the 2016 Kia Sorento a bad year?
1,261 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine complaints: 720, 14× a quiet Sorento year.
Consider selling
Half of all engine complaints about the 2016 Kia Sorento were filed between 63k and 114k miles. You're at 85,000 miles.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2016 Sorento owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 85,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| EngineSTANDS OUT | 720 (57%) | 63k–114k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 126 (10%) | 27k–97k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Brakes | 23 (2%) | 15k–86k miles · around this mileage | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Air bags | 18 (1%) | 20k–96k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Body structureSTANDS OUT | 110 (9%) | 30k–64k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Electrical system | 107 (8%) | 28k–76k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Steering | 81 (6%) | 26k–60k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Exterior lightingSTANDS OUT | 67 (5%) | 24k–80k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Speed controlSTANDS OUT | 62 (5%) | 27k–83k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Fuel system | 59 (5%) | 38k–78k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Visibility and wipers | 23 (2%) | 24k–63k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Suspension | 13 (1%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Trailer hitch | 11 (1%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Seat belts | 10 (1%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 85,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 1,261 complaints: 29 mention a crash · 50 mention a fire · 17 report an injury · 77 say the car was towed.
89 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Nov 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
My car started overheating all of a sudden with no alerts or warnings.
Vehicle engine broke down on highway at 62k miles with loss of power and heavy smoke.
Problem occurred around 115000 miles. The problem surfaced as the heater failing to provide heat. Initial diagnosis from repair shop was a cylinder head gasket leak.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 85,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2016 Kia Sorento: 8
Debris and moisture accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire. A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
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. A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of a crash and injury.
The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, possibly causing a fuel leak. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
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. If the trailer brake lights stay illuminated while being used, other drivers may be confused, increasing the risk of a crash.
The driver's seatback frame may have been produced with inadequate weld joints and, as a result, the seatback may not function as designed in the event of a rear-end collision. In the event of a crash, the driver seatback frame could break and fail to restrain a seat occupant, increasing the risk of injury.
A component of the rear suspension may not be properly welded. The improper weld may break, affecting the rear suspension alignment, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
The affected vehicles have a front passenger seat belt whose buckle latch assembly may prevent the front passenger from fastening the seat belt. If the front passenger seat belt cannot be latched, an occupant sitting in the front passenger seat has an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Due to an improperly soldered component in the accelerator pedal assembly, the driver may not be able to accelerate the vehicle. If the vehicle is unable to be accelerated, there is an increased risk of a crash.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Kia: 183
Repair instructions Kia sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2016 Kia Sorento. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Engine sub assembly inspection/replacement (WTY035)
Product improvement campaign: engine replacement instructions for DTC P1326 (PI1802Y/Z)
AWD SYSTEM CONCERN DUE TO TIRE CIRCUMFERENCE - This Pitstop provides information regarding potential concerns with the All-Wheel-Drive…
Technical service bulletin oil pressure switch (Ops) replacement
NHTSA defect investigations: 3
Loss of Motive Power
Loss of Motive Power
Engine Oil Pressure Switch Leak
Neighbouring years
2015 Sorento: 755 complaints, consider selling · 2017 Sorento: 810 complaints, consider selling.
Every Kia Sorento year
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Questions
Is the 2016 Kia Sorento a bad year?
1,261 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine complaints: 720, 14× a quiet Sorento year. At 85,000 miles the tool says: Consider selling. Half of all engine complaints about the 2016 Kia Sorento were filed between 63k and 114k miles. You're at 85,000 miles.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Kia Sorento?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: engine (720), transmission and drivetrain (126), brakes (23), air bags (18), body structure (110). Half of the engine complaints were filed between 63k–114k miles.
How many recalls does the 2016 Kia Sorento have?
8 recall campaigns list this model year: Trailer hitch (NHTSA 22V-703), Transmission and drivetrain (NHTSA 22V-612), Fuel system (NHTSA 18V-907), Trailer hitch (NHTSA 16V-862) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.