2016 Kia Sorento: Recalls, Problems & MPG
Here are the deets on the 2016 Kia Sorento: 8 recalls, 1254 owner complaints and up to 24 mpg combined.
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Recalls
8 vehicle recalls from the manufacturer. Repairs are free. Check your VIN to see if one is still open on your car.
Speed control / throttle Vehicle recall #15V089000 · 2015 · 12,361 vehicles
What's wrong: Due to an improperly soldered component in the accelerator pedal assembly, the driver May not be able to accelerate the vehicle.
Why it matters: If the vehicle is unable to be accelerated, there is an increased risk of a crash.
The fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the accelerator assembly, free of charge. The recall began on February 19, 2015.
Seat belts Vehicle recall #15V446000 · 2015 · 2,587 vehicles
What's wrong: The affected vehicles have a front passenger seat belt whose buckle latch assembly May prevent the front passenger from fastening the seat belt.
Why it matters: 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.
The fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger seat belt buckle cover, free of charge. The recall began on August 18, 2015.
Suspension Vehicle recall #16V480000 · 2016 · 7,901 vehicles
What's wrong: A component of the rear suspension May not be properly welded.
Why it matters: The improper weld May break, affecting the rear suspension alignment, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the welds at the rear suspension cross-member, replacing the rear cross-member assembly, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began July 27, 2016.
Seats Vehicle recall #16V770000 · 2016 · 1,408 vehicles
What's wrong: 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.
Why it matters: In the event of a crash, the driver seatback frame could break and fail to restrain a seat occupant, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the welds and replace the driver seatback frame, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on December 9, 2016.
Trailer hitch, Electrical Vehicle recall #16V862000 · 2016 · 10,212 vehicles
What's wrong: 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. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (fmvss) number 108, " lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
Why it matters: If the trailer brake lights stay illuminated while being used, other drivers May be confused, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the trailer tow hitch harness, free of charge. The recall began January 18, 2017.
Engine, Fuel system Vehicle recall #18V907000 · 2018 · 71,653 vehicles
What's wrong: 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.
Why it matters: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
The fix: Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019.
Transmission & drivetrain Vehicle recall #22V612000 · 2022 · 28,065 vehicles
What's wrong: 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.
Why it matters: A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of a crash and injury.
The 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.
Trailer hitch Vehicle recall #22V703000 · 2022 · 70,887 vehicles
What's wrong: Kia america, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2022 sorento, 2021-2022 sorento hybrid (hev), 2022-2023 sorento plug-in hybrid (phev), and 2017-2022 sportage vehicles equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Kia dealership. Debris and moisture accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (pcb) May cause an electrical short,…
Why it matters: A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
The fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will inspect the vehicle, and, as necessary, replace the fuse and/or tow hitch harness module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2023.
Most-reported problems
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component. One complaint can list several components. 49 mention a fire, 19 injuries and 0 deaths were reported.
What owners describe
- Engine (695): the most common themes are warning light on (243), stalls / loses power (200), noise or vibration (152).
- Other / unknown (165): the most common themes are fire / smoke (23), warning light on (21).
- Transmission & drivetrain (126): the most common themes are hard / delayed shifting (52), stalls / loses power (30), warning light on (29).
- Body & structure (111): the most common themes are door / lock issues (33), rust / corrosion (6).
The 2016 Kia Sorento has 1254 owner complaints, ranking #2 of 24 Sorento model years for complaints (3.0× the average Sorento year). Complaints peaked in 2023 (250 filed that year). The typical problem showed up when the car was about 6 years old, at a median of 66,000 miles. Neighboring years: 2015 (751 complaints, 3 recalls), 2017 (805 complaints, 4 recalls).
Engines & fuel economy (EPA)
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4 L 4-cyl | Automatic (S6) | Front-Wheel Drive | 21 | 28 | 24 | Regular |
| 2.0 L 4-cyl turbo | Automatic (S6) | Front-Wheel Drive | 20 | 27 | 23 | Regular |
| 2.4 L 4-cyl | Automatic (S6) | All-Wheel Drive | 21 | 25 | 22 | Regular |
| 2.0 L 4-cyl turbo | Automatic (S6) | All-Wheel Drive | 19 | 25 | 21 | Regular |
| 3.3 L 6-cyl | Automatic (S6) | Front-Wheel Drive | 18 | 25 | 20 | Regular |
| 3.3 L 6-cyl | Automatic (S6) | All-Wheel Drive | 17 | 23 | 19 | Regular |
Want the full repair deets? Get the factory manual.
Recall and complaint data tells you what goes wrong. A service manual tells you how to fix it: torque specs, wiring diagrams, fluid capacities and step-by-step procedures for the 2016 Kia Sorento.
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FAQ
Does the 2016 Kia Sorento have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 8 vehicle recalls for the 2016 Kia Sorento. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, no matter how old the car is. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common 2016 Kia Sorento problems?
Owners have filed 1254 complaints with NHTSA. The most-reported areas are engine (695), other / unknown (165), transmission & drivetrain (126).
What gas mileage does the 2016 Kia Sorento get?
EPA ratings run up to 24 mpg combined (2.4 L, Automatic (S6)), across 6 engine and transmission combos.
Where can I get a 2016 Kia Sorento repair manual?
eManualOnline sells downloadable manuals, Mitchell 1 DIY and ALLDATAdiy sell online access to factory repair data, and Haynes sells printed guides and online access. Pick a download if you want to keep it, or a subscription for wiring diagrams and TSBs.