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#BS-2016-KIASOR-433B

2016 Kia SorentoProblems, Recalls & Reliability

Based on reports from 1,651 owners and 8 recalls for this exact model.

Data updated ·NHTSA complaints through October 28, 2026

Complaints
1,651
Crashes
42
Fires
78
Recalls
8
TSBs
275
🛑

Preliminary Verdict

Red Flag

Based on 1,651 complaints, 42 crashes, 78 fires, and 8 recalls. Complaint rate is 7.8x the class average. This is the worst model year for this vehicle.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

engine failure

51 complaints • Severity 9.2/10

$X,XXX
2

steering sticks

6 complaints • Severity 9.3/10

$X,XXX
3

hard shifting

6 complaints • Severity 7.3/10

$X,XXX
4

excessive oil consumption

5 complaints • Severity 8/10

$X,XXX
5

loose head bolts leading to engine failure

5 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the EngineHIGH

719 owners reported engine issues — failures commonly reported around 66K miles.

!Inspect the DrivetrainMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

116
0–30K
129
30–60K
157
60–90K
82
90–120K
51
120–150K
22
150K+

Peak failure range: 60–90K miles (157 reports) • Median: 66K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Engine (719 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Engine719 (44%)
Other167 (10%)
Drivetrain123 (7%)
Structure:body106 (6%)
Electrical104 (6%)
Steering81 (5%)
Lights62 (4%)
Fuel System57 (3%)

2016 Kia Sorento: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Engine Issues

Engine complaints account for 44% of all reports filed for the 2016 Kia Sorento, with 719 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 66,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 66K-mile mark.

Drivetrain Issues

Drivetrain complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 2016 Kia Sorento, with 123 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to drivetrain-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Structure:body Issues

Structure:body complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 2016 Kia Sorento, with 106 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to structure:body-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Electrical Issues

Electrical complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 2016 Kia Sorento, with 104 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

23
15
26
16
52
17
74
18
91
19
122
20
169
21
263
22
340
23
232
24
152
25
107
26

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2016 Kia Sorento. Recent trend: stable.

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Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (8 recalls)

15V089000Feb 2015

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016 Sorento vehicles manufactured October 27, 2014, to January 29, 2015. Due to an improperly soldered component in the accelerator pedal assembly, the driver may not be able to accelerate the vehicle.

15V446000Aug 2015

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016 Kia Sorento vehicles manufactured October 23, 2014, to December 10, 2014. The affected vehicles have a front passenger seat belt whose buckle latch assembly may prevent the front passenger from fastening the seat belt.

16V480000Jul 2016

SUSPENSION:REAR

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016 Sorento vehicles. A component of the rear suspension may not be properly welded.

16V770000Dec 2016

SEATS

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016 Kia Sorento vehicles manufactured March 3, 2016 to March 21, 2016. 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.

16V862000Jan 2017

TRAILER HITCHES

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Sorento vehicles manufactured October 27, 2014, to August 25, 2016, and 2017 Sportage vehicles manufactured December 10, 2015, to August 26, 2016. 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."

+ 3 more recalls in the full report

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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2016 Kia Sorento NHTSA Safety Ratings

Overall

★★★★★

5 of 5 stars

Frontal crash

★★★★★

5 of 5 stars

Side crash

★★★★★

5 of 5 stars

Rollover

★★★★★

4 of 5 stars

From NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings). Where NHTSA tested more than one version of this vehicle, the lowest rating is shown.

NHTSA Defect Investigations (3)

All closed. Investigations are how NHTSA decides whether a defect needs a recall.

DP21002ClosedOpened Nov 2021 · closed Jun 2023

Engine Oil Pressure Switch Leak

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OIL/LUBRICATION:PRESSURE/TEMPERATURE SENSOR

DP22003ClosedOpened Sep 2022 · closed Dec 2023

Loss of Motive Power

ENGINE

PE23019ClosedOpened Nov 2023 · closed Jul 2024

Loss of Motive Power

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OIL/LUBRICATION:SEALS/GASKETS

This is the worst model year for the Kia Sorento according to owner complaint data. The biggest problem area is engine.

2016 Kia Sorento vs. Class Average (Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD)

This vehicle

1,651

Class avg

212

7.8x the class average — significantly more complaints than typical small sport utility vehicle 4wd vehicles.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 1,651 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 8 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Last updated . NHTSA complaints received through October 28, 2026; safety ratings from NHTSA's 5-Star program.

Other Kia Sorento Model Years

202620252024202320222021202020192018201720162015201420132012201120102009200820072006200520042003
View all Kia Sorento years →

2016 Kia Sorento: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2016 Kia Sorento?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2016 Kia Sorento is related to the engine, with 719 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2016 Kia Sorento reliable?
The 2016 Kia Sorento has 1,651 complaints, 42 crash reports, and 78 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is 7.8x the class average — higher than typical for its segment.
How safe is the 2016 Kia Sorento?
NHTSA rates the 2016 Kia Sorento 5 out of 5 stars overall, with 5 stars in frontal crash tests, 5 stars in side crash tests, 4 stars for rollover resistance. Where NHTSA tested more than one version, the lowest rating is shown.
How much does it cost to fix 2016 Kia Sorento problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 2016 Kia Sorento have any recalls?
Yes, the 2016 Kia Sorento has 8 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Kia Sorento problems start?
Based on 557 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 66,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 60–90K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
When was the 2016 Kia Sorento data last updated?
BumperScan last checked this vehicle against NHTSA on October 30, 2026, covering owner complaints received through October 28, 2026 plus the latest recalls, investigations and technical service bulletins.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 1,651 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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