2016 KIA SORENTO Electrical System Problems

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at 50 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle speed decreased. The contact was able to pull into a parking lot safely. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle, but the vehicle failed to restart as intended. An independent mechanic and a dealer were contacted. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine starter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 83,000.

Vehicle: 2016 Kia Sorento, VIN [XXX] Incident Date: November 13, 2025 Incident Location: Durham, NC (3828 Guess Rd) Cause of Loss: Engine Fire, confirmed by Durham Fire Department Report (Incident #253663) as "originated from under the hood." TECHNICAL NARRATIVE & SYMPTOMS (CRITICAL FOR LIABILITY): I am filing this complaint to report a catastrophic vehicle fire that I believe is directly linked to multiple acknowledged manufacturing defects that create a fire risk in Kia vehicles. ABS/Traction Control Light Warning (Direct Fire Risk Symptom): Immediately prior to the loss, the ABS and Traction Control warning lights were constantly illuminated. This is a known precursor symptom for the defective Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) or ABS Module short-circuit, which has been cited in numerous Kia fire recalls (e.g., NHTSA 20V019, 20V519). The fire's origin under the hood is consistent with this component failure. Prior Engine Failures (Systemic Defect History): This vehicle has a...

The car was running as normal and then randomly it started kind of rough and seemed like maybe just cold. But I had my mechanic take a look, and he said that when he started it, which was the next day that it made a loud knocking sound upon start. On the 30th I had it towed out to West Hills Kia in Bremerton. And they reported back that the engine needed full repair. I only owned this car one year and before me it was reportedly well maintained. I maintained it well also! Kia is denying all recall, but it’s a 2016 Kia sorento. It’s within the one or two years that the recall doesn’t cover??? The brake lights also work and always one of them is not working. It is not exclusively one or the other but the bulbs keep burning out. I need to know what to...

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

My headlights flicker when the left turn signal is used. I have taken this vehicle to the dealership previously for headlight flickering issues. I have owned it since 2019. When the lights flicker at night driving at highway speeds, it is dangerous for me and other drivers around me. The Ray Skillman Kia dealer has confirmed these issues and offered fixes that have not lasted. the most recent flickering did not come with warnings or messages prior to malfunctioning.

This scenerio happened and fire resulted with total loss. Fuel system, gasoline: Delivery: Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings Recall date 2018-12-18 Recall no. 18V907000 Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product Improvement Campaign. 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. Hide details Recall consequence A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire. Recall action Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is...

The specific issue I’ve encountered is that the vehicle intermittently becomes stuck in “Park” and cannot be shifted into “Drive” or any other gear using normal methods. The only workaround has been to manually engage the shift lock override by inserting a screwdriver or similar tool into the override slot near the gear shifter. This is not a normal or acceptable method of operating the vehicle and clearly indicates a failure of a system that should function reliably. Upon further investigation, I discovered that this problem is not isolated. Hundreds of Kia Sorento owners from various forums and complaint boards (including Reddit, Kia owner groups, [XXX] , and even other reports on NHTSA.gov) have documented the same problem with identical symptoms: the gear shifter becomes stuck in Park, the brake lights do not illuminate, and in many cases, this is traced back to a faulty Body Control Module (BCM). Many...

While I am driving it can be jerking anytime and also the slippery light come on the dashboard.Sometimes the engine light come on too.

Vehicle stuck in park. Able to use emergency procedure to drive. Repair of fault would have cost 1600.00 if not covered by my extended warranty. There is a similar recall for not requiring brake to be applied before the shifter can select a gear. This is caused by the BCM body control module. I believe that most of these units are failure prone and they control a number of functions that are related to safety.

I own a Kia Sorento with a recurring electrical wiring failure that affects the passenger-side blinker and hazard lights. The issue has been “repaired” multiple times, but it returns within a day. This prevents me from safely signaling lane changes or using hazard lights in dangerous situations. The wiring becomes loose or faulty repeatedly, creating a persistent safety hazard. This defect has not been permanently resolved despite multiple service visits. I am concerned for my safety and the safety of others on the road.

The shift interlock system stopped allowing the car to come out of park however the vehicle would still roll when in Park, have to do a manual override to take it out of park but it will hesitate on the highway. I have had too many near miss accidents with this vehicle. Especially due to my break lights working intermittently although they've been replaced. I'm not sure if it's electrical (my locks would randomly lock and unlock) or due to the shifting gear.

The instrument cluster blacks out in the middle of a drive or will not come on when initially started. Seems to work when it wants to. Yes, vehicle is available for inspection and we have a video of this defect. Yes, this is a safety issue because no other warning lights or warning system can work. Sometimes the speedometer shows 60mph while sitting still or 0mph while driving. This glitch makes it impossible to verify the speed, if lights and signals are working, airbags active, etc The dealership was advised but nothing done and was told no recalls so can't help without having to come out of pocket. At first it would flicker and get lines like a broken TV screen. We bought car in 2023 about 6 months in is when flickering started. It stopped for awhile. It is on more than off but presents a safety issue for...

Engine blew. Getting on interstate, vehicle blew when accelerating on interstate and died right before getting on. Could have been very dangerous if it had made it on the interstate itself. No warning lights or indication ther was a problem. It was maintained regularly. It had 125000 miles on it. A/c fan quit working due to electrical issues. Drivers side brake light blew several times. It was life changing and not for the good. There have also been a few other minor problems.

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

UNKNOWN

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.

I am financing a 2016 Kia Sorrento from the Burns Ford of York by here pay here of South Carolina I had the car for less than two weeks and the car would not go in park and sometimes it would not come out of park . I am trying to find all recalls that have been fixed on the car before vin# [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I am having an issue with my Kia headlights when on dim. The lights are so dim I am afraid to drive the car at night because I am scared I will hit a person, animal or object. I am replacing light bulbs frequently. Cars are flashing their lights at me (when I need to drive at night) because of the dimness. I took my car to a Kia dealer and they could not diagnosis the problem. They advised to replace the entire headlight assembly with a cost of $2,600.00. I am on Social Security and can't afford to have the repair made. I have read a lot of complaints of other Kia lighting issues. I feel a recall should be made immediately due to the seriousness of the issue.

my car is completely in good working order but i want to send it to tyro and they say i have a problem with it SC249F TOW HH INSPECT/REPLACE +FUSE: DIO (NHTSA #22V703)

I purchased a used 2016 Kia Sorento during the used vehicle rise in pricing back in 2021. I owned a 2012 Hyundai sonata (which also required an engine replacement), but I my grandmother's car died, and I needed a better vehicle for a new job. June 16th I was driving with my daughter at around 9am and suddenly the vehicle started to shake and loss of power with the radio system beeping all dash lights flashing "engine system component" and check engine light remained on. (very similar to how my sonata died before engine replacement). I pulled over got the vehicle towed to my house due to it being a weekend and unable to reach a shop. I have a code reader, which I read the codes. Upon getting it to the dealer they said it was the Cam Shaft Phaser and new spark plugs, costing about $4800. As a...

My left headlamp always goes off. The lights go off all the time. I changed the bulb but its Not it. It the faulty light cable connections. I replace higher lights 12000k and the left light cable never stays on. Cause the left light cable is crap and never probably done. So i bought a lemon new off the lot

I keep having problems with the brake lights and all of the back lights, have fixed or replaced them 7 to 8 times in the last 2 years, and my passenger door will not lock, know another person that has a Kia that has the same problem

The problem started after a quick stop at a convenient store on the way to work. After starting the engine the vehicle would not shift from park. I was able to bypass this after a quick Internet search by removing a small cover near the stick shut and a small straw to bypass the shift control. I've had the car twice at the mechanics without a diagnosis as to a possible cause and was able to have the mechanic permanently disabled the shift lock but was warned the vehicle could be shifted to drive or neutral at any time and moved with a key. About a month later I found myself without headlights and shortly after this without wiper controls. Another visit to my mechanic would this time show the problems, shift lock, headlights and wipers were all from a faulty PCM. My mechanic has shipped my PCM out twice...

While driving on the parkway, the vehicle would not accelerate and would stall. After pulling over, vehicle would restart but repeated the pattern. Made it to Advanced Auto who ran codes and had the camshaft modulator changed. Vehicle made it back onto parkway. 40 miles from home, the vehicle began to shake, loose power, made loud sound and died. Towed home. Mechanic said out of oil but I had oil changed less than 1000 miles ago when vehicle purchased. New codes showed crankshaft position sensor. Changed part. Replaced starter and a new battery. Still nothing. Stating probable engine failure. I've only owned this vehicle for 2 months!

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the contact’s place of employment. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 98,000. The VIN was not available.

My 2016 Kia seronto was fine wasn’t throwing any codes not even the code that tells me my oil is low. But always kept it changed and maintained never had a problem with it only the code that says 02 sensor then I started having an exhaust leak near my engine it was getting so hot to the point it was catching my carpet inside my car on fire so I had to pull up the carpet that never bother me or made an issue for the car I was driving and it started knocking like a rod knock I check the oil and there’s oil in it with no metal shavings or a creamy color to it. Car still starts gets louder when the rpms go up so I’m just a bit confused to what happened when I kept my oil changed and my car never warned me of...

Since 2019, the power steering for my Kia Sorento has failed on at least 30 occasions while my vehicle is in motion, placing vehicle occupants and nearby drivers at significant risk of a serious accident. All failures have the following in common: - Vehicle becomes very difficult to steer and requires significant arm strength to turn the wheel to either the left or the right - The red EPS warning light illuminates, no other warning lights nor alarms - The steering wheel feels a minor shudder before fully locking - Upon stopping them vehicle, placing in park, turning the engine off, and then turning the engine back on, the EPS warning light is no longer illuminated and the steering is restored ("as if nothing happened") - There no known common causes, such as vehicle speed, temperature, nor any other triggers which cause this error, as a driver, there is the...

While driving this evening my power steering light came on and shortly after I lost all power steering. Had I not been strong enough while pulling out of the flow of traffic I would have lost control and hit a vehicle or run off the roadway. After turning the vehicle off it would not restart without a jump start. This same vehicle had its engine replaced not long ago for a separate safety issue mentioned in ODI 11565586. Kia of America needs to be forced to fix the issues with this vehicle. Other numerous reports of these same issues exist. These issues need to be investigated and Kia held accountable. This vehicle is a lemon and still under warranty but I feel I have no recourse and I'm being forced to be without the vehicle I paid for for long spans of time. This vehicle is a huge safety issue...

We were driving on the [XXX] on [XXX] with a speed of around 70 miles per hour. We started to see a small amount of white smoke coming from under the hood and at the same time the truck started to slow down by itself unexpectedly and then started to jerk back and forth. No indicators showed up on the dashboard. The speed reduced quickly and hitting the gas pedal did nothing to accelerate our speed. The white smoke started to increase and it became difficult to see. We then saw the temperature gauge go all the way up to hot out of nowhere. There were vehicles all around us and the passengers in the car started to yell to try to get to the shoulder. We had to maneuver very quickly through traffic with the car continuing to jerk at a very slow speed, which was very scary and...

My engine blew with no light to indicate there was even a problem with the engine.

After parking and turning the car off, when restarting the vehicle the shift lock would no longer release to shift out of park. In order to shift out of park it requires the shift lock clip to be removed, a screw driver placed down and pressure applied to release the shifter. The vehicle was taken to the dealership to be assessed and owner was told it was the BCM and the entire component would need to be replaced as it is not sensing that the brake is being applied. There are no service or warning lights. The BCM controls several other safety features including park assist, the heated seats, and other electrical components Serious safety concern if the computer system within the vehicle is not able to detect that the brake is being applied. It could also lead to other electrical failures throughout the vehicle.

Knock sensor goes bad. Car does not receive fuel to engine. Cuts off while driving and will not accelerate over 20 mph

A lot of oil in the floor. Oil Pressure Sensor Fail Lock of all doors are crazy (lock and unlock so many times)

At 45mph or faster, when turning left.. the steering sticks briefly and the EPS (electric power steering) over-corrects it. Makes the steering wheel jump. So the driver has to perform constant corrections. I believe it’s very serious safety issue.

Car got caught on fire while driving with my 5kids

the anti lock button does not work, kia will not fix it, they stated that there recall on it was for locks that can move the car forward and backwards. I've never used my anti lock button its down beside the gear shift so the only way I can drive my suv to put my car in drive, reverse etc to use the gear shift is by holding a screwdriver down in it the whole time and I complained to kia about that knows that but they won't do anything about it unless I pay out of pocket for something I've never even used since I had the vehicle/I'm not at fault for. I suddenly could not put my suv back in drive after cutting my car off at my daughter school in 2022 bc of the anti lock button being stuck or something of that nature and kia done...

Car ran fine until we stopped for gas, went to get back on the highway when the car wouldn't accelerate >25mphs,almost got hit from this. The car was then towed to the near by Kia dealership and they found that it was a compression issue with a known issue in the engine and now we need a new engine or scrap the car. Kia is not willing to fix their horrible product and has told us to just suffer.

AUG. 5, 2023: CA Steering wheel locked when trying to change lanes. Managed to turn left but went over the curb. It drove well when going straight but could not turn steering wheel. Glad I didn't go on the Freeway. Managed to stop but didn't turn off car due to too hot outside. Called towing, then a family member told me to turn car off, hesitant due to weather, too hot. It worked. TowTrk driver checked under hood and saw no problem. I then drove to dealership and left it there to diagnose. It is till in shop 6wks. It is the steering wheel wiring I am told. Now waiting for a part. Maybe this week. Love the KIA but it did me wrong. Cannot trust it anymore. That is too bad it is an awesome vehicle to me except for the problem. warning came on as incident happened. Manufacturer...

my car got stolen and have had really bad service on kia end i got insurance to pay for most would like at least my 500.00 debuctable back

After I got the for my car. I took my carto a mechanic. He ran several test and concluded that my car has an electrical problem.

Shift lock does not come out of park. Started September 2022. Excessive oil burning 2 quarts a month( every 500 miles) Started June 2022 Low oil light does not turn on ever Electrical issues. Locks turn on and of every time I open door. Check engine light is always on. Since I bought the car. Kia tried fixing but it didn't help. Now have engine failure.

The oil pressure switch failed in our 2006 Kia Sorento with 46,681 miles. We purchased this car new from same Kia dealer that services it. The oil leaking from the pressure switch got onto the exhaust manifold, and lots oil had traveled through wiring harnesses and got inside electrical connectors including half filling inside the computer unit ECM/ECU? main pin wiring connection. After searching online I found that many other people have reported the same oil leaking problem with the oil pressure switch in various Kia vehicles, though the Kia dealership told me there is no recall for it. This was surprising to me especially when I noticed smoke coming off of manifold when I took it to the Kia service center, and when their repair service man sent me a video from Kia showing the amount of oil that leaked up the wires inside of harness into the electrical...

I have been calling Kia corporate for a year now. They will put me on hold or transfer me until they think I give so they disconnect me! I finally got a supervisor on the phone to help me and he was very rude. I told him that “I knew Kia did not want to have a situation where one of their vehicles caught on fire with children in it” and his answer was “ma’am that happens all the time”. They have not fixed the seven recalls that are on my 2016 Kia Sorrento. Not one out of seven. I asked for whatever was fair, I buy back, I trade, whatever was fair for both parties, and asked to speak to that gentleman’s [XXX] Supervisor so she could listen to that call. When I got a callback, she did apologize or say anything about the car and then she had...

I was traveling on the interstate, I heard a slight tapping noise, after about 5 miles, there was no warning light indicators, the car just died, I lost all power, there were no brakes, I was able to get pulled off the highway to the warning track that helped slow the vehicle down, smoke was coming from under the hood & into the cabin, then I saw flames, at about 20mph I knew I had to get out so I put it in park & it finally stopped. I had just enough time to grab my purse & suitcase out of the back & it was in engulfed in flames immediately. I had just had the car serviced 1 month prior for oil change & Anti theft recall but was advised that recall wasn't being done at this time. The engine light had came on the day before I took...

Saw a news report that the Tow Hitch Harness electric may start on fire. Received a notice from Kia November 1, 2022 regarding the possible fire. Parked car outside as instructed in notice Called local Kia Dealer re: issue (January 16, 2023) NO remedy per [XXX] Asked [XXX] if car can be parked inside garage and if it was advisable to NOT drive the vehicle and he said that the fire issue is only if the hitch electric is used that there is a fire concern and it is ok to park in garage. So we started parking in garage and did not use hitch electric. I contacted. Kia and was put on hold so was unable to share my concerns with the Called again 2/16/2023 still no remedy Asked again if we needed to park outdoors and was there danger is we drove the car. Was told the fire...

I called Kia to replace fuse per their safety recall information. They are really uninterested in fixing these recalls or allowing me to speak to a manager to fix the issue. What's the point?

Most recently the engine burned up the oil prior to my next service date. After oil was added and the engine drove fine. The next day the engine ran fine and after driving through an intersection 1/2 mile from my house the car died. It lost complete power, putting myself and my family in danger. (Thank God we were able to get off to the side of the busy roadway safely). At that moment, a battery light came on first, then an oil and engine light illuminated at the same time. The car wouldn’t start and had to be towed off the side of the road. The mechanic that looked at it said it needed an engine. Due to lack of maintenance records, the extended warranty company chose to deny my claim. The dealer has my car and will do a diagnostic test. About a year ago I had the...

I was driving down the road and heard a grinding noise from engine. I pulled over to check under the hood for fluid leaks or check engine lights which everything checked out good temp gauges and everything giving normal readings. I then proceeded to keep traveling my route and about 5 minutes in I was loosing power and my car wasn't accelerating any more. I contacted the dealership I received my car from letting them know of these problems and informed them of a recall that was in affect a couple years back and also about the recent one I then asked if they fixed this problem or had any Knowledge of these defects which they stated it's not on them I have to take it up with the manufacturer even though I wasn't informed of these problems before my vehicle purchase. I then contacted the manufacturer and let them...

While driving at highway speed, the battery light and oil light came on and the throttle became unresponsive. The driver pulled over safely. The vehicle had to be restarted before the throttle became responsive again. The vehicle was taken to Maguire Kia Service (Ithaca, NY), where the engine was subsequently replaced.

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the exterior lights failed to operate as needed. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the headlamps and brake light bulbs had been changed approximately 2 - 3 times per year. Additionally, the horn failed to sound off while being depressed. The contact stated that the oil pressure warning light failed to illuminate to notify the contact that the oil level was low. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was jump started. The vehicle was started and there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that there was no oil in the engine. The mechanic performed an oil change on the vehicle. The cause...