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2021 Kia Sorento

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2021 Kia Sorento do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 242.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 33 of 242 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Power Train. Review the 133 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 64 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 47 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

4 crash reports1 fire reports1 injury reports

What owners actually said

242 reports
Mileage unknown · Jan 25, 2024
VisibilityVisibility/wiper

Winshield lamination cracked/seperation. No rock chips or anything that hit the winshield. It just started to seperate by itself

NHTSA ODI #11567867

Mileage unknown · Jan 18, 2024
Structure

Pearl white paint completely peeling off.

NHTSA ODI #11566365

Mileage unknown · Jan 15, 2024
Engine

My 2021 KIA Sorento, has literally cut off on me several times in the last 3 three months, when I am at a stop ight/sign the vehicle will just shut off, it will not turn back on, after 3-4 attempts of trying to get the vehicle to start it would, but later on the same day it would do the same thing. On the third incident I took t…

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My 2021 KIA Sorento, has literally cut off on me several times in the last 3 three months, when I am at a stop ight/sign the vehicle will just shut off, it will not turn back on, after 3-4 attempts of trying to get the vehicle to start it would, but later on the same day it would do the same thing. On the third incident I took the vehicle to the Kia dealership in Victorville, Ca. After keeping the vehicle for several days, they said they could not find anything wrong and that i should replace the battery because it had a low cell. So I bought the battery and paid for the diagnostic. the same day I picked of the vehicle drove to Las Vegas , Nevada, the vehicle did the same thing it would not start, we had to get a jump to get it started, was terrified to drive the vehicle back to California. Call the dealership about the issue but never received a call back. Now here it [XXX], the vehicle cuts off at a 4 way stop light, we were in the turning lane!!!! the vehicle would not start, there virtually no power, had to move the vehicle to a parking lot around the corner, called a tow truck and had the vehicle towed to the Kia dealership. They are saying it will take 3-5 days before they can get a diagnosis done. There is something going on with this vehicle, and I do not feel safe driving it even a short distance. This problem needs to be investigated before some get hurt/accident. I have not a seen a recall on my VIN number but there is something on wrong very similar to the transmission problems the Kia is having. I would like to have this issued looked at immediately to find out the root cause of this problem with a resolution. Will be awaiting a response, my vehicle is still at Valley Hi Kia, Victorville, Ca INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #11565604

Mileage unknown · Jan 13, 2024
Power Train

Transmission shifting 3 levels with start of driving

NHTSA ODI #11565316

Mileage unknown · Jan 5, 2024
Power Train

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving 80 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact pulled to the side of the roadway. The contact stated that she restarted the vehicle and was able to continue driving. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure recurr…

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The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving 80 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact pulled to the side of the roadway. The contact stated that she restarted the vehicle and was able to continue driving. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure recurred several times while driving. The contact stated that the last time the failure occurred, the vehicle restarted but failed to respond upon depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was being diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V760000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could only assist after the dealer diagnosed and determined if the failure was related to the recall. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI #11563721

Mileage unknown · Dec 10, 2023
EngineUnknown Or Other

Today, our vehicle began making a chiming noise and displaying the words "Stop Safely Immediately." We were nearly in a car accident as our car stopped working in the middle of the road. We had to abandon the vehicle because it would not move. Upon coming home, we searched our VIN and found that there was a recall on the vehicle…

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Today, our vehicle began making a chiming noise and displaying the words "Stop Safely Immediately." We were nearly in a car accident as our car stopped working in the middle of the road. We had to abandon the vehicle because it would not move. Upon coming home, we searched our VIN and found that there was a recall on the vehicle that Kia had never informed us of: SC250. Kia is mandated to inform clients of recalls that may endanger them, yet Kia chose not to do so.

NHTSA ODI #11559411

Mileage unknown · Oct 2, 2023
Power Train

I was driving my car on Friday, September 29 at approximately 12:30 pm. As i was driving the vehicle ot started to feel as though it was jerking and stalling while driving in driving on a busy road. I reached a parking lot and pulled over and shut the car off when i restarted it a warning came up on my infotainment system that …

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I was driving my car on Friday, September 29 at approximately 12:30 pm. As i was driving the vehicle ot started to feel as though it was jerking and stalling while driving in driving on a busy road. I reached a parking lot and pulled over and shut the car off when i restarted it a warning came up on my infotainment system that there was a promblem with the transmission and i needed to contact my dealer immediately. The check engine light also came on. I own a 2021 Kia Sorento with 11,712 miles. I was afraid to drive vehicle after this incident as I feared for my safety.

NHTSA ODI #11547849

Mileage unknown · Sep 26, 2023
Lane DepartureSteeringUnknown Or Other

My 2021 Kia Sorento X-Line Prestige comes with Driver Assist features. One is for steering. Without warning it will disengage, particularly on a 2-lane highway, or when entering a curve in the road. This is dangerous. It needs to come with a warning that Driver Assist can flake out on 2-lanes and on curves, and is fairly useless…

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My 2021 Kia Sorento X-Line Prestige comes with Driver Assist features. One is for steering. Without warning it will disengage, particularly on a 2-lane highway, or when entering a curve in the road. This is dangerous. It needs to come with a warning that Driver Assist can flake out on 2-lanes and on curves, and is fairly useless unless you are on a straightaway on an interstate. This has happened to me multiple times since I bought the car from the Heiser dealership in Wisconsin.

NHTSA ODI #11546505

Mileage unknown · Sep 26, 2023
EnginePower TrainUnknown Or Other

My 2021 Sorento randomly gets stuck in between gears, slipping into neutral and rev'ing up to 4000-5000 rpms. This is at lower speed usually within a mile or so of leaving my house. It's very frightening and has happened to me dozens of times, but I live in a rural area over an hour from a Kia dealership, and they do not offer l…

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My 2021 Sorento randomly gets stuck in between gears, slipping into neutral and rev'ing up to 4000-5000 rpms. This is at lower speed usually within a mile or so of leaving my house. It's very frightening and has happened to me dozens of times, but I live in a rural area over an hour from a Kia dealership, and they do not offer loaners. This issue first arose for me after the transmission oil pump recall was already addressed. I am the 2d owner, and suspect this could be why the previous owners sold the car, which I bought through Autotrader from the Heiser dealership in Wisconsin. After the latest episode, I finally arranged alternate transportation and took it in to the Serra Kia dealership in Jackson, TN. They have had it over a week and not been able to replicate the issue so far. No computer codes show up on it either. They say there's no technical advisory on the issue, and have no idea what's going on with the transmission. Serra Kia is saying that Kia corporate will not approve replacing the transmission without an error code. From reviewing other owner reviews in Kia forums, the Kia 2021 Sorento slipping into neutral while driving appears to be an issue for others as well. It is dangerous, as I could be rear-ended. Quite honestly, it’s terrifying, and I am afraid to drive the car again without this issue being addressed.

NHTSA ODI #11546504

66,550 miles · Sep 20, 2023
EnginePower Train

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at unknown speeds, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who mentioned a recall on the transmission. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, w…

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The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at unknown speeds, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who mentioned a recall on the transmission. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, who informed the contact there was no recall coverage on the VIN. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and the contact was informed there was no recall or warranty coverage on the VIN. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V760000 (Power Train). The failure mileage was approximately 66,550.

NHTSA ODI #11545566

Official recalls

4

25V649000 · Electrical System:wiring:fuses And Circuit Breakers; Visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac System:fan/motor

Sep 25, 2025

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Sorento vehicles. The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) blower motor wiring harness may be inadequate, which can result in a fire.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A fire increases the risk of injury.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the wiring harness and blower motor resistor, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 23, 2026. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC351. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning October 9, 2025.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac System:fan/motor

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Sorento vehicles. The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) blower motor wiring harness may be inadequate, which can result in a fire.

Consequence: A fire increases the risk of injury.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the wiring harness and blower motor resistor, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 23, 2026. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC351. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning October 9, 2025.

Electrical System:wiring:fuses And Circuit Breakers

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Sorento vehicles. The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) blower motor wiring harness may be inadequate, which can result in a fire.

Consequence: A fire increases the risk of injury.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the wiring harness and blower motor resistor, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 23, 2026. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC351. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning October 9, 2025.

22V760000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission

Oct 11, 2022

Kia Motors, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Sorento and 2021-2023 K5 vehicles. The vehicle's "fail-safe" limited-mobility drive mode may be impaired, when prompted by a transmission oil pump malfunction, which can result in a complete loss of drive power.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the transmission, as necessary. Dealers will also update the transmission control unit software. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 9, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC250.

22V703000 · Trailer Hitches

Sep 19, 2022

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, which can result in a fire.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: 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. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC249.

21V519000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings

Jul 8, 2021

Kia Motor America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021 Sorento and 2021-2022 K5 vehicles equipped with 2.5L turbocharged engines. Fuel may leak at the pipe connection between the high-pressure fuel pump and fuel rail.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A fuel leak increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and tighten, or replace the fuel pipe as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 21, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC214.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

DP22003 · Loss Of Motive Power

Opened Sep 12, 2022 · Closed Dec 12, 2023

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021. The Petitioners cited examples of complaints indicating that the subject vehicles were experiencing rapid loss of engine oil due to oil drain plug back outs, resulting in loss of motive power and/or catastrophic engine damage. Additional complaints were provided which alleged that the oil drain pans lack sufficient structural integrity and are susceptible to cracking. The petition itself can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI number 11481745. On September 12, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Defect Petition (DP22-003) to evaluate the Petitioners’ request. The Petitioners have provided additional complaints within four supplemental letters dated January 31, 2023, March 21, 2023, May 23, 2023, and August 4, 2023. ODI’s evaluation included the review and analysis of the complaints and supporting information submitted by the Petitioners, as well as additional complaints submitted directly to NHTSA which referenced either the oil drain plug or a crack in the oil pan. After reviewing the available data, ODI has not identified evidence that would support opening a defect investigation into the oil drain pan assemblies of the subject vehicles. Based on a review of the available information, a loss of motive power resulting from an oil drain plug back out has not occurred between the initial sale of a vehicle and the completion of its first oil change. If during an oil change service, a technician fails to remove the existing drain plug gasket before installing a new gasket, it is likely that a proper seal between the drain plug and the oil pan will not be made. An improper seal between the drain plug and oil pan could lead to the backing out on the drain plug, resulting in the sudden loss of oil while driving. Additionally, the provided examples of oil pan cracks were localized to the immediate vicinity of the oil drain plug and/or appeared to be the result of direct-contact with a tool during servicing.  There is no information to support that a vehicle-based defect exists relating to the oil pan assembly, and instead the documented incidents are related to the failure to follow the proper maintenance procedures during oil change service. In October 2023, Hyundai published a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) that provided detailed instructions for oil change service on its gasoline powered vehicles, specifically highlighting the need to remove and replace the existing drain plug gasket prior to reinstalling the drain plug. After a thorough review of the material submitted by the petitioner, the information already in NHTSA's possession, and the potential risks to motor vehicle safety implicated by the petitioners' allegations, NHTSA does not believe that a formal investigation is warranted. Therefore, the petition is denied. A Federal Register Notice (FRN) further detailing NHTSA’s reasons for denial of the petition will be published. The reference numbers for the complaints to NHTSA cited by the petitioner can be found in the petition submission documents in the public file for DP22-003. To review those complaints and the additional complaints ODI added to its evaluation which are cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.

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