2021 Kia Sorento Reliability Report

Many of these reports are really transmission faults: low transmission fluid pressure warnings, electric oil pump codes, unexpected shifts into neutral, and power loss tied to Kia's SC250 campaign. Several owners say a software update did not stop the disengagement. Engines also shut off at red lights and need several restart attempts, and dealers often cannot duplicate the fault. Accelerator lag when pulling out from a slow roll is another pattern. Hybrids show a false inverter coolant message, and isolated reports cite a chronic oil pan leak and misfires.

Scraping, metal-on-metal noise from inside the column while turning is one pattern, matching a Kia service bulletin on the column-mounted power steering bearing, though some VINs fall outside its range. More serious reports describe electrical failures that lock the steering and cut drive power at once, one needing a new computer and steering column at 72,000 miles. The lane-keeping steering assist disengages without warning on two-lane roads and curves. One car drifts side to side despite a dealer visit.

Panoramic sunroof glass shatters with a loud bang while driving, including at 50 mph with no other traffic nearby, and Kia has denied warranty claims. Windshields also crack on their own, spreading from the top near the mirror mount even while parked. One report says the camera sensor does not fit the bracket on replacement windshields, including an OEM one. A single filing bundles unrelated early issues on a certified pre-owned car: an intermittent airbag light, A/C odor, and a weak charging pad.

Paint failure is the main issue. Pearl white paint peels off in large chunks, and the blacked-out window trim on the Nightfall package wears away, in one case at 13K miles. A dealer refused coverage for the trim, calling it an environmental and washing problem. Separately, one fuel door stays stuck locked, leaving the owner unable to refuel without prying it open.

Unexpected acceleration caused one crash: while parking, the car surged over a concrete stop into a building wall, and the engine kept racing in reverse until shut off. Other reports describe the "stop safely immediately" warning with no response to throttle or brakes, and brief hesitation when pulling away from stops or through turns that is hard to replicate. One owner reports false collision alerts slowing the car on an empty road and phantom cross-traffic warnings while parked.

Nearly all of these reports concern recall 22V703000 and the long wait for repair parts. Owners say the recall part was unavailable and the manufacturer had taken unreasonably long, with dealers confirming the shortage. Two owners report no failure. The third reports a fire that started near the fuel tank after the SUV sat parked for about 3 hours. The vehicle was totaled, and a spouse burned a hand trying to remove belongings.

A side-impact crash report says the curtain airbags deployed but the driver's seat airbag deployed without inflating, and the empty front passenger belt retracted. No one was injured, and the vehicle was totaled. A separate complaint involves a lit driver's airbag warning light traced to a defective clock spring. Only two complaints are filed here, so no broad pattern is visible.