Kia Sorento 2021–2025
4th generation (MQ4)
NHTSA data through 13 August 20261,008 complaints, 106 with mileageMethod
A DO NOT DRIVE recall covers part of this generation — check the VIN before driving it home.
- Reports with mileage
- 106
- Median of reported failures
- 27,000 mi
- Most-reported system
- Transmission and driveline (22.7%)
- Recalls
- 12
Before-you-buy checklist ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗
On this generation, 38% of complaints that record mileage fall within the first 12,000 miles, against 1 reports per 1,000 miles between 20,000 and 80,000.
Figure 1 · Kia Sorento 2021–2025 · 106 reports with mileage
Mileage at failure
Complaints per 20,000-mile bin, 0 to 200,000 miles, equal bins on a linear scale. Tallest bar = 43 complaints.
- First 12,000 miles — 38% of all failures
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 1 complaints (0.9%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 500
- 25%
- 4,850
- Median
- 27,330
- 75%
- 56,941
- 90%
- 78,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–20,000 | 43 | 40.6% |
| 20,000–40,000 | 26 | 24.5% |
| 40,000–60,000 | 11 | 10.4% |
| 60,000–80,000 | 16 | 15.1% |
| 80,000–100,000 | 6 | 5.7% |
| 100,000–120,000 | 2 | 1.9% |
| 120,000–140,000 | 1 | 0.9% |
| 200,000+ | 1 | 0.9% |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain. Complaint counts reflect what owners reported and are not a measure of failure rate per vehicle sold.
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 1,008 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021–2025 Kia Sorento, and 106 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
38% of complaints that record mileage fall within the first 12,000 miles, against 1 reports per 1,000 miles between 20,000 and 80,000. Failures clustered that early usually indicate a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear.
The most-reported areas are the transmission and driveline (22.7% of complaints, typically around 36,000 miles), the engine (16.2% of complaints, typically around 28,000 miles), the electrical system (13.7% of complaints, typically around 26,000 miles).
12 recall campaigns cover this generation. 1 of them carry a severe NHTSA advisory.
If you arrived asking “is it reliable?” — this page answers the version of that question the data can support: which problems owners reported, and at what mileage.
How many miles does a 2021–2025 Kia Sorento last?
Half of the failure reports on the 2021–2025 Kia Sorento were filed by 27,000 miles and 90% by 78,000 miles — figures drawn from 106 NHTSA complaints that record an odometer reading, so they time reported failures, not the cars whose owners never filed one.
1 report (0.9%) came in past 200,000 miles — each one proof a Sorento reached that mileage, not that it died there.
Before you buy a 2021–2025 Sorento: the 3-minute check
Generated from 106 mileage-tagged complaints, 12 recall campaigns, 2 documented problem areas. Print this page — the checklist survives print.
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 12 campaigns cover this generation; an open recall is a free repair you can make the seller's problem.
- Check electrical / fire on 2021–2023 cars. Tow hitch wiring harness can allow moisture ingress and short, causing a fire with the vehicle parked and off; subject to recall with an interim park-outside advisory, shared with the Telluride.
- Check transmission. 8-speed wet dual-clutch behind the 2.5T: low-speed shudder and hesitation from a stop.
- Complaint reports are not spread evenly across model years here — see the by-model-year table below before you settle on a year.
- End with a pre-purchase inspection of this car. Aggregate data describes the population; the example in front of you has its own history.
For a buyer, an early-failure pattern is comparatively good news on a used example: 38% of the reported failures occur in the first 12,000 miles, which on a car of this age means they have already happened or they were never going to. Service history matters more than mileage here.
On inspection, the transmission and driveline and the engine are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The engine in particular shows a median failure mileage of 28,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
What fails, and when
Figure 2 · Kia Sorento 2021–2025
When each system fails
Bar spans the middle half of reports; the notch inside each bar is the median. Miles at failure on a proportional scale — equal distances are equal ratios, not equal miles.
- Electrical system138 reports26,0006,000–43,000Electrical system: 138 reports, median 26,000 miles, middle half 6,000 to 43,000 miles.
- Engine163 reports28,0002,000–65,000Engine: 163 reports, median 28,000 miles, middle half 2,000 to 65,000 miles.
- Transmission and driveline229 reports36,00014,000–67,000Transmission and driveline: 229 reports, median 36,000 miles, middle half 14,000 to 67,000 miles.
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it in “Where your car sits”
Ordered by median mileage, earliest first. The first 12,000 miles are shaded: that is the boundary this site uses between a manufacturing defect and ordinary wear, not a property of the world.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and driveline | 229 | 22.7% | 36,000 | 14,000–67,000 |
| Engine | 163 | 16.2% | 28,000 | 2,000–65,000 |
| Electrical system | 138 | 13.7% | 26,000 | 6,000–43,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 133 | 13.2% | — | — |
| Forward collision avoidance | 49 | 4.9% | — | — |
| Fuel and propulsion system | 47 | 4.7% | — | — |
| Throttle and speed control | 45 | 4.5% | — | — |
| Brakes | 38 | 3.8% | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 26 | 2.6% | — | — |
| Steering | 25 | 2.5% | — | — |
Where your car sits
Failure reports by the odometer reading they were filed at. Pick the anchor nearest your car — or type the exact mileage: your marker lands on this curve and on the timing chart above.
Figure 3 · Kia Sorento 2021–2025 · 106 reports with mileage
Share of reports below each mileage
Share of mileage-tagged reports filed at or below each odometer reading. Steps rise only at bin edges, by exact counted shares.
- 60,000 mi — 75% of reports below
- 120,000 mi — 98% of reports below
- Median — the staircase crosses the 50% line here
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it below
The staircase tops out at 99%: the remaining 0.9% of reports (1) came above 200,000 miles.
Nothing is smoothed or interpolated. Linear axis, same as Figure 1.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
At 60,000 miles
75% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
Reported earlier than this mileage — ask for repair records
- Electrical system — median 26,000 mi
In the reporting window
- Transmission and driveline — middle half 14,000–67,000 mi
- Engine — middle half 2,000–65,000 mi
At 90,000 miles
95% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
Reported earlier than this mileage — ask for repair records
- Transmission and driveline — median 36,000 mi
- Engine — median 28,000 mi
- Electrical system — median 26,000 mi
At 120,000 miles
98% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
Reported earlier than this mileage — ask for repair records
- Transmission and driveline — median 36,000 mi
- Engine — median 28,000 mi
- Electrical system — median 26,000 mi
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 27,330 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 22.7% of complaints (229 reports, 30 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 36,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 14,000 and 67,000 miles.
The engine accounts for 16.2% of complaints (163 reports, 22 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 28,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 2,000 and 65,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 13.7% of complaints (138 reports, 17 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 26,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 6,000 and 43,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2021 model year drew the most — 353 complaints — while 2024 drew the fewest at 53. The median year sits at 200.
The first year of the generation, 2021, sits above the median. That is a common pattern — early production of a redesigned vehicle tends to surface problems that later years do not repeat — and it is worth weighing when choosing between years.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 12 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
1 of these carry a severe advisory — NHTSA's do not drive or park outside warnings, which the agency applies only when it considers the risk immediate. If you own one of these vehicles, that is the first thing to check by VIN.
The campaigns cluster around the electrical system (3), the engine and its cooling system (2), visibility equipment (1). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
What owners reported alongside the failure itself, out of 1,008 complaints against this generation:
- Crashes
- 41 (4.1%)
- Fires
- 10
- Injury reports
- 27
- Fatality reports
- 0
These flags are self-reported by complainants and unverified by NHTSA; one report can carry several flags, so the counts overlap and do not sum to a total. They are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. No chart is drawn here on purpose: overlapping counts spanning very different magnitudes cannot be honestly encoded as lengths.
Documented problems
Electrical / Fire 2021–2023
Tow hitch wiring harness can allow moisture ingress and short, causing a fire with the vehicle parked and off; subject to recall with an interim park-outside advisory, shared with the Telluride.
Transmission
8-speed wet dual-clutch behind the 2.5T: low-speed shudder and hesitation from a stop.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 353 | 45 |
| 2022 | 287 | 28 |
| 2023 | 200 | 17 |
| 2024 | 53 | 3 |
| 2025 | 115 | 13 |
Recalls (12) — is your car included?
Mar 2026 · 2025 · Electrical SystemAn instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer, tire…
The defect. Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 Kia K4, 2025-2026 Sorento, Sorento Hybrid, Sorento Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV), 2026 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage PHEV, K5, EV9, Carnival, and Carnival Hybrid vehicles. Due to a software error, the instrument panel display may fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 101, "Controls and Displays" and 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring System."
What can happen. An instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer, tire pressure, or warning lights, increases the risk of a crash.
The free fix. The instrument panel display software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed March 26, 2026. Owners may contact Kia Customer Service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC361. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on February 9, 2026.
Jan 2026 · 2021–2023 · VisibilityA fire increases the risk of injury.
The defect. 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.
What can happen. A fire increases the risk of injury.
The free fix. 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.
Sep 2025 · 2025 · Engine and Engine CoolingA loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
The defect. Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 K4 and Sorento vehicles. The connecting rod bolts in the engine may have been improperly tightened, which can cause a loss of drive power.
What can happen. A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will replace the sub engine assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 12, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC349.
Feb 2025 · 2024–2025 · Electrical SystemA loss of headlights and taillights can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
The defect. Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Sorento, 2025 Sorento Hybrid, and 2025 Sorento Plug-In Hybrid vehicles. A software error in the Body Domain Control Unit (BDC) may cause a loss of low beam headlights and taillights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
What can happen. A loss of headlights and taillights can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will update the BDC software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 21, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC331.
May 2024 · 2024 · Electrical SystemA loss of power steering assist increases the risk of a crash.
The defect. Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2024 Sorento vehicles. The motor driven power steering (MDPS) wiring harness may be incorrectly assembled, which can result in a loss of power steering assist.
What can happen. A loss of power steering assist increases the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will inspect and repair, or replace the MDPS wiring harness as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 7, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC309.
Oct 2023 · 2022–2023 · Back Over PreventionA rearview camera that does not properly display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the…
The defect. Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Sorento, Sorento Hybrid, and Sorento Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) vehicles. The mounting clips for the rearview camera may break, which can cause the rearview camera image not to appear properly on the display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
What can happen. A rearview camera that does not properly display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera housing, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC280.
Oct 2023 · 2023 · EquipmentA detached air bag warning label will not warn occupants about the risks of air bag deployment, increasing…
The defect. Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Sorento vehicles. The air bag warning labels on the driver and front passenger sun visors may detach. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
What can happen. A detached air bag warning label will not warn occupants about the risks of air bag deployment, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will inspect and replace the driver and front passenger sun visors, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 10, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC277.
Jul 2023 · 2021–2022 · Trailer Hitches park outsideA fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
The defect. 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.
What can happen. A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
The free 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. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC249.
Dec 2022 · 2021–2022 · Power TrainLoss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
The defect. 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.
What can happen. Loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
The free fix. 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.
Jul 2022 · 2022 · TiresImpaired anti-lock braking or traction control systems can increase the risk of a crash.
The defect. Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2022 Sorento and Telluride vehicles. The vehicles may be equipped with an incorrect spare tire which, when installed, can impair the anti-lock braking system (ABS) and the traction control system (TCS). As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
What can happen. Impaired anti-lock braking or traction control systems can increase the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will inspect and replace the spare tire, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 27, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC244.
Apr 2022 · 2022 · Engine and Engine CoolingAn oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the…
The defect. Kia Motor America (Kia) is recalling certain 2022 Sorento vehicles. The oil supply pipe to the turbocharger may crack, which could result in an oil leak in the engine compartment.
What can happen. An oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
The free fix. Dealers will replace the turbocharger oil supply pipe, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 22, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC233.
Jul 2021 · 2021 · Fuel System, GasolineA fuel leak increases the risk of a fire.
The defect. 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.
What can happen. A fuel leak increases the risk of a fire.
The free fix. 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.
What owners reported
I've had vehicle for approximately two months and two days. Intermittent issue where vehicle fails to accelerate when making a turn after stopping (no vehicle in front) or accelerating forward after a stop (stop light with vehicle in front). Issue occurred first on 20 feb 21 and again on 23 mar 23. Vehicle was…
2021 · 375 miles · Throttle and speed control
the contact owns a 2021 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that upon parking his vehicle in a parking lot, the forward collision avoidance warning activated without another vehicle being in the vicinity. Upon inspection, the contact discovered that the forward collision avoidance sensor had detached from the front…
2021 · 500 miles · Forward collision avoidance
Only had car 8 days with 500 miles. Went to pull away from stop sign and car cut off. When attempted to restart, car advised to place in park first. Once placed in park and pressed start button - all systems went dead. Sparks came from grounding cable under hood. When grounding cable was adjusted, car started turning…
2021 · 500 miles · Electrical system
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving approximately 10 MPH over a speed bump, the vehicle shut off. The contact was unable to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a bad connection at the fuel pump…
2021 · 6,000 miles · Electrical system
Built from 106 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-18 · open data · reproduce this page