2016 Kia Sorento Electrical System Problems
NHTSA lists 159 electrical system complaints for the 2016 Kia Sorento, 13% of all complaints filed for that year. The median mileage at failure was 54,572, and reports include fires, headlight failures, and instrument panel warning-light problems. No related recalls are listed for this component.
- Electrical System complaints
- 159
- 13% of 1,250
- Crashes reported
- 3
- Fires reported
- 8
- Injuries reported
- 2
- Median mileage
- 54,572 mi
- Related recalls
- 0
Typical electrical symptoms owners report
- Owners report sudden vehicle fires starting near the rear of the car or from the battery box, sometimes after the ignition was turned off and the car was parked and unattended.
- Headlights reportedly fail or go dark while driving at highway speed, including cases where switching from high beam to low beam cut out the lights entirely.
- Multiple dashboard warning lights, including ABS, traction control, and airbag indicators, reportedly turn on and off at random along with unexplained bulb failures.
- Some owners describe the steering wheel seizing while driving at 60 mph at the same time interior and exterior lights failed to illuminate.
- Reports describe indicator lights appearing shortly after purchase followed by the transmission refusing to shift and the vehicle becoming immobile, requiring a tow.
When 2016 Kia Sorento electrical complaints were filed
First complaint Jul 17, 2015, latest Sep 8, 2026.
Electrical System recalls for the 2016 Kia Sorento
No safety recalls on record for this model year.
Electrical System complaints by Sorento model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- How common are electrical problems in the 2016 Kia Sorento?
- NHTSA lists 159 electrical system complaints for the 2016 Sorento, which is 13% of the 1,250 total complaints filed for that model year.
- Is there a recall for the 2016 Kia Sorento electrical system?
- No related recalls are listed in NHTSA data for the electrical system on the 2016 Sorento.
- At what mileage do electrical problems usually show up?
- The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for this component is 54,572 miles.
- Have electrical issues caused fires or crashes in the 2016 Sorento?
- NHTSA data tied to this component area shows 8 fires, 3 crashes, and 2 injuries reported for the 2016 Sorento.
- Is the 2016 Sorento worse than other years for electrical complaints?
- Its 13% share is lower than several other years, such as 2017 at 24% and 2014 at 22%, though 2016 still logged 159 individual complaints.