2016 Kia Sorento Structure & Body Problems
NHTSA lists 129 Structure & Body complaints for the 2016 Kia Sorento, 10% of all 1,250 complaints that year, with a median failure mileage of 48,000. Three related recalls cover a tow hitch harness fire risk and a driver seatback frame weld defect.
- Structure & Body complaints
- 129
- 10% of 1,250
- Crashes reported
- 3
- Fires reported
- 4
- Injuries reported
- 2
- Median mileage
- 48,000 mi
- Related recalls
- 3
Typical body and structure symptoms owners report
- Owners report fires starting in the engine compartment or floorboard area, sometimes with smoke entering through the air conditioning vents.
- Some describe the panoramic sunroof glass imploding or windshields cracking without any impact.
- Door handles and latches reportedly fail intermittently, with doors not opening from outside or not latching securely from inside.
- Several owners noted sharp plastic edges on door corners causing cuts, and chrome trim around vents creating glare that obscured the road.
- A rear liftgate/hatch reportedly opened unexpectedly while the vehicle was parked and running.
When 2016 Kia Sorento body and structure complaints were filed
First complaint Mar 30, 2015, latest Aug 20, 2026.
Structure & Body recalls for the 2016 Kia Sorento
- NHTSA 22V703000Sep 19, 2022Structure & Body70,887 vehiclesPark Outside
Trailer hitches
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.
Risk: 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.
- NHTSA 16V862000Nov 30, 2016Structure & Body10,212 vehicles
Trailer hitches
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Sorento vehicles manufactured October 27, 2014, to August 25, 2016, and 2017 Sportage vehicles manufactured December 10, 2015, to August 26, 2016. The affected vehicles are equipped with an accessory trailer hitch wiring harness that, due to a malfunction of the tow hitch module, may result in the trailer brake lights being constantly illuminated. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: If the trailer brake lights stay illuminated while being used, other drivers may be confused, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the trailer tow hitch harness, free of charge. The recall began January 18, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC142.
- NHTSA 16V770000Oct 24, 2016Structure & Body1,408 vehicles
Seats
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016 Kia Sorento vehicles manufactured March 3, 2016 to March 21, 2016. The driver's seatback frame may have been produced with inadequate weld joints and, as a result, the seatback may not function as designed in the event of a rear-end collision.
Risk: In the event of a crash, the driver seatback frame could break and fail to restrain a seat occupant, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the welds and replace the driver seatback frame, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on December 9, 2016. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC140.
Structure & Body complaints by Sorento model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- How many Structure & Body complaints does the 2016 Kia Sorento have?
- NHTSA lists 129 Structure & Body complaints for the 2016 Sorento, which is 10% of the 1,250 total complaints filed for that model year.
- Is there a recall related to Structure & Body issues on the 2016 Kia Sorento?
- Yes. NHTSA recall 22V703000 covers a tow hitch harness fire risk telling owners to park outside, recall 16V862000 covers replacement of the trailer tow hitch harness, and recall 16V770000 covers inspecting and replacing the driver seatback frame due to inadequate welds.
- At what mileage do Structure & Body problems typically appear on the 2016 Sorento?
- NHTSA data shows a median failure mileage of 48,000 for Structure & Body complaints on the 2016 Sorento.
- Do Structure & Body complaints involve fires or crashes?
- Among the 129 Structure & Body complaints, NHTSA records 4 fires, 3 crashes, and 2 injuries.
- How does the 2016 Sorento compare to other model years for Structure & Body complaints?
- The 2016 Sorento's 129 complaints and 10% share are lower than 2011 (314 complaints, 21% share) and 2014 (174 complaints, 18% share), but higher than 2017 (25 complaints, 3% share).