Car · Kia problems

Kia problems by model year

What Kia owners report to NHTSA, year by year, with the service bulletins, recalls and repairs that fit. Pick a model year.

Each bar is the owner complaints on file with NHTSA for that model year. NHTSA has no sales count, so a bigger bar may only mean more cars were sold. Do not use it to rank models.

A model year gets a page when it has 200 or more complaints on file. 47 other Kia model years with recalls have fewer, so they are not listed.

• 

  Sorento

  2011 to 2021 · 8,140 complaints · 28 recalls · most reported: engine and engine cooling

  Only model years with 200 or more complaints are listed. 7 other years have fewer.

  • 2021255 complaints5 recalls
  • 2019435 complaints2 recalls
  • 2018255 complaints3 recalls
  • 2017808 complaints4 recalls
  • 20161,261 complaints8 recalls
  • 2015755 complaints3 recalls
  • 2014988 complaints6 recalls
  • 2013983 complaints5 recalls
  • 2012880 complaints5 recalls
  • 20111,520 complaints7 recalls
• 

  Optima

  2011 to 2019 · 5,964 complaints · 18 recalls · most reported: engine and engine cooling

  Only model years with 200 or more complaints are listed. 1 other year has fewer.

  • 2019212 complaints1 recall
  • 2018233 complaints3 recalls
  • 2017257 complaints4 recalls
  • 2016760 complaints5 recalls
  • 20151,010 complaints4 recalls
  • 2014591 complaints7 recalls
  • 20131,387 complaints10 recalls
  • 2012920 complaints6 recalls
  • 2011594 complaints6 recalls
• 

  Soul

  2012 to 2021 · 4,923 complaints · 10 recalls · most reported: engine and engine cooling

  Only model years with 200 or more complaints are listed. 5 other years have fewer.

  • 2021239 complaints2 recalls
  • 2020388 complaints1 recall
  • 2018220 complaints1 recall
  • 2017272 complaints1 recall
  • 2016817 complaints2 recalls
  • 2015902 complaints4 recalls
  • 2014903 complaints5 recalls
  • 2013667 complaints3 recalls
  • 2012515 complaints3 recalls
• 

  Forte

  2010 to 2017 · 1,524 complaints · 9 recalls · most reported: engine and engine cooling

  Only model years with 200 or more complaints are listed. 8 other years have fewer.

  • 2017305 complaints3 recalls
  • 2015262 complaints1 recall
  • 2014444 complaints3 recalls
  • 2012292 complaints4 recalls
  • 2010221 complaints3 recalls
• 

  Telluride

  2020 to 2024 · 1,913 complaints · 15 recalls · most reported: visibility and wipers

  Only model years with 200 or more complaints are listed. 1 other year has fewer.

  • 2024224 complaints5 recalls
  • 2023211 complaints6 recalls
  • 2022328 complaints7 recalls
  • 2021373 complaints5 recalls
  • 2020777 complaints7 recalls
• 

  Sportage

  2012 to 2017 · 1,177 complaints · 8 recalls · most reported: engine and engine cooling

  Only model years with 200 or more complaints are listed. 14 other years have fewer.

  • 2017404 complaints4 recalls
  • 2013381 complaints3 recalls
  • 2012392 complaints5 recalls

More for Kia: recalls by model, check-engine codes, car repair costs. All makes.

Source: NHTSA complaint files, checked October 29, 2026. Counts are owner reports as filed.