Car · Kia problems

2021 Kia Sorento problems

255 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2021 Kia Sorento. The most reported area is power train (transmission and drive) (56% of them). NHTSA also lists 51 service bulletins and 5 recall campaigns.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 2. Deaths: 0.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 255 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Power train (transmission and drive)144 · 56%
• Engine and engine cooling69 · 27%
• Electrical system47 · 18%
• Other or unknown40 · 16%
• Fuel system24 · 9%
• Speed control and throttle13 · 5%
• Visibility and wipers11 · 4%
• Forward collision avoidance10 · 4%

8 smaller areas not shown (26 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 51 repair bulletins from Kia for the 2021 Kia Sorento. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. TSB_CLI049_R2Received September 2, 2026

   Visibility and wipers

   New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area.

2. TSB_ELE422Received June 3, 2026

   Electrical system

   Infotainment system software update using UPDATE.KIA.COM - This bulletin provides information and service procedures for updating the infotainment systems on applicable Kia vehicles using the Kia...

3. TSB_ELE417Received May 1, 2026

   Electrical system

   Infotainment software update procedure - This bulletin provides information on the process for downloading infotainment software updates and preparing USB for installation on applicable Kia vehicles.

4. WTY042Received April 1, 2026

   Warranty extension campaign: technical service bulletin: horn assembly inspection and replacement (WTY042) - This bulletin provides information associated with the 'Warranty Extension Program'...

5. WTY042_QAReceived April 1, 2026

   Electrical system

   Warranty extension campaign: question and answer (WTY042) - This document is the Question and Answer Guide containing the most frequently asked questions regarding the Warranty Extension Campaign...

6. TSB_ENG257Received December 10, 2025

   Engine and engine cooling

   Itm replacement and ECM & TCM LOGIC IMPROVEMENT (CA2508) - This bulletin provides information to replace the Integrated Thermal Management Module (ITM) and then upgrade the Engine Control Module...

7. TSB_FUE066_CLSDReceived July 1, 2025

   Fuel system

   GDI fuel injector replacement for misfire DTC(s) - closed and superseded by fue068/ca2505 - this bulletin is now closed.

8. TSB_ELE378Received March 26, 2025

   Electrical system

   Service action: kia connect modem reset (SA611) - This bulletin outlines the procedure for resetting the modem in certain 2016-2025MY Kia vehicles listed on page 3 that are equipped with Kia...

Recalls

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2021 Kia Sorento. Recall repairs are free at a Kia dealer. The 3 to look at first:

1. 22V760000October 11, 2022

   Power train

   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.

2. 25V649000September 26, 2025

   Electrical system

   The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) blower motor wiring harness may be inadequate, which can result in a fire.

3. 22V703000September 19, 2022Do not drive notice

   Trailer hitches

   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.

See all 5 recalls for the 2021 Kia Sorento, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your Sorento will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Power train (transmission and drive) 144 complaints · 56%

• Transmission fluid service$140 to $480
• Transmission solenoid replacement$290 to $1,200
• Torque converter replacement$880 to $2,475
• Clutch replacement (manual transmission)$1,000 to $2,050

Engine and engine cooling 69 complaints · 27%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Electrical system 47 complaints · 18%

• Battery replacement$150 to $470
• Alternator replacement$360 to $930
• Starter replacement$280 to $740
• Battery cable replacement$100 to $340

Fuel system 24 complaints · 9%

• Fuel pump replacement$370 to $1,075
• Fuel injector replacement (one injector)$170 to $820
• EVAP purge valve replacement$80 to $240
• Gas cap replacement$5 to $95

Check a quote you got

Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

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Look up this VIN

Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

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2021 Kia Sorento: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2021 Kia Sorento?

Of the 255 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2021 Kia Sorento, 144 (56%) name power train (transmission and drive), and 69 (27%) name engine and engine cooling. A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2021 Kia Sorento reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 5 of the 255 complaints as involving a crash and 1 as involving a fire. They also reported 2 injuries and 0 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2021 Kia Sorento have?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2021 Kia Sorento. Recall repairs are free at a Kia dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 51 repair bulletins for the 2021 Kia Sorento.

More

• 2019 Sorento problems
• 2018 Sorento problems
• 2017 Sorento problems
• 2016 Sorento problems
• 2015 Sorento problems
• 2014 Sorento problems
• 2013 Sorento problems
• 2012 Sorento problems
• 2011 Sorento problems
• 2021 recalls
• All Kia recalls
• Kia problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.