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2021 Kia Sorento Reliability & Recall Report

Based on 4 NHTSA recalls and 24 owner complaints. All data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — free, no signup required.

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This is one of the better years for the Kia Sorento

The 2021 model year shows below-average complaints compared to other years of this model — a good sign for reliability.

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79/100

Moderate Reported Activity — 2021 Kia Sorento

The 2021 Kia Sorento shows moderate recall and complaint activity in NHTSA data. Review the recall campaigns and common complaints below before buying.

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4
NHTSA Recalls
4 recalls on record
24
Owner Complaints
Filed with NHTSA
1
Crash Reports
In NHTSA complaints
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NHTSA Recalls — 2021 Kia Sorento (4)

All recalls listed below must be repaired by an authorized Kia dealer at no charge to the owner.

🔧 Fuel System, Gasoline: Delivery: Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings
A fuel leak increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: 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…
NHTSA #21V519000
🔧 Trailer Hitches
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…
NHTSA #22V703000
🔧 Power Train: Automatic Transmission
Loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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…
NHTSA #22V760000
🔧 Electrical System: Wiring: Fuses And Circuit Breakers
A fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: 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…
NHTSA #25V649000
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Most Common Problems — 2021 Kia Sorento

Based on 24 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Bars show relative complaint frequency.

Power Train
20
Vehicle Speed Control
1
Steering
1
Unknown Or Other
1
Engine
1
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Kia Sorento — Complaints by Year

A spike means more owner complaints were filed for that model year. The 2021 model year is highlighted.

2015 753 complaints 2016 1,255 complaints 2017 806 complaints 2018 255 complaints 2019 431 complaints 2020 138 complaints 2021 24 complaints 2022 193 complaints 2023 124 complaints 2024 43 complaints 2025 76 complaints

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⚠ Higher-complaint years: 2015, 2016, 2017 — These model years have more owner complaints in NHTSA data than the other years compared.

✅ Best model years: 2020, 2021, 2023 — Lowest complaint rates for this model.

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Frequently Asked Questions — 2021 Kia Sorento

Is the 2021 Kia Sorento reliable?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2021 Kia Sorento has 4 recall campaigns and 24 owner complaints. This model year shows relatively low recall and complaint activity in NHTSA data.
How many recalls does the 2021 Kia Sorento have?
The 2021 Kia Sorento has 4 NHTSA recalls. Affected systems include: see recall details above. All recalls are repaired free at authorized dealers.
What are the most common problems with the 2021 Kia Sorento?
The most commonly reported problems for the 2021 Kia Sorento are: Power Train, Vehicle Speed Control, Steering, Unknown Or Other. See the complaint breakdown above for full details.
Is the 2021 Kia Sorento safe to buy?
The 2021 Kia Sorento has some safety and reliability items to review before buying. Ensure all 4 recalls are completed at a dealer. A pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic is strongly recommended.
What year Kia Sorento should I buy?
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the best years for the Kia Sorento are: 2020, 2021, 2023. These show the lowest complaint rates. Years with higher complaint counts: 2015, 2016, 2017.
How we score this: The score starts at 100 and subtracts points for the number of NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints filed for this model year, and for complaints that report crashes or fires. Newer model years get a small bonus because they have had less time to collect reports. These are raw counts and are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, so popular models tend to have more recalls and complaints. Complaints are unverified owner reports. This grade is not a prediction about any individual vehicle and is not an inspection: check a specific car’s VIN for open recalls and get an independent pre-purchase inspection.
Data source: All recall and complaint data is sourced directly from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public API. Data is cached and refreshed every 7 days. Recall and complaint counts reflect data available at the time of last cache update. For the most current recall status on a specific vehicle, enter the VIN above or visit NHTSA.gov/recalls.