Vehicle report

2021 Kia Sorento

Name: 2021 Kia Sorento Recall & Complaint Data
Creator: Official public data sources
License: https://www.usa.gov/government-works

Recalls, consumer complaints, safety ratings, fuel cost estimate, and next steps from official public data sources.

View complaints Check another year

4 Total recalls

Sep 25, 2025 Latest recall date

0 Complaint reports

$2,087 Estimated fuel cost

Quick answer: The 2021 Kia Sorento has 4 official recalls and 0 consumer complaints in our database. The latest recall date is Sep 25, 2025. Estimated annual fuel cost is $2,087 based on the current calculator assumptions.

Buyer interpretation

What this record means before you buy

The useful question is not just whether this page has records. It is what those records should make you verify before money changes hands.

Recall homework

There are 4 official recalls listed for this model year. Before buying, use the VIN to confirm which campaigns are still open and ask for dealer repair records on completed work.

Complaint pattern

No matched consumer complaints are listed in our current summary. That can be a good sign, but sparse complaint data can also reflect reporting volume, age, or source matching limits.

Service bulletin signal

120 manufacturer communications are listed. These are not recalls, but they can reveal repair instructions, warranty extensions, software notices, or known service patterns.

Ownership-cost check

The fuel-cost estimate is based on a representative EPA match, not every trim. Confirm the actual engine, drivetrain, and tire setup before comparing this listing with another year or model.

Questions to ask the seller

Can you show the current VIN recall status for this 2021 Kia Sorento?
Do you have dealer invoices or campaign paperwork for the listed recall repairs?
Are there recurring warning lights, leaks, noises, or electrical problems?
Can I review recent maintenance records before the test drive?

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2021 Kia Sorento Regular Gasoline

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Safety ratings

Official safety ratings were found for 6 tested variants of the 2021 Kia Sorento.

Overall 4/5 stars

Frontal crash 4/5 stars

Side crash 5/5 stars

Rollover 4/5 stars

Displayed variant: 2021 Kia Sorento SUV FWD Later Release ; rollover risk 15.9%

Safety ratings can vary by tested body style, trim, drivetrain, or variant. Do not assume every trim has the same rating unless the official record says so.

Variant	Overall	Front	Side	Rollover
2021 Kia Sorento SUV FWD Later Release Default	4/5 stars	4/5 stars	5/5 stars	4/5 stars
2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid SUV FWD Early Release	4/5 stars	4/5 stars	5/5 stars	4/5 stars
2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid SUV FWD Later Release	4/5 stars	4/5 stars	5/5 stars	4/5 stars
2021 Kia Sorento SUV AWD Early Release	4/5 stars	4/5 stars	5/5 stars	4/5 stars
2021 Kia Sorento SUV AWD Later Release	4/5 stars	4/5 stars	5/5 stars	4/5 stars
2021 Kia Sorento SUV FWD Early Release	4/5 stars	4/5 stars	5/5 stars	4/5 stars

How many recalls does the 2021 Kia Sorento have?

Verify with official VIN lookup

4 official recalls on record for the 2021 Kia Sorento. 28 matched quarterly completion reports are available.

Latest recall: September 25, 2025

Recall data is based on official records. This page is not an official VIN recall check. Always confirm open recalls with an official VIN lookup, the manufacturer, or an authorized dealer. Completion reports are campaign-level, delayed, and not VIN-specific.

Campaign	Component	Summary	Consequence	Remedy	Date	Completion
25V649000	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS	Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Sorento vehicles. The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) blower motor wiring harness may be inadequate, which can result in a fire.	A fire increases the risk of injury.	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 number for this recall is SC351. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning October 9, 2025.	Sep 2025	2026-1 8,037 remedied / 39,536 involved (20.3%)
22V760000	POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION	Kia Motors, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Sorento and 2021-2023 K5 vehicles. 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.	Loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.	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 mailed December 9, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC250.	Oct 2022	2024-3 61,660 remedied / 69,038 involved (89.3%)
22V703000	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.	A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.	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.	Sep 2022	2026-1 20,450 remedied / 70,887 involved (28.9%)
21V519000	FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS	Kia Motor America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021 Sorento and 2021-2022 K5 vehicles equipped with 2.5L turbocharged engines. Fuel may leak at the pipe connection between the high-pressure fuel pump and fuel rail.	A fuel leak increases the risk of a fire.	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 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC214.	Jul 2021	2023-2 20,247 remedied / 21,575 involved (93.8%)

Are there federal defect investigations for the 2021 Kia Sorento?

Official records show 2 federal defect investigations matched to the 2021 Kia Sorento.

0 open 2 closed

Investigations are not recalls. They show official defect reviews and may close without a recall, or may reference a related campaign when one exists.

Action	Status	Component	Subject	Opened	Related recall
DP22005	Closed	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM	Pedestrian alert sounds NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.	Jan 2023 Closed Aug 2023	22V063000
DP22003	Closed	ENGINE	Loss of Motive Power The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021. The Petitioners cited examples of complaints indicating that the subject vehicles were experiencing rapid loss of engine oil due to oil drain plug back outs, resulting in loss of motive power and/or catastrophic engine damage. Additional complaints were provided which alleged that the oil drain pans lack sufficient structural integrity and are susceptible to cracking. The petition itself can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI number 11481745. On September 12, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Defect Petition (DP22-003) to evaluate the Petitioners’ request. The Petitioners have provided additional complaints within four supplemental letters dated January 31, 2023, March 21, 2023, May 23, 2023, and August 4, 2023. ODI’s evaluation included the review and analysis of the complaints and supporting information submitted by the Petitioners, as well as additional complaints submitted directly to NHTSA which referenced either the oil drain plug or a crack in the oil pan. After reviewing the available data, ODI has not identified evidence that would support opening a defect investigation into the oil drain pan assemblies of the subject vehicles. Based on a review of the available information, a loss of motive power resulting from an oil drain plug back out has not occurred between the initial sale of a vehicle and the completion of its first oil change. If during an oil change service, a technician fails to remove the existing drain plug gasket before installing a new gasket, it is likely that a proper seal between the drain plug and the oil pan will not be made. An improper seal between the drain plug and oil pan could lead to the backing out on the drain plug, resulting in the sudden loss of oil while driving. Additionally, the provided examples of oil pan cracks were localized to the immediate vicinity of the oil drain plug and/or appeared to be the result of direct-contact with a tool during servicing. There is no information to support that a vehicle-based defect exists relating to the oil pan assembly, and instead the documented incidents are related to the failure to follow the proper maintenance procedures during oil change service. In October 2023, Hyundai published a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) that provided detailed instructions for oil change service on its gasoline powered vehicles, specifically highlighting the need to remove and replace the existing drain plug gasket prior to reinstalling the drain plug. After a thorough review of the material submitted by the petitioner, the information already in NHTSA's possession, and the potential risks to motor vehicle safety implicated by the petitioners' allegations, NHTSA does not believe that a formal investigation is warranted. Therefore, the petition is denied. A Federal Register Notice (FRN) further detailing NHTSA’s reasons for denial of the petition will be published. The reference numbers for the complaints to NHTSA cited by the petitioner can be found in the petition submission documents in the public file for DP22-003. To review those complaints and the additional complaints ODI added to its evaluation which are cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.	Sep 2022 Closed Dec 2023	None

Are there manufacturer notices for the 2021 Kia Sorento?

Official records show 120 manufacturer communications on record for the 2021 Kia Sorento.

5 warranty 0 service campaigns 0 software/OTA

Common components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (63), ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING (24), POWER TRAIN (18), ENGINE (6), EQUIPMENT (6)

Manufacturer communications are not recalls. They can include service bulletins, repair instructions, warranty extensions, software updates, service campaigns, and other notices.

Date	Type	Component	Summary	ID / document
Jun 2026	Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions	STRUCTURE:BODY	TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: THEFT DETERRENT IGNITION CYLINDER PROTECTOR AND DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2312) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information to install a Theft Deterrent Ignition Cylinder Protector on certain 2010-2022MY Kia vehicles outlined on page 20, which may not have been equipped with an immobilizer and whose Integrated Body Control Unit (IBU) / Body Control Module (BCM) did receive the Anti-Theft Software Logic upgrade under CS2301/02/03/04/05/06/07/08/09 TSBs. In an effort to help prevent thefts of Kia vehicles, a protective cover will be permanently affixed to the ignition cylinder. This Theft Deterrent Ignition Cylinder Protector prevents the removal of the key lock cylinder thereby preventing access to the ignition tumbler.	11034003 CS2312_TSB_R2
May 2026	Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: 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 Navigation Updater available at update.kia.com. The software update may improve system performance, enhance existing features, and apply the latest operating software for supported vehicles (2021-2026MY All Models).	11033217 TSB_ELE422
May 2026	Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions	SERVICE BRAKES	TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: FRONT BRAKE DISC REPLACEMENT & BURNISHING - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides the procedure to replace the front brake discs on certain 2021-2024MY Sorento (MQ4a) vehicles produced from July 26, 2021 through March 28, 2024 and 2023-2024MY Sportage (NQ5a) vehicles produced from January 7, 2022 through May 20, 2024 to address a customer’s complaint of brake judder. The affected vehicles may exhibit a vibrating and/or pulsing sensation (front brake disc judder) in the steering wheel, brake pedal, and/or seat when the brakes are applied during driving.	11032900 TSB_CHA126_R2
Apr 2026	Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: 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. The software downloads and USB preparation process is similar across all supported platforms; however, in‑vehicle installation procedures vary by head unit type.	11031906 TSB_ELE417
Mar 2026	Warranty Program/Extension	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	WARRANTY EXTENSION CAMPAIGN: OWNER NOTIFICATION (WTY042) - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia is extending the New Vehicle Limited Warranty coverage, to all owners, for repairs related to the horn assembly in certain 2021-2025 MY Sorento, 2021-2025 MY Sorento Hybrid (HEV), and 2022-2025 MY Sorento Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) vehicles from 5 years / 60,000 miles to 10 years / 120,000 miles, whichever comes first, starting from the date the vehicle was first put into service. This warranty extension is to address a horn sound malfunction condition free of charge at no cost to the customer.	11030386 WTY042_OWNR
Mar 2026	Warranty Program/Extension	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	WARRANTY EXTENSION CAMPAIGN: DEALER PRINCIPAL MEMO (WTY042) - This document is the announcement to the dealer principals advising that Kia is is extending the New Vehicle Limited Warranty coverage, to all owners, for repairs related to the horn assembly for eligible vehicles, from 5 years / 60,000 miles to 10 years / 120,000 miles, whichever comes first, from the date the vehicle was first put into service. This warranty extension is to address a horn sound malfunction condition on 2021-2025 MY Sorento vehicles manufactured from September 10, 2020, through June 3, 2025, 2021-2025 MY Sorento Hybrid (HEV) vehicles manufactured from September 2, 2020, through January 24, 2025, and 2022-2025 MY Sorento Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV) vehicles manufactured from June 29, 2021, through January 20, 2025.	11030383 WTY042_DP
Mar 2026	Warranty Program/Extension	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 WTY042.	11030387 WTY042_QA
Mar 2026	Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	WARRANTY EXTENSION CAMPAIGN: TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: HORN ASSEMBLY INSPECTION AND REPLACEMENT (WTY042) - This bulletin provides information associated with the ‘Warranty Extension Program’ (WTY042) to inspect and, if necessary, replace the horn assembly on certain vehicles listed in the table below. The affected vehicles may experience an unusual or different horn sound than normal, or an inoperative horn, caused by corrosion inside the electric horn and/or carbonization of the contact point. The warranty coverage for repairs related to the horn assembly has been extended from 5 years / 60,000 miles to 10 years / 120,000 miles, whichever comes first, starting from the date the vehicle was first put into service.	11030389 WTY042_TSB
Mar 2026	Warranty Program/Extension	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	WARRANTY EXTENSION CAMPAIGN: DEALER PARTS & SERVICE MANAGER MEMO (WTY042) - This document is the announcement to the dealer Parts and Service managers advising that Kia is is extending the New Vehicle Limited Warranty coverage, to all owners, for repairs related to the horn assembly for eligible vehicles, from 5 years / 60,000 miles to 10 years / 120,000 miles, whichever comes first, from the date the vehicle was first put into service. This warranty extension is to address a horn sound malfunction condition on 2021-2025 MY Sorento vehicles manufactured from September 10, 2020, through June 3, 2025, 2021-2025 MY Sorento Hybrid (HEV) vehicles manufactured from September 2, 2020, through January 24, 2025, and 2022-2025 MY Sorento Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV) vehicles manufactured from June 29, 2021, through January 20, 2025.	11030385 WTY042_DPSM
Mar 2026	Warranty Program/Extension	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	WARRANTY EXTENSION CAMPAIGN: REIMBURSEMENT FORM (WTY042) - This document is a Reimbursement Request form that was mailed with the customer letter advising them to submit the form if they had paid for repairs for this same matter prior to the warranty extension campaign program launch.	11030388 WTY042_REIMB

How much does the 2021 Kia Sorento cost in fuel?

Estimated annual cost $2,087 $174/month at 12,000 miles/year

Effective efficiency 23.9 MPG

Energy used 503 gal/yr

Price assumption $4.15 $/gal

Annual miles Typical U.S. driver default. Fuel price ($/gal) Edit for your local price. Driving mix 55% city / 45% highway

Assumptions: 23 city / 25 highway / 24 combined MPG · Regular Gasoline · efficiency ratings from official public data when available · fuel price default: official public data (U.S. average, Jul 18, 2026)

366 g/mi CO2Fuel score 5/10Smog 5/10

Model-year comparison

2026 2025 2024 2023 2022