Model year record

2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid recalls & problems

The 2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid has 2 safety recalls and 21 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is engine (10 complaints).

Recalls2safety recalls

Complaints21filed by owners

Crashes · fires0 · 0reported in complaints

NHTSA overall4 ★crash-test stars

2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid in an NHTSA crash test — NHTSA crash test

1 recall for this model year carries an NHTSA park outside advisory. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Safety recalls

Trailer hitchesSep 19, 2022

Trailer hitches

Recall 22V70300070,887 vehicles

NHTSA advisory: park outside and away from buildings until repaired (fire risk).

Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.

Seat beltsJun 23, 2022

Pretensioner

Recall 22V44700017,199 vehicles

Problem: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Sorento Hybrid and 2022 Sorento Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. In the event of a crash, the front driver-side and/or passenger-side seat belt pretensioner(s) may explode upon deployment.
Risk: An exploding seat belt pretensioner can project metal fragments into the vehicle, striking vehicle occupants and resulting in injury.
Fix: Dealers will secure the seat belt pretensioners with a cap, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 17, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC241. This recall expands and replaces NHTSA recall number 22V-127. Vehicles already repaired under the previous recall will need to have the new remedy completed.

Components: Seat belts › Pretensioner; Seat belts › Front

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

Crash test ratings

2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid SUV FWD Later Release

Overall★★★★★

Frontal crash	★★★★★
Side crash	★★★★★
Rollover	★★★★★
Rollover risk	15.9%

Forward collision warning: Standard · Lane departure warning: Standard

2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid SUV FWD Early Release

Overall★★★★★

Frontal crash	★★★★★
Side crash	★★★★★
Rollover	★★★★★
Rollover risk	15.9%

Forward collision warning: Standard · Lane departure warning: Standard

2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid NHTSA side crash test — NHTSA side barrier crash test

2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid NHTSA side pole crash test — NHTSA side pole crash test

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.

Fuel economy

Sorento Hybrid Hybrid

37mpg combined

City / highway	39 / 35 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

1.6 L · 4 cyl · Automatic (AM-S6) · Front-Wheel Drive · about $1,800/year to fuel

EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.

What owners report

Problem area	Complaints	Typical mileage*
Engine	10	—
Electrical systemSoftware	10	—
Unknown or other	6	—
Fuel/propulsion system	2	—
Trailer hitches	1	—

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

Engine
Recall SA512 was previously completed on my vehicle. The problem is happening again. Since there are no open recalls, I am unable to get it fixed under the recall.
Jul 6, 2025
Electrical system
On [XXX] we were driving the Kia at slow speed due to snow on the road when a warning light came on which we think said hybrid vehicle failure pull over. The car stopped and the traffic lane with the engine off. The car would not start and we were exposed to traffic. Fortunately, we were on a country road at the time about a mile from our house and we were not struck by following vehicle when the car shut off and stopped in the traffic lane. If we had been on a beltway with 60 or 65 mph traffic obviously the result wouldâve been quite different. Because I felt the vehicle was not safe to drive. I had it towed to the Kia dealer in Salisbury Pocahontas Kia, who have not been able to…
Jan 11, 2025
Engine
There is a malfunction in the vehicles.computer system that gives a warning about low coolant level for the hybrid battery. It's been been seen by the KIA dealer and the issue keeps arriving.
Dec 22, 2023
Engine
For a few days ( especially if is a HOT day (over 80F) ) my 2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid with 15,421 miles on it displays a "Refill Inverter Coolant" message. I checked the coolant level and is OK. After my research, it seems that the factory put the wrong Blue inverter coolant instead Red (all other KIA hybrid cars have Red coolant) . I found out that there is a KIA Technical Service Bulletin SA515 that addresses this issue. Called a few dealers in GA and I have been told that they need the cars for 7-10 days for investigation. Why???? when there is a Service Bulletin.. On top of this, I have been told that I need to rent a car at my expense and fight with KIA Corp to be reimbursed. This is…
Jun 3, 2024
Unknown or other
My Kia Sorento will shift from drive to first or second gearâs several times. Iâve been told by the dealership that Iâm probably touching the shifter accidentally, I disagree. My opinion is that this is a safety concern because it slows the vehicle down. My vehicle also at times does not accelerate. These two issues are intermittent.
Nov 20, 2023
Unknown or other
UNKNOWN. The âReplace Inverter Coolantâ warning message repeatedly comes on for unknown reasons and may be quickly reset to the âReady to Driveâ status by turning the vehicle off, opening the driver side door, putting my foot on the break pedal, turning the vehicle back on and closing the door before the system readiness cycle is completed. While this is not perhaps an injury issue to anyone, it is a nuisance issue which KIA apparently refuses to issue a recall to fix. The reliability of the Inverter Coolant monitoring system is important to the driving public of KIA vehicles and a system that is unreliable should not be tolerated. This issue is also known to exist on numerous other…
Jun 1, 2021
Unknown or other
Intermittent message on dash "Refill inverter coolant" Been to dealer 6x and no fix. Reported to KIA corporate to work with dealer Have been without this car several days
May 1, 2023
Trailer hitches
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V703000 (Trailer Hitches); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Mar 13, 2023

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.

NHTSA defect investigations

Pedestrian alert soundsClosedLed to recall 22V063000
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…
DP22005 · opened Jan 27, 2023 · closed Aug 7, 2023