Kia drivetrain & axles problems
Across all Kia models in NHTSA's complaint database, 3,595 complaints involve drivetrain & axles. The Sorento accounts for the largest share (31%). The single worst model year is the 2011 Sorento with 227 drivetrain & axles complaints.
At a glance
- Complaints
- 3,595 about drivetrain & axles, all Kia models
- Most affected
- Sorento 31% of these complaints
- Typical mileage
- 56,000 miles 1,705 complaints with mileage
- Crashes and fires
- 118 and 62
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Which Kia models
Worst model years for drivetrain & axles
- 2011 Kia Sorento227 complaints
- 2021 Kia Sorento141 complaints
- 2016 Kia Sorento123 complaints
- 2020 Kia Soul88 complaints
- 2016 Kia Optima74 complaints
Drivetrain & axles complaints by model year
View the numbers
| Model year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1994 | 4 |
| 1995 | 11 |
| 1996 | 10 |
| 1997 | 29 |
| 1998 | 39 |
| 1999 | 38 |
| 2000 | 39 |
| 2001 | 29 |
| 2002 | 28 |
| 2003 | 37 |
| 2004 | 55 |
| 2005 | 46 |
| 2006 | 73 |
| 2007 | 39 |
| 2008 | 55 |
| 2009 | 57 |
| 2010 | 60 |
| 2011 | 312 |
| 2012 | 178 |
| 2013 | 186 |
| 2014 | 190 |
| 2015 | 182 |
| 2016 | 305 |
| 2017 | 165 |
| 2018 | 124 |
| 2019 | 177 |
| 2020 | 245 |
| 2021 | 297 |
| 2022 | 217 |
| 2023 | 158 |
| 2024 | 73 |
| 2025 | 110 |
| 2026 | 17 |
| 2027 | 10 |
Among the 1,705 of these complaints that report mileage, the median is about 56,000 miles.
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many vehicles each brand sells, so large brands naturally have more complaints.