Kia engine problems
Across all Kia models in NHTSA's complaint database, 17,348 complaints involve engine. The Sorento accounts for the largest share (24%). The single worst model year is the 2016 Sorento with 728 engine complaints.
At a glance
- Complaints
- 17,348 about engine, all Kia models
- Most affected
- Sorento 24% of these complaints
- Typical mileage
- 90,000 miles 8,597 complaints with mileage
- Crashes and fires
- 230 and 1254
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Which Kia models
Worst model years for engine
- 2016 Kia Sorento728 complaints
- 2015 Kia Soul690 complaints
- 2016 Kia Soul668 complaints
- 2013 Kia Optima654 complaints
- 2015 Kia Optima653 complaints
Engine complaints by model year
View the numbers
| Model year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1994 | 3 |
| 1995 | 24 |
| 1996 | 29 |
| 1997 | 104 |
| 1998 | 205 |
| 1999 | 192 |
| 2000 | 94 |
| 2001 | 160 |
| 2002 | 141 |
| 2003 | 189 |
| 2004 | 174 |
| 2005 | 170 |
| 2006 | 170 |
| 2007 | 104 |
| 2008 | 134 |
| 2009 | 69 |
| 2010 | 120 |
| 2011 | 789 |
| 2012 | 1,761 |
| 2013 | 2,008 |
| 2014 | 1,696 |
| 2015 | 2,062 |
| 2016 | 2,181 |
| 2017 | 1,328 |
| 2018 | 669 |
| 2019 | 496 |
| 2020 | 734 |
| 2021 | 706 |
| 2022 | 320 |
| 2023 | 229 |
| 2024 | 96 |
| 2025 | 162 |
| 2026 | 23 |
| 2027 | 6 |
Among the 8,597 of these complaints that report mileage, the median is about 90,000 miles.
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many vehicles each brand sells, so large brands naturally have more complaints.