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.
The worst 2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Electrical10
- Engine10
- Fuel system2
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Electrical10
- Engine10
- Fuel system2
Recalls 2
Trailer hitches
- What is wrong
- 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.
- 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 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.
Recall number 22V703000 · Recall details
Seat belts: pretensioner
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Remedy
- 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 the federal safety agency recall number 22V‑127. Vehicles already repaired under the previous recall will need to have the new remedy completed.
Recall number 22V447000 · Recall details
See all 2 recalls for the 2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid
Defect investigations
Pedestrian alert sounds
the federal safety agency 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 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, the federal safety agency 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 the federal safety agency 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 the federal safety agency regarding the subject matter of the petition.
DP22005
Technical service bulletins for the 2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid 59
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Owner notification (WTY042)
- Dealer principal memo (WTY042)
- Dealer parts & service manager memo (WTY042)
- Question and answer (WTY042)
- Reimbursement form (WTY042)
- Partial repair – electrical a/c compressor
- Infotainment system software update using update.kia.com
- Infotainment software update procedure
- Technical service bulletin: horn assembly inspection and replacement (WTY042)
- Pitstop: technical operations: external damage to ultrasonic sensor
2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6L 4‑cyl Hybrid | FWD | 39 | 35 | 37 |
What 2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
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 would’ve 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 duplicate the problem and have also not been able to tell us what was wrong with the Kia to cause this problem in the first place. Unless there is a clear reason why this happened And it can be fixed then we have no reason to believe this would not happen again and endanger our safety. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
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.
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 Outrageous!!!!!! Other dealers do not have the required Vaccum Pump to flush the system or they can schedule me after 25 days. A safety Recall shall be issued and put pressure on KIA to address this issues before a catastrophic inverter fault occurs
My Kia Sorento will shift from drive to first or second gear’s several times. I’ve been told by the dealership that I’m 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.
UNKNOWN. The “Replace Inverter Coolant” warning message repeatedly comes on for unknown reasons and may be quickly reset to the “Ready to Drive” 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 KIA manufactured and marketed models.
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
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency 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.
My Kia 2021 Hybrid EX has a message warning to "refill inverter coolant". Took it to dealer and they said it's a software issue, but no remedy is available.
i have 2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid, which a regular message stating that it needs to refill inverter coolant fluid keeps coming up, even though the car coolants level is full. This is not a new problem for the all the Kia users that have this model. Also, Kia and their network of dealerships have known of this problem for over 1 yr and their standard answer is" we know its a software program, and will get back to you once the software code is fixed". Basically, they are dismissing the complaints and issues from the car owners. Also, this is poses a security and safety concern, since the warning light/message takes over the entire center console/display. Other relevant safety and security warnings/functionality is obstructed by it. Please force Kia to make this a mandatory recall for all Hybrid owners. There are thousands of customers impacted.
Compare the 2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid
Other model years
Questions about the 2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid
Is the 2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid reliable?
Owners have filed 21 complaints about the 2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid, close to a typical Sorento Hybrid model year.
What is the 2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid year score?
The 2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid scores 75 out of 100 (average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Kia Sorento Hybrid: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid?
Electrical system, with 10 complaints. Next is engine (10).
How many recalls does the 2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid have?
2 recalls, covering trailer hitches and seat belts.
What gas mileage does the 2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid get?
Official estimates for the 2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid range from 37 mpg combined. The most efficient version (1.6L 4-cyl hybrid, FWD) gets 39 city and 35 highway.
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