On [XXX], a 2022 Kia Sorento with 37,971 miles displayed "Transmission system error! Check transmission oil immediately." The vehicle is currently drivable, with no crash and no injury reported, but the driver is concerned about a potential loss of drive power while driving. Pride Kia of Lynn, 793 Lynnway, Lynn, MA 01905, confirmed an appointment only for December 1, 2026 at 8:00 AM, 36 days later, and refused to advance the inspection. A VIN recall check on October 26, 2026 showed 0 unrepaired recalls for this vehicle, including no open SC250 transmission recall. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The worst 2022 Kia Sorento problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Transmission68
- Engine53
- Electrical31
- Brakes18
- Visibility17
- Acceleration16
- Fuel system14
- Driver assistance11
- Steering10
- Suspension3
- Lights2
- Seat belts2
- Seats2
- Airbags1
- Body1
- Tires1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2022 Kia Sorento
Check engine light 39Loss of power 27Transmission failure 15Won't shift 13Stalling 12Jerking 11Warning lights 9Engine failure 6Sunroof shattered 6Grinding brakes 5Misfire 5Slipping 5Start-stop 5Windshield crack 5
Recalls 6
Visibility: defroster/defogger/HVAC system: fan/motor
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- A fire increases the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- 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 beginning October 9, 2025.
Recall number 25V649000 · Recall details
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera
- What is wrong
- Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Sorento, Sorento Hybrid, and Sorento Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) vehicles. The mounting clips for the rearview camera may break, which can cause the rearview camera image not to appear properly on the display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
- Risk
- A rearview camera that does not properly display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera housing, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1‑800‑333‑4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC280.
Recall number 23V610000 · Recall details
Power train: automatic transmission
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- Loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- 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.
Recall number 22V760000 · Recall details
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
Tires: temporary/emergency spare tire
- What is wrong
- Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2022 Sorento and Telluride vehicles. The vehicles may be equipped with an incorrect spare tire which, when installed, can impair the anti-lock braking system (ABS) and the traction control system (TCS). As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
- Risk
- Impaired anti-lock braking or traction control systems can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and replace the spare tire, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 27, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1‑800‑333‑4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC244.
Recall number 22V509000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling: engine: gasoline: turbo/supercharger
- What is wrong
- Kia Motor America (Kia) is recalling certain 2022 Sorento vehicles. The oil supply pipe to the turbocharger may crack, which could result in an oil leak in the engine compartment.
- Risk
- An oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the turbocharger oil supply pipe, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 22, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1‑800‑333‑4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC233.
Recall number 22V202000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2022 Kia Sorento 86
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)
- Pitstop: technical operations: GM01 ground connection
- Customer satisfaction: theft deterrent ignition cylinder protector and decal installation (CS2312)
- Infotainment system software update using update.kia.com
- Front brake disc replacement & burnishing
- Infotainment software update procedure
2022 Kia Sorento 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 |
| 1.6L 4‑cyl Hybrid | AWD | 36 | 33 | 35 |
| 1.6L 4‑cyl Plug-in hybrid | AWD | 35 | 33 | 34 |
| 2.5L 4‑cyl | FWD | 22-24 | 29 | 25-26 |
| 2.5L 4‑cyl | AWD | 22-23 | 25-27 | 24 |
What 2022 Kia Sorento owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Turned car on and no air blowing from any vents on any setting.
2022 Kia Sorento, VIN [XXX], subject to Recall 22V760 (Kia SC250, 8-speed DCT electric oil pump). The recall was performed with a software update only; the transmission and original pump were not replaced. On XXX at 116,273 miles, while driving, the dash displayed “Transmission system error! Check transmission oil immediately” and the vehicle entered limp mode. My scan tool read P193B79 (high-pressure electric oil pump performance) and P0868 (transmission fluid pressure low). The message cleared on its own. I later cleared the codes with my scan tool; P0868 returned and P193B79 has not as of XXX. No fluid leaks. Transmission gear oil was serviced at a Kia dealer about 13,900 miles earlier. Kia’s recall report says this pump defect can cause complete loss of motive power. I believe the software-only remedy left the defective pump in the vehicle and may be inadequate. I am limiting use of the vehicle. Kia America case #XXX. A dealer has not yet diagnosed the vehicle. That is the next step. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Car goes into "limp mode" and functions on only partial power. Warning light reads "Transmission system error! Check transmission oil immediately." Dealership says car shows no codes. My 2022 Kia Sorento SX had a recall because this problem is known. Kia recalled all the 2021 and 22's and fixed the programming to allow for limp mode. This "fix" Kia dealership kept the car and drove it but could not replicate. I took the car back and it happened again. It has happened on July 24th, August 26, September 3, October 7. In between, I've paid for an $800 transmission service and Kia has replaced the "clutch pack for the transmission" (whatever that is). The Car Pros Kia service writers all said that I needed to bring the car back while the warning was on. So when it happened yesterday, 10/7/26, I "limped" it 15 miles with my 4 way flashers on and carefully did NOT turn the car off so that someone could observe the warning. The service writers would not even come out and look at it - AFTER ALL THOSE PREVIOUS DEMANDS THAT I BRING IT IN WITH THE WARNING ON. They just had a flunky drive it to the garage to look at tomorrow. I had a foster child in the car (I am a court appointed special advocate to foster children) on two of these occasions. Since they replaced the clutch pack, my MPG have dropped about 20 - 25%. This is a known problem - Kia campaign SC250. I have tried to only tell you the relevant essentials. If you need more information, please call, text or email.
The vehicle experienced a sudden loss of motive power on the highway due to the failure of the transmission electric oil pump, matching the federal safety agency Campaign 22V760000. The vehicle previously received only the TCU software update remedy. The software update failed to prevent the underlying physical defect from occurring, and the vehicle is now dangerously disabled. The local dealership is refusing to perform the physical transmission replacement mandated by the recall remedy, falsely claiming the recall is permanently closed because of the prior software patch.
The contact owns a 2022 Kia Sorento. The contact stated after driving 25-30 MPH into a parking lot and parking the vehicle, the message "Transmission System Error Check Transmission" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to an auto parts store, where it was determined that the transmission pump was failing, there was low oil pressure, but no debris found inside the transmission. The contact associated the failure with the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 22V760000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where no diagnostic trouble codes were retrieved; a hard transmission reset was performed. Following the repair, the failure recurred, and an unknown vehicle symbol displayed on the instrument cluster. The vehicle was returned to the local dealer with the error message and symbol present. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 116,000.
Se rompio la bomba de aceite electrica de mi auto. La investigación de Kia reveló que la bomba de aceite eléctrica de la transmisión DCT de 8 velocidades puede sufrir una falla interna debido a un defecto de calidad en el proveedor. Un componente de la placa de circuito de la bomba puede desprenderse por una soldadura deficiente.
The contact owns a 2022 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost drive power. The vehicle was able to continue driving but at a reduced speed. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact pulled over and turned off the vehicle. The vehicle was restarted and resumed normal operation. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and a second dealer, Shawnee Mission Kia (7951 Shawnee Mission Pkwy, Mission, KS 66202), but the failure was not duplicated. The contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 22V760000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 21,067.
The contact owns a 2022 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 25V649000 (Electrical System, Visibility), and the vehicle was taken to the dealer; the recall repair was performed several weeks prior; however, the VIN status was not updated, and the recall remained marked as incomplete. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time to update the VIN status to reflect the completed repair. The manufacturer was notified of the issue.
Vehicle flashes Auto Start Stop icon on the dashboard, which is not commonplace. When this occurs, the vehicle can not accelerate when the accelerator is actuated. The vehicle can not accelerate past 40mph and the RPM is sporadic. This happens randomly and can not be diagnosed by the dealership. Multiple dealerships have tried and none can duplicate this issue. This is a severe safety concern and seems to be common all over multiple forums.
Compare the 2022 Kia Sorento
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Other model years
200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026
Questions about the 2022 Kia Sorento
Is the 2022 Kia Sorento reliable?
Owners have filed 194 complaints about the 2022 Kia Sorento, fewer than a typical Sorento model year.
What is the 2022 Kia Sorento year score?
The 2022 Kia Sorento scores 76 out of 100 (average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Kia Sorento: 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 2022 Kia Sorento?
Transmission and drivetrain, with 68 complaints, typically around 28,660 miles. Next is engine (53).
How many recalls does the 2022 Kia Sorento have?
6 recalls, covering visibility, back over prevention and power train.
Was there a recall on the 2022 Kia Sorento transmission?
Yes, 1 recall: 22V760000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Kia Sorento have bad transmission?
The Kia Sorento model years with the most transmission complaints are 2011 (265 complaints), 2021 (146 complaints) and 2016 (126 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2022 Kia Sorento get?
Official estimates for the 2022 Kia Sorento range from 24 to 37 mpg combined. The most efficient version (1.6L 4-cyl hybrid, FWD) gets 39 city and 35 highway.
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