Problems · by component

2016 Kia Sorento vehicle speed control problems

62 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2016 Kia Sorento cite vehicle speed control, 5% of all 1,262 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
62
5% of all complaints
Crashes
5
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
3
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the vehicle speed control

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“We have been having problems with the speed control not functioning. Sometimes we couldn't set the speed or slow it down. Now it doesn't function at all! When it was working the cancel switch would also not work and we had to use the brake pedal to shut it off. Later on while driving through town with the cruise control still on, I stopped at a traffic light and the engine began to race at a high rpms. I took my foot off the gas pedal not knowing exactly what it would do and rpms settled down. Luckily the suv didn't accelerate into the vehicle in front of me. The engine has done this a couple of times with or without the cruise control on. My wife drives this vehicle with our grand children onboard and I am highly concerned about their safety.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 9, 2025Vehicle speed control, EngineODI 11679533
“My SUV is having all of the problems associated with a bad engine. This started a week ago and on Thursday, [XXX] my SUV completely stopped running and I had to get it towed to my residence. I had an ASE certified mechanic to check it out and he said your engine is BAD. I have had all of my required oil changes as well as servicing as recommended. I got this SUV in 2020. It has a little over 100,000 miles. I cannot afford a engine repair at this time. Please advice. Thank you [XXX]”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 25, 2024Power train, Vehicle speed control, EngineODI 11610714
“Shortly after purchasing the vehicle in February of this year, we started to notice that oil was burning off quickly. We took it to be looked at and was notified that there was no signs of a leak. After that incident all of the warning lights came on on the dashboard. We took it again to be seen where we were told that it was burning oil again and that the oil was low. We had the oil refilled and on our way home the car completely seats and shut down loosing all power on the highway. We lost all control of the power steering, braking system, and the power to the whole car shut off. We had the car towed to a repairman who looked over the car and said that the engine is completely seized with no notable signs of damage but that it would require an entire engine replacement. We notified Kia about the problem and that it was something that was known to happen with the engine and they refused to cover it or do any type of repair. The car is now non-functionable with a complete seizure of the engine.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 14, 2024Steering, Vehicle speed control, EngineODI 11594481
“I was driving to work going about 40 and out of nowhere my 2016 Kia Sorento started slowing down. I could not accelerate and no warning lights came on. There was a sudden loss of power.The car slowed to a stop near a busy intersection. I was in the road and almost hit by multiple cars. I could not start it again. I noticed white smoke coming out from under the hood. There was an awful smell to it. It would not start back up. It was eventually towed to a dealership and they said the engine was locked up and the starter was burned. The engine is a 2.0L Turbo GDI engine.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 9, 2024Vehicle speed control, EngineODI 11593266
“On January 17 2024 as I am making my usual drive to work on a very busy interstate highway my 2016 Kia SORENTO EX V6 FWD AUTO 3.3 liter engine completely seizes up and so begins my nightmare. The same nightmare I am seeing time and time and time again reported on this site, and every site you do a simple search on 2016 KIA Sorento's for. As a result of the catastrophic engine failure, I (a female, original owner of the KIA,) was left in a very dangerous position to try and maneuver through and not be killed by oncoming cars and further not get jumped in a very bad part of the metro. (this is not my personal assessment, this is the highest crime area in our city) Car was towed to dealership where I originally purchased it and today I received the diagnosis report indicating Alternator Replacement $1,283.94, Head Gasket $4,276.92, Body Control Module/ ECU $1,030.35 (an issue that I raised when the car was under the manufacturer warranty, and was ignored by the service team and results in me using a screw driver to even get the car out of park) I want answers as do all of the other impacted customers as to WHAT MORE IS NEEDED TO PROVE THAT KIA ENGINES ARE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 19, 2024Steering, Vehicle speed control, EngineODI 11566569
“My car started jumping while driving we had put oil in my car 3 weeks prior. It also smelt like my car was burning while the heat was on I had 2 babies in the back seat and I was scared to death. I haven’t received anything in the mail about any recalls what so ever. I had to hear by a family friend the day of the incident that he thinks they’re recalls on my call so I looked it up. My car is currently not working now and I have work and doctors appointments for babies I got to Kia tomorrow they’re saying I don’t have any recalls on my car and I looked it up on here and I do. I’m pretty sure they’re just not wanting to pay for it. They said if I have a warranty they could do. I just don’t know what to do I have no car and I ave 2 children I can’t afford to not have a vehicle.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 21, 2023Vehicle speed control, Engine, Forward collision avoidanceODI 11556363

Showing 6 of 62 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal

Free remedy

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016 Sorento vehicles manufactured October 27, 2014, to January 29, 2015. Due to an improperly soldered component in the accelerator pedal assembly, the driver may not be able to accelerate the vehicle.

Vehicle speed controlReported Feb 13, 2015NHTSA 15V089000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 3, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.