2021 Kia Sorento engine problems
78 of the 271 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2021 Kia Sorento name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). Filed under the same heading: 38 manufacturer bulletins, 1 NHTSA investigation. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the engine
Source: NHTSA complaint database1 of the 78 reports a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2021: 5 · 2022: 19 · 2023: 9 · 2024: 11 · 2025: 14 · 2026: 20
Too few of these complaints carry an odometer reading to say when the problem shows up.
271 complaints in all about the 2021 Kia Sorento, 20 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Engine” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Kia Sorento engine problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the engine. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
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
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) .
As I was taking off from stop sign car dropped into lower gear jerking car and lowered speed. Did this twice almost causing an accident. Knowing something was very wrong we proceed to Dealership. SUV stalled out 3 times on the way. Third time it stalled out was in front of service writer in front of dealership.
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.
What is on file about the engine
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsNHTSA investigation
- DP22003 Loss of Motive Poweropened Sep 12, 2022 · closed Dec 12, 2023
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021. The Petitioners cited examples of complaints i…
38 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
- TSB_ENG257 Service bulletinDec 8, 2025
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: ITM REPLACEMENT AND ECM & TCM LOGIC IMPROVEMENT (CA2508) - This bulletin provides information to replace the Integrated Thermal Management Module (ITM) and then upgrade the Engine Control Module ‘ECM’ and (if applicable) the Transmission Control Module ‘TCM’ system software on certain 2021-2023MY Sorento (MQ4a) vehicles produced from September 09, 2020 through December
The 1 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Trouble codes named on this system
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2021 Kia Sorento names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Other systems with a record on the 2021 Kia Sorento
Source: the same files- transmission and drivetrain problems 140 complaints
- electrical problems 57 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre engine problems common on the 2021 Kia Sorento?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 78 owner complaints naming the engine on this model year (29% of everything owners filed about it), and 38 manufacturer bulletins, 1 NHTSA investigation are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the engine on the 2021 Kia Sorento?
No recall campaign is filed under this heading for this model year (there are 5 filed under other headings). A bulletin is not a recall: it carries no federal duty to repair for free.
When do engine problems show up on the 2021 Kia Sorento?
Too few of the complaints carry an odometer reading to say. The model year's page shows the mileage curve across every system where it can.
What does NHTSA's "Engine" heading cover?
The engine and its cooling system. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.