Kia Sorento cruise control problems, 2016–2027
115 of the 3,710 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the Kia Sorento 2016–2027 name the cruise control (NHTSA’s “Vehicle Speed Control” heading — cruise control, adaptive cruise and unintended-acceleration reports). The loudest years: 2016 (63), 2022 (17), 2023 (12). Filed under the same heading across these years: 1 recall campaign. Every figure is a linked federal record; none is a failure rate, none a repair cost, and none a verdict on one car.
Kia Sorento cruise control problems by model year
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsOne row per model year on file, newest first. A year marked in depth has its own page: the complaints, the owners’ words and every document under this heading for that year.
| Model year | Complaints naming the cruise control | Share of the year’s | Typically at | On file under the heading | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | 0 | — | — | — | the year → |
| 2026 | 0 | — | — | — | the year → |
| 2025 | 11 | 9% | — | — | the year → |
| 2024 | 0 | — | — | — | the year → |
| 2023 | 12 | 8% | — | — | the year → |
| 2022 | 17 | 8% | — | — | the year → |
| 2021 | 12 | 4% | — | — | the year → |
| 2020 | 0 | — | — | — | the year → |
| 2019 | 0 | — | — | — | the year → |
| 2018 | 0 | — | — | — | the year → |
| 2017 | 0 | — | 12k | — | the year → |
| 2016 in depth | 63 | 5% | 60k | 1 recall | the record → |
Two things the counts carry that are not the car: how many of each year were sold, and how long each has been on the road — an older year out-counts a newer one before anything is wrong with it. The share column is the honest comparison across years: what part of that year’s complaints named the cruise control. Nothing here is a rate.
When the cruise control complaints were filed, and at what mileage
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled per calendar year, every model year together: 2015: 1 · 2016: 3 · 2017: 8 · 2018: 5 · 2019: 9 · 2020: 7 · 2021: 8 · 2022: 15 · 2023: 20 · 2024: 13 · 2025: 12 · 2026: 14
Across the model years, half of the 72 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the cruise control problem between 12,000 and 72,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the cruise control, from the model years with the most to say. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
Tl-contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento ---- vehicle crashed into store front--- contact was pulling into parking lot parking space and engine revved up and crashed into store front --- engine was really loud -- footage on camera in vehicle shows first part of accident --- then backed out of store and backed into emergency vehicle --- contact…
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. While driving various speeds, the accelerator pedal was depressed, but failed to accelerate the vehicle without warning. The contact stated that the vehicle would independently accelerate randomly. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer (redding Kia 418 e.
Idle stop and go system randomly auto disabled on start, unable to enable. Causes vehicle to be unable to accelerate faster than 25mph
I own a 2022 Kia Sorento that was manufactured on January 13, 2022. My vehicle experienced a failure involving the electronic oil pump within the transmission system. While driving, a transmission error message appeared prior to the failure.
I had just entered the highway and reached highway speed of 70 mph. Without any warning, the engine died, all of the dashboard lights came on, and I was unable to accelerate. Thankfully I was in the right-hand lane and there was an exit ramp a short distance ahead. The car decelerated as it had no power, and cars behind me were honking.
What is on file about the cruise control, across the years
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsRecall campaign filed under this heading, any model year
- 15V089000 HighFeb 13, 2015 · 12,361 vehicles
- 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.
Other systems with a record on the Kia Sorento
Source: the same filesEvery system, every model year: Kia Sorento problems by year →
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsWhich Kia Sorento years have the most cruise control complaints?
2016, 63; 2022, 17; 2023, 12. Raw counts, and an older year has had longer to collect them; by share of each year's own complaints the loudest is the 2025 (9%).
Is there a recall for the cruise control on the Kia Sorento?
Yes — one campaign is filed under this heading across these model years: 15V089000 (2016). A recall is matched by VIN, and applies to specific years; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
When do cruise control problems show up on the Kia Sorento?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 31,000 miles across the model years; half of them between 12,000 and 72,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Vehicle Speed Control" heading cover?
Cruise control, adaptive cruise and unintended-acceleration reports. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.