Kia Sorento Transmission Problems by Year
By CarWhere Research · Updated
Yes. Owners have filed 903 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2008–2025 Kia Sorento. For the Kia Sorento, that's 0.44 transmission complaints per 1,000 sold across the 2015–2022 cohorts, 1.6× the median of the 53 models we can rate. The worst years are 2011, 2016 and 2022.
Transmission complaints
903
Filed with NHTSA, 2008–2025 models
Per 1,000 sold
0.44
2015–2022 cohorts
Share of all complaints
10.3%
of 8,730 complaints for this model
Transmission recalls
5
NHTSA campaigns, all years
Kia Sorento transmission complaints by model year
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA whose component list includes Power Train (transmission, transfer case and driveline), and per 1,000 vehicles sold where a published U.S. sales figure exists. Worst years are highlighted.
| Model year | Transmission complaints | Per 1,000 sold | Share of all complaints | Crash / fire / injury | Transmission recalls | Transmission TSBs* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 23 | — | 10.7% | 1 | — | 5 |
| 2009 | 9 | — | 16.4% | 0 | — | 4 |
| 2010 | 0 | — | 0% | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2011WORST | 265 | — | 17.5% | 10 | 15V62600011V258000 | 20 |
| 2012 | 55 | — | 6.3% | 6 | 15V626000 | 0 |
| 2013 | 69 | — | 7.1% | 5 | 15V626000 | 0 |
| 2014 | 68 | — | 7% | 3 | 13V356000 | 0 |
| 2015 | 42 | 0.36 | 5.6% | 2 | — | 17 |
| 2016WORST | 119 | 1.04 | 9.6% | 11 | 22V612000 | 21 |
| 2017 | 36 | 0.36 | 4.6% | 3 | — | 22 |
| 2018 | 9 | 0.08 | 3.6% | 1 | — | 23 |
| 2019 | 50 | 0.52 | 12.1% | 1 | — | 10 |
| 2020 | 17 | 0.23 | 13.3% | 0 | — | 9 |
| 2021 | 0 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 22V760000 | 21 |
| 2022WORST | 70 | 0.8 | 32.4% | 1 | 22V760000 | 21 |
| 2023 | 25 | — | 17.1% | 1 | — | 11 |
| 2024 | 6 | — | 13.6% | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2025 | 40 | — | 31% | 1 | — | 2 |
- Per 1,000 sold = complaints ÷ published U.S. calendar-year sales × 1,000. Calendar-year sales stand in for the model-year cohort. A dash means no published figure or fewer than 5,000 sold, too small to divide by.
- Older model years have had more time on the road to collect complaints, so compare neighboring years, not 2010 against 2024.
- Crash / fire / injury = complaints where the owner reported a crash, a fire or an injury.
- *Technical service bulletins in the year's leading TSB categories that name the transmission.
Common Kia Sorento transmission problems owners describe
We searched the narratives of all 903 transmission complaints for symptom keywords. One complaint can mention several, so the shares don't add up to 100%.
Kia Sorento years to avoid for the transmission
2011 Kia Sorento
265 transmission complaints (17.5% of the year's 1,516). Most often described: jerking, lurching or harsh shifts. Covered by transmission recalls 15V626000, 11V258000.
2016 Kia Sorento
119 transmission complaints (9.6% of the year's 1,236), 1.04 per 1,000 sold. Most often described: loss of power or limp mode. Covered by transmission recall 22V612000.
2022 Kia Sorento
70 transmission complaints (32.4% of the year's 216), 0.8 per 1,000 sold. Most often described: loss of power or limp mode. Covered by transmission recall 22V760000.
Worst years are those with at least 10 transmission complaints and at least 1.5 times the model's median year. For every year's overall verdict, including other systems, see the Kia Sorento years to avoid.
Kia Sorento transmission recalls
NHTSA recall campaigns filed under Power Train for any Kia Sorento model year. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check a specific car by VIN on NHTSA's site.
- 22V760000 · 2022-10-11 · 2021–2022 models
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.
- 22V612000 · 2022-08-10 · 2016 models
The vehicles may have been manufactured with faulty automatic transmission shift lever assembly components, preventing the shift lever from locking, which can allow the vehicle to rollaway.
- 15V626000 · 2015-10-06 · 2011–2013 models
In the affected vehicles, if excessive force is applied to the gear shift lever, the brake-shift interlock mechanism may chip or crack allowing the transmission being able to be shifted out of "Park" without the brakes being depressed. As such, these…
- 13V356000 · 2013-08-13 · 2014 models
Due to a manufacturing issue, the right front axle shaft may fracture.
- 11V258000 · 2011-04-25 · 2011 models
KIA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 SORENTO 2WD VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS AND 2.4L ENGINES MANUFACTURED FROM THE START OF PRODUCTION THROUGH MAY 22, 2010. THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT MAY SUFFER FROM NOISE AND EXCESSIVE WEAR DUE TO A…
Related research
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2011 Kia Sorento have transmission problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 265 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2011 Kia Sorento, 17.5% of all 1,516 complaints for that year. The most common description is "jerking, lurching or harsh shifts" (81 complaints). 2 transmission-related recalls cover it: 15V626000, 11V258000. 10 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Does the 2016 Kia Sorento have transmission problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 119 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2016 Kia Sorento, 9.6% of all 1,236 complaints for that year, or 1.04 per 1,000 sold. The most common description is "loss of power or limp mode" (13 complaints). One transmission-related recall covers it: 22V612000. 11 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Does the 2022 Kia Sorento have transmission problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 70 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2022 Kia Sorento, 32.4% of all 216 complaints for that year, or 0.8 per 1,000 sold. The most common description is "loss of power or limp mode" (21 complaints). One transmission-related recall covers it: 22V760000. 1 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Which Kia Sorento years have the most transmission complaints?
2011 (265), 2016 (119) and 2022 (70), by owner complaints filed with NHTSA that name the transmission. Raw counts favor older and higher-selling years, so compare the per-1,000-sold column too.
What are the most common Kia Sorento transmission problems?
In the 903 transmission complaints, owners most often describe jerking, lurching or harsh shifts (18.1%), loss of power or limp mode (13.7%) and will not shift, stuck in gear or no reverse (8%). One complaint can mention several symptoms.
Is this a transmission failure rate?
No. These are complaints owners chose to file with NHTSA. Many failures are never reported, and one complaint is not a confirmed defect. Dividing by sales shows how often owners complain relative to how many were sold, which makes models of different sizes comparable.
How we count
Counts are unique owner complaints (by NHTSA ODI number) filed with NHTSA for each Kia Sorento model year, from NHTSA's public complaints data fetched July 2026 to November 2026. A complaint counts as a transmission complaint when NHTSA's component list for it includes Power Train (transmission, transfer case and driveline).
Per 1,000 sold divides complaints by published U.S. calendar-year sales for that year. A year needs at least 5,000 sales to get a rate, and a model needs at least 3 such years for its overall rate. The comparison median covers every model with at least 50 transmission complaints that clears those floors.
These are complaint rates, not failure rates. Owners report some problems more than others, and a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
Sources
- NHTSA complaints by vehicle (owner complaints API) — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Report a vehicle safety problem — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration