Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2021 Kia Sorento owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving approximately 10 MPH over a speed bump, the vehicle shut off. The contact was unable to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a bad connection at the fuel pump fuse box. The dealer performed a minor wiring repair. The contact stated that while driving 60-80 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended, and the vehicle shuddered and then jolted. The vehicle was taken to Calavan Kia [redacted] ), but the failure could not be duplicated; however, the coils were replaced. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, several unknown warning lights were illuminated, and the vehicle was inoperable. The contact stated that upon restarting the vehicle, the warning lights were turned off, and the vehicle operated as needed. …
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked or while driving, there was an abnormal sound coming from the A/C when activated or turned off. The contact stated that after lowering the temperature, the air conditioning shut off independently. The contact stated that the alarm independently turned on at all hours of the night. The contact stated that the rear plug outlets in the vehicle failed to operate as intended, and the rear plugs turned on and off independently. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the Auto START/STOP system independently turned off the vehicle. Additionally, the rear-view camera was displaying a blank screen, with the Auto START/STOP warning lights were illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed; however, the diagnosis was unknown. …
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V649000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VISIBILITY); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, with the A/C activated, there was an abnormal burning odor entering the vehicle through the vents. The burning odor was coming from the vehicle whether the A/C was in use or turned off. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. On a separate occasion, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked and failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the failure was more evident while the vehicle was driven uphill. No warning lights were illuminated. …
Component: Electrical System / Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist / Speedometer Incident Summary: I am reporting a catastrophic and uncorrected safety defect in my 2021 Kia Sorento (VIN: [redacted] ). Pre-Accident Attempts: Before April 2024, I repeatedly sought diagnosis for instrument cluster 'glitches.' The Kia dealer misdiagnosed this as a battery failure, charging me out-of-pocket for a replacement that did not resolve the issue. Collision (April 22, 2024): While driving, the instrument cluster suffered a total system crash into 'Factory Mode,' losing all telemetry. Simultaneously, the vehicle's Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA) failed to engage. Despite the vehicle being equipped with automatic emergency braking designed to detect and mitigate collisions, the system provided no warning and no autonomous braking prior to striking a deer. …
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving and coming to a complete stop, the auto Start/Stop feature failed to engage upon releasing the brake pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact restarted the vehicle manually. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring while at a complete stop. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where an unknown software update was completed under an unknown recall; however, the failure reoccurred increasingly. The contact stated upon releasing the brake pedal while at a complete stop, the vehicle would turn on temporarily. The contact stated she would manually restart the vehicle. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact to bring the vehicle to their location for test driving. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. …
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle failed to shift into the intended gear and stalled. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the wiring harness for the remote starting system had malfunctioned and needed to be replaced. The wiring harness was replaced; however, the contact stated that after driving for an undisclosed period and parking the vehicle, the contact was unable to shift the gear shifter. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer but was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the State Attorney General who then referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The vehicle was not repaired. …
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while at a red light, the vehicle stalled. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle and the vehicle returned to normal operation. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and was diagnosed, and it was determined that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer to be diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 43,000.
After being driven for 45 miles, with no problems, then parked for 2 hours, then when I started to drive, dashboard lit up "PULL OVER SAFELY IMMEDIATELY". I pulled over, shut car off and restarted. Same notice appeared. Tried again and nothing appeared. I attempted to move the car and it would not engage in drive or reverse. Shut car off, started again and still would not move. Then was towed to a KIA dealership. Upon inspection, I was told it needed a new transmission. Vehicle had 5,606 miles. Car is at dealership since April 4 waiting for new transmission. I was told there are other KIA's also waiting for new transmissions. If I had been driving and car suddenly shut off, it would have been very dangerous (there are many such reports online where people have experienced this). …
I have owned this vehicle for about 1 yr & 7 months now. it's been great but all of a sudden last Friday, the dashboard started producing an engine overheat warning with an alarm sound when I was driving under normal conditions. So then I pulled out of the highway and went to the nearest parking lot, and checked the engine. The coolant color was normal & max level. no sign of leaking. Then we resumed driving and nothing happened. later on the way back home... the same thing happened. The alarm sounded for a while and the temperature indicator reached red at the max level then it went away. it was already too late for us to reach out to either dealership or KIA, so I was going to get in touch later. The next day afternoon, I got a diagnostic appointment for the coming Wednesday with the nearest KIA dealership and went out to take care of a few other stuff. …
The issue appears to involve the electric oil pump and related components. My 2021 Kia Sorento had a recall for the electric oil pump that was marked "completed" in January 2023; however, the dealership only performed a software update and did not replace any mechanical components because no fault code was present at that time. Beginning around October 2025, the vehicle started experiencing drivability issues including hesitation and bogging down when accelerating from a stop. A dealership representative later stated the electric oil pump and housing likely need replacement and that the transmission may also be affected. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. This issue creates a safety risk because the vehicle frequently hesitates or bogs down when attempting to accelerate, especially when pulling into highway traffic. …
Electrical complaints in other Sorento years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2021 Kia Sorento?
NHTSA has 47 complaints about the electrical system of the 2021 Kia Sorento, 19% of the model year's 254 complaints. The component named most often is wiring › connectors/plugs/receptacles (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2021 Kia Sorento electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2021 Kia Sorento, though it has 4 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2021 Kia Sorento electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 34,000 miles, and 29% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.