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2021 Kia Sorento
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2021 Kia Sorento — Safety Summary
The 2021 Kia Sorento has 4 NHTSA safety recalls and 20 owner complaints on record. Transport Canada separately lists 5 Canadian recalls for this model. The most frequently reported complaint area is power train. It earned an NHTSA overall safety rating of 4 out of 5. Based on this public data we rate its risk profile as high. Enter your VIN above to confirm which of these apply to your exact vehicle, then get the Smart Buyer Report for a buyer analysis of this model's reliability, common issues by mileage, and a pre-purchase inspection checklist.
Should you buy the 2021 Kia Sorento in Canada?
The 2021 Kia Sorento shows a higher level of recall or complaint activity in public data. That is not a reason to rule it out, but it does mean a careful inspection and VIN-specific check are especially worthwhile.
The best next step is to run the exact VIN and, if the car still looks promising, get a Smart Buyer Report for a model-specific reliability read and an inspection checklist before you visit the seller.
What owners complain about most
The complaint categories reported most often for the 2021 Kia Sorento, based on owner reports in the public NHTSA data.
Complaint patterns suggest where to look — they are not proof any specific vehicle has that issue. Treat them as inspection prompts.
What to check before buying a used 2021 Kia Sorento
- Owners report power train concerns most often for this model — worth checking during an inspection.
- Owners report power train,engine concerns most often for this model — worth checking during an inspection.
- Owners report power train,engine,fuel/propulsion system concerns most often for this model — worth checking during an inspection.
- Owners report steering,unknown or other,engine concerns most often for this model — worth checking during an inspection.
- Confirm any open recall work was completed by running the exact VIN.
Canadian ownership considerations
General things worth checking on a used Sorento in the Canadian climate — winter, road salt, and cold-weather wear.
- Check AWD or 4WD operation if equipped — driveline components are costly to repair.
- Road salt drives corrosion on underbody and subframe points; inspect the undercarriage on salt-belt vehicles.
- Verify heater, defroster, and rear demister all work ahead of winter.
- Battery and cold-start reliability are worth confirming for Canadian winters.
Pre-purchase inspection priorities
- Bring a qualified mechanic or book an independent pre-purchase inspection.
- Check the undercarriage for rust and corrosion, especially on salt-belt vehicles.
- Confirm all open recalls have been repaired using the VIN.
- Review maintenance records and look for gaps in servicing.
- Test all winter-critical systems: heater, defroster, battery, and (if equipped) AWD/4WD.
Want a buyer-focused summary for this VIN?
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Unlock the full buyer reportNHTSA Safety Ratings
Government crash test results
NHTSA Recalls
4 recall(s) for this year/model
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
08/07/2021Kia Motor America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021 Sorento and 2021-2022 K5 vehicles equipped with 2.5L turbocharged engines. Fuel may leak at the pipe connection between the high-pressure fuel pump and fuel rail.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and tighten, or replace the fuel pipe as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 21, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC214.
TRAILER HITCHES
19/09/2022Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Sorento, 2021-2022 Sorento Hybrid (HEV), 2022-2023 Sorento Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV), and 2017-2022 Sportage vehicles equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Kia dealership. Debris and moisture accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will inspect the vehicle, and, as necessary, replace the fuse and/or tow hitch harness module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC249.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
11/10/2022Kia Motors, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Sorento and 2021-2023 K5 vehicles. 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.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the transmission, as necessary. Dealers will also update the transmission control unit software. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 9, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC250.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
25/09/2025Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Sorento vehicles. The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) blower motor wiring harness may be inadequate, which can result in a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the wiring harness and blower motor resistor, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 23, 2026. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC351. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning October 9, 2025.
Transport Canada Recalls
5 Canadian recall(s) from the official Transport Canada database
Fuel System
2021-07-09Issue: On certain vehicles, the connection between the high-pressure fuel pipe and fuel pump may not be properly sealed. As a result, a fuel leak could occur. Safety Risk: A fuel leak can create the risk of a fire. Corrective Action: KIA will notify owners by mail and instruct you to bring your vehicle to a dealer to inspect and replace the high-pressure fuel pipe, as required.
Accessories
2022-09-20Issue: Certain vehicles may be equipped with an accessory trailer wiring harness kit that could fail. Over time, this could result in a short circuit that can cause the control module to overheat. Note: This recall only affects Kia Genuine tow hitch wiring harness kits with the part number R5F03AP100 or R5F03AP200. These kits may have been ordered at the time of a vehicle purchase, or purchased separately from a dealer as an aftermarket accessory. Safety Risk: A short circuit could create a fire risk, even while the vehicle is parked and turned off. Corrective Actions: Kia will notify owners by mail and instruct you to inspect if your vehicle has a trailer wiring harness installed. If it does, Kia advises that you should park your vehicle outdoors, and away from other vehicles or structures until the recall repairs have been complete. The corrective actions for this recall are under development. As an interim repair, Kia will advise you to make an appointment at your local dealership to replace the 30 A "TRAILER" fuse with a 15 A fuse.
Powertrain
2022-10-12Issue: On certain vehicles, a fault in the transmission oil pump can cause the vehicle to enter "fail-safe mode". When this happens, a programming error can cause a sudden loss of power to the wheels after 20-30 seconds. Note: This recall only affects vehicles equipped with a 2.5 L turbo gasoline (T-GDI) engine and an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT). Safety Risk: A sudden loss of power to the wheels could increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Kia will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealership to inspect and, if necessary, replace the transmission. The dealer will also update the transmission control unit software.
Label
2024-08-15Issue: On certain vehicles, the compliance label may be missing information in French. The words listed on the label for "Tires", "Rims", "Front" and "Rear" appear in English only, when they should be listed as "Tires/Pneus", "Rims/Jantes", "Front/Avant" and "Rear/Arriere". Canadian regulations require this information to be listed on the label in both English and French. Safety Risk: These small errors do not affect vehicle safety. Corrective Actions: This is not a recall. Kia has corrected the compliance label for all new vehicles.
Heater And Defroster
2025-09-26Issue: On certain vehicles, the wiring harness for the blower motor may not have been manufactured properly. As a result, the wiring could overheat and melt. Note: This recall only affects Sorento LX+ models. Safety Risk: Wiring that overheats and melts can create the risk of a fire. Corrective Actions: Kia will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to replace the blower motor wiring harness and the blower motor resistor.
Contains information sourced from Transport Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database, licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Data is provided "as is" from Transport Canada's monthly release and may not reflect real-time updates. Transport Canada does not endorse this service. Always confirm open recalls with the manufacturer or Transport Canada before purchase.
Owner Complaints
20 complaint(s) filed with NHTSA
Top complaint categories:
Want the full picture?
The free data above comes from public NHTSA records. The Smart Buyer Report adds buyer analysis for this exact model — reliability score, common problems by mileage, real maintenance costs in CAD, a pre-purchase inspection checklist, a market value estimate, and Canadian notes on rust, winter, and fuel.
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Data disclaimer:Vehicle history information on CarHistoryReport.ca is compiled from publicly available government sources, primarily the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Reports may not include all incidents, recalls, or issues related to a specific vehicle. Data is provided "as-is" without warranty of completeness or accuracy. Always obtain a professional pre-purchase inspection before buying any used vehicle. CarHistoryReport.ca is not liable for purchasing decisions made based on report contents.