Head-to-head reliability
KIA Sorento vs FORD F 150
How the KIA Sorento and FORD F 150 compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
KIA Sorento vs FORD F 150: The Sorento averages 200 complaints per year vs. 2,755 for the F-150, with 30 recalls compared to 141. Sorento owners report engine limp mode and camera failures; F-150 owners report transmission park failures and total power loss. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the KIA Sorento or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
KIA Sorento
The Kia Sorento, over a decade, has generated about 200 complaints per year—far fewer than the F-150. Owners frequently report engine problems like sudden power loss and limp mode, electrical glitches affecting the infotainment and camera, and transmission hesitation or hard shifting. While not as high-volume as the Ford, these issues can leave you stranded or without critical safety features.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150 averages over 2,700 complaints annually, with powertrain and engine issues dominating. Owners describe transmission failures that prevent shifting into park, sudden loss of power while driving, and engine problems tied to turbo wastegates. The sheer volume and severity of reports, including sudden acceleration and complete electrical failure, make it a higher-risk ownership proposition.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | KIA Sorento | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 2,004 Better | 27,553 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 30 Better | 141 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 60 Better | 762 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 200.4 Better | 2755.3 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 78 Better | 714 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 2 Better | 10 |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
KIA Sorento
- 01ENGINE804
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER370
- 03ELECTRICAL SYSTEM307
- 04POWER TRAIN212
- 05EXTERIOR LIGHTING200
Owners report the check engine light flashing and the vehicle entering limp mode at highway speeds, or experiencing power loss after an oil change. This can be dangerous when merging or passing.
The infotainment screen frequently shows 'No Camera Signal' when reversing, and the vehicle may experience random shutdowns or electrical failures that disable safety systems.
Transmission hesitation and hard shifting are common, with the engine revving loudly before engaging. Some owners report the vehicle failing to accelerate from a stop, risking rear-end collisions.
“The contact owns a 2026 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving 75 MPH, the check engine warning light started flashing and the vehicle entered LIMP Mode. The contact pulled over, turned off, and restarted the vehicle, and the vehicle operated as i…”
“On March 19 I completed my 8,000 mile oil change and then drove to Florida. I had a warning light to change my oil since the company did not reset it. Unsure of the other warning lights. As I was driving in Florida on the interstate the car started having iss…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN9,967
- 02ENGINE4,861
- 03ELECTRICAL SYSTEM3,474
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER3,211
- 05STRUCTURE1,485
The transmission may fail to engage park, leaving the truck stuck in drive when shut off. Turbo wastegate issues cause loss of power, and some trucks experience sudden unintended acceleration.
Engine problems include oil-related failures and the same park pawl issue as the powertrain, where the vehicle won't lock into park, posing a roll-away risk.
Complete loss of power while driving—including brakes, steering, and airbags—has been reported. ABS system noise and malfunction after recall repairs are also noted.
“When I am parking the truck, I press and hold the brake pedal, While the truck shifter in in "Drive", I press the start/stop button to shut truck down, the shifter gets stuck in "drive" and doesn't automatically shift in to park. The truck locks down and will…”
“My truck is a 2025 Ford F150 STX with 5,900 miles on it. This truck was purchased new at River City Ford in Lavalette, WV The component in questions seems to be involved with the turbos and more specifically the wastegate that attached to the turbos. Also, ye…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
KIA Sorento — 30 recalls
The defect: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 Telluride and 2026 Sorento vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with an incorrect spare tire which, when installed, can impair the anti-lock braking system (ABS) and the traction control system (TCS). As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the…
The risk: Anti-lock braking or traction control systems that do not function properly can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the spare wheel and tire assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 3, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC355. Vehicle Iden…
The defect: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 Kia K4, 2025-2026 Sorento, Sorento Hybrid, Sorento Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV), 2026 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage PHEV, K5, EV9, Carnival, and Carnival Hybrid vehicles. Due to a software error, the instrument panel display may fail. As suc…
The risk: An instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer, tire pressure, or warning lights, increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: The instrument panel display software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed March 26, 2026. Owners may contact Kia Customer Service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's…
The defect: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2024 Sorento vehicles. The motor driven power steering (MDPS) wiring harness may be incorrectly assembled, which can result in a loss of power steering assist.
The risk: A loss of power steering assist increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and repair, or replace the MDPS wiring harness as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 7, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall i…
The defect: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Sorento, 2025 Sorento Hybrid, and 2025 Sorento Plug-In Hybrid vehicles. A software error in the Body Domain Control Unit (BDC) may cause a loss of low beam headlights and taillights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements…
The risk: A loss of headlights and taillights can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the BDC software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 21, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC331.
FORD F 150 — 141 recalls
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2026 F-150, 2022-2026 F-250 SD, F-350 SD, F-450 SD, F-550 SD, Maverick, 2024-2026 Ranger, 2023-2026 F-600 SD, 2022-2027 Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, and 2026 E-Transit vehicles. When towing a trailer, the integrated trailer module (ITRM) may los…
The risk: Trailer lights or brakes that do not function can reduce the driver’s ability to control the trailer and decrease the trailers visibility to other road users, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: The integrated trailer module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 25, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2025 F-150, 2024 Expedition and 2024 Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with a 3.5L GTDI engine. The engines may have a misaligned engine cup plug, which can result in a rapid oil leak.
The risk: A rapid oil leak can result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, an oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
The fix: Dealers will inspect the engine cup plug alignment, and replace the plug if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 23, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for th…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2025 F-150, Bronco, 2024 Ranger, 2025 Mustang, Explorer, and Aviator vehicles. The transmission valve body may have been machined incorrectly, which can cause reverse gear failure, or unexpected forward movement in reverse or neutral gear.
The risk: Unexpected vehicle movement increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the transmission main control valve body, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 11, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S19.
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2025 F-150, Expedition, and 2024 Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with 3.5L GTDI engines. The engine may have a misaligned engine cup plug, which can result in a rapid oil leak.
The risk: A rapid oil leak can result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, an oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
The fix: Dealers will inspect the engine cup plug alignment, and replace the plug if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 22, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this…
Buyer analysis
KIA Sorento or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Kia Sorento has far fewer complaints per year (200 vs. 2,755) and fewer recalls (30 vs. 141). In practice, this means a Sorento owner is less likely to encounter a serious safety-related failure, though engine and transmission issues still require vigilance.
Key differences
- The F-150 has over 13 times more complaints per year than the Sorento, with powertrain issues alone exceeding the Sorento's total complaints.
- F-150 owners report sudden loss of all power while driving, including brakes and steering; Sorento owners report limp mode and camera failures.
- The F-150 has 141 recalls vs. 30 for the Sorento, indicating more widespread safety defects.
- Sorento engine complaints often involve limp mode at highway speeds; F-150 engine complaints include turbo wastegate failures and oil issues.
- Check for any check engine light history and ask if the engine has ever entered limp mode.
- Test the reverse camera multiple times to ensure it consistently displays an image.
- Verify the transmission shifts into park every time and does not stick in drive when shutting off.
- Ask if the truck has ever experienced a complete loss of power while driving, and check for ABS noise after brake booster recall work.
Before you buy
- Obtain the vehicle's VIN and check NHTSA.gov for open recalls on both models.
- Test drive the Sorento at highway speeds to feel for transmission hesitation or engine stumbling.
- On the F-150, test the park function by shutting off the engine in drive and ensuring it shifts to park.
- Inspect the Sorento's infotainment system for camera and electrical glitches during a test drive.
- For the F-150, check service records for any turbo or transmission repairs.
Year by year
Which model years to avoid
Complaints per model year for both vehicles — lower is better. The spikes are the years to scrutinize.
| Year | KIA Sorento | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 4 | 9 |
| 2025 | 67 | 320 |
| 2024 | 36 | 597 |
| 2023 | 109 | 1448 |
| 2022 | 183 | 3290 |
| 2021 | 21 | 4938 |
| 2020 | 130 | 2530 |
| 2019 | 418 | 5718 |
| 2018 | 248 | 5505 |
| 2017 | 788 | 3198 |
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific KIA Sorento or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- KIA Sorento vs FORD F 150
- KIA Sorento total complaints
- 2,004
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 27,553
- KIA Sorento total recalls
- 30
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 141
- KIA Sorento avg complaints/year
- 200.4
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 2755.3
- More reliable overall
- KIA Sorento
- KIA Sorento top complaint area
- ENGINE
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN