KIA transmission problems

Owners have filed 4,227 complaints with NHTSA about the transmission on KIA vehicles — 100% of everything reported about the brand, across 41 models. The model that accounts for most of them is the KIA Sorento, worst in 2011.

These are raw counts. A model that sold in millions appears near the top for that reason alone — the grade never compares one model with another.

4,227

Complaints

100%

Share of all KIA complaints

149

Crashes

Fires

Which KIA models have the most transmission problems

Sorento 1,172 27.7%

Worst in 2011

Optima 506 12.0%

Worst in 2016

Sportage 484 11.5%

Worst in 1998

Soul 426 10.1%

Worst in 2020

Sephia 293 6.9%

Worst in 1999

Forte 216 5.1%

Worst in 2019

Telluride 171 4.0%

Worst in 2020

Sedona 115 2.7%

Worst in 2006

RIO 98 2.3%

Worst in 2001

EV6 96 2.3%

Worst in 2022

Seltos 86 2.0%

Worst in 2021

Spectra 84 2.0%

Worst in 2004

Niro 81 1.9%

Worst in 2019

K5 57 1.3%

Worst in 2022

Amanti 39 0.9%

Worst in 2006

Optima Hybrid 32 0.8%

Worst in 2012

Niro Phev 26 0.6%

Worst in 2019

Sorento Hybrid 26 0.6%

Worst in 2025

Worst KIA model years for transmission problems

Vehicle	Complaints	Share of that year	Median miles	Grade
2011 KIA Sorento	266	13%	34,000	B
2021 KIA Sorento	133	36%	63,750	D
2016 KIA Sorento	124	8%	73,000	C
2020 KIA Soul	89	17%	8,850	C
1999 KIA Sephia	78	10%	31,000	C
2016 KIA Optima	73	7%	50,000	A
1998 KIA Sportage	71	13%	85,000	B
2014 KIA Sorento	71	5%	70,000	A
2020 KIA Telluride	70	7%	6,438	B
1998 KIA Sephia	69	7%	42,000	C
2013 KIA Sorento	69	5%	55,768	B
2021 KIA Seltos	67	13%	6,700	B
2013 KIA Optima	64	3%	64,837	B
2022 KIA Sorento	63	22%	21,067	C
1999 KIA Sportage	62	13%	67,500	B
2016 KIA Soul	61	5%	74,500	A
2015 KIA Soul	60	5%	92,640	C
2014 KIA Soul	57	5%	76,400	B
2012 KIA Sorento	56	5%	31,000	C
2012 KIA Optima	54	4%	78,992	A

KIA transmission problems

Which KIA models have the most transmission problems

Worst KIA model years for transmission problems

Other KIA problems

Transmission problems on other brands