CarComplaints.com Notes: Kia really changed the design of the Sorento in the 2011 model year. Instead of a truck-like body-on-frame more capable of offroad adventures, the newest Sorento is a unibody construction and is much more crossover than sport utility. The changes brought a whole slew of problems, including a frustrating problem where the door that won’t open. Is it too late to go back?

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 8
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
65,951 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2011 Kia Sorento body / paint problems

body / paint problem

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2011 Kia Sorento Owner Comments (Page 1 of 12)

problem #229

May 102024

Sorento

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

My vehicle has the Snow White Pearl paint on it, and it has been peeling from years. I have taken this to a number of body shops and they say its a factory defect. Kia acknowledges that it is a defect and have offered if I got it fixed to submit a case to see if they would reimburse it, however, this is over 10k out of pocket.

- Newburgh, IN, USA

problem #228

Dec 272022

Sorento

  • miles
12-29-2023, the Kia Sorento started smoking on the way home. When I got home I opened the hood and saw fire. I put the fire out with a fire extinguisher. On 1-9-2024, I made an appointment with Archer Kia and had the car towed there for a diagnosis. After a month with no response, the service manager at Kia advised me to contact Kia Corporation. I spoke to a representative and was assigned a case number. The representative stated that I should have gotten a software update but could not produce any information that I received a recall notice for the software update. All recall notices that I received were addressed and oil changes were regularly done at a major retail store. I was told that an investigation would be done and that I would be contacted. I didn-??t receive a response for two months. I called Kia Corporation and was told that they sent information to an address that belonged to my mother which was calling her number instead of calling me. It was never determined why the information was sent to my mother. The car had been registered to my address for over 10 years. Once we established the correct information, I was asked to send service records. I was sent a letter before the representative received the service records stating that the cause of the fire was normal wear and tear. I went to the Archer Kia dealership to talk about the next step. The service manager stated that Kia didn-??t send him anything so I waited. This was May 2023. January 2024, I contacted Archia Kia for information. They had received a decline notice to replace the motor. I called Kia Corporation again. I discovered that the original representative no longer worked there. The new representative wanted to call the dealership on a three way call. The service manager was not available and the representative told me he would call me back. In February 2024, I received a recall notice concerning the software issue and a notice stating that the car could catch on fire. In March 2024, I rec

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #227

Jan 032024

Sorento

  • miles
Both passenger doors and the driver door will not open from the outside. All three have malfunctioned out of nowhere for no reason.

- Rio Grande, NJ, USA

problem #226

Aug 172023

Sorento

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Exhaust system flex pipe was repaired and the next day the exhaust muffler/ resonator failed at the seam, causing hot gases to escape into the undercarriage and melt the lower bumper cover assembly on the right passenger side. See photos attached.

- Leominster, MA, USA

problem #225

Feb 192024

Sorento

  • miles
The rear frame on my 2011 kia sorento rusted and broke.

- Georgetown , KY, USA

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problem #224

May 152023

Sorento

  • 173,719 miles
Both rear doors will not open from the outside. Driver rear door had child lock engaged when outside latch stopped working making the door completely inoperable. Upon contacting Kia consumer affairs it was stated that although both front door actuators are covered under a campaign number the rear doors are not covered. Kia consumer affairs refused to cover replacement of rear door actuators. Due to both rear doors being inoperable from the outside if an accident was to occurs while my children were in the vehicle emergency personal would not be able to get to them. No warning lamps or prior warning of fault before part malfunction.

- Tracy, CA, USA

problem #223

Oct 012021

Sorento

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Exterior pearl white paint is rapidly delaminating and causing severe rusting of the body in many places. This is NOT due to any scratches, dents or crashes. Kia corporate is aware of the defect and it appears to be a serious manufacturing defect in the primer or paint. I understand there are hundreds, if not tens of thousands, of Kia vehicles affected who have reported this. A recall needs to be issued as this is a major defect and body shops insist that the only fix is a complete paint strip and repainting of the entire car. The paint is bubbling up and/or coming off in sheets. New places pop up all the time and the rust is damaging the body. This started about 2 years ago and is continually getting worse.

- Katy, TX, USA

problem #222

Sep 252023

Sorento

  • miles
Rear passenger door will not open from outside. Have been told other Kias have had recalls due to this. Also radio will not work and stays on a static screen. And makes driving at night worse by being blinded by the radio screen( gets bright white)

- Grayslake, IL, USA

problem #221

May 312023

Sorento

  • miles
Both rear doors do not open from the outside and only the passenger rear door will open from the inside, leaving the driver side rear, not accessible from the inside or the outside. The middle row of seats do not adjust backwards or forwards. The controls on the steering wheel do not work at all.

- Sesser, IL, USA

problem #220

May 032018

Sorento

  • miles
Paint is flaking off

- Franklin, TN, USA

problem #219

Aug 152016

Sorento

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

None of my doors will open from the outside all of them have broken. How will someone get me out of the car if I am in an accident and unconscious or hurt and can-??t open the car myself. Why has not been recalled yet

- Sebastian, FL, USA

problem #218

Jan 092023

Sorento 6-cyl

  • miles
3 out of 4 doors will not open from the outside, only one that works is front passenger side. So I am forced to crawl in lean across open drivers door shove it open then get out run around to drivers side to get in (hoping the wind does not blow it closed before I get there) I have injured my back doing this, I am vey upset. I called Taylor Kia in Lima twice and no one will call me back. I have read on line this is a frequent problem with the 2011 model but no recall"?" This is in deed a safety hazard, as if I had my grandchildren with me and something happened I would be unable to get the doors open to get them out! There were no warnings, the 2 back doors happened a couple weeks ago within a few days of one another, Drivers door just happened 2 weeks ago. This is the second time I have written/emailed you. My car has just under 90,000 miles. I should not have to pay out of my own pocket for something that is faulty by manufacturer! Thank you, I would appreciate a response.

- Wapakoneta, OH, USA

problem #217

Jan 062023

Sorento

  • miles
My 2011 Kia Sorento caught fire while parked outside in parking lot overnight while I slept the police an fire department said my vin had two active recalls on it it started fire on its own without even being driven now I-??m out of a car

- Cleveland , OH, USA

problem #216

Sep 292022

Sorento

  • miles
First the driver door won't open from the outside. I called Kia and they said the vehicle was inspected and they didn't find anything wrong at the time, this was before I purchased the vehicle. Second while driving the vehicle, I noticed when making a left turn the headlights would turn off while driving. I turned the headlight switch from auto on to the on position they came back on then kept on blinking on and off when I hit a bump in the road. I noticed they flicker when I'm behind another vehicle at a stop light. This is a very dangerous situation if someone doesn't see you making a turn or something.

- Alexandria, VA, USA

problem #215

Jul 012020

Sorento

  • miles
The clear paint is peeling off. My paint began peeling in a tiny spot, it looked like a tiny chip of paint the size of a piece of rice but rapidly began peeling all over.

- Clarksburg, MD, USA

problem #214

Jun 082016

Sorento

  • miles
Paint is faulty and peeling rapidly.

- Franklin, TN, USA

problem #213

May 292022

Sorento

  • miles
My rear doors are locked and will only open from the inside. This is very frustrating and I believe very dangerous

- Wapakoneta, OH, USA

problem #212

May 102017

Sorento

  • miles
Snow White Pearl exterior paint coming off in chunks, progressively getting worse and worse along top roof where front windshield is and along the bottom where the rear windshield is. It literally bubbles up and flakes completely off exposing the body. This has been continually going on for years without resolve and there is no way to stop the issue.

- Peachtree City , GA, USA

problem #211

Jun 012021

Sorento

  • miles
The paint is peeling off down to the metal. On the roof (front and back) and on the hood.

- Lizella, GA, USA

problem #210

Jan 042022

Sorento

  • miles
Both front and rear passenger side doors do not open from the outside. Both failed within days of each other. There have been no incidents that would have caused this. This appears to be a widespread issue with Sorentos that has been going on for years.

- Circle Pines, MN, USA

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