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:
8 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
6 / 0
Average Mileage:
54,811 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.
My neighbor bumped the back of the Kia with his Buick no visible damage to either cars bumpers the Kia was in park no one was in it the Kia it then started moving down the street it rolled about 400 yards went thru some hedges and then stopped in a neighbors yard no injurys but the vehicle was in park the whole time, I took the Kia to the local Kia dealer they had the vehicle 4 days and couldn't replicate what happened I told them I had read about a recall with a similar problem they said my VIN # wasn't part of it I feel Kia should adress this it wasn't imagined there were 3 or 4 neghbors that saw the empty vehicle just rolling down the street a responce would be appreciated thank you
While driving anywhere above 35 mph upon slowing down and the car downshifting the car jolts a loud bang/pop is heard the car lunges you forward it's quite violent I've taken to the dealer over 10 times and they just say they notice the popping but nothing is wrong they also said they took it for a test drive to test the unbelievably hard down shift. I watched them their test drive was from the front of the parking lot to the rear. They never went above 25 mph so they never tested the down shift it's happened for a very long time now and they just keep denying it I also had the top end of the motor go out at 5000 miles and feel like they are just avoiding it being a lemon.
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Sorento. While the vehicle was in the park position, it rolled away and crashed into a tree. The contact stated that the vehicle was recalled per NHTSA campaign number: 15V626000 (power train). The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed and there were no injuries. The vehicle was not towed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while the vehicle was operating, an abnormal ticking noise came from the front hood of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was undecided if the exact part was the piston and the lower racket arm that needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,388. Updated 06/22/17
For over a year now and happening more frequently, almost every day, when accelerating at 35-40 mph there is a hesitation and then a jerk in the transmission. Also, when foot is taken off the accelerator it feels like the car is going to die. This happens when driving in the city and the highways. I told the dealer every time I went in for a oil change. Informed dealer last week and I was told I still had time (warranty).
- Chicago, IL, USA
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A whirring/whining noise from transmission/drive shaft area when driving above 20 M.P.H., going straight ahead' on smooth pavement. I just purchased this car from a Kia dealer and a search does not show that NHTSA action # PE11010 was ever done. Campaign id# is11V258000. Please advise as soon as possible.
The transmission is banging even when not shifting. I was driving and heard a bang and a jolt, I thought I hit something, but there was nothing around me. It's starting to happen more often. I think there's something wrong with the transmission. I looked online and found a bunch of complaints for the same thing. I don't feel I should have to pay for a defective transmission when it appears it's a common problem.
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Sorento. While attempting to open the passenger side door from outside the vehicle, the lock failed to open the door. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact also received notification of NHTSA campaign numbers: 156260000 (power train) and 13V114000 (service brakes, hydraulic, exterior lighting). The part needed for the repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 78,000.
I was informed brake lights were not illuminating. Electric stability control idiot light showed up on dashboard right before being informed. Car is also not shifting into park or reverse. Drive gear seems ok.
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Sorento. While attempting to shift the vehicle into any gear, a loud popping noise could be heard from the front passenger side of the vehicle. When the brake pedal was released, the vehicle would not move forward and rolled backwards. The contact mentioned that the vehicle had to be turned off and restarted in order to resume normal operation. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 11V258000 (power train). The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The VIN was invalid. The failure mileage was 79,000.
Vehicle started grinding with no prior issues at a stop sign. Would not move at all. Towed to mechanic and was told that the intermediate shaft had broken. Found previous recalls for this exact problem on other 2011 Kia Sorento 2 wheel drive 4 cylinder models, the exact same make, model, and year as our own. Called Kia and was informed that there was indeed a recall, however it was not in effect for my VIN. The same model, year, everything. Just not my VIN. Very expensive repair that will likely require the replacement of the transmission. Kia is aware of a problem with these intermediate shafts and is not properly repairing thousands of vehicles.
Vehicle suddenly lost power while turning out of church parking lot. Applying accel pedal barely powered the vehicle but made metallic grinding noise. Pulled over and put vehicle in park, but park did not stop vehicle from rolling downhill. Parking brake was applied until vehicle could be towed home. On inspection, right drive shaft and transmission output gear were both found to have worn. There was a recall and service had already been performed on the vehicle to prevent this failure (RC079-Sorento (xm) intermediate shaft repair (2wd vehicles).
Headlight low beam bulbs are burning out at the rate of one (1) to two (2) weeks. The left bulb burned out a couple of years ago. Approximately a month ago both of the low beam bulbs burned out at night when my wife was driving home from church. She almost wrecked before she turned the lights on high beam. Since then the left side bulb had burned out twice. I have replace these bulbs at a cost of approximately $15 each. I am afraid that the lights are going to go out when driving when it is not possible to change to high beam. The last bulb burned out just last night when it was dark.
2011 Sorento shift really hard, sometimes I have to force it to shift by lowering speed, sometimes it does not want to shift at all and then my engine light comes on, then shifts really hard and wants to stop on me as I am driving. Sometimes at a light it does die, but then start back up. One time it would not go even with pushing the gas all the way down.
Having trouble with service dept of local dealer regarding driver's side axle as it enters the drivers side transmission case. Dealer tells me it's normal for this amount of "play" - they say it is designed this way for going over bumps - don't believe them at all as I know that the cv joint handles the bumps. I know that the shaft and the bearing are a very precise fit and there should not be any play. There is a grinding noise when slowing down and a fluttering/clicking noise when I pop the vehicle in neutral at about 50 mph (this is probably the splines on the end of the shaft not mating into the differential correctly - misaligned - because the bearing has failed). Dealer keeps telling us it's either our brakes or tires. They have checked the brakes 4 times already and found nothing but they do acknowledge the grinding noise is still there. This vehicle is dangerous to drive in this condition as the symptoms keep getting worse. It has been at the dealer's service department this time for 6 days already. The vehicle is still under the 100,000 Kia drive train warranty (vehicle has 91,000 miles on it). I have sent the video along with this same note to NHTSA.webmaster@dot.gov. Would like your opinion of what the amount of movement signifies on the axle as shown in the video - pretty sure it is evidence of a failed bearing (which has led to further damage within to the differential and shaft splines). Thank you!
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Sorento. While driving, the contact heard an abnormal noise underneath the vehicle. When the vehicle was parked and restarted, it failed to engage in gear. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the transmission failed and needed to be repaired. The vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 11V258000 (power train). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 85,000.
At 68,000 miles the oil pressure sensor (part #94750-37100) failed and caused a sudden and immediate loss of all engine oil. In the half mile it took us to safely pull over the oil pressure light activated and the dip stick read bone dry. I have researched the issue and found it to be a common problem with Kia's, a recall should be issued to replace the part with a better engineered version. Had we not been alert / aware of what was going on the engine could have seized and all power could have been lost while in motion.
While driving along a rural road at 50 to 55 mph, on five separate occasions over the last 3 years, our 2011 Kia Sorento has suddenly and harshly downshifted from sixth gear to about fourth gear. When this occurs, the jar is similar to having hit a large animal in the road and the entire car shakes. The transmission will not shift up or down after this event and stays in that lower gear until the vehicle is turned off, then turned back on. After doing so, the transmission shifts properly. The vehicle has been to the dealer four times, two of which there were no codes showing from transmission operation. A transmission temperature sensor was replaced, with no further events for over a year. The latest episode delivered a code P0748 and the service technician completed a tsb038 tcm upgrade. The vehicle has only 27,000 miles.
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the service engine warning light randomly flashed. While the vehicle was in park or in gear, there was an abnormal noise heard near the engine. The contact stated that there was a build up of sludge near the axle and it was uncertain what type of fluid may have been releasing. The manufacturer stated that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 11V258000 (power train). The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The VIN was included in NHTSA campaign number: 15V626000 (power train). The approximate failure mileage was 91,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Pittsburgh, PA, USA