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:
3 / 18
Injuries / Deaths:
7 / 0
Average Mileage:
63,272 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 electrical problems

electrical problem

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2011 Kia Sorento Owner Comments (Page 3 of 12)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #186

Feb 132021

Sorento

  • miles

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

My alternator went out and Kia replaced it, I was still under warranty within 15 months the second alternator went out on the freeway traveling at 70 M hr the car with no warning the car completely died on the inside lane no brakes, no gas, no lights, this was such a dangerous we could have been killed I had to pay over $900 to get this replaced, I'm constantly having to replace batteries and alternators I'm know for the 3rd time having to have this done again

- Bellingham, WA, USA

problem #185

Jan 132021

Sorento

  • 111,550 miles
Instrument panel warning lights all come on during driving. Shut vehile off and restart after several hour, restart and the warning lights are all off. They will all come back on again after a while when driving.this has been intermitent for two months

- Parishville, NY, USA

problem #184

Dec 242020

Sorento

  • 117,000 miles
The headlights will go off at sporadic times while driving. This condition is frightening, particularly at night since we live in a rural area with no street lights on many of the roads. It is extremely dangerous to find yourself in total darkness on country roads that have deep ditches on either side.

- Greenville, PA, USA

problem #183

Nov 182020

Sorento

  • 100,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2011 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that keyfob failed to unlock any of the doors on the vehicle. Due to the failure, the contact had the vehicle towed to napleton river oaks Kia (1951 river oaks dr, calumet city, il 60409) where a diagnostic test was still pending. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000. The VIN was not available.

- Dolton, IL, USA

problem #182

Oct 282020

Sorento

  • 155,000 miles
The driver side front door will not open from the outside of the vehicle. It is like the door is locked, however it is not locked. If I am in an accident or need to be taken out of the vehicle, no one will be able to open the door to get me out. It remains this way at all times; including when the car is stationary and in park. There is a warranty extension offered by Kia, but they are telling me this does not apply to all the VIN's!

- Everson, PA, USA

problem #181

Oct 102020

Sorento

  • 60,000 miles
Car has bucked or stalled on an intermittent basis for the last 60,000 miles (car now at 110K), to the degree that I wouldn't let my kids use the vehicle. As with other issues dealership claimed 'unable to recreate' leaving me with no fix for a potentially fatal safety issue. Car had shut down on I-84 in hartford ct, luckily I was able to do a restart quickly. Sorento model year 2011 has voluntary recall for computer issue that sounds similar but was told only certain vins were applicable, which should be explained as to why that would be. See attached pdf. Bucking on highway can be severe, engine light blinks but leaves no code. Dangerous and many instances on internet!

- Vernon, CT, USA

problem #180

Aug 032020

Sorento

  • 150,000 miles

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

Doors fail to open from the outside of vehicle. Headlight wiring harness will melt wiring for the light bulb and kill the lightbulb. Driver seat feels loose, however the bolts are as tight as they will go.

- Jacksonville, FL, USA

problem #179

Aug 122020

Sorento

  • 90,000 miles
Left blinker is fast after replacement and dim. Right headlight replaced and works temporarily if you unplug it ABS plug in.

- Westampton, NJ, USA

problem #178

Aug 142018

Sorento

  • 63,496 miles
Headlights dont work. Kept teplacing bulbs and still dont work. Brake lights same issue, teplace bulbs and lights dont work. Vehicle has had multiple problems with electrical. Ive had to replace the radio 3 times, the enginition had to be replaced. Since ive owned this vehicle I've had back to the garage multiple times for repairs and kept telling them there is an electrical problem but they dont want to admit it.

- Mcmurray, PA, USA

problem #177

Jul 272020

Sorento

  • 100,000 miles
While driving the car it will lose power and completely shut off it has happened on the highway, on regular streets, and when going up hills.. I am not able to do anything except hope that no one hits me and I can get it pulled off to the side of the road, and hope it will start again. Now the car started making a whining noise and has completely died and had to be towed because it will not start again. Everything is good battery, alternator, starter, relays/fuses.

- Tulsa, OK, USA

problem #176

Jul 282020

Sorento

  • 153,000 miles

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

Have to replace brakes and rotors 2-3 year;. brake caliper twice; replace headlights and taillights several times per year; back door won't open from inside or out.

- Milwaukee, WI, USA

problem #175

Jul 132020

Sorento 4-cyl

  • 126,101 miles
My vehicle shut off doing 70 mph on interstate and the dash lights all flickered

- Clarksville, TN, USA

problem #174

Jul 102020

Sorento

  • 163,900 miles
I've replaced the driver side low beam headlight 4 times in 2 months and the driver side front turn signal twice during the same span. There seems to be a short as the headlight will work until I use the turn signal while the headlights are on. The headlight burns out and then the turn signal only flashes when the switch for the headlights is off.

- Easley, SC, USA

problem #173

Jun 162020

Sorento 4-cyl

  • 135,000 miles
My car turned off on me twice while driving it on the streets, all lights went black.there was cars behind me, I was scared on getting hit. Dealership said it was a smart junking box causing the problem since some cables has corrosion. They have been recall on that and they don't want to take care of it. They send me a picture of the problem, and I see no corrosion. Now I'm scared driving my car and not knowing what the problem is. Especially when having my kids with me and driving at night, if that car turns off, it can cause a horrible crash.

- New Castle, DE, USA

problem #172

Feb 132019

Sorento 4-cyl

  • 65,000 miles
I was driving down a road at night with my family and I notice that the lights went out completely in a dark road which scared me because everything went completely black I quickly tried to pull over almost going into a ditch in fear that I might hit something or someone. I tried flicking on the headlights and I know that they would come on and then go off. I also notice that my call battery was drained im assuming in may be a short in the wiring.

- Riverview, FL, USA

problem #171

Feb 282020

Sorento

  • 89,162 miles
Two days later after buying the car we were driving it down the highway when I noticed that the rpms on the truck were going to high at 70 mph the RPM would be between 6 and 7 so I decide while driving to shift it to standard shift and in this particular truck the odometer shows what gear I am in and I could also shift it manually but the truck is stuck in 4th gear and at a complete stop the start doesnt seem to want to go at all and now it want go forwards or reverse. If I turn left or right signals the head lights go off. When I stopped at the gas station the passby person saw that it was a leak under the vehicle.

- Westwego, LA, USA

problem #170

Feb 142020

Sorento

  • 260,000 miles
Alternator has had to be replaced 4 times in less than 2 years... mechanic at pep boys said that he has seen several of this year make and model come in for the exact same problem...

- Passaic, NJ, USA

problem #169

Nov 012019

Sorento

  • miles
Headlight low beam light not working. Replaced bulb and within a few weeks, it would work intermittently. I could wiggle the connection and light would come back on. Then that no longer worked. I took the bulb out of the connection to replace and noticed the connection was melted where the bulb connects to the wire harness. I removed bulb until connection can be replaced.

- Culpeper, VA, USA

problem #168

Sep 302019

Sorento

  • 123,000 miles
Vehicle has consistently needed headlights replaced every 3 months. Vehicle lights will come on and or off while driving in the dark. This is a deadly safety hazard and should be remedied.

- Cincinnati, OH, USA

problem #167

Oct 022019

Sorento

  • 105,000 miles
Driver side rear passenger door does not open from the outside. When child lock is engaged, the door cannot be opened. Dealer indicated possible actuator failure. Vehicle has 106,000 miles and is out of warranty.

- Royersford, PA, USA

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