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:
1 / 5
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
74,280 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.
Low beam headlamps are failing due to wiring harness melting causing a short. This a safety issue for visibility at night and could start a fire in the engine compartment. This problem was identified when driving on the I-17 in North phoenix and verified once we got home. The harness was replaced by a certified mechanic twice and both times the harness melted. Oe headlamps are being used.currently, we have no driver side headlamp due to a concern for fire.
Headlight housing has become overheated and melted causing me to replace one headlight at $900. When it happened again I spliced the new housing yet the bulb keeps blowing needing replaced. There is knocking in the engine that gets worse when my speed increases and have been told that it sounds like the engine is not getting enough oil. The head gasket has been replaced and it still seems to be burning or losing oil. The indicator lights on the dashboard all randomly come on and then go off. While driving the car seemed to lose power at times then would die at a stop light. This all has been going on for the past six months or more. In the past year I have paid $1900 plus on random repairs
Both low headlight bulbs have gone out many times. Despite being replaced, they continue not to work. The wiring seems to have a short in it because when it is wiggled the light comes on but goes right back out. The socket is very hot to touch and smells hot. I'm afraid the wiring will cause a fire. This has happened to both front low beam lights. Most recently today to the passenger side light. I currently have two non workable low lights
2011 Kia Sorento 116,000. Regularly maintained.the first problem was the driver side back door will not open from the outside, that happened about 6 months ago. Now, my driver side door won't open from the outside. In addition, recently my car has just shut off while driving; foot on the gas at it is not doing anything (no engine light). We park it, shut it off and restart and it will work fine for a while. There is some sort of acceleration problem. I can stop at stop sign and lightly increase my speed and it will tug like engine. No accidents. This is a huge safety concern with having 2 small children in the back seat. If I were in an accident, I would not be able to get my child out of the back. If I was in accident, someone couldn't help me or my children. This to me is very serious! Sept 2017 date of back door issue not opening from outside. 3/22/18 drivers door not opening from outside. Car shutting off and not working properly as been since about Jan/2018. There is something wrong with headlights too. Since 1/2017, bulbs are good but they just work for a while and then one or the other stops working out of nowhere.
- Mesquite, TX, USA
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While returning from my aunts funeral in Kansas, making my way to Georgia. The car began to slow down and stop, on the highway. Then it cut off, wouldn't start or move. There was this whining and clanking sound, white smoke and fire shot out from under the car, as I was told by a person that was passing by, he stopped to make sure that I got out of the car. It just got to 130,000 miles. Had it towed to a shop and was told that the engine was gone.
Purchased 2011 sorrento from dealer in 2011. Airbag light illuminated since 70K miles. Also, ABS light illuminated about one year ago - took in for ABS recall with set appointment and was turned away as dealer did not have 'the tool needed '' to perform recall that day. Also, dbc and ESC indicator light have been on for years. Finally, within first year of purchase gear shift would jam and not into park. Dealer instructed me over the telephone how to manipulate and fix which worked.
My 2011 Kia sorrento parking lights stopped working. Mechanic stated that wire harness had to be replaced from turn signal switch/inside steering column and down through to rear lights. He stated that the area was packed with dirt and debris even into the headlight assemble. Mechanic couldn't figure out why the area was so packed with dirt and water. Total repair cost $398
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 have had to replace the head lights on my vehicle long before they should have ever been needed to. In fact I literally just got it back from dealer today after they did recalls on the vehicle and the driver side is out, which was replaced by auto zone not even a month ago. The side blinker that is next to the headlight is also out now too. I'm not sure of they knocked something loose, but it was working this morning. However, now reading the other complaints about the headlights burning out too quickly, I'm starting to wonder.
I have had my 2011 Kia Sorento for 2 years now and at about 115K miles after starting the car the air bag indicator light came on and will not go off. After researching, it appears that this is a common problem. I suggest that Kia looks into this and issues a recall since this is a obvious problem and I like others carry children as passengers and do not feel safe anymore and am looking into other auto manufacturers.
Left low beem light is out in my car it is a new bulb.this is the 2nd time it has happened also the lights go out for no reasion I will be driving and they go out, I have to use the on and off lever flick it multipal times to get themto come back on I have taken it to dealler 4 times they cant find out why it dose it also last night for some resion my right door will not open from out side nor the driver side rear door is doing the same thing as of last night "???????"
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.
For the second time in the past 3 years, the passenger side low beam headlight socket has melted, making the low beam headlight non-functional. I do not use my low beams as daytime running lights and, after the first meltdown of the socket, I consciously tried to use the headlights sparingly. The manual references a 55 watt replacement bulb and that is what I am using. The auto parts store clerk also looked up the replacement bulb and guided me to the bulb I am using. I am concerned the melted socket could cause a fire and, therefore, I fear driving the vehicle at night, in the rain, or at any other time low beams are required. My mechanic thought it is a voltage problem. With a 6-year old vehicle and nearly 150,000 miles, I am reluctant to sink a large sum of money into repairs. Given this is the third time the sockets have melted (2X passenger side; 1X driver side), I believe this is a chronic issue that Kia should address. A simple internet search reveals this problem is not an issue solely with my Sorento, but is a more widespread problem.
4 months ago, both low beam headlights burned out at the exact same time. I replaced both. This morning, the passenger side low beam headlight burned out. I will replace it this evening. 2011 Kia Sorento ex, V6, auto trans, no towing package.
My car was out of warranty by 2 weeks. I had a problem with the headlights. I had the driver's side head lamp assembly replaced and then the passenger side went out due to a bulb issue it burnt out. I took the car to dealer and he said it was not a Kia bulb. That is ridiculous. Bulbs are the same wattage. I took the car to my mechanic and he said that was stupid it should burn. He said the funny thing was the head beam light was burnt too and that was a Kia bulb. There are more complaints on-line about this issue. This is a safety issue and needs to be taken care of.
Original owner '11 Sorento 4cyl, AWD w/tow package & approx 88K miles. Problem 1st noticed about 2 mos ago when seat belt light began flashing with audible clicking coming from relay behind dash. It was daytime when this happened 1st few times & I could not duplicate problem. This issue seemed to happen after starting car & would go away after a few moments of driving. Releasing & re-connecting seat belt had no effect. The 1st time it happened @ night I realized that the headlights & dash lights would flash on & off also. Still could not duplicate problem, but being a mechanic I watched for it to happen and tried different things to see if they had any effect on the issue. Always would begin after initially starting car, but not do it most times. Then 3 evenings ago, I found it happening every time I would start the car & would even do it afterwards driving down the road. I was 70 miles from home & tried to get back. It didn't matter whether the headlight switch was on, off or auto, it would still flash all lights & seatbelt light w/clicking from relay. On the way home, while driving a rural road, the lights again started blinking on & off causing me to hit a metal pole a drainage ditch thru farmer's fence into his field. Accident pushed metal bumper (behind bumper cover) back about 12", tore the entire front end &lights from car & bent hood back 1 1/2 feet and buckled it upward - all of this without ever deploying the airbag.these problems are prevalent in this car as I have read, but I now have a vehicle which despite it's damage will now duplicate the lights going on & off every time the car is turned on. Have contacted Kia Corp in hopes that they will want to use my car to get to the cause of this issue & finally correct it. As a mechanic I very well understand the need to be able to duplicate problem to find cause..... Kia now has no excuse.
The bulbs for the low beam headlights have been "burning out" at the rate of once a month. Last month, the entire assembly plugin to the bulb was melted due to "a poor contact" or short in the wiring". unfortunately they said I need an entire headlight assembly (about a $400 part and $250 labor) as they won't just sell the connection plug. Frustrated I found a great mechanic who cut and spliced a new connection plug and it seems to be working. However the concern is that there is still a "short" in the wiring and will eventually do the same thing to the new plug. I have now had the same issue with the other side and am hoping that someone else has found the source of the problem. The other complaint is that this is not covered by the any warranty. There have been numerous complaints about this isse and I stillhave not seen a recall from Kia. This is my 2nd Kia and I am rethinking about buying another unless this issue is resolved.
Low beam headlights keep burning out.it in started Aug of 2014. Frist one headlight than a month later the other side would go out. Changing the bulb seamed to fix the problem. Then the left headlight would turn off and than back on while driving. Then left light quit working all together six months ago. Right side bulb burns out every two month. Today no lights and when I went to change the bulb on the right side, the pigtail/ light socket was half melted. This seams to be a on going problem with this car. There is five other complaints on the safercar.gov site about this. This needs to be recalled and fixed before someone loses thier light at night and are hurt.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Phoenix, AZ, USA