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 / 9
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
55,668 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.
Rear parking brakes never worked. Using my shift gear for parking. Now front door is not opening from outside. Went to forum on internet about this issue. Thousands of Kia Sorento 2011 owners has same issue with the door. If we go to Kia, they charge $400 for one door lock! crazy! so many Kia owners don, T want a Kia anymore. Me either
Taka recall- vechicle has stalled on the highway/streets while driving several times, example I could be in the middle of driving and the car just completely slows down, almost causing accidents which can be very serious. I have taken the car back to the dealer and they said there's nothing wrong, clearly there's and issue with the car. I have been reading storys with consumers having the same issues that I'm having. Kia has not issued a recall which is sad due to the many complaints and life threading situations this has put people in. I'm in the process of hiring and attorney to look into this because no one is giving me answers. Not sure what it could be but I've ask around and some say it sounds like a transmission issue I need answers
I was driving on the freeway then heard a very loud explosion. By the time I realized what it was I was home. Kia isn't taking responsibility for what happened so only having one vehicle I have to pay for it.
I was going to my sister-in-laws house to pick up my son. While going about 55mph down a rural road I seen a flash on the road that seemed to come from the front left tire and realized my Kia had caught fire. I pulled to the side of the road and immediately ran to the nearest house for help. It was only a matter of seconds and my whole vehicle was on fire.
My horn stopped working. My transmission went completely out and was repaired a little after a year the transmission completely went out again. The vehicle also stops accelerating. The sorrento seem like a hazardous vehicle and I can't believe there are absolutely no recalls on certain issues. I have read other issues and I'm seeing I'm not the only one with the same issues.
- St Rose, LA, USA
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Loud noise coming from right front wheel while vehicle driving on highway and once vehicle is in park on side of road. No inducator lights lights show in dash.
My rear driver side door stopped opening from the outside a few months ago - child lock is not on. Yesterday, my drivers side door stopped opening. Apparently this is a major issue with the Kia Sorento. What would I do if I was in accident and can't physically get in car to get my child out. This is beyond dangerous and unsafe. A recall needs to happen immediately.
Air bag light has been on for about a year, dealership did not know how to fix problem and told me it was a part of a recall issue but was never fixed. Last month my engine locked up on me while driving on highway, upon my husband and police getting there to assist, I was informed that there was no oil in my reservoir, my husband bought oil only to return and notice that drain plug was not in place, engine is burnt up and my insurance neither dealership where truck was serviced wants to assist me with cost! I don't have $7,752 for a new engine!
I saw on news media about the Kia Sorento vehicle's catching on fire while driving now this concerns me because I have children in my car 24/7 and I do travel out of state to visit family. Why has there been no mention or recalls on this problem? I feel as though I'm driving a ticking time bomb.
On the morning of November 13, 2018, myself, my daughter and son N law went to leave her home and my Kia Sorento didnt want to start, when it finally did start we were about 45 minutes into our travel and pulled off at a rest area, shut the car off, and there was this awful burning smell, kinda smelled like rubber to us. We let car cool off and began our travelling. There had been several previous times before this date that my Kia had not wanted to start and the lights and gauges would flash on and off. I have owned this vehicle going on 3 years now, and have had the struts literally break on me, the emergency brake part replaced twice now, the day I bought the car antifreeze was leaking out of it and I never got to drive it off the lot the day I bought it. There has been multiple issues but car dealership tells me the car is fine. 'the burning smell is the complaint I am worried about"
All controls on steering wheel stopped working around 120,000 miles. Bluetooth, radio controls and cruise control. All power sockets and usb socket stopped working around 110,000 miles. Whining sound coming from engine area when car is on started around 128,000 miles.
Was involved in a car fire that was a total loss of the car. It was my daughter, myself and 4 dogs heading to see my dad in wiggins, Colorado. If need my daughter has photos of the car fire as well as videos.
Motor mounts are broke. I need to replace 3 of them. This isn't normal at all. The car has never been wrecked. The paint keeps peeling off. I repainted 1 X on an area, Kia is aware. I took to them and they said Kia wasn't responsible (but, I disagree). I paid over 30,000 for this Kia.., body shop couldn't guarantee due to the paint job Kia did on my automobile. Now the paint is peeling on other spots.
I was driving on the highway going straight without any obstructions (bridge, etc.) in sight. Without warning the front sunroof of my car exploded, shattering the glass. No debris hit the car to cause the damage. There was no change in temperature throughout the day to cause temperature stress on the glass. It exploded without cause. Had the cloth cover not been covering it at that moment, the glass would have fallen directly on top of me.
I am issuing a complaint because there are tons of reports about my make/model catching fire and steering issues. I do not feel safe driving my car, especially with my son in the car with me. Something needs to be done, or these cars need to be discontinued!
Door will not open! this is unacceptable in an emergency situation, it is clearly a known issue on these vehicles. It will not open from the outside and if you had the child lock engaged, it will not open from the inside either. Fortunately I did not have the child lock engaged so I can still open the door from the inside, but now that I know it's a common issue I'm afraid it will happen on my other doors and I do have a child, so the child locks are sometimes used. Car was parked at the time, I closed the door and the next time the handle would not open it.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Glenview, IL, USA