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.
My driver side 2011 Kia Sorento door handles stopped working on 05/27/2016. This is really frustrating, as I could open the door from inside but not from outside. I think it's a safety issue in case of an a accident/fire. This is a potential hazard for my family. Kia has to really step forward and replace this faulty mechanism. My car is just out of warranty and the estimate to fix it is $400. I urge the Kia company to really fix this asap before someone gets hurt and/or result into fatality. There too many people having this problem.
The drivers door would not open from outside. This accrued when I return to my car in half an hour. This is posing a hazard due to inability of first respondents to open door, if this happens again. I had my Kia dealer repair it. It did not fall under any warranty, the failure millage 99,000. However, due to many complains of this exact problem from other owners, I think Kia should be responsible for replacing latches and making a recall.
Takata recall Kia Sorento 2011 my driver side and back passenger doors don't open from the outside when not in motion or in motion. My air bag light is on as well. I called Kia and they want to charge me $500 dollars for a diagnostic because I am over my warranty. I tried contacting the Kia's headquarter and all I get is a recording. This illegal and its extremely dangerous if I get into a car accident. I have children as well. What can I do to get Kia to fix this matter. I when on the website and read several complaints with the same problem. Why is this matter not a recall. Kia is putting peoples life in danger. I need my doors fixed. I have to climb through the right passenger car turn on the car bring the window down and then walk around and open from the inside. This is ridiculous. Kia should not be charging owners of there vehicle for this since its a safety matter. Please what can I do to get this matter fixed as soon as possible?
My drivers side door won't open from the outside. I can hear it when it lock and unlock but it will not open. I tried to use the key and it still would not open. I have to go around to the passenger side door and open it from the inside. This really worries me. The "what if" is concerning. To me, this is a safety concern if I am in an accident and the emergency persons can not get my door open to go me out. Or to have my grandson stuck in the car and me not be able to get him out. I called my Kia repair shop today and was told to bring it in as soon as possible. I'm curious to see what the issue is and what they plan to do about it. I only have about 61K miles on this vehicle and no extended warranty. Hence, another concern. Kia dealers should take responsibility for this issue and repair what is causing our doors to not open. We can not wait until someone dies.
The drivers door would not open. Now the drivers side, passenger door won't open from outside and inside. Posing a hazard, because first responders will not be able to open the door due to a reoccuring defect. Many other consumers report this in blogs and forums so this is Kia's problem to fix and make a recall.
- Fort Rucker, AL, USA
Search CarComplaints.com for these popular complaint phrases...
I have had several issues with the doors. It started with my front drivers door and now it is the back passenger door. You cannot open the door from the outside and you have to take the door apart to fix it. However, I can't open my back door at all because my child safety lock is on, so I cannot open it from the inside like I do with my drivers door. I am unable to get my kids in or out of the car, without having to put them all in through one door and over car seats. I am not the only one who has had this problem. Several people have. Here is the link to the complaints www.cargurus.com/cars/discussion-T37046_ds615605. if there was ever and emergency I would not be able to get my children out in a timely manner.
Subject: Kia Sorento 2011 door latch problem comments: When my 2011 Kia Sorento driver's door latch could not be opened from the outside (but works using the inside latch), I at first thought it was an unusual problem, probably a broken plastic part or a bent rod, etc. But after researching this problem on the internet, I see there are hundreds of owners who have had the same problem, some one door at a time until all four doors break. Apparently, Kia maintains this is not a safety problem, nor is there any extended warranty protection. This position is simply not true, as evidenced by comments from owners concerning exiting the vehicle under emergency conditions such as fire, accidents, immersion in water, etc. Some owners mentioned extra difficulty when transporting young children, etc. The only viable solution other than paying unreasonable charges to have the door lock assemblies repaired by Kia, which appear to average $400-$500 per door is for a recall to be issued, requiring dealer repair at no customer expense. I understand some of the latest models have door lock mechanisms which have been re-engineered to eliminate this problem, which does nothing to help those owners who will be driving the earlier models far into the future. There certainly seems to be a great enough number of vehicles with this recurring problem to at least warrant a careful investigation by your Agency, not concentrating on the frustration experienced by affected owners, but instead seriously considering all the possible safety concerns raised thus far. A death by fire or drowning caused by a seat belt problem is no more important than one caused by a defective door opening mechanism.
One of the 2011 Kia Sorento door handles not working since 09/11/2015 and now the other driver side door handle stopped working since 04/18/2015. This is really frustrating, as I could open the door from inside but not from outside. I have two small kids, one infant and one 5 year old and I have to sneak one of them into the other door to open my driver side door. I am really frightened if what will happen if the child door is locked my infant is in the car seat and I am not able to go inside my car. This is a potential hazard for my infant child. Kia has to really step forward and replace this faulty mechanism. The cost my Kia dealer estimates is 225/- per door, so it will end up in 450/- bucks for me and also the rep at Kia dealer told me to go ahead and change all four door parts as the original parts used by Kia is really cheap and its of plastic. So it will cost me around 900/- to fix my doors. I urge the Kia company to really fix this asap before someone gets hurt and/or result into fatality.
A couple of months ago the passanger side door gave out, I can't open it from the outside, closely after the back driver side door did same thing. Now today my drivers side door and trunk won't open. I have one door that opens from the outside, I have to climb over or leave a window open to get into my car. Why hasn't there been a recall, this is so unsafe for us and our children. I loved my Kia now I'm starting to think it was a bad purchase. I took my car to Kia and was quoted $900 to fix two doors, I was told it was the actuator.
All power doors are unlocked, but front driver side door can not be opened from outside. It can be opened from inside. Door handle, door latch and actuator seems working ok. It is a safety concern as door cannot be opened from outside even as doors are unclocked.
Purchased a Kia certified used 2011 Sorento with only 49,000 miles. After 2 months today went to the garage to get in the car and the driver door handle no longer works from the outside. Apparently this is common based on the complaints. Am taking it to the dealer in a few days to see if they can address this issue.
Went to get in my Kia and driver side door won't open from the outside.. this also happens with my gas door...my driver door only opens from inside!!!!!!!!!'!!!!!!!!!!
Doors will not open both front passenger door and driver side rear door will not open from the outside. These defective doors would make it difficult to rescue people in a emergency.
I have recently submitted a complaint about the doors of my vehicle. I called Kia of America spoke to Consumer Affairs rep. As we are going back and forth about the safety issues. I went to the dealer today he set it up. Both door latches are broken. They were unable to do one of the recalls because but, all Sorento owners must call them to get this fixed. I am out of warranty for everything this is a Kia problem you must notify them. The more complaints the better off or safer we will all be. Remember if you get into an accident they can not get you out unless they break glass.
The driver side door will not open from the outside, I feel that this is a safety concern if I were in a wreck & they wouldn't be able to get a person out due to the door not being able to open from the outside.
On 1-31-16 heard a pinging noise on the highway; then the car stalled at the exit light; started it again and loud bang blow a rod after getting back on the highway to drive it to a shop. Died on the side of the highway and had to have it towed to Kia in auburn wa. Kia stated they will not fix under the warranty because the wrong oil filter was installed and I didn't provide proper maintenance; which I took it in each and every time for oil changes to my auto shop. Same oil filter has been put into my car since 2011. Went back to my auto shop informed them they started the process of sending the oil filter in to be checked for defects, also found on 3 different web sites the filter can be used for my make and model. Now Kia want fix my car; it has been 3 weeks without a vehicle and no word from Kia; not even from their headquarters. Kia will not provide the work order stating they are not allowed to give to third party.
Door locks will not open front doors. Driving snow and rain, I have to get in the back seat climb over to open front doors. The key does not work either. I find it hard to feel safe in this vehicle if I get into an accident you can not open door from outside. When this happened two children in car safety locks on., close my door to assist them out can't get back into vehicle. Remote will not activate locks key will not open front doors so I can get in. Had to climb in rear hatch.
My driver side door will not open from the outside, it does open on the inside so I have to leave my window down all the time so I don't have to climb in from the passenger side due to back issues
The driver's side door will not open from the outside. This happened while the car was stationary. I got out of the car in a parking lot and the door was working fine. Came back 5 minutes later and it no longer works. Same issue with the rear driver's side door. Cannot open it from the outside or the inside since the child safety lock is engaged. It is incredibly unsafe to not be able to get into the car in an emergency not to mention the inconvenience of having to climb through from the passenger side. The dealership wants $660 to fix the problem. I think that is ridiculous and from what I've read it sounds like many other people are having the same issue.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Brooklyn, NY, USA