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:
75,088 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.
Engine light is on, keeps stalling out at a stop or when turning, smells like something burning, now making a rough grinding noise from motor. Keeps going through oil, putting two quarts of oil in every other day. Passenger side door in back wont open from the outside. The passenger side headlight keeps blowing out, the tires on the front end keep going bold.
I have a head lights that keep going in and out. I have had it repairs a lot of times but it keeps doing it. Ithen got a paper in the mail for a extension on the lights for my model vehicle cause the connectors in the headlight assembly needed to be replaced so I took it to Kia. They told me that because I had it fixed so many time that theres not enough wire to replace it again this was on May 14 2019 and they said that my whole headlight assembly needed to be changed in order to fix it but they would have to ask Kia for coverage. On May 30th I called again to see if they were gonna cover it and they said no even tho this a safety concern. That because I didn't go to them to fix it in the first place they wont cover it.
First warning sign was the headlight, low beams, and all interior electronics would shut completely off for about 2 seconds randomly when the turn signal was used. Next the driver side headlight, low beam, went out when replacing the bulb the replacement bulb worked until the bulb was placed in the socket. After cleaning the sockets to create a better connection, still nothing worked. I switched bulbs from driver to passenger to see if the bulb would get a good connection on the passenger side and now neither low beam headlight works. This is a light switch issue that was recalled for 2012-16 Kia Sorento's but I'm having the same issue in a 2011.
My vehicle has continuously melted wiring harness after wiring harness that run my headlights. Not sure if this happens while in motion or stationary, I just notice it when I am down to one headlight. This has become very dangerous because I constantly have to drive in the dark with one headlight. Also it really scares me that my vehicle is melting wires that connect to other wires that could easily cause a fire!
- Walker, IA, USA
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My low beam headlights keep blowing out, my rear wind shield wiper doesn't lay on the glass. Therefore, it doesn't clean well, the seatbelt in the middle row keeps falling in the seat crack making it hard to get out and buckle up. My rear Kia symbol is chipping paint.
The airbag light has come on and will not go off. Hook up the device to see what it says and do not even get a code to help. Ask Kia and they say it will cost around $1,000 dollars to repair.
Headlamps quit working, even though I have repeatedly replaced. Happens about 1 every three weeks. Usually happens on the highway during night driving.
Left headlight connecter melted and shorts out the connection to the light bulb. Overheats really bad. Will have to replace the entire headlight assembly.
When driving car jerks and engine cuts out losing all power and mobility. Usually comes back on within seconds. This happens when driving at any rate of speed. A few times I had to pull over to the side of the road with no power and restart the car. When losing all power I have been on the highway driving 55-60mph. All power is lost and with no power steering I have had to get the car off the road out of the way of traffic. This has happened about 6 times. Often smell something burning or melting. Smoke from dash a few times. No fires yet... also passenger side head lamp continues to go out because of the wires and harness melting.
When the left blinker is activated, the headlights, and lighting of interior driver panel), turn off. This occurs when in motion or stationary. I have to tap the blinker arm to get the lights to turn back on. This is a major safety concern driving down dark streets at night. In essence, I'm driving "blind" and it causes confusion to oncoming traffic.
Head lights go out when making turns and just driving at night when head lights are on. Been to dealer they say can't find issue. This has happened many times now came close to hitting car this last time.
All of a sudden all my interior dash lights and headlights started blinking while the car was running. I shut the car off and it continued, turned the car back on and it was still going. Then the flickering randomly stopped. The car was stationary in my driveway.
Our interior lights quit working shortly after purchasing the vehicle so we had it repaired. 2 weeks later we had an electrical fire and damage to wireing the mechanic didn't replace. $5,000 later, now the headlights flicker while driving if you use the turning signal. Huge safety issue!!!! also while driving the car out of the blue jerks quick and hard. We don't feel safe in this vehicle anymore.
The passenger side headlight socket keeps melting and the bulb stops working I already replaced the socket 2 times. Look online and there are a bunch of the same complaints.
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.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Freemansburg, PA, USA