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:
19 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
22 / 0
Average Mileage:
73,799 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.
Airbag did not deploy during accident. Before accident airbag light was on and steering wheel functions were working (cruise, horn, volume ect.) driver side window would not roll up.
First it started with drivers door not working. I can't get in the driver door because the handle doesn't work. So I have been crawling thru the passenger door to get in the car. But now I can't do that because the passenger door won't open from the outside either. You pull on the door handle and it does nothing. What if there were a fire and I was in the car and someone ran up to get me out they would not be able to open the doors. Next problem is I have an extensive oil leak in the car. So bad it keeps dripping down on the alternator whicheck has forced me to replace that twice now. I took it to Kia and they said it was the timing chain cover. It would cost $2,000 to fix. I looked online and found out that a lot of other people are having the same issue and it seems the timing chain cover is a misdiagnosis. Apparently the oil sensor is the culprit. It malfunctions because of its location in the engine. I don't have $2000 just to play a guessing game. This problem needs a recall. Lastly, due to the engine issues the oil leaking the car has now decided if I'm driving 60 mph it will all of the sudden shift the engine almost to a dead stop and then you feel as if you will fly thru the windshield because now the car won't go out of fourth gear manually or automatic. Please help.
The driver air bag light came on and will not go off when I turned on the vehicle one morning.. at the same time, all of my electronics on the steering wheel quit working ( cruise control, blue tooth, radio). I was told this is a clock spring issue and has happened to many 2011 Kia Sorento owners. Is this not a recall?
The vehicle's airbag light turned on when stationary (as I started the car) and remained on at about 100,000 miles. Mechanic inspection yielded issue with steering wheel clock spring. Mechanic ordered part from Kia dealership but there is a manufacturing issue and the vehicle has to be retrofitted to fit the part. As of 8/5/2019, there are no unrepaired recalls on this car or for this specific safety issue, but years of documentation of complaints for it, and it is a manufacturing defect. Why hasn't this been added as a formal recall? have not checked cruise control or horn, but volume controls on steering wheel still working. Passenger airbag light sometimes off when passenger is on seat, sometimes on when no one is in seat.
- Alexandria, VA, USA
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The contact owns a 2011 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the passenger air bag warning indicator constantly illuminated. The contact called Kia of East syracuse (6717 manlius center rd, East syracuse, NY 13057, (315) 701-5898) and was informed that the vehicle was not included in a recall and that diagnostic testing was needed. The manufacturer was not notified. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 139,000.
My car driver side air bag light came on suddenly and dealer wants to charge to diagnose and repair. The driver seat lower back adjusting cushion does not function anymore. The rear driver side door does not umlock dealer wants to charge to diagnose or inspect and order the door handle base mechanism part, then charge for that and installation.
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the air bag indicator illuminated and remained lit. The contact also stated that the headlights operated intermittently and the steering wheel pulled to the right. There was no warning indicator illuminated. An appointment was scheduled with lee johnson Kia (425-827-0521, located at 11845 ne 85th St, kirkland, wa 98033). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 159,000.
The air bag light came on, then my horn stopped working and now the cruise control is not working. This should definitely be a safety recall as of I'm a accident my airbag will not deploy. Please recall and fix this safety issue.
The air bag light is on and will not go off. There is nothing in the passenger seat and it does not go away when turning the car off and back on. This means that's the airbags will not deploy in the casebook of an accident which is a hazard.
My Kia Sorento 2011 the air bag light is on for days when I started the car and when I turn the wheel it goes off than goes on when I strait it in movement or not the light is on.something is wrong with that have to be recall.
Air bag malfunction. Light on brought in for recall and light still on dealer said it was OCS mat that needed to be replaced and not included in previous recall. So I still have no airbag and they are requesting $2,000+ to fix. Saftey issue is still not taken care of and putting me and my children in harms way.
I took my 2011 Kia Sorento in to Kia motors in american fork, Utah to get the airbag light checked out. It has been on for quite some time now. They told me that the OCS mat needed to be replaced and wanted to charge me $1600 to fix. Since my airbags can not detect anything without getting this part replaced, its a major safety issue. This needs to be recalled.
I was driving the car 2 weeks ago May 4 thand the car die in the middle of the road. I got someone to help push the car in there driveway. When back the next day with a mecanic he told me the car engine need to be replaced. Didn't believe him cause I brought the car 3 yrs ago. Before the car die the check engine turn on than die. The seatbelt turn in 1 month ago.now I have 9000 left on the car the won't wrong take back and the dealership won't make a strades
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Fayetteville, AR, USA