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:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
53,647 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.

2011 Kia Sorento windows / windshield problems

windows / windshield problem

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2011 Kia Sorento Owner Comments

problem #13

Apr 032016

Sorento

  • 99,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2011 Kia Sorento. While driving 80 mph and without warning, the contact heard a loud noise and thought the tire blew out. Upon further investigation, the contact noticed that the sun roof had exploded. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the sun roof needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 99,000.

- Layton, UT, USA

problem #12

Apr 152015

Sorento 6-cyl

  • 140,000 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at 55 mph, the sun roof fractured and shattered. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 140,000. Updated 7/9/15 updated 9/18/15

- New Roads, LA, USA

problem #11

Apr 122015

Sorento 6-cyl

  • 44,000 miles
The top back glass roof spontaneously exploded while driving. There was no road debris, or any other material near the car, in fact the glass failed upwards! glass pieces and small fragments fell on top of the roof screen.

- Friendswood, TX, USA

problem #10

Feb 182015

Sorento 6-cyl

  • 64,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

As I was exiting a highway the sunroof literally exploded/shattered above my head sending millions of glass fragments and numerous larger shards raining down on my head and throughout the vehicle. It was not caused by flying debris nor striking a pothole. There were no other vehicles present in front or behind me and it was a very smooth stretch of roadway. Had I not been wearing a peaked cap and leaning to my left at the time I believe I would have suffered facial injuries from the falling glass. The glass appears to have exploded outwards which, I believe, completely rules out the possibility of debris being the cause.

- Malden, MA, USA

problem #9

Jan 062015

Sorento

  • 61,620 miles
TL- the contact owns a 2011 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at 20 mph, the panoramic sun roof shattered. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 61,620. Djr

- Amarillo , TX, USA

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problem #8

Nov 052014

Sorento 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 85,000 miles
While I was driving down the highway my sunroof exploded. No one was in front of me or beside me. It literally disintegrated by the time I could pull over.....updated 03-03-15 the consumer stated the dealership claimed a rock caused the sunroof to shatter. The vehicle was repaired by the consumer. Updated 6/15/2015

- Canyon, TX, USA

problem #7

Apr 152014

Sorento 6-cyl

  • 30,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

TL-the contact owns a 2011 Kia Sorento. The contact state that the sunroof exploded while he drove at 35 mph the fractured glass fell into the vehicle and the sunroof front bar fell on the contact's head. The contact suffered a cut to his shoulder. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure and current mileage was 30,000. Updated 04-29-14

- North Charleston , SC, USA

problem #6

Mar 112014

Sorento 6-cyl

  • 80,000 miles
The sunroof exploded. My husband driving at highway speed when sunroof made a loud bang. Luckily the shade was drawn and protected him from flying glass. The flying glass took out the antenna... updated 08-20-14 updated 08/25/2014

- San Antonio, TX, USA

problem #5

Dec 152013

Sorento 6-cyl

  • 22,000 miles
Rear sun roof exploded. Traveling along I-4 about 55 mph when there was a large gun shot sound so we looked around for another vehicle that might have made the noise but there was no car within 50-60 yards behind or in front. Then we heard something rumbling on roof which was glass. Luckily the roof was intact but the very sides of the glass roof were breaking up in a long slender line. Now after a few miles getting home the center is starting to break up. The car had been parked in the garage for 7 weeks while I was in the uk and only took it out of garage. I have been in the uk motor trade 50 years and never seen glass give way like this. It appears as if somebody tried to push the two sides of the car inwards causing the roof to explode. There is no other damage at all and no debris hit my roof. Updated 1/7/14 updated 01/09/14 updated 01/09/14

- Kissimmee, FL, USA

problem #4

Apr 212013

Sorento 6-cyl

  • 50,997 miles
My husband and I walked out of house about noon today (21apr13) and my husband looked at car and said "wtf, look at car". sun roof is shattered. We attempted to contact local Kia which is 32 miles away and they are closed. Contacted our insurance company who can not help us out until Kia opens on Monday and they have to send us to a dealer that is 75 miles away from us for them to look at and then determine repair costs. I looked online to check for recall and am still searching also looking to see if this is an issue with anyone else and found one entry from 2010. Not sure how this happened to a parked car sitting in driveway with no trees around or loose objects. Have other vehicle in drive with no damage so ruled out rain. Hoping for fair weather until we can get the car to dealer (I hope it will be tomorrow). Having a toddler who likes to have the visor open so he can look out of sunroof window at sky, the fact this shattered, what if I had been driving and it shattered with visor open and little one in carseat?

- Front Royal, VA, USA

problem #3

Oct 012011

Sorento 4-cyl

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

2011 Kia Sorento. Consumer writes in regards to safety recall concerning vehicle sunroof the consumer stated he received a recall notice in November 2010. The consumer stated he had not had any problems with either a water leak or noise since he purchased the vehicle in March 2010 and up until the repair shop replaced the sunroof. On June 7, 2011, the consumer took the vehicle for a scheduled one hour replacement of the glass panel in the sunroof. It did not fit properly, with a significant gap around the gasket such that one could insert a dollar bill or piece of paper inside, without bending it, and pronounced wind starting occurring at around 25 mph. The consumer returned to the repair facility twice in the same day for further adjustment, but to no avail. The repair facility informed the consumer they would have to order another gasket. When the consumer returned for his scheduled appointment, he was informed there would be a $300 charge to replace the seal, and only the part was covered under recall.

- Puyallup, WA, USA

problem #2

Jul 012011

Sorento

  • Automatic transmission
  • 12,000 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving 40 mph the rear sunroof exploded. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who will repair the vehicle but not per the warranty. The manufacturer was contacted and a claim was filed. The failure mileage was 12,000. Updated 08/31/11 updated 09/09/11

- Hanover, MA, USA

problem #1

Nov 172010

Sorento

  • 8,800 miles
My 2011 Kia Sorento's rear sunroof shattered. I went to open the main sunroof it shuttered then I heard a pop. The entire rear section shattered I was less than a mile from a local Kia dealership (pinehurst Kia) I left the car with the service dept I was contacted later that from the dealership I was told that glass was not covered and that they felt that nothing was wrong with there product. I contacted Kia directly and was told glass was covered then I was called back from Kia stating that the repair would not be warranty $1280 was the cost for repairs> I was advised by the service director that the proper repair would include glass replacement and I should replace the frame housing. I found other cases of this same problem with the rear sunroof glass shattering at least nobody's been hurt yet. Is Kia waiting for someone to be injured before addressing this problem?

- Pinehurst, NC, USA

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