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.
Headlights replaced with xenon headlights. They blew, both at the same time, about 60 days after installation. Then I replaced them again with the same lights, again, one blew about 3 months later. Replaced them with regular headlights. Drivers side blew, replaced it, both blew again about 4 months later. Last week, drivers side went, replaced it, and the passenger side blew the very next day. With the amount of complaints I have seen online, Kia should be doing something about this. I have also had to change side markers, tail lights (twice) and a directional (twice). I have only owned the vehicle since 10/2010.
I have had to replace the bulbs in this vehicle every few months. Brake lights, head lights, fog lights, blinkers etc. This is insane. I keep getting tickets, and now 2 days ago the officer recognized me from pulling me over for the same thing 6 months ago.
I constantly have to change tail lights and head lights on my vehicle. Every 4/5 months they are going out. Also the interior light above in the back seating area does not come on when the doors are open, only if manually pressed on and off. The light behind the panel controlling the heat/air temperatures is no longer functional. No one else seems to change their lights as frequently as I do, if at all since they've had their cars. It seems to be an issue with the electrical system.
We have a constant problem with headlight bulbs. I have tried every available brand at local automotive stores from the least expensive to the most expensive with the same results. They last about 4 months at best. There is a dealer available "fix" which includes a new wiring harness. Kia will not fix this at no cost. There has been 4 times in the last 3 years that the headlight has failed during late night driving. I replaced the blown bulb and within hours the opposite side failed. Had both failed at the same time it would be a serious problem. At the dealership (three) they said "yea a lot of people have this issue" my other vehicles bulbs last on average 5 times longer - or more.
I was driving home from work and stopped to store and when I went to back out it felt like power steering belt went out but it was not that it was a bolt backed out of the crankshaft and dealership said it was out of warranty so I called Kia hotline and they said I still have warranty but not on that screw so I am looking a 2 grand to fix this SUV that has headlights and taillights to be replaced all the time and the dealerships do not back up there product.
- Delmar, DE, USA
Search CarComplaints.com for these popular complaint phrases...
I have a 2005 Kia Sorento. The tail lights, tag lights, head lights, and running lights are constantly going up. This is a major safety issue and I am sick and tired of spending a small fortune in bulbs for this car. I bought the car new in 2005 and have had this problem since a few months after purchasing. Kia will not acknowledge that there is a problem or put a recall on the vehicle. For the safety of my two kids who are passengers in this vehicle, please do something about this.
I have a 2005 Kia Sorento that constantly has headlights, tail lights, fog lights & brake lights that constantly go out. I normally have to replace one of these lights at least once a month......I've started keeping my receipts because hopefully Kia will stand by their vehicles and finally do a recall on this. I look online and several people are complaining about the same issue, but it looks as if Kia isn't standing by their vehicle. I have no intention on purchasing a Kia again. I have called their service department quite a few times to see if their has been a recall issued yet, but the servicemen seem to blow the issue off.
I have to every 3 -4 months replace the headlights on my 2005 Kia Sorento. Kia has told me because your organization has not issues any type of recall on this I will keep on replacing them. This is insane!!!!! I know that I am not the only owner complaining about this.
Lighting (bulbs) very short life, bulbs last 1/5 to 1/10th of the life in other vehicles. Most recent both low beam bulbs failed within 5 minutes leaving us with no lighting while driving at highway speed on unlit divided highway. We have been replacing bulbs every 2-3 months. We always replace both headlights when one burns out. My other vehicles last many years, this vehicle is the only one I have ever had that headlights only last months. The vehicle is only driven 4 days per week and the headlight life is actually less than 50 hours use. We have tried sylvania (standard, silverstar and silverstar ultras, ge, hella and recently phillips bulbs all with the same lifespan (within days) something is wrong. There is a tsb but no recall.
Own a 2005 Kia Sorento. We have a continuous problem with the lights burning out. This includes the headlights, brake lights, park lights, and fog lights. These lights burn out about every 3 to 4 months. Now the power seat has stopped moving forward or back. The driver's side power seat will not move forward or backward. A shorter person that my wife moved her car and she adjusted the seats. When my wife got into the car she was unable to put the seat in the original position. I have tried to jockey the switch back and forth and up and down and the seat will not move.
The front windshield wipers start working by itself without pressing any control. Specialty at night and the washer pump does not work. Sometimes when using turn signals or headlights and the only way to stop it is turning off the engine. It is scary because you do not expect such occurrences and makes a distraction when you are driving in the speedway, here in South Carolina without any lights in the road and the I 26 is not an easy road to drive safety.
The contact owns a 2005 Kia Sorento. While the contact was driving approximately 45 mph the exterior light system was activated and suddenly became nonfunctional without warning. The failure was due to a burned out light bulb. The failure was a frequent occurrence. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer. The technician was unable to duplicate the failure. The current and failure mileages were 110,000.
I have a 2005 Sorento. I have replaced the headlights 15 times. They have both gone out before when driving at night and I had to drive nearly 40 miles with brights only. I have also replaced brake lights 5 times. It started in Oct the year I bought the car and has continued. I am stunned at the number of complaints about this and lack of response from Kia. Anybody filing a class action? I'm sure there would be plenty of takers!!
First the headlights on driver side went out. We took the 2005 Kia Sorento LX to the dealer to have the headlight replaced at which time they admitted there was a defect problem with the headlights going out frequently. They said bring it in and they would fix the problem. The next time the passenger light went out and the dealer said there was no problem and would not fix it. Since then the drivers side light has gone out three more times and the passengers side has gone out twice. Each rear brake light has gone out twice. Recently we have experienced the interior dome light intermittently malfunctioning along with both headlights and a smell of smoke near the dome light. We have been pulled over twice by police due to inoperable headlights and taillights. The dealer takes no responsibility for this obvious electrical defect which is clearly a safety hazard.
My 05 Kia sorrento's head light bulbs keep consistently burning out. I have bought 8 lightbulbs within the last 6 months. This will be the very last Kia that I own unless there service gets better and more reliable and they take action on there defective vehicles.
I have a 2005 Kia Sorento, I have changed the headlights a total of three times since I have had this car on each on both sides, now both are out and I can only use my high beams. I have also had to change my rear lights once.
I own a 2005 and a 2006 Kia Sorento ex. In both vehicles I must replace lightbulbs continually. On average, I replace headlights approximately once every 60 to 90 days. Brake light bulb replacement is less frequent, but does occur often within the year. There is obviously a problem with the electrical system in these vehicles but Kia will not acknowledge any problems.
This is my second complaint on this issue. I currently have no working headlights on my 2005 Kia Sorento, again. The light bulbs go out every three to six months. The right rear brake light just went out as well. I keep having to drive with my high beams on because I keep losing one or both of my headlights. This will be the 5th time I replace the bulbs in a year's time. Kia tells me there is no problem and that they will charge me $48 per bulb to change them and guarantee them for a 12 month period. I see alot of similar complaints online for this same issue.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Schenectady, NY, USA