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?

7.7

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$100
Average Mileage:
89,850 miles
Total Complaints:
6 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. not sure (3 reports)
  2. replace handle (2 reports)
  3. replace interior door latches (1 reports)
2011 Kia Sorento accessories - exterior problems

accessories - exterior problem

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2011 Kia Sorento Owner Comments

problem #6

May 242022

Sorento LS 3.2L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 98,750 miles

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

Was picking up a friend and as she pulled on the front passenger's door handle it came off in her hand. I kept the door handle and mentioned it to a really nice guy at the dealership, when I went in for my oil change. He somehow glued it back on and so far it hasn't come back off.

- Danielle B., Little Rock, AR, US

problem #5

Aug 192022

Sorento LS 3.2L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 99,000 miles

Went out to dinner with family and my son tried to open the rear passenger door, but the door handle came off in his hand. He wasn't pulling hard (I was standing there and could see). This is the second door handle to fall off my car. It's cheap plastic and I can't get it to re-attach, so I will leave it off.

- Danielle B., Little Rock, AR, US

problem #4

Jan 112022

Sorento LS 3.2L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 98,000 miles

My door handles started to just fall off. I walked outside to get in my car one morning for work, and noticed my rear driver's door handle was on the ground. That's when I noticed that the door handles are cheap plastic and attached with something like glue. Dealership quoted me $246.00 to replace with new metal door handle, which is outrageous, so I'm sticking my finger through the hole and opening the door up that way instead. My child safety locks need to be on in the back, but had to disable them so I could get in the car.

- Danielle B., Little Rock, AR, US

problem #3

Jul 202017

Sorento LX 2.4L V4

  • Automatic transmission
  • 115,948 miles

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

Around June of 2017 my passenger side door handle fell off. The handle itself was still in tact, but something inside snapped so we couldn't re-install the handle.

This of course was a major inconvenience to not be able to get in the passenger side. I went to the dealership service department and ordered both front door latches and scheduled a service date.

I did get lucky and the warranty picked up $390.11 of the cost, leaving me only to pay $41.30.

They replaced the interior latches on both the driver and passenger (front) doors and re-installed the existing handle I had saved.

However, about a year later the passenger handle fell off again as my daughter opened the door. She didn't yank the door, just a normal open. I was there. Again, something inside broke and we were unable to just put the handle back on.

We were unable to take it back to the dealership to get this fixed because the work was just outside of the 1 yr warranty.

It's worth noting (and I'll make separate complaints for these) that the front passenger handle has fallen off TWICE, and also both of the rear door handles have fallen off. Also, both rear doors became impossible to open from the inside or outside because the door panels were catching. Eventually from opening/closing doors to get kids in and out, the panels cracked and were rendered useless. It also has caught an electrical problem because the radio goes on and off by itself. The back up camera randomly stopped working. 3 of my windows do not roll down.

So I'm now driving a vehicle with ONE door handle, ONE window that works, a mostly useless radio, and TWO missing door panels.

I was told by the dealership that Kia no longer sells single units of (certain?) things, and the door handles are sold in pairs. I was quoted $750 (roughly) for two (rear) door handle replacements and another $750 for two rear interior door panels.

I am not paying $1500 to install two handles and two door panels (plastic) that will likely malfunction again!

All in all, this is the WORST VEHICLE I HAVE EVER OWNED.

I will never purchase another Kia, and will not recommend this brand to anyone I know. I am definitely going back to Toyota or Honda. Hell, at this point I would even drive a Ford, which is saying a lot for me.

- Katie V., Grove City, OH, US

problem #2

Dec 282016

Sorento LX 2.4L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 68,000 miles

click to see larger images

door handle fell off door handle fell off

My elderly sister tried to open my right rear Kia Sorento car door two days ago and when she pulled the handle it fell off in her hand and she staggered backward into a bush on the edge of the yard and cut her forearm which began to bleed.

The door handle turns out is made of cheap plastic and only secured by a very small fastener composed of some low grade "pot metal". I have only owned this car for a year and a half and very rarely use the rear doors so it did not break through wear and tear. It broke because it is made of inferior quality plastic and pot metal. When I telephoned Napleton Kia in St. Peters, MO where I bought the car in July, 2015, they told me that my warranty only covers my car up to 5 years and 60,000 miles. The car is 6 years old and has 68,000 miles on it.

I had planned on paying off this car in two more years and then buying a brand new Kia Sorento but in 18 months I have had three of my four door handles needing to be replaced. So, looks like Kia can sell you a car . . . . but they can't guarantee you can get into it all the time. NOW I will make a guarantee . . . . tomorrow when I take the car in to get the handle fixed, they will shoot me an outrageous amount of money to replace this handle and when I balk at it, will put the pressure on to sell me a new Kia Sorento. The little guy just can't win.

- bettypugh, St. Charles, MO, US

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problem #1

May 302016

Sorento SX V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 59,242 miles

My child went to open rear driver's side door and the handle came off in her hand. How can this not be an issue that Kia should cover the expense of.

- Monika K., Shelton, CT, US

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