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:
3 / 17
Injuries / Deaths:
7 / 0
Average Mileage:
64,198 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 electrical problems

electrical problem

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2011 Kia Sorento Owner Comments (Page 3 of 11)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #175

Jul 132020

Sorento 4-cyl

  • 126,101 miles

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

My vehicle shut off doing 70 mph on interstate and the dash lights all flickered

- Clarksville, TN, USA

problem #174

Jul 102020

Sorento

  • 163,900 miles
I've replaced the driver side low beam headlight 4 times in 2 months and the driver side front turn signal twice during the same span. There seems to be a short as the headlight will work until I use the turn signal while the headlights are on. The headlight burns out and then the turn signal only flashes when the switch for the headlights is off.

- Easley, SC, USA

problem #173

Jun 162020

Sorento 4-cyl

  • 135,000 miles
My car turned off on me twice while driving it on the streets, all lights went black.there was cars behind me, I was scared on getting hit. Dealership said it was a smart junking box causing the problem since some cables has corrosion. They have been recall on that and they don't want to take care of it. They send me a picture of the problem, and I see no corrosion. Now I'm scared driving my car and not knowing what the problem is. Especially when having my kids with me and driving at night, if that car turns off, it can cause a horrible crash.

- New Castle, DE, USA

problem #172

Feb 132019

Sorento 4-cyl

  • 65,000 miles

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

I was driving down a road at night with my family and I notice that the lights went out completely in a dark road which scared me because everything went completely black I quickly tried to pull over almost going into a ditch in fear that I might hit something or someone. I tried flicking on the headlights and I know that they would come on and then go off. I also notice that my call battery was drained im assuming in may be a short in the wiring.

- Riverview, FL, USA

problem #171

Feb 282020

Sorento

  • 89,162 miles
Two days later after buying the car we were driving it down the highway when I noticed that the rpms on the truck were going to high at 70 mph the RPM would be between 6 and 7 so I decide while driving to shift it to standard shift and in this particular truck the odometer shows what gear I am in and I could also shift it manually but the truck is stuck in 4th gear and at a complete stop the start doesnt seem to want to go at all and now it want go forwards or reverse. If I turn left or right signals the head lights go off. When I stopped at the gas station the passby person saw that it was a leak under the vehicle.

- Westwego, LA, USA

problem #170

Feb 142020

Sorento

  • 260,000 miles
Alternator has had to be replaced 4 times in less than 2 years... mechanic at pep boys said that he has seen several of this year make and model come in for the exact same problem...

- Passaic, NJ, USA

problem #169

Nov 012019

Sorento

  • miles

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

Headlight low beam light not working. Replaced bulb and within a few weeks, it would work intermittently. I could wiggle the connection and light would come back on. Then that no longer worked. I took the bulb out of the connection to replace and noticed the connection was melted where the bulb connects to the wire harness. I removed bulb until connection can be replaced.

- Culpeper, VA, USA

problem #168

Sep 302019

Sorento

  • 123,000 miles
Vehicle has consistently needed headlights replaced every 3 months. Vehicle lights will come on and or off while driving in the dark. This is a deadly safety hazard and should be remedied.

- Cincinnati, OH, USA

problem #167

Oct 022019

Sorento

  • 105,000 miles
Driver side rear passenger door does not open from the outside. When child lock is engaged, the door cannot be opened. Dealer indicated possible actuator failure. Vehicle has 106,000 miles and is out of warranty.

- Royersford, PA, USA

problem #166

Feb 042018

Sorento

  • 130,000 miles
Clock spring malfunction causing airbag light to illuminate on dash. Steering wheel controls do not work. This is a constant and daily issue. It happens while driving as well as parked. Low beam socket melted. Since been replaced by me. Both issues are under a recall but my VIN is not listed. My vehicles year make and model are listed in a current recall but my VIN does not fall within it.

- East Boston, MA, USA

problem #165

Nov 052019

Sorento

  • miles

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

Vehicles interior lights, interior dash lights, headlights and other panel lights click and flicker off and on during various periods of time. The headlights stay off for a few seconds and repetitively at random times. This has occurred both early in the morning, in the evenings, it also happens just in the middle of the day to the dash lights and with the clicking. This has occurred in winter as well as summer. Originally it only occurred when it was raining, now it occurs daily. This has occurred when the vehicle has been in park and while driving on highways, on back roads, also at stop lights or a stop sign. The clicking has also occurred when the vehicle has been off, it will start making clicking noises coming from the dash area, the same noise as it makes when the headlights and interior and dash lights flicker when it is on. Also after having a recall repaired I am still having problems with the engine start stop not starting, as well as the doors not unlocking with the Kia remote or by pushing the button on the exterior handle. The vehicle has also lost steering control during excessive rain. This occurred on a side street while I was attempting to turn off of a main road onto a side road the vehicle would not turn. It proceeded to go at a diagonal, only partially turning into a front lawn during the turn. It was raining when this occurred. I know there have been other issues with the phantom headlights in other Kia models. And they are not fixing the issue, they are saying it is not occurring. Also they are saying they need to replace a part that cost $400 but it may not fix the issue. I have left the manager a message at the Kia in myrtle beach and have asked for a good faith repair and I have not heard back.

- Little River, SC, USA

problem #164

Dec 012012

Sorento

  • 60,000 miles
Just when the warranty ran out the driver side rear door lock actuator quit working. The door cannot be opened from the outside. If child lock is put on, then the door cannot be opened from either the inside or the outside blocking egress for that rear passenger.

- Raeford, NC, USA

problem #163

Oct 262019

Sorento

  • 116,369 miles
Vehicle was parked in the garage and stationary. When trying to start the vehicle using the key-less ignition, dash and interior lights started to flicker in the vehicle and relays start to click. Locks would not operate nor could I shift into neutral, started to smelt burning, pushed ignition button to shut down. Would not shut off, electrical kept cycling like it was trying to start on its own, had to disconnect the battery to shut down the car. Starter solenoid never engaged at any time nor did the engine try to turn over.

- Rockford, IL, USA

problem #162

Oct 182019

Sorento

  • 13,825 miles
Car ran fine. Drove to store. Got out of store. Car wouldn't start. Had so.eone check battery.battery was good.12.5. had them check that wires where tight on battery and they where. Still no power to car. Left car at store. Came back next day and car started up like nothing wrong. This has happen twice since

- Midland, TX, USA

problem #161

Aug 082019

Sorento

  • miles
Everytime I hit a little bump in the road my eco saver goes off causing me to burn more gas until I hit another bump to knock the saver back

- Hinesville, GA, USA

problem #160

Oct 122019

Sorento

  • miles
The driver door doesn't open from the outside anymore I have to go through the back and I have small children

- Hinesville, GA, USA

problem #159

Sep 302019

Sorento

  • miles
I went to the store and tried to open the back passenger driver's side door from the outside and it would not open. I thought that the child safety locks were on so I went inside from the opposite side and opened the door. Still haven't figured out why I can't open my door then today the other side will not open now. Both back doors will not open from the outside, this is a huge safety issue. What if there was an accident god forbid or a fire and I had my children or grandchild in my vehicle and could not get them out! Kia needs to recall this immediately. Looking back I can see a number of complaints and this is just unacceptable. Please help with this issue. Thank you

- Brick, NJ, USA

problem #158

Oct 092018

Sorento

  • 130,000 miles
Air bag light has come on and will not go off. All of the controls on the steering wheel have stopped working, and the fuel door button has also stopped working.

- Wyandotte, OK, USA

problem #157

Sep 252019

Sorento

  • 130,704 miles
Doors will not open from the outside

- Denver, CO, USA

problem #156

Sep 232019

Sorento

  • 18,000 miles
I was driving on a busy hwy my car stalled out almost was hit by a dump truck. The dump truck ran off the road to avoid me thank god no one was hurt after doing some research found out this is a common problem think it's time for a recall

- Navarre, FL, USA

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