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:
7 / 31
Injuries / Deaths:
9 / 0
Average Mileage:
68,696 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 was parked in the attached garage at 7:30 pm. It had a nearly full tank of gas. No problems were noted. My son went cycling the next morning at 5:30 am and returned at 7:30 am. He went into the garage to turn on sprinkler system. Nothing out of the ordinary was noticed. At approximately 7:45 am he started taking a shower. A few minutes later he heard a loud pop. Then a few minutes later another loud pop. Then a few seconds later the lights went out. Then he heard a loud banging at the front door. A man was yelling that the garage was on fire. My son and another young man who was renting one of the bedrooms in the house escaped without injury. The fire department responded and extinguished the fire but the car the attached garage were completely destroyed. The rest of house suffered extensive smoke and water damage. See attached picture taken at 7:59 am. Garage is totally engulfed in flames. Fire investigators determined that the fire appeared to be center at the front of the 2011 Kia Sorento. The car was totally destroyed. Investigators hired by the home insurance company were not able to determine what component in the engine compartment failed and caused the fire. Not enough left to be certain. Kia motors usa has stonewalled us all the way. They sent people twice to make sure there was not something else in the garage to blame the fire on and to make sure that the fire investigators made a definitive determination of of what component failed or otherwise had to say it was undetermined. They also hired a local law firm to observe all the investigation efforts. Intimidation and stonewalling is what Kia has provided to us. My concern is that someone is going to have to die before Kia and Hyundai admit they have defect in their engine manufacturing process and get it fixed.
When driving car jerks and engine cuts out losing all power and mobility. Usually comes back on within seconds. This happens when driving at any rate of speed. A few times I had to pull over to the side of the road with no power and restart the car. When losing all power I have been on the highway driving 55-60mph. All power is lost and with no power steering I have had to get the car off the road out of the way of traffic. This has happened about 6 times. Often smell something burning or melting. Smoke from dash a few times. No fires yet... also passenger side head lamp continues to go out because of the wires and harness melting.
I am having issues with engine stall or wont start then oil is going somewhere and no clue where. I thought I had a great vehicle when I bought it didnt know there was any issues with it. But I am afraid to even drive it that something would happen while I am out with the grandbaby an family.
Recall!!!when accelerating more than 60-80 mph on the interstate, the eco sensor light pops on and my SUV jerks back then picks up speed causing the back of my head to hit your head restraint. It is very scary!!!!
My Kia has been in and out of the dealership repair facility since July 1st 28. I have had to have it towed there twice. My original id complaint # with NHTSA is NHTSA id number: 11142672. I still have an open complaint with Kia that has been ongoing. Due to melted parts connected to the engine that had to be replaced a couple weeks prior to the vehicle going in this time. Now I am being told the engine mating surface is an issue. The cylinder head is warped & the block is warped. How" I have not driven this car hot that I am aware of! this is a 2011 Kia that is outside of the recall for engine issues but is still being pushed for recall by NHTSA...what do I do now if Kia won't replace the motor" there are only 77K miles on this vehicle. I bought it with 900 miles on it. I am still waiting to hear from Kia. This is getting ridiculous! Kia knows very well there are problems with these motors and feels content to sit back and let people's hard earned money result in a non-driveable vehicle. I have babied this vehicle since the day I got it. This issue is through no fault of my own. This is on them. Someone needs to do something. A $25K vehicle with 77K miles should not need a new motor!
- Binghamton, NY, USA
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My engine went out on my 2011 Kia Sorento on June 8, 2018. I was getting ready to leave for work. I was backing out of my driveway. It sounded very rough and started shaking really bad when I put it in reverse. I didn't know what was going on. The check engine light came on. I pulled back up into the drive way and put it in park. It was still shaking very bad and sounding very rough. I turned it off and call a mechanic over. He perform a code diagnostic. There were about 10 or 11 engine codes that popped up on the screen. I had it towed to his shop on June 13, 2018 to do a more in-depth diagnostic. It was found that the engine is non-repairable. From there, he had it towed to advanced automotive diagnostics for a second opinion. It was determined there also that the engine is non-repairable. There was no warning and I got my servicing in reasonable time-spans. I am at a lost. I am still paying on a vehicle and carrying insurance on a vehicle that I cannot drive right now. I am reporting this because I saw where the 2012 and a few other year Sorento's had a engine recall. I believe that the 2011 Kia Sorento should have been inclusive in that recall.
My engine gave out and my car will not start. I've had a mechanic look at it and they told me I need to replace the timing belt but the complete engine is no longer working.the car does not start and when it did it would still jolt from time to time. I've seen a recall online for my car online but Kia said it's not covered because it was off by a couple months. Although the issue is the same.
Car has been in shop since June awaiting an engine. I am told that when and if I get an engine I have to pay 6, 500 dollars for it. I know that some 2011 Sorentos have a recall on there engines. I am told that my manufacturer has not put a recall on. After waiting all this time it seems to me this should be a recall. The vehicle just seized on the highway. That's all I was told. I had just purchased this car. Had it checked by a mechanic who told me it was fine. How does this happen
Approximately 6 weeks ago my vehicle began acting funny, like it wanted to die out while driving and would cut out at red lights. When the engine light came on I took it to a Kia dealer and was told the issue was exhaust cam shaft and it was broken off /melted in cylinder head. To replace head had to be removed. When head was removed cracks were found on coils 3 & 4 in housings and noticed metal shavings in motor. Yesterday I dropped at dealer who now says vehicle may have a blown head gasket or worse. Made Kia aware with 1st issue and they covered 1/2 of repair cost. Still have an open case # with them and reported the new issue under the same case number. Broken and melted pieces in cylinder head & metal shavings tells me engine issues that I am not responsible for. Could this be relatd to same issue as fires in engines on 2011 Sorentos?
Motor mounts are broke. I need to replace 3 of them. This isn't normal at all. The car has never been wrecked. The paint keeps peeling off. I repainted 1 X on an area, Kia is aware. I took to them and they said Kia wasn't responsible (but, I disagree). I paid over 30,000 for this Kia.., body shop couldn't guarantee due to the paint job Kia did on my automobile. Now the paint is peeling on other spots.
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Sorento. While driving 50 mph, the contact depressed the brake pedal and the vehicle decelerated to 10 mph; however, the accelerator pedal was depressed to the floorboard. The vehicle was taken to turner Kia (4201 chambers hill rd, harrisburg, pa 17111, (717) 564-2240) where the cause of the failure was not determined; however, the contact was informed that the engine might be faulty. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 116,000. Consumer notified corporate headquarters. Updated 12/11/18
Vehicles caught fire, had pulled in the parking lot at work and smoke began to come from under the hood on the vehicle. Within seconds flames had erupted and front end of car was completely engulfed by the time the fire department had arrived. Vehicle was a total loss.
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Sorento. While driving 40 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. When the accelerator pedal was depressed, the vehicle failed to respond. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. Additionally, the contact was informed that the lower radiator hose fractured and also needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. An unknown dealer was contacted and provided a cost estimate to replace the engine. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 137,000.
Car loses power when applying gas, then stalls out. I stop and wait for few minutes, then start the car and drive off like nothing happened. It otherwise drives perfect until the random stalling
Since I bought the 2011 Kia Sorento the transmission or engine tends to stall in the middle of driving like not changing gears, gets locked, jerks back and forth till it unlocks or changes gears while at the same time slowing or stopping car in it's tracks. Twice I have hit my head on the steering wheel, have had seat belts lock tight against me and my passengers when it locks while trying to change gears. It happens at least 3-6 time a year since I have had the car. I have reported it to my service dealership kearny pearson Kia, 7303 clairemont mesa blvd, san diego, ca 92111 and they have not found anything wrong. These past two years the gears locking is getting worse and the car slows down instantly from driving on the frwy 65 mph down to 35 mph instantly almost having cars hit me from behind. Same for driving on the street going 35-40 mph dropping to 5-10mph and stop/jerk/go/stop/jerk and almost having cars behind me crash into me. I have been blessed to have had fast reacting drivers behind me or no drivers. This last incident last month was so powerful that I smacked the steering wheel and thought I had gotten hit but didn't. my chest got tight as if I was having a heart attack from the force and my kids cried from the whiplash. This was yet the strongest. Also, since 2011 I have had 7 - 10 incidents of smoke coming out of the air vents, smiling like fire. I turn off the vent and it continues for 10min then goes away. I am no mechanic but if I had to guess I would say something with the air-conditioning being high for long periods and then when it gets turned down or off seems to activate these things especially the gears locking. Just my observation. I hope you can get to the bottom of this because for the first time in my life I fear for my life and those with me or around me with this car. You just don't know when it will happen next.
My wife was driving down the street when the car suddenly locked up(stopped) and the engine shut off. She noticed smoke coming from under the hood and then within minutes the engine was in complete flames. Prior to this there where never any signs of the car running or driving like there where going to be problems. I've never had any mechanical issues at all aside from this incident. This has come completely out of nowhere unexpectedly.
Very rough start in the morning or after sitting off for over 2 hours. After 30 seconds engine noise reduced dramatically. Steering control malfunction sometimes. Making up dow button act erraticaly along cruise control and radio control. Bluetooth connection sound quality very poor.
My 2011 Kia Sorento has been trouble from day one. A week after I bought it, the wiring harness had to be replaced which took over a month to get the part from Kia. Then at 90,000 miles the transmission started failing and it took me forever to get Kia to replace that. Then the replacement transmission went bad less than a year later and they replaced that. Now, at 120,000 miles (out of warranty) the motor has died. Grindstaff Kia in johnson city, tn tells me it is a 'internal failure' of the motor, it could be a rod or cam, but they would not know unless they took the motor apart. Kia's product is terrible and a safety hazard. When the motor stopped my husband was in 65 mile an hour traffic and could have been injured when it started to loose power and then the starter stuck and wires started smoking which could have caused a fire. My motor was a 4 cylinder 2.4 liter engine that needs to be recalled by Kia for failures. They want to chage me $5500 plus tax to put another engine in the junk, which to me is adding good money to bad product. I also still owe a bank $$ for this car which is going to be negative equity I'm sure. Kia should stand behind it's product and recall this engine which is junk. I will not buy Kia again, that is for sure!
After driving about 6 miles to a local store nearby and back home as I pulled my car into my parking spot black smoke started coming from the hood so I turned the car off waited until the smoke stopped and looked under the hood to see if I could tell what was smoking. Everything appeared fine and I made sure to check all of my fluid levels and oil which were all full. Later that day maybe 4 hours later I drove about 15 miles to my sisters house and again as I was parking my car the black smoke started again from under the hood. I proceeded to turn the car off and look under the hood again after the smoke cleared. Less than 5 minutes later the was a loud popping noise from under the hood and by the time I ran outside to see the entire front part of my car was engulfed in flames however the windows were up so the flames were contained inside the car and under the hood. The fire department came minutes later and put the fire out and I had to have the car towed due to the front tires melting from the fire. I had it towed back to the dealership where I'd purchased it only 5 months before and let them and financing company know. No one could explain why my car spontaneously combusted like a bomb while parked and turned off. I'm reporting this incident because I do not believe it was a freak accident I believe these vehicles should definitely be investigated before someone loses their life.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Spring Branch, TX, USA