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:
2 / 9
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
55,940 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.
My driver side door just stopped working from the outside. It unlocks, but the handle does not open the door. This is such an inconvenience, not to mention a safety issue. I searched and see tons of complaints about the same thing, but no recall. I am so surprised at Kia for not taking responsibility
Over the course of the past 6 months, I have had several problems with the door handles on this 2011 Kia Sorento. After searching online, ive found its a major problem that Kia refuses to recall. This is absurd. The front two doors on the Kia will not open from the outside, but will from the inside. One of the back doors has a handle that has broken off after little use. Ive read hundreds of stories of this happening and Kia needs to make this right. The extensive labor it takes into removing the door handle is the problem for the price. Most service dealers want hundreds of dollars to fix a plastic door latch/actuator and that is a rip off. These need to be recalled immediately for safety reasons. If a crash were to happen, and the inside also quits working, how would you exit the vehicle?
Hello, it seems that the recall SC 089 that was done on my Kia did not fix the issue with the transmission. Kia should come up with the better solution cause there is a high risk of the transmission failure. We had the same issue with our transmission as described on SC 089 and almost crashed on the highway. Kia dealer said it is not their issue cause the repair was done. So even Kia aftersales processes do not work as they keep the dangers cars on the road.
We almost died on the highway today! we were turning to highway we stopped and again. Unfortunately the car moved only 3 yards and stopped. Mechanic says it was the transmission and the recall SC 089 was not done properly or never done before even Kia dealer says otherwise.
- Carver, MN, USA
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The right and left rear outside door handle cover/cap as come off the car. Seems it would be some kind of manufacturing issue that both handles would come off. The replacement part is only about $15 but the dealer wants $100+ to install the replacement. One door handle came off in October 2016 and the other came off this last week in January 2017. I don't mind paying for the replacement part but not the installation costs.
While I was driving at approximately 65 mph, the panoramic sunroof spontaneously detached, flew off, and shattered leaving a gaping hole in the roof. If someone had been driving behind me, they could have been seriously injured or killed. The body shop that replace the sunroof explained that a manufacturing defect caused the failure. I reported this problem to Kia, but Kia was uninterested. I'm reporting this because I fear that someone could be harmed or killed if their are other Sorentos with the same manufacturing defect.
In the last week, the vehicle shut down completely while driving. The first time it happened on the highway while driving 70mph - the car shut off and dropped to 50mph, the steering wheel locked but it started back up. Twenty minutes later while driving 25mph on a side road, the same thing happened. And then again while in a drive thru line. This has since happened twice while on the highway. The vehicle does start back up again but it is obviously unsafe to drive, especially on the highway. After researching the issue, I found there was a recall on 2011-2013 models with the same issue. I contacted Kia and was told my vehicle was not part of the recall but to bring it in and have it looked at. I have an appointment on Monday, December 19, 2016 to have several other recall items corrected.
Failure of airbags to deplore. Accident 12/1/16. Insurance company has subsequently rendered the vehicle a totaled lost. Accident happened while vehicle was crossing a intersection (city street) and stuck another vehicle in the midsection.
Both doors locked on left side. Can not enter care on left side. Running or not. I'm locked out. Air bag light has been on while under warranty at time I ask them to fix it. Still not fixed.
After our purchase of the vehicle, the cancel button would get stuck at the top of the button. Therefore not being able to turn off the cruise control system completely. Without the brake switch it could cause the cruise control to not disengage.
I bought my car in 2011 by 2013 the rear passenger door does not open at all, driver side wont open from out side. Then 2014 ABS light on, controls on steering wheel for phone, cruise and volume don't work. Shifting to park or drive isn't catching all the time, and door locks click open & close randomly. I do not feel safe driving my car.
Left low beem light is out in my car it is a new bulb.this is the 2nd time it has happened also the lights go out for no reasion I will be driving and they go out, I have to use the on and off lever flick it multipal times to get themto come back on I have taken it to dealler 4 times they cant find out why it dose it also last night for some resion my right door will not open from out side nor the driver side rear door is doing the same thing as of last night "???????"
Driver side door will not open from the out side. The doors are unlocked and the only way to open the door is from the inside of the car. This is a hazard and a safety issue. I have read on many blogs with other Kia Sorento owner having the same issue. I have a baby, and having to open my driver door from the passenger side crawling through the car.
My sunroof exploded as I was traveling North on the 605 fry around 6:00 am on 8/31/16. I was no passing under any overhead bridges nor did I experience any debris hitting the car.
Takata recall. I own a 2011 Kia Sorento. My back door handle (on the drivers side) will not open the door from the outside. The door handle has not worked since 2015. Today, August 28, 2016, my passenger door will not open from the outside. There has been no damage to the vehicle that would have created this problem.
Drivers side door does not open from the outside. Was parked in the driveway. Worked fine one minute, and the next I couldn't open it. I have to go through the passenger side door to open or leave drivers side window down and reach in to open. Many complaints concerning this already.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Farmington, NH, USA