Kia Sorento Complaints (2011)

1,520 consumer complaints on file.

#11633934January 3, 2025
EXTERIOR LIGHTING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
My headlights are not working properly. This is an ongoing issue with Kia model vehicles- check online forums
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11633387December 31, 2024
ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Engine fire, extinguished by the fire dept. Car was parked at the time. Dealer informed us that the fire recall was completed on 10-29-2021 and now we are over the 150,000 mileage warranty so no repair can be done by Kia. I will submit 2 more claims for transmission and brakes for the same Kia.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11633395December 31, 2024
SUSPENSION, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Transmission, shocks and struts had to be replaced. Kia was having a hard bump knock when it changed gears driving down the highway, we had it looked at several times by the Kia dealer and they couldn't find anything wrong. Eventually had to replace the parts above.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11633397December 31, 2024
SERVICE BRAKES
Rear brakes failed, had to replace them. This is the 3rd repair not covered by Kia.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11633421December 31, 2024
ENGINE
Engine light flashes fast then Kia will slow down to about 30 mph when going up a hill, I've make claims on this Kia for the fire loss, transmission, brakes and now it won't run unless I pay $85 to have the sensor reset which lasts a short time and the light starts flashing again. Was told it doesn't qualify for a new engine because the mileage is over 150,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11630517December 13, 2024
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Kia states that they do not have the parts for the current recall. Not sure if this has anything to do with any recalls but my check engine light went on in 2023, after paying for diagnostic testing, the mechanic cannot find any emissions leak. And after spark plugs were changed in Feb 2024, the light went off. Then Nov 2024, the light went back on again. Although there is a code stating there is an emissions leak again. I am scared to drive the car without knowing what is wrong. Is the part available for the current recall?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11627926November 29, 2024
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that there was a knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. While driving at various speeds, the vehicle jerked with the transmission slipping gear with an engine misfire. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to Auto Zone and a code for the knock sensor failure was retrieved. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact had replaced the spark plugs on the vehicle. While driving 65 MPH, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode. The contact restarted the vehicle and continued driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who confirmed that the knock sensor had failed. The dealer related the failure to the NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V877000 (Engine); however, the VIN was not included. The dealer cleared the code, but the vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to a different certified mechanic who confirmed the diagnostic result and cleared the code. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 135,750.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11622694October 30, 2024
ENGINE
No oil after filling up with 4qts. Engine over built compression and blew hole through bottom of the block which caused a fire underneath
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11621859October 25, 2024
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, SUSPENSION
3 different episodes suv will start by appear warning lights downhill, slippery road, abs, engine , decrease speed, shuts down, tire pressure finally battery dead and rubber smell. I've had it fixed once mentioned it was Altarnator, second time battery, finally third time something electrical or unknown. Total cost now $3000 and my life in danger al 3 times and towec.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11616981September 28, 2024
AIR BAGS, POWER TRAIN, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
1. Air bag light has been on for over a year. Was checked at dealership, and was told there is a recall on sensor. 2. Power Train, unknown of what's going on. Riding down the road all of a sudden it stalls for a minute. It's a hard jerk, like it's not getting gas, or the transmission is out of sinc. This started about two years ago. Took it to my local repairman, and he said it was a warning in the tire wheel letting me know something was wrong in the wheel. They repaired it, and I had no more problems until recently. It is doing it again. A hard jerk when I'm driving. 3. Other, passenger front and rear and drivers side rear doors locked up and I could not open them. This happen about two years ago. Took car to a certified electrical repairman and it cost me a fortune to get repaired. The clips that lock and unlock doors had to be replace. The repair was very costly.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11611336August 28, 2024
EXTERIOR LIGHTING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
This very dangerous issue has happened at least 3 times. It happens in frequently but is terrible when it happens because at night you are put into immediate darkness with no warning. Upon flashing the high beams on or using the turn signal the headlights go dark/off. Then you need to restart the car. This is particularly dangerous when driving on dark or high traffic roads because the driver cannot see anything.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11610451August 23, 2024
STRUCTURE:BODY
Non working door handles which is a KNOWN issue with Kia! Extremely dangerous obstruction in an event of an emergency where occupants need to get in and out of the vehicle. The ineffective door handles also makes the car less secure because someone who is not authorized can access the safety measures that the vehicle has. This is not right that Kia customers have to spend hundreds for an ongoing issue! This is two out of the four doors now. I replaced one door handle already for well over $300.00! Now will need to spend ANOTHER three hundred plus dollars for the same issue! Again, this is a KNOWN Kia issue! I was originally told there was a recall but only for the back handles and not the front handles in 2020. Now, I am being told it was a warranty and it expired in 2021/2022. A warranty was never relayed to me in any way. No email or mailed letter explaining this. If under "warranty" and again, a known Kia issue why were the backs covered but not the front if they are the same handles? Why not replace all four handles under the said "warranty"? This is a major issues for Kia owners like myself. Also having an issue where when it rains, water will come in from the passenger side panel and back trunk panels. Kia said it was the drains. Kia cleared the drains for well over $200.00. Next rain fall and the SAME issue still remained. Kia then said it was the moonroof assembly and would NOT get back to me with a remedy to solve the issue. I reached out again and I spoke to the general Manager who said he would call me back and NEVER did. I took it to another company who handles moonroofs/sunroofs and has said it is due to the paint separating in the grooves where the assembly sits and is a manufactural issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11609343August 19, 2024
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the “Low Oil Pressure” warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that there was engine oil leaking underneath the vehicle. The vehicle had been taken to a certified mechanic where it had been diagnosed that the oil pressure switch had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 10V388000 (Electrical System). The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact was referred to the manufacturer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall or in the Technical Service Bulletin with the manufacturer ID number 026 and NHTSA ID Number: 10235099 (Electrical System). The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to file a safety complaint. The failure mileage was 170,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11609424August 19, 2024
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I bought my 2011 Kia Sorento used from a dealership. The Air Bag Warning light was on & I insisted that they inspect car before I buy it, which they did. I go to pick the car up & the Air Bag Warning light is still on. When I questioned it, I learned that, for SOME REASON, a car's #1 safety feature, the Air Bags, is NOT part of PA's Safety Inspection!! A couple months go by and 1 by 1 the Bluetooth/Audio controls on the steering wheel stop working. So, after reading the Owner's Manual & finding that there is no fuse for the steering wheel controls, I go online to see if I can find the cause &/or how to fix it. That's when I run across hundreds of posts/blogs from other 2011 Sorento owner's saying the exact same thing happened to them and all the replies say that it's caused by the Clock Spring and upon replacing it, all their Bluetooth/Audio controls on steering wheel worked again. I then remember the letters regarding the Clock Spring in with the car's Owner's Manual. I have 2 letters, 1 from 2017 & 1 from 2019 saying that Kia Extended the Warranty on the Clock Spring to 15 years. To take the car to a Kia dealership and have the Air Bag Warning light diagnosed & if it's determined that the Clock Spring is reason it's illuminated, Kia will pay to fix it. What I don't understand is if Kia saw fit to issue TWO identical letters TWO years apart from each other, why didn't they just issue a recall? They obviously knew it was a problem that effected most, if not all of the 2011 Sorento's manufactured. And the real reason I'm writing? Since my research on the internet TWO EXTREMELY DANGEROUS things have happened. 1)my horn no longer works! At 1st it worked when it wanted to but now it doesn't work at all! I've almost gotten in 3 accidents because of it & my car will NO LONGER PASSES INSPECTION and 2) Now the Air Bag system cannot detect when someone is in the passenger seat, so their Air Bags never turn on!! The Extended Warranty expires in 2024 & NO RECALL!????
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11606749August 6, 2024
SERVICE BRAKES, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
See attached document for complaint
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11604133July 23, 2024
POWER TRAIN
When I place my vehicle in park it lurches forward several times
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11603411July 19, 2024
STRUCTURE:BODY
The door latch behind the driver side of the vehicle does not work. It will not open from the outside of the vehicle. This is a safety concern especially since this is my [XXX] daughter's car. I have called KIA and they will not honor this repair since the car was purchased used in August of 2021. I also have another 2011 Kia Sorento with the same issue. This is definitely a problem with KIA and this should be repaired regardless of how old the vehicle is since it is due to a defect in the product. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11603415July 19, 2024
STRUCTURE:BODY
The door latch behind the driver side of the vehicle does not work. It will not open from the outside of the vehicle. This is a safety concern especially since this is my [XXX] daughter's car. I have called KIA, and they will not honor this repair since the car was purchased and used in January 2024. I also have another 2011 Kia Sorento with the same issue. This is definitely a problem with KIA and this should be repaired regardless of how old the vehicle is since it is due to a defect in the product. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11603111July 18, 2024
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was smoke coming from under the hood. The contact raised the hood and became aware of a short circuit around the engine. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, where it was diagnosed with a positive battery cable being stuck with the shift cable and inhibitor switch causing the short circuit. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle would be repaired out-of-pocket. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11600242July 8, 2024
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, AIR BAGS, STEERING
1-The front air bag sensor will nor register if a person is sitting in the sear, no matter the weight. 2-The modem keeps direction the vehicle to steer right. No matter how many alignments and parts are replaced, the ECM will not correct itself 3-KIA dealers will only repair the problem if the customer pays $$$$$$$$
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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