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What 1,516 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Kia Sorento Phev

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (1,516)Crash / fire / injury (107)Engine (284)Body & structure (268)Transmission & drivetrain (265)Electrical system (246)Airbags (182)Brakes (130)Lights (102)Speed control (63)Suspension (56)Steering (53)

130 of 1,516 complaints match · Brakes · clear filters · page 6 of 6

Jan 6, 2011SteeringSuspensionBrakes

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2011 KIA SORENTO 4 CYL. AND JUST AFTER ONE DAY OF OWNERSHIP NOTICED THAT THE CAR WAS PULLING TO THE RIGHT. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WITH ONLY 150 MILES ON IT. THEY SAID IT WAS THE ALIGNMENT AND DID A TEST ON IT AND AFTER THE TEST THE CAR PULLED TO THE LEFT. THE STEERING WHEEL IS ALSO OFF CENTER, LIKE MANY OTHERS HAVE REPORTED. I HAVE TAKEN IT BACK ONCE MORE AND THIS TIME THEY PERFORMED A TIRE ROTATION, THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. AFTER THREE WEEKS OF OWNERSHIP THE BRAKES HAVE STARTED TO MAKE SUBSTANTIAL NOISE AND THE SUSPENSION FEELS AND SOUNDS LIKE IT IS COMING APART. THE DEALER IS WAITING FOR KIA TECHNICIAN REPRESENTATIVE TO COME BY AND TAKE A LOOK AND REPORT ON THIS VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10374930

Jan 3, 2011Brakes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT NOTICED AN INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE WHEN BRAKING SINCE THE ILLUMINATION OF THE WARNING LIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 3,768.

NHTSA ODI 10373850

Dec 17, 2010Brakes

THE BRAKE PEDAL ALWAYS SEEMED TO GO DOWN A LONG DISTANCE WHEN APPYLING, BEFORE THE BRAKES STARTED TO WORK.. I HAD THE DEALER CHECK. THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS REPLACED. THE NEXT MORNING, AT HOME, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR!. WITHIN THE NEXT 3 WEEKS, THE DEALER HAD 2 MORE MASTER CYLINDERS AND THE ABS REPLACED. CORPORATE TECH WAS SENT TO CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM. EVERYTHING WAS TO SPEC AND OK. THE BRAKES WORK OK, BUT THAT "SOFT" BRAKE PEDAL FEEL STILL EXISTS.

NHTSA ODI 10371599

Dec 12, 2010Brakes

KIA SORENTO 2011, 2WD 2.4 L ENGINE. THE BRAKES ON TWO OCCASIONS BEGAN TO RUMBLE AND PUSH BACK ON THE FOOT MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO APPLY THE BRAKES. NO CRASH OCCURRED BUT WE WERE TRAVELING AT AROUND 15MPH DURING THE FIRST INCIDENT AND 20MPH IN THE SECOND INCIDENT.

NHTSA ODI 10370287

Nov 2, 2010Brakes

MY 2011 KIA SORENTO EX V6 AWD WAS BROUGHT IN TO A KIA DEALER 15 DAYS AGO TO CHECK ON THE BRAKES, WHICH SEEMED TO HAVE A LONGER THAN NORMAL "PLAY" BEFORE ENGAGING. THE MECHANIC AT THE DEALERSHIP AGREED AND REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER. AFTER I BROUGHT IT HOME, THE NEXT MORNING THE PEDAL ALMOST WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR! IT SEEMED TO HAVE AIR IN THE SYSTEM AFTER I PUMPED THE PEDAL. I BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY AGAIN REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER. (I PERSONALLY THINK THEY PUT IN A REBUILD KIT THE FIRST TIME). THE MECHANIC TRIED MECHANICAL AND MANUAL METHODS TO GET ALL THE AIR OUT WITH NO SUCCESS. THEY AGAIN REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER, AGAIN WITH NO SUCCESS. THEY THEN REPLACED THE ABS MODULE, AGAIN IT DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THEY ARE SENDING OUT A KIA ENGINEER TO SEE IF PROBLEM CAN BE RESOLVED. HE WILL ARRIVE MONDAY NOV 8! THE SUV IS STILL AT THE DEALERSHIP, WHICH WILL BE A TOTAL OF 21 DAYS! HAVE THERE BEEN ANY OTHER INCIDENTS OF THIS PROBLEM? *TR

NHTSA ODI 10363805

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Working with the data? Download all 1,516 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 14, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2011 Kia Sorento Phev verdict →