What 1,516 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Kia Sorento Plug-in Hybrid

DRIVER'S DOOR CAN'T OPEN FROM OUTSIDE

NHTSA ODI 11073321

ONE DAY WE WENT TO OPEN THE DRIVER SIDE BACK DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE AND IT NO LONGER OPENED. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE DONE TO THE DOOR IT JUST STOPPED WORKING. WHEN I CONTACTED KIA THEY DIDNT SEE IT AS BEING A SAFETY ISSUE. IN MY EYES IT S AHUGE ISSUE IF MY GIRLS AND I WERE IN A WRECK AND SAFETY CREWS WOULDNT BE ABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE!

NHTSA ODI 11073099

IN SEPT 2017 THE BACK DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR STOPPED OPENING FROM THE OUTSIDE. NOW, JAN 2018 THE DRIVERS DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE. BOTH DOORS OPEN PERFECT FROM THE INSIDE.

NHTSA ODI 11066115

THE DOOR WONT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE ON THE DRIVER BACK SIDE SO THE BACK DOOR ON THE DRIVER SIDE AND STATIONARY

NHTSA ODI 11065968

MY DRIVERS SIDE BACK DOOR WON'T OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE OR INSIDE(THIS IS MY CURRENT ISSUE WITH THE CAR). I HAVE BEEN IN NO ACCIDENTS WITH THIS CAR. I HAD TROUBLE WITH MY DRIVER'S DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN LAST YEAR AND THAT WAS UNDER RECALL AND REPAIRED. BOTH ISSUES JUST STARTED ALL OF A SUDDEN.

NHTSA ODI 11064448

MY FRONT DRIVER AND REAR DRIVER DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK FROM THE OUTSIDE. THIS HAPPENED ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO AND HAVE READ IT'S A KNOWN ISSUE. I IT FIRST HAPPENED TO THE DRIVER DOOR THEN ABOUT A MONTH LATER THE THE BACK DRIVER DOIR

NHTSA ODI 11055114

WITH THE VEHICLE STATIONARY PASSENGER DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE. CAN OPEN FROM THE INSIDE ONLY.

NHTSA ODI 11053756

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOOR HANDLE WAS LOOSE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO KIA OF GREENVILLE (424 LAURENS RD, GREENVILLE, SC)WHERE THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOOR HANDLES WERE REPLACED PER A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION CAMPAIGN. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR HANDLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 130,000.

NHTSA ODI 11046500

PASSENGER DOOR WON'T OPEN FROM OUTSIDE WHEN VEHICLE STATIONARY. ACTIVATOR PIECE IN DOOR LATCH BROKEN. MANY COMPLAINTS FROM OTHERS.

NHTSA ODI 11040962

I AM UNABLE TO OPEN MY DRIVERS SIDE REAR DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE. THIS SEEMS TO BE QUITE A PREVELENT PROBLEM ON SEVERAL KIA MODELS. I HAVE SEEN THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. SOME WITH MULTIPLE DOORS ON THE SAME VEHICLE. THIS IS A SFETY ISSUE AS YOU CAN'T QUICKLY GET INTO THE VEHICLE TO IF YOU HAD SMALL CHILDREN IN THE BACK AND THER WAS AN EMERGENCY OR IF FIRST RESPONDERS NEEDED ACCESS TO THE BACK OR ANY DOOR THAT HAD THIS PROBLEM FOR THAT MATTER. THE REASON I AM REPORTING THIS IS THAT I HAVE SEEN TOO MANY PEOPLE WITH THIS ISSUE ON THERE KIA SORENTOS AND OTHER MODELS.

NHTSA ODI 11021476

DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR HANDLE MALFUNCTIONED. CAN UNLOCK DOOR WITH KEY OR KEY FOB, BUT DOOR WILL NOT OPEN. HAVE TO CLIMB INTO BACK SEAT TO MANUALLY OPEN DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE! COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS TO HAVE TO DO WHEN IT'S RAINING, OR WHEN NEEDING TO ENTER THE CAR QUICKLY. I'M READING ONLINE THAT IT IS A FAULTY ACTUATOR SWITCH. DEALERS ARE CHARGING UP TO $500 TO FIX. THIS NEEDS TO BE A RECALL FROM THE MANUFACTURER. NOT BRAGGING ABOUT MY KIA ANYMORE.

NHTSA ODI 11021132

LEFT REAR DOOR WILL NOT OPEN BY DOOR HANDLES INSIDE OR OUTSIDE EVEN WITH THE DOOR UNLOCKED IF KIDS ARE IN THE CAR IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD SITTING STILL WHEN IT FIRST HAPPENED

NHTSA ODI 11014914

THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HANDLE COMPLETELY FELL OFF IN MY HAND WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE DOOR TO GET MY GRANDCHILD OUT OF THE CAR. THE CAR HANDLED WAS DEFECTIVE AND MY GRANDCHILD REMAINED IN A CAR IN EXTREME HEAT WHILE I TRIED TO GET INTO THE CAR ANOTHER WAY. I CRAWLED OVER THE DRIVER'S SET AND PUSHED THE DOOR OPEN FROM THE INSIDE TO BE ABLE TO PULL THE CHILD OUT. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO CRAWL AROUND IN MY CAR TO GET A MINOR OUT OF IT. NOR SHOULD ANYONE BE EXPOSED TO TEXAS HEAT FOR ANY AMOUNT OF TIME DUE TO CAR FAILURE. CALLED KIA CUSTOMER CENTER AND WAS TOLD TO TAKE CAR TO BE EVALUATED AT A DEALERSHIP NEAR ME - THEY CHOSE. THE SERVICE AREA DIDN'T EVEN LOOK AT THE CAR -- SAW THE CAR HANDLE I BROUGHT IN AND SAID 'WELL WHY YOU BRINGING IT IN. IT'S BROKE. I CAN TELL THAT BY LOOKING AT IT." HE SAID HE WOULD OPEN A WORK ORDER THAT DAY. NO RESPONSE, I CALLED KIA AND THEY CALLED THIS PERSON WHO SAID HE WAS JUST THEN WRITING UP THE ORDER. WEEKS LATER I CALLED KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND I WAS TOLD THAT SOME SALES MANAGER (NO NAME, WOULD NOT PROVIDE PHONE NUMBER) HAD DENIED COVERING THE REPAIR OF THE PART. I TOLD THE KIA SERVICE TO APPEAL IT -- THIS PLASTIC PART IS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF MY CAR. FOR 6 YEARS, THIS CAR HAS BEEN USED BY ME EXCLUSIVELY M-F TO AN FROM WORK. ONCE IN AWHILE ON THE WEEKENDS, I TAKE A GRANDCHILD TO AN EVENT OR SOMETIMES I HAVE CARRIED HUSBAND TO YMCA.. IF THE PART FAILED DUE TO USE, THE DRIVERS SIDE HANDLE SHOULD HAVE FAILED. I LOOKED ONLINE AFTER LEARNING FROM KIA THAT THERE WOULD NOT BE A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE. I SAW HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE IN THE SAME SITUATION I WAS IN - WARRANTY DIDN'T COVER IT SINCE IT WAS OVER 70,000 MILES. THE 'FIX' REPAIR IS OVER $500. I SAW THAT A CLASS ACTION IS BEING DISCUSSED. SINCE IT IS ALWAYS THE PASSENGER DOOR HANDLE THAT FAILS FOR 2011 KIA, IT IS OBVIOUSLY DUE TO KIA USING A SUBSTANDARD PART.

NHTSA ODI 11013930

THE DRIVER DOOR WON'T OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE.

NHTSA ODI 11012953

MY CARE IS ONLY 6 YEARS OLD AND I HAVE ALREADY HAD TO REPAIR AND REPLACE MY DOOR LATCHES ON THE DRIVER DOOR AND THE PASSENGERS DRIVER SIDE DOOR. THIS HAS WORN ENTIRELY TOO FAST. NONE WERE MISUSED. I HAVE CHILDRENAND BOTH COMPLETELY FAILED TO WORK CREATING A HAZARD TO ENTERING THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI 11012893

FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WON'T OPEN FROM OUTSIDE AND REAR PASSENGER DOOR WON'T OPEN AT ALL.

NHTSA ODI 11010122

IN LATE 2013 MY DRIVER SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE.THEN THE DRIVERS SIDE BACK DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE OR OUT. THEN THE PASSENGER DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE.WE GOT THIS FIXED BECAUSE MY MOTHER IS ELDELY AND NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO EASILY OPEN HER DOOR. THIS WAS A COST OF 600.00. TO FIX THE BACK DOOR THEY WERE GOING TO CHARGE AN ADDTIONAL 600 OR MORE DEPENDING ON IF THEY BROKE THE DOOR PANEL , WE WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THAT AT OUR OWN COST TODAY MY PASSENGER BACK DOOR STOPPED OPENING FROM THE OUTSIDE. MY SON HAS TO CLIMB OVER THE SEATS TO LET HIS BROTHER IN. WHAT IF THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT IN WATER OR A FIRE AND MY CHILDREN WERE UNABLE TO OPEN THEIR DOORS .THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. THIS IS NO DOUBT A SAFETY CONCERN.

NHTSA ODI 11003481

THE DRIVER-SIDE FRONT DOOR LATCH BROKE WITH NO ADVANCE NOTICE. I HAD MADE A STOP AND TRIED TO REENTER THE VEHICLE. THE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE. I DON'T SEE A SAFETY RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE, BUT I SEE PLENTY OF COMPLAINTS WHICH INDICATE THAT IT IS EITHER A PLASTIC PART OF THE DOOR HANDLE, OR THE LOCKING MECHANISM. THIS SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER A SAFETY RECALL, AS IT PRESENTS A SAFETY HAZARD IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH WHERE THE DRIVER IS UNABLE TO EXIT WITHOUT ASSISTANCE SINCE RESCUERS WOULD BE DELAYED IN OPENING THE VEHICLE. APPARENTLY ALL DOORS ON THIS VEHICLE ARE SUBJECT TO THIS SAME PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI 11003116

MY 2011 KIA SORENTO HAS 2 REAR PASSENGER DOORS THAT DON'T OPEN. NEITHER DOOR CAN BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE AND THEY CAN BE OPENED FROM THE OUTSIDE APPROXIMATELY ONE INCH. THE ONLY WAY TO "OPEN" THE DOOR IS BY PULLING EXTREMELY HARD ON THE OUTSIDE HANDLE (YOU CAN FEEL THE RESISTANCE OF THE INTERIOR PANEL). THE DOOR DOES OPEN, BUT THE INTERIOR PANEL DETACHES FROM THE DOOR FRAME. ONCE THE DOOR IS CLOSED AGAIN REVERTS TO NOT OPENING.

NHTSA ODI 11001983

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR HANDLE FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS SCHEDULED TO BE TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI 11001767

I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO OPEN MY DRIVER SIDE BACK DOOR FOR OVER A YEAR. IT WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE OR THE OUTSIDE. DUE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR IT IS PRACTICALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO FIX IT AS WE CANNOT GET TO THE HINGES INSIDE OF THE CAR UNLESS WE REMOVE THE ENTIRE INSIDE OF THE DOOR AND CUT THE DOOR OFF OF THE CAR. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY HAZARD KIA THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED!

NHTSA ODI 11000859

THE RIGHT REAR PASSENGER DOOR ON MY 2011 KIA SORENTO WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE OR OUT SINCE OCTOBER, 2016. THE DEALERSHIPS THAT I HAVE REACHED OUT TO ARE QUOTING A $400.00 PRICETAG TO "FIX" THIS ISSUE THAT IS OBVIOUSLY THE FAULT OF THE MANUFACTURER. IN READING THE FORUMS AND LINKS ON HOW TO FIX THIS, IT HAS BECOME APPARENT THAT KIA REFUSES TO ADDRESS THE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF CONSUMERS WHO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THIS AND I AM COMPELLED TO REPORT AS HOPEFULLY THE NHTSA CAN COMPEL KIA TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS WIDESPREAD ISSUE AS IT IS INDEED A SAFETY ISSUE. DOES SOMEBODY HAVE TO DIE TRAPPED IN THEIR KIA FOR KIA TO ADDRESS THIS?

NHTSA ODI 11000589

DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WON'T OPEN FROM OUTSIDE...A QUICK INTERNET SEARCH REVEALS THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH A BAD ACTUATOR. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN...IMAGINE PUTTING AN INFANT OR TODDLER IN THE CAR AND THEN GOING AROUND TO OPEN YOUR DRIVER'S DOOR. THIS IS A BIG DEAL KIA. I WON'T BUY ANOTHER ONE.

NHTSA ODI 10995709

THE LOCKING/UNLOCKING MECHANISM INTHE REAR PASSENGER DOOR FAILED NOW I AM UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING BUT PARKED IN A PARKING LOT. I ATTEMPTED TO UNLOCK THE DOOR AS MY SON WAS OPENING FROM OUTSIDE.

NHTSA ODI 10993348

I AM UNABLE TO OPEN MY FRONT PASSENGER DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE. MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY NOW AND I CALLED KIA TO SEE ABOUT A RECALL AS A SAFETY CONCERN, AND THEY SAID THEY DO NOT CATEGORIZE IT AS SUCH AND WOULDN'T ISSUE A RECALL. I'VE DONE RESEARCH AND THIS IS AN ONGOING AND CONTINUAL PROBLEM FOR THEM. WHAT HAPPENS IF MY OTHER DOORS MALFUNCTION THIS SAME WAY? I HAVE SMALL CHILDREN WHO COULD BE TRAPPED IN MY CAR BECAUSE I CAN'T OPEN THE DOORS FROM THE OUTSIDE? WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THE CAR WERE ON FIRE OR WE WERE IN AN ACCIDENT AND I COULDN'T GET TO MY CHILDREN??? I CAN'T SEE HOW THIS ISN'T A SAFETY CONCERN WHEN CHILDREN COULD BECOME TRAPPED IN THE CAR!

NHTSA ODI 10992704