DRIVER SIDE REAR PASSENGER DOOR DOES NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE. WHEN CHILD LOCK IS ENGAGED, THE DOOR CANNOT BE OPENED. DEALER INDICATED POSSIBLE ACTUATOR FAILURE. VEHICLE HAS 106,000 MILES AND IS OUT OF WARRANTY.
NHTSA ODI 11279369
Home · 2011 Kia Sorento · Complaints
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.
245 of 1,515 complaints match · Electrical system · clear filters · page 4 of 10
DRIVER SIDE REAR PASSENGER DOOR DOES NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE. WHEN CHILD LOCK IS ENGAGED, THE DOOR CANNOT BE OPENED. DEALER INDICATED POSSIBLE ACTUATOR FAILURE. VEHICLE HAS 106,000 MILES AND IS OUT OF WARRANTY.
NHTSA ODI 11279369
CLOCK SPRING MALFUNCTION CAUSING AIRBAG LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE ON DASH. STEERING WHEEL CONTROLS DO NOT WORK. THIS IS A CONSTANT AND DAILY ISSUE. IT HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING AS WELL AS PARKED. LOW BEAM SOCKET MELTED. SINCE BEEN REPLACED BY ME. BOTH ISSUES ARE UNDER A RECALL BUT MY VIN IS NOT LISTED. MY VEHICLES YEAR MAKE AND MODEL ARE LISTED IN A CURRENT RECALL BUT MY VIN DOES NOT FALL WITHIN IT.
NHTSA ODI 11278638
VEHICLES INTERIOR LIGHTS, INTERIOR DASH LIGHTS, HEADLIGHTS AND OTHER PANEL LIGHTS CLICK AND FLICKER OFF AND ON DURING VARIOUS PERIODS OF TIME. THE HEADLIGHTS STAY OFF FOR A FEW SECONDS AND REPETITIVELY AT RANDOM TIMES. THIS HAS OCCURRED BOTH EARLY IN THE MORNING, IN THE EVENINGS, IT ALSO HAPPENS JUST IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY TO THE DASH LIGHTS AND WITH THE CLICKING. THIS HAS OCCURRED IN WINTER AS WELL AS SUMMER. ORIGINALLY IT ONLY OCCURRED WHEN IT WAS RAINING, NOW IT OCCURS DAILY. THIS HAS OCCURRED WHEN THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN PARK AND WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAYS, ON BACK ROADS, ALSO AT STOP LIGHTS OR A STOP SIGN. THE CLICKING HAS ALSO OCCURRED WHEN THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN OFF, IT WILL START MAKING CLICKING NOISES COMING FROM THE DASH AREA, THE SAME NOISE AS IT MAKES WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS AND INTERIOR AND DASH LIGHTS FLICKER WHEN IT IS ON. ALSO AFTER HAVING A RECALL REPAIRED I AM STILL HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE START STOP NOT STARTING, AS WELL AS THE DOORS NOT UNLOCKING WITH THE KIA REMOTE OR BY PUSHING THE BUTTON ON THE EXTERIOR HANDLE. THE VEHICLE HAS ALSO LOST STEERING CONTROL DURING EXCESSIVE RAIN. THIS OCCURRED ON A SIDE STREET WHILE I WAS ATTEMPTING TO TURN OFF OF A MAIN ROAD ONTO A SIDE ROAD THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT TURN. IT PROCEEDED TO GO AT A DIAGONAL, ONLY PARTIALLY TURNING INTO A FRONT LAWN DURING THE TURN. IT WAS RAINING WHEN THIS OCCURRED. I KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER ISSUES WITH THE PHANTOM HEADLIGHTS IN OTHER KIA MODELS. AND THEY ARE NOT FIXING THE ISSUE, THEY ARE SAYING IT IS NOT OCCURRING. ALSO THEY ARE SAYING THEY NEED TO REPLACE A PART THAT COST $400 BUT IT MAY NOT FIX THE ISSUE. I HAVE LEFT THE MANAGER A MESSAGE AT THE KIA IN MYRTLE BEACH AND HAVE ASKED FOR A GOOD FAITH REPAIR AND I HAVE NOT HEARD BACK.
NHTSA ODI 11278287
JUST WHEN THE WARRANTY RAN OUT THE DRIVER SIDE REAR DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR QUIT WORKING. THE DOOR CANNOT BE OPENED FROM THE OUTSIDE. IF CHILD LOCK IS PUT ON, THEN THE DOOR CANNOT BE OPENED FROM EITHER THE INSIDE OR THE OUTSIDE BLOCKING EGRESS FOR THAT REAR PASSENGER.
NHTSA ODI 11277516
VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE AND STATIONARY. WHEN TRYING TO START THE VEHICLE USING THE KEY-LESS IGNITION, DASH AND INTERIOR LIGHTS STARTED TO FLICKER IN THE VEHICLE AND RELAYS START TO CLICK. LOCKS WOULD NOT OPERATE NOR COULD I SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL, STARTED TO SMELT BURNING, PUSHED IGNITION BUTTON TO SHUT DOWN. WOULD NOT SHUT OFF, ELECTRICAL KEPT CYCLING LIKE IT WAS TRYING TO START ON ITS OWN, HAD TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY TO SHUT DOWN THE CAR. STARTER SOLENOID NEVER ENGAGED AT ANY TIME NOR DID THE ENGINE TRY TO TURN OVER.
NHTSA ODI 11271215
CAR RAN FINE. DROVE TO STORE. GOT OUT OF STORE. CAR WOULDN'T START. HAD SO.EONE CHECK BATTERY .BATTERY WAS GOOD.12.5 . HAD THEM CHECK THAT WIRES WHERE TIGHT ON BATTERY AND THEY WHERE. STILL NO POWER TO CAR. LEFT CAR AT STORE . CAME BACK NEXT DAY AND CAR STARTED UP LIKE NOTHING WRONG. THIS HAS HAPPEN TWICE SINCE
NHTSA ODI 11270543
THE DRIVER DOOR DOESN'T OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE ANYMORE I HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE BACK AND I HAVE SMALL CHILDREN
NHTSA ODI 11268201
EVERYTIME I HIT A LITTLE BUMP IN THE ROAD MY ECO SAVER GOES OFF CAUSING ME TO BURN MORE GAS UNTIL I HIT ANOTHER BUMP TO KNOCK THE SAVER BACK ON
NHTSA ODI 11268203
I WENT TO THE STORE AND TRIED TO OPEN THE BACK PASSENGER DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE AND IT WOULD NOT OPEN. I THOUGHT THAT THE CHILD SAFETY LOCKS WERE ON SO I WENT INSIDE FROM THE OPPOSITE SIDE AND OPENED THE DOOR. STILL HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT WHY I CAN'T OPEN MY DOOR THEN TODAY THE OTHER SIDE WILL NOT OPEN NOW. BOTH BACK DOORS WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE, THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. WHAT IF THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT GOD FORBID OR A FIRE AND I HAD MY CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILD IN MY VEHICLE AND COULD NOT GET THEM OUT! KIA NEEDS TO RECALL THIS IMMEDIATELY. LOOKING BACK I CAN SEE A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS AND THIS IS JUST UNACCEPTABLE. PLEASE HELP WITH THIS ISSUE. THANK YOU
NHTSA ODI 11268001
AIR BAG LIGHT HAS COME ON AND WILL NOT GO OFF. ALL OF THE CONTROLS ON THE STEERING WHEEL HAVE STOPPED WORKING, AND THE FUEL DOOR BUTTON HAS ALSO STOPPED WORKING.
NHTSA ODI 11265789
DOORS WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE
NHTSA ODI 11258195
I WAS DRIVING ON A BUSY HWY MY CAR STALLED OUT ALMOST WAS HIT BY A DUMP TRUCK . THE DUMP TRUCK RAN OFF THE ROAD TO AVOID ME THANK GOD NO ONE WAS HURT AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH FOUND OUT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THINK IT'S TIME FOR A RECALL
NHTSA ODI 11257543
MY DRIVER SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE. I HAVE TWO SMALL CHILDREN AND I'M AFRAID TO PUT CHILD LOCK ON BECAUSE THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ACCORDING TO MY RESEARCH. I HAVEN'T GOTTEN A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM AND IT MAKES FOR A VERY DANGEROUS MAYBE DEATHLY SITUATION. HORN DOESN'T WORK.
NHTSA ODI 11255466
I BROUGHT MY VEHICLE INTO KIA FOR SEVERAL RECALLS. ONE WAS THE DOOR LOCKS BEING FAULTY. I SAID I HAD NO PROBLEMS BUT THEY DECIDED TO REPLACE THEM ANYWAY. NOW MY REAR DOOR LOCK IS BROKEN. THE OTHER ISSUE IS WHEN ACCELERATING THE ENGINE REVS. IT ONLY HAPPENED A COUPLE OF TIMES AT FIRST, BUT NOW IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME I DRIVE. IT SEEMS LIKE THE PEDAL IS GETTING STUCK. MY LAST ISSUE IS THE AIR BAG. I WAS REAR ENDED ON THE HIGHWAY AND PUSHED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THE WHOLE FRONT END WAS BANGED UP AND THE AIRBAG NEVER OPENED.
NHTSA ODI 11254451
KIA WAS PURCHASED LESS THAN A YEAR AGO. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME IT WAS TAKEN TO A DEALERSHIP TO GET CHECKED. CAR ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND LOSES POWER AND KEEPS GOING INTO LIMP MODE. IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND MUST BE DEALT WITH. TODAY WHILE IN THE PASSING LANE CAR LOST ALL POWER AND WOULD NOT MOVE. I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 45MPH AND IT WOULDN'T GO . A TRACTOR TRAILER WAS SPEEDING BEHIND ME AND NEARLY REAR ENDED ME AS I WAS IN THE PASSING LANE AND COULDN'T MAKE IT GO AGAIN TO PULL OVER. WHEN I EVENTUALLY GOT IT TO PULL OVER IT WAS IDLING HIGH AND DID NOT SOUND RIGHT. MECHANIC CAME AND PLACED VEHICLE ON COMPUTER AND AGAIN THREE CODES CAME UP INCLUDING ENGINE POWER FAILURE AND LIMP MODE. I COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED DUE TO KIAS LACK TO REPAIR THIS DEFECT AND THIS COULD BE A LAWSUIT WAITING TO HAPPEN. I WANT TO BE REIMBURSED FOR REPAIRS OR AN ALLOWANCE TOWARD A NEW VEHICLE PURCHASE.
NHTSA ODI 11254549
DROVE TRUCK TO BANK AND NOW THEY ARE TELLING ME THAT MY BCM BODY CONTROL MODULE IS BAD. I HAD A TOW TRUCK DRIVER TELL ME THAT I WAS THE 10TH VEHICLE HE HAS PICKED UP WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. MY VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY IN A PARKING LOT.
NHTSA ODI 11252265
MY ROOM LP FUSE KEEPS BLOWING. IT HAD A RECALL FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. I WENT OUT AND STARTED MY CAR AND SEEN THAT THE CLOCK AND INTERIOR LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING. I PULLED FUSE PUT A NEW ONE IN AND WHEN I STARTED IT AGAIN IT BLEW AGAIN. THEN THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND IT IS STAYING ON. I HAVE REPLACED THE ROOM LP FUSE ABOUT 12 TIMES. IT WAS A RECALL GOT FIXED AND HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN.
NHTSA ODI 11245421
THE ALTERNATOR IN THIS VEHICLE HAD DIED NOW 3 TIMES IN THE PAST 4 YEARS, CAUSING THE CAR TO SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING. THE ALTERNATOR GOES FROM WORKING TO COMPLETELY DEAD. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED THE CAR HAD AROUND 65,000 MILES. THE SECOND TIME IT HAD AROUND 128,000 AND THIS LAST TIME AROUND 131,000 THERE WAS A RECALL LISTED FOR THE ORIGINAL ALTERNATOR BUT KIA CLAIMED IT DID NOT APPLY TO OUR CAR EVEN THOUGH THE MANUFACTURED DATE FIT WITHIN THE LISTED MONTHS.
NHTSA ODI 11245153
AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY DURING ACCIDENT. BEFORE ACCIDENT AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ON AND STEERING WHEEL FUNCTIONS WERE WORKING (CRUISE, HORN, VOLUME ECT.) DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WOULD NOT ROLL UP.
NHTSA ODI 11243908
THE DRIVER AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND WILL NOT GO OFF WHEN I TURNED ON THE VEHICLE ONE MORNING.. AT THE SAME TIME, ALL OF MY ELECTRONICS ON THE STEERING WHEEL QUIT WORKING ( CRUISE CONTROL, BLUE TOOTH, RADIO). I WAS TOLD THIS IS A CLOCK SPRING ISSUE AND HAS HAPPENED TO MANY 2011 KIA SORENTO OWNERS. IS THIS NOT A RECALL?
NHTSA ODI 11243263
THE VEHICLE'S AIRBAG LIGHT TURNED ON WHEN STATIONARY (AS I STARTED THE CAR) AND REMAINED ON AT ABOUT 100,000 MILES. MECHANIC INSPECTION YIELDED ISSUE WITH STEERING WHEEL CLOCK SPRING. MECHANIC ORDERED PART FROM KIA DEALERSHIP BUT THERE IS A MANUFACTURING ISSUE AND THE VEHICLE HAS TO BE RETROFITTED TO FIT THE PART. AS OF 8/5/2019, THERE ARE NO UNREPAIRED RECALLS ON THIS CAR OR FOR THIS SPECIFIC SAFETY ISSUE, BUT YEARS OF DOCUMENTATION OF COMPLAINTS FOR IT, AND IT IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. WHY HASN'T THIS BEEN ADDED AS A FORMAL RECALL? HAVE NOT CHECKED CRUISE CONTROL OR HORN, BUT VOLUME CONTROLS ON STEERING WHEEL STILL WORKING. PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT SOMETIMES OFF WHEN PASSENGER IS ON SEAT, SOMETIMES ON WHEN NO ONE IS IN SEAT.
NHTSA ODI 11241867
TAKATA BRAKE LIGHTS NOT WORKING BOUGHT 3 SINCE JAN2019. GOT BRAKES DONE IN 2018 BUT PEDAL STILL MOVES AT RED LIGHT CAR MOVES FORWARD. I MASH BREAKS HARDER. ENGINE SHAKES OR JUMPS. IGNITION SWITCH WON'T TURN ON CAR IT DON'T CRANK UP KEY WAS REMADE A YR AGO. IGNITION STARTED BACK WORKING WELL BUT 6MONTHS AGO SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. TODAY I WAS STUCK 3.5HRS.HORRIBLE PLEASE HELP MY SORENTO IS LOVED BY ME. NO ONE CONTACTED ME ON THESE ISSUES IM HAVING.
NHTSA ODI 11235305
DOOR'S FAIL TO OPEN- MODULAR THAT CONTROLS OPENING AND CLOSING DOORS HAS FAILED ENTRY DOORS CANNOT OPEN OR CLOSED DOORS I HAVE ONE DOOR TO GET INTO THE CAR AND OUT THIS IS A BIG SAFETY HAZARD
NHTSA ODI 11232744
THE VOLUME CONTROL ON STEERING WHEEL, AND OTHER ELECTRONICS WILL RANDOMLY MALFUNCTION. HAD WHERE I WOULD HAVE CRUSIE CONTROL ON AND TURN THE TURN SIGNAL ON AND IT WOULD SHUT OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL (ONLY THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL WOULD CAUSE THIS). THE VOLUME ON STEERING WHEEL, YOU WOULD GO TO TURN IT UP AND IT WOULD TURN IT DOWN INSTEAD, LIGHTS ON DASH SUCH AS THE STEEP DECLINE LIGHT, BRAKE LIGHT WILL RANDOMLY TURN ON AND IT IS NOT EVEN BEING USED.
NHTSA ODI 11221431
MY STRUTS MAKE MY TIRES POP AT LEAST EVERY TWO WEEKS GOT THEM REPLACED OVER 10 TIMES AND ALSO MY FUEL INJECTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND STILL GIVE OFF A STINKY SMELL IT MAY RESULT IN GETTING ANOTHER CATALIC CONVERTER
NHTSA ODI 11219397
Working with the data? Download all 1,515 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 10, 2026