What 1,515 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Kia Sorento

My KIA Sorrento spontaneously engulfed in flames approximately 200 yards from my home. This is not a vehicle crash the car had flames coming from the vents and floor boards. I was the driver my daughter was the passenger and my granddaughter was in the rear car seat we barely escaped with our lives before it exploded and we were steps away as car debre was flying past us.

NHTSA ODI 11667411

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SORENTO. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PARK POSITION, IT ROLLED AWAY AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS RECALLED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V626000 (POWER TRAIN). THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TOWED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI 10984882

2011 KIA SORENTO AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON OUT THE BLUE. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP WAS ADVISED EITHER DEFECTIVE PASSANGER AIRBAG OR THE SENSOR FOR PASSENGER SEAT. WOULD HAVE TO PAY $$$ TO PUT ON DIAGNOSTIC. CAR JERKS FORWARD WHEN SWITCHING GEARS. ALSO, CAR JUST ACCELERATED BY ITSELF.. PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND IT JERKS FORWARD. ITS JERKS SO HARD I COULD GET WHIPLASH.LIKE THE CAR DOESN'T WANT TO STOP.SCARRIEST THING EVER. I AM REALLY CONCERNED HOW SOMETIMES I DON'T EVEN HAVE TO PRESS THE BRAKE TO PUT IN GEAR. LAST, WENT TO CHANGE HEADLIGHT, RIGHTSIDE EXTREMELY JOT AND COULD HEAR BOILING LIKE SOMETHING COOKING.

NHTSA ODI 10785899

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SORENTO. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, IT ROLLED AWAY AND CRASHED INTO TWO HEADSTONES. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SHIFT INTERLOCK SOLENOID FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000.

NHTSA ODI 10704121

A VEHICLE ABRUPTLY STOPPED TO TURN LEFT AND I HAD TO SWERVE TO AVOID REAR-ENDING IT RESULTING IN HEAD ON COLLISION WITH A UTILITY POLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10676576

VEHICLE ROLLED DOWN MY DRIVEWAY WHILE IN PARK, WENT ACROSS A TWO LANE STREET INTO THE NEIGHBORS DRIVEWAY ONLY BEING STOPPED BY THEIR VEHICLE PARKED IN THEIR DRIVEWAY. THE KEYS WERE NOT IN THE VEHICLE AND WHEN I GOT TO THE VEHICLE IT WAS IN PARK. AFTER GETTING IN THE VEHICLE YOU COULD PUT IT IN GEAR WITHOUT HAVING THE KEY IGNITION OR YOUR FOOT ON THE BRAKE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10515608

WHEEL ASSEMBLY APPEARS TO HAVE COMPLETELY GIVEN OUT. VEHICLE TRAVELING AT ~35MPH WHEN IT ROSE SLIGHTLY THEN GAVE OUT. VEHICLE HIT SIDE OF PARKED CAR AND FLIPPED ON TO SIDE AND INTO RETAINING WALL - FULL SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. ENTIRE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL WELL COMPLETELY VACANT. EVERYTHING LAYING ON STREET INCLUDING SUSPENSION SPRINGS. WITNESS TO SUPPORT EVENTS. VEHICLE UNDER 25K MILES (2011 MODEL, INCIDENT 2012). VEHICLE TOTALED BY INSURANCE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10484814

MY HUSBAND WAS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY. HE GOT IN THE CAR, PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE AND BACKED UP. HE HEARD A LOUD POP. HE PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE, AND HIS FOOT WAS STILL ON THE BRAKE. THE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN WITH HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE UNTIL THE VEHICLE GOT UP TO 60 MILES PER HOUR. TRYING NOT TO HIT THE HOUSE, OR THE PERSON OUTSIDE OF THE PROPERTY HE MANEUVERED THE CAR INTO THE BACK YARD. THE CAR WAS STEADILY PICKING UP SPEED AND HIS FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE THE ENTIRE TIME. HE COULD NOT GET THE GEAR TO SHIFT OR THE BRAKES TO WORK. THE VEHICLE STRUCK A TREE AND THAT IMPEDED THE MOVEMENT OF THE VEHICLE. HE TURNED THE CAR OFF AND GOT OUT OF IT. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10470459

MY 2011 KIA SORENTO 2.4 L W/ AUTO TRANNY FWD WAS FIXED ON RECALL ALMOST TWO MONTHS AGO.AFTER DRIVING 26 DAYS I HAD BAD ACCIDENT. FROM MY HOUSE TO WORK I STOPPED AT MCDONALD REST. TO BUY BREAKFAST. I GOT ON, STARTED MY VEHICLE, STEP ON MY BRAKES TO ENGAGE IN REVERSE, THE VEHICLE START SHAKING, REVERSED, SPAN 360 DEGREES, HIT THE RAILINGS AND RAMP OF THE RESTAURANT AND DRIVE FORWARD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PARKING LOT. IT STOP BECAUSE THE TWO CONTROL ARM/AXLES WERE DAMAGED. I WAS SHAKEN AND IT WAS HARD TO REMEMBER WHAT REALLY HAPPENED WHAT I EXPLAINED WAS THE SAME AS WHAT THE WITNESS SAW WHILE LINING UP ON THE DRIVE THRU TO ORDER HER BREAKFAST. THE WITNESS CAME OVER AND HELPED ME. THE DAMAGED WAS SO EXPENSIVE THAT I HAVE TO FIX THE DAMAGE THRU MY INSURANCE. I HAD THE VEHICLE FIXED BY RELIABLE SHOP NOT BY KIA DEALERSHIP IN ORDER FOR ME TO VERIFY IF THE ACCIDENT WAS THE CAUSE OF THE RECALL REPAIR. I ALMOST FORGOT THAT ON THE EARLY MORNING BEFORE THE ACCIDENT THE VEHICLE REVERSED FROM MY GARAGE @ UNREASONABLE SPEED THAT I HAVE TO CONTROL BY APPLYING THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE IS DRIVABLE AND I AM STILL WAITING FOR SOME PARTS FROM KIA. DO I HAVE TO NOTIFY KIA WHAT HAPPENED OR WAIT UNTIL THE PROBLEM HAPPEN AGAIN. WHAT IS YOUR ADVISE. AS OF NOW I AM DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND I HAVE PHOBIA EVERYTIME I BACK UP, AT LEAST I AM AWARE WHAT HAPPENED. THANK YOU *TR

NHTSA ODI 10437215

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT TWO CHILDREN WERE ABLE TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL WHEN IT WAS PARKED AND SHUT OFF. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE ROLLED FORWARD UNTIL CRASHING INTO BUSHES. BOTH CHILDREN SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE OPERATED TO ITS SPECIFICATIONS. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT ALL VEHICLES MADE BY THIS MANUFACTURER COULD BE SHIFTED OUT OF PARK IN THE SAME MANNER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 10428930