2011 Kia Sorento Power Train Problems
- 177
- Owner complaint records in our dataset
Records are owner complaints, not a measured failure rate.
Owner complaint recordsComplaint records reflect reports in our dataset and do not measure how frequently the problem occurs across all vehicles.
Among these 177 stored complaint records:
- 8 indicate a crash
- 3 indicate injury
- 0 indicate fire
What owners report
- failure mileage · 15 records
- notified failure · 12 records
- power train · 11 records
- repaired notified · 11 records
- failure failure · 9 records
- diagnosed repaired · 9 records
Mileage in stored records
| Band | Records |
|---|---|
| 1–30k mi | 62 |
| 60–100k mi | 38 |
| 30–60k mi | 31 |
| 100–150k mi | 26 |
| 150–400k mi | 5 |
Complaint records
Owner-submitted complaint content, presented as stored.
Power Train
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 kia sorento. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 mph, there was an abnormal noise coming from the front of the vehicle without warning. The failure recurred on several occasions at various speeds. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed that the vehicle needed an alignment and the two front tires were worn out. The vehicle was repaired,…
ODI 10735720
Power Train
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 kia sorento. The contact stated that when attempting to shift the vehicle into reverse, the transmission failed to recognize the gear for which the lever was shifted. The contact mentioned that the vehicle had to be turned off and restarted in order for it to resume normal operation. Also, the contact mentioned that the vehicle would make a loud knocking sound when the transmission was…
ODI 10652525
Engine · Exterior Lighting · Power Train
The vehicle would not start finally it started in the drive position , have been complaining to the dealer that the vehicle shifts on its own from drive to another position. In addition all the lights remain on in the dash board. Vehicle was taken out the repair shop on 8/25/14 and this problem was rectified. The airbag light is on now since 8/25/14. *tr
ODI 10629311
Power Train
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 kia sorento. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start intermittently. The dealer replaced the transmission, but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 34,000. Updated 10/02/14*lj updated 3/2/2015 *js
ODI 10626443
Engine · Power Train
Vehicle started by losing power on take-off. Later violent jerking/shifting over 30 mph. I have taken the vehicle to both dealer and personal mechanic. Crank and cam sensors were replaced. Issue is not resolved. The vehicle sometimes shuts off upon take-off. Sometimes it immediately starts again, other times i have to put into neutral and restart. This issue is also not resolved. Positive battery cable was removed…
ODI 10641838
Power Train
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 kia sorento. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to shift to park and rolled forward. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vin was not available. The failure mileage was 100,000.
ODI 10595876
Engine · Power Train
When the sorento reaches a speed above 60 it hesitates before abruptly jumping into the next gear, causing the entire vehicle and all passengers to jerk forward. The jumping of the gear is so forceful that it sounds as if the engine is about to fall out of the vehicle each time it's placed in gear. *tr
ODI 10575946
Power Train
The vehicle abruptly jerks or changes gears when reducing speed. When taking the foot slowly off the gas pedal the vehicle jumps causing the vehicle to almost stop. The transmission also makes a very loud noise. Sometimes it just turns off by itself. Car is only 2 years and a half old and it's already having signs of breaking down and having problems that could cause accidents. Kia says they don't know what the…
ODI 10578135
Electrical System · Engine · Power Train
1) the vehicle has stalled out six (6) times during my ownership. This has occurred after stopping. I was able to restart the vehicle four of the six times by stopping, putting the vehicle in park, and pressing the "start" ignition button. Two of the six times the gear was locked into drive and neutral only. The vehicle would also not shut off. Both times 911 was called for california highway patrol assistance was…
ODI 10596981
Engine · Power Train
When switching from park to drive a loud pop will be heard from the vehicle usually occurring (loudest) during cold moist days. In the same conditions when the vehicle is in motion the car begins to stutter and vibrate when switching gears (this is usually felt initially driving off or during hard brakes at lights). Car at one point stalled in middle of traffic. When going to dealer they said software updates should…
ODI 10573729
Electrical System · Electronic Stability Control · Power Train
Will intermittent turn on during driving and stay on. If you stop and turn off car and then restart may or may not return on. Car as a bit of a shake to it some times. Had cruise control not turn on. Electrical seems wacky in the vehicle. Also had it been stuck in park or times could not move the shifter to park or reverse. Seriously needs to be reviewed. All these issues happen intermittent and never when near the…
ODI 10552024
Power Train
2 days ago while driving heard loud sound, whoa, could not determine what caused it. This morning in my garage started for daily drive, when i put car from park to reverse was loud clunk sound. Put back in park did this 3 or 4 times loud clunking with jolting seem to lunge forward. Violent sound and feel. No warning lights are illuminated.my husband got in car, he experienced the same. I called kia service, they…
ODI 10543462
Electrical System · Engine · Power Train
While pulling into parking space, car became non-responsive to gas pedal input, but brakes sill worked. Hill asst and etc lights lit up on dash, car would not shift past neutral. Turned car off and on and was able to shift to park. Car started normally after being shut off. *jb
ODI 10541704
Engine · Power Train
While driving out of a parking lot at about 10 mph the vehicle shut down and all the dash lights illuminated. I turned the key off and on and the car restarted, drove rest of day without incident. Car stalled a second time two days later. *jb
ODI 10541700
Power Train
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 kia sorento. The contact stated that after shifting into reverse, the gear erroneously shifted into neutral and failed to respond to acceleration attempts. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the failure could not be replicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted about the failure. The failure mileage was 30,000. The vin was not unavailable.
ODI 10533917
Power Train
Vehicle had transmission sensor fixed in december 2012. Vehicle was jerking and would not get into gear. Supposedly fixed. This time my daughter was driving at night with a friend on a two way road, the vehicle stopped..cold...thank god no one was hurt. The vehicle had been unable to get into gear the last few miles. The vehicle was left to cool and she was driving it to the dealer. Now being told at 33,000 a new…
ODI 10523775
Power Train
I was parked in a parking spot, put the car in reverse to back out, when i tried to put it in drive it wouldn't shift past neutral. It has done this six times in the last year since the first incident but has become more frequent. This last time, the same thing occurred every time i parked (four times in one day). Also the esc and dbc lights come on when this happens. I finally decided to call the dealership and…
ODI 10606381
Engine And Engine Cooling · Power Train
Found this on another web site: www.topclassactions.com (see below for description) very interesting: apparently this defect has been going on since 2002!! Well it's still happening i have the 2011 6 cyl awd and found out it's still a defect in the 2012 and 2013. Nothing more to say but 'shame on kia motors' your lack of taking ownership for this defect is just discusting. Nhtsa please help us.....lives need to be…
ODI 10520324
Power Train
Chapter 2. Nhtsa id number: 10519967 the problem occurred saturday 6/15, dealership closed. Called dealership this morning and was able to bring the car right in. Left the car all day and then received the news, they cannot reproduce the incident. So of course nothing was repaired. So i drove home in the 'death wish' car and prayed all the way home. The car is a 2011 kia sorento 6 cyl awd manufactured in august 11,…
ODI 10520282
Engine · Power Train · Steering
While driving my 2011 kia sorento it just lost power, it would not go forward but the engine was still running and all the dashboard idiot lights lit up. I was in a parking lot with no one behind me otherwise i would have been rear-ended if this happened driving on the road or highway. The car would not go and there was no steering response. I turned off the key to kill the engine and then restarted the car. The car…
ODI 10519967
Power Train
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
Crash reported
ODI 10515608
Power Train
Traveling at 70mph with cruise control engage, a large "thud" was felt in the cabin as if something had been hit. Pull off side of highway to examine for damage. No damage of any kind was noted. Upon leaving the side of the road, the acceleration was sluggish and at highway speed rpm was 4500, not normal. Pulled off the side if the highway again and turned the car off. This reset the car. Pull off the shoulder again…
ODI 10514709
Power Train
Stability control and downhill assist light came on while driving. Once stopped, couldn't get the shifter to go into park. Had to turn vehicle off and restart. Once i was finally able to get into park, the lights came on again and i couldn't get it to go back into any gear. *tr
ODI 10511974
Power Train
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 kia sorento. The contact stated that while driving 75 mph, the vehicle shifted into neutral independently and without warning. The vehicle was towed to the dealer however, the technician was unable to diagnose the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The vin was not available. The failure and current mileage was 54,200. *tr
ODI 10511924
Power Train
Stability control and downhill assist light came on while driving. Once stopped, shifter would not go past neutral. In order to get past neutral, had to turn off engine and restart. *tr
ODI 10514766