2011 Kia Sorento Exterior Lighting Problems
- 61
- 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 61 stored complaint records:
- 1 indicate a crash
- 1 indicate injury
- 4 indicate fire
What owners report
- passenger side · 14 records
- headlight assembly · 9 records
- head lights · 8 records
- beam headlight · 6 records
- airbag light · 5 records
- side headlight · 5 records
Mileage in stored records
| Band | Records |
|---|---|
| 60–100k mi | 21 |
| 100–150k mi | 17 |
| 30–60k mi | 6 |
| 150–400k mi | 4 |
| 1–30k mi | 3 |
Complaint records
Owner-submitted complaint content, presented as stored.
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting
Low beam headlamps are failing due to wiring harness melting causing a short. This a safety issue for visibility at night and could start a fire in the engine compartment. This problem was identified when driving on the i-17 in north phoenix and verified once we got home. The harness was replaced by a certified mechanic twice and both times the harness melted. Oe headlamps are being used.currently, we have no driver…
ODI 11104031
Air Bags · Electrical System · Exterior Lighting
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 Since been replaced by me.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.
ODI 11278638
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting
Our interior lights quit working shortly after purchasing the vehicle so we had it repaired. 2 weeks later we had an electrical fire and damage to wireing the mechanic didn't replace. $5,000 later, now the headlights flicker while driving if you use the turning signal. Huge safety issue!!!! Also while driving the car out of the blue jerks quick and hard. We don't feel safe in this vehicle anymore.
Fire reported
ODI 11111480
Engine · Exterior Lighting · Vehicle Speed Control
While returning from my aunts funeral in kansas, making my way to georgia. The car began to slow down and stop, on the highway. Then it cut off, wouldn't start or move. There was this whining and clanking sound, white smoke and fire shot out from under the car, as i was told by a person that was passing by, he stopped to make sure that i got out of the car. It just got to 130,000 miles. Had it towed to a shop and…
Fire reported
ODI 11073341
Exterior Lighting
Head lights go out every month and have to be replaced. Lights go off while driving which is very scary when it happens at night or on a highway.
ODI 11144252
Body · Engine · Exterior Lighting
2011 kia sorento 116,000. Regularly maintained.the first problem was the driver side back door will not open from the outside, that happened about 6 months ago. Now, my driver side door won't open from the outside. In addition, recently my car has just shut off while driving; foot on the gas at it is not doing anything (no engine light). We park it, shut it off and restart and it will work fine for a while. There is…
ODI 11081038
Exterior Lighting
I have had to replace the head lights on my vehicle long before they should have ever been needed to. In fact i literally just got it back from dealer today after they did recalls on the vehicle and the driver side is out, which was replaced by auto zone not even a month ago. The side blinker that is next to the headlight is also out now too. I'm not sure of they knocked something loose, but it was working this…
ODI 10940241
Electrical System · Engine · Exterior Lighting
When driving car jerks and engine cuts out losing all power and mobility. Usually comes back on within seconds. This happens when driving at any rate of speed. A few times i had to pull over to the side of the road with no power and restart the car. When losing all power i have been on the highway driving 55-60mph. All power is lost and with no power steering i have had to get the car off the road out of the way of…
ODI 11171010
Exterior Lighting · Latches/Locks/Linkages · Power Train · Service Brakes
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 kia sorento. While attempting to open the passenger side door from outside the vehicle, the lock failed to open the door. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact also received notification of nhtsa campaign numbers: 156260000 (power train) and 13v114000 (service brakes, hydraulic, exterior lighting). The part needed for the repair was not available. The contact stated that…
ODI 10949323
Exterior Lighting · Unknown Or Other
Left low beem light is out in my car it is a new bulb.this is the 2nd time it has happened also the lights go out for no reasion i will be driving and they go out, i have to use the on and off lever flick it multipal times to get themto come back on i have taken it to dealler 4 times they cant find out why it dose it also last night for some resion my right door will not open from out side nor the driver side rear…
ODI 10911009
Air Bags · Exterior Lighting
I have had my 2011 kia sorento for 2 years now and at about 115k miles after starting the car the air bag indicator light came on and will not go off. After researching, it appears that this is a common problem. I suggest that kia looks into this and issues a recall since this is a obvious problem and i like others carry children as passengers and do not feel safe anymore and am looking into other auto manufacturers.
ODI 10926024
Exterior Lighting
For the second time in the past 3 years, the passenger side low beam headlight socket has melted, making the low beam headlight non-functional. I do not use my low beams as daytime running lights and, after the first meltdown of the socket, i consciously tried to use the headlights sparingly. The manual references a 55 watt replacement bulb and that is what i am using. The auto parts store clerk also looked up the…
ODI 10908100
Exterior Lighting · Power Train
Headlight low beam bulbs are burning out at the rate of one (1) to two (2) weeks. The left bulb burned out a couple of years ago. Approximately a month ago both of the low beam bulbs burned out at night when my wife was driving home from church. She almost wrecked before she turned the lights on high beam. Since then the left side bulb had burned out twice. I have replace these bulbs at a cost of approximately…
ODI 10910715
Exterior Lighting
4 months ago, both low beam headlights burned out at the exact same time. I replaced both. This morning, the passenger side low beam headlight burned out. I will replace it this evening. 2011 kia sorento ex, v6, auto trans, no towing package.
ODI 10898420
Exterior Lighting
My 2011 kia sorrento parking lights stopped working. Mechanic stated that wire harness had to be replaced from turn signal switch/inside steering column and down through to rear lights. He stated that the area was packed with dirt and debris even into the headlight assemble. Mechanic couldn't figure out why the area was so packed with dirt and water. Total repair cost $398.00
ODI 10959055
Exterior Lighting
Low beam headlights keep shorting out every couple months.
ODI 11034221
Air Bags · Electrical System · Exterior Lighting
Original owner '11 sorento 4cyl, awd w/tow package & approx 88k miles. Problem 1st noticed about 2 mos ago when seat belt light began flashing with audible clicking coming from relay behind dash. It was daytime when this happened 1st few times & i could not duplicate problem. This issue seemed to happen after starting car & would go away after a few moments of driving. Releasing & re-connecting seat belt had no…
Crash reported · 1 injury
ODI 10811503
Exterior Lighting
My car was out of warranty by 2 weeks. I had a problem with the headlights. I had the driver's side head lamp assembly replaced and then the passenger side went out due to a bulb issue it burnt out. I took the car to dealer and he said it was not a kia bulb. That is ridiculous. Bulbs are the same wattage. I took the car to my mechanic and he said that was stupid it should burn. He said the funny thing was the head…
ODI 10818313
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting
The bulbs for the low beam headlights have been "burning out" at the rate of once a month. Last month, the entire assembly plugin to the bulb was melted due to "a poor contact" or short in the wiring". Unfortunately they said i need an entire headlight assembly (about a $400 part and $250 labor) as they won't just sell the connection plug. Frustrated i found a great mechanic who cut and spliced a new connection plug…
ODI 10808108
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting
While driving at night the headlights will go off then come back on after being off for approx 2 seconds. It also occurs sometimes when changing lanes and using the turn signals. I feel that it may be a defect in the turn signal headlight assembly switch on the steering column.
ODI 10749622
Exterior Lighting
Low beam headlight on passenger side went out. Repaired. One month later driver side low beam headlight went out. Repaired. Two weeks later passenger side low beam light went out. This time i examined the light, reinstalled same light, and it worked. Shortly after these incidents i stopped driving the vehicle for the summer, but it is clear that a problem exists. I doubt that the first two bulbs were actually burned…
ODI 10744790
Exterior Lighting
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 kia sorento. The contact stated that the low beam head lights failed to illuminate and the wires around both head lights melted. The failure recurred multiple times. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnostic testing. The headlights were replaced, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000.
Fire reported
ODI 10722839
Air Bags · Exterior Lighting
Purchased 2011 sorrento from dealer in 2011. Airbag light illuminated since 70k miles. Also, abs light illuminated about one year ago - took in for abs recall with set appointment and was turned away as dealer did not have 'the tool needed '' to perform recall that day. Also, dbc and esc indicator light have been on for years. Finally, within first year of purchase gear shift would jam and not into park. Dealer…
ODI 11063330
Exterior Lighting
This issue is ongoing and looking at the reports on this site, needs immediate recall considering the dealerships wants to charge over 500.00 to replace the headlight assembly. I have had my passenger low beam bulb replaced several times by the dealership. The wire connection is over heating. Now the passenger side is out. I can not afford these 1000.00 issue that apparently is wide spread. Kia needs to do the right…
ODI 10760921
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting · Unknown Or Other
The interior dome light quit working took to a mechanic, he looked into the wiring harness and said that all the wires had melted together. This problem could affect all the electrical parts of the truck. Also of note is that the truck indicator light showing that the truck is open, even when its not. So far no fire has started. Cost to fix per the mechanic is over $1000, or more.
ODI 10717399
Catalog parts for this system
Catalog year/make/model rows for 2011 Kia Sorento.
Catalog fitment does not by itself prove OEM-equivalent compatibility.