Worst 2011 Kia Sorento Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
Engine Problems
Electrical Faults
Body Structure
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All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2011 Kia Sorento.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine Problems | 283 | 7 | 35 | 102,083 mi | |
| Electrical Faults | 241 | 3 | 22 | 83,639 mi | |
| Body Structure | 232 | 2 | 8 | 90,980 mi | |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 222 | 8 | 1 | 66,338 mi | |
| Airbags | 181 | 19 | 2 | 98,214 mi | |
| Headlight/Taillight Failures | 96 | 1 | 6 | 101,589 mi | |
| Brakes | 71 | 5 | 1 | 80,286 mi | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 60 | 8 | 1 | 43,295 mi | |
| Hydraulic Brakes | 59 | 1 | 4 | 74,789 mi | |
| Steering Defects | 53 | — | — | 56,218 mi | |
| Suspension Failures | 50 | 2 | 1 | 87,027 mi | |
| Automatic Transmission | 37 | — | — | 15,044 mi | |
| Engine & Cooling | 31 | 1 | 5 | 34,416 mi | |
| Structure:Body:Door | 28 | — | — | 397,197 mi | |
| Electronic Stability Control | 23 | 1 | — | 72,574 mi | |
| Seat-Related Issues | 19 | 1 | — | 83,314 mi | |
| Fuel System | 17 | — | 2 | 62,131 mi | |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch | 17 | — | — | 92,728 mi | |
| Latches / Locks | 13 | — | — | 97,731 mi | |
| Sunroof/Moonroof | 13 | — | — | 58,118 mi | |
| Seat Belt Issues | 11 | — | — | 146,491 mi | |
| Wheel Issues | 9 | 1 | — | 82,958 mi | |
| Visibility | 7 | — | — | 15,168 mi | |
| Exterior Lighting:Headlights | 5 | — | — | 112,800 mi | |
| Tire Defects | 5 | 1 | — | 17,237 mi | |
| Wipers & Visibility | 5 | — | — | 92,800 mi | |
| Instrument Cluster | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 4 | — | 1 | — | |
| Driveline | 4 | — | — | — |
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2011 Kia Sorento. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Recalls for 2011 Kia Sorento
7 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~3,223,015 vehicles.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2011 Sorento vehicles. An engine compartment fire can occur while driving.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Kia Sorento vehicles manufactured October 19, 2009, to January 31, 2013. In the affected vehicles, if excessive force is applied to the gear shift lever, the brake-shift interlock mechanism may chip or crack allowing the transmission being able to be shifted out of "Park" without the brakes being depressed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection."
Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year 2007-2009 Amanti, and model year 2009 Borrego vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Kia recalled 623,658 model year 2007-2010 Rondo and Sportage, model year 2007-2011 Sorento, model year 2007 Sedona, model year 2010-2011 Soul, and model year 2011 Optima vehicles. In September 2013, Kia informed the agency that it was adding an additional 356,719 vehicles to this campaign. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 980,377. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake-transmission shift interlock feature preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.
KIA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 SORENTO 2WD VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS AND 2.4L ENGINES MANUFACTURED FROM THE START OF PRODUCTION THROUGH MAY 22, 2010. THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT MAY SUFFER FROM NOISE AND EXCESSIVE WEAR DUE TO A MISALIGNMENT OF THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT WITH THE RIGHT SIDE OUTPUT GEAR. CONTINUING TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE IN THIS CONDITION LEADS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A WHIRRING/WHINING NOISE AND CAN EVENTUALLY CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.
KIA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 SORENTO VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 14, 2010, THROUGH OCTOBER 4, 2010. SOME OF THE REAR BRAKE CALIPERS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY MACHINED.
KIA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 SOUL AND MODEL YEAR 2011 SORENTO VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 7, 2009 THROUGH JULY 30, 2010. A LIMITED NUMBER OF WIRING HARNESSES SUPPLIED BY JCI AND USED FOR THE LIGHTING IN THE KIA SOUL VEHICLE'S ADVANCED LIGHTING SPEAKERS, LOCATED IN THE FRONT DOOR TRIM PANELS, AND THE KIA SORENTO VEHICLE'S INTERIOR ACCENT ILLUMINATION, LOCATED IN THE FRONT AND REAR DOOR TRIM PANELS, MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY SOLDERED.
Other Kia Sorento Years
2011 Kia Sorento — FAQ
Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.
Is the 2011 Kia Sorento reliable?
What are common problems with the 2011 Kia Sorento?
At what mileage do problems start on the 2011 Kia Sorento?
How safe is the 2011 Kia Sorento?
Does the 2011 Kia Sorento have any recalls?
Should I buy a 2011 Kia Sorento?
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.
Wider context: See the full Kia Sorento reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.
Check Your Specific 2011 Kia Sorento
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud.
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