repaired · 2025 Q4
2011 Kia SorentoProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 1,520 owner complaints about the 2011 Kia Sorento, most often about the engine. It is covered by 7 safety recalls, and for recall 23V-877 the manufacturer reports only 16% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 15, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.
Complaints by system
Where the 2011 Kia Sorento has problems
1,520 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
284Engine44 crash/fire/injury
268Structure12 crash/fire/injury
265Power train10 crash/fire/injury
246Electrical system27 crash/fire/injury
183Air bags21 crash/fire/injury
102Exterior lighting
72Service brakes
63Vehicle speed control
59Service brakes, hydraulic
31622 other systems27 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 284 | 44 |
| Structure | 268 | 12 |
| Power train | 265 | 10 |
| Electrical system | 246 | 27 |
| Air bags | 183 | 21 |
| Exterior lighting | 102 | 7 |
| Service brakes | 72 | 6 |
| Vehicle speed control | 63 | 10 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 59 | 5 |
| 22 other systems | 316 | 27 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
7 recalls
2011 Kia Sorento recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2025 Q4
Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module
Park outsideRisk. An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
repaired · 2017 Q1
Power train: automatic transmission
Risk. Without requiring the brake to be pressed, the vehicle may be unintentionally shifted out of Park, allowing it to roll, which may result in a crash.
no report yet
Brake lights: switch
Risk. Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash.
Show 3 more recalls
no report yet
Driveline: driveshaft
Risk. DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION MAY CAUSE LOSS OF MOTIVE POWER, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
no report yet
Disc: caliper
Risk. AS A RESULT, BRAKE FLUID WILL LEAK, FOLLOWED BY ILLUMINATION OF THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT INDICATING THE BRAKE FLUID LEVEL IS LOW AND SHOULD BE CHECKED,…
no report yet
Electrical system: wiring
Risk. WHEN THE LIGHTS ARE ILLUMINATED UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, AN ELECTRICAL SHORT MAY OCCUR THAT CAN RESULT IN A FIRE.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Kia.
Mileage at failure
When do engine problems start?
103kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 189 engine complaints. 44% were reported before 100,000 miles.
15under 30k miles83under 100k miles106100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Air bags
33 owners mentioned a cost$1,700median
Middle half: $1,000 – $2,000
Structure
24 owners mentioned a cost$421median
Middle half: $338 – $525
Engine
17 owners mentioned a cost$5,000median
Middle half: $1,400 – $6,500
Unknown or other
14 owners mentioned a cost$488median
Middle half: $400 – $500
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2011 vs. every other Sorento year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Sorento median. How we score
'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2011 Kia Sorento safety ratings
2011 Kia Sorento SUV 4WD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
★★★★★Overall rating
Frontal crash★★★★★
Side barrier★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
- Rollover: 4 stars (16.9% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
10 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2011 Kia Sorento, and the recalls they led to.
- Hyundai and Kia ABS Module FiresOpen
- Non-crash Vehicle FiresLed to recall 18V-934
- Throttle control system vulnerabilitiesNo recall
- Loss of Motive PowerNo recall
- Panoramic Glass Sunroof BreakageNo recall
- Engine FiresLed to recall 23V-877
- Transmission Intermediate DriveshaftLed to recall 11V-261
- Panoramic Sunroof BreakageNo recall
- Non-crash Vehicle FiresLed to recall 20V-100
- Headlight FailureNo recall
In owners' words
What Sorento owners report
Recent engine complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
Just bought this from a private seller last week and was driving to work. The engine suddenly caught fire and the car essentially exploded and melted.
I was driving my car, while at a stop light I noticed some smoke coming from under my hood. I thought it might have been the cold I turned off the main road onto my street and noticed the smoke increasing, I pulled over turned off my car opened the hood and a fire started at the back of my engine.
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle unexpectedly stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that there was a rattling sound coming from the vehicle with smoke coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle…
Own a 2011 Sorento?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.