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U.S. public vehicle records

2011 Kia SORENTO problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

1,517 owner complaints analyzed

7 distinct recall campaigns

80,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2011 model year. Data snapshot: . 1,116 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 284 of 1,517 complaints (18.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Braking behavior21914.4%
Transmission and shifting17511.5%
Engine operation956.3%
Electrical and battery issues956.3%
Steering behavior865.7%
Fuel system concerns90.6%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Engine
284
Electrical System
242
Structure:Body
234
Power Train
222
Unknown Or Other
213
Air Bags
182
Exterior Lighting
96
Service Brakes
72
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Engine284
Electrical System242
Structure:Body234
Power Train222
Unknown Or Other213
Air Bags182
Exterior Lighting96
Service Brakes72

Engine: 284; Electrical System: 242; Structure:Body: 234; Power Train: 222; Unknown Or Other: 213; Air Bags: 182; Exterior Lighting: 96; Service Brakes: 72

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
216
25,000 to 49,999
109
50,000 to 74,999
178
75,000 to 99,999
226
100,000 to 149,999
264
150,000 and above
123
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,000216
25,000 to 49,999109
50,000 to 74,999178
75,000 to 99,999226
100,000 to 149,999264
150,000 and above123

Under 25,000: 216; 25,000 to 49,999: 109; 50,000 to 74,999: 178; 75,000 to 99,999: 226; 100,000 to 149,999: 264; 150,000 and above: 123

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (264). 401 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2010
35
2011
118
2012
71
2013
57
2014
65
2015
111
2016
203
2017
118
2018
158
2019
181
2020
89
2021
68
2022
58
2023
52
2024
95
2025
28
2026
10
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
201035
2011118
201271
201357
201465
2015111
2016203
2017118
2018158
2019181
202089
202168
202258
202352
202495
202528
202610

2010: 35; 2011: 118; 2012: 71; 2013: 57; 2014: 65; 2015: 111; 2016: 203; 2017: 118; 2018: 158; 2019: 181; 2020: 89; 2021: 68; 2022: 58; 2023: 52; 2024: 95; 2025: 28; 2026: 10

Pattern summary

Engine leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 219 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 175 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 95 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10329032 · 2010-05-05 (May 5, 2010)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN HE TOOK HIS FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND LET THE VEHICLE COAST, IT SEEMED AS IF THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS BEING DEPRESSED WHEN TRAVELING BETWEEN 30-40 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE WAS BREAKING DUE TO THE TORQUE CONVERTER. THE DEALER TOOK THE VEHICLE FOR A 23 MILE DRIVE AND THAT ALTHOUGH THE FAILURE DID OCCUR, IT WAS NORMAL. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT HE COULD POSSIBLY LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE …

Owner-reported narrative. 14 miles reported. Look up ODI 10329032 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10350175 · 2010-08-17 (August 17, 2010)

I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW KIA SORENTO 2011 IN FEBRUARY THIS YEAR. I HAVE 20 000 MILES ON IT AND 2 DAYS AGO WHILE I TRIED TO DRIVE OFF FROM INTERSECTION I HEARD A NOISE LIKE SOMETHING BROKE COMING FROM DRIVER'S FRONT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND RIGHT AFTER THAT STARTS TO MAKE A SOUND LIKE IS KEEP BRAKING METAL. THE VEHICLE WENT COMPLETELY UNDRIVABLE. I CALLED ROAD HELP ASSISTANCE AND THEY TOW THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. NEXT DAY THEY CALLED ME BACK AND ON MY QUESTION WHAT IS GOING ON THEY TOLD ME THAT " CV SHAFT IS BROKEN" AND THEY WILL NEED TO REPLACE TH…

Owner-reported narrative. 20,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10350175 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10326989 · 2010-04-22 (April 22, 2010)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SORENTO. THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH A PUSH BUTTON START/SMART KEY. UPON EXITING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DRIFT FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS NEVER SHIFTED INTO PARK BUT DUE TO THE PUSH BUTTON/SMART KEYS, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO GET BACK INTO THE VEHICLE TO USE THE SMART KEY AND SHIFT INTO PARK IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE FROM MOVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED TO BEHAVE THAT WAY AN…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10326989 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10380656 · 2011-02-03 (February 3, 2011)

2011 KIA SORENTO. CONSUMER WRITES REGARDING PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE WITHIN THE FIRST 2 MONTHS OF PURCHASE *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE STALLED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. IT WOULD DOWN SHIFT UNEXPECTEDLY AND THEN JERK AND JOLT. THERE WERE TIMES WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE ACCELERATOR AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND FOR A SHORT PERIOD BEFORE THE VEHICLE REVVED UP AND ACCELERATED. THE VEHICLE ALSO PULLED TO THE RIGHT AND THERE WAS A BAD GRINDING/RUBBING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, ALONG WITH SPONGY BRAKES WHICH…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10380656 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10381490 · 2011-02-10 (February 10, 2011)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED SHE HEARD A LOUD NOISE UNDERNEATH THE DRIVERS SEAT. THE VEHICLE THEN SHUTTERED, STALLED AND WOULDN'T ACCELERATE. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO KEEP DRIVING, BUT COULDN'T ACCELERATE OVER 20 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE PRESSURE CONTROL SOLENOID VALVE FAILED AND THAT THEY NEEDED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 3,500…

Owner-reported narrative. 3,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10381490 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10406469 · 2011-06-09 (June 9, 2011)

WHILE COMING TO A STOP, THE VEHICLE DOWN-SHIFTED HARD AND THE ENGINE STARTED TO SPUTTER LIKE IT WAS GOING TO CUT OFF. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY FOUND P0748- PRESSURE CONTROL SOLENOID "A" ELECTRICAL FAULT. THEY PERFORMED A REPROGRAM OF TSM PER TSB# TRA038. DROVE OFF LOT AND IT SHIFTED HARD THREE TIMES ON WAY HOME. DEALER SAID IT WOULD TAKE 100 MILES FOR THE COMPUTER TO RE-LEARN MY DRIVING FOR BEST FUEL MILEAGE. DROVE TO WORK (SHIFTED HARD 5 TIMES) AND DROVE TO RUN ERRANDS. WHILE ON ERRANDS THE VEHICLE SHIFTED DOWN HARD AND ENGINE SPUTTERED WHILE S…

Owner-reported narrative. 645 miles reported. Look up ODI 10406469 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10414941 · 2011-07-25 (July 25, 2011)

*ALTERED MILEAGE , * DRIVE AND EMISSIONS, CHECKED ENGINE LIGHT ON, FUEL CAP REPLACED, 2 JOURNAL PREFIXES, REPAIR KIT WIRING, BRACE ADDED FOR WIRES TO KEEP FROM TOUCHING TAIL PIPE, TRANSMISSION GEARS HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO MY VEHICLE NOT BEING ABLE TO SHIFT TO THE NEXT GEAR, AND GETTING STUCK IN GEARS KEEPING ME FROM BEING MOBILE IN TRAFFIC. MY WINDOWS GET STUCK IN POSITIONS ALL THE TIME WHEN LEAVING DRIVE THRU WINDOWS ETC. AND I HAVE TO PULL OVER,STOP THE CAR, TURN IT OFF AND RESTART A COUPLE OF TIMES. *ALTHOUGH SHIFT GEARS HAVE BEEN REPLACE…

Owner-reported narrative. 4,066 miles reported. Look up ODI 10414941 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10334297 · 2010-06-02 (June 2, 2010)

2011 KIA SORENTO 4-CYL EX ALIGNMENT ISSUE: PURCHASED AUTO 3/27/10 AND NOTICED THE NEXT DAY THAT THE CAR DRIFTS TO THE RIGHT. WAS TOLD TO WAIT 30 DAYS (OR 1000 MILES) FOR BREAK-IN PERIOD. THE DEALERSHIP DID AN ALIGNMENT ON 5/5/10; THEY THEN STRAIGHTENED THE STEERING WHEEL ON 5/6/10; AND TIGHTENED THE SPECS ON 5/7/10. THEY COULD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER KIA DEALERSHIP IN AKRON ON 5/19/10, AND THEY ROTATED THE FRONT TIRES AND DID ANOTHER ALIGNMENT--THEY COULDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM EITHER. THE CAR STILL DRIFTS TO THE RIGHT. I AM W…

Owner-reported narrative. 85 miles reported. Look up ODI 10334297 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10346914 · 2010-08-02 (August 2, 2010)

HAVE HAD 4 ALIGNMENTS AND ONE STEERING WHEEL STRAIGHTENING IN 3 MONTHS ON A BRAND NEW 2011 KIA SORENTO, 4 CYL, TO CORRECT THE SUV DRIFTING TO THE RIGHT. PLEASE REFER TO CASE #10334297. TODAY I DROVE A NEW SORENTO AS A TEST-DRIVE AT THE DEALER TO COMPARE MY CAR TO ONE JUST OFF THE ASSEMBLY LINE. THIS FORM IS TO UPDATE NHTSA THAT THE NEW VEHICLE HAS THE SAME DRIFTING PROBLEM AS THE ONE I PURCHASED IN LATE MARCH 2010. ALL SPECS FROM EACH ALIGNMENT HAS BEEN FORWARDED TO KIA CORPORATION (MATT IS THE CLIENT SERVICE CONTACT. MY COMPLAINT NUMBER W…

Owner-reported narrative. 85 miles reported. Look up ODI 10346914 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10505592 · 2013-04-08 (April 8, 2013)

I WAS DRIVING 30 MILES AN HOUR WHEN MY CAR STALLED OUT. I MANAGED TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BUT WAS UNABLE TO GET THE CAR TO START. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY REPLACED THE MAIN FUSE PANEL AND THE FUEL PUMP. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID ONE SHORTED THE OTHER OUT AND THAT IT WAS A FLUKE. ON 4/7/2013, THE CAR WOULD NOT START. AGAIN, CAR TOWED TO DEALERSHIP WHERE THE SAME PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED. NOBODY, CAN TELL ME WHY THIS IS HAPPENING AND I AM REALLY NERVOUS TO DRIVE THE CAR AGAIN.. IF THE CAR STALLS OUT WHILE I'M DRI…

Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10505592 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10522150 · 2013-06-27 (June 27, 2013)

I CAME TO A STOP, SUDDENLY THE DASH LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING, AND THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. I TURNED THE KEY A COUPLE OF TIMES BUT NOTHING HAPPENED, I TURNED OFF THE RADIO AND THEN TURNED ON MY EMERGENCY FLASHERS. I THEN PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND TURNED THE KEY AGAIN. THIS TIME THE CAR STARTED AND I DROVE IT HOME. TWO DAYS LATER THE SORENTO WAS TAKEN TO THE SHOP. POSSIBLE REASON GIVEN ON THE WORKORDER FOR THE STALLING/SHUTTING DOWN WAS THAT THE GAS TANK HAD BEEN OVERFILLED. THE TECHNICIAN ALSO TOLD MY HUSBAND THAT THIS PROBLEM HAD BE…

Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10522150 at NHTSA ↗