123 complaints reported

2011 Kia Sorento Air Bags

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
123
Crashes
12
Fires
0
Injuries
9

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Jan 2026

In a letter dated August 14, 2019, KIA advised that the warranty coverage for the driver's front airbag clock spring assembly was extended to 15 years. the clock spring is an electrical connection which rotates with the steering wheel to maintain proper functioning of the airbag unit. If the airbag light stays on, and the car continues to be used without repair, the driver's airbag may eventually not deploy in a frontal impact. This is a safety issue, since the airbag may not work, KIA knew about it in 2019!! The 2011 KIA that I own is now 16 years old, and of course KIA refuses to pay for the repair. Now I am faced with an approximately $500.00 repair bill to make sure I'm safe in case of an accident. This should be investigated, and KIA should pay for the repair since it is an airbag safety issue.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Feb 2026
Jan 2024

Airbag light on dashboard constantly on

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Sep 2023
May 2023

I took this car, my mom’s car, to a Kia dealership yesterday for a diagnostic. I was told it had no air bags. I was really upset to find that out. I am not certain if we knew this when purchased years ago. This car was previously in an accident and we were told all the airbags were cut out. I wanted to to voice that I think it should be illegal to drive a car with no air bags. I think that information should be listed under a persons drivers license number and or VIN number. I called the Driving Safety Unit with the DMV yesterday and they said they couldn’t do anything for me and to contact the Department of Consumer Affairs for a complaint or the Governor’s Office. I am leaving my comments here instead. Thank you

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: May 2023
May 2023

Airbag light is on and i need to know if that is a recall since there was a recall for many makes of cars due to air bags.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Mar 2023
Oct 2022

The air bag warning lamp is on caused by the malfunction of the clock spring in the steering wheel. None of the functions on the steering wheel work as well due to this malfunction. The air bag according to multiple sites may deploy at any given time

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Oct 2022
Dec 2021

Kia motors sent a letter about 2011-2015 sorento occupant detection system (ODS) Sensor pads new vehicle limited warranty extension If the airbag warring light is on the airbag system is not functioning properly, it may or may not deploy in an accident(which should be considered a safety issue) I have already had the diagnostic done by my dealer who said the problem is covered by the warranty but because my car is salvaged which makes it not apply for warranties does the fact that my airbags may or may not deploy not seem like a safety issue?

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2021
Nov 2021

THE AIRBAG LIGHT WILL NOT GO OFF WHENEVER THE IGNITION IS ON AND VEHICLE IS RUNNING.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2020
Jul 2021

AIRBAG LIGHT ... FRONT DRIVER AIRBAG FAULT / CURTAIN AIRBAG FAULT

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: May 2021
Jun 2021

THE PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON FOR NO REASON. I GOT THE CODE PULLED AT A LOCAL SHOP FOR FREE THANKFULLY. THE CODE WAS B1764 OCS MAT DEFECT. NOW BECAUSE IT FAILED FOR NO REASON I HAVE NO AIRBAGS AT ALL. FROM OTHER PEOPLE'S COMPLAINTS IT CAN COST $1,000 TO $3,000 TO FIX. AWESOME. I REALLY LOVED MY SORRENTO TOO.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Feb 2021
Nov 2020

AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON AFTER BATTERY REPLACEMENT. DEALER WANTS OVER 1200.00 TO REPAIR.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Nov 2020
Nov 2020

MY VEHICLE'S AIRBAG SENSOR COMES ON AND DOESN'T GO OFF .

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Oct 2020
Jul 2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ON ROUTE TO BALD HILL KIA LOCATED AT 1021 BALD HILL RD, WARWICK, RI 02886 TO HAVE AN UNSTATED RECALL REPAIR PERFORMED, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE AIR BAG NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE 90,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Nov 2019
Jul 2020

AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON FOR NO REASON AND WILL NOT SHUT OFF. I DID TROUBLESHOOT ACCORDING TO THE MANUAL THAT CAME WITH MY VEHICLE. THE LIGHT STILL DID NOT SHUT OFF. MY GUESS IS THAT IT HAS MALFUNCTIONED. LOOKING ON LINE OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME YEAR KIA ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY WHEN IT CAME ON AS WELL AS WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND CITY STREETS.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Feb 2020
Jun 2020

THE AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON AND WILL NOT GO OFF. THERE IS NOTHING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AND IT DOES NOT GO AWAY WHEN TURNING THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON. THIS MEANS THAT+S THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY IN THE CASEBOOK OF AN ACCIDENT WHICH IS A HAZARD. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2020
Feb 2020

DRIVE SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND NOW STEERING CONTROLS ARE NOT WORKING. KIA DEALER STATED ITS THE AIR BAG CONTROL MODULE THAT IS FAULTY

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2020
Feb 2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AT VEHICLE START-UP, THE AIR BAG WARING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SERRA TRUSSVILLE KIA LOCATED AT (5009 BROOKE'S CROSSING BLVD, BIRMINGHAM, AL 35235) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT SENSOR AND READ DRIVER'S SIDE IMPACT SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 146,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Sep 2019
Dec 2019

THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. WHEN ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OVER TO THE A PARKING LOT THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF AND TURNED BACK ON. THE LIGHT STAYED ON.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2019
Nov 2019

OCS MAY DEFECTED. HAD IT SCANNED AND CODE B1764

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2019
Sep 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN UNDER NHTSA ID NUMBER: 10164382 (AIR BAGS, EQUIPMENT). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TAYLOR KIA OF TOLEDO (6300 CENTRAL AVE, TOLEDO, OH 43615, (419) 842-8811) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE WARRANTY BECAUSE THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SENSOR MAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,100.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2019
Jul 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED KIA OF EAST SYRACUSE (6717 MANLIUS CENTER RD, EAST SYRACUSE, NY 13057, (315) 701-5898) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL AND THAT DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WAS NEEDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 139,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2019
Jul 2019

TAKATA RECALL AIRBAG CAME ON FOR NO REASON AND WILL NOT GO OUT .

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jul 2019
Jul 2019

INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON THEN WENT OFF. HAS SINCE CAME BACK ON AND HAS NOT GONE OFF. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AND STATIONARY.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jul 2019
Jun 2019

STARTED ENGINE AIR BAG LIGHT DID NOT GO OFF HAS BEEN ON FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: May 2019
Jun 2019

WHEN I TURN THE CAR ON, THE AIRBAG INDICATOR STAYS ON. IT DOES NOT TURN OFF, WHEN I'M STATIONARY OR MOVING, UNTIL I TURN THE CAR OFF.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jul 2019
Jun 2019

AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON RANDOMLY. HAS NOT SHUT OFF.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2011 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2018

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2011 Kia Sorento has 123 Air Bags complaints on file. 12 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.