2011 Kia Sorento Structure
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
MY PEARL WHITE PAINT IS PEELING IN SHEETS ON THE REAR QUARTER PANEL ON THE DRIVERS SIDE AND IS COMING OFF ALL ALONG EACH SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD AND IN SPOTS ALL ALONG THE CAR.
THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE, I HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH THE PASSENGER DOOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO. I LOOKED THIS UP AND IT APPEARS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH MANY OF THESE KIA CARS. I AM AFRAID THAT ALL THE DOOR MIGHT DO THIS AND I WOULD NOT BE ABOUT TO GET MY GRANDKIDS OUT OR IF I HAD TO GET OUT IN AN EMERGENCY I COULD NOT EXIT. NOW I HAVE TO ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW AND REACH OUTSIDE THE DOOR TO ACTIVATE THE DOOR HANDLE FROM THE OUTSIDE. MY FEAR IS THIS WILL STOP WORKING AND I WILL BE STUCK IN THE CAR. I AM AN OLDER PERSON SO CRAWLING OVER THE CONSOLE WOULD BE ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. I BELIEVE IT IS A BROKEN DOOR LATCH ON THE INSIDE OF THE DOOR
MY HUSBAND AND I NOTICED THAT PAINT WAS COMING OFF THE ROOF OF MY KIA SORENTO 2011 MODEL AFTER THE CAR WASH. THIS WAS AROUND MID 2017. ON NOV 7, 2017, I TOOK MY CAR TO A BODY SHOP TO INQUIRE ABOUT FIXING THE PAINT DAMAGE. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY HAVE SEEN MANY KIAS SORENTOS COME IN WITH THE PEARL WHITE COLOR HAVE DELAMINATION. THEY INFORMED ME TO CHECK WITH A KIA BODYSHOP TO SEE IF THEY WOULD COVER THIS. THEY SAID THAT IT IS A FACTORY ISSUE. SO I WENT TO THE KIA BODY SHOP AND TALKED WITH THE MANAGER AND AFTER A FEW DAYS HE GOT BACK TO ME AND TOLD ME THAT KIA WOULD COVER HALF THE COST TO FIX IT. WELL I NEVER GOT IT DONE BECAUSE IF IT IS A FACTORY ISSUE AND I BELIEVE THAT KIA SHOULD COVER ALL OF IT. I COULDN'T AFFORD TO PAY WHAT KIA WANTED TO CHARGE FOR THE PAINT JOB AND MAKE MY CAR PAYMENT AT THAT TIME. SO I WAITED AND NOW THE ROOF AND HOOD PAINT ARE CONTINUING TO COME OFF AND EVEN WORSE RUST. I CAN'T AFFORD TO REPLACE MY CAR AT THIS MOMENT. I WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE DRIVING MY CAR, BUT NOT ONLY IS IT EMBARRASSING, I WORRY ABOUT THE RUST EFFECTING AREAS AT THE TOP OF MY WINDSHIELD. I SEE MANY WHITE KIA SORENTOS WITH THIS ISSUE IN MY AREA AND THINK WHY HASN'T THIS BEEN RECALLED AND COVERED BY KIA NATIONALLY. I FEEL KIA NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND FIX THIS ISSUE FOR THE US CONSUMERS WHO HAVE SPENT THEIR HARD EARNED MONEY ON THEIR PRODUCT. I DON'T FEEL THAT I AS A CONSUMER AM BEING TREATED FAIRLY BY THIS COMPANY. I FEEL THE PRODUCT AND QUALITY IS SUBPAR AND THAT CORNERS WERE CUT TO CREATE A BETTER BOTTOM LINE FOR THE CORPORATION. KIA NEEDS TO DO BETTER. YOU NEED TO DO A NATIONAL RECALL ON ALL WHITE KIA SORENTOS WITH THIS PAINT DELAMINATION ISSUE AND REPAINT THE WHOLE VEHICLE CORRECTLY.
THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE. I HAVE FOUND A LOT OF FORUMS ON THE INTERNET WHERE A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM. WHAT IF IT WERE TO HAPPEN TO ALL 4 DOORS WITH A KID IN THE CAR?
PAINT DELAMINATING CAUSING RUST ON HOOD AND ROOF OF VEHICLE, GRADUALLY GETTING WORSE.
DOORS ON RECENTLY BOUGH SORENTO WILL NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND YET KIA HAS FAILED TO ISSUE A RECALL AND THAT LEAVES CONSUMERS STUCK WITH REPAIR COSTS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTIES.
THE RIGHT REAR PASSENGER DOOR HAS LOCKED IT'S SELF SHUT FOR NO APPARENT REASON AND THE KIA DEALERSHIP HAS STATED THAT IT'S A SENSER THAT'S GOING TO COST $300.00 TO GET IT OPEN
CLEAR COAT PEELING ALL OVER ROOF AND SIDES OF RIGHT SIDE PASSENGER DOORS AND SOME ON FENDER AND ON HOOD
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR FAILED TO OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE AND WAS DIFFICULT TO OPEN FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED OR INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 91,000.
I WAS DRIVING 35MPH ON A 40MPH STRAIGHT ROAD FROM MY GROCERY STORE TO MY HOME. HALFWAY INTO MY DRIVE, THE HOOD OF MY CAR UNLATCHED AND SMACKED INTO MY WINDSHIELD. IT DID NOT FALL BACK DOWN IT STAYED COVERING THE WINDSHIELD AND I WAS UNABLE TO SEE. I WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO A BUSINESS BY LOOKING THROUGH THE BOTTOM WHERE THE HOOD CURVES. AFTER PULLING OVER I PUSHED THE HOOD DOWN TO ASSESS THE DAMAGE. THE CAR WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE WITHOUT USING A BUNGEE TO SECURE THE HOOD. I THEN DROVE HOME GOING ROUGHLY 15MPH BEHIND A FRIEND DRIVING IN FRONT OF ME. I AM UNSURE OF THE LAST TIME MY HOOD WAS MANUALLY OPENED. ROUGHLY 3-4 WEEKS AGO I TOOK MY KIA INTO THE DEALERSHIP DUE TO A LETTER I RECEIVED TO FIX AN AIRBAG RECALL/WARRANTY. I AM ASSUMING THEY OPENED THE HOOD DURING THIS FIX BUT NOT CERTAIN. I HAVE FILED A CLAIM WITH MY INSURANCE AND CURRENTLY HAVE MY KIA AT A COLLISION BODY SHOP THROUGH THE DEALERSHIP. ATTACHED IS THE ESTIMATE IS GIVEN BY THE INSURANCE BASED ON THE PHOTOS I GAVE THEM. THE BODY SHOP ASSESSED DAMAGE TO MY ROOF AS WELL BUT I DO NOT HAVE THEIR ESTIMATE.
DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE. I MUST EITHER ENTER THE VEHICLE FROM ANOTHER DOOR & CRAWL INTO THE DRIVERS SEAT, REACH IN THROUGH THE WINDOW IF IT'S DOWN (WINTER IS APPROACHING...IT WONT BE DOWN) OR REACH IN FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE PASSENGER DOOR & OPEN THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED (OBVIOUSLY). DOOR WAS NOT PREVIOUSLY SLAMMED SHUT PRIOR TO THIS OCCURRING.
THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR ON MY 2011 KIA SORENTO LX WILL NOT OPEN. IF THE KEY FOB IS PRESSED AND ALL THE OTHER DOORS OPEN, THAT DOOR WILL NOT OPEN. I CHECKED THE CHILD PROOF LOCK TO SEE IF IT WAS ENGAGED OH, IT WAS NOT. A MERE COUPLE OF DAYS, PERHAPS A WEEK PRIOR TO FINDING THIS PROBLEM OH, I HAD THE RECALL FIXED ON PASSENGER SIDE FRONT DOOR DUE TO THE SAME PROBLEM. HOWEVER, I WAS INFORMED BY BOTH THE LOU FUSZ KIA SERVICE DEPARTMENT IN ST LOUIS AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS KIA THAT THERE WERE NOT ANY RECALLS WITH REAR DOOR LOCKS.
DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLE DOES NOT OPEN DOOR FROM OUTSIDE
MAJOR PAINT DEFECT ON HOOD & ABOVE WINDSHIELD. KIA REFUSES TO ISSUE RECALL AND COVER THEIR DEFECT.
KIA SORENTO 2011 DOOR HANDLES KEEP COMING APART IN OUR HANDS WHEN JUST OPENING DOORS 'NORMALLY' (I.E.- NO JERKING FORCES USED, JUST NORMAL OPENING FORCE !!!) KIA MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THESE ABSURD 90% PLASTIC DOOR HANDLES ! THIS IS THE 3RD TIME - WE ARE NOT GOING TO KEEP PAYING KIA DEALER TO FIX HANDLES ! US GOV'T MUST GET INVOLVED IN THIS!WHAT KIND OF BOGUS DESIGN USES PLASTIC HANDLES? PLEASE MAKE THIS ISSUE KNOWN TO PROPER GOV'T AGENCIES & KIA 🧐THANK YOU
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR COULD NOT BE OPENED FROM OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO ASSIST. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,400.
I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT DOORS ON THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE. THE DOORS ARE INOPERABLE AND DO NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE. I HAVE TO OPEN THE BACK DOOR AND REACH INSIDE HANDLE TO OPEN THE FRONT DOORS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS I WORRY THAT EVENTUALLY ALL OF THE DOORS WILL STOP WORKING. I HAVE READ ONLINE THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE. APPARENTLY, THERE IS A PLASTIC MECHANISM INSIDE THE DOOR FRAME THAT FAILS AT SOME POINT. MY WIFE CONTACTED KIA CONCERNING THE ISSUE AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO RECALL AT THIS TIME. THE DEALERSHIP HAS QUOTED OVER $300 TO REPAIR ONE DOOR. THIS SHOULD NOT COST THE CONSUMER AS THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. PLEASE PROVIDE ASSISTANCE WITH THIS MATTER. THANK YOU.
5XYKT3A15BG[XXX], DRIVER SIDE PASSENGER DOOR WANT OPEN. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TT
REAR DRIVER'S SIDE EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLE BROKE OFF WHILE TRYING TO OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE. THE BROKEN DOOR HANDLE RENDERS THAT DOOR USELESS, AND IN AN EMERGENCY, THE DOOR COULD NOT BE OPENED FROM THE EXTERIOR. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY/ PARKED WHEN THE DOOR HANDLE BROKE. AN INTERNET SEARCH SHOWS THAT THIS IS A FREQUENT OCCURRENCE WITH THE KIA SORRENTO. THE LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP, WHEN ASKED, STATED THAT THEY HAVE SEEN THIS HAPPEN, BUT THERE IS NOT YET A RECALL. HOWEVER, THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE DOOR "LATCH", WHICH DID NOT COVER THE HANDLE ITSELF. A RECALL OF A DOOR "LATCH" SHOULD INCLUDE THE HANDLE, IF BROKEN.
DOOR LATCH PROBLEM, WON'T OPEN FROM INSIDE, AND THEN WON'T OPEN ON OUTSIDE. IT HAS BEEN A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS KIA, FOUND A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE SAME ISSUES. YOU UNLOCK THE DOOR AND DOOR LATCH WON'T UNLOCK THE DOOR . IT WILL NOT OPEN. SO YOU HAVE TO GO OUTSIDE TO OPEN . THE SECOND SIMILAR PROBLEM. DOOR UNLOCKED, BUT YOU CAN'T OPEN THE DOOR, THIS SAME ISSUES HAPPENED ON DRIVER'S SIDE!
THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE. YOU CAN REACH ACROSS THE INSIDE OF THE CAR AND OPEN.
THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM EITHER THE OUTSIDE NOR THE INSIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY WHEN ISSUE WAS NOTICED.
DOORS ARE NOT OPENING FROM THE INSIDE NOR OUTSIDE. DOOR HANDLE BROKE ON ONE DOOR WHEN OPENING.
CAN NOT OPEN THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE. I HAD THE SAME ISSUE LAST YEAR WITH THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR.
DRIVER SIDE PASSENGER DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM OUTSIDE. CHILD LOCK IS ON AND NOW I CANNOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE EITHER.
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Quick Summary
The 2011 Kia Sorento has 213 Structure complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.