51 complaints reported

2014 Kia Sorento Exterior Lighting

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

Reports
51
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Sep 2020

ALL THE LIGHTS GO OUT SPORADICALLY WHILE DRIVING. THE DANGER IS WHEN IT DOES IT AT NIGHT. WHILE DRIVING DOWN A DARK ROAD, MY LIGHTS WENT OUT COMPLETELY ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. IT HAPPENS IN THE DAY TIME AS WELL, AS I CAN SEE THE LIGHTS BLINK OFF AND ON FROM THE REFLECTION ON VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. THEY COME BACK ON AND MAY GO OFF 2 OR 3 TIMES WHILE DRIVING MAYBE 5 TO 10 MINUTES. ON THE DAY I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, IT WAS HAPPENING ON MY WAY THERE, BUT THE KIA DEALER SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND A PROBLEM.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Apr 2020
Sep 2020

HEADLIGHTS, ESPECIALLY LOW BEAM ARE DANGEROUSLY DIM. I CAN BARELY EVEN SEE THEM SHINING ON THE ROAD WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Sep 2020
Sep 2020

AFTER 5 YEARS OF HAVING MY CAR, WHILE KEEPING UP WITH ALL REQUIRED MAINTENANCE, I AM CONSTANTLY HAVING ISSUES WITH THE LIGHTS. TO START, THE LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS BURN OUT AND I HAVE TO REPLACE ABOUT EVERY 3-4 MONTHS. THE LED STRIP OVER THE HEADLIGHT IS A RIP OFF, $700 TO REPLACE BECAUSE YOU CAN'T CHANGE THE BULB YOU HAVE TO CHANGE THE WHOLE FIXTURE?! WHY WOULD ANY COMPANY APPROVE OF THAT DESIGN? SO I HAVE A MISSING LED STRIP, BUT THE OTHER ONE NO ISSUE AFTER 5 YEARS. I JUST RECENTLY HAD THE TOP BRAKE LIGHT GO OUT, ANOTHER LED FIXTURE $150 TO REPLACE A 5' STRIP. RIP OFF!! A FEW WEEKS AGO ONE OF MY FOG LIGHTS WENT OUT, COME TO FIND OUT THE BULB FELL OUT. HOW DOES THAT EVEN HAPPEN?! HOWEVER THE MOST PROBLEMATIC OF THEM ALL IS THE DRIVER SIDE BRAKE LIGHT! I'VE HAD THE PASSENGER BRAKE LIGHT REPLACED ONE, BUT THE DRIVER SIDE BRAKE LIGHT IS REPLACED AT LEAST EVERY 6 MONTHS OR SO. SOME I HAVE PAID FOR, SOME COMPLIMENTARY BUT SUPER INCONVENIENT TO SAY THE LEAST. ON TOP OF THAT, I'VE HAD THE HARNESS REPLACED, TENSION PIN REPAIRS, AND NOW I AM HAVING TO REPLACE THE HARNESS AGAIN FOR THE 2ND TIME IN 2 YEARS. AND I CONSTANTLY SEE OTHER KIA'S, MAINLY SORENTO'S, WITH THE DRIVER BRAKE LIGHT OUT. I HAVE BEEN PULLED OVER SEVERAL TIMES REGARDING LIGHTS AND ONE TIME EVEN HAD GUNS DRAWN ON ME (WHEN BOTH OF MY LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS BLEW OUT). THIS IS JUST RIDICULOUS THAT I AM ALWAYS PARANOID ABOUT LIGHTS. IN ADDITION THIS CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IF SOMEONE CAN NOT SEE ME, OR POSSIBLY GET ME HARMED IF COPS CAN'T SEE MY LICENSE PLATE. KIA NEEDS TO DO A RECALL AND UPGRADE THE LIGHTING TO LAST FOR A NORMAL AMOUNT OF TIME AND/OR REPLACE HARNESSES. LED LIGHTING SHOULD BE REPLACED FOR FREE FOR MAKING IT SO DIFFICULT TO REPLACE THE BULB. OR UPGRADE TO LIGHTING WHERE WE ARE ABLE TO REPLACE THE BULB WITHOUT HAVING TO REPLACE THE WHOLE FIXTURE. I KNOW I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE AND ITS NOT FAIR TO CONSUMERS. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: May 2020
Jul 2020

LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ARE DANGEROUSLY DIM. THEY HAVE ALREADY BEEN REPLACED ONCE, I DO NOT BELIEVE IT IS THE BULB AS IIHS HAS RATED THESE LIGHTS ON THIS MODEL AS POOR AS WELL. WHILE DRIVING ON ANY ROAD WITHOUT REFLECTORS OR OVERHEAD LIGHTS IN THE EVENING IT IS VERY HARD TO SEE THE PAINTED LINES. I FEEL VERY UNSAFE ON PAVED COUNTRY ROADS, EVEN ONES THAT ARE STRAIGHT FOR MILES. TURNS FEEL MORE DANGEROUS, AND THIS IS EVEN A PROBLEM ON THE HIGHWAY IN MAJOR CITIES WHERE NO OVERHEAD ILLUMINATION IS PRESENT ON THE ROADWAY.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Feb 2020
Jul 2020

I AM HAVING AN ISSUE WITH MY LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS. THE BULB HAS TO BE REPLACED AT LEAST EVERY THREE MONTHS. WHEN I TURN THE LIGHTS OFF SOMETIMES THEY DO NOT COME BACK ON SO BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE I AM FORCED TO LEAVE HEADLIGHTS ON AT ALL TIMES AND THEY STILL GO OUT AFTER A COUPLE MONTHS. OWNING THE CAR FOR 2 YEARS I HAVE ALREADY REPLACED TAIL LIGHTS TWICE AND HEADLIGHTS 7 TIMES. THERE IS SOMETHING VERY WRONG HERE, NO CAR FROM 2014 SHOULD HAVE REPLACED HEADLIGHTS 7 TIMES MUCH LESS 7 TIMES SINCE 2018!! ON JULY 22, 2020 WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AT NIGHT, BOTH HEADLIGHTS BURNT OUT AT THE SAME TIME AND I WAS FORCED TO DRIVE HOME WITH MY HIGH BEAMS ON.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jul 2020
Jun 2020

THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE REPEATEDLY BURNED OUT. I WOULD ESTIMATE THAT I HAVE REPLACED THE RIGHT SIDE LOW BEAM 8-10 TIMES AND THE LEFT SIDE 3-5 TIMES. IT'S BEEN ROUGHLY A 2:1 RATIO. THIS LAST TIME BOTH HEADLIGHTS BURNED OUT WITHIN AN HOUR OF EACH OTHER AT NIGHT. FORTUNATELY I KEEP AN EXTRA BULB IN THE CAR AND I WAS ABLE TO CHANGE OUT ONE OF THEM SO I DIDN'T HAVE TO DRIVE HOME WITH NO HEADLIGHTS AT ALL. THIS WAS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS AND WHILE I DON'T SEE A RECALL I DO SEE THAT MANY OWNERS HAVE POSTED ON FORUMS THAT THEY'RE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. JUST AS A POINT OF REFERENCE MY 2014 SILVERADO HAD THE HEADLIGHTS REPLACED IN 2017 AFTER AN ACCIDENT AND HAVE I HAVE YET TO REPLACE A HEADLIGHT WHILE DRIVING THE CHEVY APPROXIMATELY THE SAME NUMBER OF MILES AS THE KIA.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2020
May 2020

I HAVE NOTICED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, MY HEADLIGHTS ARE EXTREMELY, DANGEROUSLY DIM. I HAVE CHANGED THE BULBS, AND I CAN STILL BARELY SEE IN FRONT OF ME WITHOUT CLICKING ON THE HIGH BEAMS. WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS ISSUE? I AM SO TERRIFIED TO DRIVE AT NIGHT, I ONLY GO FIVE MINUTES AWAY FROM MY HOUSE IF NECESSARY. I'M ALSO AFRAID I WILL GET A TRAFFIC CITATION FOR DRIVING WITH HIGH BEAMS ON, BUT SOMETIMES IN MY AREA WITH POOR LIGHTING, I HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE. I'M DRIVING AT NIGHT BUT DEPENDING ON THE CAR BEHIND ME TO GIVE ME MORE LIGHT, WHICH ISN'T GOOD. IF THERE'S NO TRAFFIC BEHIND ME, I'M DEFINITELY FORCED TO PUT ON THE HIGH BEAMS.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2020
Feb 2020

THE FRONT HEADLIGHTS ARE DANGEROUSLY LOW AND I HAVE TO DRIVE WITH HIGH BEAMS ON AT NIGHT. CHANGING NEW BULBS DOESN'T FIX THE PROBLEM!

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2019
Jan 2020

THIS HEADLIGHT PROBLEM HAS BEEN ONGOING WITH KIA AND SINCE I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN 2016 WITH 26,000 MILES. AND I REPLACED MANY HEADLIGHT BULBS THEN DECEMBER 2019 WENT TO DEALERSHIP TO GET LED SAFETY DAYLIGHT HEADLIGHT BULB REPLACED. WAS TOLD NO BULB FOR IT ACCOUNT IT'S ENCASED IN HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY AND TO REPLACE WOULD COST OVER $900 FOR ASSEMBLY. AND TOLD NEVER SEEN THAT LIGHT EVER GO OUT. PRIOR TO THIS I ALREADY HAD THE OTHER HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY REPLACED FOR CONSTANT LIGHTING PROBLEMS. WHICH THE DEALERSHIP HAD IN STOCK AND THAT TOLD ME KIA HAD A PROBLEM. VEHICLE NOW HAS 72,000 MILES ON IT. I CALLED KIA ASSISTANCE AND TOLD THEM OF PROBLEM WITH LIGHTS AND THE FREE REPLACEMENT OF THE OTHER ASSEMBLY. I WAS DENIED THE CLAIM EVEN THOUGH I TOLD THEM OF ALL THE LIGHTING PROBLEMS AND COMPLAINTS FILED WITH NHTSA. THEY WERE ON DEAF EARS. SO HERE I AM FILING MY COMPLAINT AND HOPING ENOUGH PRESSURE IS APPLIED TO KIA THAT THEY RECALL ALL MODELS WITH THE PROBLEM.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2020
Dec 2019

LIGHTING FROM HEADLIGHTS IS TOO DIM TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. CANNOT SEE 5 FEET AHEAD. BULBS WERE REPLACED. DEALER ADJUSTED THEM. STILL NO CHANGE. DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. I AM LIMITED TO DRIVE IN DAYLIGHT ONLY AS I CANNOT SEE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT WITH 20/20 VISION.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Feb 2019
Dec 2019

HEADLIGHTS IN DIM MODE ARE DANGEROUSLY DIM. CAR CANNOT BE DRIVEN AN NIGHT WITHOUT BEING A SAFETY HAZARD! THIS STARTED OVER 3 YEARS AGO AND HAS PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE. REPLACE BULBS BUT DEALER SAID THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE THEY COULD DO TO IMPROVE LIGHTING.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2017
Dec 2019

WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK MY HEADLIGHTS STOPPED WORKING AT NOW THEN MY BRAKES STOPPED WORKING. SO I HAD NO LIGHTS AT ALL. ALMOST GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE OTHER VEHICLES COULD NOT SEE ME UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT IT HAPPENED. I AM HAVING TO WAIT UNTIL THIS MORNING TO GO AND REPLACE THEM. IT'S A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE WIRING OR SOMETHING BURNING OUT THE HEADLIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHTS BUT NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE ABOUT IT. CONTACTED KIA DEALERSHIP ABOUT IT AND THEY WERE RUMOR ABOUT THE ISSUE. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS MORE BECAUSE IT CAN CAUSE PEOPLE SERIOUS INJURIES.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2019
Aug 2019

SOMETIME TOWARD THE END OF 2018, I NOTICED THAT MY DOME LIGHT NO LONGER ILLUMINATED WHEN THE DOORS WERE OPENED. I CAN STILL USE THE INTERIOR LIGHTS MANUALLY, THOUGH THIS USUALLY LEADS TO FORGETTING AND LEAVING THEM ON. I LIVE IN WA, IT IS OFTEN DARK AROUND 4 PM AND GREY THROUGHOUT THE DAY. I FEEL THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE, AS I CANNOT SEE WHO IS IN MY CAR BEFORE ENTERING WHEN IN A PARKING LOT. ALSO, MY 5-YEAR-OLD HAS A HARD TIME BUCKLING HER OWN CAR SEAT BELT SINCE SHE CANNOT SEE THE BUCKLE. THIS IS AN INCONVENIENCE AND WITH CRIME RATES RISING, IT MAKES ME FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE GOING OUT ALONE, KNOWING THAT NOBODY CAN SEE WHAT IS GOING ON WHILE I AM BUCKLING HER IN. THE CHANCES OF BEING MUGGED OR WORSE GO UP, MY SAFETY IS WORTH THE $400, HOWEVER, I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE A MALFUNCTION IN THE VEHICLE FIXED. THE REASON I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL IS BECAUSE OF THE 3 KIA'S WE OWN, 2 OF THEM HAVE THIS SAME ISSUE OF THE INTERIOR LIGHTS ONLY WORKING MANUALLY AND NOT ACTIVATED WITH OPENING THE DOOR. MY HUSBANDS 2011 KIA OPTIMA DOME LIGHT STOPPED WORKING WHEN THE DOORS WERE OPENED AROUND NOVEMBER OF 2017. BOTH OF US HAVE OVER 60,000 MILES ON OUR VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF THE MALFUNCTION. MY HUSBAND WAS QUOTED OVER $400 TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED. WHEN LOOKING AT FORUMS, IT LOOKS AS THOUGH IT IS A CONNECTION THAT WIGGLES LOOSE. I AM SURE THAT IF 2 OF OUR KIA'S HAVE THIS ISSUE, IT IS HIGHLY LIKELY MANY MORE KIA OWNERS HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. KIA SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE TO FIX THIS SAFETY ISSUE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2018
Jul 2019

THE RIGHT REAR TAIL LIGHT IS INOPERABLE INTERMITTENTLY. I CHANGED THE TAIL LIGHT BULBS TWICE AND IT IS STILL INOPERABLE INTERMITTENTLY. THERE IS NO CORROSION OR BURN MARKS ON THE SOCKET. IT WAS FIRST BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION WHEN I WAS PULLED OVER FOR A TRAFFIC STOP DUE TO THE TAIL LIGHT BEING OUT. THE POLICE OFFICER TOLD ME IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS OTHERS CANNOT SEE ME. WHEN I GOT BACK HOME AND ASKED MY SPOUSE TO COME OUT AND LOOK AT IT IT WAS WORKING AGAIN (15 MINUTE SPAN OF TIME). IT IS NOT A FUSE AS ALL OTHER ITEMS ON THIS CIRCUIT ARE OPERABLE. IT WILL BE OUT AND 30 MINUTES LATER IT IS WORKING.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jul 2019
Jul 2019

BURNS OUT LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS BULBS EVERY 2 TO 3 MONTHS

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jul 2019
Feb 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE DIM WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KIA OF AUGUSTA (706-312-9200, LOCATED AT 1770 GORDON HWY, AUGUSTA, GA 30904) FOR A CHECK UP. THE TECHNICIAN OFFERED TO REPLACE THE HEADLIGHTS WITH AFTERMARKET PARTS, FOR WHICH THE CONTACT WOULD BE PARTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST. THE CONTACT COULD NOT TELL WHETHER THE PART WAS AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 77,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Sep 2019
Oct 2018

NOTICED TONIGHT DRIVING IN THE DARK THAT MY LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING. THE LITTLE SMALL LED LIGHTS ABOVE THE LIGHTS WORK AND MY HIGH BEAMS WORK ALSO.I FIND IT HARD THAT BOTH LOW BEAMS WOULD BURN OUT AT THE SAME TIME. ALL THREE GREEN LIGHT INDICATORS ON MY DASH SHOW THAT MY LIGHTS ARE ON OR WORKING ALONG WITH MY LOWER FOG LIGHTS.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Oct 2018
Oct 2018

HAVE HAD TAILLIGHT BULBS REPLACED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. AS SOON AS ONE IS REPLACED, ANOTHER BLOWS. SOME TYPE OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. ALSO, HEADLIGHTS ARE NOT ADJUSTED DOWNWARD. HAVE HAD ADJUSTED BY DEALERSHIP, BUT STILL CANNOT SEE AT NIGHT! HEADLAMPS DO NOT LIGHT ROAD AHEAD OF THE VEHICLE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Oct 2018
Aug 2018

BOTH REVERSE LIGHT ASSEMBLIES HAVE BEEN MELTED BY THE BACKUP LAMPS CAUSING A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Feb 2018
Apr 2018

LOW BEAM HEAD LIGHTS GO OFF AUTOMATICALLY. HAVE TO TURN THE HEAD LIGHTS BACK OFF AND BACK ON BEFORE THEY WORK AGAIN. ONLY HAPPENS IN THE BEGINNING OF THE DRIVE. I BOUGHT NEW HEAD LIGHTS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2018
Mar 2018

LIGHTS KEEP GOING OUT. SEEMS EVERY COUPLE OF MONTHS EITHER HEADLIGHTS REAR LIGHTS OR BREAK LIGHTS NEED TO BE REPLACED.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Mar 2018
Jan 2018

HEADLIGHT LO BEAM QUITS FUNCTIONING EVEN THOUGH BULB IS GOOD. REMOVING AND REINSTALLING SOMETIMES STARTS IT AGAIN. SOMETIMES JUST BUMPING IT MAKES IT WORK. CURRENTLY I CAN NOT GET IT TO WORK AGAIN AND THE BULB LOOKS GOOD. BEGAN 5/25/2018

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: May 2018
Jun 2017

HEADLIGHTS (LOW BEAMS) WILL BLOW OUT WHEN DRIVING AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH. VERY UNSAFE WHILE DRIVING. THIS HAS BEEN AN ON GOING PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Apr 2016
May 2017

I JUST PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE AND THE HEADLIGHTS ARE EITHER VERY DIM OR HAVE BAD DISPLAY. I CAN'T REALLY SEE ANYTHING AT NIGHT AND DRIVE WITH MY HIGH BEAMS ON AND EVEN THOSE ARE ALL THAT BRIGHT. I WAS FIGURING THERE HAS TO BE A RECALL OF SOME KIND, APPARENTLY NOT.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Mar 2017
Mar 2016

THE HEADLAMPS ARE FREQUENTLY GOING OUT AND REQUIRE TO BE REPLACED. I LIVE IN A STATE WHERE HEADLAMPS ARE REQUIRED IN RAIN (SO MANY TIMES I AM IN VIOLATION) AND THE ROADS ARE NOT WELL LIT AT NIGHT. EVEN WHEN THE HEADLAMPS ARE WORKING PROPERLY, THEY ARE INADEQUATE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA SORENTO, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Apr 2015

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2014 Kia Sorento has 51 Exterior Lighting complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.