2011 Kia Sorento Problems, Recalls & Reliability
2,076 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2011 Kia Sorento, alongside 8 recall campaigns and 10 defect investigations. It scores 100/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 91,500 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 2011 Kia Sorento sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 2003–2004, 2006–2009, 2018, 2020–2022.
Avoid
Where 2011 sits among all Sorento years
What owners report
“The engine light comes on and then the wheel lock light will come on and the car will disengage from 4 wheel drive to 2 wheel drive while driving”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Sorento
“Engine knocking when accelerating, leaking oil, sparks of fire almost caught fire,... No engine light came on. There’s a recall for Kia Sorento engine but only the 2.5 engine and not a 3.5 engine in which I have a 3.5 and it’s doing the same as the 3.5 engine... That’s terrifying”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Sorento
“Outside driver door handle failed. Could not open door from outside even when unlocked.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Sorento
“My vehicle engine chatters uses oil with out leaking and going up hills the transmission stays in 1st gear”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Sorento
“Went to get in my kia and driver side door won't open from the outside.. This also happens with my gas door...my driver door only opens from inside!!!!!!!!!'!!!!!!!!!!”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Sorento
“The airbag light went on when i started car and will not go off. There has been no accidents.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Sorento
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 1,433 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 84,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 46,000 and 120,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (8)
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2011 Sorento vehicles. An engine compartment fire can occur while driving.
Fix: Dealers will install Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) software and replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 9, 2024. Owners may contact…
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The…
Fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners…
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Kia Sorento vehicles manufactured October 19, 2009, to January 31, 2013. In the affected vehicles, if excessive force is applied to the gear shift lever, the brake-shift interlock mechanism…
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake-shift interlock mechanism, free of charge. The recall began on November 9, 2015. Owners may contact Kia customer service at…
Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year 2007-2009 Amanti, and model year 2009…
Fix: Kia will send an interim notification to owners in May 2013. When parts are available, owners will receive a second notification and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge.…
CURT MANUFACTURING IS RECALLING CERTAIN TOW PACKAGE WIRING HARNESSES, PART NUMBER 56024, THAT CONNECT TOW VEHICLE LIGHTING CIRCUITS TO TRAILER LIGHTING CIRCUITS SOLD FOR USE ON CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009 THROUGH 2011 HYUNDAI VERACRUZ AND KIA SORENTO VEHICLES.…
Fix: CURT MANUFACTURING WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE TOW PACKAGE WIRING HARNESS. THE REMEDY WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 17, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CURT…
KIA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 SORENTO 2WD VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS AND 2.4L ENGINES MANUFACTURED FROM THE START OF PRODUCTION THROUGH MAY 22, 2010. THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT MAY SUFFER FROM NOISE AND EXCESSIVE WEAR DUE TO A…
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE RIGHT SIDE OUTPUT GEAR AND INTERMEDIATE SHAFT FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MAY 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.
KIA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 SORENTO VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 14, 2010, THROUGH OCTOBER 4, 2010. SOME OF THE REAR BRAKE CALIPERS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY MACHINED.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE REAR CALIPERS AND REPLACE IT IF NECESSARY FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 10, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA CONSUMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-333-4542.
KIA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 SOUL AND MODEL YEAR 2011 SORENTO VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 7, 2009 THROUGH JULY 30, 2010. A LIMITED NUMBER OF WIRING HARNESSES SUPPLIED BY JCI AND USED FOR THE LIGHTING IN THE KIA SOUL VEHICLE'S ADVANCED…
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WIRING HARNESSES FOR THE LIGHTS IN THE KIA SOUL VEHICLE'S ADVANCED LIGHTING SPEAKERS, AND THE WIRING HARNESS FOR THE KIA SORENTO VEHICLE'S INTERIOR ACCENT ILLUMINATION. THIS…
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 23V877.
Led to recall campaign 20V088000.
Led to recall campaign 18V907000.
Led to recall campaign 11V258000.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2011 Kia Sorento reliable?
The 2011 Kia Sorento drew 2,076 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 100/100, scored against the model's worst year (2011).
What are the most common 2011 Kia Sorento problems?
The top reported problems for the 2011 Kia Sorento are electrical (352 complaints), engine (322), and body & structure (269).
At what mileage do 2011 Kia Sorento problems show up?
Owners most often report 2011 Kia Sorento problems around 84,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 46,000 and 120,000 miles.
Does the 2011 Kia Sorento have recalls?
8 recall campaigns apply to the 2011 Kia Sorento. At least one carries a do-not-drive or park-outside warning — check your VIN before driving.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.