The Sorento, an SUV that was redesigned for 2011 and falls between between a compact and midsize SUV, is a capable and enjoyable vehicle. It is one of the few in this class that provide a seat in the third row. The Sorento’s V6 engine offers a smooth, fast ride with respectable fuel efficiency.
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Key Points
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued six recalls for the 2011 Kia Sorento, covering problems such as faulty wiring harnesses, dangerous rollaway, damaged brake calipers, and an electrical short that may cause a fire.
- In some 3.5L models, customers complained about knocking engines and damage that resulted in fires.
- Random engine stalls, peeled Pearl paint, and cracked sunroof glass are some further potential issues.
- The NHTSA conducted its eighth investigation of the 2011 Kia Sorento in late 2021. This examination focused on a faulty electronic throttle control system that can cause a variety of hazardous speed control issues, including rapid surges, uncontrolled throttle circumstances, and stalling.
Why is the Kia Sorento having problems?
Customers have experienced a number of issues with the Kia Sorento since it has been advertised and sold by Kia. These models share costly issues with one another. The following model years should be avoided: 2004, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2016.
Common difficulties include those with the engine, the electrical system, the airbags, the seat belts, the lights, and the body or paint.
Engine failure is the most serious problem that these Kia Sorento models have. When most consumers have traveled an average of 62,000 miles, something happens. They could end up costing you more money in repairs, so we advise avoiding them.
Which Year Models of Kia Sorento Are Safe to Buy Used?
Production of the Kia Sorento has been going on for approximately 20 years. Not all of the models that are released, like many other cars in its market segment, are flawless right out of the factory. Some people have flaws. Despite this, you have a selection of others. This is particularly true if you want to stay away from those already listed.
The following list of reliable Kia Sorento model years includes:
- Kia Sorento 2003
- Kia Sorento from 2005
- 2007 Sorento Kia
- Kia Sorento 2008
- Kia Sorento from 2009
- Kia Sorento 2010
- Kia Sorento 2015
- Kia Sorento 2017
- Kia Sorento from 2018
- Kia Sorento for 2019
- Kia Sorento 2020
- Kia Sorento 2021
The years 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 are among the safest Kia Sorento model years to purchase. Compared to the earlier mentioned model years, these have minimal complaints.
The worst issues with many of them were engine issues, a broken air conditioner compressor, electrical issues, light issues, and AC/heater issues. Most of them are also inexpensive to fix minor problems. However, they are among the minority of car owners.
The worst car troubles in early generations include crankshaft problems, frequent lighting system failures, and broken parts. It’s important to remember that these issues only occur in cars with more than 90,000 miles on the odometer.
A few owners are also affected by the problems. They are less likely to happen in a Sorento with little mileage and good maintenance. The models from 2007 to 2010 and 2015 to 2021 are the least problematic. The year 2016 is an outlier; it is less dependable than the other years in the following years.
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Which Kia Sorento Years to Avoid
The aforementioned Kia Sorento model years should easily accommodate your family’s needs and daily driving requirements. You need a dependable automobile in addition to one with excellent handling, a luxurious interior, and lots of attractive amenities. Here, we go into greater detail regarding the model years that weren’t chosen.
Steer clear of the following Kia Sorento model years:
- Kia Sorento from 2004
- 2006 Kia Sorento
- Kia Sorento from 2011
- Kia Sorento 2012
- Kia Sorento 2013
- Kia Sorento 2014
- Kia Sorento 2016
These model years frequently experience issues with their engines, electrical systems, lighting, seat belts and airbags, and body and paint. These affect everyone, and numerous users have noted concerns that are essentially the same.
You should steer clear of the 2011 Kia Sorento the most. It tops the list for having the most owner complaints. It is most likely to experience brakes issues, drivetrain issues, airbag and seat belt issues, and engine issues.
An engine failure at 77,000 miles cost the most money of all issues reported for the 2011 model year. Fixing this issue will cost $4,600. Other serious issues include an airbag problem that cost $2,000 to fix at 92,000 miles and a door issue that cost $400 to fix at 94,000 miles.
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The 2016 Kia Sorento is another vehicle you should completely avoid. In comparison to other models with lower mileage, it has more issues and costs more to repair. The most common issues are with the engine, then the steering, body/paint, and lights.
The engine has experienced the worst reported failure at 62,000 kilometers. Repairing this cost $6,100. Other owners reported having to pay up to $600 to fix wiring that rodents had gnawed. At 22,000 miles, one user’s car stalled while accelerating.
Common Kia Sorento Problems
One of the greatest warranties for cars is offered by Kia. But that doesn’t mean you should be any less critical, especially when it comes to reliability concerns. The most typical Kia Sorento issues, spanning all model years, are listed below:
- Engine issues – The Sorento’s engine frequently fails, which is a common dependability problem. The engine failure, which was primarily reported in 2011, 2016, and 2017 models, was caused by a leaky head gasket, which mixed engine oil and coolant. These liquids when combined can seriously harm engines.
- Frustrated owners reported that the Sorento’s doors won’t open when reached from the outside, which is more unpleasant than dangerous. Additionally, defective door handles made users of the child-lock feature even more irate. Owners of 2011 Sorentos make up the majority of the complaints.
- Burning out of headlight bulbs: Numerous customers noted that the headlight bulbs on Sorento models from 2002 to 2009 were particularly prone to premature failure. Additionally, several stories claimed that additional headlamp component parts were also melted. There should have been a recall for this dependability problem, but there wasn’t one. Owners were required to purchase replacement bulbs for between $100 and $600.
Kia Sorento Problem Counts by Year
Young and experienced drivers equally are impacted by winter driving. To help you get from A to B as securely as possible, we’ve put together a list of the best automobiles for snow.
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Are there any 2011 Kia Sorento recalls?
CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 SORENTO 2WD VEHICLES WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS AND 2.4L ENGINES MANUFACTURED FROM THE START OF PRODUCTION THROUGH MAY 22, 2010 ARE BEING RECALLED BY KIA.
A 2011 Kia Sorento has all-wheel drive, right?
Both front wheel drive and all wheel drive are available on the used 2011 Kia Sorento. Transmissions with six speeds and manual shifters are also available.
A KIA Sorento will depreciate 40% after 5 years and have a 5 year resale value of $24,281.
The anticipated depreciation over the following ten years is shown in the figure below. These outcomes apply to cars that travel 12,000 miles annually on average and are in good condition. Additionally, it counts on a new-car selling price of $40,293. Enter the purchase price, anticipated length of ownership, and yearly mileage estimate. Our depreciation estimator will forecast the KIA Sorento’s anticipated resale value.
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Are Kia Sorentos trustworthy?
With a reliability rating of 4.0 out of 5, the Kia Sorento is ranked 12th out of 26 compact SUVs. It has cheaper ownership costs than the national average due to the $533 average yearly repair cost. The Sorento is one of the more dependable cars on the road since repairs are less severe and less frequent than with the ordinary automobile.
Cost
Compared to an average of $521 for compact SUVs and $652 for all vehicle types, the total yearly cost of repairs and maintenance for a Kia Sorento is $533.
the typical annual sum for unplanned maintenance and repairs for all model years of a car. A vehicle’s greater average cost alone does not imply that it is less dependable. For instance, your car’s parts and labor may be pricey, especially if it’s a European luxury model, but if there are few serious problems and frequent service visits on average each year, that’s a sign of a dependable vehicle.
The typical annual frequency at which a vehicle is taken in for unplanned maintenance and repairs. This metric is produced by monitoring millions of distinctive automobiles over a number of years to ascertain the typical yearly visits for each make and model. Controls were included to prevent small, routine shop visits, such those for oil changes.
The severity element of dependability calculates the likelihood that a repair will cause a significant problem. The cost of a repair is assessed to be excessively expensive given the unscheduled nature of the repair if it is three times the average annual repair cost for all models. Due to their more expensive labor and component expenses, premium and luxury brands have a higher barrier.
Frequency
Compared to the average of 0.3 times for compact SUVs and 0.4 times for all vehicle models, Kia Sorento owners bring their cars in for unplanned repairs 0.3 times a year on average.
Has the Kia Sorento ever had transmission issues?
You can drive at the speed you want thanks to your transmission, which transfers power from the engine to the wheels.
Given that the transmission must convert the exact quantity of power for the required speed,