2011 Kia Sorento Electrical System Problems
NHTSA lists 312 Electrical System complaints for the 2011 Kia Sorento, 21% of all 1,517 complaints that year, with 25 fires and 7 injuries reported. Two recalls (13V114000 and 10V388000) cover wiring harness and related electrical defects. Median mileage at failure was 89,000.
- Electrical System complaints
- 312
- 21% of 1,517
- Crashes reported
- 3
- Fires reported
- 25
- Injuries reported
- 7
- Median mileage
- 89,000 mi
- Related recalls
- 2
Typical electrical symptoms owners report
- Low-beam headlight wiring melts near both headlight assemblies, sometimes recurring after dealer replacement.
- Vehicles catch fire without warning while parked in a garage or driveway, with smoke and flames noticed from outside the car.
- Fires start under the hood while driving or shortly after parking, often preceded by smoke or a burning smell with no warning light.
- Heated seat elements have ignited while in use, causing burns to the driver.
- Interior lights and dash wiring fail, followed later by an electrical fire and wiring damage in the same area.
- Loss of engine power on the highway accompanies smoke from the AC vents and a fire near wiring at the back of the motor.
When 2011 Kia Sorento electrical complaints were filed
First complaint Mar 5, 2010, latest Jul 8, 2026.
Electrical System recalls for the 2011 Kia Sorento
- NHTSA 13V114000Apr 1, 2013Electrical System980,377 vehicles
Exterior lighting:brake lights:switch
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 Borrego vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Kia recalled 623,658 model year 2007-2010 Rondo and Sportage, model year 2007-2011 Sorento, model year 2007 Sedona, model year 2010-2011 Soul, and model year 2011 Optima vehicles. In September 2013, Kia informed the agency that it was adding an additional 356,719 vehicles to this campaign. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 980,377. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake-transmission shift interlock feature preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.
Risk: Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of PARK without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's recall campaign number is SC098.
- NHTSA 10V388000Aug 31, 2010Electrical System35,185 vehicles
Electrical system:wiring
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 lighting speakers, located in the front door trim panels, and the kia sorento vehicle's interior accent illumination, located in the front and rear door trim panels, may have been improperly soldered.
Risk: When the lights are illuminated under certain conditions, an electrical short may occur that can result in a fire.
Remedy: 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 service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on september 13, 2010. Owners may contact kia consumer assistance center at 1-800-333-4542.
Electrical System complaints by Sorento model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- Does the 2011 Kia Sorento have an electrical system recall?
- Yes. Recall 10V388000 covers wiring harnesses for the lighting system, and recall 13V114000 covers a broader electrical system defect affecting multiple Kia models including the 2011 Sorento.
- How many electrical complaints does the 2011 Kia Sorento have?
- NHTSA lists 312 Electrical System complaints for the 2011 Sorento, which is 21% of the 1,517 total complaints filed for that model year.
- Are the electrical problems dangerous?
- NHTSA data tied to this problem area for the 2011 Sorento includes 25 fires, 7 injuries, and 3 crashes.
- At what mileage do 2011 Sorento electrical problems usually appear?
- The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for this problem area is 89,000 miles.
- Is the 2011 Sorento worse for electrical issues than other model years?
- Among 2011-2025 Sorento model years listed, the 2011 year's 21% share of complaints tied to the Electrical System is on the higher end, though 2014, 2017, 2023, and 2024 report higher percentages.