YearToAvoid

2011 Kia Sorento Visibility & Wipers Problems

NHTSA lists 29 Visibility & Wipers complaints for the 2011 Kia Sorento, about 2% of that year's 1,517 total complaints. Reports center on spontaneous sunroof/windshield glass failures and power window malfunctions, with a median failure mileage of 38,500. No related recalls are listed for this area.

Visibility & Wipers complaints
29
2% of 1,517
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
1
Median mileage
38,500 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical visibility and wiper symptoms owners report

  • Sunroof or rear windshield glass shatters or explodes spontaneously while driving, sometimes with a loud bang or popping noise and no impact.
  • Rear windshield or rear window fogs or clouds over unexpectedly, in one case linked to a reported fire and reduced rear visibility.
  • Driver-side power window stops responding, getting stuck in the down position or failing to roll up or down, sometimes requiring repeated tapping of the switch.
  • Windshield develops small chips or cracks that appear on the inside surface near the VIN tag area, then spreads over time.
  • One owner reported the rear sunroof was previously addressed under a recall notice for water leaks or noise before the glass issue occurred.

When 2011 Kia Sorento visibility and wiper complaints were filed

First complaint Jul 7, 2010, latest Sep 30, 2020.

2011 Kia Sorento visibility & wipers complaints: complaints filed per month2Jul 2010Aug 2011Dec 2011Jan 2013Mar 2014Jan 2015Apr 2016May 2019
29 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jul 2010 to Sep 2020; peak Nov 2010 (2).

Visibility & Wipers recalls for the 2011 Kia Sorento

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Visibility & Wipers complaints by Sorento model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 20100 (0%)
  2. 201129 (2%)
  3. 201228 (3%)
  4. 201331 (3%)
  5. 201427 (3%)
  6. 201511 (1%)
  7. 201623 (2%)
  8. 20179 (1%)
  9. 20187 (3%)
  10. 201921 (5%)
  11. 20205 (4%)
  12. 202110 (4%)
  13. 202216 (8%)
  14. 202311 (9%)
  15. 20244 (10%)
  16. 20256 (8%)

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common visibility and wiper problems on the 2011 Kia Sorento?
NHTSA complaints describe sunroofs and rear windshields shattering or exploding without impact, along with power windows that get stuck or fail to move. The median mileage at failure across this complaint group is 38,500.
Is there a recall for the 2011 Kia Sorento sunroof or windows?
The data shows no related recalls listed for the Visibility & Wipers area on the 2011 Sorento, even though some owners describe glass and window failures.
How many complaints does NHTSA have about this area for the 2011 Sorento?
NHTSA lists 29 complaints in the Visibility & Wipers category for the 2011 Kia Sorento, which is about 2% of the 1,517 total complaints filed for that model year.
Did any of these visibility complaints involve a crash or fire?
NHTSA records show 0 crashes, 1 fire, and 1 injury among the 29 Visibility & Wipers complaints for the 2011 Kia Sorento.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.