2011 Kia Sorento Lighting Problems
From NHTSA owner complaints and recalls. Updated Oct 17, 2026.
How common are lighting problems on the 2011 Kia Sorento?
105 owners have reported lighting problems on the 2011 Kia Sorento, 7% of all complaints for this year and the 7th most reported problem area. Most reported problems happened at about 71,000–130,000 miles. 1 recall covers this area.
105 complaints 7% of all 2011 complaints 97,000 miles typical
Which parts fail
The specific part named in each complaint.
Mileage when it failed
Each dot is a complaint that gave a mileage (74 of 105). The amber line is the middle value.
When problems were reported
Lights complaints by the year the problem happened.
Lights complaints by Sorento year
Related recalls
Switch
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. 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.
Fix: Kia's recall campaign number is SC098.
Recall 13V114000 · Apr 2013Get an email when your 2011 Kia Sorento gets a new recall
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Other 2011 Kia Sorento problems
Common questions
What are common 2011 Kia Sorento lighting problems?
Complaints most often name the headlights and switch.
At what mileage do 2011 Kia Sorento lighting problems happen?
Most complaints that gave a mileage fell between about 71,000–130,000 miles. The middle value is about 97,000 miles.
Is there a recall for 2011 Kia Sorento lighting problems?
Yes: 13V114000. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if the work was done.
Which Sorento year has the most lighting complaints?
The 2017 Sorento, with 125 complaints.
Source: NHTSA complaints and recalls databases. Complaints are unverified owner reports.