2011 KIA Sorento Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 246 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the 2011 KIA Sorento, 16% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 88,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “open outside” (8% of reports).
- 246electrical system complaints
- 88,000median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 5mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $520typical repair cost reported by owners
- 38%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Open outside: mentioned in 19 of 246 complaints (8%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical electrical system repair on the 2011 KIA Sorento at $520, and half of them between $410 and $970.
Based on 6 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2015–2022), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 175 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 246 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 23 a fire, 5 an injury.
KIA Sorento electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Sorento | 1 | 17% | — |
| 2025 Sorento | 22 | 29% | 15,000 |
| 2024 Sorento | 11 | 26% | — |
| 2023 Sorento | 37 | 30% | 2,000 |
| 2022 Sorento | 31 | 16% | 32,500 |
| 2021 Sorento | 47 | 19% | 34,256 |
| 2020 Sorento | 20 | 15% | 60,594 |
| 2019 Sorento | 68 | 16% | 18,000 |
| 2018 Sorento | 30 | 12% | 33,000 |
| 2017 Sorento | 96 | 12% | 59,000 |
| 2016 Sorento | 107 | 9% | 51,747 |
| 2015 Sorento | 58 | 8% | 69,027 |
| 2014 Sorento | 153 | 15% | 66,000 |
| 2013 Sorento | 116 | 12% | 74,500 |
| 2012 Sorento | 127 | 14% | 71,329 |
| 2011 Sorento | 246 | 16% | 88,000 |
| 2009 Sorento | 14 | 25% | 66,000 |
| 2008 Sorento | 32 | 15% | 63,000 |
| 2007 Sorento | 21 | 14% | 115,167 |
| 2006 Sorento | 53 | 22% | 78,050 |
| 2005 Sorento | 49 | 16% | 67,625 |
| 2004 Sorento | 28 | 13% | 96,200 |
| 2003 Sorento | 29 | 10% | 67,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Electrical system:wiring
Problem: 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.
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 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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Just bought this from a private seller last week and was driving to work. The engine suddenly caught fire and the car essentially exploded and melted.
My 2011 Kia Sorrento caught fire while parked in my garage. Kia is saying it's not due to any recall they have and that it was an electrical fire store behind the steering wheel and they're refusing to take any responsibility financially for it or otherwise due to it being through previous owners…
I was driving my car, while at a stop light I noticed some smoke coming from under my hood. I thought it might have been the cold I turned off the main road onto my street and noticed the smoke increasing, I pulled over turned off my car opened the hood and a fire started at the back of my engine.
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2011 KIA Sorentos have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 246 owner complaints about electrical system for the 2011 KIA Sorento (16% of the 1,520 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2011 KIA Sorento electrical system?
Yes: 1 safety recall list electrical system. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do electrical system problems start?
The median reported mileage is 88,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix electrical system problems on the 2011 KIA Sorento?
Owners report a typical cost of $520 (half paid between $410 and $970), from 6 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the 2011 KIA Sorento?
The most frequent phrase is “open outside”, in 19 of 246 complaints.
Other 2011 KIA Sorento problems
See all 2011 KIA Sorento problems or electrical system problems across all Sorento years.