2011 KIA Sorento Structure Problems
Owners have filed 268 complaints with NHTSA about structure problems on the 2011 KIA Sorento, 18% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 89,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “open outside” (39% of reports).
- 268structure complaints
- 89,000median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $610typical repair cost reported by owners
- 30%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 104 of 268 complaints (39%)
- Side door: mentioned in 85 of 268 complaints (32%)
- Rear driver: mentioned in 18 of 268 complaints (7%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical structure repair on the 2011 KIA Sorento at $610, and half of them between $540 and $800.
Based on 18 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2015–2024), 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 structure problems happen?
Based on 193 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 268 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 9 a fire, 2 an injury.
KIA Sorento structure complaints by model year
| Model year | Structure complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Sorento | 1 | 17% | — |
| 2025 Sorento | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2024 Sorento | 7 | 17% | — |
| 2023 Sorento | 2 | 2% | — |
| 2022 Sorento | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2021 Sorento | 5 | 2% | — |
| 2019 Sorento | 55 | 13% | 43,500 |
| 2018 Sorento | 9 | 4% | 48,000 |
| 2017 Sorento | 17 | 2% | 44,000 |
| 2016 Sorento | 111 | 9% | 46,000 |
| 2015 Sorento | 100 | 13% | 60,000 |
| 2014 Sorento | 160 | 16% | 72,000 |
| 2013 Sorento | 91 | 9% | 63,000 |
| 2012 Sorento | 35 | 4% | 71,165 |
| 2011 Sorento | 268 | 18% | 89,000 |
| 2009 Sorento | 1 | 2% | 600 |
| 2008 Sorento | 2 | 1% | 64,000 |
| 2007 Sorento | 9 | 6% | 97,735 |
| 2006 Sorento | 7 | 3% | 111,901 |
| 2005 Sorento | 14 | 5% | 124,000 |
| 2004 Sorento | 28 | 13% | 122,500 |
| 2003 Sorento | 12 | 4% | 45,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists structure for the 2011 KIA Sorento. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
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.
Opening car door and whole handle fell off.
Non working door handles which is a KNOWN issue with Kia! Extremely dangerous obstruction in an event of an emergency where occupants need to get in and out of the vehicle. The ineffective door handles also makes the car less secure because someone who is not authorized can access the safety…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2011 KIA Sorentos have structure problems?
No. NHTSA has 268 owner complaints about structure for the 2011 KIA Sorento (18% 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 structure?
No recall currently lists structure for this vehicle.
At what mileage do structure problems start?
The median reported mileage is 89,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix structure problems on the 2011 KIA Sorento?
Owners report a typical cost of $610 (half paid between $540 and $800), from 18 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about structure problems on the 2011 KIA Sorento?
The most frequent phrase is “open outside”, in 104 of 268 complaints, followed by “side door” (85).
Other 2011 KIA Sorento problems
See all 2011 KIA Sorento problems or structure problems across all Sorento years.