The Lemon Index2011 Kia Sorento.
The 2011 Kia Sorento is worse than average by owner complaints: 346 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 121, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about transmission & drivetrain, it has 8 recalls, and it gets 20 to 24 mpg combined. The best Kia Sorento year is 2018.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 1,520 owner complaints, owners reported:
Every Kia Sorento year. 2011 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 38K to 115K miles on the car (1,115 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- engine complaints mostly came at 60K–137K miles
- body structure complaints mostly came at 70K–107K miles
- transmission & drivetrain complaints mostly came at 17K–89K miles
Recalls 8
- engine 2023
An engine compartment fire can occur while driving.
- brakes 2023
The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
- transmission & drivetrain 2015
In the affected vehicles, if excessive force is applied to the gear shift lever, the brake-shift interlock mechanism may chip or crack allowing the transmission being able to be shifted out of "Park" without the brakes b…
Show all 8 recalls
- lights 2013
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.
- equipment 2011
CURT MANUFACTURING IS RECALLING CERTAIN TOW PACKAGE WIRING HARNESSES, PART NUMBER 56024, THAT CONNECT TOW VEHICLE LIGHTING CIRCUITS TO TRAILER LIGHTING CIRCUITS SOLD FOR USE ON CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009 THROUGH 2011 HYUNDA…
- transmission & drivetrain 2011
KIA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 SORENTO 2WD VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS AND 2.4L ENGINES MANUFACTURED FROM THE START OF PRODUCTION THROUGH MAY 22, 2010.
- brakes 2010
KIA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 SORENTO VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 14, 2010, THROUGH OCTOBER 4, 2010.
- electrical 2010
KIA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 SOUL AND MODEL YEAR 2011 SORENTO VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 7, 2009 THROUGH JULY 30, 2010.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems Kia told dealers about
Kia sent dealers 202 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- Service action-starter solenoid wire contact with coolant line bracket
- Intermediate shaft noise
- Pitstop-no driveability complaints
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Government investigations
- OpenHyundai and kia abs module fires2023
- ClosedLoss of motive power2022–2023
- ClosedThrottle control system vulnerabilities2021–2023
- ClosedEngine fires2021–2024
NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.
Safety
Crash test details
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kia Sorento SUV 4WD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ |
| Kia Sorento SUV FWD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ |
Fuel cost and engines
About $2700–3200 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 2.4L 4-cyl, 3.5L 6-cyl.
In owners' words
Stability control and downhill assist light came on while driving. Once stopped, shifter would not go past neutral. In order to get past neutral, had to turn off engine and restart.
2011 Kia Sorento owner · NHTSA complaint 10514766
More owner reports
2011 Kia Sorento ex v6 purchased 04-10.occasional loud noise and jolt forward during start.while driving at low speed sometimes vehicle slows down for second or two and then surges forward.
NHTSA complaint 10396065
Air conditioning not cooling properly.drain and recharge system by dealership,still not cooling properly.dealer ordered a new compressor.dealer installed new compressor and recharge system.
NHTSA complaint 10543578
Quick answers
Is the 2011 Kia Sorento reliable?
No, it is worse than average by government complaints. It drew 1.2× the average car's complaints filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 121; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Kia Sorento year by this measure is 2018.
What are the most common 2011 Kia Sorento problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are transmission & drivetrain (41%), electrical (16%) and engine (9%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2011 Kia Sorento have?
8 safety recalls (latest: engine). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2011 Kia Sorento get?
20 to 24 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
Is the 2011 Kia Sorento safe?
NHTSA gave it 4 out of 5 stars overall in its best tested version. Ratings differ by body style, and the full table is on the advanced page.
At what mileage do 2011 Kia Sorento problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 38,000 and 115,000 miles. The middle report was at 80,000 miles, from 1,115 complaints.
Does the 2011 Kia Sorento have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 41% of its owner complaints.
How much does the 2011 Kia Sorento cost in fuel a year?
About $2700 to $3200 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2011 Kia Sorento have?
2.4L 4-cyl, 3.5L 6-cyl.
What Kia Sorento year is better than the 2011?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2018, 2020 and 2012.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works