2011 Kia Sorento Reliability
The 2011 Kia Sorento has 1,520 owner complaints and 8 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about engine and body structure. Compared with other Sorento model years, it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Sorento's typical year, while the 2009 has a cleaner record.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
1,520
NHTSA owner complaints
8
Recall campaigns
42
Complaints citing a crash
63
Complaints citing a fire
2011 Kia Sorento complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2011 model year, filed between 2010 and 2026. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 284 | 19% |
| Body structure | 268 | 18% |
| Powertrain / transmission | 265 | 17% |
| Electrical system | 246 | 16% |
| Unknown or other | 214 | 14% |
| Air bags | 183 | 12% |
| Service brakes | 131 | 9% |
| Exterior lighting | 102 | 7% |
2011 Kia Sorento recalls
8 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2011 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10V388000 | Aug 31, 2010 | Electrical system — wiring | 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… |
| 10V599000 | Nov 24, 2010 | Service brakes — foundation components / disc / caliper | Kia is recalling certain model year 2011 Sorento vehicles manufactured from September 14, 2010, through October 4, 2010. Some of the rear brake calipers may not have been properly machined. |
| 11V258000 | Apr 25, 2011 | Powertrain / transmission — driveline / driveshaft | 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. The intermediate shaft may suffer from noise and excessive wear due to a… |
| 11E041000 | Oct 6, 2011 | Equipment | 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 hyundai veracruz and Kia Sorento vehicles.… |
| 13V114000 | Apr 1, 2013 | Exterior lighting — brake lights / switch | Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year 2007-2009 Amanti, and model year 2009… |
| 15V626000 | Oct 6, 2015 | Powertrain / transmission — automatic transmission | Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Kia Sorento vehicles manufactured October 19, 2009, to January 31, 2013. In the affected vehicles, if excessive force is applied to the gear shift lever, the brake-shift interlock mechanism… |
| 23V652000 | Sep 25, 2023 | Service brakes — antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip / control unit/module | Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The…NHTSA advisory: park outside until repaired. |
| 23V877000 | Dec 21, 2023 | Engine | Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2011 Sorento vehicles. An engine compartment fire can occur while driving. |
How the 2011 compares with nearby Sorento years
Verdicts come from CarWhere's year-by-year Sorento analysis where it covers the year, otherwise from the years shown here.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 55 | 3 | Air bags | Better year |
| 2010 | 3 | 2 | Suspension | Too few reports |
| 2011 (this page) | 1,520 | 8 | Engine | Avoid |
| 2012 | 880 | 5 | Engine | Avoid |
| 2013 | 983 | 5 | Engine | Avoid |
Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA and are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, so they compare years of the same model rather than different models.
The 2011 Kia Sorento on the used market
- 62 of 382 2011 Kia Sorento listings in CarWhere's lifespan study showed 200,000 miles or more.
What to check on a used 2011 Kia Sorento
- Engine: cold-start it yourself, listen for ticking or knocking, check for oil leaks and oil consumption, and ask for oil-change records.
- Body: look under the car for rust or damaged subframe and rocker areas, and check panel gaps for signs of repair.
- Transmission: test-drive from cold through every gear, feel for slipping, harsh or delayed shifts and shudder, and ask whether the fluid has been serviced.
- Electrical: test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system; scan for stored fault codes.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 8 campaigns above was completed on this VIN; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records, and have an independent mechanic inspect the car before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any 2011 Kia Sorento can be better or worse than its model year. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
2011 Kia Sorento reliability FAQ
Is the 2011 Kia Sorento reliable?
The 2011 Kia Sorento has 1,520 owner complaints and 8 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about engine and body structure. Compared with other Sorento model years, it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Sorento's typical year, while the 2009 has a cleaner record.
What are the most common 2011 Kia Sorento problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2011 Kia Sorento are engine (284), body structure (268), powertrain / transmission (265), electrical system (246). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2011 Kia Sorento have recalls?
NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns for the 2011 Kia Sorento, including 10V388000 (electrical system — wiring) and 10V599000 (service brakes — foundation components / disc / caliper). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2011 Kia Sorento compare with the 2010 and 2012 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2010 has 3 complaints and 2 recalls (too few reports); the 2012 has 880 complaints and 5 recalls (avoid). The 2011 has 1,520 complaints and 8 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2011 Kia Sorento?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
More Kia Sorento research
Other Kia Sorento model years:
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2011 Sorento, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.