Model year guide

2011 Kia Sorento

Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 2011 Kia Sorento is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 534 on record.

2011 Kia Sorento — representative photo
Representative photo · via Wikimedia Commons

2011 Kia Sorento at a glance

Safety recalls8
Owner complaints1,517
Overall safety4 / 5 ★
Combined22 mpg
Typical price$11,140

Free: specs, open recalls for that exact car, build sheet and fair price.

2011 Kia Sorento recalls 8

Power Train:automatic Transmission NHTSA Campaign #15V626000 · 06/10/2015

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 may chip or crack allowing the transmission being able to be shifted out of "Park" without the brakes being depressed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply wi…

Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake-shift interlock mechanism, free of charge. The recall began on November 9, 2015. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC124.

Equipment NHTSA Campaign #11E041000 · 06/10/2011

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 HYUNDAI VERACRUZ AND KIA SORENTO VEHICLES. THE UNITS ARE NOT WATER-TIGHT AND MOISTURE CAN SEEP INTO THE CONVERTER MODULE AND DEFEAT THE MODULE'S INTERNAL CIRCUIT PROTECTION.

Fix: CURT MANUFACTURING WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE TOW PACKAGE WIRING HARNESS. THE REMEDY WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 17, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CURT MANUFACTURING AT 1-715 831-8713.

Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch NHTSA Campaign #13V114000 · 01/04/2013

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 Borrego vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Kia recalled 623,658 model year 2007-2010 Rondo and Sportage, model year 2007-2011 Sorento, model year 2007 Sedona, …

Fix: Kia will send an interim notification to owners in May 2013. When parts are available, owners will receive a second notification and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's recall campaign number is SC098.

Power Train:driveline:driveshaft NHTSA Campaign #11V258000 · 25/04/2011

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. THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT MAY SUFFER FROM NOISE AND EXCESSIVE WEAR DUE TO A MISALIGNMENT OF THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT WITH THE RIGHT SIDE OUTPUT GEAR. CONTINUING TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE IN THIS CONDITION LEADS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A WHIRRING/W…

Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE RIGHT SIDE OUTPUT GEAR AND INTERMEDIATE SHAFT FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MAY 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.

Electrical System:wiring NHTSA Campaign #10V388000 · 31/08/2010

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 PANE…

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…

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:caliper NHTSA Campaign #10V599000 · 24/11/2010

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.

Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE REAR CALIPERS AND REPLACE IT IF NECESSARY FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 10, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA CONSUMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-333-4542.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip:control Unit/module NHTSA Campaign #23V652000 · 25/09/2023

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 Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.

Fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed November 14, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, …

Engine NHTSA Campaign #23V877000 · 21/12/2023

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2011 Sorento vehicles. An engine compartment fire can occur while driving.

Fix: Dealers will install Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) software and replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 9, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC291.

Source: U.S. NHTSA. A recall applies to a model year, but only a VIN check shows whether a specific car has had the repair done.

2011 Kia Sorento common problems

The most-reported problem areas from 1,517 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.

Engine
Listen for knocks or ticking, check for leaks and blue/white exhaust smoke, and make sure it doesn't overheat. No check-engine light should be on.
Electrical System
Test every electrical feature: windows, locks, infotainment, charging and all lights. Watch for flickering, dead accessories or warning lights.
Air Bags
Confirm the airbag light turns on then off at startup — if it stays lit there's a fault (costly, and a safety risk). Check for signs of prior deployment.
Structure
Inspect for rust, fresh undercoating, mismatched paint, uneven panel gaps and any sign of prior collision or frame repair.
Suspension
Listen for clunks over bumps, check the car sits level, and look for uneven tire wear and worn shocks or struts.
Service Brakes
Brakes should feel firm and quiet — no grinding, pulsing or pulling. Check for an ABS light and uneven pad/rotor wear.

2011 Kia Sorento safety ratings

Overall★★★★★
Frontal crash★★★★★
Side crash★★★★★
Rollover★★★★★

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), tested as the 2011 Kia Sorento SUV 4WD. Ratings can differ by body style and drivetrain.

2011 Kia Sorento MPG & running costs

Combined22 mpg
City20 mpg
Highway26 mpg
Est. annual fuel cost$2,780

Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov, averaged across trims.

What's a 2011 Kia Sorento worth?

Low
$8,000
Typical price
$11,140
High
$14,600

From 528 comparable 2011 Kia Sorento listings.

Estimated 5-year cost to own

A rough guide to what running a 2011 Kia Sorento costs over five years and 75,000 miles.

Fuel (5 yrs)$13,900
Depreciation (5 yrs)$7,500
Total$21,400
Per mile$0.29

How this is estimated: fuel is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. Depreciation compares today's typical asking price for this model year ($11,140) with the same model 5 model-years older ($3,640), from CarLogs listing data. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.

2011 Kia Sorento trims & engines on record

Trims
Base · LX · EX · GL · SX · GLS · HGS(Top)
Engines
2.4L · 3.5L 6-cyl

2011 Kia Sorento vehicles on record

Other Kia Sorento model years

2011 Kia Sorento — frequently asked questions

Does the 2011 Kia Sorento have any safety recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 8 safety recalls for the 2011 Kia Sorento. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.

What are the most common problems with the 2011 Kia Sorento?

Based on 1,517 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas are engine, electrical system, air bags.

What is the 2011 Kia Sorento safety rating?

NHTSA gives the 2011 Kia Sorento an overall crash-test rating of 4 out of 5 stars (frontal 4★, side 4★, rollover 4★).

What gas mileage does the 2011 Kia Sorento get?

The U.S. EPA rates the 2011 Kia Sorento at about 22 mpg combined (20 city / 26 highway).

How much is a 2011 Kia Sorento worth?

Comparable 2011 Kia Sorento listings run roughly $8,000–$14,600, typically around $11,140 (from 528 vehicles).

Sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, crash tests), U.S. EPA (fuel economy). Vehicle data only — CarLogs never shows owner information.