2008 Kia Sorento Exterior lighting Problems

The contact owns a 2008 Kia Sorento. The contact stated upon reversing out of his garage, the brake pedal was depressed and emitted an abnormal sound. The ABS and the electronic stability control warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where the recall repair of NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V114000 (Exterior Lighting) was completed; however, the dealer informed the contact that the failure persisted, and he needed to pay a diagnostic fee to determine the cause of the failure. The contact stated that the recall remedy failed to correct the safety failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 129,000.

NHTSA ID

11489999

Incident

Sep 28, 2022

Mileage

129,000 mi

DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT REMAINS ON, PASSENGER SIDE SEEMS OPERATIONAL. IN MOTION ON HIGHWAY, DURING THE SAME TRIP INTERIOR LIGHTS, EXCEPT MANUAL PUSH LIGHTS AND DASHBOARD, DO NOT AUTOMATICALLY TURN ON

NHTSA ID

11377119

Incident

Aug 1, 2020

Mileage

153,100 mi

MY CHECK ENGINE GOES ON AND OFF WHENEVER. PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT GROUT IT TO AUTOZONE FOR CHECK AND IT STATED SENSORS. MY SHOP SAYS THEY FIX IT AND IT CONTINUES I HAVE HAD THE CAR FOR ALMOST 2 YEARS NOW

NHTSA ID

11182252

Incident

Jun 4, 2017

INTERIOR LIGHTS HAVE NOT WORKED FOR YEARS. THE LIGHT ON CEILING OF CAR IS SWITCHED TO OFF BECAUSE THE INTERIOR LIGHTS DO NOT GO OUT WHEN YOU SHUT ALL OF THE DOORS

NHTSA ID

11119336

Incident

Jan 30, 2010

Mileage

4,000 mi

THE STARTER BURNED OUT AND THE STARTER RELAY IS STICKING. IT STARTED STICKING AND MAKING FUNNY NOISES AROUND MID OCTOBER OR BEGINNING OF NOVEMBER 2017 AND ACUTALLY BURNED OUT DECEMBER 8, 2017 AND WAS REPLACED DECEMBER 9, 2017. NOW THE STARTER WENT OUT AGAIN JANUARY 16, 2018. ALSO I HAD MY DRIVER SIDE BRAKE LIGHT BULB REPLACED AROUND JULY OR AUGUST 2017 AND NOW THE SAME DRIVER SIDE BRAKE LIGHT IS OUT AGAIN.

NHTSA ID

11063281

Incident

Jan 16, 2018

I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT BULBS AT LEAST 3 TIMES IN THE 3 YEARS I HAVE OWNED MY CAR. JUST HAD MY RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE REPLACED AGAIN, WAS WORKING IMMEDIATELY AFTER BEING REPLACED, AND NOW THE NEXT MORNING WHEN I GET IN MY CAR NEITHER HEADLIGHT WORKS. I AM A SINGLE MOM ON A FIXED INCOME AND I CANNOT AFFORD TO KEEP REPLACING THESE BULBS AT $20 EACH TIME.

NHTSA ID

10787662

Incident

Nov 1, 2015

Mileage

86,600 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE BRAKE LAMP FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE BRAKE LAMP SWITCH GROUND WIRE WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V114000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 02/05/16*LJ UPDATED 4/23/18*JB *CN

NHTSA ID

10783223

Incident

Mar 18, 2015

DIM LIGHTS BOTH QUIT AT THE SAME TIME IN EARLY MORNING (DARK) DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10659395

Incident

Nov 18, 2014

Mileage

72,000 mi

FOR YEARS NOW I HAVE REPLACED LIGHTS ON THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE REPLACED HEADLIGHTS AT LEAST 15 TIMES AND BRAKE LIGHTS ABOUT 20 TIMES. ON AT LEAST 5 OCCASIONS ALL LIGHTS BURNED OUT AT ONCE.. THE FUSES AND RELAYS HAVE NEVER BEEN BAD BECAUSE WHEN I REPLACE THE LIGHTS THEY WORK.SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE AND I HAVE KNOWN MANY OTHER KIA OWNERS TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM BUT THE DEALERSHIP SAYS NOTHING IS WRONG. I CAN'T AFFORD ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10651978

Incident

Sep 25, 2011

Mileage

48,000 mi

CURRENT AND ONGOING PROBLEMS BEGAN JUST A FEW DAYS AFTER RECEIVING A NOTICE OF RECALL FROM KIA REGARDING THE FAULTY/DEFECTIVE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. THE SWITCH WAS FAULTY AND THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH NO BRAKE LIGHTS COMING ON UPON BRAKING AS WELL AS "ESC OFF" AND "CHECK ENGINE" MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHTS APPEARING AND STAYING ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. THE VEHICLE WAS PROMPTLY TAKEN TO A KIA DEALERSHIP WHERE THE RECALL SERVICE WAS PERFORMED. REPLACEMENT OF A FAILED BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH UNDER THE RECALL CAMPAIGN DID NOT ELIMINATE THE PROBLEMS/CODES THAT BEGAN WHEN THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FAILED. SHORTLY AFTER THE REPAIR (LESS THAN A MONTH AFTERWARD AND VERY FEW MILES DRIVEN) THE "ESC OFF" AND "CHECK ENGINE" MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHTS APPEARED, STAYED, THEN CAME ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY WITH ENGINE NOT GOING OVER PAST APPROXIMATELY 2,000 RPMS RESULTING IN UNPREDICTABLE VEHICLE BEHAVIOR ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO MERGING ONTO A HIGHWAY/INTERSTATE OR GETTING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE SERVICE ADVISORS GAVE ASSURANCES THAT THE NEW BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH IS NOT DEFECTIVE. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE SERVICE ADVISORS/TECHNICIANS COULD NOT SPECIFICALLY DIAGNOSE WHAT NEEDS REPLACEMENT TO ULTIMATELY SOLVE THIS ONGOING PROBLEM OR IF IT IS RELATED TO THE FAILURE OF THE OF THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. *TR

NHTSA ID

10533890

Incident

May 29, 2013

Mileage

85,000 mi

ESC OFF LIGHT COMES ON, SUDDEN LOSS OF ACCELERATION, HEAD LIGHTS CONSTANTLY NEEDING TO BE CHANGED. MIDDLE SEAT BELT IN BACK MALFUNCTIONS BY NOT UNLOCKING AT TIMES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10386291

Incident

Jun 6, 2010

Mileage

24,000 mi

DASH LIGHTING PROBLEM ON 2008B KIA SORENTO. WHEN CONTROL KNOB ON TURN SIGNAL SWITCH IS ROTATED FOR NIGHT LIGHTING OF DASH LIGHTS, THE DASH LIGHTS GO OUT, BLOWING A FUSE. POSSIBLE SHORT IS SYSTEM SOMEWHERE. UNABLE TO TRACE AT CANADIAN KIA DEALERSHIP WITHOUT PAYING $90.00/HR FEE WHICH COULD TAKE MANY HOURS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10368017

Incident

Nov 11, 2010

Mileage

43,000 mi

FROM THE FIRST DAY I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE, I'VE NOTICED A PROBLEM WITH THE HEADLIGHTS VISIBILITY. WHEN DRIVING, THE HEADLAMPS ARE NOT AIMED OR FOCUSED TO SEE MORE THAN TWO CAR LENGTHS IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. I WENT BACK TO KIA AND HAD THEM CHECK IT OUT. THEY SAID THE LIGHTS WERE ADJUSTED AS FAR UP AS THE STATE ALLOWS. I CONTACTED KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY CLAIM THEY HAVEN'T HAD ANY COMPLAINTS. THE VISIBILITY WITH THE HEADLIGHTS IS TERRIBLE. THE HEADLIGHTS ARE NOT ADJUSTED HIGH ENOUGH TO SEE WHEN NIGHT DRIVING. YOU CAN ONLY SEE TWO CAR LENGTHS IN FRONT OF YOU AND IF DEPENDING ON THE TERRAIN OF THE ROAD OR IF THERE IS NO OTHER AREA LIGHTING, I.E. STREET LIGHTS, STORE LIGHTS OR OTHER COMMERCIAL LIGHTING, THE AREA BEYOND TWO CAR LENGTHS IS COMPLETELY BLACK.. THE VISIBILITY IS HORRIBLE AND UNSAFE. IT'S AT THE POINT, THAT WE'RE AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR AT NIGHT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10261003

Incident

Dec 27, 2008