2009 Kia Sorento Electrical Problems

The contact owns a 2009 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the check engine, ESC, and ABS warning lights were illuminated. Upon speaking with other independent mechanics, the contact was informed that the failure was likely linked to moisture that might have entered the ABS module. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V088000 (Electrical System, Service Brakes, Hydraulic); which the contact associated with the failure. The dealer was notified of the failure, and the contact was informed that the vehicle was already serviced under recall prior to owning the vehicle. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID

11711370

Incident

Nov 1, 2025

My check engine light is on. It has been on for over 2 or more years. Nobody knows what the codes mean. My timing chain needs to be replaced. My tires are constantly leaking. My battery has been replaced 2 times, and I still cannot start my vehicle even when I get a jump. The interior light when you open the car door, has fallen and is hanging. When I open the back door, the light does not come on so I cannot see what is in the trunk. The handles on both sides of the rear doors are broken and the doors do not open. I have not been able to get my vehicle inspected because of the check engine light and the timing chain. I took it to get inspected last April when it was due and I was told it could not be inspected because of the check engine light. This all went on when I was living in Upstate NY I am now in Suffolk County Long Island.

NHTSA ID

11664933

Incident

Jun 4, 2023

The contact owns a 2009 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while her daughter was driving approximately 15 MPH, she activated the windshield wipers and the radio, and the vehicle started to stall. The contact stated that her daughter saw the TPMS, and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The contact's daughter drove the vehicle back to the residence. The contact’s husband attempted to duplicate the failure by letting the vehicle idle and then shifted to reverse (R), and the instrument cluster gauges started to function erratically. The contact shifted the vehicle to drive(D) and depressed the accelerator pedal however, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated he shifted to park(P) and turned off the vehicle; when the vehicle was restarted, all vehicle functionality had returned. The contact stated that the failure had occurred a year prior. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that an electrical relay needed to be replaced. The contact stated that a similar electrical relay had been previously replaced; however, the battery drained due to the defective relay. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V088000 (Electrical System, Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 185,000.

NHTSA ID

11519128

Incident

Apr 26, 2023

Mileage

185,000 mi

Currently my ESC OFF warning light is lit on my dash, and while lit my vehicle has trouble accelerating from 0 to 40 mph. The warning light goes on and off at random. I have had the accelerator pedal assembly replacement in 2015 and 2019 due to the same issue. It is NOW happening again in 2022!!!. Is this a design flaw issue? It's definitely a safety issue! How can consumers be protected from these issues?

NHTSA ID

11470606

Incident

Jun 1, 2022

The contact owns a 2009 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V088000 (Electrical System, Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID

11455715

Incident

Jan 22, 2021

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V088000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO NALLEY KIA LOCATED AT 7849 MALL PKWY, STONECREST, GA 30038, (770) 288-5283, WHERE THE RECALL REPAIR WAS COMPLETED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER THE RECALL REPAIR WAS PERFORMED, WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE CONTAC HEARD A LOUD ABNORMAL SOUND. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE SAME DEALER AND WAS DIAGNOSED WITH NEEDING THE AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE WAS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH THE RECALL REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT, CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.

NHTSA ID

11353736

Incident

Aug 1, 2020

Mileage

180,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA SORRENTO. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V088000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. AN UNKNOWN DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

11329396

Incident

Jun 17, 2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V088000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. GETTEL KIA OF BRADENTON LOCATED AT 6423 14 TH ST. W, BRADENTON, FL 34207, (941)417-5210, WAS CONTACTED BY PHONE AND CONFIRMED THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

11323336

Incident

Jan 1, 2020

MY 2009 KIA SORENTO (87810 MILES) HAS HAD ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS SINCE 2014. IN SEPT 2014, WHILE WARRANTY WAS VOID DUE TO OVER 60, 000 MILES) I HAD TROUBLE WITH THE DASHBOARD ILLUMINATION LIGHTS WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS WERE TURNED ON. $1,000+ DOLLARS LATER, DIMMER SWITCH, INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, AND RHEOSTAT CIRCUIT WERE REPAIRED. IN DECEMBER 2015, STARTED TO HAPPEN AGAIN BUT NOW THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND WON'T GO OFF. TOOK IN JANUARY, AND $275 MORE, REPLACED DIMMER SWITCH AGAIN AND CLEANED THE CONNECTION TO AIR BAG SENSOR. THREE DAYS LATER, THE AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON AGAIN. FURTHER INSPECTION AND IT IS DETERMINED THE THE "OCS" SENSOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED TO THE TUNE OF $1900 FOR PARTS AND $200 FOR LABOR.

NHTSA ID

10822048

Incident

Jan 15, 2016

Mileage

87,573 mi

SHORTLY AFTER BUYING SUV IN 2009 WE EXPERIENCED "QUERKY" STUFF LIKE DOORS RELOCKING, DOME LIGHT S COMING ON, BACK HATCH UNLOCKING ALL THIS HAPPENING ON THEIR OWN!! I KEPT TELLING THE DEALERSHIP AT OIL CHANGES! THEY KEPT IGNORING IT ALL! NOV 1, 2009 KIA ELECTRIC SYSTEM SERVICE BULLETIN #282603 (TS B-044) ISSUED. SEPTEMBER THE CHECK ENGINE AND ESC OFF LIGHTS STARTED COMING ON TOGETHER, SUV IMMEDIATELY DECENDS TO 15-20 MPH! YOU CAN'T GIVE IT GAS, ONLY RPMS RISE HIGH! GAS IS EATEN UP! COAST TO SIDE, SIT A FEW TO 20 MINUTES. MAYBE BOTH OR ESC OFF LIGHT(S) GO OUT AND YOU PROCEED. HAVE NOTICED A BUCK FEELING BEFORE LIGHT(S) ARE COMING ON AT TIMES. CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS MAY STAY ON FOR A WHILE OR NOT. HABITUALLY ERRATIC WHEN LIGHTS COME ON, CAN BE EVERY MILE TO SEVERAL MILES! LAST WEEK SUV WITH OUT THESE LIGHTS STARTED RUNNING REAL ROUGH AT IDLE AND DRIVING. TO THE POINT OF REVING OVER 2000 RPMS BUT ACTED LIKE BEING HELD BACK! I HAVE BEEN RELUCTANT TO DRIVE IT MUCH IN FEAR OF THE ADVANCING ISSUES AND HURTING THE POWER TRAIN! AT IDLE RANGE IS 300 ' 1,800+ RPMS, MECHANIC WITNESSED THE VARYING RPMS WHEN CODE 1611 (TIME OUT:ECM,PCM,TCM ISSUE) CAME UP ON SNAP-ON'S CODE READER. SUV HAS BABY MILES OF 29,884 NOW 30,004 TODAY. ALL SUV'S ON FORUMS ARE OVER 50,000 MILES! ~ LOW IDLE KIA CALLS FOR TPS REPLACEMENT ~ SEPTEMBER 7, 2011. MY SUV THROWS P1295/P2135/P2106 CODES LISTED IN THIS! CALLS FOR THE ECM BE REPROGRAMED USING THE GDS (GLOBAL DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM). REF: 044 BULLETIN. DRIVING YOU CAN FEEL THE ENGINE SLOW DOWN TO ALMOST STALLING BUT CATCHES ITSELF AND KEEPS RUNNING. 1ST TIME THIS HAPPENED I WAS DOING 55MPH AND FOUND I WAS SLOWING REAL FAST WITH TRAFFIC COMING UP BEHIND ME. I NOW HAVE TO RIDE WITH 4 WAY FLASHERS TO BE SAFE! CHK ENG ON WHEN KEY IS TURNED ON AT TIMES NOW. TOWED 1X, DRIVE A MILE SIT MINUTES REPEAT'D 8X. ISSUES ARE PROGRESSING!

NHTSA ID

10779832

Incident

Aug 2, 2015

Mileage

29,804 mi

ESC OFF SENSOR AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON WHEN STARTING VEHICLE OR WHEN IN MOTION/DRIVING. ESC OFF ILLUMINATES FOLLOWED BY COMPLETE LOSS OF ACCELERATION. WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH TO 70 MPH LIGHT APPEARS AND QUICKLY LOOSES LACK OF THROTTLE ACCELERATION POWR. I'VE HAD THIS HAPPEN (10 PLUS TIMES) SINCE I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE IN 2012 PRE-OWNED FROM KIA DEALERSHIP IN CAPE CORAL,FL. TONIGHT 5/12/15 I WAS HEADING ON HIGHWAY AND STOPPED 3 TIMES EVERY 2 TO 4 MILES (LOST POWER) IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC.. FINALLY,VEHICLE CAME BACK ON MORE FOR ABOUT 10 MILES, WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY GOING 65 TO 70 MPHS VEHICLE SHOWED ESC OFF LIGHT AND LOST ACCELERATION THEN POWER... NO ACCIDENT JUST SWERVED ALOT..

NHTSA ID

10716099

Incident

May 12, 2015

Mileage

66,000 mi

UPON STARTING THE 2009 KIA SORRENTO ONE DAY, I SHIFTED TO REVERSE AND NOTICED A VIOLENT JERK WITH A LOUD POPPING SOUND. UPON PUTTING IT INTO DRIVE, THE CAR WOULD BARELY ACCELERATE BUT THE ENGINE WOULD STILL REV WHEN PRESSING DOWN ON THE GAS PEDAL. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON BUT LATER WENT AWAY. THE DEALERSHIP HAS SEEN THE CAR MULTIPLE TIMES AND OUR SERVICE ADVISOR GARY DAWSON IN HOUSTON, TX SAYS THEY CANNOT REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM OR FIND ANY FAULT CODES (EVEN THOUGH WE PROVIDED THE CODE PULLED FROM AUTOZONE THE PREVIOUS DAY). CODES SAID THE TRANSAXLE AND HIGH/LOW SOLENOID WERE THE PROBLEMS. THE CAR IS IN THEIR POSSESSION NOW BUT AFTER A QUICK TALK WITH OUR SERVICE ADVISOR I HIGHLY DOUBT THEY WILL BE FIXING ANYTHING. A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH SHOWS ALMOST ALL 2005+ SORRENTOS HAVE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT KIA AND KEEP THEM IN CHECK. *JS

NHTSA ID

10462481

Incident

Jun 1, 2011

Mileage

46,000 mi

KIA SORENTO DOORS LOCKS DO NOT WORK FROM INTERIOR SWITCH OR KEY REMOTE CONTROL, THE DEALER JUST CHANGE A FUSE FROM THE FUSE HOLDERS, BUT FUSE POPPING DUE TO SHORT SOMEWHERE, MAIN CONCERN DRIVING THE CAR LIKE THAT IT COULD CAUSE A BIG SHORT INSIDE THE CAR, AND AFTER THE 5TH. TIME IN THE SHOP THEY CAN NOT FIND WHAT IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM , BECAUSE THEY JUST CHANGE THE FUSE. LIKE I SAID THE HAPPEN FIVE TIMES IN A MONTH . AND I HAVE TO DRIVE THE CAR LIKE THAT WITH MY LITTLE DAUGHTER , BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE ANOTHER OPTION ,BECAUSE THE PEOPLE ON THE DEALER SHOP CAN NOT DO ANYTHING . *TR

NHTSA ID

10355800

Incident

Jul 17, 2010

2011 KIA SORENTO, CHROME BEZEL ON INSTRUMENT PANEL REFLECTS SUN LIGHT AND STREET LIGHTS INTENSE ENOUGH TO CAUSE TEMP BLINDING FLASH. CONTACT KIA VEHICLE IS NEW AND NO OTHER COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN FILED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10319301

Incident

Mar 10, 2010

Mileage

600 mi