2006 Kia Sorento Lights Problems

Your brake lights aren't working properly and aren't turning on when they should. You found out about a related recall (NHTSA Campaign 09V130000) and contacted a dealer, but the manufacturer said they couldn't process the recall repair because your vehicle's VIN wasn't in their system. The repair would likely involve replacing the brake light bulbs, wiring connections, or the brake light switch.

Your passenger-side rear brake light keeps failing even after being replaced multiple times. You've had it replaced by an independent mechanic, but the problem keeps coming back. You discovered this issue is linked to a manufacturer recall (NHTSA campaign 09V130000), but your vehicle hasn't been repaired under that recall yet. The fix will likely involve having the vehicle serviced at a Kia dealership to address the underlying electrical or wiring issue causing the repeated brake light failures.

MY 2006 KIA SORENTO HAS HAD A FEW PROBLEMS THAT I FEAR MAY BE VERY DANGEROUS. A FEW MONTHS AGO I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AND IT FELT LIKE IT WAS SPEEDING UP ON ITS OWN. AS I GOT OFF THE HIGHWAY ON AN S CURVE THE CAR COMPLETELY DIED. THE BATTERY AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. IT STARTED BACK UP AND I GOT TO WORK. THE NEXT MORNING ON THE WAY TO WORK IT DIED AGAIN AT THE SAME SPOT ON THE OFF RAMP. I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED AND MISSED A DAY OF WORK BECAUSE OF IT. I BROUGHT IT INTO THE SHOP AND MECHANIC SAID THE ALTERNATOR BELT WAS LOOSE AND HE FIXED IT. HOWEVER ITS HAPPENED SINCE NUMEROUS TIMES WHEN I TURN THE CAR OFF AND TRY TO START IT AGAIN THE CAR WONT START AT ALL FOR 20 MINUTES TO A COUPLE HOURS. NOW RECENTLY IT WILL SHUT OFF AS I'M DRIVING AND STEERING WHEEL IS VERY HARD TO TURN. IT IS GETTING MORE AND MORE FREQUENT AND IS EFFECTING WORK. KIA DEALERSHIPS REFUSE TO FIX IT AT COST EVEN THOUGH IT SEEMS LIKE A BIG PROBLEM THAT MANY KIA CUSTOMERS HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH. OTHER MECHANICS SAY THEY DON'T EVEN WANT TO TOUCH THE PROBLEM BECAUSE OF THE REVIEWS OF PROBLEMS ON THE INTERNET. PLEASE INFORM ME AND ANYTHING I CAN DO AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

DEAR SIR; AT THIS TIME I'M REQUESTING THAT YOUR OFFICE SEND TO ONE A COMPLAINT FORM TO BE FILE AGAINST THE COMPANY CAR CORRAL 11 IN COLONIAL HEIGHT VA 23834 FOR RIGHTFULLY AND KNOWINGLY SELLING A USED CAR WITH THE DEFECTED EMERGENCY BRAKES, DRY ROTTEN TIRES, ROTORS SCORNED, DIMMED HEAD LIGHT CANNOT BE SEEN AHEAD OF DRIVER, NEED ALIGNMENT OR THAT WHEN DRIVING THE CAR THE CAR VIBRATE FROM SIDE TO SIDE, ODOROUS SMELL OF BURNING WIRES AND GAS, BELT LEADING TO AIR CONDITIONER IS CRACKED AND WORN OUT, REFUSED TO PRESENT ME WITH A CAR FAX AND WHEN SUBJECT REQUESTED TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE BBB OF VIRGINIA, ATTORNEY GENERAL OFFICE OF VIRGINIA AND ESPECIALLY FILLING OUT THE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEY FORM, ALL MEMBERS OF THE SALES TEAM AND OWNER BECAME HIGHLY UPSET AND BLUNTLY ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. ON OR AMOUNT 2/10/16 I SPOKE PERSONAL WITH THE OWNER ABOUT THE ISSUES WITH THE CAR AND HE DID SAY "I WILL WORK WITH YOU TO REPAIR OR FIX CERTAIN ITEMS ON THE CAR, BUT I'M NOT TRYING TO MAKE IT TO A NEW CAR." HE REFUSES TO FIX THE ITEMS FROM THE INSPECTION ON 2/6/16 FROM MERCHANTS TIRE AND AUTO CENTERS BASED ON THE FACT THAT THE COMPANY WAS TRYING TO MAKE MONEY, I AGREE AND DISAGREE WITH THE COMMENTS OF THE OWNER. THE CAR WAS INSPECTED IN JANUARY 2016 BUT DID NOT FIND ANY ISSUES? WHAT I WANT DONE TO MY CAR: ANY AND ALL ITEMS FOUND TO BE DEEM A SAFETY AND HEALTH HAZARD OR REFUND MY MONEY. EMERGENCY BRAKES CAN BE PULLED UP AT ANY TIME AS IF A CHILD'S TOY AND THE OWNER DIS APOLOGIZE BUT WHY SELL ME A SUV THAT WAS USED AS A MEANS FOR TRANSPORTING AND EXPORTING ITEMS FOR THE COMPANY? WHEN TRAVELLING ON THE HIGHWAY THE SUV WILL VIBRATE FROM SIDE TO SIDE CAUSING DRIVER TO ENTER INTO ANOTHER DRIVING LANE AND NOT TO MENTION THE ODOROUS BURNING SMELLS FROM THE DASH BOARD CAUSING HEADACHES.

SINCE PURCHASING MY SORENTO IN 2008 MY HUSBAND HAS HAD TO CHANGE HEADLIGHTS AND\OR BREAK LIGHTS AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH SOMETIMES MORE. ON TWO OCCASIONS I WAS DRIVING IN THE DARK WHEN I'VE LOST BOTH HEADLIGHTS AND HAD TO USE THE HIGH BEAMS. SO IN 7 YEARS WE HAVE REPLACED APPROXIMATELY 84 HEADLIGHTS AND/OR BREAKLIGHTS.

FROM THE MOMENT I PURCHASED MY KIA SORENTO MY FAMILY HAS HAD NOTHING BUT ISSUE. FROM REPLACING LIGHT BULBS MONTHLY TO VALVE COVER LEAKAGE TO NOW A KNOCK UNDER THE HOOD. IT HAS 113,000 MILES AND HAS BEEN MAINTAINED. I WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND BUYING ANOTHER KIA TO ANYONE WITH ALL THE ISSUES WE HAVE HAD. *TR

I JUST GOT MY KIA A YEAR AGO AND I LOVE IT BUT WE ARE CHANGING THE HEAD LIGHTS EVERY MONTH AND I NEVER GET THE RECALLS IN THE MAIL FOR ANYTHING SO I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT. BUYING LIGHTS EVERY MONTH ADD UP TO A LOT OF MONEY AFTER AWHILE. AND IF I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND BOTH WENT OUT AT NIGHT SOMEONE COULD GET HURT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS ERRONEOUSLY ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V130000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DECELERATING, THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS ERRONEOUSLY ILLUMINATED WHEN NOT DECELERATING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 09V130000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING: BRAKE LIGHTS: SWITCH). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 66,000. UPDATED 03/01/13*LJ

I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE AT LEAST A HEAD LIGHT AND/OR TAIL LIGHT ABOUT ONCE EVERY THREE MONTHS SINCE I BOUGHT MY VEHICLE. IT SEEMS LIKE THERE IS A SHORT SOMEWHERE BUT NONE TO BE FOUND; PLEASE HELP! *TR

THE HEAD AND TAIL LIGHTS HAVE TO BE REPLACED ON A REGULAR BASIS. I HAVE REPLACED ALL 4 LIGHTS AT LEAST 6 - 10 TIMES EACH, SINCE BUYING THE 2006 SORENTO BRAND NEW. AND IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING FROM NUMEROUS OTHERS THAT THIS IS A NORM WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL CAR. YOU CAN REPLACE ONE LIGHT AND IT WILL BE OKAY FOR AWHILE, BUT THEN ANOTHER ONE WILL GO OUT, I HAVE ASKED THE MECHANIC IF THIS IS NORMAL, SEEING I HAVE NOT REPLACED THE LIGHTS IN MY 1996 CHEVY A FRACTION OF THE TIMES I HAVE THE SORENTO. THE REPLAY WAS, NO THIS IS NOT NORMAL THAT THEIR MUST BE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM SOMEWHERE IN THE SYSTEM. I ALSO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL FEATURE. IT WILL NOT RESUME, OR ACCELERATE. THE OTHER TWO BUTTONS WORK AS DESIGNED. *KB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD FLICKER AND HE CONSTANTLY HAD TO REPLACE THE LIGHT BULBS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO DID NOT PROVIDE AN ACTUAL DIAGNOSIS AS TO WHAT WAS CAUSING THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO ONLY USE THE LIGHT BULBS SOLD BY THE MANUFACTURER, NOT AFTERMARKET PRODUCTS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

I PURCHASED A 2006 KIA SORENTO BACK IN FEBRUARY 2011. SINCE I HAVE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE I HAVE REPLACED THE HEADLIGHTS. 3 TIMES. EVERY FAILURE OCCURRED ON INTERSTATE 64. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO HAVE THEM CHANGED WHERE THEY HAVE NOT TOUCHED THE LAMPS AND HAVE COMPLETED A PROPER INSTALL. IT APPEARS THAT FOR A SECOND THE VEHICLE HAS NO POWER AND THE HEADLIGHTS FLASH OFF THEN ON. THE HEADLIGHTS GOING ON THEN BACK ON IS A REGULAR OCCURRENCE. THE LAST OCCURRENCE YESTERDAY 6/3/2011 HAPPENED ABOUT 2 AM WHILE DRIVING THROUGH DANIEL BOONE NATIONAL FOREST AND MADE THE VEHICLE UN-DRIVABLE UNTIL DAYTIME HOURS WHEN IT COULD BE SAFELY DRIVEN TO A SHOP FOR THE HEADLIGHTS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN AND LEFT MY FAMILY STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD UNABLE TO SEE TO DRIVE HOME FOR APPROXIMATELY SOME 45 MILES FROM OUR HOME. *TR

HAD THE CAR 2 YEARS AND HAVE TO REPLACE THE HEADLIGHT BULBS 3 TIMES. REPLACED WITHIN LAST 5 MONTHS AND NOW ARE OUT AGAIN. *TR

HEADLIGHTS (LOW BEAM), TAIL LIGHTS KEEP BURNING OUT EVERY TWO TO THREE MONTHS CONSISTENTLY. ALWAYS HAVE TO REPLACE WHICH IS NOT ONLY EXPENSIVE BUT A DANGER TO MYSELF AND OTHER DRIVERS. CAR IS A 2006 KIA SORENTO EX. *TR

EXTERIOR LIGHTS NEED TO BE REPLACED OFTEN, ALSO DOME LIGHT INSIDE VEHICLE. *TR

WHEN I TURN ON MY HEADLIGHTS, MY INTERIOR LIGHTS STAY ON AND WILL NOT TURN OFF. I HAVE HAD TO TAKE OUT THE FUSE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM WITH MY INTERIOR LIGHTS STAYING ON. IT HAPPENED SUDDENLY AND I CANNOT SEEM TO GET IT RESOLVED. *TR

HEADLIGHTS BLOWING ALL THE TIME. ALSO THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAVE LOST THERE PARK POSITION AND WHEN THEY ARE TURNED OFF THEY STOP IN FRONT OF THE DRIVERS LINE OF SIGHT AND MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE WHAT IS GOING ON AROUND YOU WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE TALKED TO SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL AND YEAR AS MINE AND THEY ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS. *TR

I HAVE A 2006 KIA SORENTO. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE BATTERY TWICE (SO INCLUDING THE ORIGINAL IT HAS GONE THROUGH 3 BATTERIES SINCE 06), I HAVE HAD (AND CONTINUE) TO REPLACE THE BULBS IN THE HEADLIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHTS. THE DOME LIGHT HAS CEASED TO WORK AS WELL. I HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE THAT I AM NOT ALONE IN THIS PROBLEM BUT KIA IS NOT INTERESTED IN DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THIS LAST TIME, I DROVE TO MY DESTINATION AND ALL WAS WELL, THEN WHEN I CAME OUT TO DRIVE HOME..POOF, THE DRIVER LOW BEAM WAS OUT. ANY HELP WILL BE APPRECIATED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 30 MPH WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS OVERHEATED AND FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BULBS WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED EVERY THREE TO SIX MONTHS. THE CONTACT DID NOT TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER OR A LOCAL MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS OR REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000. UPDATED 03/24/11*LJ

OUR 2006 KIA SORENTO BURNS OUT ALL LIGHTS ON THIS CAR. I HAVE CHANGE THE HEADLIGHTS AT LEAST 10 TIMES THIS YEAR ALONE. WE KEEP EXTRA BRAKELIGHTS IN THE CAR BECAUSE THEY GO OUT AT LEAST EVERY 3 WEEKS. I WILL BURN THIS CAR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET! SOMETHING MUST BE DONE. I HAVE SEEN OVER 1000 COMPLAINTS ON THIS SAME MODEL FOR THE LAST 6 YEARS. *TR

I REPLACE THE HEADLIGHTS AND FOG LIGHTS AT LEAST EVERY 3-6 MONTHS, I'VE EVEN REPLACE PARKING LIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS. I BOUGHT MY 2006 KIA BRAND NEW AND EVERY YEAR SINCE, ITS THE SAME THING... KIA REALLY NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS, AS THESE SORENTOS CAN RUN FOREVER BUT IF WE CAN'T SEE WHERE WE ARE GOING, THAT'S A PROBLEM. *TR

I HAVE REPLACED BOTH FRONT HEADLAMPS AND REAR BRAKE LAMPS. THE REAR LAMPS HAVE HAD TO BE REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. THERE IS DEFINATELY A DEFECT, AS LAMPS SHOULD LAST MORE THAN A FEW THOUSAND MILES. *TR

FRONT HEADLIGHTS ON KIA SORENTO 2006 MODEL CONTINUES TO BURN OUT OR FLASH ON THEIR OWN HAVE REPLACED 6 SETS OF LIGHTS IN FRONT AND HAVE ON 38,000 MILES FIRST SET WAS AT 16,000 AND EVERY 6 TO 8 MONTHS THERE AFTER. *TR

I HAVE A 2006 KIA SORENTO. I BOUGHT THE CAR BRAND NEW. SINCE THAT TIME I HAVE HAD TO CHANGE THE EXTERIOR FRONT AND BACK LIGHTS A LEAST 3-4 TIMES. THE INTERIOR LIGHT HAS BEEN CHANGE 1 TIME AND THE AC CONTROL PANEL GOES OFF AND ON. THE CAR HAS BEEN EVALUATED 2 TIMES WHILE THEY WERE CHANGING BULBS AND NOTHING WAS FOUND. I HAVE SPOKEN TO ANOTHER SORENTO OWNER AND SHE HAS HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS. KIA RESPONSE TO MY COMPLAINT IS THEY BELIEVE IT IS BECAUSE THE BULB IS NOT THEIR BRAND. THE FIRST COUPLE OF TIMES I HAD THEM REPLACED WITH THE BULBS AND THEY DID NOT LAST. I AM FILING A COMPLAINT BECAUSE I BELIEVE THIS IS A RECALL PROBLEM AND I AM AFRAID OF WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN NEXT. IF YOU HAVE AN QUESTIONS YOU MAY CONTACT ME. *TR

2006 KIA SORENTO - THE HEADLIGHTS KEEP GOING OUT BECAUSE OF SOME KIND OF SHORT OR ENGINEERING FLAW. NORMAL REPAIR IS TO TAP THE LIGHTS AND THEY COME BACK ON, HOWEVER THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AS WHEN THEY SHUT OFF CANNOT BE CONTROLLED AND COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THERE ARE OTHER KIA OWNERS ONLINE COMPLAINING OF THE SAME THING. MY HEADLIGHT BULBS ARE NOT BURNED OUT, AND HAVE NOT BEEN REPLACED A FELLOW KIA SORENTO OWNER WITH THE SAME PROBLEM SHOWED ME HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR

I HAVE REPLACED ALL EXTERIOR LIGHTS MOST OF THEM HAVE BEEN MY LOW BEAMS. IT HAS BEEN WELL OVER 10 TIMES AND IT HASN'T JUST BEEN ONE SIDE. ALSO, I HAVE REPLACED ALL OTHER EXTERIOR LIGHTS IN THE LAST FEW YEARS. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON WITHIN A COUPLE OF MONTHS OF PURCHASING THE CAR NEW IN JAN. 2006. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT NEVER COULD FIND ANY PROBLEMS. I DON'T THINK THE LIGHTS SHOULD BE REPLACED NOT AT LEAST IN THE EXTENT I HAVE. *TR

REPLACED DRIVER AND PASSENGER HEADLIGHT ON JANUARY 3, 2009 WITH HI-PERFORMANCE SYLVANIA HEADLIGHTS AFTER INITIAL HEADLIGHTS BURNT OUT. THE NEW HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT ONE BY ONE ON FEBRUARY 16TH AND 18TH. HAVE ALSO REPLACED TAIL-LIGHT BULBS THREE TIMES. INTERIOR DOME LIGHT WORKS ON OCCASION AND POINTS TOWARDS A SHORT. *TR

I HAVE REPLACED WELL OVER 10 HEADLIGHT BULBS IN MY KIA SORENTO. I'M A FANATIC ABOUT MAKING SURE MY CAR IS IN THE BEST OF ORDER. ONCE A BULB IS OUT IT IS REPLACED THE SAME DAY. AT FIRST I THOUGHT, "YEAH BULBS BURN OUT," BUT COME ON ALREADY. I HAVE EVERY RECEIPT SHOWING HOW MANY I HAVE BOUGHT AND REPLACED. WHAT GIVES? DOME LIGHTS, TAIL LIGHTS AND SUCH HAVE BEEN REPLACED TOO HOWEVER THERE HAVE BEEN WAY MORE LOW-BEAM LIGHT BULBS REPLACED THEN I BELIEVE IS NORMAL. *TR

BOTH HEADLIGHTS (LOW BEAM) WERE OUT. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND HAD TO PAY $98.15 TO GET THEM REPLACED. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE WARRANTY IS GOOD FOR 12 MONTHS OR 12,000 MILES. A COUPLE OF MONTHS BACK I ALSO HAD BOTH TAIL LIGHTS GO OUT AND HAD TO PAY FOR THEM AS WELL.

MY SISTER-IN-LAW OWNS A 2006 KIA SORENTO AND BOTH REAR TAIL LIGHTS ARE OUT AND DO NOT FUNCTION, ONLY THE 3RD MIDDLE LIGHT WORKS. I HAVE SINCE PERSONALLY OBSERVED 4 KIA SORENTOS IN THE LOS ANGELES AREA ON THE ROAD WITH THE LEFT, RIGHT OR BOTH REAR TAIL LIGHTS NOT FUNCTIONING. I HAVE ALSO OBSERVED 3 KIA SORENTOS IN THE SF BAY AREA WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. OTHER KIA PRODUCTS MAY ALSO HAVE THIS ISSUE BUT IT IS A MAJOR PROBLEM/CONCERN WITH THE SORENTO. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND MAY RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT OR INJURY. YOUR ACTION TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER IS NEEDED FOR A LONG TERM SOLUTION AND/OR RECALL. *JB