← New search

2005 Kia Sorento

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2005 Kia Sorento do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 242.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

257 reports with mileage · 50 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine. Review the 63 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 53 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 49 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

17 crash reports5 fire reports11 injury reports

Exterior Lighting complaints

53 reports
Clear category filter
98,900 miles · Dec 21, 2010
Exterior LightingInterior Lighting

LIGHTING (BULBS) VERY SHORT LIFE, BULBS LAST 1/5 TO 1/10TH OF THE LIFE IN OTHER VEHICLES. MOST RECENT BOTH LOW BEAM BULBS FAILED WITHIN 5 MINUTES LEAVING US WITH NO LIGHTING WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED ON UNLIT DIVIDED HIGHWAY. WE HAVE BEEN REPLACING BULBS EVERY 2-3 MONTHS. WE ALWAYS REPLACE BOTH HEADLIGHTS WHEN ONE BURNS OUT…

Read full complaint

LIGHTING (BULBS) VERY SHORT LIFE, BULBS LAST 1/5 TO 1/10TH OF THE LIFE IN OTHER VEHICLES. MOST RECENT BOTH LOW BEAM BULBS FAILED WITHIN 5 MINUTES LEAVING US WITH NO LIGHTING WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED ON UNLIT DIVIDED HIGHWAY. WE HAVE BEEN REPLACING BULBS EVERY 2-3 MONTHS. WE ALWAYS REPLACE BOTH HEADLIGHTS WHEN ONE BURNS OUT. MY OTHER VEHICLES LAST MANY YEARS, THIS VEHICLE IS THE ONLY ONE I HAVE EVER HAD THAT HEADLIGHTS ONLY LAST MONTHS. THE VEHICLE IS ONLY DRIVEN 4 DAYS PER WEEK AND THE HEADLIGHT LIFE IS ACTUALLY LESS THAN 50 HOURS USE. WE HAVE TRIED SYLVANIA (STANDARD, SILVERSTAR AND SILVERSTAR ULTRAS, GE, HELLA AND RECENTLY PHILLIPS BULBS ALL WITH THE SAME LIFESPAN (WITHIN DAYS) SOMETHING IS WRONG. THERE IS A TSB BUT NO RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10371987

85,483 miles · Dec 8, 2010
Electrical SystemExterior LightingSeats

OWN A 2005 KIA SORENTO. WE HAVE A CONTINUOUS PROBLEM WITH THE LIGHTS BURNING OUT. THIS INCLUDES THE HEADLIGHTS, BRAKE LIGHTS, PARK LIGHTS, AND FOG LIGHTS. THESE LIGHTS BURN OUT ABOUT EVERY 3 TO 4 MONTHS. NOW THE POWER SEAT HAS STOPPED MOVING FORWARD OR BACK. THE DRIVER'S SIDE POWER SEAT WILL NOT MOVE FORWARD OR BACKWARD. A…

Read full complaint

OWN A 2005 KIA SORENTO. WE HAVE A CONTINUOUS PROBLEM WITH THE LIGHTS BURNING OUT. THIS INCLUDES THE HEADLIGHTS, BRAKE LIGHTS, PARK LIGHTS, AND FOG LIGHTS. THESE LIGHTS BURN OUT ABOUT EVERY 3 TO 4 MONTHS. NOW THE POWER SEAT HAS STOPPED MOVING FORWARD OR BACK. THE DRIVER'S SIDE POWER SEAT WILL NOT MOVE FORWARD OR BACKWARD. A SHORTER PERSON THAT MY WIFE MOVED HER CAR AND SHE ADJUSTED THE SEATS. WHEN MY WIFE GOT INTO THE CAR SHE WAS UNABLE TO PUT THE SEAT IN THE ORIGINAL POSITION. I HAVE TRIED TO JOCKEY THE SWITCH BACK AND FORTH AND UP AND DOWN AND THE SEAT WILL NOT MOVE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10369715

58,890 miles · May 7, 2010
Exterior LightingVisibility

THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS START WORKING BY ITSELF WITHOUT PRESSING ANY CONTROL. SPECIALTY AT NIGHT AND THE WASHER PUMP DOES NOT WORK. SOMETIMES WHEN USING TURN SIGNALS OR HEADLIGHTS AND THE ONLY WAY TO STOP IT IS TURNING OFF THE ENGINE. IT IS SCARY BECAUSE YOU DO NOT EXPECT SUCH OCCURRENCES AND MAKES A DISTRACTION WHEN YOU …

Read full complaint

THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS START WORKING BY ITSELF WITHOUT PRESSING ANY CONTROL. SPECIALTY AT NIGHT AND THE WASHER PUMP DOES NOT WORK. SOMETIMES WHEN USING TURN SIGNALS OR HEADLIGHTS AND THE ONLY WAY TO STOP IT IS TURNING OFF THE ENGINE. IT IS SCARY BECAUSE YOU DO NOT EXPECT SUCH OCCURRENCES AND MAKES A DISTRACTION WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING IN THE SPEEDWAY, HERE IN SOUTH CAROLINA WITHOUT ANY LIGHTS IN THE ROAD AND THE I 26 IS NOT AN EASY ROAD TO DRIVE SAFETY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10329257

110,000 miles · Mar 19, 2010
Exterior Lighting

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SORENTO. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH THE EXTERIOR LIGHT SYSTEM WAS ACTIVATED AND SUDDENLY BECAME NONFUNCTIONAL WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A BURNED OUT LIGHT BULB. THE FAILURE WAS A FREQUENT OCCURRENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN…

Read full complaint

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SORENTO. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH THE EXTERIOR LIGHT SYSTEM WAS ACTIVATED AND SUDDENLY BECAME NONFUNCTIONAL WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A BURNED OUT LIGHT BULB. THE FAILURE WAS A FREQUENT OCCURRENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 110,000.

NHTSA ODI #10321082

11,000 miles · Mar 16, 2010
Exterior Lighting

I HAVE A 2005 SORENTO. I HAVE REPLACED THE HEADLIGHTS 15 TIMES. THEY HAVE BOTH GONE OUT BEFORE WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT AND I HAD TO DRIVE NEARLY 40 MILES WITH BRIGHTS ONLY. I HAVE ALSO REPLACED BRAKE LIGHTS 5 TIMES. IT STARTED IN OCT THE YEAR I BOUGHT THE CAR AND HAS CONTINUED. I AM STUNNED AT THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT T…

Read full complaint

I HAVE A 2005 SORENTO. I HAVE REPLACED THE HEADLIGHTS 15 TIMES. THEY HAVE BOTH GONE OUT BEFORE WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT AND I HAD TO DRIVE NEARLY 40 MILES WITH BRIGHTS ONLY. I HAVE ALSO REPLACED BRAKE LIGHTS 5 TIMES. IT STARTED IN OCT THE YEAR I BOUGHT THE CAR AND HAS CONTINUED. I AM STUNNED AT THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS AND LACK OF RESPONSE FROM KIA. ANYBODY FILING A CLASS ACTION? I'M SURE THERE WOULD BE PLENTY OF TAKERS!! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10320189

10,000 miles · Feb 20, 2010
Exterior Lighting

FIRST THE HEADLIGHTS ON DRIVER SIDE WENT OUT. WE TOOK THE 2005 KIA SORENTO LX TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE HEADLIGHT REPLACED AT WHICH TIME THEY ADMITTED THERE WAS A DEFECT PROBLEM WITH THE HEADLIGHTS GOING OUT FREQUENTLY. THEY SAID BRING IT IN AND THEY WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. THE NEXT TIME THE PASSENGER LIGHT WENT OUT AND THE DEA…

Read full complaint

FIRST THE HEADLIGHTS ON DRIVER SIDE WENT OUT. WE TOOK THE 2005 KIA SORENTO LX TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE HEADLIGHT REPLACED AT WHICH TIME THEY ADMITTED THERE WAS A DEFECT PROBLEM WITH THE HEADLIGHTS GOING OUT FREQUENTLY. THEY SAID BRING IT IN AND THEY WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. THE NEXT TIME THE PASSENGER LIGHT WENT OUT AND THE DEALER SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM AND WOULD NOT FIX IT. SINCE THEN THE DRIVERS SIDE LIGHT HAS GONE OUT THREE MORE TIMES AND THE PASSENGERS SIDE HAS GONE OUT TWICE. EACH REAR BRAKE LIGHT HAS GONE OUT TWICE. RECENTLY WE HAVE EXPERIENCED THE INTERIOR DOME LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY MALFUNCTIONING ALONG WITH BOTH HEADLIGHTS AND A SMELL OF SMOKE NEAR THE DOME LIGHT. WE HAVE BEEN PULLED OVER TWICE BY POLICE DUE TO INOPERABLE HEADLIGHTS AND TAILLIGHTS. THE DEALER TAKES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS OBVIOUS ELECTRICAL DEFECT WHICH IS CLEARLY A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10312307

75,000 miles · Feb 14, 2010
Exterior Lighting

WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE TWICE HEADLIGHTS AND THE TWICE TAILLIGHT FOUR SETS OF PARKING LIGHTS,ON OUR 2005 KIA SORENTO EX THIS IN A 18 MONTHS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10310313

101,000 miles · Nov 12, 2009
Exterior LightingInterior Lighting

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2005 KIA SORENTO. INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING THE HEAD-LIGHTS FAIL. ALSO THE INTERIOR LIGHT DOES NOT COME ON WHEN THE DOORS ARE OPEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,000. THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION …

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2005 KIA SORENTO. INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING THE HEAD-LIGHTS FAIL. ALSO THE INTERIOR LIGHT DOES NOT COME ON WHEN THE DOORS ARE OPEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,000. THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI #10291988

41,000 miles · Oct 11, 2009
Exterior Lighting

HEADLAMPS FAIL AND MUST BE REPLACED EVERY 3-6 MONTHS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10287006

36,000 miles · Feb 18, 2009
Exterior Lighting

MY 05 KIA SORRENTO'S HEAD LIGHT BULBS KEEP CONSISTENTLY BURNING OUT. I HAVE BOUGHT 8 LIGHTBULBS WITHIN THE LAST 6 MONTHS. THIS WILL BE THE VERY LAST KIA THAT I OWN UNLESS THERE SERVICE GETS BETTER AND MORE RELIABLE AND THEY TAKE ACTION ON THERE DEFECTIVE VEHICLES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10259205

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

Go deeper into Kia Sorento problems