Recalls
| Campaign | Manufacturer | Manufacturing date | Type | # of units affected | Date Owner notified Mfg | Recall Initiated by | Manufacturers of recalled vehicles/products | Report Recieved Date | Record Creation Date | Regulation Part Number | FMVSS Number | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - BRAKE LIGHTS - SWITCH | ||||||||||||||||
| 09V130000 | HYUNDAI-KIA AMERICA TECHNICAL CENTER INC | from 06/01/2006 to 11/20/2006 | V (Vehicle) | 139844 | 06/17/2009 | MFR | HYUNDAI-KIA AMERICA TECHNICAL CENTER INC | 04/17/2009 | 04/17/2009 | |||||||
| Defect Summary | Huyndai-kia is recalling 139,844 my 2006-2007- sedona, sportage, sorento and my rondo and amanti vehicles. the stop lamp switch in the affected vehicles may malfunction. a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause the brake lights to remain illuminated when the brake pedal is released. a stop lamp switch malfunction may also affect the operation of the brake-transmission shift interlock feature so the transmission shifter would not be able to be shifted out of the park position. it may also cause the electronic stability control (esc) malfunction light to illuminate, and it may not deactivate the cruise control when the brake pedal is depressed. | |||||||||||||||
| Consequence Summary | Any of these malfunctions, alone or in combination, may lead to a crash. | |||||||||||||||
| Corrective Summary | Dealers will replace the stop lamp switch free of charge. the recall began on june 17, 2009. owners may contact kia's consumer assistance center at 1-800-333-4542. | |||||||||||||||
| Notes | Hyundai-kia recall no. sc077.owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov . | |||||||||||||||
Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | |||||
| KT-2008120901 | 12/09/2008 | 10028268 | Kia: head light bulb life concern. there may be concerns of short headlamp bulb life in vehicles. a new resistive wire harness has been introduced to extend the life of the low beam bulbs. *pe | 03/19/2009 | |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - BRAKE LIGHTS | |||||
| KT-2008082201 | 08/28/2008 | 10026726 | Kia: all models. article provides information relating to the improved durability of bulb life for rear combination bulb; rear stop lamp/tail lamp bulb utilized on multiple kia models. *pe | 12/09/2008 | |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - HEADLIGHTS | |||||
| KT-2008120901 | 12/09/2008 | 10028268 | Kia: head light bulb life concern. there may be concerns of short headlamp bulb life in vehicles. a new resistive wire harness has been introduced to extend the life of the low beam bulbs. *pe | 03/19/2009 | |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - TAIL LIGHTS | |||||
| KT-2008082201 | 08/28/2008 | 10026726 | Kia: all models. article provides information relating to the improved durability of bulb life for rear combination bulb; rear stop lamp/tail lamp bulb utilized on multiple kia models. *pe | 12/09/2008 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | |||
| 11/01/2007 | 20000 | ||
| The day after we purchased this vehicle i had to change the right break light, sinse then i've had to change the headlights both at least twice, assorted tail lights each side at least three times, the front dome light will not come on when you open the doors but can be swiched on, now dash lights are going off one at a time some can be wiggled and come on for a few seconds. this has gone from annoying to a safety issue, and i read a lot of people on line with 06 sorentos have the same problem and have been told by the deeler that it will cost them a lot of money to fix.i feel like all the others this should be kia's responibility to fix. | |||
| 01/23/2012 | 60000 | ||
| 2006 sorento ex was bought in 2009, with 56,000 miles. currently has 103,000 miles and is a constant electrical battle. have replaced numerous headlights and tail lights. the interior dome light only works when manually switched on, and the a/c setting control dial only lights up after you fiddle with it. the driver's seat motor has partially died so that the seat reclines back but will not go straight up again. the front two window motors seem to be on their last legs. the front passenger door lock actuator mechanism died last year and would make an awful, loud buzzing sound whenever the door lock button would be pressed. the interior dash lights are starting to intermittently go out. it's quite scary to be driving along at night and everything on the panel goes black. have replaced battery once since buying it when it died with absolutely no warning. | |||
| 12/10/2007 | 48000 | ||
| Headlights both sides will go out on regular basis without warning -dash lights go out on regular basis-a/c unit will short out causing burn smell -window switches and tail lights will stop working on regular basis i have found many complaints about these problems | |||
| 07/25/2007 | |||
| 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! | |||
| 09/08/2008 | 32000 | ||
| All my lights both internal & external are burning out every few months. and i've had to replace my battery times also. my headlights are replaced every 4-5 months now, first starting out every year has now dropped to months. the battery lasts from 10-13 months before having to be replaced. now parking & brake lights are burning out at a rate of about every 6 months. called my local kia service rep and he says my dash and console would have to be ripped out to repair, and of course it is no longer covered under warranty.also my interior lights on dash,console and inside on the header no longer work. have checked all fuses and can find nothing unsual. | |||
| 07/06/2011 | 5000 | ||
| The head and tail lights have to be replaced on a regular bases. 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 cruse control feature. it will not resume, or accelerate. the other two buttons work as designed. | |||
| 12/01/2007 | 50000 | ||
| 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. sm. | |||
| 12/01/2007 | 50000 | ||
| 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 replaced the light bulbs. the vehicle was taken to a dealer who did not provide a concrete diagnosis of what was causing the failure and advised that he should used the light bulbs sold by the manufacturer instead of after market ones. the manufacturer was not made aware of the problem. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 50,000 and the current mileage was 110,000. pm | |||
| 01/20/2011 | 75000 | ||
| Had the car 2 years and have to replace the headlight bulbs 3 times. replaced within last 5 months and now are out again. | |||
| 05/25/2011 | 39404 | ||
| 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 | |||
| 01/20/2011 | 75000 | ||
| Had the car 2 years and have to replace the headlight bulbs 3 times. replaced within last 5 months and now are out again. | |||
| 05/25/2011 | 39404 | ||
| 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 | |||
| 11/18/2010 | 50000 | ||
| Exterior lights need to be replaced often, also dome light inside vehicle | |||
| 04/06/2011 | |||
| I have a 2006 kis sorrento. 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. | |||
| 03/09/2009 | 30000 | ||
| 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. | |||
| 03/09/2009 | 30000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2006 kia sorento. the contact stated was driving 30 mph when the head lights burned out. 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. | |||
| 03/09/2009 | 30000 | ||
| Tl. the contact owns a 2006 kia sorento. the contact stated while driving 30 mph the head lights constantly burn out. the contact has not taken the vehicle to a dealer or a local mechanic. the contact stated the bulbs have to be replaced every three to six months. the contact stated the manufacturer should look into this issue since this is a common problem with headlights. the failure mileage was 30,000. jo | |||
| 01/23/2011 | |||
| 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 breaklights 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. | |||
| 12/01/2006 | |||
| 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, thats a problem. | |||
| 01/06/2011 | |||
| 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. | |||
| 12/01/2006 | |||
| 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, thats a problem. | |||
| 01/06/2011 | |||
| 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. | |||
| 12/01/2006 | |||
| 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, thats a problem. | |||
| 01/06/2011 | |||
| 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. | |||
| 05/13/2010 | |||
| This 2006 kia sorento has other electrical issues other than just the brake switch. we are constantly replacing the bulbs in the headlights, tail lights, brake lights and parking lights. this is become a complete pain in the neck. i feel it is a safety issue since how my lights go out for no apparent reason. we have alos noticed that during the day when we are not using the dash lights that when we apply the brakes the dash lights come on and so do the parking lights. the fact that i drive around without knowing when my lights are blown or not can create a terrible accident. please look into this further. | |||
| 04/21/2009 | 1 | ||
| 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 | |||
| 04/15/2009 | 28000 | 1 | |
| 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 | |||
| 04/01/2009 | 1 | ||
| 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 | |||
| 02/16/2009 | 49500 | 1 | |
| 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 | |||
| 01/01/2007 | 8000 | 1 | |
| 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 | |||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - BRAKE LIGHTS - SWITCH | |||
| 11/01/2011 | 65000 | ||
| 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. | |||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - HEADLIGHTS | |||
| 01/08/2009 | 12000 | 1 | |
| 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 | |||
| 08/30/2007 | 31500 | 2 | |
| 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. | |||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - TAIL LIGHTS | |||
| 07/22/2006 | 11894 | 4 | 11/04/2005 |
| 2006 sorento was purchased in nov 2005. jan of 2006 the check engine light came on and i was told it was due to possible loose gas cap. first time tail light went out was in july of 2006. right rear tail light was replaced. in october of 2006 a tail light bulb was replaced during my 15,000 mile maintenance. in november 2006 right tail light went out and kia replaced bulb once again. in december of 2006 left tail light went out and check engine light came on. bulb was replaced and i was told my spark plugs were misfiring and were replaced. a day later my check engine light came on again. i am now trying to see what day i can take off of work yet again to go and have the check engine light looked at. *nm | |||