Rear brakes failed, had to replace them. This is the 3rd repair not covered by Kia.
2011 Kia Sorento: brake failure
8 of the 1,520 complaints about the 2011 Kia Sorento describe brake failure.
- owner complaints
- 8
- of this car's complaints
- 1%
- typical mileage
- 43,326
- recalls
- 2
Is there a fix? There are 2 recalls and 2 service bulletins for this area of the car. See below
Brake failure by model year
What owners say
My alternator went out and kia replaced it, I was still under warranty within 15 months the second alternator went out on the freeway traveling at 70 m hr the car with no warning the car completely died on the inside lane no brakes, no gas, no lights, this was such a dangerous we could have been killed I had to pay over 900.00 to get this replaced, I'm constantly having to replace batteries and alternators I'm know for the 3rd time having to have this done again
2011 kia sorento ex 3.5 engine sport utility vehicle has randomly changed in the way its feels safe with rough instability in my suspension components.my brakes failed while driving on a random basis as well as when car is parked will randomly click in my gear shift mechanism and will fail to lock when car is parked and shut off it will click when brakes are depressed.my front lights have dimmed and both brake lights have burned out consistently as well as my steering wheel has failed with electrical components randomly.car horn is inoperable and my cruise control stop functioning. My alternator burned out on me and my car has historial proof of consistent maintenance with car fax report in hand .my gas milage has since decreased. My suspension feels unsafe to drive and really bad on bumps and average road conditions are also very unpleasant so I have parked it until it's fixed for active recalls and other potential manufacturer defects
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 kia sorento. While driving approximately 45 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed and hesitated to stop the vehicle. The contact mentioned that the rear brakes failed to respond; however, the front brakes functioned properly. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the rear sway bar ran a hole in the brake line and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 83,000.
I bought my 2011 kia sorento preowned certified car on 12/07/2012, the next evening 12/08/2012 I was driving home from town and about one block before I got to my residence I heard a noise like something hit the bottom of the car. I then turned into my driveway and as I began to come to a stop I realized I had no brakes in turn hitting another persons car that was parked in my driveway. 911 was called because my son and myself were injured, as the fire department inspected the car he found on the drivers front wheel that most of the brake had fallen apart, the brake fluid was low also, later one of the brake pads was found on the road not far from my driveway none of the other missing parts were found. I have been trying to talk to kia and they don't seem to care nor have they tried to rectify the problem after a solid month. Today when I was looking up a phone # for yet another kia dept I found that there was a recall for 2011 kia sorento for the exact same thing with my car. Kia's "preowned certified" program guarantees that the car went through a 150 point inspection brakes being a top priority. All they will say is they can fix my smashed car and that's it, I was lead believe I was buying a "certified 150 point inspected" car which was not the case. The car is not safe I want what I was told I was buying. Thank you
I bought my 2011 kia sorento preowned certified car on 12/07/2012, the next evening 12/08/2012 I was driving home from town and about one block before I got to my residence I heard a noise like something hit the bottom of the car. I then turned into my driveway and as I began to come to a stop I realized I had no brakes in turn hitting another persons car that was parked in my driveway. 911 was called because my son and myself were injured, as the fire department inspected the car he found on the drivers front wheel that most of the brake had fallen apart, the brake fluid was low also, later one of the brake pads was found on the road not far from my driveway none of the other missing parts were found. I have been trying to talk to kia and they don't seem to care nor have they tried to rectify the problem after a solid month. Today when I was looking up a phone # for yet another kia dept I found that there was a recall for 2011 kia sorento for the exact same thing with my car. Kia's "preowned certified" program guarantees that the car went through a 150 point inspection brakes being a top priority. All they will say is they can fix my smashed car and thats it, I was lead believe I was buying a "certified 150 point inspected" car which was not the case. The car is not safe I want what I was told I was buying. Thank you
Was driving along at about 35mph and noticed a vehicle turning in front of me. I brake to stop or slow down at least. The brakes failed completely, no brakes, did not stop vehicle. It was like the anti-lock system was trying to work, but worked faulty, almost in a reverse fashion. I pressed brake pedal to no avail, like it was slipping, but nothing to slip on. Long story short I ended up going in the ditch to avoid running into the vehicle. Previous to this about 2months the shifter would not go into the park position, no matter what I tried, thankfully I was near the dealership. They replaced the brake controller and it seemed to fix the problem until now. Furthermore, when I go around a corner at a reasonable speed the engine kills power for a split second, and the anti-sway lights kick on. This seems to be more of a safety concern than a safety fix. I feel having 3 serious potentially life threatening situations in the last 3 months merits further investigation into this model of kia, before it literally is killed in action, kia. I recently watch the news and saw a stuck accelerator problem on this model as well, hope you will take action.
The brake pedal always seemed to go down a long distance when appyling, before the brakes started to work.. I had the dealer check. The master cylinder was replaced. The next morning, at home, the brake pedal went all the way to the floor!. Within the next 3 weeks, the dealer had 2 more master cylinders and the ABS replaced. Corporate tech was sent to check brake system. Everything was to spec and ok. The brakes work ok, but that "soft" brake pedal feel still exists.
Service bulletins that may apply
Related recalls
Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module
- What is wrong
- Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
- Risk
- An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed November 14, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2024 through June 18, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1‑800‑333‑4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC284.
Recall number 23V652000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: disc: caliper
- What is wrong
- Kia is recalling certain model year 2011 sorento vehicles manufactured from september 14, 2010, through october 4, 2010. Some of the rear brake calipers may not have been properly machined.
- Risk
- As a result, brake fluid will leak, followed by illumination of the malfunction indicator light indicating the brake fluid level is low and should be checked, then a soft or spongy brake pedal feel, and if not serviced, reduced braking power which could increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the rear calipers and replace it if necessary free of charge. The safety recall began on december 10, 2010. Owners may contact kia consumer assistance center at 1‑800‑333‑4542.
Recall number 10V599000 · Recall details
Questions about the 2011 Kia Sorento brake failure
Is brake failure a common problem on the 2011 Kia Sorento?
8 of 1,520 owner complaints about the 2011 Kia Sorento (1%) mention brake failure. The model year with the most reports is 2006.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2011 Kia Sorento?
There are 2 recalls and 2 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2011 Kia Sorento
Door locks 233Airbag light 135Check engine light 102Stalling 100Headlights 98Fire or smoke 73Jerking 66Engine failure 57Loss of power 49Knocking 46Won't shift 43ABS 40Won't start 35Transmission failure 32Adaptive cruise 31Harsh shifting 31Key fob 27Grinding brakes 26Hesitation 26Pulling 26Sunroof shattered 24Warning lights 18Sudden acceleration 16No deployment 15Whining noise 15Slipping 12Power steering loss 10Backup camera 9Ball joint 9Oil consumption 8Overheating 8Seat belt 7Coil spring 6
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