The vehicle is shifting weird out of first, knocking sound. A code of p1326 skds is showing on diagnostic. This was supposedly repaired by kia a few months ago from a recall. I am questioning if they corrected and inspected the recall appropriately, due to this being the issue. The car is now unable to be driven because I do not want to do more damage.
2011 Kia Sorento transmission problems
265 complaints (17% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 34,000. 8 crashes reported.
- owner complaints
- 265
- of this car's complaints
- 17%
- typical mileage
- 34,000
- crashes
- 8
- recalls
- 2
Which part fails
- Automatic transmission37
- Driveline4
- Driveline: driveshaft1
- Automatic transmission: torque converter1
- Automatic transmission: lever and linkage: column shift1
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
0k-25k
25k-50k
50k-75k
75k-100k
100k-125k
125k-150k
150k-175k
175k-200k
200k+
Kia Sorento transmission problems in other years
Specific symptoms reported on the 2011 Kia Sorento transmission
Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.
Jerking 66Won't shift 43Transmission failure 32Harsh shifting 31Hesitation 26Whining noise 15Slipping 12
Related recalls
Power train: automatic transmission
- What is wrong
- Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Kia Sorento vehicles manufactured October 19, 2009, to January 31, 2013. In the affected vehicles, if excessive force is applied to the gear shift lever, the brake-shift interlock mechanism may chip or crack allowing the transmission being able to be shifted out of "Park" without the brakes being depressed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection."
- Risk
- Without requiring the brake to be pressed, the vehicle may be unintentionally shifted out of Park, allowing it to roll, which may result in a crash.
- Remedy
- Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake-shift interlock mechanism, free of charge. The recall began on November 9, 2015. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1‑800‑333‑4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC124.
Recall number 15V626000 · Recall details
Power train: driveline: driveshaft
- What is wrong
- Kia is recalling certain model year 2011 sorento 2wd vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions and 2.4l engines manufactured from the start of production through may 22, 2010. The intermediate shaft may suffer from noise and excessive wear due to a misalignment of the intermediate shaft with the right side output gear. Continuing to drive the vehicle in this condition leads to the development of a whirring/whining noise and can eventually cause damage to the automatic transmission.
- Risk
- Damage to the transmission may cause loss of motive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the right side output gear and intermediate shaft free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during may 2011. Owners may contact kia at 1‑800‑333‑4542.
Recall number 11V258000 · Recall details
Related investigations
Transmission Intermediate Driveshaft
On April 25, 2011, Kia Motors Corporation submitted a defect notification letter to the federal safety agency regarding a transmission intermediate driveshaft condition in approximately 12,690 model year (MY) 2011 Kia Sorento 2-wheel drive vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions and 2.4L engines (the federal safety agency Recall No. 11V‑258).The recall addresses a defect with the external shape of the engine block which can prevent the intermediate shaft bearing bracket from mating evenly with the engine block.This can cause a misalignment of the intermediate shaft with the right side output gear.Resulting damage could cause a loss of motive power.Additionally, on April 27, 2011, Hyundai Motor Company submitted a defect notification (the federal safety agency Recall No. 11V‑261) for the same issue in approximately 6,169 MY 2010 Sante Fe 2-wheel drive vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions and 2.4L engines that use the same components as the recalled Kia Sorento vehicles.This investigation is closed.
PE11010
What 2011 Kia Sorento owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
My KIA Sorrento spontaneously engulfed in flames approximately 200 yards from my home. This is not a vehicle crash the car had flames coming from the vents and floor boards. I was the driver my daughter was the passenger and my granddaughter was in the rear car seat we barely escaped with our lives before it exploded and we were steps away as car debre was flying past us.
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost automotive power while the accelerator pedal was being depressed. No warning light was illuminated. The contact research and was became aware of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 15V626000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was taken back to the residence; the contact stated that an independent mechanic arrived at the residence and diagnosed the vehicle and determined that an undisclosed part needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 165,000.
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that there was a knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. While driving at various speeds, the vehicle jerked with the transmission slipping gear with an engine misfire. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to Auto Zone and a code for the knock sensor failure was retrieved. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact had replaced the spark plugs on the vehicle. While driving 65 MPH, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode. The contact restarted the vehicle and continued driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who confirmed that the knock sensor had failed. The dealer related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V877000 (Engine); however, the VIN was not included. The dealer cleared the code, but the vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to a different certified mechanic who confirmed the diagnostic result and cleared the code. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 135,750.
1. Air bag light has been on for over a year. Was checked at dealership, and was told there is a recall on sensor. 2. Power Train, unknown of what's going on. Riding down the road all of a sudden it stalls for a minute. It's a hard jerk, like it's not getting gas, or the transmission is out of sinc. This started about two years ago. Took it to my local repairman, and he said it was a warning in the tire wheel letting me know something was wrong in the wheel. They repaired it, and I had no more problems until recently. It is doing it again. A hard jerk when I'm driving. 3. Other, passenger front and rear and drivers side rear doors locked up and I could not open them. This happen about two years ago. Took car to a certified electrical repairman and it cost me a fortune to get repaired. The clips that lock and unlock doors had to be replace. The repair was very costly.
When I place my vehicle in park it lurches forward several times
I’ve gotten approved to buy another car and was going to trade my 2011 Kia sorento but still has open recall and Kia dealership has no answers when they can fix. What do i do. Thank you for your help!
Family and i were driving home from soccer and car violently stuttered felt like we hit a deer. This has happened three times now and has caused solenoid a in transmission to fail which i fixed . My wife smells a burning smell also randomly.
The ABS, downhill assist, and engine light stay on constantly, even though the clock spring has been replaced and multiple car repair shops are unable to diagnose a “problem.” When driving, the vehicle seems like the engine is getting extremely hot and starts to sputter and even cuts off at times. There are currently recalls on 2011 Sorentos for fire risk while parked and fire risk while driving. However, my VIN is not included in the recall for fire risk while driving, but I believe it should be based on the inability to diagnose a problem with my engine. Vehicle is well maintained. Thank you.
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the dealer had replaced the front passenger's side and driver's side door handles; however, after the repair, the front passenger's side door handle fractured. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the front passenger's side door handle was replaced at the contact's expense. Additionally, the contact stated that the front and rear passenger's side doors, and the rear driver's side door failed to open from the outside while pulling the doors handles. The contact stated that the steering control buttons, and the cruise control mode had become inoperable. The air bag warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated to respond. The contact also stated that while shifting into park (P), the vehicle made an abnormal clunking sound and the gear shifter moved beyond the park (P) position. The contact stated that the failure occurred intermittently. The contact stated that the interior lights of the vehicle failed to turn off. The ABS, TPMS, traction control, check engine, air bag warning lights, and other unknown warning lights were illuminated. Additionally, the contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Questions about the 2011 Kia Sorento transmission
Does the 2011 Kia Sorento have transmission problems?
Owners have filed 265 complaints about the transmission of the 2011 Kia Sorento, 17% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 2011 Kia Sorento transmission problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 34,000 miles.
Was there a recall on the 2011 Kia Sorento transmission?
Yes, 2 recalls: 15V626000, 11V258000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Kia Sorento have bad transmission?
The Kia Sorento model years with the most transmission complaints are 2011 (265 complaints), 2021 (146 complaints) and 2016 (126 complaints).
Other 2011 Kia Sorento problems
Engine 316Body 268Electrical 246Airbags 183Brakes 132Lights 105Acceleration 63Suspension 56Steering 53Locks 33Driver assistance 30Visibility 29Seats 21Fuel system 19Seat belts 11Wheels 9Tires 6
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