Following an engine replacement performed at Billion Auto Kia in Rapid City, SD, I began experiencing persistent electrical system failures in my 2017 Kia Sorento. The vehicle alarm would activate randomly without cause, including while I was inside the vehicle with the engine running. Additionally, the door locks would engage spontaneously, trapping me inside the vehicle and preventing me from exiting. The only way to exit was to forcibly pull the door handle, which triggered the alarm. I have video documentation of these incidents. I presented the vehicle to Billion Auto Kia in Rapid City, SD — an authorized Kia dealership with these exact symptoms. The service department was unable to identify a root cause and provided no repair path, returning the vehicle to me unrepaired. 7 months later, Courtesy Kia of Brandon in Brandon, FL, another authorized Kia dealership diagnosed the root cause as a failed Body Control Module (BCM). During the service visit, a Kia dealership technician personally witnessed the alarm activating spontaneously while operating the vehicle, further confirming the defect. The BCM failure was present and active at the time of the prior authorized dealer visit and was not detected. The failed BCM has also caused the gear shifter to become completely stuck, unable to shift out of Park, leaving the vehicle fully inoperable. This vehicle has had 6 recall actions performed since purchase — 4 completed after my purchase in August 2023, and two completed prior to my purchase. Despite this recall history, the vehicle has experienced an engine failure and a BCM failure within less than 3 years of my ownership. Being trapped inside a vehicle with a malfunctioning lock system represents a serious safety hazard, particularly in the event of an accident or emergency requiring rapid exit. I am requesting the federal safety agency investigate whether a safety defect exists in the Body Control Module of 2017 Kia Sorento vehicles and whether additional recall action is warranted.
2017 Kia Sorento: doors won't lock, open or latch
6 of the 811 complaints about the 2017 Kia Sorento describe doors won't lock, open or latch.
- owner complaints
- 6
- of this car's complaints
- 1%
- recalls
- 0
Doors won't lock, open or latch by model year
What owners say
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the ABS warning light and other unknown warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the contact noticed that the exterior of the driver's side mirror housing had melted. The contact stated that shortly after she could no longer lock or unlock the doors of the vehicle using the driver's side power door lock switch and the key fob. The contact was also unable to roll down the windows using the window switches. The contact stated that the instrument cluster had also failed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that an electrical fire had occurred in the driver's side mirror housing. The independent mechanic disconnected the electrical wiring system of the driver's side mirror housing. The contact stated that she could no longer adjust the driver's side mirror as needed and it could no longer turn in when the vehicle was parked. The contact stated that she was still experiencing electrical failures. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the manufacturer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.
The rear door handle fell off as I went to open it. This is also the side that my 5-year-old daughter sits on. If there were an accident and the door handle just fell off, it could be devestating.
The passenger side back door handle just fell off.
Steering is sticky, forcing driver to rotate steering wheel in an exaggerated way to correct the issue. Door handle cover on passenger rear side broke within 6 months of owning the car.
The door would not close. The lock was triggered somehow only the back passenger door. I could not unlock or close the door. It has happened at least 3 times. My son was sitting in the back seat and the door would not close after he got in.
Service bulletins that may apply
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the 2017 Kia Sorento door locks
Is doors won't lock, open or latch a common problem on the 2017 Kia Sorento?
6 of 811 owner complaints about the 2017 Kia Sorento (1%) mention doors won't lock, open or latch. The model year with the most reports is 2011.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2017 Kia Sorento?
There are 0 recalls and 2 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2017 Kia Sorento
Engine failure 155Check engine light 119Headlights 118Oil consumption 118Stalling 84Knocking 72Loss of power 54Fire or smoke 35Jerking 23Misfire 20Won't start 20Won't shift 19Fuel pump 18Sunroof shattered 15Warning lights 15Adaptive cruise 14Power steering loss 14Fuel leak 9Fuel smell 9Steering lock-up 8ABS 7Hesitation 7Overheating 7Battery drain 6Shudder 6Airbag light 5Pulling 5
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 2017 Kia Sorento?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history