2019 Kia Sorento: headlights failing or too dim

Filed Dec 15, 2025 · Lights · VA

Headlights burn out within weeks to months after replacing them, overheat, flicker when driving. Has been a recurring problem since being bought in 2019.

Filed Sep 6, 2025 · Lights · FL

The right headlight has stopped working as of 1 week ago. The car was returned to the KIA dealership for this issue as well as a hesitation while driving and a chronic bumping sound in the car while driving. The car was kept at the dealership for 3 days Sept 3,4 & 5 2025 and the headlights per the dealership were realigned. The Right headlight was on at the dealership but on Sept 6 2025 is back out. No warning showing on the dash and no warning on the dash when the light was first noticed being off. I have used all the light selector switch settings and nothing changes, moved wires on the back of the light housing, nothing. Tapped on the light front and back, nothing. My concern is the light is out so no night driving and the lack of the sensors warning the light is out. MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE.

Filed Jun 30, 2025 · Lights · CA

I have a 2019 Kia Sorento that is available upon request for any inspection needed. I replaced the passenger headlight bulb for the low beams 4 times. Each time the bulb go out after a few days. Now, both headlights are out and I can only use my high beams which can cause a safety concern to other drivers as well as myself and family. Vehicle has been inspected by a licensed mechanic. The mechanic stated its a dealer issue after the replacement of the bulb 4 different times. No warning issues prior to failure just when it initially happened the dash warning light regarding low beams lights out starting with the passenger side now both passenger and drivers side. Kia dealer states my car vin number does not have a recall. But there is a current recall for same issue for 2019 Kia Sorento and I was sent a letter in the mail in Febuary 2025. But when I called to confirm the dealer stated my car vin number did not come up under the recall.

Filed Dec 24, 2024 · Driver assistance · OK

Master warning, forward collision avoidance assist, lane keeping assist, and high beam assist warning lights on. Message boards mention similar problems and there have been front and rear camera recalls for Telluride and other models of Kia, but not for Sorento. Similar problem occurred a few months ago when car died while going at highway speeds. This resolved after cleaning radar cover, cameras and sensors, but are not resolving current problem. Lane assist and departure are not working. We have not taken it to dealer yet. Our 2019 Sorento has not been included in recalls for this specific problem.

Filed Nov 18, 2024 · Driver assistance · LA

Multifunction front camera unit part number 95740-c6560. Warning lights come on every day. They continue to alert while driving causing issues with attention to the road. The high beams will not work unless the lights are set to on instead of auto. Vehicle was taken to a Kia dealership, and they diagnosed a complete failure on the part. This part operates several of the safety functions of the vehicle. There have been several people who have had this issue.

Filed Jul 3, 2024 · Electrical, Lights · MI

ongoing headlight malfunction since 2022, ongoing electrical issues with vehicle. vehicle headlight does not work on multple occasions despite being serviced at the dealership and replaced 4 times in 2 years. this occurs to both headlights. it is currently random for the right but constant for the left cover (backing) of headlight looks like it exploded. plastic is puffed out. Dealership had vehicle from 5/4/2023 to 8/1/2023. returned unresolved

Filed Sep 13, 2023 · Body · AZ

After a particular strong rainstorm I found 4 areas on the driver hood right above the headlight and 6 spots above the windshield that were cracked, bubbled and pealed off all the way down to the metal frame. The areas on the hood remain small. They bubble and chip off a little at a time. The areas above the windshield is completely stripped 75% across the top and 4-6 inches deep. The paint continues to sheer off in large chunks all the way down to the metal. I purchased my Sorento in January 2019 brand new. Color is pearl white.

Filed Aug 23, 2022 · Lights · 80,000 miles · MD

The contact owns a 2019 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the front passenger side headlamp failed. The vehicle was taken to Carmax where the headlamp was replaced however, the front driver's side headlamp failed. No warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

Filed Jul 6, 2022 · Lights · 30,000 miles · NC

The contact owns a 2019 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at night with the low-beam headlights activated, the light beam was bouncing up and down and moving from side to side presenting a visible shadow within the light beam, causing a visibility hazard for the driver. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who replaced the driver’s side headlight assembly and the movable headlight controller; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 30,000.

Filed Dec 6, 2021 · Lights, Visibility · NC

This is ongoing condition from delivery of vehicle. Based on car complaints already filed on car complaints.com we believe kia knows about this problem. There is some sort of relationship of night driving and low beam headlights that causes very dark shadow on windshield that abstructs driver vision. We further assert that knowing this kia willfully adjusts headlights too high to try to conceal problem.(dealer said they were set 8" too high. But when adjusted to factory settings the problem got worse. Case number entered with kia. Now in escalation mode ... However we live on top of a mountain with 3000 foot drops if our vision is obstructed and we miss edge of road. The headlights were adjusted back to the higher setting but we feel that will blind on coming cars still another safety danger. Kia must fix this problem. I have photos to show this limited vision night driving low beam rural road safety prob lem

Filed Nov 22, 2021 · Lights · IL

In September 2021 the driver side turn signal would intermediately work. Replaced the bulb twice with no difference. Upon further inspection, found 2 wires corroded together. Being the vehicle is still under warranty, the Sorento was taken to a Kia dealership in October 2021 which we were told it was damage and not under warranty, and a new harness would need to be installed. No mentioned of why the wires over heated, became brittle, and melted together. During that time, the headlight functions started to decrease drastically as I refused a new harness install being that wouldn't solve the problem of why it happened. No warning lights appeared on dash, no messages, just our first clue something was wrong was the driver turn signal was working in spurts. I ended up pig tailing the light socket in fear of a fire and to fight Kia as this is a dangerous situation.

Filed Nov 15, 2021 · Lights · PA

The factory design of the low beam headlights seems to have a feature that prevents up-shining into oncoming traffic. However, this design results in a dark shadow-line across the field of vision. This dark shadow-line results in poor visibility especially when driving in areas that are very dark. The shadow-line makes it look like I'm driving into the bat-cave. I have observed on some online Kia Sorento user forums of the same complaint. My Kia dealer claims that this is a factory design and there is no remedy. I have uploaded 3 photos taken from inside the car parked in front of my white garage door. You can see the horizontal shadow-line and two "teeth" that hang down in the field of view. The line is not very pronounced against the white door, but is very much so when driving on a dark road. Please investigate and advise. Thank you very much.