There are 45 owner-reported lighting complaints for the 2016 Kia Sorentoin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Lights shut off by themselves at night in auto mode in dark environments!
Not recall
I have now replaced the headlight bulbs in my 2016 KIA Sorento 6 times and it's getting worse as it gets older. I believe it is a safety issue since the last time I was out of town, traveling in the middle of the night when it went out. I had to wait until morning to find an auto parts store to buy and replace the bulb. No inspections have been done by anyone. Yes, the warning lamp comes on and stays until reset.
I own a 2016 Sorento SXL AWD and this issue just started. I work evening shift and get off at 11pm. I always have the lights set to "auto", while driving home on a rural road at night and the headlights switch off on their own. I have to manually switch the lights off and back to auto for them to come back on. Potentially dangerous situation and Kia should issue a recall. Can find any recall but have done research and find it is an on going issue seems be be a multi function switch.
while driving at night the headlights will go out. it has done so several times in the past. it is very scary when it happens on the freeway. Also the brake lights, specifically the drivers side, will stop working about every 2 weeks or so. I replace it and shortly after, it will stop working.
While driving the auto lights shut off and I must turn on lights. This has happened a few times
At various times the headlights shut off while in "auto" mode. Since it is "auto" mode it is always at night and you suddenly cannot see the road. We have found when this happens that the system goes to the "Parking" light mode. Rotating the multi-function switch to a different position other than "auto" and back allows the headlights to come back on. We have not found a pattern in this dangerous event where we are able to repeat the failure.
"Auto" mode on headlights sometimes causes the headlights to turn off while in use in dark conditions. Auto mode also sometimes causes the lights not to turn on automatically or turn on randomly, even when the car is not in use and key is not in the ignition. Lights can turn on randomly when not occupied or being driven.
When driving at night with the light switch in auto position, headlight will turn off. Sometimes, turning the switch to off and back to auto will make them work. Sometimes wiggles the switch will make them work. Sometimes you have to switch them to on to make them work.
When lights are turned to automatic setting they often turn on during daylight or off at night. They have now turned off while driving at night on unlit roads and highways and we are lucky we did not have an accident. Typically jiggling the knob on light lever will reset the lights to be correct, but this leads to distracted driving often while not being able to see the road.
There was an instance where I was driving in heavy rain and the windshield wipers just stopped working. I had to drive about 5 more miles without them working. They worked the next time it rained a couple of days later. There has been 2 instances in the last week where I have had my car parked in my driveway off and locked. In the middle of the night, the headlights and taillights come on on there own. The headlights setting has been set to auto. I end up having to go out and start and turn off my car, then when I lock it back the lights go off.
Drive side brake light keeps burning out, even after several replacements. The bulb becomes black each time. Not sure if it's related, but headlight will intermittently turn off when in Auto light mode, even at night.
This has been an ongoing issue, headlights set in automatic mode will turn off at night with no warning. They will also turn on in direct sunlight. This is an intermittent issue. Have taken to Kia service on two separate occasions, told they can not find issue or replicate problem. Have video of lights at night turning completely off set in auto mode.There is no warning when headlights turn off, which has happened to us in the rain and on roads that have no overhead lighting creating very dangerous situations.
My headlights go completely out, pitch black, going over 50mph, several times now. I have turned them off the automatic setting as this has happened more than 5 times over the past year. Everything out front goes black including fog lamps, meeting cars, not meeting cars, lights, no lights on the roadway, no rhyme or reason. No warning lights, no sensors covered. My children have been in the car everytime but once. Nobody knows what's going on with it as it happens intermittently and no codes appear.
Occasionally when using the left turn signal the Right turn signal will turn on after turning left. Vehicle has not been inspected
1. ABS SYSTEM- ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM SENSORS GOES OUT AND NOT WORKING CORRECTLY READING WHICH CREATES SAFETLY HAZARD IN PREVENTING POSSIBLE COLLISIONS 2. LIGHTING-INTERIOR INSTRUMENT PANEL-LIGHT DIMS AND OR GOES OUT COMPLETELY WHILE DRIVING WHICH CREATES SAFTELY HAZARD IN VEHICLE OPERATION. 3. WINDSHIELD WIPER SYSTEM AND RESERVIOR DEFECTIVES- WIPER MOTOR ISSUES AND LEAKAGE FROM FAULTY TUBING AND RESERVIOR LEAKAGE ISSUES.
While driving down the road both headlights just turn off. I can turn the light switch off and on and they come back on.
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while his wife was driving approximately 40 mph at dawn, the headlights, side marker lights, and turn signals became inoperable. The vehicle was examined by an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the front light module was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 94,000.
DRIVERS SIDE REAR RUNNING LIGHTS DON'T WORK. NO POWER GOING TO THE BULBS (BULBS ARE GOOD). EXCEPT BRAKE LIGHTS AND TURN SIGNALS WORK. FUSES OKAY. AND ONLY ONE OF THE TWO LIGHT SOCKETS OVER THE REAR LICENSE PLATE HAS POWER AND WORKS. KIA DEALER CLAIMS IT REPLACED THE BURNED OUT BULB IN REAR LICENSE SOCKET, BUT I CHECKED WITHIN A WEEK AND NO POWER TO THE SOCKET. NO FUSES BLOWN.
WITH THE HEADLIGHTS ARE IN THE AUTO POSITION, WHILE IN MOTION, THE HEADLIGHTS RANDOMLY TURN OFF WHEN THE TURN SIGNAL IS ACTIVATED AND WHEN CHANGING TO HIGH AND LOW BEAM. WHILE IN THE AUTO POSITION, THE HEADLIGHTS ALSO COME ON RANDOMLY WHEN THE CAR IS PARKED AND NOT RUNNING.
Showing 1–20 of 45 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026