NHTSA complaint: 2011 KIA SORENTO — EXTERIOR LIGHTING
ORIGINAL OWNER '11 SORENTO 4CYL, AWD W/TOW PACKAGE & APPROX 88K MILES. PROBLEM 1ST NOTICED ABOUT 2 MOS AGO WHEN SEAT BELT LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING WITH AUDIBLE CLICKING COMING FROM RELAY BEHIND DASH. IT WAS DAYTIME WHEN THIS HAPPENED 1ST FEW TIMES & I COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. THIS ISSUE SEEMED TO HAPPEN AFTER STARTING CAR & WOULD GO AWAY AFTER A FEW MOMENTS OF DRIVING. RELEASING & RE-CONNECTING SEAT BELT HAD NO EFFECT. THE 1ST TIME IT HAPPENED @ NIGHT I REALIZED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS & DASH LIGHTS WOULD FLASH ON & OFF ALSO. STILL COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM, BUT BEING A MECHANIC I WATCHED FOR IT TO HAPPEN AND TRIED DIFFERENT THINGS TO SEE IF THEY HAD ANY EFFECT ON THE ISSUE. ALWAYS WOULD BEGIN AFTER INITIALLY STARTING CAR, BUT NOT DO IT MOST TIMES. THEN 3 EVENINGS AGO, I FOUND IT HAPPENING EVERY TIME I WOULD START THE CAR & WOULD EVEN DO IT AFTERWARDS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. I WAS 70 MILES FROM HOME & TRIED TO GET BACK. IT DIDN'T MATTER WHETHER THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH WAS ON, OFF OR AUTO, IT WOULD STILL FLASH ALL LIGHTS & SEATBELT LIGHT W/CLICKING FROM RELAY. ON THE WAY HOME, WHILE DRIVING A RURAL ROAD, THE LIGHTS AGAIN STARTED BLINKING ON & OFF CAUSING ME TO HIT A METAL POLE A DRAINAGE DITCH THRU FARMER'S FENCE INTO HIS FIELD. ACCIDENT PUSHED METAL BUMPER (BEHIND BUMPER COVER) BACK ABOUT 12", TORE THE ENTIRE FRONT END &LIGHTS FROM CAR & BENT HOOD BACK 1 1/2 FEET AND BUCKLED IT UPWARD - ALL OF THIS WITHOUT EVER DEPLOYING THE AIRBAG.THESE PROBLEMS ARE PREVALENT IN THIS CAR
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation