2019 Kia Sorento Lighting Problems

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

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.

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.

The contact owns a 2019 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the local dealer and was informed that parts for the repair under NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V703000 (Trailer Hitches) were not available. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, who replaced the fuse. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the driver’s side taillight became inoperable. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the same dealer, where it was diagnosed that the taillight bulb, taillight assembly, and the wiring harness needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was contacted, opened a case, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 45,220.

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.

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.

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

When driving at night, the headlights appear to be pointed excessively in a down direction leaving me with a dark shadowy area within my line of eyesight. Headlights checked at dealership and reported back as no issues. My Kia owners manual states in chapter 4 page 129 that the headlight beam levels are automatically adjusted depending on the number of passengers and weight in the trunk and other driving conditions. Also advises to contact Kia dealership with any issues. Done! The Kia dealership informed me that my model does not have the Dynamic Bending Light referred to in Chapter 4 page 130 of the owners manual. At this point if I want to have light in my sight line, I must drive with my headlights on high beam. Oncoming drivers beware! This issue needs to be addressed by Kia.

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.

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.

Headlights causing moving shadows, blind areas, phantom objects. Unsafe because visibility is reduced, compromised. Dangerous to operators and passengers. Has a high probability of causing an accident.

THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE TWO WEIRD SHAPES AT THE TOP LINE OF THE HEADLIGHTS. THESE SHAPES INTERFERE WITH THE CLEAR DRIVER VIEW AT NIGHT. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND MUST BE RECTIFIED IMMEDIATELY.

THE AUTOMATIC LIGHTS ON LOW BEAM ARE AIMED TOO HIGH AND ARE BLINDING AT NIGHT. EVERY CAR THAT PASSES ME AT NIGHT FLASHES THEIR HIGH BEAM LIGHTS AT ME; EVEN A STATE TROOPER FLASHED HIS LIGHTS AT ME AND BLUE LIGHTS, HE DIDN'T PULL ME OVER. I FEEL BAD DRIVING THIS VEHICLE AT NIGHT, PEOPLE ARE THINKING I'M RUDE FOR DRIVING WITH MY HIGH BEAMS ON, WHEN I'M USING MY LOW BEAMS. THE HIGH BEAMS ON THIS VEHICLE OFFER NO ADDITIONAL LIGHTING OF THE ROAD, BUT THEY DO LIGHT UP THE TOPS OF TREES VERY WELL. ALSO, THE LOW BEAM LIGHTS ARE POINTED TOO FAR TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT AND LEAVE A LARGE DARK " V " SHAPED VOID IN THE MIDDLE, EXACTLY WHERE MY EYES FOCUS ON THE ROAD. THE DEALER CHECKED EVERYTHING, STATES OPERATING AS DESIGNED, THEY HAVE NO ABILITY TO ADJUST THE LIGHTS. PER THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT: THE KIA TECH LINE PERSONNEL ARE DENYING THERE ARE ANY ISSUES WITH THE LIGHTS. THIS IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING KIA NEEDS TO FIX. THE LIGHTS ARE THE ONLY THING I DON'T LIKE ABOUT THE VEHICLE, AND IT ONLY HAS ABOUT 1400 MILES SO FAR. THE PROBLEM IS MOSTLY NOTICEABLE WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT ON DARK UNLIT ROADS, HIGHWAYS OR RURAL DRIVING.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS WITH HEADLIGHTS ON LOW, THE HEADLIGHT DISPLAYED A SHADOW AND BOUNCED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE UNIVERSITY KIA OF DURHAM (5105 DURHAM-CHAPEL HILL BLVD, DURHAM, NC 27707 919) 572-1700) WHERE THE HEADLIGHTS WERE ADJUSTED AND FUNCTIONED AS DESIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000. THE VIN WAS INVALID.

REFER TO COMPLAINTS 11111999 (7/17/18) AND 11142824 (10/26/18) ON THIS SITE WHICH ARE SIMILAR. WHEN DRIVING IN DARK, RURAL AREAS WITH LOW BEAMS ON, TWO INVERTED "HALF MOON" SHADOWS DISRUPT THE DRIVER'S ABILITY TO SEE. AS THE VEHICLE TURNS, THESE HEADLIGHTS ALSO TURN (AS THEY ARE DESIGNED TO DO) AND THIS MAKES THE DISRUPTION TO SAFE OPERATION EVEN WORSE. THIS WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALER AFTER DELIVERY (8/2018) AND WE WERE REFERRED TO KIA CONSUMER AFFAIRS. THEY OPENED A "CASE", THEN CLOSED IT ABRUPTLY, AND AFTER FURTHER COMPLAINT, HAVE REOPENED A NEW "CASE". THEY HAVE STATED THEY WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT THIS ISSUE AS THEIR POSITION IF THAT THE VEHICLE IS "PERFORMING AS DESIGNED". AS THEY ABRUPTLY CLOSED THE FIRST CASE THEY OFFERED "FREE 3-YEAR MAINTENANCE" (OIL CHANGES) WHICH WE REFUSED AS THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE. WE CANNOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE AT NIGHT, NOR USE THIS 7-PASSENGER VEHICLE TO TRANSPORT OUR GRANDCHILDREN, MAKING IT VIRTUALLY USELESS FOR OUR NEEDS. KIA HAS CONFIRMED THEY WILL NOT ADDRESS THIS "CASE" OTHER THAN TO LEAVE IT "OPEN" WE URGE NHTSA TO CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION OF THIS UNSAFE VEHICLE AND THE NON-RESPONSIVE KIA ORGANIZATION WHO ARE REFUSING ACTION AND HIDING BEHIND THEIR "PERFORMING AS DESIGNED" EXCUSE.

AT NIGHT TIME WHEN THE VEHICLE HEAD LAMPS ARE ON, THERE ARE TWO TRIANGULAR SHAPED OBJECTS THAT ARE SHADOWED FROM PART OF THE HEAD LAMP HOUSING. THESE PROJECT INTO THE DISTANCE AND ARE AN OBSTRUCTION AND MAKE THE DRIVER DIZZY AND IT APPEARS AS THOUGH THERE IS SOMETHING AHEAD THAT YOU MAY HIT. THESE SHAPES ALSO MOVE FROM SIDE TO SIDE AS YOU DRIVE AROUND BENDS IN THE ROAD MAKING IT EVEN WORSE AND MAKING THE DRIVER AND THE PASSENGERS DIZZY. IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND WILL LIKELY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THE CAR IS NOT DRIVABLE AT NIGHT DUE TO THIS FLAW IN THE DESIGN. I HAVE A CASE LOGGED WITH KIA AND THEY SAY THAT THE DESIGN CANNOT CHANGE AND THAT THEY HAVE MANUFACTURED OVER 10,00+ OF THESE VEHICLES. THIS IS A BRAND NEW CAR AND IT IS VERY POORLY DESIGNED AND VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE IN THE EVENING. EVERYONE NEEDS TO KNOW THIS AND NOT BUY THIS CAR, I ALSO NOW HAVE TO FIGHT WITH KIA TO GET MY MONEY BACK WHICH WILL NOT BE FUN.