2014 Kia Sorento · symptom sheet
Headlights too dim or fail
- 68owner reports
- 75,000median miles
- $900median quote
- 0involved a crash
Newest report Oct 18, 2024 · checked Oct 2, 2026
84 of the 945 complaints on this car are about the exterior lighting. 68 of those describe headlights.
Tick what matches of 68 reports
Headlights on other Sorento years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025.
What this problem usually is
Headlight complaints fall into two camps. In one, a headlight goes out, often more than once, or fills with moisture behind the lens. In the other, the lights work exactly as built and the owner still can't see the road at night because the beam is too dim or too short. Owners in that second camp often report a dealer telling them it's normal.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the headlight assembly (58 reports) and the bulb (32 reports).
Recalls and investigations
No recall on the exterior lighting covers the 2014 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.
NHTSA investigations into the exterior lighting on the Sorento
Headlight failure. Closed jan 25, 2022.
None of these investigations covers the 2014 model year.
What owners paid
6 of the 68 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $335 to $2,489.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 65,000 and 91,000 miles, from the 37 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 1 service bulletin or notice for the 2014 Kia Sorento that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
INFORMATION FOR HEADLAMP CONDENSATION AND MOISTURE This bulletin provides information relating to some Kia models that may exhibit fogging, condensation, and/or moisture inside a headlamp assembly.
What owners wrote
“The headlights go out without any warning. The fog lights work fine. I have had signal bulbs replaced many times but the worst complaint is the headlights.”
Filed Feb 26, 2024
“Headlight Dim setting are so weak the vehicle over runs the lighting at speeds over 40 mph. Unsafe to drive vehicle on major highways, and on secondary roads where street lighting is sparse, or non existent.”
Filed Jan 15, 2023
“No matter what bulbs you put in the headlights they do not shine bright enough or far enough for you to drive safely at night. We have stopped driving the suv at night because the only way to have enough light to see the road is if they are on bright then they bright light oncoming traffic.”
Filed May 5, 2022
“I have to replace the low beam and high beam bulbs several times a year. The low beams are SO dim, I canât even tell if they are on- forcing me to drive with my bright lights on all the time. The bulbs blow all the time- I have driven without low beams and not none they were blown. The lights are now constantly flickering while driving. Very dangerous.”
Filed Feb 18, 2022
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 0 of 68 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Taking it to a shop? How to describe this problem so it gets found
Other problems on this car
- Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing 183 reports
- Paint peels or body rusts 147 reports
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 138 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 91 reports
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 82 reports
- Windshield cracks or distorts 55 reports
- Airbag warning light or recall 49 reports
- Vehicle fire 43 reports
- Engine rattles or ticks 39 reports
- Engine overheats or leaks coolant 37 reports
- Burns oil or oil level rises 33 reports
- Battery dies or the car will not start 26 reports