2015 Kia Sorento · symptom sheet

Headlights too dim or fail

81owner reports
77,000median miles
$700median quote
0involved a crash

Newest report Sep 3, 2026 · checked Sep 9, 2026

91 of the 737 complaints on this car are about the exterior lighting. 81 of those describe headlights.

Tick what matches of 81 reports

too dim to see the road

a headlight went out

moisture inside the lens

the beam is too short

the dealer said it is normal

What got replaced

Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the headlight assembly (70 reports) and the bulb (41 reports).

Recalls and investigations

No recall on the exterior lighting covers the 2015 model year as of Sep 9, 2026.

NHTSA investigations into the exterior lighting on the Sorento

PE20-008opened Jun 1, 2020

Exterior Lighting · model years 2011 to 2013

Headlight failure. Closed jan 25, 2022.

NHTSA summary

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) based on seventy-four Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) reporting headlight failures on model year (MY) 2011-2013 KIA Sorento vehicles.In its response to ODI's June 25, 2020, information request letter (portions of which were submitted under request for confidentiality), Kia Motor America (Kia) provided design details of the headlight system showing that each headlight circuit is independently powered by the Smart Junction Box (SJB), a power control module. Kia claimed that the design minimizes the chance of both headlights failing simultaneously due to a headlight connector defect, a component located downstream of the SJB. Kia also advised that the SJB contains a safety feature designed to monitor power consumption for each headlight circuit; if excessive current is being demanded by either headlight the SJB will open the circuit (i.e., stop supplying current). Lastly Kia presented testing showing that the maximum headlight connector temperature achieved prior to the SJB opening the circuit was below the autoignition temperature of the plastic material the connector housing is made of, which Kia maintains eliminates the potential for a fire originating from an electrically overheated headlight connector. In its review of all available data, ODI determined that the majority of both VOQ and Kia customer complaints (1,339 reports in total) involved the loss or dimming of a single low beam headl

None of these investigations covers the 2015 model year.

What owners paid

7 of the 81 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $600 to $1,100.

$600$700$1,100

$0k$2k$4k$6k$8k

When it happens

The middle half of failures fell between 50,000 and 101,064 miles, from the 37 reports that gave a mileage.

116

317

418

1119

1320

1721

1322

723

324

525

426

What owners wrote

“The lights dim way too quickly. HID basically is garbage. Major safety issue since most people canât afford to be constantly replacing their headlight assemblies.”
Filed Dec 23, 2024 · 101,064 miles

“Low beam headlights are so dim, Si don't allow my wife to drive at night. Had dealer look at them and change bulbs with a small improvement, but after a while they have gotten so dim that even I don't like driving at night.”
Filed Sep 5, 2022

“The headlights do not illuminate down the road. Visibility at night is greatly impaired. Taken to dealers twice. First dealer in NM said it was just the way they were. Second dealer in Texas did realign the lights. Better but still very poor. I have installed the brightest bulbs allowed by law,”
Filed May 2, 2022

“Low bean headights are extremely dim. Can barely see road and obstacles at night and very difficult to see in rain. High beam headlights function normally. Low beam lights are significantly dimmer than when new. Headlamps are not fogged over. Have not been to dealer yet. Ther are no warning lights (MIL) on dash or codes. difficult to pinpoint when the condition started as it seems to have occured gradually.”
Filed Mar 19, 2022

Should you keep driving it?

This page can't tell you that. 0 of 81 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.