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 Oct 2, 2026
91 of the 738 complaints on this car are about the exterior lighting. 81 of those describe headlights.
Tick what matches of 81 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 (70 reports) and the bulb (41 reports).
Recalls and investigations
No recall on the exterior lighting covers the 2015 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 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.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 50,000 and 101,064 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 2015 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 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. 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 209 reports
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 138 reports
- Paint peels or body rusts 88 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 78 reports
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 37 reports
- Engine rattles or ticks 36 reports
- Engine overheats or leaks coolant 35 reports
- Windshield cracks or distorts 31 reports
- Burns oil or oil level rises 30 reports
- Airbag warning light or recall 27 reports