2017 Kia Sorento · symptom sheet
Headlights too dim or fail
- 101owner reports
- 35,000median miles
- 1involved a crash
Newest report Aug 2, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
125 of the 804 complaints on this car are about the exterior lighting. 101 of those describe headlights.
Tick what matches of 101 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 (89 reports).
Recalls and investigations
No recall on the exterior lighting covers the 2017 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 2017 model year.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 30,000 and 63,000 miles, from the 33 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 5 service bulletins or notices for the 2017 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.
WARRANTY EXTENSION CAMPAIGN: MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH REPAIR (WTY031) This bulletin provides information associated with the ‘Multifunction Switch Warranty Extension Program’ (WTY031) to repair the multifunction switch knob on 2016-2018MY Sorento (UMa) vehicles, produced at Kia Georgia from October 27, 2014 through March 7, ...
VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH REPAIR (SC330) This bulletin provides information to repair the multi-function switch knob on certain 2016-2018MY Sorento (UMa) vehicles manufactured from October 27, 2014 through March 7, 2018.
MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH REPAIR This bulletin provides information associated with the "Multifunction Switch Warranty Extension Program" (WTY031) to repair the multifunction switch knob on 2016-2018MY Sorento (UMa) vehicles, produced at Kia Georgia from October 27, 2014 through March 7, ...
MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH REPAIR This bulletin provides information associated with the 'Multifunction Switch Warranty Extension Program' (WTY031) to repair the multifunction switch knob on 2016-2018MY Sorento (UMa) vehicles, produced at Kia Georgia from October 27, 2014 through ...
1 more on the 2017 Kia Sorento page.
What owners wrote
“Headlights go off without warning while in auto driving at night . Has occurred 2 in the month of August 2022. Can be turned back on by twisting the control nob to on. Poses a dangerous situation on the dark county roads that we drive if not quick enough to manually turn back on.”
Filed Sep 6, 2022
“The "auto" headlight function keeps malfunctioning. It will randomly shut off the headlights and not turn back on. Numerous forums have reported the issue. This is extremely dangerous when driving at night.”
Filed Sep 5, 2022
“When driving down the the interstate at night, my headlights just turn off while driving. They are on Auto. This has happened multiple times while driving. I have not took it to be looked at yet. There is no warning light or anything else that lets you know that there is a malfunction. The lights just go off. For them to come back on, I have to manually turn it off and back on again, and they will come back on.”
Filed Jul 20, 2022
“When âautoâ for headlights the lights wonât turn on at night time unless I manually switch it or the lifts will be on and then go off on their own during the night.”
Filed Jul 10, 2022
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 1 of 101 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 193 reports
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 142 reports
- Burns oil or oil level rises 120 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 99 reports
- Steering sticks, feels notchy or jerks 60 reports
- Engine rattles or ticks 43 reports
- Vehicle fire 31 reports
- Engine leaks oil 25 reports