While the vehicle is in motion, on both city streets and interstates, and at both low or higher speeds the vehicle's headlights, tail lights and other lighting will turn off on their own. This is extremely dangerous specifically after sunset when it is completely dark. I took the vehicle for repair at my local Kia dealer for service and they said there is an "open circuit in ipm (fuse block)." I…
2016 Kia Sorento lighting problems
moderate 45 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $250 · see lighting across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
45
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$250
When does it fail?
Of the 45 lighting complaints filed for the 2016 Kia Sorento, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 25,000-50,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Owners have filed 45 lighting complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
No new NHTSA lighting complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 7 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: The 2016 Kia Sorento has persistent lighting problems across multiple systems—auto headlight sensors fail to read conditions correctly, causing lights to turn on in daylight or off at night without warning; low beam headlights cut out unexpectedly during highway driving creating serious crash risk; headlight bulbs fail repeatedly; and turn signals activate on the wrong side. Combined with brake light and dashboard lighting issues, these problems are ongoing across all mileages and no reliable fix exists yet.
The 2016 Sorento's lighting system is unreliable across multiple circuits and modes. The most dangerous complaint is that headlights—both low beams and sometimes fog lamps—cut out without warning during nighttime driving on highways and dark roads, leaving drivers in complete darkness. This happens at all speeds and weather conditions, sometimes causing the entire dashboard to go dark as well. Owners report the problem occurs intermittently with no discernible pattern, and high beams may still work when low beams fail.
The auto headlight sensor mode is faulty: lights turn on in broad daylight or off at night regardless of actual ambient conditions. Dealers test the sensors and find them working normally, yet the malfunction persists. Jiggling the light switch lever temporarily fixes the issue, forcing drivers to fiddle with controls on dark roads.
Headlight bulbs fail repeatedly—one owner replaced them six times and notes the problem worsens with age. One technician identified melted connectors as the culprit, not the bulbs. Low beam illumination also drops sharply on downhill grades (to 27 feet ahead), though KIA claims this meets specification.
Additional failures include brake lights that overheat and burn out repeatedly, turn signals that activate on the wrong side, and dashboard lighting that dims or goes dark while driving. One vehicle had headlamp lens crystallization that spreads daily and cannot be polished out.
Same Kia Sorento lighting reports on nearby years: 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2017 · 2018
Failure modes owners describe
Auto headlight sensor malfunction
Headlights turn on randomly during daylight or turn off randomly at night while in auto mode, regardless of actual ambient light conditions. Owners report the light sensor appears unobstructed and dealers' diagnostic testing shows sensors functioning normally, yet the problem persists intermittently.
When: Reported from 15,000 miles to 152,000 miles; occurs randomly with wide time spacing between events
Symptoms owners cite: Headlights turn on in bright daylight when auto mode is enabled; Headlights turn off at night without warning when auto mode is enabled; Cycling happens regardless of actual lighting conditions outside; Jiggling the light switch or cycling it to a different position temporarily restores proper function
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers unable to replicate the issue; attempted sensor testing showed no fault; some owners report temporary relief by adjusting the multi-function switch lever
Headlights turning off while driving (critical safety issue)
Headlights, fog lamps, and sometimes entire dashboard lighting cut out unexpectedly during nighttime driving at all speeds—from city streets to highways. Owners report both headlights failing simultaneously or intermittently, with no warning. One owner's dealer diagnosed an open circuit in the IPM (fuse block); another found the front light module faulty. High beams sometimes remain functional when low beams fail.
When: Reported across all mileages from 10,000 to 152,000 miles; occurs multiple times over months or years
Symptoms owners cite: Both headlights turn off simultaneously while driving at night; Lights go out on dark roads and freeways, creating immediate visibility loss; Entire front lighting goes dark including fog lamps; Fog lamps and turn signals inoperable when headlights fail; Dashboard goes dark when headlights cut out; Occurs with no pattern; happens on straight roads and turns, wet and dry conditions, warm and cold weather; High beams may still work when low beams fail
Repairs/costs cited: One owner's dealer identified open circuit in IPM (fuse block); another independent mechanic found front light module faulty requiring replacement; light switch replacement performed by dealer resolved issue in one case but failure recurred one week later; jiggling light switch temporarily restores lights in some cases
HID/xenon headlight auto-leveling system inadequate illumination on downhill grades
Low beam illumination drops sharply when driving downhill, with light beam reaching only 27 feet in front of vehicle. Owner demonstrated issue to KIA service manager and district manager, who stated lights operate according to specification and no correction is available. New SXL headlights will not fit this model year.
When: Reported at undisclosed mileage; issue verified with KIA management on 11/8/2017
Symptoms owners cite: Low beam headlights drop sharply on downhill grades; Illumination distance reduced to approximately 27 feet ahead; Occurs at night on hills
Repairs/costs cited: KIA service and district manager confirmed lights work to specification; newer SXL Sorento headlights incompatible with this vehicle year
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: KIA case #12462124 - manufacturer stated lights work to specification and no solution available
Headlamp bulb repeated failures
Low-beam and high-beam bulbs fail repeatedly, requiring replacement multiple times. One owner replaced bulbs six times and notes problem worsens with age. Another owner's bulb burns out repeatedly approximately every two weeks. Bulbs may not be the root cause; one technician noted connectors are typically melting, not connecting properly, and burning out the entire front light assembly.
When: Reported at various mileages; one case at 49,014 miles; another at 80,000 miles; failures span months to years
Symptoms owners cite: Headlight bulbs fail to illuminate or are very dim; Low beam bulbs require repeated replacement; Bulbs burn out approximately every two weeks to monthly; Warning lamp illuminates and stays on until reset; Bulb connector appears melted or not connecting properly
Repairs/costs cited: Bulbs replaced multiple times by dealers and independent mechanics, but failures recur; one technician identified melted connectors as likely root cause rather than bulb defect; AutoZone technician noted connectors usually melt and fry entire front light assembly
Multifunction switch (light control stalk) failure
Light switch located in steering column fails, causing headlights to not respond to user input or to turn on/off erratically. One owner's dealer replaced the switch, but identical failure occurred one week later. Another owner discovered online that the switch used to communicate with headlamps fails and requires replacement.
When: Reported at 76,000 miles and during ongoing use over multiple years
Symptoms owners cite: Headlights fail to illuminate or are very dim; Intermittent headlight operation; Switch requires jiggling or cycling to reset lights; Lights unresponsive to switch position changes
Repairs/costs cited: Multifunction switch replacement performed by dealer; failure recurred one week after replacement, with headlights and dash lights extinguishing simultaneously during night driving
Turn signal malfunction
Turn signals activate incorrectly: when driver activates left turn signal, the right signal illuminates instead. One owner also reports intermittent activation of wrong signal during turns.
When: Appeared three to four months after purchase; ongoing
Symptoms owners cite: Right turn signal comes on when left turn is activated; Incorrect signal activation during turns; Creates immediate safety hazard and accident risk
Brake light failures and overheating sockets
Rear brake lights become inoperable on several occasions. Bulb sockets overheat, contributing to repeated bulb failures. One owner's driver-side rear running light has no power to bulbs despite good bulbs and fuses. Brake lights and turn signals work on that vehicle, suggesting isolated rear light circuit issue. Driver-side brake light bulb burns out repeatedly approximately every two weeks with bulb turning black each time.
When: Reported at 80,000 miles and ongoing at various mileages
Symptoms owners cite: Rear brake lights inoperable on several occasions; Brake light sockets overheat; Driver-side rear brake light burns out repeatedly; Bulb turns black after burnout; Rear running light has no power despite good bulbs and fuses; Vehicle pulled over by police due to inoperable lights
Repairs/costs cited: Bulbs replaced by independent mechanic; rear light sockets found overheated; rear license plate light socket has no power despite good fuses
Headlamp lens crystallization and degradation
Headlamp lenses develop crystallization, roughness, and cloudiness in top corners that spreads rapidly. Plastic cannot be buffed out or removed with standard headlamp restoration products, leading to reduced light projection on roadway.
When: Occurring while vehicle parked in driveway
Symptoms owners cite: Plastic crystallization in far top corners of headlamps; Crystallization spreads rapidly day by day; Rough plastic texture develops; Cannot be removed with headlamp restoration products; Reduced light projection expected
Dashboard and interior lighting dims or extinguishes
Interior instrument panel lights dim or go out completely while driving, creating a safety hazard by preventing vehicle operation visibility and gauge reading.
When: Ongoing during vehicle operation
Symptoms owners cite: Interior instrument panel lights dim; Interior lights go out completely while driving; Dashboard goes dark when headlights fail
Headlights covered with mud/road spray from wet conditions
Headlight lenses become heavily covered with mud and road spray from wet roads and other vehicles' tire splatter, reducing illumination significantly. Owner had to stop twice within 30 minutes to clear headlights to see road ahead.
When: During driving on wet roads
Symptoms owners cite: Headlights covered with mud and road spray; Rapid accumulation of spray requires frequent cleaning; Significant reduction in illumination distance
Repairs/costs cited: Manual cleaning of headlight lenses required
Synthesized from 45 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
We have experienced random events where the headlights go out for 5-10 seconds. This makes for a very scary situation for me and my family when driving in the evening and it all gets dark. We notice when the vehicle is in motion, city street or highway, we could be in the car for short amount of time or longer amount of time, warm and cold weather, wet and dry weather, haven't noticed while…
Had lighting trouble with your 2016 Kia Sorento?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the lighting problem on the 2016 Kia Sorento?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 45 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $250 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the lighting typically fail?
Across the 25 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most lighting failures cluster between 20,000 and 80,000 miles, with the median around 59,800. A quarter of owners report trouble before 20,000; a quarter make it past 80,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $250 for lighting repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to lighting?
No active recalls currently cover lighting issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2016/Kia/Sorento.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.