Car headlamps shut off when car is in motion, first noticed when driving at night as lights were in auto setting and the dashboard shows the light setting change and the lights outside changing as well with nothing being touched. Lights have completely shut off about 5 times when driving.
2018 Kia Sorento lighting problems
moderate 27 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $250 · see lighting across all vehicles →
Complaints
27
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$250
What stands out
Owners have filed 27 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 6 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: A 2018 Sorento with lighting issues—especially headlights cutting off while driving—is a significant safety hazard; the multi-function switch appears to be the culprit in many cases, and Kia has not issued a recall for this model year despite acknowledging the problem in others. If you're shopping for one, have any headlight issues inspected by an independent mechanic before purchase and confirm dealer warranty coverage.
Owners of 2018 Kia Sorentos describe a pattern of dangerous headlight failures. The most common complaint is headlights shutting off randomly while driving with the switch set to auto, sometimes for just a couple seconds, sometimes longer—often 5 to 20+ occurrences per owner. The dashboard shows the light icon changing from auto to off, yet the switch hasn't been touched. Drivers must manually cycle the knob off and back on to restore lights. This happens at night, creating complete darkness and obvious crash risk on highways and local roads. Some owners report lights cutting out when using turn signals.
A second recurring problem is headlights turning on by themselves when the vehicle is parked and engine off, with the switch still in auto position. Owners discover lights on overnight or get calls from neighbors reporting lit headlights at odd hours.
Less commonly, owners report passenger-side headlight bulbs burning out twice in three months with burned odors in the circuit board, and one case of headlight lenses physically melting inside the encasement, requiring full unit replacement and facing long parts delays. One owner also reported complete loss of all exterior and interior lights while driving.
A dealer diagnosed an "open short in multifunction switch" but charged $495.78 for repair; Kia denied warranty coverage. Narrative #2 mentions Kia recalled 2015 K900 models for the same multifunction switch issue. Most owners' diagnostic attempts by Kia found no fault.
Same Kia Sorento lighting reports on nearby years: 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2019
Failure modes owners describe
Headlights turning off randomly while driving
Headlights set to auto mode randomly shut off while vehicle is in motion, sometimes with a 2-second duration, sometimes for longer. Dashboard shows the switch changing from auto to off despite the physical switch remaining in auto position. Owners must manually cycle the switch off and back on to restore lights. Multiple owners report this happening 5-20+ times over months of ownership. Typically occurs at night, creating dangerous visibility loss.
When: Unspecified mileage; timing varies from immediately after purchase to years into ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Headlights turn off without switch movement; Dashboard icon shows 'manual off' while switch is in auto; Momentary loss of vision while driving at night; Lights cut out while turning or on highways; Occur more frequently when using turn signal for some owners; Require manual switch cycling to restore
Repairs/costs cited: One owner cited $495.78 repair cost; dealer found 'open short in multifunction switch'; Kia refused warranty coverage. Another narrative mentions prior recall/TSB replacing multi-function light switch knob (on unspecified date).
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Narrative #2 references Kia recall on 2015 K900 for multi-functional light switch replacement. Narrative #7 reports warranty denial for electrical coverage. Narrative #13 states Kia refused to cover repair. Narrative #5 reports Kia ran diagnostic testing but could not locate issue.
Headlights turning on without ignition
Headlights activate when vehicle is parked and engine is off, with switch set to auto mode. Multiple owners discovered lights on when checking vehicle in the morning or after neighbors reported lights on in middle of night. Vehicle must be unlocked and switch manually cycled to turn lights off. No explanation for spontaneous activation while parked.
When: Overnight and during extended parking periods; timing not tied to specific mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Lights on when car is powered off and parked; Occurs with switch in auto position; Discovered by owner or reported by neighbor; Requires manual intervention to turn off
Passenger-side headlight bulb failures with burned circuit board
Passenger-side headlight bulbs blown twice within three months. Burned odor detected in circuit board inside headlight assembly. Owner, a retired certified mechanic, performed inspection and bulb replacement. Prior multi-function switch knob replacement did not resolve issue. Headlights were not replaced during that prior service.
When: Unknown mileage; two failures within three-month period
Symptoms owners cite: Passenger-side headlight bulbs fail; Burning odor from headlight circuit board; Repeated bulb failures in short timeframe
Repairs/costs cited: Bulb replacement performed twice within three months
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Prior recall/TSB performed replacing multi-function switch knob; headlights not replaced at that time. Manufacturer not contacted regarding current failures.
Headlight lens melting/physical damage
Headlight lens melted inside encasement, requiring complete headlight unit replacement. Issue recurred; second set of headlights failed requiring parts order. Extensive delays in obtaining replacement parts, leaving owner without functional headlights for extended periods.
When: First incident last year; second incident ongoing at time of report with 2+ months wait for parts
Symptoms owners cite: Headlight lens melted in encasement; Loss of headlight function; Recurring failure of replacement unit
Repairs/costs cited: Complete headlight unit replacement required twice; extended parts shortage causing 2+ month repair delay
Daytime running light/headlight icon misbehavior
Dashboard headlight icon shows 'manual on' during daytime while switch is in auto position. Icon behavior does not match switch position. Occurs intermittently during daylight hours. Owner uncertain if actual headlights are illuminating since it's daylight.
When: Multiple times over approximately one month period
Symptoms owners cite: Dashboard icon indicates manual headlights while in auto; Physical switch position does not match display; Occurs during daytime only
All exterior and interior lights turning off while driving
Complete loss of exterior running lights and interior lights while vehicle is in motion. Exterior running lights later activate by themselves without driver input.
When: Unspecified timing and mileage
Symptoms owners cite: All exterior lights shut off while driving; Interior lights turn off while driving; Running lights activate by themselves afterward
Headlight failure with lack of illumination
Headlights failed to illuminate properly upon activation, causing lack of visibility. Vehicle was a rental; no diagnosis or repair performed.
When: Unspecified mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Headlights fail to properly illuminate; Reduced visibility
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified but did not assist.
Synthesized from 27 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
Having intermittent issues with the headlights turning of while driving at night. The headlights were set on "Auto". I have had this happen multiple times! Went to local dealer to report the problem & was told that they would have to drive it at night to replicate the issue. I asked if I would be charged for this & was told that if the technician could find anything that I would be charged for…
Had lighting trouble with your 2018 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 2018 Kia Sorento?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 27 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?
Based on the 27 complaints filed, lighting issues most often appear around 36,725 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
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/2018/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.