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Your vehicleHome›Kia›2016 Kia Sorento› exterior lighting problems
Owner complaints · Exterior Lighting

2016 Kia Sorento exterior lighting problems

67 of the 1,258 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Kia Sorento name the exterior lights (NHTSA’s “Exterior Lighting” heading — as ODI groups the complaints it receives). Filed under the same heading: 18 manufacturer bulletins. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.

67 complaints 5% of this model year’s 1 report a crash typically at 49k miles

What owners filed about the exterior lights

Source: NHTSA complaint database
67complaints name the exterior lights

1 of the 67 reports a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.

Filed per year: 2015: 3 · 2016: 1 · 2017: 2 · 2018: 7 · 2019: 8 · 2020: 12 · 2021: 7 · 2022: 8 · 2023: 8 · 2024: 6 · 2025: 3 · 2026: 2

49kmiles, typically

Half of the 40 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the exterior lighting problem between 25,000 and 80,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.

5%of this model year’s complaints

1,258 complaints in all about the 2016 Kia Sorento, 2 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →

Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Exterior Lighting” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.

Across model years: Kia Sorento exterior lighting problems, every year on file →

In owners’ own words

Source: NHTSA complaint database

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the exterior lights. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.

While driving the car at night the lights will go off. While driving the car in bright daylight the car lights will turn on. The lights are in the "auto" mode. I have video of the daylight issue but not the night. Both corporate and dealership needs to replicate the problem before they can "just change parts".
Exterior Lighting at 62,000 miles Apr 23, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11203273
My outer light bulb from the passenger side to the main lights is off. I took it to auto zone to buy a new bulb but when they checked it and moved the bulb a bit it turned on. Tech said it's not the bulb but the connector. That they're usually melting not connecting correctly. Ending frying the whole front lights.
Exterior Lighting at 160,100 miles Jan 30, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11173111
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.
Exterior Lighting at 65,000 miles Dec 31, 2018 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11164280
Headlights cutting off randomly while driving at night . Took to Kia dealer and they said it was a faulty light switch located in the steering column . It was replaced . One week later , it happened again while wife was driving , the local dealership who did the original repair could not get it in to look at for 2 weeks .
Exterior Lighting at 29,854 miles Nov 9, 2018 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11150250
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. While driving various speeds, the driver side low beam headlights and the rear driver side brake light failed to operate. The contact stated that the low beam headlights and rear driver side brake light illuminated on an intermittent basis.
Exterior Lighting at 59,800 miles Apr 2, 2018 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11082492

What is on file about the exterior lights

Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications

18 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading

The 8 newest are listed (the model year’s page has its newest of every kind). Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.

Other systems with a record on the 2016 Kia Sorento

Source: the same files
From here
Every 2027 model on file, by price Compare two vehicles, trim vs trim See what a VIN was priced at See what owners reported

Common questions

Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communications

Are exterior lighting problems common on the 2016 Kia Sorento?

They are documented: NHTSA holds 67 owner complaints naming the exterior lights on this model year (5% of everything owners filed about it), and 18 manufacturer bulletins are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.

Is there a recall for the exterior lights on the 2016 Kia Sorento?

No recall campaign is filed under this heading for this model year (there are 8 filed under other headings). A bulletin is not a recall: it carries no federal duty to repair for free.

When do exterior lighting problems show up on the 2016 Kia Sorento?

Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 49,014 miles; half of them between 25,000 and 80,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.

What does NHTSA's "Exterior Lighting" heading cover?

The area of the vehicle ODI files the complaint under. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.