Kia Sorento Headlights: Specs, Fitment & Common Faults

Bulb type, unit part numbers, and the faults that actually cause that flickering or dim light you've noticed.

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OEM Part Number: confirm via VIN — aftermarket LH TYC 20-12524-15-2 / RH TYC 20-12523-15-2

Accuracy note: Covers the Kia Sorento (2015-2020) as listed in the UK aftermarket catalogues. Headlights are sold by side (passenger / nearside = LH, driver's / offside = RH on a UK car) and by lamp type — halogen, xenon (D1S / D3S) and LED or full-LED units are not interchangeable, and DRL, cornering and levelling options change the part number again. The references below are UK aftermarket catalogue listings for this generation, labelled by brand; genuine numbers are shown only where a listing quotes one. Check the lamp type and traffic side (UK right-hand-traffic units, not LHD) against your VIN, and expect xenon / LED and adaptive units to need levelling adjustment or coding after fitting.

Passenger side (LH / nearside) headlight — aftermarket	Van Wezel 8390961 (halogen H7/H9, electric levelling); Van Wezel 8385961 (halogen H7/H1, electric levelling); Abakus 223-1159LMLDEM2 (LED with H7/H9 and PY21W, DRL, electric levelling); Abakus 223-1152L-LEHM2 (xenon D3S/H7 with PY21W, DRL, levelling); TYC 20-12524-15-2 (halogen H7/H1, electric levelling, no motor supplied); Johns 41 91 09 (halogen H7/H1, electric levelling, chrome frame)
Driver's side (RH / offside) headlight — aftermarket	Van Wezel 8390962 (halogen H7/H9, electric levelling); Van Wezel 8385962 (halogen H7/H1, electric levelling); Abakus 223-1159RMLDEM2 (LED with H7/H9 and PY21W, DRL, electric levelling); Abakus 223-1152R-LEHM2 (xenon D3S/H7 with PY21W, DRL, levelling); TYC 20-12523-15-2 (halogen H7/H1, electric levelling, no motor supplied); Diederichs 6586084 (xenon D3S/H7, LED DRL, no motor)
Bulb types	dipped H7, main H1 or H9, xenon D3S, indicator PY21W, sidelight W5W
Genuine (OE) numbers quoted	None quoted in catalogue listings — order genuine units against your VIN
Fitment notes	Halogen is the base fit, with LED daytime-running-light and xenon units for higher trims; check the trim and levelling equipment before ordering because some listings are for cars with electric levelling but sold without the motor.

A Genuinely Important UK Rule Worth Knowing Before You Buy — Kia Sorento Headlights

If your Sorento has factory-fitted halogen headlamp housings, converting them to fit LED bulbs is treated as a definite MOT failure under the current inspection manual — this isn't a grey area or a minor advisory, since a housing designed for halogen doesn't distribute an LED bulb's light output correctly, which can genuinely dazzle oncoming drivers. If you want a genuine LED upgrade, the correct route is a complete headlight unit designed for LED from the factory, not a bulb swap into an existing halogen housing.

Before you buy: matrix LED, adaptive, and cornering headlight systems often require electronic coding to the car after a unit swap, even for a genuine like-for-like replacement — a headlight that isn't recognised by the car's electronics can trigger warning lights or fail to auto-level correctly. Check whether your specific trim has one of these systems before assuming a straightforward bulb-in, bulb-out job.

Kia Sorento Headlights: Watch: Replacing It

🎬 Watch: Kia Sorento How To Change Headlight Bulbs 2016 2017 2018 2019 & 2020 3rd Gen With Part Numbers

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Third-gen bulb change.

Kia Sorento Headlights: What It Does

On the Kia Sorento, main and dipped beam bulbs — or LED/matrix modules on higher-spec cars — live inside the headlight unit, angled carefully to illuminate the road without blinding oncoming traffic. The daytime running light and front indicator often share that same housing too, adding complexity to both fitment and repair.

Kia Sorento Headlights: Generations, Derivatives & Headlight Type

Standard trims	Halogen as standard
GT-Line/higher trims	LED headlights become available further up the range — genuinely a different assembly and connector from the halogen units on lower trims, not a simple bulb swap

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Kia Sorento Headlights: Common Faults, DIY Difficulty & Aftermarket Advice

These are the same regardless of make or model — see our full Headlights Guide for the four bulb technologies and how they differ, UK law on aim and modifications, common faults to check for, how difficult this job is to DIY, and confirming fitment against your VIN.

More Kia Headlights

The same part, covered across other Kia models.