Kia Sorento is a modern SUV equipped with a passenger talk feature for better communication between drivers and passengers sitting in the rear row. This feature works with the audio system and infotainment screen of your vehicle.
Kia Sorento Passenger Talk not working can be due to damaged buttons, faulty navigation screen, camera issues, damaged microphones, faulty speakers, and interruption in the power supply.
Passenger talk is a beneficial feature for vehicles moving in noisy areas. It amplifies the driver’s voice so people in the rear row can easily hear them. In addition, you can also keep an eye on the children and pets without seeing the backside frequently, which compromises the vehicle’s safety during driving.
| Causes | Solutions |
| Damaged buttons | Avoid pushing these buttons hardly |
| Faulty navigation screen | Ensure tight connections of ground wires |
| Damaged microphone | Remove the dust from the microphones |
| Faulty Speakers | Clean the speakers and replace the blown-out ones |
| Camera issues | Keep the camera lens clean |
| Interruption in the power supply | Ensure the power supply in your SUV |
Damaged buttons
Kia Sorento contains the passenger talk feature to improve the communication of the interior cabin. It allows you to communicate with the people sitting behind you.
In addition, it is also helpful to keep your children and pets engaged during the trips. It is easy to activate the feature by pressing the buttons that are present inside your SUV.
You can activate the feature by swiping the navigation screen to the left side. There are various options, including a navigation menu, phone projection, quiet mode, map, radio data, rear climate control, and passenger view.
Click on the passenger view option to see the rear-side view on the screen. You can again select the passenger talk option from the navigation screen and press the talk now to speak.
Moreover, some models also contain the passenger talk button on the overhead center console. In addition, you can also use the custom key represented by the star button on the steering wheel to activate and use this feature.
Sometimes, you cannot activate the microphone and screen by pressing these buttons. The issue comes because of faulty and damaged buttons that cannot give the command to the microphone and navigation screen.
Its button is located on the overhead console, and the steering wheel becomes faulty when drivers push it hard. Furthermore, their regular use increases the risk of wear and tear.
Water and liquid drinks can also spill on the steering control button. The internal mechanism of control switches becomes faulty because of water exposure.
Avoid pushing these buttons hard because it can damage their internal mechanism. Clean the water spillage from the steering wheel quickly because moisture penetration inside these control switches leads to serious damage.
Faulty navigation screen
Passenger talk feature shows the rear-view image on the front navigation screen of your vehicle. You can see the rear seat image on your screen for better communication.
Moreover, you can also see the Talk Now option on the Kia Sorento screen to activate the microphone for speaking purposes. You can communicate with your children and family while driving while keeping your eyes on the road. It does not cause any distractions, and you do not have to look forward to communicate with passengers.
It is a safety feature that is also helpful in reducing the risk of accidents by decreasing drivers’ distractions during driving.
Sometimes, you cannot activate the feature because of navigation screen issues. The navigation screen has become bad and irresponsive because of a blown-out fuse and damaged electric connections.
It also becomes faulty because of hardware issues and software glitches. Moreover, physical impacts also produce scratches on the screen, and you can see distorted images of the rear seats.
Navigation screens also stop functioning when you do not update their software regularly. The screen also becomes black because of loose ground wire connections.
Check the infotainment screen fuses when the display becomes black. Replace the blown-out fuse with new ones of the same specifications.
Ensure the tight connections of ground wires for proper power supply to these screens.
Damaged microphone
It contains a microphone to interpret and amplify the driver’s voice so passengers in the rear row can easily hear them. I always use this option when driving my Kia Sorento.
The feature can stop working because of the damaged microphone. Microphones are connected to the infotainment screens with several electric connections.
Microphones cannot receive and interpret signals because of damaged electric connections. In addition, these electric components are at risk of wear and tear because of their age.
The efficiency of the microphone also decreases because of dust and dirt buildup on its surface. These cannot hear the diver’s voice clearly because dust accumulation causes obstruction for sound waves.
These are also vulnerable to failure because of their low-quality material. Many people try to clean them with certain chemicals and damp cloths, increasing their risk of failure.
These are electric components and are highly sensitive to extreme temperatures and changes in environmental conditions. The working efficiency of electric components decreases during hot weather, including microphones.
Voltage fluctuations also negatively impact the functioning and performance of microphones. I always prefer to clean them with a dry cloth to remove the dust instead of using a damp cloth.
Maintain the interior temperature of the Kia Sorento and park them in shady areas to decrease the risk of sun heat exposure.
Faulty speakers
The passenger talk feature in your SUV is connected to speakers so people sitting in the rear row can listen to you. These speakers are on the rear side of the Kia Sorento so that rear-row passengers can hear easily in noisy areas.
Sometimes, these speakers become faulty, and passengers cannot listen to the drivers when speaking in the microphone. Speakers become defective because of the poor electric connections between them and the infotainment screen.
In addition, voltage spikes can also damage the speakers and their internal components. Many people also complain that they cannot adjust the volume according to comfort.
Speakers can also blow out because of overheating and high temperatures. Moreover, the sound wave frequency of speakers also decreases because of dust accumulation on their surfaces.
Replace the blown-out speakers with new ones for better interior cabin communication. It is also better to keep them clean to reduce the risk of overheating and blown out.
Camera issues
It shows the image of rear row seats on the navigation screen so drivers can watch their children and pets to ensure their safety.
These contain cameras that show the image on the infotainment screen. Many people complain that their navigation screen is working fine, but the camera is not showing images on the display when they activate the feature.
The issue comes because of the damaged and dirty lenses of the cameras. The efficiency of cameras is reduced because of dirt and fingerprint marks on their lens.
The lens can also break when something hard collides with it accidentally. You cannot see a clear image on the screen because of a dirty lens. Use a soft cloth or alcohol swabs to clean the lenses and remove the dust. Moreover, you have to replace them if their lens is broken.
I do not use strong cleaners for cleaning their lens because they can produce scratches on their surface and unclear images.
Interruption in the power supply
Passenger talk is connected to a microphone, power supply, and speakers with a wired system. It stops functioning because of poor connection between the system and the components that are connected with them.
You cannot activate the feature if there is an issue with their connection. Moreover, microphones, cameras, and speakers also stop functioning because of their poor connection.
The infotainment screen takes power from the vehicle’s battery. You cannot use the passenger talk feature when there is a power issue.
These cannot function without a sufficient power supply. Moreover, these contain fuses, and blown-out fuses also lead to their failure.
Ensure the power supply in your Kia Sorento, and replace the blown-out fuse with a new one.
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