On my zx2 there is a button on the lower part of the dash by the drivers door that you can brighten or dim the lights... Not sure this is your problem but it is worth a try ... I use it to dim them when driving at night..
It might just be the fuse is blown.
The Kia Sorrento instrument panel lights go on and off with the headlights. The headlights go on with an automatic daylight sensor.
Make sure the brightness knob isn't turned down too far. When the headlights are off, the instrument panel is lit by an automatic system that assumes it's daylight and gives the panel a lot of illumination. When you turn on the headlights, it changes to the system used in most cars, which depends on where you set the brightness control, which is located somewhat near the leftmost vent.
Headlights. They're called headlights. ;) Depending on the vehicle, it is also known as the header panel.
That is in the fuse panel inside the car. Marked I/P illum (instrument panel illumination)
Check the fuses and the bulbs.
Stereo systems obviously have illumination lights in them. Sometimes they will route these illumination wires to an area of the fuse panel which seems to affect the park lights, guage lights, etc. If the illumination wire(s) has touch an area of grounded metal, or another wire while installation, the problem is most likely a blown fuse. I hope you get this problem fixed. Good luck.
look in your fuse panel and locate the illumination fuse that should solve your problems
Faulty ground to the dash.
Instrument lights fuse blown. ANSWER #2 There is a dimmer switch that controls the illumination of the instrument panel; it may be bad or may have been accidentally turned OFF or DOWN while cleaning the dashboard.
All lights are fused except for the headlights and the switch has a built in circuit breaker.The fuse panel is under the dash to the left of the steering column.
When i was trying to disable my DRL's (Daytime Running Lights) i pulled the fuse for them and my headlights and instrument lights were flashing intermittently. Check the fuse panel in the glove box and look for the DRL fuse. Check if its blown. Hope this helps!!!