10.0

really awful
Typical Repair Cost:
$1,500
Average Mileage:
116,500 miles
Total Complaints:
2 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. not sure (1 reports)
  2. replace engine (1 reports)
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problem #2

Apr 092021

Sorento LX 3.5L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 120,000 miles

Bought the 2004 Kia Sorento on August 7,2020 with 112,000 miles. Replaced clutch in October 2020. No big deal. Then on April 9, 2021 my daughter, her husband and 13 year old son borrowed the Kia to travel to a friend's funeral 2 hours away from home. My son in law said that night it overheated and stalled so they went to their hotel and let it sit over night.

That morning they packed up to come home from Sacramento, CA to Corning, CA. The Kia started right up and started home. They made it out of Sacramento on I -5 and just getting on the Crossway over the Delta River they heard a loud noise, the vehicle overheated and stalled in the middle of the Crossway. This is the most dangerous spot to break down on. They could feel the big rigs speeding by and almost got hit a couple of times. My daughter calls me so I called our insurance company and told them that they needed a tow asap but because of covid the tow truck would only tow the vehicle and would have to leave them there. So a friend of mine had a friend with a car trailer and he picked them all up. That cost me $170.00.

We take it to our mechanic and he said that the harmonic balancer, the crankshaft bolt broke off and the timing belt needed to be replaced, AC compressor and a few other things. Estimated cost was $1500.00 plus labor. But it did not help and I ran out of money so the Kia which I am making payments on sits. I couldn't make payments and try to keep putting money into something that is not going to be fixed. We had that vehicle only 7 months and can't even sell it because the finance company has the title. The sad thing about all this is my daughter needed it for work and was forced to go on unemployment and I am on Social Security. It has not only drained my bank account, but it has damaged our credit because just can't keep up with the payments anymore. How fair is that. Can we start another class action suit????

- Gwenet C., Corning, US

problem #1

Dec 252015

Sorento LX V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 113,000 miles

click to see larger images

pulley bolt broke

I bought this car used Nov.30, 2015 as a Christmas present for my youngest daughter in college. She has not gotten it yet and we have not been able to put it on the road since. The little old lady claimed she never had a problem with it. My only concern I conveyed to her was, which I stated more than once, was "I'm buying this for my daughter in college, I need a reliable vehicle to keep her safe."

So I bought the vehicle and driving it home, I noticed the brakes went almost to the floor. I thought probably just brake pads, so I fearfully drove it home with my husband following behind me. Had it looked at and found rear calipers were locked on both sides, so replaced them, so also replaced rear brake pads.

Went to take my oldest daughter to work, car was pulling to right and 2 miles up the road check engine light came on. Found battery was bad, replaced, took car immediately to test alternator--also bad, replaced. Had pulling to the right problem checked out and found front rotors bad, replaced and also replaced front brake pads. While fixing, found front ball joint bad. Ball joints are pressed into the wheel bearing on this vehicle. Was able to get wb unit off of car. If it couldn't be pulled off without 'mushrooming', the whole axle would have to have been replaced. Fortunately, it did come off so got that repaired.

On Christmas, my daughter took it to go home 2 hrs away. About 1 hr away check engine light came on. She stopped and checked fluid levels. She drove a little farther and battery and brake fluid light came on. Stopped at a red light, started to go on green and tried to turn right and lost power steering. Saw 2 belts were off. Parked it. Had it towed to a garage and was told the crank shaft bolt broke off and also roll pin broke. This would cost about $380 just to take it apart to see what might have to be done with it. 1/2 the bolt is still screwed in. Maybe if it can be drilled out, the engine wouldn't have to be replaced, but I can't count on that. So I had it towed privately to my home and here it sits.

I tried getting the person who sold me the car to reimburse me some of the money but of course, they are ignoring me. My local mechanic said the bolt that broke off in the crank shaft was not the correct size, so some incompetent already replaced it. Since everything is wrong with this vehicle, I'm just going to assume it will need an engine. Once fixed, no way in hell will I keep it.

- janetny, Harpursville, NY, US