2.0

hardly worth mentioning
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
80,912 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

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problem #5

Aug 072013

Sorento 6-cyl

  • 72,560 miles
While exiting my driveway at home (which is on a an incline and exits onto a state highway) I lost all braking capability. When I took the car into my local garage to have the problem diagnosed I was told the brake lines were completely corroded through which caused the loss of braking ability. While attempting the repairs the mechanic smelled gasoline fumes and found that the fuel lines where they exit the tank has also corroded through. I started to notice under body corrosion several years ago when the parking brake body attachment points on the rear differential corroded and became dislodged. All of this corrosion seems to be occurring much sooner than I would expect and sooner than I have ever experienced with other vehicles I have owned manufactured by other companies.

- Airville, PA, USA

problem #4

Aug 092013

Sorento

  • 112,000 miles
We purchased our Sorento used (approx 65K miles)about 3 years ago. Since then, we've had to replace the gas tank ($1500) among other things. This year has been absurd: Had to replace the radiator, water pump, computer system (2 months, $4700), brakes ($750) and 2 batteries. 2-3 months ago, we noticed a clunking/chunking sound that grew steadily worse. It sounded as if the 4WD was engaging and disengaging every 3 seconds and felt very unsafe at high speeds. I took it to Kia of cobb county and was just given a quote Friday for a new transfer case, drive shaft, "rear end chunk" (all the service rep could tell me) and 4 new tires. Quote for this work ($9767). The transfer case alone was around $5700. This vehicle now has 112K miles and is less than 10 years old. The blue book value is (was) around $5-6000 and we're told it'll take $10,000 to fix it? I called Kia's corporate office to ask if this was to be expected at Kia. I was told that our vehicle was not under warranty. I said, " I'm just asking if there's anyone at Kia headquarters who believes in their product and wants to protect the Kia name and you just keep apologizing." The rep responded, "I'm sorry, sir." We've found multiple complaints online from Kia owners reporting similar issues (chunking, transfer case, etc). When does this become.a recall issue" a safety issue"

- Marietta, GA, USA

problem #3

Mar 102012

Sorento 6-cyl

  • 120,000 miles
Summary: Update to below problem I bought my Sorento in 2004, new. I replaced the coolant reservoir at 61000 miles due to overheating, replaced the low beam headlight bulbs on 4 occasions, tail lights on 2 occasions. My vehicle, 5 speed manual transmission, started to have a roaring noise approx. 6 months ago and the U-joints were replaced. It still roars. It quit running on 2-16-12 while I was driving, but restarted. It finally quit again and would not restart on 2-17-12. Check engine light indicate a fuel pressure sensor problem, but mechanic says this should not cause the problem I presently have. It has been in the shop since 2-18-12. The mechanic said it started for him. I insisted he let it run for a while and see what happens. Sure enough, it quit. Kia mechanic told me it may be a crank or cam sensor issue. Other problems--front dome light off and on at will, rear one works, clock on and off at will, vehicle hums loudly when driving for a while. It has been a reliable vehicle for the most part, but when there is an issue, it is hard to detect. Above work was completed at a cost of 1126,00. But now crankshaft bolt broke while driving costing damage to engine heads. Vehicle went back into shop and is still waiting repairs. Kia owes it customers better service and must pay repair cost and take responsibility for the faulty crankshaft bolts they provide to the mechanics.

- Fort Walton Bch, FL, USA

problem #2

Mar 302011

Sorento 6-cyl

  • miles
I am writing this complaint against Kia motors who willingly knows of issues with its fuel systems in all 2004 Kia Sorentos. Even looking online you see thousands of Kia owners who have had the sensor go out on this model car after the cars 100000 warranty, and then Kia claims it is past the warranty they have and there is nothing they can do. This causes the gas to always read incorrectly even with a full tank the car reads "E" and continuously every day have to place more gas in car for fear that the "E" may come on and like several days ago I was left on the side of the road from this. When you reach out to Kia they offer no help stating there are no documented cases and when you tell them to look online, they claim those could just be angry customers placing false information. Then they want to hang behind the "as is" clause stating that I should have had a mechanic check the car out, which unless they are a Kia dealer and are aware of this issue which did not show up to several days later after the car was purchased. This is known defect in manufacturing as evidenced online and feel that something should be done to make Kia fix these problems without customers having to fork over more and more money over something Kia itself is responsible for and will not rectify.

- Greenville, SC, USA

problem #1

Jul 072011

Sorento 6-cyl

  • 100,000 miles
Repeated problems with check engine light, keep giving evap code, replaced evap canister solenoid with kit, headlights, taillights, clock loses time, .

- Houston, TX, USA