Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||||
| TSB-068 | 05/01/2010 | 10034246 | Kia: intermittent mil on with no fault code stored; information about dtc p1330. provides information relating to certain vehicles. in affected vehicles an intermittent short to ground in a circuit only intended for testing purposes may c | 10/29/2010 | |
| TSB-044 | 11/01/2009 | 10033464 | Kia: ecm upgrade with tp sensor replacement-mil on with dtc p2135/p0638. information related to ecm software and tp sensor upgrade on some vehicles with 2.7l engines which may experience a malfunction indicator lamp (mil) illuminated with | 08/18/2010 | |
| 073 | 05/01/2008 | 10025153 | Sorento icv replacement. *nj | 07/14/2008 | |
| 072 | 07/01/2007 | 10022518 | Crankshaft bolt replacement. *kb | 08/17/2007 | |
| 018 | 07/01/2004 | 10009688 | Engine control module (ecm) reprogramming. *tt | 10/15/2004 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | |||
| 02/08/2013 | 74000 | 1 | |
| I was driving the car when i suddenly started hearing rattling noises from the engine. the power steering stopped working and the steering wheel would not turn. thankfully, i was on a side street with no other traffic. if i had been in traffic or traveling at a higher speed, this would surely have caused a crash. my mechanic says that the crankshaft bolt is sheared off and must be drilled out to be replaced. kia won't cover this expensive repair, says it is not covered by their warranty. after researching this issue, i see that kia is aware of a defect in the bolt and has issued service bulletins and discontinued the bolt, issuing a new part to replace it. there are already numerous complaints on this and other sites due to this issue, spanning several model years. to date, i have not seen a recall from kia. dangerous defect and alarming lack of concern (not to mention customer service) from kia. i would never have bought this car if i had known the gamble i was taking with my family's safety. i hope others will not make the same mistake. *tr | |||
| 02/08/2013 | 74000 | ||
| I was driving the car when i suddenly started hearing rattling noises from the engine. the power steering stopped working and the steering wheel would not turn. thankfully, i was on a side street with no other traffic. if i had been in traffic or traveling at a higher speed, this would surely have caused a crash. my mechanic says that the crankshaft bolt is sheared off and must be drilled out to be replaced. kia won't cover this expensive repair, says it is not covered by their warranty. after researching this issue, i see that kia is aware of a defect in the bolt and has issued service bulletins and discontinued the bolt, issuing a new part to replace it. there are already numerous complaints on this and other sites due to this issue, spanning several model years. to date, i have not seen a recall from kia. dangerous defect and alarming lack of concern (not to mention customer service) from kia. i would never have bought this car if i had known the gamble i was taking with my family's safety. i hope others will not make the same mistake. | |||
| 01/01/2010 | 99000 | ||
| I had the vehicle in the dealership just below 100,000 miles. they didn't bother to tell me the transmission control module was messed up and needed replaced. this seems to be an issue with several people. and then to find out this is a dealer only part and over 900.00! i think this was poor customer service and they should've known something was wrong. the gear shift wasn't sitting in drive and not shifting correctly. i doubt i'd ever buy another kia because their service sucks! they don't value their customers and that really makes me uneasy. *tr | |||
| 07/01/2012 | 160000 | 2 | |
| The crankshaft pulley bolt broke and messed up the steering, i was unable to steer the car. this has happened twice now and continues to be a problem as i'm reading the kia forums. *tr | |||
| 01/01/2010 | 99000 | ||
| I had the vehicle in the dealership just below 100000 miles. they didn't bother to tell me the transmission control module was messed up and needed replaced. this seems to be an issue with several people. and then to find out this is a dealer only part and over 900.00! i think this was poor customer service and they shouldv'e known something was wrong. the gear shift wasn't sitting in drive and not shifting correctly. i doubt i'd ever buy another kia because their service sucks! they don't value their customers and that really makes me uneasy. | |||
| 07/01/2012 | 160000 | ||
| The crankshaft pulley bolt broke and messed up the steering, i was unable to steer the car. this has happened twice now and continues to be a problem as i'm reading the kia forums. | |||
| 01/01/2010 | 99000 | ||
| I had the vehicle in the dealership just below 100000 miles. they didn't bother to tell me the transmission control module was messed up and needed replaced. this seems to be an issue with several people. and then to find out this is a dealer only part and over 900.00! i think this was poor customer service and they shouldv'e known something was wrong. the gear shift wasn't sitting in drive and not shifting correctly. i doubt i'd ever buy another kia because their service sucks! they don't value their customers and that really makes me uneasy. | |||
| 07/01/2012 | 160000 | ||
| The crankshaft pulley bolt broke and messed up the steering, i was unable to steer the car. this has happened twice now and continues to be a problem as i'm reading the kia forums. | |||
| 12/31/2012 | 137685 | ||
| While driving on the highway at 65 mph the crankshaft bolt broke, the timing belt and drive belt came loose. *tr | |||
| 12/31/2012 | 137685 | ||
| While driving on the highway at 65 mph the crankshaft bolt broke, the timing belt and drive belt came loose. | |||
| 09/05/2012 | 94186 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2004 kia sorento. the contact stated that while driving at low speeds, steering became very difficult and the battery, check engine, and brake warning lights illuminated. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was found that the catalytic converter and the crank shaft bolt and pin needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was approximately 94,186 and the current mileage was approximately 120,000. the vin was not available. mh | |||
| 09/05/2012 | 94186 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2004 kia sorento. the contact stated that while driving at low speeds the power steering would become extremely hard. immediately after the battery light, check engine and brake light illuminated. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis. after diagnosis they advised her that the catalytic converter, the crank shaft bolt and pin. the vehicle was repaired for the catalytic converter and the crank shaft bolt and pin. after having the repairs done the failure re occurred. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was approximately 94,186. the current mileage was approximately 120,000. tb | |||
| 12/10/2012 | 36471 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2004 kia sorento. the contact stated that while driving 25 mph, the vehicle lost complete power and all of the warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. the contact restarted the vehicle and took it to the dealer for inspection where they advised that the crank shaft sensor needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer was notified and advised the contact that the vehicle was no longer under warranty. the failure mileage was 36,471. kmj | |||
| 12/10/2012 | 36471 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2004 kia sorento. the contact stated that while driving 25 mph, the vehicle lost complete power and all the lights illuminated on the instrument panel. the contact restarted the vehicle and took it to the dealer for inspection and they stated the crank shaft censor needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer was notified and they stated the vehicle was out of warranty. the failure mileage was 36,471. ap | |||
| 10/10/2012 | 81000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2004 kia sorento. the contact stated that while starting the vehicle, she heard an abnormal ticking noise as the battery and engine warning lights illuminated. in addition, the power steering assist failed. the vehicle was towed to a private mechanic where it was determined that the vibration dampener had failed. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not contacted about the issue. the failure and current mileages were 81,000. kmj | |||
| 10/10/2012 | 81000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2004 kia sorento. the contact stated while starting the vehicle she heard a ticking noise then the battery and engine lights illuminated and the vehicle also lost power steering. the vehicle was towed to a private mechanic where it was found that the vibration dampener had failed. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not contacted about the issue. the failure and current mileages were 81,000. mh | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | |||
| 03/30/2012 | 75000 | ||
| Summary: i was driving along the interstate at aprox. 65 mph. i heard a ticking noise and looked at the dash. no warning lights my friend asked if the car felt like it was losing speed and it was i immediatly pulled over. moving to the emergency lane the engine stalled. none of the guages indicated anything wrong , and even after the engine failed the engine check light does not light up, none of the safety indicators light up. the vehicle has 75,000 miles only 13,000 of which i am responsible for. i am not covered under the warranty because i am not the original owner which is ridicualous in itself because the warranty should cover mileage as it states not owners. however, this problem occurred because of the fluid leaking out of the water reservoir/or possibly a failed water pump that kia knows will fail. if kia was aware of this problem and did not issue a recall, knowing that this could cause serious engine problems or death, why are they not responsible for this motor? the repairs are going to cost more than 5000 dollars this should not be tolerated. if you spend any money on a vehicle, change the oil every 3 to 5 thousand miles follow all safety recalls, you should expect more than 75,000 miles out of it. kia should be held accountable! i have contacted a lawyer in this matter i believe that kia knows its vehicles are faulty and are waiting for the cost of lawsuits against them to increase to be more than the cost of a recall for this problem, before they do anything to rectify the issues. | |||
| 03/10/2012 | 120000 | ||
| Summary: update to below problem i bought my sarento in 2004, new. i replaced the coolant reservor at 61000 miles due to overheating, replaced the low beam headlight bulbs on 4 ocasions, tail lights on 2 ocasions. 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 . | |||
| 03/30/2012 | 75000 | ||
| Summary: i was driving along the interstate at aprox. 65 mph. i heard a ticking noise and looked at the dash. no warning lights my friend asked if the car felt like it was losing speed and it was i immediatly pulled over. moving to the emergency lane the engine stalled. none of the guages indicated anything wrong , and even after the engine failed the engine check light does not light up, none of the safety indicators light up. the vehicle has 75,000 miles only 13,000 of which i am responsible for. i am not covered under the warranty because i am not the original owner which is ridicualous in itself because the warranty should cover mileage as it states not owners. however, this problem occurred because of the fluid leaking out of the water reservoir/or possibly a failed water pump that kia knows will fail. if kia was aware of this problem and did not issue a recall, knowing that this could cause serious engine problems or death, why are they not responsible for this motor? the repairs are going to cost more than 5000 dollars this should not be tolerated. if you spend any money on a vehicle, change the oil every 3 to 5 thousand miles follow all safety recalls, you should expect more than 75,000 miles out of it. kia should be held accountable! i have contacted a lawyer in this matter i believe that kia knows its vehicles are faulty and are waiting for the cost of lawsuits against them to increase to be more than the cost of a recall for this problem, before they do anything to rectify the issues. | |||
| 03/10/2012 | 120000 | ||
| Summary: update to below problem i bought my sarento in 2004, new. i replaced the coolant reservor at 61000 miles due to overheating, replaced the low beam headlight bulbs on 4 ocasions, tail lights on 2 ocasions. 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 . | |||
| 03/30/2012 | 75000 | ||
| Summary: i was driving along the interstate at aprox. 65 mph. i heard a ticking noise and looked at the dash. no warning lights my friend asked if the car felt like it was losing speed and it was i immediatly pulled over. moving to the emergency lane the engine stalled. none of the guages indicated anything wrong , and even after the engine failed the engine check light does not light up, none of the safety indicators light up. the vehicle has 75,000 miles only 13,000 of which i am responsible for. i am not covered under the warranty because i am not the original owner which is ridicualous in itself because the warranty should cover mileage as it states not owners. however, this problem occurred because of the fluid leaking out of the water reservoir/or possibly a failed water pump that kia knows will fail. if kia was aware of this problem and did not issue a recall, knowing that this could cause serious engine problems or death, why are they not responsible for this motor? the repairs are going to cost more than 5000 dollars this should not be tolerated. if you spend any money on a vehicle, change the oil every 3 to 5 thousand miles follow all safety recalls, you should expect more than 75,000 miles out of it. kia should be held accountable! i have contacted a lawyer in this matter i believe that kia knows its vehicles are faulty and are waiting for the cost of lawsuits against them to increase to be more than the cost of a recall for this problem, before they do anything to rectify the issues. | |||
| 03/10/2012 | 120000 | ||
| Summary: update to below problem i bought my sarento in 2004, new. i replaced the coolant reservor at 61000 miles due to overheating, replaced the low beam headlight bulbs on 4 ocasions, tail lights on 2 ocasions. 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 . | |||
| 04/01/2009 | 47500 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2004 kia sorento. while driving approximately 35 mph the vehicle suddenly stalled. the vehicle was towed to the dealer for diagnostic testing. the technician stated the crank shaft pulley had to be replaced. after the vehicle was repaired the failure continued to occur. the failure occurred three different times. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 47,500. | |||
| 04/01/2009 | 47500 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2004 kia sorento. while driving approximately 35 mph the vehicle suddenly stalled. the vehicle was towed to the dealer for diagnostic testing. the technician stated the crank shaft pulley had to be replaced. after the vehicle was repaired the failure continued to occur. the failure occurred three different times. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 47,500. rvk | |||
| 04/01/2009 | 47500 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2004 kia sorento. while driving at approximately 35 mph the vehicle suddenly stalled. the vehicle was towed to the dealer for diagnostic. the technician stated the crank shaft pulley had to be replaced. after the repair the failure continued. the failure occurred three different times. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 47,500. ds | |||
| 06/01/2011 | 99648 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2004 kia sorento. the contact stated that a loose induct control valve fell into the engine, causing the engine to become defective. the dealer and manufacturer were notified, but denied any assistance with repairs to the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 99,648. kmj | |||
| 06/01/2011 | 99648 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2004 kia sorento. the contact stated that a loose induct control valve fell into the engine, causing the engine to become defective. the dealer and manufacturer were notified, but denied any assistance with repair to the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 99,648. nw | |||
| 06/24/2011 | 70000 | ||
| Crankshaft pulley bolt - this is a recalled part that was replaced in 2008. snapped off while driving. thankfully not on the freeway when it happened. replacement is just as faulty as original. many multiple kia owners have reported this problem some have had this same occurrence happen a third time. obviously, replacement bolt is not working either and cannot survive the stress that is needed to operate safely. this is a costly and timely repair to replace a bolt that should last more than 2 1/2 years. needs to be recalled and replaced with a better quality bolt. called kia and they will not repair, state out of 1 1/2 year warranty. 1st year of car ownership, car stalled while turning left with oncoming traffic approaching due to three faulty starter coils. kia needs to be held responsible for their less than reliable vehicles. poor quality parts. electrical system also faulty, headlights and brake lights consistently go out. | |||
| 04/11/2011 | 76000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2004 kia sorrento. the contact was traveling 15 mph when the crankshaft bolt fractured and caused damage to the crank position sensor, timing belt, damper pulley, and the crankshaft sprocket. the vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. the vehicle was taken back to the dealer where the contact was advised that the crankshaft would need to be replaced. the dealer also advised replacing the engine. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage and current mileages were 76,000. | |||
| 04/11/2011 | 76000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2004 kia sorrento. the contact was traveling 15 mph when the crankshaft bolt broke on the vehicle. this caused damage to crank position sensor, the timing belt, the damper pulley and the crankshaft sprocket. the contact had that failure repaired and then the bolt broke again. the contact took the vehicle back to the dealer this time and was told the crankshaft would need to be replaced, but it would be better and less costly to replace the engine. the vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. the failure mileage and current mileages were 76,000.rl | |||
| 07/17/2010 | 63000 | ||
| I was driving my children in the summer and my engine began squealing very loudly, the a/c stopped working, and the steering locked up. we took the car to get it fixed and they said the crank shaft bolt in the engine had broken completely. they said the only thing we could do is replace the entire engine, which is $4000. we found someone who replaced the bolt, because we couldn't afford a new engine, and now the heat doesn't work, it still squeals, and our radio completely stopped working as well. we have had nothing but problems with this vehicle, and we are only at 65000 miles. | |||
| 05/14/2008 | 70000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2004 kia sorento. while driving approximately 40 mph the vehicle locked up. she lost control of the vehicle and the vehicle spunned out of control. the vehicle was towed to the dealer and she was advised that the crank shaft bolt broke off in the engine, the pulleys fell off and the two belts broke. the dealer repaired the vehicle and she has had problems since the vehicle was repaired. the vehicle was taken back to the dealer and they advised her the the vehicle was repaired. she stated the check engine light was coming on intermittent at first but know it was on permanently. the check engine light has been on for over a year. the vehicle has not been repaired. the contact referenced an unknown manufacturer's recall regarding the crank bolt shaft. a diagnostic was performed on the vehicle and the problem was with the crank shaft sensor. after the diagnostic the vehicle was not driveable. the failure mileage was 70,000 and the current mileage 108,850. vwb | |||
| 11/07/2009 | 66000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2004 kia sorento. the contact was driving approximately 55 mph, the engine completely stalled. the vehicle was towed to the dealer where they informed that crank bolt sheared; and the engine hermetic balancer completely detached from the vehicle. the technician advised that the failure was very unusual. the dealer replaced the crank bolt and the owner was responsible for the additional cost of $2,000. the vehicle was repaired. in addition, there were certain areas the vehicle exterior paint sustained excessive chipping after the defective surface was touched up with paint. also, the engine overheated and the temperature gauge failed to function correctly, even though the thermostat was replaced. the failure mileage was approximately 66,000. js | |||
| 08/17/2010 | 71000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2004 kia sorento. the contac t stated that the vibration damper on the front of the crank shaft has failed. he took the vehicle to the dealer and they stated that there had been a recall but his vehicle's vin was not included, even though his symptoms were exactly the same. the current and failure mileage were approximately 71,000. rd | |||
| 05/08/2010 | 80000 | 1 | |
| Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6) we have a 2004 kia sorento automobile that had an issue with the crankshaft bolt in sept. 2009. the repair cost over $1000.00. we later found out that there was some kind of repair campaign (sc072) for the same issue. when we contacted kia customer service for repair reimbursement we were told our vehicle was manufactured 11 days after the vehicles involved in the recall. kia offered no grace period and told us there was nothing they could do. on saturday, 5/8/10, the same bolt broke again which renders the vehicle undriveable. if this bolt were to break while the vehicle was operating at highway speed the consequences would be catastrophic. the vehicle has been towed back to bill dodge kia in westbrook, me. again for repair, and has been documented as kia case # [xxx] . the case was opened by contacting kia customer service (albert) at 800-333-4542, ext. 45060. the kia regional manager for this part of the u.s. is gary airoldi and kia would not provide any additional contact information for mr. airoldi. i can | |||
| 05/15/2009 | 103000 | 1 | |
| Cooling system failure cause blown engine without any warning. *tr | |||
| 08/04/2008 | 34000 | 1 | |
| I purchased my car threw a local dealership aap. 8 mo. ago it had 27,000 at the time of purchase. on 8-4-08 the vehicle had 34,000 miles. i was driving at a speed of app.40 mi. an hour when the car started smoking from the engine the smoke got thicker . i quickly pulled over into a small parking lot shut off the car + jumped out of the car with my son. in a matter of seconds the car was in flames. after that there was a hose that fell down under the car + was shooting flames from that too. the fire department came + put it out. the dash was caved in .the car was totaled. i reported this to the dealership + kia corporation. they listened to my complaint with no result and would not take any responsibility for. it . buyers beware. *tr | |||
| 07/06/2008 | 1 | ||
| My sister purchased this vehicle new and has had nothing but problems with it and problems with dealership/kia honoring their 10 year/100,000 mile warranty. she purchased this vehicle believing she would be driving a quality vehicle (advertising 10 year/100,000 mile warranty she assumed it must be of high quality because who would offer that kind of warranty if it was junk....wrong!) she has had nothing but stress, financial expense, lost work time, and a battle of her life trying to seek consumer justice...dealership, kia motors, lemon law requires a part to fail four times, attorney generals office, conciliation court, writing to ruukivina, oberstar, and most recently amy klobuchar...all failed. no one has said that they will investigate kia and protect the consumers from this fraudulent automobile manufacturer. why? the problems she has had with her vehicle consist of rust on the tailgate and rear doors just a few months after purchasing, all kinds of electrical problems from headlights and tail lights burning out numerous times, the digital dash for radio and heater going black, the heater not work, a relay switch for fan failed, foam between windshield and frame coming out tapping on the window, a problem with the coolant reservoir, the rear driveshaft failed, the transmission had to be replaced and most recently the transfer case. safety issues and concerns would be with tail lights and headlights burning out prematurely and frequently and the crankshaft bolt broke causing to loose all ability to steer the vehicle. there are probably other problems she has had with the vehicle but i do not recall at this time. *tr | |||
| 08/09/2008 | 77600 | 1 | 07/30/2006 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2004 kia sorento. while the vehicle was stationary, the contact noticed that antifreeze was leaking from the tank assembly reservoir. there were no warning indicators prior to the failure. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and they replaced the tank assembly. the failure and current mileages were 77,600. updated 09/15/08 *bf the consumer stated the engine coolant storage tank was made out of plastic. updated 09/17/08. *jb | |||
| 07/02/2008 | 62000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2004 kia sorento. while driving 65 mph, the power steering failed and the vehicle shut down. the vehicle was towed to the dealer and they diagnosed that the radiator water overflow container cracked. as a result, fluid leaked and overheated the engine, which caused it to fail. the engine will need to be replaced at the cost of $11,000. the vehicle has over 60,000 miles; therefore, the manufacturer will not assist. the current and failure mileages were 62,000. | |||
| 04/15/2008 | 61500 | 1 | |
| Car was serviced by dealer for four years. i purchase the car, have the coolant water flow tank pressured tested and three weeks later leak or crack in the coolant water flow tank. all liquids leaked out, engine over heated and blew. had to replace the engine. over 6000. to repair. *tr | |||
| 03/09/2008 | 159000 | 1 | |
| I have a 2004 magentis which i heard is like the serento. the timing belt jumped and this took out the motor. up to this i loved my car. kia said there was nothing they could do but replace the engine at my cost and i would not get it back until it was paid for. well being a single mother of 4, still making payments on the car for another 4 more years. needless to say i have a car with no motor and making payments. *tr | |||
| 04/08/2008 | 61000 | 1 | |
| 2004 kia sorento leak in a/c coolant bottle. my car was in for a pressure test three weeks before this and it past just fine without any leaks or cracks. on the freeway, over heats, pull over, all the fluid leaks out, engine is dead and must be replaced. just hit 61,000 miles. kia does not offer 100,000 mile coverage unless you are the original owner. i am the second owner and have had the car three months. $5000. later i have my car back. kia will not honor to do the work because they say it was a long term leak. well, before i purchased the car, kia did all the maintenance on this car for four years..... if it was a long term leak, shouldn't they have caught it? they say no. i also purchased an extended 80,000/3 year warranty when i purchased the car, they also declined my car coverage because they cover nothing due to any overheating. this is really just a complete joke. i did nothing wrong. kia serviced the car for four years. i had the car in three weeks before it blew up and it was tested and filled with fluids. why does this not make any sense??? *tr | |||
| 09/11/2007 | 60537 | 1 | 09/01/2004 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2004 kia sorento. while driving 20 mph, the vehicle began to sputter and hesitate and then it completely shut off. the contact restarted the vehicle and drove to the dealer. the dealer stated that the coolant compartment had a leak and was dripping coolant into the engine compartment, which caused it to hesitate. she called the kia corporate office and was informed that her vehicle was out of warranty and the repair would not be free. the current and failure mileages were 60,537. | |||
| 07/01/2007 | 60000 | 4 | 08/01/2005 |
| After already replacing a crankshaft and a speed sensor in my 2004 kia sorento ex, i am now experiencing a knocking sound under the hood. it usually starts while waiting for a stop light but also while driving down the road. my warranty is out and i can't afford to have it worked on at this point. don't ever buy a used kia sorento without checking carfax first!!!! *tr | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM | |||
| 08/16/2011 | 60000 | ||
| Just normal driving the reserve radiator tank split at the seem. the car has 60,000 miles on it. it leaked all over in my garage and my two puppies almost licked up the coolant from the floor. | |||
| 09/05/2010 | 60000 | ||
| While driving in the fast lane on the interstate, my 2004 kia sorento overheated and the engine seized, we were able to coast off teh freeway at an exit and pull over safely. upon inspection, we noticed teh coolant reservoir was cracked on the bottom, allowing all the coolant to leak out. after a little research, i found the tsb about this old model coolant reservoir cracking and a new model was out. this damaged tank caused my engine to overheat, seize on the freeway adn now has blown the head gasket and warped teh aluminum heads. why wasn't i told that these tanks were a problem, i had my oil changed at teh dealership 3 weeks prior and 3 months before that, nobody said anything. | |||
| 10/12/2009 | 82000 | 1 | |
| My 2004 kia sorento was in the dealership for diagnostics due to engine misfire. during which phil smith kia technicians gave my cooling system green check that all was ok. approximately ten miles afterwards the engine suffered failure, headgasket blown. vehicle was towed to the dealership. was advised by service manager when they started the vehicle the engine seized. dealership is refusing to cover under warranty, claiming that the car overheated causing the failure. the even occurred within 5 minutes of the car starting and it never overheated. i have contacted kia consumer and received no assistance. despite having documentation to support the cooling system was fine, they will not accept the claim. i am forced to pay for charges relating to the engine tear down, approximately $400 before they will release my vehicle back to me. i will then have to take it elsewhere to be repaired. *tr | |||
| 10/23/2009 | 77000 | 1 | |
| No problems before hand to indicate there was a problem until complete power loss with engine failure, within a 50 second span of driving on interstate. this was the only failure , as stated, with this car. nothing could be done. the coolant reservoir tank was faulty on this model . informed of this from the dealership and local corporate rep., after the fact. i was never informed of this faulty part at any time. even when car serviced. this was a 3 year known faulty part that manufacturer knew about. car was new when bought. had a engine warranty of 10/100,000. i only had 5 years and 77,000 on car. car corporation refuses to honor or deal with replacing engine. was told the first week twice it would be covered. local corp. rep. then said no to warranty coverage. i have since pay for a new engine out of my own pocket. *tr | |||
| 05/05/2008 | 64000 | 1 | |
| I bought my 2004 sorento new. in may 2008 and at 64,000 miles this year the water pump started leaking. i took it into the local kia dealership and they said it was under a recall and replaced it. they also recommended a timing belt change at that time and i did that too. after i left the dealership and drove into my garage, water was pouring out from underneath the passengers side tire, where the reserve tank was. i turned around took it right back and showed them. they said it wasn't anything they did to bust it, it must of been that way already. i informed them that i know it wasn't that way because i had been pouring tons of water in it until i could get my car in for that appointment since the water pump was leaking and the leaking before was coming from the center of the car, not by the tire. i also informed them, that i knew they busted because they had to put pressure on the water pump line to test it and therefore it was there fought. they still said even though they didn't do it they would go ahead and replace it for free. why do they not want to own up to it to begin with? if i had not made a scene in front of their other customers they where going to make me pay for it. i have also had the wiper park area burn out. smoke started coming from my windshield on he inside and now the heated wiper park area is not working. it will need a whole new windshield. *tr | |||
| 10/21/2007 | 64000 | 1 | |
| I was told by the florida state attorney general's office this is the site to enter information for a possible product recall. this is not a safety issue. the radiator reservoir on kia sorrento's start leaking for no apparent reason. if the consumer does not notice it then the engine will overheat and stop working. although the engines are warranted for 10 yrs or 100,000 miles i see potential for many consumers losing their engines and the response from kia be that the customer let the engine overheat. it is not easy to realize that the car is overheating. rather than a flashing light the temperature indicator is a gauge. you have to actually notice that the needle has moved. it seems a shame that so many people may lose their engines because of what amount to a plastic part that just starts leaking. i believe the replacement radiator reservoir is a redesigned part and i strongly believe that the original part is defective should be recalled. i own a kia, this did not happen to me. i was luck enough to notice that the radiator reservoir was leaking. my sorrento is a 2004 but i believe other sorrentos around that year use the same defective part. *tr | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM - RADIATOR ASSEMBLY | |||
| 08/16/2005 | 36000 | 1 | 09/26/2003 |
| The engine coolant reservoir failed can't be repaired. it must be replaced. there are no such parts anywhere in the united states. parts are on a boat from korea. due to the suspected number of such failures, and to the basic lack of adequate design of the part, we suspect that there has been a major draw-down on the part, resulting in a stock outage. operating the vehicle w/o this major component would result in engine failure. such engine failure, under certain conditions, could result in an accident, and potential injury. *nm *ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||
| 06/04/2011 | 90000 | ||
| Shortly after i had some belts replaced on my 2004 kia sorento, the crankshaft bolt broke (around 90,000 miles on the vehicle). i was told there was a recall on this part, but not for my vin number. i had to pay over $700 to get the problem fixed and my mechanic had to buy the part from kia to finally get it from continually breaking. now, almost two years later, it has happened again (around 130,000 miles). i called kia to see if they extended the recall to cover my vehicle, but they did not and refused to do anything about it. once again, it is coming out of my pocket to fix this problem. obviously this is a problem with vehicles other than the ones that were originally covered under the recall. | |||
| 03/21/2011 | |||
| I bought a 2004 kia sorento in 2006 finished paying for it in 2010,over the years ihave had to change the lights so many times i cant count,i have had topaint it twice,then the driving shaft broke,the compressor was changed twice, the cd player works on and off the air bags light came on and stayed for months on end the engine light does the same and most recently there is smoke coming from the engine, i am having to stop park and let it cool off before continuining on my journey, at the moment i got scared and i now i have my vehicle parked at home because i am scared to drive it, it is a shame and i am very upset. is there anyone out there who is trying to do something about these problems us consumers are having? i own my vehicle and has a clean title and would like to trade in or sell but with all these problems how can i pass it on to someone else? i am asking someone from kia to do the responsible thing and give us some answers before someone loses their life,that is if it hasnot happened already. dont let this be toyota. | |||
| 05/08/2010 | 80000 | 1 | |
| Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6) we have a 2004 kia sorento automobile that had an issue with the crankshaft bolt in sept. 2009. the repair cost over $1000.00. we later found out that there was some kind of repair campaign (sc072) for the same issue. when we contacted kia customer service for repair reimbursement we were told our vehicle was manufactured 11 days after the vehicles involved in the recall. kia offered no grace period and told us there was nothing they could do. on saturday, 5/8/10, the same bolt broke again which renders the vehicle undriveable. if this bolt were to break while the vehicle was operating at highway speed the consequences would be catastrophic. the vehicle has been towed back to bill dodge kia in westbrook, me. again for repair, and has been documented as kia case # [xxx] . the case was opened by contacting kia customer service (albert) at 800-333-4542, ext. 45060. the kia regional manager for this part of the u.s. is gary airoldi and kia would not provide any additional contact information for mr. airoldi. i can | |||
| 03/10/2008 | 61500 | 1 | |
| My response is to the person who filed the below complaint: mine was 2004 same exact thing happened to me 6500. for new engine! absolutely nothing was covered by kia excuse after excuse i also had all records on the car. i also had in writing ten days before proof that their was not a crack in reservoir because i had service done---kia's response was that i must have known i had issues with the car if i took it in for service...mind you this was my normal 3 month-3000 mile normal routine check up...........kia is horrible...... i am on board with you for class action suit to get my money back that they should have paid for!!! my 2003 kia sorento stopped with no warning or indication of a problem at 67,735 miles due to what was later determined to be engine overheating. at first the kia dealer said it was due to the coolant reservoir cracking and going empty. since this is not a part of the engines actual means of cooling, they changed their story to the thermostat failed. kia said that this portion of the warranty passed at 65,000 miles. their warranty says 100,000 miles. cost over $3,600.00 to repair, similar situation at 80,000 miles for $1,400.00. still no warranty coverage. i have furnished complete maintenance records showing maintenance at every interval required by kia. looking for some one to join in a class action suit. *tr | |||
| 10/23/2009 | 77000 | 1 | |
| No problems before hand to indicate there was a problem until complete power loss with engine failure, within a 50 second span of driving on interstate. this was the only failure , as stated, with this car. nothing could be done. the coolant reservoir tank was faulty on this model . informed of this from the dealership and local corporate rep., after the fact. i was never informed of this faulty part at any time. even when car serviced. this was a 3 year known faulty part that manufacturer knew about. car was new when bought. had a engine warranty of 10/100,000. i only had 5 years and 77,000 on car. car corporation refuses to honor or deal with replacing engine. was told the first week twice it would be covered. local corp. rep. then said no to warranty coverage. i have since pay for a new engine out of my own pocket. *tr | |||
| 09/12/2009 | 87000 | 1 | |
| On sat. sept. 12, 2009, i was on the express way and noticed that my 2004 kia sorento was slowing down. i immediately looked at my dashboard to see if any lights were on, none on. i then noticed that my heat gauge was at h. i immediately pulled of at the next exit and there was a gas station at the corner. steam started to come from under the hood and fluid from under the car. i had it towed home because it would not start. i then had it towed to a kia dealership service dept and they looked at the vehicle. the service manager called to inform me that my engine was gone. i said gone. how did that happen. he said because i drove it too long after it started to shut off. ii explained the car was slowing down and i immediately pulled off the express way to a gas station (which is right off the ramp). i did not drive it far. he told me i had 2 choice, a new engine for $10, 000+ or a used engine $6300+. it was no longer under warranty as of 10/2008. i am devastated. i thought the company offered a 100,000 mile warranty. i had about 87,000 miles on the vehicle. i called kia headquarters and they are looking into this matter. i am awaiting a reply from them. *tr | |||
| 05/15/2009 | 103000 | 1 | |
| Cooling system failure cause blown engine without any warning. *tr | |||
| 07/07/2007 | 50000 | 6 | 01/17/2005 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2004 kia sorento. while driving approximately 30 mph on normal road conditions, the engine stalled unexpectedly and restarted after several attempts. the check engine warning indicator illuminated on the instrument panel and remained lit until the engine was turned off. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and they stated that the manifold gasket failed. the vehicle was repaired under warranty. on six separate occasions, the vehicle was taken back to the authorized dealer for identical failures, but there were no resolutions. the contact was responsible for the repair expense because the warranty expired. the authorized dealer replaced the crankshaft, crankshaft sensor, timing belt, and drive belt. the failure mileage was 50,000 and current mileage was 66,000. updated 12/23/08 the air bag illuminated and would not go out, even when someone was seated in. the headlight was blown, the rear hatch would not stay up. the dealer had to order hood struts. updated 12/23/08.*jb | |||
| 05/13/2008 | 61000 | 1 | |
| I purchased a 2004 kia sorento in july 2004, had a few problems such as brakes wearing out too soon and things like that but the dealership was great to make the repairs at no cost. on may 13, 2008 while sitting out a stop sign in my neighborhood the engine began making a very loud banging noise and then stalled. the check engine light came on and my immediate fear was the engine had blown. i knew the oil and preventive maintenance service work had just performed and now the serento had 61k miles on it. i had a wrecker truck tow the serento to the bayway kia dealership (houston) which is where i had service work done before. the nice service manager named joe' had the engine inspected and found the engine failed because of a item falling off the fuel injector into a cylinder, thus blowing the engine. joe advised the engine repair (replacement) would be covered under warranty because of a known defect. now it has been 3 months, still no repair, bayway kia is now owned by a different company, thus joe is no longer there, and the kia dealership keep stalling on the repair. they only have one certified mechanic who has been snowed under with work. this entire week the certified mechanic is on vacation and twenty-five (25) cars in the repair shop waiting on him... hummm.... they basically refused to allow me taking it to another dealership because they have the engine taken apart and ordered the replacement parts. what good is a 100k warranty if they keep the vehicle for months and months, while i still pay the finance company? *tr | |||
| 09/25/2006 | 45814 | 2 | 03/14/2004 |
| I had back firing and the possibility of stalling. of course i did report this to lawleys, but their response was, well we can't find the problem, so when the check engine light comes on, then bring it back. i had traveled to el paso, tx. and when i was ready to come home, i started this vehicle and it had a very loud clicking noise. i had no oil in the car and there was no warning. as far as the verification of oil changes, i had some, but i didn't have a recent one because it was not time to change the oil until i got back home, but they did not care. well, the second time that i had a problem i was in willcox, az. it's about 50 miles outside of sierra vista. when i got out there the check engine light came on, and if you read your manual, then you know not to drive the kia with the check engine light on. they said to drive it home. this was on a saturday. i had to wait until monday to bring it into the shop. come to find out, there was a very big problem with the engine. the lack of power, the backfiring of the engine, it all came from a cylinder misfire. there were dents in the piston top, cylinder wall was damaged, and valve damage, to include metal shavings in the cylinder. it is stated in my report that there were concerns about this problem being in the intake manifold with other vehicles. this caused the damaged areas that i recently mentioned. this of course caused problems with the performance of the engine. if you are having the same problems with your kia and your dealership tells you they can?t find the problem, then mention the concerns about the intake manifold. every dealership knows that these vehicles are badly made and they will find any reason to not have to pay to fix your vehicle. make sure you have your receipts or they will not be willing to help you at all. after my dealership diagnosed it, they said that because i was missing an oil change, i would have to pay $350 (for the fluids needed) and that they would replace the engine. *jb | |||
| 08/03/2007 | 130000 | 1 | 03/11/2004 |
| Engine seized due to a factory recall. received the notice after the fact and kia is not willing to accept and take responsibility in correctly fixing my engine and paying for my $1000 rental car. *jb | |||
| 06/24/2007 | 60000 | 1 | 02/01/2004 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2004 kia sorento. while driving 30 mph, the vehicle shut off and the power steering and brakes failed. the vehicle would not restart and was towed to the dealer. the dealer stated that the crank shaft bolt was the cause of failure. the current and failure mileages were 60,000. | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM | |||
| 10/15/2010 | 155000 | ||
| I was driving along the interstate at aprox. 70 mph. i heard a ticking noise and looked at the dash. no warning lights. i rolled the window up, could not hear the noise any longer and continued down the road. i rolled the window back down, the ticking got louder, all lights on the dash light up, engine stalls, and as i'm moving to the emergency lane, the temp. gauge moves to the red. the vehicle has 155,000 miles on it so the warrenty is up. however, this problem occured because of the fluid leaking out of the water resevoir. if kia was aware of this problem and did not issue a recall, knowing that this could cause serious engine problems, why are they not responsible for this motor? the repairs are going to cost more than 5000 dollars and that is if i can find a replacement moter from a secondary dealer. i have considered trying to find a used motor but i am now hearing that this particular moter has had a problem with the #6 cylinder wall failing, and i do not want to sink that kind of money into this vehicle without the assurance that i will not have to go through this again in 6 months. has anyone else heard of this? are there any class action suits against kia? this should not be tolerated. if you spend 28,000 dollars on a vehicle, change the oil every 3 to 5 thousand miles, you should expect more than 155,000 miles out of it. kia should be held accountable! | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL | |||
| 09/25/2006 | 45814 | 2 | 03/14/2004 |
| I had back firing and the possibility of stalling. of course i did report this to lawleys, but their response was, well we can't find the problem, so when the check engine light comes on, then bring it back. i had traveled to el paso, tx. and when i was ready to come home, i started this vehicle and it had a very loud clicking noise. i had no oil in the car and there was no warning. as far as the verification of oil changes, i had some, but i didn't have a recent one because it was not time to change the oil until i got back home, but they did not care. well, the second time that i had a problem i was in willcox, az. it's about 50 miles outside of sierra vista. when i got out there the check engine light came on, and if you read your manual, then you know not to drive the kia with the check engine light on. they said to drive it home. this was on a saturday. i had to wait until monday to bring it into the shop. come to find out, there was a very big problem with the engine. the lack of power, the backfiring of the engine, it all came from a cylinder misfire. there were dents in the piston top, cylinder wall was damaged, and valve damage, to include metal shavings in the cylinder. it is stated in my report that there were concerns about this problem being in the intake manifold with other vehicles. this caused the damaged areas that i recently mentioned. this of course caused problems with the performance of the engine. if you are having the same problems with your kia and your dealership tells you they can?t find the problem, then mention the concerns about the intake manifold. every dealership knows that these vehicles are badly made and they will find any reason to not have to pay to fix your vehicle. make sure you have your receipts or they will not be willing to help you at all. after my dealership diagnosed it, they said that because i was missing an oil change, i would have to pay $350 (for the fluids needed) and that they would replace the engine. *jb | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL - CRANKCASE (PCV) | |||
| 05/30/2006 | 43773 | 3 | 03/01/2004 |
| 2004 kia sorento - loss of power, brake and battery lights illuminated, vehicle stalled. crank bolt failure. happened 3 times; replaced/fixed 3 times. a letter to kia being sent at the time this was being written.*ak | |||