2004 Kia Sorento

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND EXCESSIVE FORCED WAS REQUIRED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE DEALER REPLACED THE BOLTS. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE BOLTS FRACTURED FROM THE HARMONIC BALANCER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO INDICATED THAT THE CRANK SHAFT AND ENGINE MIGHT NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,000.

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? *TR

PICKED UP VEHICLE AFTER HAVING REAR SUPPORT BEARINGS REPAIRED DRIVING BACK HOME AT 65MPH ON I-35/TEXAS 410 EAST STARTED TO EXPERIENCE STRONG SMELL OF EXHAUST FUMES IN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. DURING DRIVE HOME STARTED TO RAIN, ACTIVATED WIPERS, DRIVERS SIDE WIPER BLADE FELL OFF DURING RAINSTORM HAD TO OPEN DRIVER SIDE WINDOW TO NAVIGATE! UPON ARRIVAL AT HOME NOTICED, SMOKE COMING FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT (PASSENGERS SIDE) AND SMOKE UNDERNEATH VEHICLE FROM CATALYTIC CONVERTER. LOOKED UNDERNEATH VEHICLE AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER, WAS SMOKING, INSIDE ENGINE COMPARTMENT A HOSE AT THE REAR OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT (SORRY NOT A MECHANIC) HAD A HOLE IN IT AND WAS SMOKING ALSO? VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN SINCE 12/7/12, VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED 10/4/12, HAS LIMITED WARRANTY. *TR

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. *TR

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 . *TR

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. *TR

WHILE DRIVING I SUDDENLY HEARD A SOUND COMING FROM MY ENGINE AND SEVERAL DASHBOARD LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR TO THE AUTO MECHANIC THAT WORKS ON MY CAR WHO INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS A CRANK PULLEY BOLT THAT HAD SHEARED OFF. THE MECHANIC ALSO INFORMED ME THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH KIAS. AFTER DOING A LOT OF INTERNET RESEARCH I FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS TRUE. THE CAR HAS 135,000 ON IT. I HAVE SPENT OVER $4,000 ON REPAIRS ON THIS CAR IN THE LAST YEAR. IT SEEMS THAT EVERYTHING DECIDED TO GO THIS YEAR. I ONLY DO HIGHWAY DRIVING AND I AM THE ONLY OWNER. I AM VERY CAREFUL WITH MY CAR. ANY CHANCE KIA WILL REIMBURSE? *TR

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.

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. UPDATED 11/08/11*LJ