2004 Kia Sorento

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

ENTERING I-35 NORTH FROM ACCESS ROAD IN SAN ANTONIO TEXAS. TIME 08:15AM (RUSH HOUR) LOUD BANG FROM REAR OF VEHICLE SPEED IMMEDIATELY DROPPED TO 20MPH, INITIALLY THOUGHT I HAD BLOWN A TIRE. PULLED OFF ACCESS ROAD TO SIDE STREET. WAS HAVING TROUBLE STOPPING VEHICLE NO BRAKE PRESSURE FOOT WENT ALL THE WAY TO FLOORBOARD. CHECKED REAR TIRES, NO VISIBLE DAMAGE TO EITHER TIRE (TIRES WERE NEW)WHEN VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. AGAIN ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE VEHICLE, REAR TIRES WERE HAVING TROUBLE ROTATING? LATER DISCOVERED WHEEL BEARINGS HAD FAILED. *TR

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

WE HAVE HAD 4 INSTANCES WITH THE SAME ISSUE IN THE FIXING THE PULLEY CRANK SHAFT. JUNE 30, 08, (RECALL) OCTOBER 6, 09, AUG 10, 10 AND ONCE AGAIN SEPT 18,12. THIS IS THE SAME ISSUE THAT CAUSES YOU TO LOOSE STEERING WHILE DRIVING WITH APPARENTLY NO WARNING. I FIND THIS EXTREMELY TROUBLING AS WE HAVE A NEW DRIVER LEARNING WITH THIS CAR. WE ARE LUCKY TO REPORT THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NO ACCIDENTS OR DEATHS BUT I THINK IT IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT WILL SOON HAPPEN. THE DEALER WAGNER KIA OF SHREWSBURY,MA FEELS THAT IT IS NOT AN ISSUE AND IS JUST FROM WEAR AND TEAR. 4 TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM? OBVIOUSLY KIA HAS NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM CORRECTLY. IT ANGERS ME THAT KIA IS NOT TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY. WE DRIVE OUR CHILDREN AS WELL AS OTHER CHILDREN IN THIS CAR AND COULD OF HAD SERIOUS TO FATAL INJURIES. FROM THIS BOLT SHEARING OFF IT HAS ALSO CAUSED OTHER MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE CAR THAT WE HAVE ALREADY HAD FIXED. *TR

TWO BRACKETS (ONE LEFT, ONE RIGHT) THAT HOLD THE REAR UPPER CONTROL ARMS TO THE REAR AXLE HOUSING HAVE COMPLETELY SNAPPED OFF. THIS LEAVES A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION WHICH WILL CAUSE THE REAR AXLE OF THE CAR TO ROTATE AND FALL OUT OF THE CAR. IF THIS HAPPENS AT SPEED, SERIOUS INJURY AND/OR DEATH IS LIKELY. THERE ARE MANY MANY POSTS ABOUT THIS SAME PROBLEM ONLINE AND KIA REFUSES TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM STATING THAT IT'S NOT A FLAW OR DEFECT. IT IS IF IT HAPPENS TO ALMOST EVERY VEHICLE OF THIS YEAR AND MODEL. KIA DOES NOT OFFER A REPLACEMENT BRACKET THAT CAN BE WELDED ON AND THEY SUGGEST THAT THE ENTIRE REAR AXLE HOUSING ASSEMBLY IS REPLACED AT A COST OF SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS PER VEHICLE. KIA MOTORS REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM OR ASSIST AFFECTED CUSTOMERS IN RESOLVING IT. *TR

CORROSION OF REAR DIFFERENTIAL, BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT ARM COMPLETELY BROKE OFF AXLE ASSY, UNSAFE TO DRIVE. REPAIR SHOP I'VE USED FOR THE LAST 4 YEARS GAVE ESTIMATE OF $1,300.00 WITH POSSIBLE ADDITIONAL COST OF UP TO $500.00. THEY SUGGESTED I CALL KIA REGARDING MY 10 YR. 100,000 MILE WARRANTY. CALLED KIA CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS FOR 10 YR. 100,000 MILE WARRANTY. WAS TOLD I NEEDED TO TOW IT FROM MY REPAIR SHOP TO THE NEAREST KIA DEALER WHICH WAS 48 MILES AWAY. SERVICE MANAGER AFTER LOOKING AT DEFECT TOLD ME WARRANTY DENIED WOULD COST $2,700.00 (APPROXIMATE) AND COULD COUNT ON AN ADDITIONAL $500.00 TO $1,000.00 WHEN TAKEN APART. PLACED ANOTHER CALL TO KIA CORP. HEADQUARTERS FOR WARRANTY AND WAS TOLD THERE IS NO DEFECT. DAMAGE AS A RESULT OF SALT OUT OF THEIR CONTROL, AND THE SERVICE MANAGER HAD THE FINAL SAY. *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