← New search

2004 Kia Sorento

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2004 Kia Sorento do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 242.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

187 reports with mileage · 33 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine. Review the 46 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 46 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 40 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

11 crash reports12 fire reports9 injury reports

Service Brakes complaints

7 reports
Clear category filter
150,000 miles · Jan 21, 2020
Service BrakesStructure

WHILE MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE BRAKES FAILED. THE MECHANIC SHOWED ME THE BRAKE LINES TOWARD THE REAR SUSPENSION RUSTED THROUGH. ALSO THE SUPPORT FOR THE REAREND RUSTED THROUGH MAKING THE VEHICLE DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. THE BRAKE LINES FROM FRONT TO BACK WERE CHANGED AND I AM LOOKING TO HAVE THE SUPPORT BRACKETS …

Read full complaint

WHILE MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE BRAKES FAILED. THE MECHANIC SHOWED ME THE BRAKE LINES TOWARD THE REAR SUSPENSION RUSTED THROUGH. ALSO THE SUPPORT FOR THE REAREND RUSTED THROUGH MAKING THE VEHICLE DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. THE BRAKE LINES FROM FRONT TO BACK WERE CHANGED AND I AM LOOKING TO HAVE THE SUPPORT BRACKETS CHANGED.

NHTSA ODI #11300856

99,000 miles · Oct 17, 2017
EngineService BrakesSteering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CAMSHAFT PULLEY WAS FAULTY AND THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND THE LOCAL D…

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CAMSHAFT PULLEY WAS FAULTY AND THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND THE LOCAL DEALER (QUIRK KIA IN BRANKLY, MA) WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,000. *LN

NHTSA ODI #11034078

116,000 miles · Oct 9, 2014
Service BrakesStructure

I WENT TO GET MY OIL CHANGED ON/AROUND 9/5 AND THEY WOULDN'T CHANGE IT DUE TO SEVERE RUST DAMAGE THAT HAD RUSTED THROUGH THE OIL PAN, BRAKE LINE, AT LEAST ONE CRACK IN THE FRAME FROM RUST, AND THE TIRES ARE BARELY HELD ON TO THE CAR DUE TO RUST DAMAGE. NOW MY BRAKES DON'T WORK BUT I STILL HAVE TO DRIVE THE CAR. I WENT TO 2 OTHER…

Read full complaint

I WENT TO GET MY OIL CHANGED ON/AROUND 9/5 AND THEY WOULDN'T CHANGE IT DUE TO SEVERE RUST DAMAGE THAT HAD RUSTED THROUGH THE OIL PAN, BRAKE LINE, AT LEAST ONE CRACK IN THE FRAME FROM RUST, AND THE TIRES ARE BARELY HELD ON TO THE CAR DUE TO RUST DAMAGE. NOW MY BRAKES DON'T WORK BUT I STILL HAVE TO DRIVE THE CAR. I WENT TO 2 OTHER SHOPS AND NO ONE WILL WORK ON MY CAR DUE TO IT FALLING APART FROM RUST. I PURCHASE MY CAR AT ABC MOTOR CREDIT AUGUST OF 2013 AND RE-LOCATED TO FLORIDA BEFORE WINTER HIT. I CALLED THEM AND THEY REFERRED ME THEIR WARRANTY COMPANY, LISA WARRANTY GROUP. OF COURSE, RUST DAMAGE AND FRAME WORK IS NOT COVERED. ABC MOTOR CREDIT SOLD ME A CAR THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN TOTALED, NOT RE-SOLD TO A CONSUMER FOR $12,000!! I HAVE TRIED 5 DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS TO HELP GET INTO A NEWER, SAFER VEHICLE, BUT NO ONE WILL FINANCE ME DUE TO THE NEGATIVE EQUITY ON THIS LOAN. IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO? I SHOULD NOT BE STUCK PAYING $367 A MONTH FOR THE NEXT 2 YEARS AFTER ALREADY INVESTING OVER $4,000 INTO A USELESS VEHICLE. I HAVE TO CONCLUDE THAT ABC MOTOR CREDIT SOLD ME THIS CAR FULLY KNOWING THE EXTENT OF THE RUST DAMAGE BEFORE PUTTING IT ON THEIR LOT. I HOPE THERE IS SOME LAW PROTECTING CONSUMERS FROM THIS SORT OF BUSINESS. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT I CAN DO! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10643712

102,000 miles · Sep 27, 2014
Power TrainService BrakesSteering

WHILE I WAS DRIVING OUT OF MY COMPLEX MY THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH CAME ON AND IT SEEMED AS IF I LOST MY BRAKES (WHICH I COST TO THE SIDE ROAD AS WELL AS NO STEERING. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE PULLEY MOUNTING BOLT HAD BROKEN OFF INSIDE THE CRANKSHAFT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10639488

136,000 miles · Dec 6, 2013
Service BrakesStructure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED DUE TO RUSTING OF THE FRAME, WHICH DAMAGED THE BRAKE LINES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MIL…

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED DUE TO RUSTING OF THE FRAME, WHICH DAMAGED THE BRAKE LINES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 136,000.

NHTSA ODI #10555064

72,560 miles · Sep 9, 2013
Fuel System, GasolineService BrakesStructure

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 M…

Read full complaint

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. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10542742

138,057 miles · Feb 12, 2013
Power TrainService Brakes

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. CHECKE…

Read full complaint

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

NHTSA ODI #10497869

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

Go deeper into Kia Sorento problems