SkipThatYearREAL DATA. SMARTER CAR DECISIONS.
← 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 →
220Owner complaints

Model-year median: 242

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
305
2003220
2004307
2005242
2006154
2007
Compare all Sorento years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Engine
46Engine And Engine Cooling
46Power Train
40Suspension
30Electrical System
28
All reported categories
Structure
28Steering
24Air Bags
14Exterior Lighting
14Unknown Or Other
13Fuel/propulsion System
8Service Brakes
7Vehicle Speed Control
7Fuel System, Gasoline
6Service Brakes, Hydraulic
4Tires
4Equipment
3Electronic Stability Control (esc)
2Visibility
2Wheels
2Seat Belts
1Seats
1Visibility/wiper
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

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

Tires complaints

4 reports
Clear category filter
52,501 miles · Mar 3, 2011
Tires

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA SORENTO EX. THE VEHICLE HAS KUMHO RADIAL 798 TIRES, LINE SIZE P245/70/R16, MANUFACTURED MARCH 2006. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE EXHIBITING ABNORMAL FRACTURES. THE TIRE DISTRIBUTOR WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE HOT CLIMATE. THE TIRES WERE NEITHER REPAIRED …

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA SORENTO EX. THE VEHICLE HAS KUMHO RADIAL 798 TIRES, LINE SIZE P245/70/R16, MANUFACTURED MARCH 2006. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE EXHIBITING ABNORMAL FRACTURES. THE TIRE DISTRIBUTOR WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE HOT CLIMATE. THE TIRES WERE NEITHER REPAIRED NOR REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE OF THE TIRES WAS 16,000. THE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,501 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 52,793. UPDATED 05/03/2011*LJ UPDATED 1/5/12 *CN

NHTSA ODI #10386295

77,000 miles · Aug 24, 2009
Tires

FRONT PASSENGER TIRE TREAD CAME OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWNHILL ON A MOUNTAIN ROAD AND CAUSE PASSENGER AIRBAG TO DEPLOY, WE WERE LUCKY CAR DID NOT ROLL OVER AND WE ALL WERE KILLED. BRIDGESTONE IS THE TIRE MANUFACTURER (DUELER 684, P245/70R16) AND WHEN I DO A WEB SEARCH ALL KINDS OF INFORMATION COMES UP WITH RECALLS BUT COULD NOT FIND…

Read full complaint

FRONT PASSENGER TIRE TREAD CAME OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWNHILL ON A MOUNTAIN ROAD AND CAUSE PASSENGER AIRBAG TO DEPLOY, WE WERE LUCKY CAR DID NOT ROLL OVER AND WE ALL WERE KILLED. BRIDGESTONE IS THE TIRE MANUFACTURER (DUELER 684, P245/70R16) AND WHEN I DO A WEB SEARCH ALL KINDS OF INFORMATION COMES UP WITH RECALLS BUT COULD NOT FIND MY TIRE TYPE BUT FOUND ALL KINDS OF BLOGS WITH PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT MY TYPE OF TIRE AND THE TREAD COMING OFF. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10281568

Mileage unknown · Sep 6, 2007
Tires

DRY ROT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10202108

45,700 miles · Jan 5, 2006
TiresCrash

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE HAD AN UNCONTROLLED HYDROPLANE INCIDENT ON WET PAVEMENT WHICH RESULTED IN THE VEHICLE CROSSING THREE TRAFFIC LANES AT 45-50 MPH. THIS OCCURRED WHILE ENTERING THE FREEWAY. THERE WERE NO WARNINGS INDICATING A PROBLEM. *AK UPDATED 01/25/06.

NHTSA ODI #10146978

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

Kia Sorento transmission problems →Kia Sorento electrical problems →