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2005 Kia Sorento

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2005 Kia Sorento do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 242.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

257 reports with mileage · 50 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 63 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 53 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 49 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

17 crash reports5 fire reports11 injury reports

Engine complaints

63 reports
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100,000 miles · Sep 22, 2016
EngineSteeringUnknown Or Other

DRIVING ON HIGHWAY RTE 24 WHEN CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BROKE OFF CAUSING ENGINE AND BRAKE LIGHTS TO COME ON. IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL AND TO STEER THE VEHICLE CAUSING ME TO NEARLY GET INTO AN ACCIDENT. SUBSEQUENTLY, MY VEHICLE GOT TOWED FROM THE HIGHWAY TO A MECHANIC SHOP WHO INFORMED ME THAT MY 2005 KIA SORENTO'S CRANKSHAFT PULLE…

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DRIVING ON HIGHWAY RTE 24 WHEN CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BROKE OFF CAUSING ENGINE AND BRAKE LIGHTS TO COME ON. IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL AND TO STEER THE VEHICLE CAUSING ME TO NEARLY GET INTO AN ACCIDENT. SUBSEQUENTLY, MY VEHICLE GOT TOWED FROM THE HIGHWAY TO A MECHANIC SHOP WHO INFORMED ME THAT MY 2005 KIA SORENTO'S CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BOLT BROKE OFF - THEREFORE TO BUY AN ENGINE OR JUNK IT. UNFORTUNATELY, I OWNED THIS VEHICLE FOR ONLY 1 YEAR 3 MONTHS AND WITH THESE PROBLEMS. I DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY TO REPLACE IT RIGHT NOW AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO TO GET TO WORK GOING FORWARD.

NHTSA ODI #10908838

78,749 miles · Jul 29, 2016
Engine

ON 07/14/16 I TRIED TO START MY VEHICLE. IT DID NOT START SO I CALLED A TOW TRUCK TO GIVE ME KICK START. THE ENGINE STARTED AND THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IT HAD. TWO DRIVER TOLD ME TO TAKE IT AND GET THE BATTERY CHECKED OUT IT JUST DIDN'T SEEM RIGHT TO HIM. SO I DID AND THAT IS WHEN I FOUND OUT THE I …

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ON 07/14/16 I TRIED TO START MY VEHICLE. IT DID NOT START SO I CALLED A TOW TRUCK TO GIVE ME KICK START. THE ENGINE STARTED AND THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IT HAD. TWO DRIVER TOLD ME TO TAKE IT AND GET THE BATTERY CHECKED OUT IT JUST DIDN'T SEEM RIGHT TO HIM. SO I DID AND THAT IS WHEN I FOUND OUT THE I HAD A BLOWN HEAD GASKET AND UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION THEY FOUND THAT THE COOLANT GOT INTO THE ENGINE AND TWO OF THE PISTONS WERE GONE AND THE INTERIOR WALL OF THE ENGINE WAS SCORCHED BADLY. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF I LOVED IT AND MADE SURE I FOLLOWED ALL THE REQUIREMENTS BU KIA TO KEEP THIS CAR RUNNING. WITH SUCH LITTLE MILES THIS SHOULD OF NEVER HAPPENED. IN MY INVESTIGATION, I FOUND SIMILAR REPORTS REGARDING KIA SORENTO'S AND ENGINE PROBLEMS. I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH KIA BUT THEY HAVE NOT MADE ANY GESTURES TO HELP ME. I DO NOT HAVE MONEY TO GET A NEW CAR AND THIS WAS MY TRANSPORTATION TO DRIVE ABOUT 2HRS TO HELP MY 93 1/2 YR OLD MOTHER. NOW I CAN'T DO THAT. I LOVED THIS CAR AND CAN NOT BELIEVE THAT KIA WILL NOT HELP. I HAVE HAD TO RENT A CAR FOR 2 DAYS, TAKE A TAXI AND DEPEND ON OTHERS IN MY TIME OF NEED.

NHTSA ODI #10891619

50,000 miles · Jul 18, 2016
Air BagsEngineUnknown Or Other

DRIVING ACROSS A 4 LANE EXPRESSWAY, BARELY MADE IT ACROSS, THE VEHICLE SPUTTERS AND COMES TO A STOP AFTER FIGHTING WITH THE POWER STEERING LOSING ALL CONTROL. CRANKSHAFT PULLEY HAS DAMAGED THE ENGINE SO SEVERE, THAT A NEW ENGINE WAS PUT IN AT OUR EXPENSE ($5,000), GAS TANK WAS DISCOVERED TO HAVE A HOLE AND LEAKING GAS. AIR BAG …

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DRIVING ACROSS A 4 LANE EXPRESSWAY, BARELY MADE IT ACROSS, THE VEHICLE SPUTTERS AND COMES TO A STOP AFTER FIGHTING WITH THE POWER STEERING LOSING ALL CONTROL. CRANKSHAFT PULLEY HAS DAMAGED THE ENGINE SO SEVERE, THAT A NEW ENGINE WAS PUT IN AT OUR EXPENSE ($5,000), GAS TANK WAS DISCOVERED TO HAVE A HOLE AND LEAKING GAS. AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF JUST DEPENDS ON IT'S MOOD, THE DISPLAY ON THE RADIO, ETC. GOES AWAY IN COLD WEATHER, AND NOW HAVE A CONSTANT THUMP THUMP WHEN DRIVING AS IF THE TIRE IS FLAT. DRIVING FOR 5 MONTHS WITH NEW ENGINE, I PRESSED ON THE ACCELERATOR QUICKLY TO PASS A TRUCK WHEN A LOUD NOISE (SOUNDING LIKE THE ENGINE BLEW) FROM THE ENGINE WAS HEARD THEN SOMETHING COMES LOOSE AND HITS THE UNDERCARRIAGE SO HARD I CAN FEEL IT THROUGH THE FLOORBOARD. NO SMOKE, NO ELEVATION IN TEMPERATURE. PULL OVER, THERE IS NOW A VIBRATION WHEN IDLING BUT CANNOT SEE ANYTHING OBVIOUS MISSING. WHATEVER IT WAS TOOK CHUNKS OUT OF THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE. BRAKES SEEMED TO LOCK UP AT TIMES AND YOU COULD FEEL SOMETHING LIKE A PUMP LOSING AIR AND THE CAR SLIDES JUST BEFORE THE COMPLETE STOP WITH A LOW GROANING NOISE. HAVEN'T TOOK TO THE MECHANIC YET, BUT WILL BE SOON. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10885737

200,000 miles · Jul 6, 2016
EngineSteering

IN NOVEMBER OF 2015, I WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK AND JUST PICKING MY ONE YEAR OLD UP FROM DAYCARE, WHEN I HEARD A LOUD SCREECHING NOISE FROM A BELT. MY GAUGES WENT WILD AND I MY POWER STEERING WAS IN AND OUT. BY THE TIME I HIT THE MAIN HIGHWAY TO GET HOME AS I WAS EXITING MY POWER STEERING WENT COMPLETELY OUT AND THE CAR COUL…

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IN NOVEMBER OF 2015, I WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK AND JUST PICKING MY ONE YEAR OLD UP FROM DAYCARE, WHEN I HEARD A LOUD SCREECHING NOISE FROM A BELT. MY GAUGES WENT WILD AND I MY POWER STEERING WAS IN AND OUT. BY THE TIME I HIT THE MAIN HIGHWAY TO GET HOME AS I WAS EXITING MY POWER STEERING WENT COMPLETELY OUT AND THE CAR COULD NOT BE DRIVEN ANY FURTHER, SO I HAD TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THIS WAS DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, I AM SOOOO LUCKY THAT I HADN'T QUIET ENTERED THE HIGHWAY YET. HAD TO GET TOWED HOME. GOT HOME AND NOTICED THE CRANKSHAFT BOLD WAS BROKEN AND THE BELTS WERE THROWN. WE FIXED IT AND NOW IT HAS JUST DONE IT AGAIN ON JULY 1ST AS I WAS BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY TO GO OUT OF TOWN. I DIDN'T DRIVE IT BECAUSE I KNEW THE BOLT WAS ABOUT TO BREAK BECAUSE THE HARMONIC BALANCER PULLEY WAS WOBBLING REALLY BAD, THE AIR WOULDN'T WORK AND THE GAUGES STARTED GOING CRAZY. ALSO THE PULLEY'S WERE STRUGGLING TO SPIN. IS IT GOING TO TAKE SOMEONE TO LOOSE THEIR LIFE BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE ABOUT IT?

NHTSA ODI #10883040

90,000 miles · Jun 27, 2016
Engine

WHILE DRIVING A NOISE COMES FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT. BATTERY AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHT COME ON. POWER STEERING GOES OUT. HAVE TO MAN AHNDLE SUV TO A SAFE SPOT. CRANKSHAFT BOLT THAT HOLD HARMONIC BALANCER BROKE. COMMON PROBLEM KNOWN TO KIA ENGINES THEY OFFER TO FIX IT FOR $1300.00 PLUS MORE.

NHTSA ODI #10876793

100,946 miles · May 21, 2016
Engine

I PURCHASED A 2005 KIA SORENTO IN NOVEMBER 2013 FROM DEALERSHIP. IN JUNE 2014 I HAD THE FIRST INCIDENT. WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY, SUDDENLY ALL WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON, POWER STEERING WAS LOST. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER WITHOUT INCIDENT. HAD TO BE TOWED. HAD THE PROBLEM FIXED: CRANKSHAFT SENSOR, WARPED PULLEY, SHEERED BOLT ON SAID…

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I PURCHASED A 2005 KIA SORENTO IN NOVEMBER 2013 FROM DEALERSHIP. IN JUNE 2014 I HAD THE FIRST INCIDENT. WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY, SUDDENLY ALL WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON, POWER STEERING WAS LOST. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER WITHOUT INCIDENT. HAD TO BE TOWED. HAD THE PROBLEM FIXED: CRANKSHAFT SENSOR, WARPED PULLEY, SHEERED BOLT ON SAID PULLEY, RESULTING IN MORE DAMAGE, INCLUDING WATER PUMP AND TIMING BELTS. TWO WEEKS LATER THE SAME THING OCCURRED, AGAIN WHILE I WAS DRIVING IN TOWN. MY MECHANIC SAID IT IS A DEFECT IN THE KIA DESIGN. TWO WEEKS LATER GOT IT FIXED. NOW TEN MONTHS LATER THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURS, AGAIN WHILE DRIVING. EACH TIME THIS HAS COST ME $2,000 TO FIX. I STILL OWE $4,500 ON THE VEHICLE! SINCE REPAIRING WITH KIA PARTS AND THE PROBLEM IS NEVER SOLVED DUE TO POOR DESIGN, KIA REALLY NEEDS TO STEP UP AND ISSUE RECALL. SAME PROBLEM 3 TIMES IN LESS THAN A YEAR! PLEASE HELP!

NHTSA ODI #10870152

105,000 miles · Apr 6, 2016
Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER, IT WAS NOT ABLE TO FULLY ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE HARMONIC BALANCER PULLEY BOLT FRACTURED…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER, IT WAS NOT ABLE TO FULLY ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE HARMONIC BALANCER PULLEY BOLT FRACTURED FROM THE CRANKSHAFT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

NHTSA ODI #10853902

100,000 miles · Mar 24, 2016
EngineSteering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE CRANK PULLEY BOLT FRACTURED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE DISABLED THE STEERING WHEEL, WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO A STOP. A CERTIFIED MECHANIC STATED THAT THE CRANK PULLEY BOLT FRACTURED AND DET…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE CRANK PULLEY BOLT FRACTURED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE DISABLED THE STEERING WHEEL, WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO A STOP. A CERTIFIED MECHANIC STATED THAT THE CRANK PULLEY BOLT FRACTURED AND DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. AFTER THE REPAIR, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND LOST ALL STEERING POWER. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY FOR REPAIR. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. UPDATED 10/13/16*LJ *TR

NHTSA ODI #10851404

82,310 miles · Feb 4, 2016
Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STOPPED AND SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESTART AND WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT BOLT DETACHED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STOPPED AND SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESTART AND WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT BOLT DETACHED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT DID NOT RESPOND TO THE REIMBURSEMENT REQUEST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,310.

NHTSA ODI #10824176

100,300 miles · Jan 27, 2016
EngineEngine And Engine Cooling

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART AND WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE REMAINED AT THE DEALER FOR THREE CONSECUTIVE MONTHS TO LOCATE THE FAILURE. THE CAM SENSOR, CRANK SENSOR, AND TIMING BELT WERE REPLACED. IN ADDITI…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART AND WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE REMAINED AT THE DEALER FOR THREE CONSECUTIVE MONTHS TO LOCATE THE FAILURE. THE CAM SENSOR, CRANK SENSOR, AND TIMING BELT WERE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, THE ECM COMPUTER WAS REPLACED. ONE MONTH LATER, AFTER THE REPAIR WAS PERFORMED, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,300. ..UPDATED 02/23/16 *BF....UPDATED 03/16/16 *BF *CN

NHTSA ODI #10822583

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.

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