BROKEN CRANK BOLT WITH 100,000 MILES.
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.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sorento years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
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.
Engine complaints
63 reportsI WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND ALL THE SUDDEN MY CAR GAVE A BIG SOUND AND DIED. THE STEERING WAS REALLY HARD TO STEER, LUCKLY I WAS IN THE SLOW LANE AND COASTED OFF THE EDGE OF THE ROAD. HAD IT TOWED TO MECHANIC THE STARTED WAS BAD, ALONG WITH THE FUEL LINE AND FUEL PUMP. AFTER GOT IT RUNNING ONCE AGAIN RAN FINE HOUR LATER …
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I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND ALL THE SUDDEN MY CAR GAVE A BIG SOUND AND DIED. THE STEERING WAS REALLY HARD TO STEER, LUCKLY I WAS IN THE SLOW LANE AND COASTED OFF THE EDGE OF THE ROAD. HAD IT TOWED TO MECHANIC THE STARTED WAS BAD, ALONG WITH THE FUEL LINE AND FUEL PUMP. AFTER GOT IT RUNNING ONCE AGAIN RAN FINE HOUR LATER THE CRANK SHAFT SENSOR WENT OUT. I HAVE READ MANY MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME ISSUES, ALSO WAS TOLD THAT MY FUEL TANK AND BOTTOM WAS RUSTING OUT. AND MY SWAY BAR IS BAD. MY CAR SHAKES, I HAVE HAD NEW TIRES AND BRAKES PUT ON AND A NEW MUFFLER PUT ON. I HAVE HAD ALL MY OIL CHANGES AND TUNE UPS. THEY SAY THERE IS NO RECALLS, HOW COULD THERE NOT BE RECALLS HERE IN THE USA. THEY HAD A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT IN CANADA AND KIA WAS MADE TO FIX THESE SAME ISSUES.
I WAS TURNING ONTO A STREET AND HEARD A BIG CLUNK ONLY TO FIND OUT THE BOLT ON THE CRANKSHAFT BROKE OFF AGAIN ON 10/29/15 AS WELL AS 7/30/13. THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT & BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON. LOST POWER AND EVERYTHING AFTER A BIG CLUNK! THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME: THERE ARE A MULTITUDE OF THESE SAME COMPLAINTS: THIS ENGINE WAS…
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I WAS TURNING ONTO A STREET AND HEARD A BIG CLUNK ONLY TO FIND OUT THE BOLT ON THE CRANKSHAFT BROKE OFF AGAIN ON 10/29/15 AS WELL AS 7/30/13. THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT & BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON. LOST POWER AND EVERYTHING AFTER A BIG CLUNK! THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME: THERE ARE A MULTITUDE OF THESE SAME COMPLAINTS: THIS ENGINE WAS REPLACED IN MAY 2010 AND THE HARMONIC BALANCER AND PULLEY HAVE BEEN WORKED ON TWICE SINCE 2010. THERE IS A DEFECTIVE BOLT THAT WAS REPLACED WITH A NEW DEFECTIVE BOLT. THIS IS HAPPENING NUMEROUS TIMES TO MANY KIA SORENTO OWNERS AND THEY ARE LEFT STRANDED. KIA KNOWS ABOUT IT AND REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING! MY CAR IS SITTING AT COUNTRY KIA IN CHARLESTON, SC BECAUSE THE EXTENDED- WARRANTY WILL NOT COVER THIS DEFECTIVE BOLT AND I CAN'T PAY $5000.00 ON A CAR THAT IS NOW ONLY WORTH $3000.00. I HAD TO STAY IN CHARLESTON, SC AN EXTRA 2 DAYS AT MY EXPENSE $79.00 /NIGHT, PAY $75.00 FOR THE TOW BILL AND AN ADDITIONAL $55 OR $65 FOR THE KIA DEALERSHIP TO CHECK IT OUT. I HAD TO RENT A CAR TO COME BACK TO FL AS I WAS STRANDED IN CHARLESTON WITHOUT TRANSPORTATION. I CANNOT AFFORD THE $5000.00 FOR REPAIRS AND THE $1500.00 TO PAY IT OFF JUST TO GET THE TITLE TO SEND THIS TO A JUNK YARD. THE MILEAGE JUST TURNED TO 107,000 OR 108,000. THIS IS THE 4TH TIME THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE ON THIS PART OF THIS CAR HAVING TO DO WITH THE SAME ISSUES RELATED TO THIS DEFECTIVE BOLT, HARMONIC BALANCER AND PULLEY AS A RESULT OF THIS DEFECTIVE BOLT. (THIS IS ONLY ON ONE CAR). YOU WILL SEE HOW MANY TIMES THIS IS OCCURRING TO MANY OTHER OWNERS OF THESE KIA SORENTOS. PLEASE READ THROUGH THE COMPLAINTS ON THE FOLLOWING LINK: HTTP://GOTACLASSACTION.COM/KIA-NAMED-IN-CLASS-ACTION-OVER-FIRST-GENERATION-2002-2009-EQUIPPED-WITH-A-HYUNDAI-MANUFACTURED-3-5L-24-VALVE-DOHC-V6-ENGINE/
HAD A CAR REPAIR IN OCTOBER 2014 DUE TO A BROKEN BOLT NEAR CRANK SHAFT DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. PAID FOR REPAIR AND GOT CAR BACK AND WITHIN A MONTH THE MOTOR WAS SHOT . I WENT TO GO START THE CAR TO GO TO WORK AND IT WAS MAKING A TERRIBLE NOISE, IT WAS STATIONARY. I STILL HAVE AT 7 MORE CAR PAYMENTS TO MAKE ON THE CAR.
THE KIA SORENTO HAS A CATASTROPHIC FAILOR DO TO A SINGLE PIN ON THE CRANK SHAT TIMING GEAR. THIS GEAR HAS BROKEN FREE TWICE AND CAUSED HEAD DAMAGE BENT VALVES AND ALSO COST BETWEEN 2 AND 4 THOUSAND DOLLARS TO REPLACE THE 30 DOLLAR GEAR THAT WILL WITH OUT QUESTION FAIL AGAIN I'M ON MY THIRD TIME OF THIS HAPPENING THIS TIME THE TI…
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THE KIA SORENTO HAS A CATASTROPHIC FAILOR DO TO A SINGLE PIN ON THE CRANK SHAT TIMING GEAR. THIS GEAR HAS BROKEN FREE TWICE AND CAUSED HEAD DAMAGE BENT VALVES AND ALSO COST BETWEEN 2 AND 4 THOUSAND DOLLARS TO REPLACE THE 30 DOLLAR GEAR THAT WILL WITH OUT QUESTION FAIL AGAIN I'M ON MY THIRD TIME OF THIS HAPPENING THIS TIME THE TIMING GEAR PIN GROW SLOWING ONLY THE CRANK SHAT HIMONIC BALANCER TO COME FREE BRAKING A 10 DOLLAR BOLT BUT WITH OUT A DOUBT IT WILL COST ME AGAIN THOUSANDS TO FIX . EACH TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED IT HAS BEEN A DIFFERENT SITUATION ONCE WAS WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGH WAY THE VECHICAL MADE A LOUD BANG AND THE VECHICAL LIST POWER AND CAME TO A HALT ONCE WHILE PULLING OUT OF MY DRIVE WAY THIS TIME THE ENGINE LOCKED UP AND THE VEHICLE HAD TOBE TOWED TO A SHOP ONLY TO FIND OUT THEY WOULD NOT WORK ON IT BECAUSE IT IS A KNOW DEFECT THE THIRD TIME WAS DRIVING THREW TOWN AND IT SOUND LIKE I HAD DROPPED A SAW MILLE UNDER THE HOOD IT DAMAGED THE VALVES AND BROKE THE FANS AND TORE UP THE MOST THUS TIME.
THE VEHICLE'S POWER STEERING DIDN'T WORK, AND IT WAS RARELY DRIVEN AFTER TRANSMISSION REPAIR AT A KIA DEALER. LOOKING UNDER THE HOOD SHOWED THAT THE BELTS WEREN'T MOVING. THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY WAS ATTACHED BUT NOT STRAIGHT; OFFSET. I CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THE CRANKSHAFT BOLT BREAKING IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN THESE VEHIC…
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THE VEHICLE'S POWER STEERING DIDN'T WORK, AND IT WAS RARELY DRIVEN AFTER TRANSMISSION REPAIR AT A KIA DEALER. LOOKING UNDER THE HOOD SHOWED THAT THE BELTS WEREN'T MOVING. THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY WAS ATTACHED BUT NOT STRAIGHT; OFFSET. I CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THE CRANKSHAFT BOLT BREAKING IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN THESE VEHICLES. IS/WAS THERE A RECALL FOR THIS? THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. LUCKILY THE VEHICLE WASN'T DRIVEN FAR WHEN THE PROBLEM WAS NOTICED. MA 10/8 *CN
DRIVING IN RURAL EASTERN COLORADO WHEN THE BATTERY AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. DROVE ON TO THE NEXT TOWN WITH A REPAIR SHOP (BRUSH, CO) AND CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD. BELTS WERE LOOSE AND THE BOTTOM PULLEY WAS LYING IN THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED 70 MILES TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP IN WINDSOR, CO ($3…
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DRIVING IN RURAL EASTERN COLORADO WHEN THE BATTERY AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. DROVE ON TO THE NEXT TOWN WITH A REPAIR SHOP (BRUSH, CO) AND CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD. BELTS WERE LOOSE AND THE BOTTOM PULLEY WAS LYING IN THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED 70 MILES TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP IN WINDSOR, CO ($375). THEY DID THE REPAIR AND CHARGED $1303.85. HAD TO RENT A CAR WHILE THE REPAIR WAS COMPLETED ($343.57). HARMONIC BALANCER HAD FAILED AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO TIMING BELT, TENSIONER, CRANK SPROCKET, ETC. UPDATED 10/9/15 *LN UPDATED 12/21/2015*JS
CRANK SHAFT BOLT BROKE THREE SEPARATE TIMES (2ND TIME JAN. 21, 2015; 3RD TIME JULY 3, 2015) AFTER REPAIRS MADE. THE LAST TIME, THE CAR WAS CONSIDERED IRREPARABLE DUE TO THE INEVITABILITY OF FAILURE DUE TO FAULTY DESIGN OF THE FACTORY MADE CRANK SHAFT BOLT. WHOLE NEW ENGINE NEEDED FOR COMPLETE REPAIR.
I WAS DRIVING THOUGH A PARKING LOT ON LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND HEARD A RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. SO, AFTER I PARKED I POPPED THE HOOD, I ALSO STARTED TO HEAR A SQUEAKING NOISE (BELTS RUBBING), SO I DROVE HOME AND PARKED IT UNTIL MONDAY WHEN I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL SHOP AND THEY SAID IT SOUNDED LIKE A PULLEY FOR T…
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I WAS DRIVING THOUGH A PARKING LOT ON LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND HEARD A RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. SO, AFTER I PARKED I POPPED THE HOOD, I ALSO STARTED TO HEAR A SQUEAKING NOISE (BELTS RUBBING), SO I DROVE HOME AND PARKED IT UNTIL MONDAY WHEN I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL SHOP AND THEY SAID IT SOUNDED LIKE A PULLEY FOR THE TIMING BELT, THEY GOT IT IN ON WEDNESDAY AND CALLED TO HAVE ME COME TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT WAS CAUSING THE NOISES WHEN I GOT THERE, THEY EXPLAINED THAT IT WAS THE CRANKSHAFT BOLT THAT HELD THE FLY WHEEL ON AND THERE WHERE TWO OPTIONS (1)I COULD DRIVE IT UNTIL THE BOLT SNAPPED OR (2) THEY COULD TRY AND BREAK THE BOLT LOOSE AND REPLACE IT, SO WE WENT WITH OPTION NUMBER 2 AND AFTER ABOUT FIVE HOURS I GOT A CALL TELLING ME THAT THE BOLT HAD SNAPPED AND THEY HAD TRIED WELDING A NEW BOLT ON TO TRY AND BREAK THE REST OF IT LOOSE, AND THEY HAD TRIED TO DRILL OUT THE BOLT BUT WITH NO LUCK, THEY THEN GAVE ME AN ESTIMATE TO REPLACE THE ENGINE WITH A RE-MANUFACTURED ENGINE THE ESTIMATE WAS $6,900.00 BEFORE TAX, SO I CALLED KIA CORPORATE AND THEY TOOK A WEEK TO COME BACK AND TELL ME DUE TO THE AGE, THE MILEAGE, AND NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER THEY WOULD NOT PAY TO REPLACE THE ENGINE SO NOW I'M GOING TO JOIN THE CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT. VERY BAD ENGINEERING DESIGN TO THINK ONE SEER PIN COULD HOLD THAT BOLT PLUS IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY ARE USING A DEEP THREAD SKINNY SHAFT BOLT WHICH MEANS THE THREADS ARE HOLDING A 15-20LBS FLY WHEEL WHEN THAT SEER PIN SNAPS, VERY DISAPPOINTED IN KIA, WILL NEVER BUY THEIR CARS AGAIN ..UPDATED 08/24/15 *BF
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE KEY WAS TURNED TO THE OFF POSITION AND REMOVED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHUT OFF. THE CONTACT REMOVED THE BATTERY FROM THE VEHICLE, BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO RUN. THE CONTACT THEN REMOVED AN AIR MASK VALVE THAT CAUSED THE ENGINE TO SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE W…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE KEY WAS TURNED TO THE OFF POSITION AND REMOVED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHUT OFF. THE CONTACT REMOVED THE BATTERY FROM THE VEHICLE, BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO RUN. THE CONTACT THEN REMOVED AN AIR MASK VALVE THAT CAUSED THE ENGINE TO SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000. MA 08/05/15 UPDATED 11/13/2015*JS
Official recalls
0No 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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