2005 Kia Sorento

I HAVE A 2005 KIA SORENTO AND LAST AUGUST I WAS COMING TO A STOP AT A VERY BUSY INTERSECTION AND MY CAR MADE A VERY LOUD CLANKING BANG SOUND. MY CAR DIED, MY BATTERY, BRAKE AND ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I TURNED THE KEY AND IT STARTED AND I WAS ABLE TO GET IT OFF THE ROAD BUT MY POWER STEERING WAS GONE. I HAD IT TOWED TO A GARAGE THAT SAID THEY WOULD NOT FIX IT BECAUSE IT WAS TO INTENSE (COST $150), SO I HAD IT TOWED TO ANOTHER. AN ASE CERTIFIED CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME IT SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER MY WARRANTY BECAUSE IT WAS PART OF THE POWER TRAIN AND I HAD LESS THAN 60,000 MILES ON MY VEHICLE- MY CRANKSHAFT BOLT WAS SHEARED COMPLETELY OFF (NO CHARGE). THEY AND I CONTACTED KIA, KIA HAD ME TOW IT TO THEM (WHICH IS 50 MINUTES AWAY). THEY THEN TOLD ME IT WAS NOT COVERED, AND THE PART WAS $10.97, HOWEVER THE WORK INVOLVED TO FIX IT WAS A LOT MORE EXTENSIVE AND GAVE ME AN ESTIMATE OF $650.00-$750.00! IT COST ME $650.00 PLUS ALL MY TOWING COSTS ($240.00). I COULD HAVE SAVED THE TOWING COST AND HAD THE CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP FIX IT SINCE I HAD TO PAY FOR IT! NOW, NOT EVEN A YEAR LATER, I BRING MY SORENTO TO THE CHEVROLET DEALER FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND THE MECHANIC ASKED ME TO COME LOOK AT MY DRIVER SIDE TRAILING ARM BRACKET. IT IS COMPLETELY RUSTED AND NO LONGER ATTACHED AND THE OTHER SIDE ISN'T IN GOOD SHAPE EITHER. THEY TELL ME IT WILL COST HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO FIX IT AND I REALLY SHOULD CONTACT KIA BECAUSE THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. I DECIDED TO RESEARCH THIS AND IT APPEARS THAT BOTH OF THESE ISSUES ARE COMMON AND UNSAFE. I AM WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM KIA NOW ON HOW TO GET THIS TAKEN CARE OF.

AT A STOP LIGHT, I HEARD AND FELT A SHUDDER THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE. THE BRAKE AND BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE SHUDDER. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN NORMALLY. PROCEEDING THROUGH THE INTERSECTION, I EXPERIENCED THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING MAKING THE CAR VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. MANAGED TO GET THE VEHICLE TO A NEARBY PARKING LOT WHERE I CALLED FOR A TOW TO THE KIA DEALER. DEALER CONFIRMED A SHEARED CRANK SHAFT BOLT. INCIDENT OCCURRED ON A BUSY STATE HIGHWAY DURING RUSH HOUR. SPEED LIMIT IS 45 MPH ON THIS STRETCH OF ROAD AND VERY BUSY AT RUSH HOUR. HAD THE VEHICLE BEEN IN MOTION AT THE TIME OF THE PART FAILURE THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT. *TR

DURING MY TRIP HOME FROM A LOCAL OUTING I NOTICED MY BATTERY LIGHT FLASHING INTERMITTENTLY. AS I GOT CLOSER TO HOME THE LIGHT BECAME MORE STEADY STEERING BECAME MORE DIFFICULT. I HAD A GOOD GUESS WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO THE FACT THAT I'VE HAD THIS SAME ISSUE TWICE IN THE LAST EIGHT MONTHS. I MADE IT HOME SAFELY AND HAD MY VEHICLE TOWED A FEW DAYS LATER TO A REPAIR SHOP. I WAS NOT AT ALL SURPRISED WHEN THE MECHANIC TOLD ME I HAD A CRANK SHAFT PROBLEM. THIS IS SOMETHING KIA HAS KNOWN ABOUT FOR YEARS AND SHOULD HAVE SCHEDULED A RECALL TO REPAIR THIS ISSUE. I MIGHT NOT BE HERE TODAY IF I WAS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AT A FASTER SPEED. *TR

DRIVING APPROX 55MPH, MY LIGHTS SEEMED TO DIM THEN MY BATTERY AND BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED MY HEATER, RADIO, DASHBOARD LIGHTS AND LIGHTS TO LOW. I CONTINUED DRIVING FOR NOTHING ELSE SEEMED TO BE WRONG AND WAS GOING TO PULL OVER WHEN I NOTICED MY POWER STEERING ALSO WAS NOT WORKING. I WAS ABLE TO GET MYSELF TO A SAFE PLACE TO STOP AND PUT THE CAR IN PARK, IT BEGAN MAKING AN ODD SOUND (THINKING A POSSIBLE BELT) IT THEN MADE A POPPING SOUND THINKING I BROKE A SERPENTINE BELT, I THEN TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND HAD MY MECHANIC LOOK AT IT. HE SAID THE CRANKSHAFT BOLT HAD BROKEN OFF AND WAS AN ESTIMATED $3000+ REPAIR. I HAVE ALSO HAD ISSUES WITH CRANKSHAFT SENSOR WHICH CAUSED MY CAR TO NOT TURN OVER WITHOUT A JUMP. AFTER THAT WAS REPAIRED I HAD TO BUY A NEW BATTERY THAT PRIOR TO THE WINTER SEASON TESTED OUT TO BE GOOD. IHAVE ALSO BEEN TOLD I NEED TO REPLACE A SPARK PLUG WHICH COULD COST HUNDREDS TO REPLACE BECAUSE OF THE LOCATION. I HAVE TO REPLACE HEADLIGHTS/TAILLIGHTS MORE THAN NORMAL.I HAVE SEEM TO HAVE ISSUES WITH ALIGNMENT AND HAVE PUT 2 SETS OF TIRES ON AFTER NOTICING ABNORMAL WEAR ON THE INSIDES, I'VE HAD IT ALIGNED TWICE. I STILL OWE $6100 ON A CAR THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PUT $3000 INTO AND NOW HAVE NOTHING TO DRIVE! *TR

ON JULY 13TH 2013 I STARTED FINANCING A 2005 KIA SORRENTO LX FROM A DEALERSHIP IN PINELLAS PARK, FLORIDA CALLED E-Z CAR CREDIT. DURING THE FIRST MONTH OF FINANCING THE CAR HAD TO BE SERVICED FOR MANY DIFFERENT REASONS. OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF OF FINANCING THE PROBLEMS HAVE GOTTEN WORSE AN MORE EXPENSIVE. PROBLEMS INCLUDE BUT NOT LIMITED TO: OVERHEATING, BAD SENSORS, FRONT END ALIGNMENT, NEW WATER HOSES, NEW WATER RESERVOIR, THERMOSTAT, POWER STEERING, ELECTRICAL. AN THEN WE COME TO THE MOST RECENT PROBLEM. THE ONE 1,000S UPON 1,000S OF CUSTOMERS HAVE BEEN HAVING "CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE" BROKEN PUSH RODS, CAMS DESTROYED, VALVES, PISTONS. ESTIMATED COST $4000. AN NOW THAT I HAVE $7,000 INVESTED AND OWE ANOTHER $5,000 ON MY LOAN I AM JOINING THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST KIA MOTORS. *JS

I WAS STOPPED WAITING TO TURN INTO A FAST FOOD PLACE WHEN I LET OFF THE BRAKES TO TURN IN ,THE SUV TOOK OFF FROM 0 TO 60 IN A SPLIT SECOND.WHEN I TRIED TO MASH THE BRAKES IT WOULDN'T GO DOWN AND I COULDN'T STOP.I ENDED UP HITTING A TREE,THE AIR BAGS DID COME OUT.THE SUV WAS TOTALED.I CONTACTED KIA'S OFFICE AND THEY HAD THE SUV TOWED TO A LOT FOR INVESTIGATION.AS OF THIS DATE I HAVEN'T HEARD FORM KIA AS TO WHAT THEY FOUND OUT.THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THE KIA TOOK OFF ON IT'S OWN WITH ME .I WOULD LIKE THIS ACCIDENT OFF MY RECORD AND INFO AS TO WHAT WENT WRONG WITH THE KIA. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, AN ABNORMAL NOISE EMITTED FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND THE POWER STEERING SEIZED. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT NONE OF THE BELTS IN THE VEHICLE WERE MOVING. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE CRANK SHAFT DAMPER, HARMONIC BALANCER AND THE GEAR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

FIRST INCIDENT-ON AUGUST 16, 2014 WHILE ON VACATION AND DRIVING FROM VIRGINIA TO CHICAGO ILL, THE VEHICLE START MAKING A RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON THE DASH (BATTERY, BRAKE) AND THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT MAKING THE VEHICLE VERY HARD TO MANEUVER, I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER INTO A FAST FOOD PARKING LOT TO CHECK THE NOISE AND FOUND THAT THE HARMONIC BALANCER WAS LOOSE AND BELTS WERE NOT TURNING, I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A MECHANIC AFTER INSPECTION I WAS INFORMED THAT THE CRANK SHAFT GEAR PIN HAD BROKE OFF TO THE HARMONIC BALANCER. I PURCHASE THE PARTS (HARMONIC BALANCER, BOLT AND CRANK SHAFT GEAR) AND HAD THE MECHANIC REPAIR THE VEHICLE AND DROVE BACK TO VIRGINIA. SECOND INCIDENT-OCTOBER 2014 WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE, SHE ENCOUNTERED THE SAME PROBLEMS THE WARNING LIGHTS, RATTLING IN THE FRONT OF VEHICLE, POWER STEERING LOCKED UNABLE TO TURN VEHICLE, I INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND SAW THAT THE HARMONIC BALANCER WAS LOOSE AND BELTS WERE NOT TURNING, THE PIN IN THE CRANK SHAFT GEAR HAS BROKEN AGAIN, I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP IN RICHMOND, AND THEY STATED THAT I NEEDED A NEW MOTOR. AFTER INVESTIGATING COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS VEHICLE ON LINE I FOUND OUT THAT THIS PROBLEM IS WELL DOCUMENTED WITH THIS MAKE AND YEAR VEHICLE. IF I OR MY WIFE HAD BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY AT THE TIME OF THIS FAULT IT COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC. I ALSO FOUND THAT THEIR IS A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST KIA MOTORS ADDRESSING THE EXACT SAME FAULT.(CIVIL ACTION NO. 13-006 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT, DISTRICT OF NEW JERSEY) ESSENTIALLY, PLAINTIFFS CLAIMED THEIR VEHICLES WERE DESIGNED WITH A ?DEFECTIVE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BOLD AND BALANCER,? WHICH COULD RESULT IN ?BREAKING OFF THE SPRING GUIDE PIN,? CAUSING ?CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE.? THIS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE, A RECALL IS WARRANTED AND KIA MOTORS NEEDS TO CORRECT THE DEFECT. *TR

WHILE LEAVING OUR HOME TO RUN ERRANDS, I LOST POWER STEERING AND SEVERAL DASHBOARD LIGHTS CAME ON. WE PURCHASED THE KIA SORENTO IN 2005 NEW AND HAVE HAD VERY FEW PROBLEMS WITH IT UNTIL NOW. IT HAS LESS THAN 70K MILES AND HAS BEEN SERVICED BY THE DEALER EVERY 3K MILES. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHO RATHER QUICKLY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A BROKEN CRANK BOLT AND ESTIMATED REPAIRS WOULD COST ABOUT $1300. THE DEALER CHECKED WITH KIA ON WHETHER OUR 100K WARRANTY WOULD COVER THE REPAIRS. KIA SAID THIS PROBLEM WAS NOT COVERED. AT THE TIME I DIDN'T REALIZE THIS IS A FAIRLY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE KIA SORENTO'S. CHECKING THE COMMENTS FROM OTHER SORENTO OWNERS, I HAVE CONCLUDED THIS CERTAINLY APPEARS TO BE A DESIGN DEFECT. OUR CONCERN IS THAT THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED IN TRAFFIC AT 70 MPH AND THE LOSS OF THE ABILITY TO STEER COULD CERTAINLY BECOME A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM, WITH POTENTIAL FATAL CONSEQUENCES. I AM ESPECIALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE NUMBER OF SITUATIONS THAT THE BOLT FAILED A SECOND AND SOMETIMES A THIRD TIME AFTER THE INITIAL REPAIR WAS MADE. REQUEST SERIOUS CONSIDERATION OF KIA ISSUING A RECALL TO REMEDY THIS DESIGN DEFECT. UPDATED 01/14/15