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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 And Engine Cooling complaints

44 reports
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50 miles · Aug 9, 2005
Air BagsElectrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling

DT: 2005 KIA SORENTO. THE AIRBAG LIGHT STAYED ON. THEY HAVE REPLACED THE SEAT, T AND SENT THE SEAT OFF TO HAVE THE SENSOR REPLACED. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE THEY COULD DO. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THIS HAPPENED TWICE IN ONE DAY. THE VEHICLE WILL RESTART AFTER WAITING A WH…

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DT: 2005 KIA SORENTO. THE AIRBAG LIGHT STAYED ON. THEY HAVE REPLACED THE SEAT, T AND SENT THE SEAT OFF TO HAVE THE SENSOR REPLACED. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE THEY COULD DO. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THIS HAPPENED TWICE IN ONE DAY. THE VEHICLE WILL RESTART AFTER WAITING A WHILE. ALSO, THE CLOCK HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10132062

1,632 miles · Jun 8, 2005
Engine And Engine Cooling

1) SLOWED CAR TO PUT INTO PARK & CAR LUNGED FORWARDED, BACKED OFF, LUNGED FORWARD, BACKED OFF, ETC. TAPPING SOUND CAME FROM ENGINE. 2) CAR ENGINE STOPPED AND WOULD NOT RESTART (STALLED ON ROADWAY) 3) IT IS CURRENTLY IN THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS, AFTER THEY TOLD ME THEY COULDN'T GET IT TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM (ALTHOUGH THE 1…

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1) SLOWED CAR TO PUT INTO PARK & CAR LUNGED FORWARDED, BACKED OFF, LUNGED FORWARD, BACKED OFF, ETC. TAPPING SOUND CAME FROM ENGINE. 2) CAR ENGINE STOPPED AND WOULD NOT RESTART (STALLED ON ROADWAY) 3) IT IS CURRENTLY IN THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS, AFTER THEY TOLD ME THEY COULDN'T GET IT TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM (ALTHOUGH THE 1ST DAY IT WAS IN THE DEALERSHIP, THEY ANKNOWLEDGED IT WAS "MISFIRING".) THEY HAVE NOW STATED THAT A CLIP ON THE INTAKE MANIFOLD COMES DISLODGED AND END UP IN THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, AND THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED THE PROBLEM. MY CAR HAS BEEN OUT OF SERVICE FOR 3 DAYS, AS OF THIS WRITING, AS THEY HAVE ORDERED A NEW INTAKE MANIFOLD.

NHTSA ODI #10124597

Mileage unknown · Jan 19, 2005
Air BagsEngine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, Hydraulic

2005 KIA SORENTO EX DEVELOPED PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER STEERING.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR WITHIN A FEW DAYS OF OWNING THE VEHICLE, THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE CLOCK WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY, THERE WAS A NOISE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS COLD, WHILE TURNING RIGHT OR BACKING AND PULLING FORWARD, A SHUDDER IN THE BRAKE PEDAL, A CUT IN T…

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2005 KIA SORENTO EX DEVELOPED PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER STEERING.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR WITHIN A FEW DAYS OF OWNING THE VEHICLE, THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE CLOCK WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY, THERE WAS A NOISE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS COLD, WHILE TURNING RIGHT OR BACKING AND PULLING FORWARD, A SHUDDER IN THE BRAKE PEDAL, A CUT IN THE LEATHER PASSENGER SEAT. ON 4 OCCASIONS THE PASSENGER AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT DASH LIGHT DID NOT ENGAGE PROPERLY WITH 3 DIFFERENT PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT WEIGHTS/HEIGHTS WERE SITTING IN THE SEAT. THE POWER STEERING FAILED 3 TIMES. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE SHUDDER IN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS NORMAL AND WAS A PART OF THE ABS. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10128000

Mileage unknown · Jan 16, 2005
Engine And Engine CoolingEquipment

WHILE DRIVING A LIGHT ON THE DASH ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER. *NM THE VEHICLE HAD A SENSOR ISSUE WHICH CAUSED THE PANEL LIGHT TO FLASH AND THE POWER TO BE LOST. THE PANEL LIGHT FLASHED TWICE AND STAYED ON THE SECOND TIME. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD IT WAS AN EMISSION LIGHT AND THERE WAS NO OTHER EXPLANATION. T…

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WHILE DRIVING A LIGHT ON THE DASH ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER. *NM THE VEHICLE HAD A SENSOR ISSUE WHICH CAUSED THE PANEL LIGHT TO FLASH AND THE POWER TO BE LOST. THE PANEL LIGHT FLASHED TWICE AND STAYED ON THE SECOND TIME. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD IT WAS AN EMISSION LIGHT AND THERE WAS NO OTHER EXPLANATION. THE CONSUMER TRIED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE JUMP STARTED BUT IT DID NOT START THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER WAS GIVEN A CHOICE TO TAKE ANOTHER VEHICLE SAME MAKE AND MODEL AS AN EXCHANGE FOR HER PURCHASED VEHICLE THAT FAILED. THE CLOCK DID NOT KEEP TIME AND THE LIGHT SWITCH DID NOT TURN ON THE INTERIOR LIGHTS. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE CLOCK FOR THE SECOND VEHICLE WAS ON BACK ORDER. THE CLOCK HAS TO BE RESET EVERY TIME THE CONSUMER GETS IN THE VEHICLE. *TC *JB

NHTSA ODI #10109736

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