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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

What owners actually said

307 reports
20,000 miles · Feb 6, 2015
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A BURNING ODOR OF WIRES PRESENT IN THE VEHICLE AND THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED. IN ADDITION, THE AIR CONDITIONER FAILED AND THAT THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE WOULD NOT ENGAGE. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A BURNING ODOR OF WIRES PRESENT IN THE VEHICLE AND THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED. IN ADDITION, THE AIR CONDITIONER FAILED AND THAT THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE WOULD NOT ENGAGE. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE COMPRESSOR FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.

NHTSA ODI #10681740

1,500 miles · Feb 4, 2015
Electrical System

HEADLIGHTS, BRAKE LIGHT, INTERIOR LIGHT, RADIO, HAVE ALL FAILED MULTIPLE TIMES. I REPLACE HEADLIGHTS AND BREAK LIGHTS EVERY THREE MONTHS. I HAVE HAD BOTH HEADLIGHTS GO OUT, ONE BEFORE I COULD GET THE OTHER FIXED. NONE OF THE DOME LIGHTS WORK, I HAVE NO AUTOMATIC LIGHTING IN THE CAR. THEY DIM BASED ON WEATHER AND THE TERRAIN I…

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HEADLIGHTS, BRAKE LIGHT, INTERIOR LIGHT, RADIO, HAVE ALL FAILED MULTIPLE TIMES. I REPLACE HEADLIGHTS AND BREAK LIGHTS EVERY THREE MONTHS. I HAVE HAD BOTH HEADLIGHTS GO OUT, ONE BEFORE I COULD GET THE OTHER FIXED. NONE OF THE DOME LIGHTS WORK, I HAVE NO AUTOMATIC LIGHTING IN THE CAR. THEY DIM BASED ON WEATHER AND THE TERRAIN I AM DRIVING ON. THE RADIO WENT OUT SHORTLY AFTER I BOUGHT IT, AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED SHORTLY AFTER. SOMETIMES IT WORKS AND SOMETIMES THE CAR HAS TO BE RUNNING FOR A WHILE BEFORE IT WILL WORK. SO MANY PROBLEMS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10681375

118,000 miles · Feb 3, 2015
EngineService BrakesVehicle Speed ControlCrashInjury

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…

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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

NHTSA ODI #10680991

40,000 miles · Nov 24, 2014
EnginePower Train

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…

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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.

NHTSA ODI #10660442

111,000 miles · Nov 21, 2014
Air Bags

THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE OCS SYSTEM. AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON. I BELIEVE THE OCS SYSTEM IS BROKEN, HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH MY 2007 KIA RIO THAT HAD A RECALL FOR THE SAME PART. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10660154

41,850 miles · Nov 19, 2014
Fuel/propulsion System

WHILE FILLING THE GAS TANK, GASOLINE SPITS BACK OUT OF THE CAR ONTO GROUND (AND ME)...NOT AN OVERLOW; AN ACTUAL PROJECTILE SPITTING! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10659396

110,000 miles · Nov 14, 2014
EngineService BrakesSteering

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…

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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

NHTSA ODI #10655071

69,586 miles · Nov 5, 2014
Engine

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 …

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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

NHTSA ODI #10652640

104,900 miles · Oct 8, 2014
EngineSteering

ON 8/23/2014 MY FAMILY A I WERE IN CHICAGO WE TRAVELED THERE ON FRIDAY 8/22/2014 FROM VIRGINIA IN THE 2005 KIA SORENTO THAT I JUST PURCHASED IN JULY 2014 FROM PEARSON HYUNDAI. WHILE DRIVING TO MY FAMILY REUNION IN THE FOREST RESERVES THE VEHICLE BRAKE LIGHT AND OTHER WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON, AND A RATTLE COULD BE HEARD COMING F…

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ON 8/23/2014 MY FAMILY A I WERE IN CHICAGO WE TRAVELED THERE ON FRIDAY 8/22/2014 FROM VIRGINIA IN THE 2005 KIA SORENTO THAT I JUST PURCHASED IN JULY 2014 FROM PEARSON HYUNDAI. WHILE DRIVING TO MY FAMILY REUNION IN THE FOREST RESERVES THE VEHICLE BRAKE LIGHT AND OTHER WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON, AND A RATTLE COULD BE HEARD COMING FROM THE ENGINE, THE VEHICLE BECAME HARD TO STEER AND THE NOISE FROM THE ENGINE BECAME LOUDER. I STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND HAD IT TOWED TO MY FAMILIES MECHANIC, AFTER CHECKING THE VEHICLE IT WAS FOUND TO HAVE THE PIN ON THE CRANK GEAR BROKEN OFF, AND THE CRANK BOLT CAME LOOSE, REPLACED THE SPROCKET (CRANK GEAR), THE HARMONIC BALANCER, AND THE BOLT. I DROVE THE VEHICLE BACK TO VIRGINIA WITH NO PROBLEM, THEN ON OCTOBER 3, 2014 WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING IN RICHMOND, VA THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN, (WARNING LIGHTS, NO POWER STEERING AND RATTLING FROM THE HARMONIC BALANCER, I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP ON FRIDAY, THEY FINALLY GOT BACK WITH ME WED, OCTOBER 8, 2014 AND TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED A MOTOR CAUSE THE CRANK SHAFT IS BLOWN, PRIOR TO HAVING IT TOWED, I SAW THAT THE HARMONIC BALANCER WAS DOING THE EXACT SAME THING IT HAD DID IN CHICAGO AND TURNING IT I CAN TELL THAT THE SAME PIN HAS CAME OFF THE SPROCKET. THE KIA DEALERSHIP WANTS TO SELL ME A USED ENGINE, SAME AS THE ONE THAT IS IN THE KIA I HAVE, I AM RELUCTANT TO PAY $5000.00 TO REPLACE THE ENGINE TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM, THAT I AND AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION A LOT OF KIA SORENTO OWNERS HAVE SUFFERED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10643441

101,427 miles · Oct 2, 2014
Engine

THE CRANKSHAFT SPROCKET KEY (PIN) GOT LOOSE AND THE SPROCKET DISPLACED WHICH CHEWED THE TIMING BELT AND SHORT-CIRCUITED THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR AND FUEL PUMP, CAUSING $1946.03 OF REPAIR, $213.67 CAR RENTAL DURING REPAIR, LOSS OF WORKING TIME AND STRESS TO ME WITH HEALTH DAMAGE. THE TOTAL LOSS IS ESTIMATED TO BE $3,000.00 AT LEAST…

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THE CRANKSHAFT SPROCKET KEY (PIN) GOT LOOSE AND THE SPROCKET DISPLACED WHICH CHEWED THE TIMING BELT AND SHORT-CIRCUITED THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR AND FUEL PUMP, CAUSING $1946.03 OF REPAIR, $213.67 CAR RENTAL DURING REPAIR, LOSS OF WORKING TIME AND STRESS TO ME WITH HEALTH DAMAGE. THE TOTAL LOSS IS ESTIMATED TO BE $3,000.00 AT LEAST. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10640902

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