IllustrationRECENTLY PURCHASED 2006 KIA SORENTO..RECALL #SC077 THE BRAKE LIGHTS INTEROIR LIGHTS ARE NOT WORKING I REPLACED ALL BULBS AND FUSES..PLEASE HELP
2006 Kia Sorento
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2006 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
250–25K
2825–50K
4350–75K
4775–100K
42100–150K
23150K+
208 reports with mileage · 34 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 67 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Exterior Lighting. Review the 56 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 53 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
12 crash reports8 fire reports7 injury reports
Power Train complaints
35 reportsI WAS DRIVING HEADED TO GET ON THE HI-WAY, HEARD A NOISE AND A WHINE AND THEN MY CAR BEGAN TO RUN BAD. SHAKING AND LIKE NO POWER STEERING OR SOMETHING. AS I WAS TRYING TO STOP AND PULL OVER THERE WAS A RATTLING SOUND. I AM BEING TOLD 2 THINGS. BUT THEY ALL COME DOWN TO A BOLT THAT IS SAID TO HAVE COME LOOSE AND CAUSE DAMAGE TO …
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I WAS DRIVING HEADED TO GET ON THE HI-WAY, HEARD A NOISE AND A WHINE AND THEN MY CAR BEGAN TO RUN BAD. SHAKING AND LIKE NO POWER STEERING OR SOMETHING. AS I WAS TRYING TO STOP AND PULL OVER THERE WAS A RATTLING SOUND. I AM BEING TOLD 2 THINGS. BUT THEY ALL COME DOWN TO A BOLT THAT IS SAID TO HAVE COME LOOSE AND CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE CAMSHAFT AND HARMONIC BALANCER. WHICH I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT AND YOUR COMPANY IS NOT OWNING THIS ISSUE OR ASSISTING TO HAVE THE ISSUE REPAIRED OR RECALLED AND RESEARCH SHOWS YOU ARE WELL AWARE OF THE ISSUE, AS THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION SUIT THAT YOU SETTLED ON IN 2017. HOWEVER, I DID NOT PURCHASE MY CAR OR HAVE ISSUES WITH THE BOLT UNTIL AFTER THEN. WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS FOR PPL WHO ARE NOW EXPERIENCING THIS? I HAVE CHECKED WITH THE PREVIOUS OWNER AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED FOR THIS PROBLEM AND THEY HAVE NO RECORD OF BEING A PART OF THE SUIT. I WOULD APPRECIATE SOMEONE CONTACTING ME CONCERNING THIS AND OPTIONS FOR REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT IMMEDIATELY. THANK YOU. I COULD HAVE DIED HAS I ALREADY GOTTEN ON THE HI-WAY OR BEEN GOING MUCH FASTER. ONLY BY THE GRACE OF GOD DID THAT NOT HAPPEN. I PRAY THAT YOUR COMPANY IS READY TO TAKE OWNERSHIP AND OFFER ASSISTANCE TO THOSE WHO BOUGHT AND CONTINUE TO USE YOUR PRODUCTS.
OVERHEATED ON HIGHWAY WOULDNT RUN NEVEMBER 2015 12/23/2015 $3,687.71 ENGINE REPLACEMENT 03/30/2016-05/23/2016 JEFF SMITH AUTO MULTI PT. INSPECTION REPLACE COILS WIRES PLUGS TIMING CRANK AND CAM SENSORS CLEAN TANK AND REPLACE FUEL PUMP $2,995 AND CAR STILL HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE LOCATION IT SITS AT NOW
ON 11/23/15 I WAS DRIVING DOWN 85S WHEN I HIT SOMETHING IN THE ROAD. HAD TO PULL OVER CAUSE IT SOUNDED LIKE THE BOTTOM OF MY CAR FELL OUT. AFTER WAITING 2HRS FOR HELP WE NTICED THAT THE DRIVESHAFT (2PART SHAFT) BROKE OFF, PUNCTURED MY GAS TANK, MY CABLE THAT RUNS TO MY TRANSMISSION AND PUT A GOOD SIZE HOLE IN THE BOTTOM OF MY BA…
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ON 11/23/15 I WAS DRIVING DOWN 85S WHEN I HIT SOMETHING IN THE ROAD. HAD TO PULL OVER CAUSE IT SOUNDED LIKE THE BOTTOM OF MY CAR FELL OUT. AFTER WAITING 2HRS FOR HELP WE NTICED THAT THE DRIVESHAFT (2PART SHAFT) BROKE OFF, PUNCTURED MY GAS TANK, MY CABLE THAT RUNS TO MY TRANSMISSION AND PUT A GOOD SIZE HOLE IN THE BOTTOM OF MY BACK SEAT. THE SHOP TOLD ME THAT THIS A REOCCURING PROBLEM WITH THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE. AFTER LOOKING MORE CLOSELY WE NOTICED A LOT MORE DAMAGE THAT WAS CAUSED BY THIS. MY CAR IS STILL AT THE SHOP AS OF TODAY SINCE WE ARE WAITING ON INSURANCE. BUT, THIS CAR HAS GIVEN ME MORE TROUBLE THAN ANYTHING IN MY LIFE! I WILL NEVER GET A KIA AGAIN! AND THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IS KIA WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS! IN THE PAST MY CAR STARTED TO SHAKE ONCE I GOT OVER 30MPH, MY DASH LIGHTS AND ENGINE LIGHTS DON'T WORK (AND YES WE'VE CHECKED FUSES, THE SHOP HAS LOOKED AND WE DON'T KNOW WHY THEY DON'T WORK.) GUESS THIS IS WHAT I GET FOR BUYING A CAR FROM A CROOK OF A USED CAR LOT!
IT DOESNT SHIFT PARTS OF THE TRANSMISSION SEEMS LIKE FALLLING OFF. LOOSE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES DONT WORK
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE HOME AFTER BUYING IT, THE CLUTCH PEDAL BEGAN STICKING AFTER IT WAS DEPRESSED AND NOT ENGAGING, LEAVING THE VEHICLE UNPOWERED. I TRIED TAPPING THE PEDAL IN ORDER TO RELEASE IT- SOMETIMES THIS WORKED, SOMETIMES NOT.
I WAS TURNING AT A STOP LIGHT WHEN I LOSS POWER STEERING AND NEARLY CRASHED.I WAS ABLE TO GET IT PULLED OVER.I RAISED THE HOOD AND SAW THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY LYING ON THE THE BOTTOM SKID PLATE.I LOOKED ON THE INTERNET ONLY TO FIND THERE ARE PROBABLY THOUSANDS OF SIMILAR CASES WORLDWIDE.I CALLED KIA .THEY BASICALLY BLEW ME OFF!
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, THE CRANKSHAFT BOLT BROKE INSIDE THE CRANKSHAFT CAUSING STEERING PROBLEMS, AND THE CAR SHUTDOWN. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND COULD CAUSE DEATH BY LOSING STEERING CONTROL OR A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WITH OTHERS DUE TO LOST OF POWER. *TR
WE WERE JUST TURNING AROUND A BEND AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN, WE LOST POWER STEERING AND THE CAR LOST POWER. THEN WE MANAGED TO PULL IT OVER TO A PARKING LOT. THEN WE NEEDED TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED. WE HAVE ALREADY CONTACTED KIA TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL ON IT. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THERE WASN'T THAT PARTICULAR RECALL ON THAT MODE…
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WE WERE JUST TURNING AROUND A BEND AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN, WE LOST POWER STEERING AND THE CAR LOST POWER. THEN WE MANAGED TO PULL IT OVER TO A PARKING LOT. THEN WE NEEDED TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED. WE HAVE ALREADY CONTACTED KIA TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL ON IT. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THERE WASN'T THAT PARTICULAR RECALL ON THAT MODEL. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS MODEL SHOULD HAVE BIN INCLUDED IN THE RECALL LIST. *TR
ON 09/18/2014 ARRIVING HOME I STARTED TO HEAR LOUD RUMBLE NOISES COMING FROM THE ENGINE, TOOK IT TO A LOCAL SHOP AND WAS TOLD IT MIGHT BE THE PULLEYS, HOWEVER, IT WAS DETERMINED THE NEXT DAY - DIFFERENT SHOP THAT COULD MAKE THE REPAIRS, THE CRANKSHAFT PIN SHEARED OFF (THIS WORK WAS PREVIOUSLY DONE ON MARCH 2014 AT A TOTAL OF 1,8…
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ON 09/18/2014 ARRIVING HOME I STARTED TO HEAR LOUD RUMBLE NOISES COMING FROM THE ENGINE, TOOK IT TO A LOCAL SHOP AND WAS TOLD IT MIGHT BE THE PULLEYS, HOWEVER, IT WAS DETERMINED THE NEXT DAY - DIFFERENT SHOP THAT COULD MAKE THE REPAIRS, THE CRANKSHAFT PIN SHEARED OFF (THIS WORK WAS PREVIOUSLY DONE ON MARCH 2014 AT A TOTAL OF 1,800+ AND HERE IT IS AGAIN!). MECHANIC AT THE SHOP WAS THE ONE THAT SAVED ME $$ THIS TIME AS HE NOTICED THE WORK AS VERY RECENT, AND SUGGESTED I TAKE IT BACK TO WHERE THE REPAIR HAD BEEN DONE IN MARCH. ONE WEEK LATER - 09/26/2014 I HAD MY CAR BACK. HOWEVER, I SUSPECT THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN, SINCE THERE ARE SO MANY OTHERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS, AND HOW MANY OTHER REPAIR SHOPS CONTINUE TO ORDER THE SAME PART OVER AND OVER. REALLY? HELLO KIA, THEY NEED TO STEP UP TO THIS SITUATION, BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED. I AM SO GLAD I LISTEN TO MY SUV AND TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICING, AS THIS COULD HAVE HAD DISASTROUS RESULTS IF I WERE ON THE HIGHWAY GOING AT A HIGHER SPEED. THE BEST THING HERE WAS THE HONEST MECHANIC! I WILL NEVER GET ANOTHER KIA, AND IF IT DOES HAPPEN AGAIN, THAT'S WHEN I WILL GET ANOTHER VEHICLE. AS I CONTINUE TO DRIVE, I FEEL THAT MY SUV IS JUST NOT THE SAME, THE ENGINE MAY HAVE HAD SOME DAMAGE TO WHICH I HAVE NO IDEA HOW SERIOUS. I LEARNED ABOUT A YEAR AGO THAT THE KIA 2006 SUV/SORENTO WE A VERY BAD YEAR FOR THIS MODEL AND IT IS TRUE, THIS IS NOT THE ONLY HIGH COSTING REPAIR I HAVE HAD TO PAY FOR, AND I DO NOT EVEN HAVE 60,000 ON IT YET! WORSE SUV I HAVE EVER BROUGHT! NEVER AGAIN. THIS VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN AS YOU ARE DRIVING, AND I ALWAYS RENT INSTEAD OF TAKING THIS VEHICLE, I HAVE NO CONFIDENCE AT ALL. *TR
Official recalls
109V130000 · Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch
Apr 17, 2009
HUYNDAI-KIA IS RECALLING 139,844 MY 2006-2007- SEDONA, SPORTAGE, SORENTO AND MY RONDO AND AMANTI VEHICLES. THE STOP LAMP SWITCH IN THE AFFECTED VEHICLES MAY MALFUNCTION. A MALFUNCTIONING STOP LAMP SWITCH MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED OR MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO REMAIN ILLUMINATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS RELEASED. A STOP LAMP SWITCH MALFUNCTION MAY ALSO AFFECT THE OPERATION OF THE BRAKE-TRANSMISSION SHIFT INTERLOCK FEATURE SO THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BE SHIFTED OUT OF THE PARK POSITION. IT MAY ALSO CAUSE THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) MALFUNCTION LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE, AND IT MAY NOT DEACTIVATE THE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: ANY OF THESE MALFUNCTIONS, ALONE OR IN COMBINATION, MAY LEAD TO A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STOP LAMP SWITCH FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 17, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA'S CONSUMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-333-4542.
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
1DP21003 · Throttle Control System Vulnerabilities
Opened Nov 12, 2021 · Closed Jun 20, 2023
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:throttle
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a petition letter dated October 10, 2021, requesting an investigation of possible defects in the electronic throttle control (ETC) system on certain Kia vehicles resulting in the opening of DP21-003. Accordingly, Model Year (MY) 2005-2016 Kia Optima/K5, MY 2006-2015 Kia Sorento, MY 2007-2016 Hyundai Elantra, MY 2007-2016 Hyundai Santa Fe, MY 2006-2015 Hyundai Sonatas are all part of the subject population. The petition was originally filed as a Vehicle Owner Questionnaire that can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under reference (ODI) number 11439675.On November 12, 2021, ODI opened Defect Petition DP21-003 to evaluate the petitioner?s request. ODI performed trend analyses of the VOQs related to vehicle speed control issues for all the subject vehicles and found that none of the 52 Model/Model Year Hyundai/Kia vehicles demonstrated any actionable trend that warranted an investigation.Petitioners submitted 1119 VOQs and non-VOQ cases in which sudden uncommanded acceleration (SUA) or loss of motive power (LOMP) incidents were alleged.For the 1119 reports, 220 were incidents involving crashes, from which 69 subject Hyundai-Kia vehicles were inspected by Hyundai/Kia dealer technicians, Hyundai/Kia engineers, and/or third-party representatives.ODI found the inspections identified no vehicle defects related to the ETC system.Of the 220 crash-involved reports, 13 Event Data Recorder (EDR) records were downloaded successfully and 11 of those indicated driver error: (i.e.) pedal misapplication.A condition where the accelerator pedal is mistakenly applied instead of the brake pedal when the driver wants to stop the vehicle.In addition, ODI reviewed a scientific journal paper published in Forensic Science International in 2016 by Mr. Park et al ., as well as related test videos. ODI does not believe there is any evidence of uncontrollable SUA occurrences in any of the tests reviewed. NHTSA's Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance (OVSC) reviewed the allegations regarding the potential noncompliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 124.Based on the information provided, the Agency concludes there is insufficient information for us to determine if a possible non-compliance exists.Finally, both Hyundai and Kia informed ODI that all their vehicles manufactured after 2012 were equipped with an ETC management system, in which the engine speed will go to idle when the system sees signals from both the brake pedal and accelerator pedal at the same time; this is commonly known as the brake-throttle override system.After thoroughly assessing the material submitted by the petitioner, information already in NHTSA's possession, information submitted by Hyundai and Kia in response to an Information Request letter, and the potential risks to safety implicated by the petitioner's allegation, NHTSA does not believe that a formal investigation is warranted. After full consideration of appropriate factors, the petition is denied. A Federal Register Notice (FRN) further detailing NHTSA?s reasons for denial of the petition will be published.