2003 KIA SORENTO Complaints

View complaints related to 2003 KIA SORENTO. The complaints found here are submitted by actual consumers with first hand experience. There are more than 300 complaints submitted for the 2003 KIA SORENTO. You can submit your own complaint to the NHTSA or call the Hotline, Monday-Friday 8am to 8pm at (888) 327-4236, TTY: (800) 424-9153.

  • 2003 KIA SORENTO
    - ORANGE, CA

    THE WARNING LIGHT FOR THE SRS SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (AIR BAG) KEEPS GOING OFF WENT OUT OF FACTORY WARRANTY AT 80,000 MILES IT STARTED AROUND 80, 800 DEALER WOULD NOT COVER REPAIRS. LIGHT IS NOW CONSTANT AND WHEN I WAS SEARCHING THE INTERNET FOUND SAME COMPLAINTS WITH THE SRS. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2003 KIA SORENTO
    - WILLIAMSBURG, VA

    CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BOLT FAILED. BROUGHT TO DEALER FOR REPAIR. BOLT WAS PART OF NHTSA RECALL. DEALER STATED THEY NEEDED TO REPLACE CRANKSHAFT AS WELL. DEALER RETURNED VEHICLE W/O REPLACING CRANKSHAFT. 15 MONTHS LATER THE SAME BOLT FAILED. TOOK TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, THEY EXPLAINED THE CRANKSHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. TOOK BACK TO THE DEALER, THEY REPLACED BOLT AND DIDN'T REPLACE CRANKSHAFT. ON 9/13/10 THE BOLT FAILED AGAIN, INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, AND A DIFFERENT DEALER VERIFIED THE NEED FOR CRANKSHAFT TO BE REPLACE. CONTACTED KIA OF AMERICA, AND CASEY KIA WITH NO SIGN OF RESOLUTION. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2003 KIA SORENTO
    - LINCOLN, NE

    I HAVE A 2003 KIA SORENTO AND LAST YEAR IT STARTED TO SPRAY GAS OUT AT ME EVERYTIME I WENT TO FILL IT UP. I TOOK IT IN TO HAVE IT CHECKED AND THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING. MY KIA IS STILL DOING THIS AND I AM GETTING TIRED OF GETTING SPRAYED WITH GAS EVERYTIME I TRY TO PUT GAS IN THE THING. IT NEEDS FIXED AND KIA SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS. THIS IS A HAZARD AND SOMEBODY WILL EVENTUALLY GET HURT. PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS SITUATION. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2003 KIA SORENTO
    - MONTAGUE, NJ

    TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SORENTO. UPON ENTERING THE VEHICLE THE DRIVER COULD SMELL AN ODOR OF GASOLINE. UPON EXAMINATION GASOLINE COULD BE SEEN LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND SHE WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN REPAIRED FOR THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 05V353000, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 104,000.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2003 KIA SORENTO
    - MIAMI, FL

    TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN ATTEMPTING TO FILL THE FUEL TANK, THERE WAS A RESTRICTION THAT ONLY ALLOWED THE FUEL TO ENTER THE FILLER NECK SLOWLY. THE FUEL WOULD ALSO COME BACK OUT (FUEL EXPULSION). THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CONTACT HAD NOT SPOKEN WITH THE MANUFACTURER AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 69,000.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2003 KIA SORENTO
    - LEWES, DE

    MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING A 2003 KIA SORRENTO AND FELL A SLEEP AT THE WHEEL AFTER COLLEGE EXAMS. SHE DROVE INTO THE REAR OF A TRACTOR TRAILER TANKER AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AS A RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT. SHE HAD A CONCUSSION AND A CRACKED STERNUM. STATE FARM INSURANCE DECLARED THE CAR A TOTAL LOSS DUE TO A BENT FRAME, ENGINE MOUNT FAILURE AND A TOTALED FRONT END. AFTER CONTACTING KIA, THEIR RESPONSE TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THAT THE ANGLE THE CAR HIT THE TRAILER, WAS SUCH THAT NONE OF THE SENSORS WAS COMPROMISED , THERE FOR THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. BASICALLY IS WAS NOT THEIR PROBLEM WITH THEIR EQUIPMENT OF THE CAR. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2003 KIA SORENTO
    - ALBANY, NY

    TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN 2007. THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD THE CRANK SHAFT PULLEY BOLT RECALL REPAIR PERFORMED. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE CRANK SHAFT PULLEY BOLT SNAPPED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN 1 MILE TO HER DESTINATION AND THEN TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE DEALER REPLACED THE CRANK SHAFT PULLEY BOLT IN MAY 2010. THE FAILURE HAPPENED AGAIN ON JULY 22, 2010. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE DEALERS POSSESSION WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE A VIN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,779. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 84,000.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2003 KIA SORENTO
    - SPRINGFIELD, KY

    TL*-THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SORENTO. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER SIDE UPPER CONTROL ARM BOLT HAD BROKEN AND CAUSED THE TIRE TO WOBBLE. THE VEHICLE WAS COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE BOLT AT THE OWNER EXPENSE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 53,000. UPDATED 11/16/10. *LJ

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2003 KIA SORENTO
    - SIMPSONVILLE, SC

    WHEN FUELING MY 2003 KIA SORENTO THE GAS WILL SPEW BACK OUT (AS IF UNDER PRESSURE) ONTO ME, THE VEHICLE AND THE SURROUNDING AREA. THIS IS A FIRE HAZARD. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME I TRY TO PUT GAS INTO THE SORENTO. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM WITHOUT A COSTLY DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THEY DID 'LOOK' AT THE FUEL LINE AND COULD NOT SEE A PROBLEM. THE ONLY WAY TO PREVENT THE GAS FROM SPEWING IS TO PUT THE GAS IN EXTREMELY SLOWLY. FILLING IT SLOWLY SEEMS TO PREVENT THE PRESSURE BUILD UP THAT CAUSES THE GAS TO SPEW. THE SPEWING GAS IS CAUSING THE PAINT ON MY VEHICLE TO PEEL. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2003 KIA SORENTO
    - WOODLAND, CA

    MY AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON WITHOUT WARNING. NOW I'M TOLD MY AIRBAGS WON'T WORK. THE DEALER STATES I NEED A NEW CONTROL MODULE. IT IS COMING UP AS A SEAT POSITION ERROR. THEY SAID IT IS COMMON. THIS IS A REQUIRED SAFETY ITEM ON NEW CARS, THE AIRBAGS. IF IT IS A COMMON DEFECT WHY NO RECALL. KIA WON'T HELP. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE