2008 KIA SORENTO Complaints

THE PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT WILL NOT GO OFF. I HAVE TAKEN IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP 2 TIMES AND THEY SAID THEY HAVE FIXED THE SENSOR. IT STILL IS NOT FIXED. I HAVE SEEN ON A FEW FORUMS (IE. EDMUNDS.COM) THAT IT HAS BEEN AN ISSUE AND IT IS NOT GETTING RESOLVED. I AM CONCERNED FOR MY PASSENGERS SAFETY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA SORENTO. WHENEVER AN OCCUPANT IS SEATED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATES, WHICH INDICATES THAT IT IS NOT ENGAGED NOR WORKING PROPERLY. THE FAILURE WAS NOTICED WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON TWO OCCASIONS. THE FIRST TIME, THE MECHANIC STATED THAT OTHER CONSUMERS WERE EXPERIENCING THE SAME FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT MOVEMENT IN THE SEAT WILL USUALLY ENGAGE THE AIR BAGS. THE DEALER DID NOT OFFER A REMEDY AT THAT TIME. A WEEK LATER, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT IT WAS UNSAFE TO SIT IN THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAG LIGHT WILL DIM ONCE THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN RESTARTED A FEW TIMES. THE SERVICE MANAGER CALLED AND STATED THAT A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR THIS FAILURE. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER WAS UNABLE TO BE LOCATED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 150. UPDATED 06/10/09. *JB

I BOUGHT MY 2008 KIA SORENTO 11/11/2008. IN MARCH 2009, I STARTED TO NOTICE A COMPRESSION TYPE NOISE AND IT OCCURS EVERY 3-5 SECONDS. THE KIA DEALERSHIP HAS HAD THIS VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES, BUT CAN'T FIGURE OUT THE ISSUE. THIS IS AN ONGOING AND STILL CURRENT ISSUE. IT'S VERY INCONVENIENT TO TAKE MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP EVERY OTHER WEEK JUST TO HEAR THAT THEY CAN'T FIGURE OUT THE ISSUE. THE KIA DEALERSHIP CAN NOT TELL ME IF IT A SAFETY ISSUE. IF THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE TECH'S CAN'T FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM, THEN HOW DO I KNOW IF MY FAMILY IS SAFE IN THIS VEHICLE? *TR

PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT WILL NOT TURN OFF WHEN PASSENGER SITS IN SEAT. MEANING THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY IF AN ACCIDENT OCCURS. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING INTERMITTENTLY SINCE DECEMBER 2008, THE FIRST DOCUMENTED TIME WAS JANUARY 2009, AND HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED FIVE TIMES. THE ONLY ATTEMPT TO REPAIR WAS TO UPDATE THE COMPUTER CHIP, WHICH DID NOT WORK. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THEY WILL NOT REPAIR THIS PROBLEM, WHICH TO ME IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

FROM THE FIRST DAY I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE, I'VE NOTICED A PROBLEM WITH THE HEADLIGHTS VISIBILITY. WHEN DRIVING, THE HEADLAMPS ARE NOT AIMED OR FOCUSED TO SEE MORE THAN TWO CAR LENGTHS IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. I WENT BACK TO KIA AND HAD THEM CHECK IT OUT. THEY SAID THE LIGHTS WERE ADJUSTED AS FAR UP AS THE STATE ALLOWS. I CONTACTED KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY CLAIM THEY HAVEN'T HAD ANY COMPLAINTS. THE VISIBILITY WITH THE HEADLIGHTS IS TERRIBLE. THE HEADLIGHTS ARE NOT ADJUSTED HIGH ENOUGH TO SEE WHEN NIGHT DRIVING. YOU CAN ONLY SEE TWO CAR LENGTHS IN FRONT OF YOU AND IF DEPENDING ON THE TERRAIN OF THE ROAD OR IF THERE IS NO OTHER AREA LIGHTING, I.E. STREET LIGHTS, STORE LIGHTS OR OTHER COMMERCIAL LIGHTING, THE AREA BEYOND TWO CAR LENGTHS IS COMPLETELY BLACK.. THE VISIBILITY IS HORRIBLE AND UNSAFE. IT'S AT THE POINT, THAT WE'RE AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR AT NIGHT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STARTED THE IGNITION AND SUDDENLY THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHENEVER AN OCCUPANT WAS SEATED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE AIR BAG SENSOR. THE AIR BAG SENSOR AND PAD WERE REPLACED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS FOR IDENTICAL FAILURES; HOWEVER, THERE WERE NO RESOLUTIONS. THE MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND AN ENGINEER CONDUCTED AN INSPECTION ON THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAG SENSOR WAS REPROGRAMMED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 4,400.

MY 22 YR SON. WAS DRIVING A KIA SORENTO, AT HIGHWAY SPEED ON 11/27/08 ON I-10 W IN HOUSTON, TX, JUST EAST OF LOOP 610. THE VEHICLE WAS A RENTAL FROM ENTERPRISE RENTAL CAR AND HAD CA. 4000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. MY SON REPORTS HEARING A LOUD BOOM FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND IMMEDIATELY NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE DASHBOARD VENTS. HE IMMEDIATELY PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE MEDIAN SHOULDER AND EXITED THE VEHICLE, NOTICING DARK SMOKE COMING FROM THE HOOD, THEN FLAMES. HE PROMPTLY CALLED 911. THE OPERATOR SAID SHE HAD HIS VEHICLE FIRE ON THE OVERHEAD HIGHWAY CAMERA. MY SON IS A CULINARY STUDENT AND RAPIDLY RETRIEVED HIS VALUABLE KNIFE ROLL FROM THE REAR SEAT FLOORBOARD, BUT WAS UNABLE TO GET ANYTHING ELSE FROM THE VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THE HEAT AND SMOKE. HE SAYS THE FD ARRIVED WITHIN 5 MINS AND DOUSED THE ENGINE FIRE. THERE WAS EXTENSIVE FIRE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AND LESS SO TO THE REAR PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. MY SON IS SMART, QUICK AND AGILE. THUS, HE SUFFERED NO PHYSICAL INJURY, BUT WAS QUITE DISTRAUGHT. HE WILL DO WELL. I AM AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN WITH 20 YRS OF EXPERIENCE. I HAVE VERY SERIOUS CONCERNS REGARDING THIS APPARENT CATASTROPHIC FAILURE THAT RAPIDLY RESULTED IN AN ENGINE AND VEHICLE FIRE. IT IS APPARENT THAT A DEFINITELY ADVERSE OUTCOME, INCLUDING SERIOUS INJURY AND/OR DEATH COULD RESULT IF THE OCCUPANTS WERE ELDERLY OR A FAMILY WITH CHILDREN IN PROPER RESTRAINTS, BOOSTER OR INFANT SEATS. ADDITIONALLY, MY SON REACTED RAPIDLY AND IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER. ANOTHER TRAGIC SCENARIO COULD OCCUR IF THERE WERE A NARROW OR NO SHOULDER. THANK YOU FOR YOUR REVIEW AND ACTION. *TR

I HAVE 2008 KIA SORENTO. ON THE EVENING I BOUGHT THE CAR, I WAS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SIDE AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON STATING THAT THE AIRBAG WAS OFF. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THERE IS A NATIONWIDE BACKORDER FOR THE PART AND NOT TO ALLOW ANYONE TO SIT IN THE FRONT SEAT. THIS WAS A MONTH AGO THEY STILL CANNOT GET THE PART. I WILL BE TAKING IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THIS FRIDAY TO SEE IF THEY CAN RESET THE COMPUTER. THEY SAID THEY HAVE HAD ALOT OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS PROBLEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE BRAKES SQUEAK WHEN THE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. THE SQUEAKING SOUND IS GRADUALLY BECOMING LOUDER. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THIS ISSUE FOUR OR FIVE TIMES, BUT THEY CANNOT FIND ANY FAILURES. WHILE IDLING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE VEHICLE DOES NOT MOVE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. THE TIRES JUST SPIN AND THEN THE VEHICLE FINALLY MOVES. THE CONTACT IS AFRAID THAT THE VEHICLE WILL BE REAR ENDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,620. UPDATED 10/20/08. *LJ

JUST PURCHASED A BRAND NEW 2008 KIA SORENTO. THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG ONLY ACTIVATES 50% OF THE TIME WHEN A PASSENGER IS IN THE SEAT. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND DEALER COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. RETURNED VEHICLE TO DEALER A 2ND TIME WITH A PASSENGER SEATED IN THE SEAT AND THE AIR BAG WAS NOT ACTIVATED. THE SERVICE MANAGER ACTUALLY WITNESSED A 150LB PASSENGER PROPERLY SEATED IN THE SEAT AND THE AIR BAG WAS NOT ACTIVATED. THEY KEPT THE VEHICLE 5 ADDITIONAL DAYS. THEY RAN DIAGNOSTICS AND CONTACTED KIA. KIA WOULD NOT AUTHORIZE A REPAIR SINCE ALL THE DIAGNOSTICS PASSED EVEN THOUGH THE SERVICE MANAGER PERSONALLY WITNESSED IT NOT WORKING. THE DEALER STATES THAT KIA REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG SENSOR. *TR