2003 KIA SORENTO Complaints

2003 SORENTO EX PURCHASED NEW. REPLACED THE LEFT FRONT ROTOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS AGO, BUT BREAKING HAS RETURNED TO SIGNS OF A WARPED ROTOR AGAIN. VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED AND LOUD NOISE IN FRONT WHEEL AREA (NON-METAL) SOUND. CAR HAS NEW BRAKE PADS AND RECENT ALIGNMENT. ROTORS ARE NOT LASTING. *NM

2003 KIA SORENTO WITH HISTORY OF POWER STEERING FAILURES WHICH RESULTED IN NO POWER STEERING ASSISTANCE WHILE TURNING AT LOW SPEEDS. PROBLEM FIXED MAY 2004 (AFTER THEE VISITS TO DEALER) ALTHOUGH TSB IDENTIFYING CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS ISSUED A YEAR EARLIER. STEERING RACK FOUND TO BE SEEPING FLUID DURING ANNUAL INSPECTION AT 63,760 MI. TAKEN TO DEALER AT 70,000 MILES FOR EVALUATION. DEALER ADVISED THAT SEALS NOT SERVICEABLE, STEERING RACK AND HOSES REQUIRE REPLACEMENT AT COST OF $2000 - NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE ADVISED THAT STEERING RACK COVERED UNDER WARRANTY UNTIL 60,000 MI; NOT PART OF 100,000 MI POWERTRAIN WARRANTY. I HAVE BEGUN A SEARCH FOR A NEW VEHICLE, AND KIA PRODUCTS AREN'T ELIGIBLE FOR CONSIDERATION. *NM

2003 KIA SORENTO WOULD LOOSE POWER STEERING ASSISTANCE WHEN TRANSITIONING FROM MODERATE SPEEDS (30-50 MPH) TO LOW SPEED (5-10 MPH), SUCH AS WHEN EXITING A HIGHWAY BY SLOWING IN A CENTER TURNING LANE AND TURNING LEFT IN FRONT OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. FIRST OCCURANCE WAS AT 19,000 MILES (SEPT 2003), KIA DEALER WAS UNABLE TO REPLICATE PROBLEM AND RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO ME. PROBLEM CONTINUED INTERMITTENTLY UNTIL 30,000 MILES (MAY 2004) WHEN I RETURNED TO DEALER AND THEY DISCOVERED A TSB ON THIS ISSUE. DEALER REPLACED P/S SENSOR AND LOADED IMPROVED SOFTWARE CODE. THERE WERE A NUMBER OF NEAR COLLISIONS DUE TO THIS FAILURE. *NM

I DRIVE A 2003 KIA/SORENTO/4D. ON OR ABOUT DEC 15 2006 I NOTICE A LOUD NOISE AN SERVER VIBRATION COMING UNDER VEHICLE. I TOOK SUV TO FAMILY MECHANIC. HE COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM AND RECOMMENDED THAT I TAKE VEHICLE TO KIA DEALER. ON DEC 27 2006 KIA DEALER TECH INITIAL DIAG READS 4X4 IS STAYING ENGAGED ALL THE TIME. SUSPECTED SWITCH FAILURE. THEREFORE FRONT DIFF STAYING ENGAGED ALL THE TIME. THIS HAS CAUSED INTERNAL DAMAGE TO FRONT DIFF AND FRONT PROPELLER SHAFT. ESTIMATE COST TO REPAIR/2,775.00 I AM AT A LOST CAUSE VEHICLE IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY, BUT I FEEL BECAUSE 4X4 RELEASE/ENGAGE SWITCH FAILURE THAT I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO ENDURE THE FINANCIAL BURDEN. REPAIRING THIS MANUFACTURES DEFECT. *JB

TL* - THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP THREE TIMES CONCERNING THE HORN NOT WORKING. EVERY TIME HE TOOK SIT TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY STATED THAT THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED ON AND OFF. *AK

2003 KIA SORRENTO-THERE HAS BEEN NO CRASH==THE DRIVE LINE FROM THE REAR MAKES A NOISY THUMP ALMOST EVERY TIME I STEP ON THE BRAKES AND RELEASE THEM--KIA SERVICE IN MIDDLETOWN, NY SERVICE MANAGER AND KIA ZONE REP STATE THAT IS NORMAL OPERATION OF VEHICLE--I DISAGREE AND INFORMED THEM I WILL BE TAKING VEHICLE TO ANOTHER MECHANIC,I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR 34 YEARS AND NEVER ENCOUNTERED THIS SITUATION IN A VEHICLE. *JB

A SCREW THAT HOLD THE CRANK SHAFT & THE TAMPER GET BROKEN WHILE I WAS DRIVING TO MY HOUSE. THE DEALER IN PUERTO RICO SAID THAT I HAVE TO PAY$2,521.00 TO FIX IT. BUT I HEARD FROM AN INSURANCE AGENT THAT KIA WAS TOLD BY SOME GOVERNMENT AGENCY, I THINK THAT AGENCY IS NHTSA; TO MODIFY THE SCREW INVOLVED IN MY INCIDENT, CAUSING THE LOST CONTROL OF MY SORENTO. THE STEERING GET HARD TO MOVE.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TURN ON THE DEFOGGER/DEFROST SYSTEM, THE HEATER FAILED TO OPERATE, AND NO HEAT WAS PRESENT. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER, WHO DETERMINED ANTIFREEZE FLUID LEAKED OUT OF THE RESERVOIR TANK BECAUSE IT WAS FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE REPLACEMENT PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE AT THE DEALER, AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED, WHO CONFIRMED THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE DEALER INSTRUCTED THE CONTACT TO MONITOR THE LEVEL OF ANTIFREEZE FLUID DAILY AND ADD MORE ANTIFREEZE IF NEEDED.

I HAD A 1 YEAR OLD BATTERY REPLACED, WHICH WAS DEFECTIVE (NON-KIA DEALER). AFTERWARDS, I NOTICED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. KIA DEALER SAID IT WAS DUE TO A BAD SENSOR ($300 PART, $300 LABOR). IT WAS TOO EXPENSIVE FOR ME TO PURSUE CORRECTING. I TOLD THE DEALER TO FORGET THE REPAIR. *NM

FIRST INCIDENT - CAR STALLED AND FLUID STEAMED FROM THE HOOD. IT HAD TO BE TOWED AFTER SEVERAL RESTARTS TO DRIVE TO THE DEALER. THE COOLANT RESERVOIR WAS CRACKED. THIS PART IS ON NATIONAL BACKORDER AND I HAVE SO FAR BEEN WAITING APPROX. FOUR WEEKS FOR THE PART. THE DEALER SAID KIA HAS HALTED MANUFACTURING/DISTRIBUTING THE PART JUST FOR NEW CARS AND REQUESTED THAT THE PARTS BE SHIPPED TO THE DEALERS FOR REPAIR INSTALLATIONS. THE DEALER CUSTOMER SERVICE IS GREAT AND I HAVE NO COMPLAINT ABOUT THE DEALER. *NM