2008 KIA SORENTO Complaints

View complaints related to 2008 KIA SORENTO. The complaints found here are submitted by actual consumers with first hand experience. There are more than 220 complaints submitted for the 2008 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.

  • 2008 KIA SORENTO
    - CYPRESS, TX

    EXITING A STRIP CENTER TO CROSS 2 LANES OF TRAFFIC AND MAKE A LEFT TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC, I ACCELERATED IN A SAFE GAP ONLY TO FIND MY VEHICLE HAD ALMOST NO ACCELERATION. I WAS NEARLY IN A SIDE IMPACT COLLISION IF NOT FOR THE EXCELLENT AWARENESS AND REACTION OF THE OTHERS ON THE ROAD. I PULLED IMMEDIATELY INTO A PARKING LOT TO TRY TO FIND OUT WHAT HAD HAPPEN. AT THIS TIME MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE ESC OFF LIGHT WERE ON. THEY WERE NOT WENT I STARTED THE TRIP FROM MY HOUSE ABOUT 1 MILE AWAY. I SHUT THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED AND THE ESC OFF LIGHT WAS NO LONGER THERE, BUT THE CHECK ENGINE WAS. THE NORMAL POWER HAD BEEN RESTORED BACK TO MY CAR. I DROVE TO AN AUTO PARTS SHOP AND HAD THEM PULL CODES ON THE VEHICLE. IT RETURNED 2 CODES: 1. P2138 (THROTTLE/PEDAL POSITION SENSOR/SWITCH "D"/"E" VOLTAGE CORRELATION, 2. P2106 (THROTTLE ACTUATOR CONTROL SYSTEM - FORCED LIMITED POWER). I ASKED THEM TO CLEAR THE CODES AND THEY DID. MY DRIVE HOME TRIGGERED NO LIGHTS. AFTER A MONTH THE SAME ISSUE HAPPENED AND I CLEARED THE CODES ONCE AGAIN. IT NOW HAPPENS 6 MONTHS TO YEAR MOSTLY WHEN THE TEMPERATURE GET REALLY WAR (USUALLY JULY). I GOT ON THE INTERNET TO RESEARCH THE ISSUE AND WAS AMAZED TO FIND HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE HAVING THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. ALL WERE THE SAME STORY OF SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED LOSS OF POWER, BOTH LIGHTS ON, NEAR ACCIDENTS, FEAR FOR ONE'S SAFETY. LITERALLY HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS. THERE WERE MANY POSTS OF THOSE THAT WENT TO DEALER OR CALLED KIA WITH EITHER EXORBITANT REPAIR COSTS, LACK OF CONCERN, AND NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE ISSUE. FOR MOST, THE PROBLEM WAS NEVER COMPLETELY SOLVED WITH DEALER REPAIRS AND INTERMITTENTLY HAPPENS. THIS IS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM AND PEOPLE WILL DIE, OR MOST LIKELY ALREADY HAVE. TOO MANY PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM NOT TO HAVE A RECALL FOR KIA OWNERS AND THEIR CHILDREN'S SAFETY. PLEASE HELP.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2008 KIA SORENTO
    - CINCINATTI, OH

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TIRE DISCOUNTERS FOR AN OIL CHANGE. IT WAS NOTICED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE AND OIL INDICATORS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT 200 MILES LATER, THE ENGINE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AUTO MALL OF DAYTON WHERE IT WAS NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PROPERLY MAINTAINED AND THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2008 KIA SORENTO
    - GRAND RAPIDS, MI

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SUSPENSION WAS UNSTABLE AT THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE CONTROL ARMS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WHILE DRIVING, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE NEAR THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO MOVE. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC CAME TO THE LOCATION AND STATED THAT THE FRONT WHEEL SUSPENSION FAILED AND THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AXLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AXLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO SERVICE CAMPAIGN OR RECALL TO ADDRESS THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 154,000.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2008 KIA SORENTO
    - RATON, NM

    THE STEER WHEEL LOCKED UP WHEN I WAS COMING OFF HIGHWAY TO INTERSECTION. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE ALREADY.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2008 KIA SORENTO
    - MEMPHIS, TN

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED INDEPENDENTLY TO 30 MPH AND FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER HOWEVER, A TECHNICIAN REVIEWED THE VEHICLE AND DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE ACTUATOR NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2008 KIA SORENTO
    - JACKSON, MS

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE'S PASSENGER ALERT SYSTEM, WHICH INFORMS WHEN THE SEAT WAS OCCUPIED, REMAINED ACTIVATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2008 KIA SORENTO
    - AURORA, CO

    ON TWO SEPERATE OCCASIONS APPROXIMATELY 2 MONTHS APART ON START UP AND INITIAL DRIVE THE ENGINE SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE ESC OFF LIGHT CAME ON. PULLED VEHICLE TO CURB, SHUT OFF ENGINE, WAITED SEVERAL MINUTES TO ONE HOUR, RESTARTED ENGINE AND HAD FULL POWER.. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINS ON FOR SEVERAL START UPS THEN RESETS ITSELF. THIS SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS COULD BE DEVASTATING AND POTENTIALLY LEAD TO FATALITIES.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2008 KIA SORENTO
    - AVERILL PARK, NY

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH APPROACHING A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SURGED AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE PRECEDING VEHICLE, WHICH CAUSED THAT VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO A THIRD VEHICLE. THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITH EXTREME FORCE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE HEAD, NECK, AND A WHIPLASH. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INJURED BY THE SEAT BELT. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A YARD AND DESTROYED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V114000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 122,000.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2008 KIA SORENTO
    - QUAKERTOWN, PA

    ON OCCASION, "PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF" LIGHT GOES ON WHILE AN ADULT (>120LBS.) IS SITTING IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2008 KIA SORENTO
    - POPLAR BLUFF, MO

    CHECK ENGINE AND ESC LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE. TRUCK IMMEDIATELY LOSES POWER.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE