2008 KIA SORENTO Complaints

I'VE OWNED THIS VEHICLE FOR LESS THAN A YEAR AND HAVE OBSERVED SEVERAL AFFECTED PARTS THAT PRESENT SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUES AND SUBSTANTIAL CONCERNS TO MY OVERALL WELFARE. MOST ALARMING IS THE VEHICLE LOSES POWER DURING OPERATION EITHER IN AND INABILITY TO ACCELERATE OR THE COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER WHILE MERGING OR DRIVING WITH THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAYS AND INTESTATES. THE ESC AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY AND REMAIN ON UNTIL ENGINE IS TURNED OFF. THE DASH PANEL LIGHTS FLICKERS OFF/ON WHEN BRAKE PEDAL IS ENGAGED. THE BACK DRIVERS BRAKE LIGHT GOES OUT SPORADICALLY. IN THE EVENT THAT THERE IS A NEED TO CUT THE HEAD LIGHTS OR WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION, THERE IS A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER OR ACCELERATION AND THE CAR WILL SLOW TO A COMPLETE STOP IN THE MIDST OF HEAVY TRAFFIC CONDITIONS. THE PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT IS CONSISTENTLY ON. THE CRUISE CONTROL FUNCTION COMES ON WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT PROMPTING AND THE PANEL KEYS ARE NON RESPONSIVE TO OFF ON COMMANDS. THERE IS ALSO A HEAVY SHAKING THAT OCCURS ON THE FRONT END WHEN TRAVELING AT SPEED OF 55 MPH OR GREATER.

I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT BULBS AT LEAST 3 TIMES IN THE 3 YEARS I HAVE OWNED MY CAR. JUST HAD MY RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE REPLACED AGAIN, WAS WORKING IMMEDIATELY AFTER BEING REPLACED, AND NOW THE NEXT MORNING WHEN I GET IN MY CAR NEITHER HEADLIGHT WORKS. I AM A SINGLE MOM ON A FIXED INCOME AND I CANNOT AFFORD TO KEEP REPLACING THESE BULBS AT $20 EACH TIME.

AFTER STOPPING AND LOOKING FOR ONCOMING CARS AND STARTING AGAIN, THE CAR JETTISONED CAUSING ME TO HIT ANOTHER CAR AND THE CAR WOULDN'T STOP FOR ABOUT A HALF BLOCK.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE BRAKE LAMP FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE BRAKE LAMP SWITCH GROUND WIRE WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V114000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 02/05/16*LJ UPDATED 4/23/18*JB *CN

EVERY 6 MONTHS THE ENGINE LIGHT AND ECS OFF LIGHTS COME ON AND THE CAR LOSES POWER INTERMITTENTLY. THIS IS DANGEROUS WHEN IT HAPPENS ON THE FREEWAY. I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM CARMAX IN JULY 2014. BY NOVEMBER, IT STARTED TO HAVE THE ISSUE, IT PROGRESSED AT I CHECKED IT ON THE INTERNET AND SAW A RECALL AND BROUGHT IT IN TO CITY KIA IN ORLANDO. THE MECHANIC COULD NOT FIND AN ISSUE WHY THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON AND THERE WAS NO CLEAR CODE. HOWEVER, WHEN HE REPLACED THE RECALL LAMP SWITCH PART IT WENT AWAY UNTIL NOW (OCT 2015). IT IS CLEAR TO ME THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM THAT CAN CAUSE THE LOSS OF POWER. THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMMENTS FROM OTHERS WITH THE SAME ISSUE AND THE SAME SYMPTOMS. I EXPECT CARMAX AND KIA UNDERSTAND THERE IS AN ISSUE. I BOUGHT THE CAR WITH 32K MILES ON IT FROM CARMAX AND IT ALREADY HAD 2 PREVIOUS OWNERS. THE AVERAGE KIA MECHANIC SEEMS INCAPABLE OF DIAGNOSING AND RESOLVING THIS ISSUE. THEY WILL JUST CHANGE OUT PARTS EVERY 6 MONTHS AND HOPEFULLY RESET THE ELECTRONICS SOMEHOW. I AM A LICENSED MECHANICAL ENGINEER AND SAFETY ENGINEER WORKING IN THE RIDE INDUSTRY FOR 30 YEARS. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND I WOULD LIKE KIA TO EITHER FIX IT OR TAKE MY CAR BACK OR CARMAX TO TAKE THE CAR BACK. THE LOSS OF POWER CAN OCCUR WHEN YOU START OR WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING. THE ENGINE LIGHT AND ECS LIGHT COME ON AND ALWAYS ACCOMPANY THIS ISSUE. TYPICAL POSTS ON INTERNET JUN 30, 2014 - CHEEKTOWAGA, NY - POWER TRAIN TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE SLOWLY DECELERATED TO 20 MPH. THE SERVICE ENGINE AND ESC SENSORS ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON WITH THE TROUBLE CODES OF B1511, B1513, AND B1448 ALL AT THE SAME TIME. I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT ALL THIS GOES WRONG AT THE SAME TIME.

WHEN DRIVING UP HILL AT 35 MPH IN AUTOMATIC DRIVE OUR VEHICLE LOSES POWER. WHEN PUSHING DOWN ON GAS PEDAL, IT DOES NOT RESPOND. WE TOOK IT TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO TEST DROVE IT AND EXPERIENCED SAME PROBLEM. WHEN USING MANUAL SHIFT THE CAR DOE NOT LOSE POWER AND RESPONDS WHEN GOING UP HILL. WE WERE TOLD IT GOES FROM FIRST GEAR TO FIFTH GEAR IN ABOUT 500 FEET WHEN IN AUTOMATIC DRIVE. LOCAL MECHANIC CALLED KIA DEALS IN SPOKANE AND I WENT TO EDMARK KIA IN NAMPA EACH DEALERSHIP CLAIMS TO KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. ESC LIGHT IS ALSO ON.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND HESITATED TO RESPOND. THE ESC AND THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. MA 10/15/2015 *CN

MY GRANDDAUGHTER OPENED THE REAR PSGR DOOR ON THE DRIVERS SIDE AND IT BROKE OFF AND THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR IS ABOUT TO BREAK OFF I TOOK IT TO LUTHER KIA IN INVER GROVE HEIGHTS AND THEY SAID THAT IT WOULD COST $322.00 TO FIX THE BROKEN HANDLE. I TOOK IT TO A BODY SHOP AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IN HIS 12 YEARS WORKING WITH CARS THAT A DOOR HANDLE WOULD BREAK OFF LIKE THAT AND HE ALSO SAID THAT THE FRONT PSGR DOOR WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED ALSO. AND THEY WOULD CHARGE $368.00 FOR BOTH DOORS. I TALKED TO A LADY AT MY JOB SHE JUST BOUGHT A 2013 KIA SORRENTO AND SHE SAID THAT WHEN SHE PURCHASED IT THE DOOR HANDLES WERE MISSING AND THEY WERE GOING TO REPLACE THEM FOR FREE SINCE SHE JUST BROUGHT THE CAR. BUT THEY SOLD HER THE CAR WITH 2 HANDLES MISSING I FEEL THAT THERE IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE THE DOOR HANDLES ON THESE CARS. HAVE THERE BEEN ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT DOOR HANDLES MISSING. I ALSO HAD TO REPLACE MY REAR BRAKE LIGHT TWICE AND MY SISTER WAS FOLLOWING ME AND SHE SAID THAT MY BRAKE LIGHT WOULD SOMETINE GO ON THEN NOT. I WAS ALSO STOPPED BY A POLICE OFFICER ABOUT THE SAME REAR BRAKE LIGHT AND I GOT IT FIXED THEN MONTH LATER IT DID THE SAME THING.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED TO 20 MPH WITHOUT THE BRAKE PEDAL BEING DEPRESSED. THE SEC AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.