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Kia Sorento

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Comments

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    I was under the impression that Kia had a bunch of this information online, for free. I haven't registered there to check it out, but maybe someone can comment.

    Kia Tech Info
  • paopao Member Posts: 1,867
    the only thing wrong with the sorento is its below average MPG when compared to other SUVs of the same size...its at the lower end....also to maintain the warranty you have to followed all scheduled maintenance to the T.....or a dealership may not honor warranty work.....the 10/100 is for the drive train only......again...the diff fluids and trans fluids must be change routinely, timing belt done at 40 or 60K and tuneups at 60K.....that was my 03 Sorento.......I did drive it for 5 years before the front differental when out..with 115K on it....dealership wanted almost 4,500 to repair...the part alone was almost 4K......

    it was a good vehicle for what is was used for..but maintenance and upkeep are expensive.......just my experience....
  • bvailbvail Member Posts: 1
    I am looking to buy a 2008 Sorento for my girl and I hear a lot about timing belts needing changed every 40-60k miles and other required maintenance items to keep up the warranty. That's too bad. My wife has a 2002 Town and Country that we purchased new and extended the factory warranty. The few times she took it in for warranty items, they never asked her about records/receipts for maintenance. I do my own oil changes in my vehicles, so I'd better be sure to keep good records.

    The salesman on the lot told me that these cars have a timing chain vs. belt. Has there been a change or was he just B.S.ing me?

    BTW, this is my first post. So far I'm a bit leery with all the negative posts, but I don't think the price can be beat.
  • paopao Member Posts: 1,867
    best advice is to look an at 08 owners manual and see what the scheduled maintenance actually is.....as far as proving it was done....thats up to the individual dealerships service departments......the Kia dealer I went too wasnt that restrictive on it...but I have seen some horror stories on the net abou [non-permissible content removed].....
  • scottdalescottdale Member Posts: 2
    Hi Carey

    Appreciate if you can email me the Kia Sorento 2003-2006 work shop manual PDF files...

    My email address:- vland38@yahoo.com

    Thanks n Cheers,

    John
  • cpetroviccpetrovic Member Posts: 9
    Email address you supplies is not valid , please send me a valid one. :sick:

    Cheers,

    Carey
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    We substitute a graphic character for the @ sign here to try to deter spam harvesters. That's probably the problem when you cut and pasted the address.

    To avoid getting spammed by putting your email in a post, you can mark your email "public" in your Profile and that will limit access to other members here.
  • scottdalescottdale Member Posts: 2
    vland38@yahoo.com

    Best Rdgs,
    John
  • zorentozorento Member Posts: 19
    Purchased our 2008 Sorento in October of 2008. It now has about 5100 miles on it.

    In general it has been a good, solid vehicle with excellent winter handling here in central Iowa where we get a lot of snow and ice. Mileage sucks (Oh gee, really?) but right after we bought it gas prices dropped like a rock (Hah!).

    I added steps because my wife is not very tall and had some problems getting out without getting dirt on the back of her slacks/hose.

    At about 3000 miles or somewhere in February my wife noticed a vibration under the passenger seat or just forward of that area. I couldn't hear it at first since I'm partially deaf, but it got louder so I now hear it. My first, and lasting, impression is that it's related to the exhaust system. The noise happens at certain speeds only - mostly around 15mph and again at 35-40mph. And I have started hearing it now at highway speeds.

    When I took it in I got the infamous "Our engineers are aware of the problem and no solution exists for it" which I have figured out is Kiacrap for "We don't have a clue and you are on your own."

    They tried adding some "special fluid" to the transfer case. Drove it, flushed the fluid, and replaced it again. No change. They replaced the transfer case. No change. They did something to the right front brakes. No change. I happened to catch the District Service Manager at the dealership and gave him and the local manager a ride so they could hear the noise. His recommendation was to replace the wheel bearing. Give me a damn break! It is not the wheel bearing. Another clueless Kiadot.

    I will not let them tear into a brand new vehicle and replace parts willy nilly because they are clueless. Last time I saw the service guy (Who calls me by the wrong name. That impresses me.) He mentioned replacing the wheel bearing and I told him I'm enough of a mechanic to know the wheel bearing has nothing to do with the problem. Translated: I'm a better mechanic than you and all the people that have looked at my Sorento. He then launched into a story about a mechanic figuring out the problem was a motor mount. Are you kidding me? What happened to the wheel bearing solution?

    So for me the Sorento (except for the weird noise) is an excellent vehicle. The dealer is comprised of a bunch of idiots. I have decided that I am going to wait until whatever it is that is vibrating breaks then take it in. At that point I wager there's a fairly good chance the Kiadots can figure it out.

    Buy a Kia. Just don't expect anyone in the Service Department to know what they are doing.
  • dodgeman6dodgeman6 Member Posts: 42
    I loved your post!! I enjoyed your humor and the great word, "Kiadot"!!! I really like my Sorento 08 as well, and so far, no problems with 9000 in 9 months. :shades:
  • zorentozorento Member Posts: 19
    Thanks! It really should be Kiadiots, but I think that's a bit too tough to pronounce. I got it from another word we made up to describe a couple of kids next door who rule the house and are terrible imps. We call them kidiots.

    I really would prefer they figure out the problem but the Service Department just doesn't seem to want to do much "work" in order to solve it. My strongest impression is that they want me to get tired or bored or frustrated with the total lack of intelligent solutions (or one that actually works) on their part and just go away and leave them alone. Well I've done that. The problem is they aren't smart enough to realize I'll never buy another Kia because of their attitude and lack of skills.

    I don't care how cheap the car is. I don't care how good the car is. If the service department can't repair their own car brands I won't buy their cars.

    How hard is that for a manufacturer to understand?

    I can guarantee you that the replacement car for my wife (Coming up in about two years) will not be a Kia.
  • dodgeman6dodgeman6 Member Posts: 42
    Good post!! I agree with you on the customer service and expertise on reparing a car after purchasing it. It is a must for sure that they can handle the repair problems for us. I will keep driving mine, as I do like it and for now it runs great. With the recession still running strong, I am going to vow to drive it until it stops before I commit to another new car for a while. It is scary out there watching businesses bit the dust daily. Good luck car searching for your wife in two years too!! Hope the prices and great deals are out there for ya too. :)
  • zorentozorento Member Posts: 19
    The lack of good service is a bummer. I really, really like my Sorento, but how can I justify buying another Kia if this is the best their service department can do?

    I will admit to being spoiled. We used to go through this with American made cars (over, and over, and over with every car), until 1990. That is the year my wife decided on a Nissan Stanza. When she traded it in on her 2003 Maxima it had about 61k on it and had required a total of two repairs outside regular maintenance. As a result I traded my piece of junk Sable (The single worst car and service department I have ever experienced) in on a 1995 Maxima and that (at 123k) is what I traded in on the Sorento. The '95 was finally needing enough repairs on a regular basis (over $1k a year) that it was time to trade.

    Have you noticed we keep cars about 13 years? It's not planned, it just seems to be when they show enough cost-to-keep that we start looking for a new car.

    I have to admit that the Nissan service department is also going downhill. I have noticed a lack of "finish" when we take her car in. There always seems to be something that doesn't get taken care of properly. It's a shame.

    In two years we will probably be looking for her because we will be retired. By then her Maxima will have about 70k on it. I am semi-retired now and her plan is to go next July. We will be doing a lot of travel and will want a new car. We are hoping the selection of larger, fuel efficient (hybrid?) cars will continue to grow. If the Volt was larger (carried more luggage) it would be a temptation...

    How about a chuckle?

    Our Sorento had a squeak in the center of the sunroof, at the front frame. She figured out that pushing up on it would stop the squeak. We tried wedging cardboard (and some other things) in it to see if that would stop it and we could get an idea of what might be done to fix it. Nothing we did helped except driving down the road pushing on the frame.

    One day I was driving alone, holding it and got frustrated (I can have a nasty temper although I had mellowed with age, kinda like a good cheese) I slammed the area with my fist. It felt really good. The squeak stopped. It hasn't come back.

    I win.
  • dodgeman6dodgeman6 Member Posts: 42
    You seem right on with the services departments, and I bet eventually ALL of them miss the mark at one point or another. But with the recession in full force, I think customers are expecting better service than ever these days.
    I have an new Nissan Altima 3.5 that I traded in our 2500 Silverado Duramax diesel in on. We couldn't afford the gas plus I had a hard time backing up the 5th wheel trailer in the camping grounds, and it made my wife a nervous wreck when we were driving down the expressway. So I sold the truck, and SHE loves her Nissan Altima 3.5 that is loaded, and a real eye catcher. Built very well, and great service for now.
  • zorentozorento Member Posts: 19
    I think the recession is part of the service department problems. In tough times the high paid tech gets let go in favor of someone that makes less and does not do as good a job. Less time is probably spent on non-paying services so things get missed.

    Congrats on your Nissan. We came close to buying an Altima instead of the 03 Maxima, but they gave us such a good deal on the Maxima we couldn't pass it up. I think we got the last model year that has a cassette player in it. You know, those "old people" accessories just gotta go!

    So is the Altima like the Maxima - does it feel heavy and solid when you drive it? There are times when I feel like I'm driving a small tank around.

    If you live in a snowy region pay close attention to the tires this winter. We have found that the factory tires on Nissans are woefully inadequate for winter driving. Her 03 was the worst. We would back out of our driveway (downhill), get into the street, place it in drive, press on the gas, and just sit there. No traction at all. Even with traction control. It didn't take me very long to buy new tires to replace our new tires.

    I finally had time to completely read the directions for Homelink and got the Sorento to open the garage door! It only took me 9 months. Well, that and getting the Shingles, which slowed me down enough that I had time to actually read the manual. Shingles suck big time. I've had it for three weeks and I'm still getting my rear kicked around by it. Started in my left eye of all places. If you ever suspect you have Shingles get to a doctor asap and get started on Valtrex. Ask for Gabapentin for the pain.
  • sorrentobluessorrentoblues Member Posts: 1
    My 2008 Sorrento is currently sitting in the shop...for the third time in 1 1/2 months for the same problem. There is a noticeable "double hitch" when you come to a complete stop and also when you accelerate from a stop. The first two times I took it to KIA service, I was told that the problem was where the drive shaft and slip yoke join. There was a problem with rust buildup causing what I was feeling during braking and accelerating. They removed the drive shaft, grinded the rust off and lubricated the parts. Mind you, the car only had about 4700 miles and about 6 months on the road. The problem continued, in addition to a new rear hatch window rattle. Took it back in and this time they said they received a "bulletin" from KIA motors about the drive shaft issue, along with "special grease" that should fix the problem. They again removed the drive shaft and greased it up. Yeah right, didn't work. They also were clueless about the rear window rattle and said they would have to call an "outside window expert."???? In Ohio if the problem isn't fixed by the third service visit the car would fall under Lemon Law protection. I shouldn't have to go through this hassle for a new car. The problem is that I Love the KIA brand. Within 12 months my wife and I have purchase 3 new KIAs (07 Optima, 08 Sportage, 08 Sorrento) I traded the Sportage in for the Sorrento due to the Sportage being to small for me. We also convinced my in-laws to buy an 08 Rondo, which they love. Five months ago I would have said I will never buy another brand...now...I don't know if I can say that.
  • zorentozorento Member Posts: 19
    Have them check the brakes. I saw a similar post on another forum and the majority of posters said brakes.

    They did something to my brakes to try fixing a problem (not brake related) and I now have a bump, or double bump, when I stop.

    If I have learned nothing else in the last nine months I have learned that Kia service departments are clueless.
  • 2008kiasorento2008kiasorento Member Posts: 8
    Is anyone having problems with the passenger side airbag lite remaining on when there is a passenger sitting in the seat? There has been an OCS recall for the 2007/2008 kia sorento's in May 2009. We took it back to the dealer and HAD it fixed. Within the first hour leaving the dealer the airbag lite is back on and now worse than before they "FIXED" the problem. Since this problem is still happening we feel that the Kia SAFETY features has been compromised. Anyone in the same boat?? Our next course of action is the Lemon Law for Safety.
  • dodgeman6dodgeman6 Member Posts: 42
    Non here. We did see it not go out when my husband sat in the passenger side and he weighs 200 lbs. We shut off the car, waited a minute, and tried it again. Hasn't happened since. We did not get a recall notice either. Wonder why that is?
  • zorentozorento Member Posts: 19
    In response to the post below: One of the things they did when trying to fix the noise in our Sorento was work on the brakes. If I remember correctly they machined them to make sure the surface was smooth.

    After drove it for a day I started getting that same double hitch. I've only owned this truck since October and I'm already afraid to have them work on it.

    I took it in earlier this week after they called me about a new "fix" for the noise. All of a sudden it has been discovered it's coming from the exhaust system. The first time I took it in I told them that. Uh, duh...

    I had a 9:00am appointment, was told it would take an hour. I had a 10:30 appointment with a client so I figure I was good to go. Well, that's a bit backwards, I asked how long it would take then asked if 9:00 was okay for a time. They said no problem so I made the 10:30 appointment.

    Long story short: I finally demanded they bring my Sorento back from the shop just before 10:00 so I could make the appointment. I'm not going to lose money because these morons can't run an efficient shop. It didn't get taken to the shop area until after 9:30 and no one ever looked at it, let alone did any work on it. It just sat there.

    What a bunch of losers.

    `````````````````
    My 2008 Sorrento is currently sitting in the shop...for the third time in 1 1/2 months for the same problem. There is a noticeable "double hitch" when you come to a complete stop and also when you accelerate from a stop. The first two times I took it to KIA service, I was told that the problem was where the drive shaft and slip yoke join. There was a problem with rust buildup causing what I was feeling during braking and accelerating. They removed the drive shaft, grinded the rust off and lubricated the parts. Mind you, the car only had about 4700 miles and about 6 months on the road. The problem continued, in addition to a new rear hatch window rattle. Took it back in and this time they said they received a "bulletin" from KIA motors about the drive shaft issue, along with "special grease" that should fix the problem. They again removed the drive shaft and greased it up. Yeah right, didn't work. They also were clueless about the rear window rattle and said they would have to call an "outside window expert."???? In Ohio if the problem isn't fixed by the third service visit the car would fall under Lemon Law protection. I shouldn't have to go through this hassle for a new car. The problem is that I Love the KIA brand. Within 12 months my wife and I have purchase 3 new KIAs (07 Optima, 08 Sportage, 08 Sorrento) I traded the Sportage in for the Sorrento due to the Sportage being to small for me. We also convinced my in-laws to buy an 08 Rondo, which they love. Five months ago I would have said I will never buy another brand...now...I don't know if I can say that.
  • jcm32336jcm32336 Member Posts: 2
    I am still having a problem with my "passenger airbag off" warning light. It happens intermittingly. The car was purcashed in May of this year but it was a 2008 leftover. Kia's District Service Manager looked at the problem and said that the system was working correctly. He also said the if the light doesn't go off, the airbag will not deploy. The Kia owner's manual says that if the light stays on it and the airbag does not deploy it could serious injury to the the passenger.
  • dodgeman6dodgeman6 Member Posts: 42
    I bought my 08 Sorento back in Dec. Just to report to date that I have had zero issues with my Sorie. I love the look, and everything about it. The dealership in Traverse City, Mi. is the best too. Sorry you are having so much trouble. Hang in there.................. ;);)
  • 2008kiasorento2008kiasorento Member Posts: 8
    2008 kia sorento passenger airbag lite is still a major problem. a month ago Kia America had a Kia parts/service manager meet us at the dealer and of course that day the light worked perfectly. We are waiting for this manager to contact our dealer for the next step. Since this is the 4th time we have taken this problem to the dealer it now qualifies for the Lemon Law. I have been taking a pic and a video with my cell phone everytime that it happens. I was keeping a log but that got to be too cumbersome. If anyone has a 2007/2008 kia there is an OCS recall for the passenger airbag light. I would contact your Kia dealer on this. My husband and I are so annoyed with this problem because this is one of the primary reasons we bought the sorento because of all the airbags. Now the light goes on while we are driving which means that there is no front passenger airbag. The side passenger airbag will still work we were told. We only have 5000 miles on the vehicle.
  • jcm32336jcm32336 Member Posts: 2
    I just came back from my Kia dealer and still have not received any satisfaction. I am still having a problem with the airbag light. The problem is an intermitant one and they (both Kia and my dealer) tell me there isn't anything they can do.I am in the process of getting all the information to file for arbitration before i go the "Lemon Law" route. I will try to keep you informed of any progress.
  • dodgeman6dodgeman6 Member Posts: 42
    Say the airbag light didn't go out a couple of times....BUT I noticed that it is not when you actually sit in the seat that triggers the light. It is somehow with the door closing all the way. I tried this............I didn't shut the door firmly, and the light stayed on. I was sitting in the seat too. So I reslammed the door again, and the light went out.
    The light is very sensitive for sure. Try getting into the seat, and then shut the door firmly. See it the light goes out..............
    Just trying to help. Good luck. We love our Sorie!!
  • 2008kiasorento2008kiasorento Member Posts: 8
    Try contacting 'Kia America' about the airbag light. Eventho we are still having the problem Kia America is listening to us. Unless you are close to the 1 year deadline to file with the Lemon Law. We still have at least 3 months before we would file with the lemon law. It is such a safety issue with us. Good Luck
  • pigdocpigdoc Member Posts: 7
    I purchased a 2003 Kia Sorento new and have owned it since (daughter drives it). I've had no problems with it, now at 50k. Regular oil changes and filter changes have been done at various shops (Sears, JiffyLube, etc) since closest dealer is 50 miles away. If I need warranty work done on the 10/100k, what records will be required to satisfy the dealer? I just got a new 2009 Borrego last night, and they were very keen on work being done at the dealer (really pissed me off). The dealer I bought the Sorento from did not dwell on this at all. Any help would be appreciated.

    2003 EX 4WD Sorento
    2009 EX V6 4wd Borrego
    Central Iowa
  • mhabermhaber Member Posts: 1
    Yes...My Kia Sorento has the exact same problem and so does almost every other one I look at. Were you able to correct it with KIA
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    "The Sorento is stepping up its game in a big way for generation two, which goes on sale as a 2011 model in January."

    Weekly Top 3: Why You Should Care About The 2011 Kia Sorento (Edmunds Daily)

    image
  • ecotrklvrecotrklvr Member Posts: 519
    Thanks for the link, Steve. I just became aware of this sweet CUV last week. Not much info online, and this is welcome. And me with a lease that runs out Feb 3rd ! Nice timing, Kia. And a 4-cyl / stick shift combo to boot...
  • 79bronc79bronc Member Posts: 1
    Has your offer expired? Just bought the teenager a 2006 EX. He's actually rediscovered a thing called "excitement". Thanking you in advance, and/or thanks for the warning about cd manuals. sydbarringeratlycos.com
  • cpetroviccpetrovic Member Posts: 9
    The manual was in PDF format which had a code and I wasn't able to copy and email to you guys , sorry about that .
  • nebula30nebula30 Member Posts: 20
    I have a 2007 EX Sorento with about 20,000 miles on it...I bought it new with just 40 miles on it in Feb. of '08......It's been a good vehicle overall, but I have been noticing that when driving down the road and then slowing down without taking your foot completely off the accelerator, it will start bucking....I am pretty sure it's that it's not downshifting properly until you completely back off the throttle...I wonder if this is a bad speed sensor in the tranny and can be fixed, or is it just a design flaw??...it can be annoying sometimes and if I were to let someone else drive it, I'm not sure they'd know what that bucking means and possibly do a lot of damage to the transmission....does anyone know if Kia has issued a TSB for that problem??.......

    The dealership did the two recalls..one for the tailight and the other one for the passenger air bag light staying on even though you have a passenger in the seat......the only other problem I've detected is that one two occasions, the TPMS(tire pressure monitoring system) light has come on while driving down the road needlessly since a check of the air pressure showed no loss of air in any of the tires....the Tranny problem is something I'd like to get fixed if possible.....
  • 2008kiasorento2008kiasorento Member Posts: 8
    We have a 2008 kia sorento with the exact same problems that you are having. We had it into the dealer twice for the bucking; and they say 'nothing is wrong' with it. Also, our TPMS light concern has been in twice and they have changed a couple of things but again 'nothing is wrong'. We have come to the conclusion that we are going to just live with these two concerns. This is our 2nd Kia and we plan to only keep it for 5 years and then trade it in on a different make. No more kia's for us. And yes, we still are having problems with the passenger airbag light. SO, as you can see, it looks like some of the sorento's are just plain problems. We have only had ours for 1 year and I feel like we have had it for 10 years with all the times it has been into the dealer. good luck in getting anything fixed.
  • nebula30nebula30 Member Posts: 20
    I know the problem is just that the transmission isn't downshifting when it needs to according to the lower speed....there is probably a sensor of some kind that is supposed to take care of that.....or else, it's just a major engine/tranny design flaw and if so, I highly doubt that Kia would ever admit to it.....it'll work just fine if you take your foot completely off the accelerator, but you shouldn't have to do that on a brand new vehicle.....8-(.....otherwise, the other problems have not been a real problem yet...more an occasional nuisance....
  • raymondowens1raymondowens1 Member Posts: 1
    I'm sure you've heard this question a thousand times, but where do you get a repair manual for a 20032 Kia Sorrento, or can you go online?
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    This might help: Online Repair Manuals

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • ramos5ramos5 Member Posts: 5
    Hi :
    I read your posts on the forum ( kia) which was on july 2008 .I am planing to buy a used 12000 mile sorento 2008 model .I would like to know if u are still happy with your sorento, How is the petrol consumption ? is it getting better as it gets older .Have u had any problem with the transmission so far?

    Any advice would be really appreciated since I am quite confused
  • ramos5ramos5 Member Posts: 5
    Hi :
    Are u still happy with your sorento ? I am planiing to buy a 2008 ,3,3 petrol engine with 17000 km on it .any problem with transmission so far ?

    any advice would be really well come ,since i get different stories about this car and in general about Korean cars :sick:
  • zorentozorento Member Posts: 19
    I have to give a mixed review.

    No problems with the tranny.

    It's turning into a rattle trap. Seems like about once a week I find a new rattle or squeak in it. Some are loud and annoying, some are not as loud, but still annoying.

    Although the dealer placed foam insulation on the passenger side to "hide" the "normal" noise, the exhaust is still louder than I think it should be. I have come to the conclusion, based on reading a ton of posts, that since what I have is considered "normal" that I'm wasting my time trying to get the issue resolved.

    I have started noticing a "clang/ringing" noise at the right front again. It must be getting louder since the insulation was blocking this for a while. This is distinct from the rumble we were hearing. I'm still trying to decide if I should pursue this problem as I am expecting to be told it, too, is "normal".

    After 13 months I have come to the conclusion that this will be my one and only Kia purchase. This is based more on the response of the dealer (sorry guys, but I'm not satisfied with "normal as a response to the problems I've had) than the vehicle. If I could be confident that taking it in would result in a repair instead of "that's normal" it would be different, but I have no such expectations.

    It will go in for standard maintenance and required warranty repairs. Once it gets to the point that it is a money pit I'll dump it and move on.

    Sooner or later Kia is going to have to put up or shut up in regard to this "it's normal" garbage. This attitude is going to cause them to have a lot of one time only buyers.

    Edit: I should note that I am partially deaf. The noises I hear are pretty loud if they are loud enough to annoy me.
  • 2008kiasorento2008kiasorento Member Posts: 8
    I agree with all you have to say about the noises. My husband and I both agree that each time we drive it; there are more noises. Currently it sounds like we need a new muffler but we know that this is a 'normal' noise. Also, it sounds like we are putting some real lousy gas into it because of the noise when we press the gas pedal. We feel that we have had this 2008 sorento for 5 years and it has only been less than a year. What a piece of garbage and my husband swears by Kia; at least until this one. NORMAL is all we get for answers too. Oh well... We will get rid of it in 5 years for sure.
  • randy1612randy1612 Member Posts: 3
    Anyone here have a problem with tires on their Sorento. The factory tires were worn out at 18,000 i put a set of coopers on got about 25,000 out of those put a set of uniroyal tires on and the lasted 30,000 so i put on another set they need to be replaced again they made it 40,000 anyone have any better luck if so tell me what you purchased. I have been reading several post and we have had the same problem as everyone else headlights,taillights. coolant tank,front wheel bearing,and my wife's favorite it does not want to fill up with gas it blows it back out all over the place we will never own another one i promise you that!!!
  • paopao Member Posts: 1,867
    the factory OEMS are trash...both your coopers and uniroyals were probably low end.....I have BFG Long Trail Radials......just about through my second set...and getting 45-50K out of them......120K on my sorie now.....they run about 150-175 installed each, last time I checked......Michelin LTX is another good one...but over 200 each for those.....

    for bulbs...make sure your ground wire from the battery is good...and replace your battery with a higher amp one....it eliminate my bulb blowing problem...coolant expansion tank....yea......nothing on the front bearing...however watch the differentials....lost my front dif on me EX AWD....dealer wanted 5k for parts and labor (went out at 105K so past the warranty)...said it couldnt be rebuilt.....took it to a local mechanic who rebuilt it for 1k parts and labor....and back on the road ......
  • randy1612randy1612 Member Posts: 3
    It had the Michelin Cross Terrains on it I have ran those same coopers on my truck up to 60,000 miles we have new battery and the cables are clean thanks for the info on the tires i have been looking at those BFG tires i did notice that the new coolant tank i put on was redesigned on the bottom but the problem with the gas fill is a pain
  • randy1612randy1612 Member Posts: 3
    ours is a 2004 ex 4wd it has 140,000 miles on it
  • dhenderson46dhenderson46 Member Posts: 2
    I feel your pain. My wife and I bought a 2008 Sorento LX and have experienced the same tranny issues. The dealer in Frederick MD is an idiot, his service manager just keeps saying "It's normal" or "I did what the computer told me to do". After our last visit in late June - I was basically banished from the dealer. Which was good because we found a great KIA dealership in Gaithersberg, MD (KING - the service manager is top notch). It took us several visits, but we got our tranny fixed. This is what you need to do: call KIA America consumer division and open a complaint. Insist that you get connected with the regional district manager. On the east coast the guy is in New Jersey name is Eric). Get in touch with him and be persistent - we were. What needs to happen is for the regional district manager to get his people involved - actually come out and drive your car. we gave them ours for almost a week (they gave us a free rental). Once they experienced the problem, they were able to fix it. Surprise, surprise, there is now a technical service bulletin for tranny bucking in 2008 Sorentos. Be persistent - most importantly get in the face of the regional manager (be nice, but BE AGGRESSIVE). King KIA and most importantly the service manager has restored our faith in KIA. I think the common issue with a lot of the complaints is the service people are not trained. They are not mechanics - anybody can hook a computer to the car and read the error codes. I also think they are told when in difficult situations with customers to respond " thats normal". With time this will improve at KIA. My mission now is to extrapolate some retribution on the Frederick KIA dealer - most importantly the service manager. I'll let you know how that goes.

    Best of Luck!
  • nebula30nebula30 Member Posts: 20
    What exactly does the TSB say that the mechanics should do to fix the "bucking" problem??....I am about 95% sure that it's just that the transmission is not downshifting as the speed decreases until you actually take your foot ALL the way off the accelerator.....Thanks for the info......8-)
  • zorentozorento Member Posts: 19
    I'm not talking about wearability, I expect a short life from any tire on a new car.

    But the tires on our 08 are great. We have been hammered with snow already this year. December set a record for the most snow in the month and the majority came in two storms. The Sorrie tires went through all of it with no problem at all.

    I will say that this was not the case on factory tires from Nissan. We sold the tires from that car after one winter and bought ones that had a better "winter" tread. My wife kept complaining about them so I finally traded her cars for a day. I backed out of our driveway, put it in drive, pressed on the gas, and didn't move! This with traction control turned on.

    I like my tires.
  • 2008kiasorento2008kiasorento Member Posts: 8
    Thanks for the info on the service bulletin for the bucking. This is a big help.
  • dodgeman6dodgeman6 Member Posts: 42
    I also have an 08 Sorie. It is awesome on the winter roads. I love the 4 wheel drive when needed. No issues with warning lights coming on either. Transmission isn't giving us trouble. We have 12k on it, and it is 1 yr. old now. I get many compliments on how smooth it rides and how much room it has as well. We did have to have a frontend alignment a couple of months ago. All is well though!! :)
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