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Comments
Yeah, $25 for the Cargo bag, beats the heck out of the $500 Rip-Off Warrior
For those interested I have been trying some products out on the wheels to help clean the brake dust as well as try to keep it at minimum in reappearing. Most of you have talked about a stain of some kind. Is the stain on the outside of the wheel or on the inside. If its on the inside of the wheel and you may have to live with it as it may have penetrated the finish, if its on the outside and you can't get it off with any cleaner try using Bon Ami its a powered cleanser BUT it is non abrasive. Having worked part time in detail shops we would use it to clean the film off of auto windows leaving a clean surface. I had a stain on the outside one of my wheels and I used the Bon Ami and a soft cloth. Wet some of the area first and then put on the cleanser then rub gently. If it comes out great if not it may have penetrated the clear coat and the only fix it to sand the area and refinish. You could try to go back to the dealer and inform him about it as that the brake dust affected the wheel because it was not finished properly at the factory.
For those who have just brake dust build up I have tried Simple Green at full strength and it removes the dust with a light brushing or using a cloth, doing a good job of removing the dust. But recently I found a new product on the market by Prestone, Wheel Cleaner with Brake Dust Repellant. You spray it on the wheel and after a minute you hose it off, for stubborn stains you can use a brush. I have to admit it worked really good. The product has an anti static chemical to help prevent brake dust build up. With that I started to read up on some brake manufactures sites and that the reason most of the dust adheres to the wheel is because of a initial static charge buildup then the dust just starts to layer itself on itself. If left alone the dust can actually corrode the clear coat on the wheels. So knowing that static charge starts the process. I am trying a test. I used the Prestone product on all four wheels and they came out like brand new I then sprayed the drivers side wheels only with Static Guard, now to see how fast the dust returns to the wheels with the Prestone cleaner only or to the other side with the Static Guard applied. I will keep you posted.
Anyway, I also use Simple Green to clean the wheels. It is a good household cleaner with less toxic and cheaper than any wheel cleaner. I bought an institution size from a wholesale club. It is great on the door sills and inner door panel to clean the footprints. And it works great in engine bay too.
For the stubborn stain inside the rims, someone suggested me to use a boar hair wheel brush to clean the dirt. I can't find it locally. So I have to order them online.
I heard the Mr. Clean Auto Dry is a very good product. But the supplied solution only last for few car washes. Anyone try it yet?
By the way, my dealer just fixed the rust spots on both rear doors. Rust stain was found on a metal stripe which attach the body cladding to the door panel. They sanded it and premier it with anti corrosion paint/wax. Always hand dry the door jams (including rear liftgate, hood edge and front grill area) after car wash.
Or you can the dealer do it (costly)most now know of the problem and have a spray to use. This was first developed by Honda in the late 90's. Some auto supply places carry a spray as well. For me Lysol works. Hope this helps.
Anyone else have poor mileage issues? Needless to say with gas where it is, he is not happy and since re-sale is awful, he is stuck with it.
I have a properly broken in Sorento with well over 40,000 miles. I average 19.8 mpg. But I travel mostly highway miles with very hilly sections. When my Kia was brand new, I was averaging about 16 mpg for the first 8,000 miles or so.
That your friend has been averaging 12 mpg seems bad from the outside. But I think some questions need to be asked first.
What is his typical day to day travel include? How many miles does he have on his Kia? Is he in bumper to bumper traffic everyday? Is he a lead-foot? How would you categorize his driving style?
I'm sure this co-worker of yours is a smart consumer and I'm sure he did his research with the Kia before he bought it. I would recommend that he takes some time to allow the engine and transmission to break-in properly before he gets to anxious about his mileage. It will improve. And this is assuming that the service department that he uses is being honest with him when they say there is nothing wrong, and everything appears to be ok.
Re-sale awful? Did you hear someone tell you this? From my research and what I have been reading, the Sorento is holding onto its value much better than you would expect. Now I'm not saying its as good or better than a Honda or Toyota product. The Sorento's resale is at about average for this segment. Which in my opinion, for a new Kia product, is pretty good.
hciaffa-looking forward to the report on your Prestone wheel cleaner product. I may try it on my '01 Kia Sportage 4x4's alloys. Some of mine are those that have eaten through the protective coat because some of the stains are on the inside of my wheels. Funny thing is-I step back after polishing them and they look great-it's only the up close looks that show the black road grime and brake dustish-type stains.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
I need an extra set of key and remote for my 2003 sorento EX. The key is not an issue since I can duplicate it at the dealer for $10. However, the dealer wants $105 for the remote. If i'm getting a remote (the right type of course) from ebay or other place? can I program it by myself? Anybody has any idea how to get a new remote cheaper?
Duncan
Other than that and the gas mileage, this is the best vehicle I've ever owned. I can't wait to see what they do in a couple of years w/ this vehicle. A Sorento with an additional 70-100 extra horses would blow away everyone else in the mid sized SUV market (wait, it already does)!
Keyless remote transmitter - You need to have the dealer to re-program the new transmitter or any used one. They need to insert the ignition key and turn the switch to the ON position. Then install a jumper wire (that's what they said) between pins 5 and 6 of the 20 pin under-hood DLC. Press the LOCK button on the transmitter for 1 second (turn signals will blink one). Remove the jumper wire, turn the ignition switch OFF, and remove the key.
Since you bought the car from them, they probably will re-programming it for free. Some may charge you $20. I am not sure if you can re-porgamming it yourself. And the remote keyless entry system (RKE) will accommodate a maximum of two transmitters.
I agree with the gas mileage. But we know what we buy. Hey! How about the Kia concept pick up Mojave with a 270 hp 3.8L V6 engine? A SUV version will be nice.
Anyway, I have 20,000 miles on it. Both dealers recommended the automatic transmission fluid change at 15,000 mile intervals. My independent mechanic also suggested me the same. I checked the fluid and still fresh with purple look. Any comments on this? What should I use and how many if I do it myself? And where is the drain plug?
I agree. 3.5L engine is the right size for mid-size SUV. But an aluminum alloy engine block will produce 20, 30 or more horsepower like many Japanese brands. This iron block eats more eat and underpowered.
What???? Lifetime?? No way. are you sure?
No one ever gives you lifetime oil change and tire rotation. May be on your first visit and I will believe it, but not lifetime.
I asked two different Kia dealers and my independent mechanic also told me the transmission fluid should be changed every 15,000 to 20,000 miles. I am just about to change it. The cost is about $30. And I want to know what should I use if I do it myself or other than Kia dealer.
They are now looking intently at a suitable place to build it's platform to produce them on. Evidently the Santa Fe and Sonata runways at the new Hyundai Alabama plant under construction won't fit the bill. Stay tuned for more-yep, Kia will have a lot of competition with their new truck but it will prevail and sell well, IMO. It offers a lot, is full size, and the bed can open up an extended 15" inside the cab for more storage. It also offers a seamless tailgate extension in the rear for smooth load carrying. Check out the Kia website for clearer detail into this new pickup's feature content when it gets closer to production.
Question: whoever owns a 5-speed manual trannied Kia Sorento. What kind of gas mileage is your Sorento giving you?
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
I don't own the 5-speed manual. But the gas mileage data (from EPA and manufacturer) is not impressive consider the manual transmission. I want to know the gas mileage on the diesel Sorento.
Did you know that there is a recall on the Sorento because defects in the transmission may cause problems when driving backwards? It is a 2.5L diesel with 5-speed H-matic transmission. There are about 21850 Sorentos involved. And this will not affect us, only the European and Korean Sorentos.
Is there a way to make the doors lock automatically without manually locking all the doors? As a female driver I just feel that this is a safety issue.
Thanks for any advice.
My other car ('03 Camry) has the factory keyless system. It is already programmed to lock doors when it is in gear, but won't unlock automatically when it's back to Park. I know the '04 Sienna does.
is anyone towing with the 2004? and what are you towing?
is there a tranny cooler for this model? do i need one or is one standard?
thanks
The Sorento has a built in tranny cooler located under the radiator. Strange, but many SUVs don't have this - you have to add it to get to the tow ratings advertised, but not the Sorento.
I live in Colorado and I am very impressed by the Sorento's ability to tow. It's not the fastest car over the mountain pass(leave that to the V8 boys and big gas bills), but it does it very easily with this kind of load. The truck frame is very stable with this load at highway speeds and heavy crosswinds. I compare this to an Isuzu Trooper with aprrox. the same size engine. The Sorento is way better in all respects.
My guess is that you will be fine with the 3500# load with an aftermarket hitch, but I recommend that you verify the 5000# rating somehow for your own peace of mind.
Hope this helps,
Dave
i got my hitch installed today. My KIA dealer subbed it out to a UHaul dealer down the street. At the UHaul dealer i asked about the hitch, which has a sticker stating the max load is 3500#. My KIA salesman told me it would be a CLASS 3 hitch, which the UHAUL rep verified. He said is was a Class 3 hitch which could handle 5000#, but that the Sorento was only rated at 3500# so he put that sticker on. Why is is so hard to get good, solid, committed info on this subject. Everyone is in CYA mode and seems afraid to tell me its ok to tow a given weight.
You gave me the best info so far on this subject and i am greatful. i just went out to the garage and believe i saw the tranny cooler. Is it the smaller radiator-looking thing mounted just in front of the bottom of the main radiator? (can u tell that i am NOT a mechanic?)
do you know of any good websites containing info on the sorento such as diagrams, sketches, specs and just basic general info? thanks again. now, gonna call UHAUL again to "make sure" they put on a class 3 hitch.
Frank
may is ask... what trailer model/yr do you tow? am really eager to pick your brain for info as you seem to be the only Sorento owner ive found who tows and is willing to answer posts. it appears from my discussions with the UHAUL rep that the weak link here is the attachment point for the hitch. it attaches to the frame with only 2 bolts on each side plate. is that true with yours as well? what kind of hitch do you have? do you use weight distributing hitch with your receiver? sway control? could you fully describe your setup for me? i would really appreciate the peace of mind it would give me to know that i can tow this beast...
thanks
frank
BTW, how does it look with an aftermarket tow hitch? Any problem when you need to get the spare tire or service on the exhaust system?
I have a Dutchmen 12' X 6' pop-up single axle tent trailer, I think its empty weight was around 2500#. But we store a lot of stuff in it. I will have to look a the hitch for the exact model - I ordered it on the internet for somewhere around $100. If you search in this forum back a ways, there were some posts about aftermarket hitches. It is a round tubular style and it looks a lot like the factory hitch. This hitch has 3 attachment points per side, not 2 as you had mentioned. It is a perfect fit. I do not use a weight distributing hitch or any other device for sway control, I don't fully understand what they do so I can't offer any advice. When I was looking around for a new SUV to tow things, I found it difficult to find an SUV with a truck frame in this size. Unibody vehicles don't tow well and often need sway control of some kind. The Sorento is extremely stable with the above load, even better than my Isuzu Trooper which was also a truck frame. If you have a tall load, you might need to look at a weight distribution or sway control. I don't have the self-levelling shocks and my back end sags a little more than I like with a tongue weight of 200+ pounds, but it's no where near dangerous for the suspension. The aftermarket hitch does not interfere with the spare tire at all.
I purchased the Kia wiring harness, which was a little expensive (around $120). But it has the right connector to interface to the vehicle trailer wiring which comes out underneath near the rear tire. It is also isolated from vehicle wiring so that if your trailer has sort or other wiring faults, it will not affect the vehicle. From personal experience, this was worth the money. I see no point in cutting corners on this kind of thing considering the "investment" you have in the car, but you could probably buy the wiring components and do it yourself for $30 or so. I just don't like the fact that you are tapping into the vehicle wiring with unreliable and unsealed connections. I also added a wire from the car battery (fused of course) back to the trailer wiring so I can charge my camper battery while I'm driving.
Hope that helps.
Dave
http://www.etrailer.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Sto- re_Code=E&Product_Code=77007&Category_Code=H
Dave
I also added a wire from the car battery (fused of course) back to the trailer wiring so I can charge my camper battery while I'm driving.
Great idea... could you detail this a bit. Link to schematic, how-to, or any info would be great.
This is a relatively easy job, all the components are available at auto supply store. If you don't feel comfortable working with wiring, you might get some help to make sure you get the right size wire, right size fuse, reliable connections, etc.
Hope this is of value
Dave
LXSWNAB
(Lexus wannabe)
It's a simple answer.
MONEY!
Remember that well priced feature laden Sorento you just bought that undercuts all the competition? Guess what? When you suddenly add all those other components to the Sorento sold in the States, you have a Kia product that has the same price point as the competition (ie, Honda, Toyota, etc). Consumers in the States aren't going to take a chance on a Kia product that has the same price or higher than other vehicles offered in the same class... period.
Kia has a different market share in Europe and in the Asian countries... also a different reputation. Obviously the Korean Sorento is going to get all the goodies. Europe gets some of the features and engines not offered here because consumers their demand it and will buy it.
Some of you may disagree with me, and thats ok. It's just my view. I think we should be careful for what we ask for, because sooner or later Kia will offer those upgraded features, but the Kia you know now.... won't be the affordable Kia anymore.