Kia Sorento Maintenance and Repair

ivygrnsorento

Well, I've been meaning to get back to everybody concerning my door replacement. Just haven't had the time to document all the issues and etc.

Well, the new door is on and looks pretty good. The dealership had to have the car for 3 extra days because they didn't forsee some issues with the door seals and the rubber trim on the face of the door that surrounds the glass. So that was a surprise. Kia gave me a loaner car for those extra days the Sorento had to stay in the shop.

Over all, I'm pretty happy with the color match and quality of the job. If you look very very closely, you can see were the plastic body panels (EX) are attatched to the door arent quite as flush against the door as I want it to be. I know that sounds worse than it really is... because you really have to look closely and nobody would ever notice this other than me; most likely. But, so far there are no squeeks or rattles... and the door closes with the nice "thunk" all the other doors do. I would say that the paint job that comes from the factory has some "orange peel" effect. The new door and paint appears to be a little smoother than the factory paint job.

Soo, in the end I'm pretty happy. Would I recommend it to others with this same problem? Yes, I would... if your service department and Kia are as open minded about this issue as mine has been. I'm like you Joboo, I want it to be PERFECT. Though I knew it wasn't going to be. But it turned out better than what I had expected. Only time will tell how the new door and the paint wears. Will it fade quicker? Will it look like rest of the pain 6 years from now? Who knows.

But hey, I dont have any dents in my Sorento anymore! And thats what I was really after.

I will post before and after photos as soon as I upload them to my site. I'll put a link up here in the next week so everybody can see what Joboo and I are talking about.

lok888

I am glad that you have your Sorento back. I can't wait to see some before and after photos. Good thing about your new door is that your dealer (body shop) didn't over spray any plastic trims, wheel wells, etc. And I assumed that they paint the doors before anything (door seals, rubber trims) installed like they did in the factory.

As we are talking about door replacement, I will mention my dealer next time I see service about some rust spots around door edges. I have EX with plastic cladding. When I was detailing the door sill area, I can see some tiny rust spots on the metal section of both rear doors like near the rear doors child safety locks location.

lok888

I just received a message yesterday about an oil leak nearly two months ago. Kia Consumer Affairs did talk to my dealer about the case. And my dealer will compensate my next oil change free of charge. Kia didn't left any details whether it was a faulty oil filter, extreme frigid temparture or dealer's fault for not install the filter properly. Anyway, I am happy with the Kia's decision.:-) I mean, I should not held responsible for this.

Also, anyone has a good experience with an aftermarket brake pads? I think many agree that there are more brake dust with the Kia OEM brake pads. And I read some good comments about this Satisfied Pro Ceramic Pads with less dust & heat and reduce rotor wear. It is about $40 to $50 per set from Tire Rack or local auto parts stores.

andrewz

Does anyone know exactly what the button to the right of the hazard lights button is supposed to do? I think it used to make the heater vents all go to the windshield. I don't think it works anymore. I will be going to the dealer for an oil change soon and will ask them what this button does and if it stopped working. Any answers are appreciated.

lok888

andrewz - It should be an indicator light on when you press the button. You can also touch the side mirror to see if there is any heat. My '04 Sienna also use the same button for rear window defroster. Hope this help.

kiaguy

I have had a persistent grind between 1st and 2nd gears on my 2004 Sorento LX Sport. I asked the dealer to make some adjustments on the 7500 mile service and they told me they needed to replace the transmission. They apparently did, along with a tube-clutch. Unfortunately, the grinding is still there, and now the transmission box is extremely tight in all gears, at least when cold. In short, the problem is worse. I have had it back, but seem to be getting nowhere with the dealer. We are now waiting for the Regional Representative to visit and view the automobile. They feel with the transmission replacement, the vehicle should now meet Kia's standards. Has anyone had similar problems with this? Were you able to resolve it? Thanks!

hollier1

A friend bought a Sorrento EX automatic this weekend. When she puts it in gear and lets off of the brake there is a grinding type noise that can be felt in the brake pedal and through the steering wheel. Any body have any ideas on what this may be?????

Thanks,
Charles

lok888

It is normal. The ABS is running a self test. Check your friend to see if she has ABS on her Sorento.

skalman

Hello,
Bought a Sorento 2,4 EX a week ago, and now I wounder about a noise i hear from the car. In second and third gear, when I after acceleration, let go of the 'throttle' and sort of enginebreak (can't find the right words!), there is a scrambling noise from the back of the car. Sounds like something is loose. It doesn't appear in forth or fitht gear. Could it be the transmission, or does anybody know what it could be?

Kenth

sorentoguy

I cant close my ashtray assembly completely (when it clicks and stays closed) because I have a parking lot ticket wedged behind the assembly. I meant to put it in the storage box above the ashtray, but inadvertently put it in the open ashtray. Not thinking, I closed the ashtry and naturally the ticket was beyond my reach. Any suggestions?

kiaparts

Take the car to the dealer and have them drive it. It may need a new drive shaft. A good sign of a drive shaft is a vibration around 40 mph.

alwaze31

My Kia Sorento EX is 16 months old and I need a new transfer case. Went on line to complaints.com and found similar complaints regarding this car and the transfer case. Also, my dealer went out of business so now I have to travel 45 miles each way for maintenance! Several dealers have shut down in my area over the last 18 months. Wonder what that means? Not happy with service, which is suppose to be the selling point for Kia! Took 2 weeks to be looked at and at least another 1 week to order transfer case!!!!! No loaner cars! Will have to rent a car at my expense! Tried reporting this on the Kia Consumer Report site but it's not functional (of course!) Will contact the various consumer bureaus to file a complaint. It's not a bad car for the money. You get what you pay for! Although, the paint job is poor quality, especially under the doors, the leather seats are VERY delicate - tears easily and the color wears off when rubbing too hard, and certain constant noises are normal per the Kia handbook. I don't recommend this car if you have kids. Also, if you get the load leveling, be prepared for shifting and noises each time you start the car and drive. Many people are happy with this car as we were in the beginning. Maybe we just got a LEMON? (although, I have heard of many Kia lemons)
Thanks for letting me complain!
A soon to be ex Kia owner,
Carol

alwaze31

Could also be the "load leveling" system if she has it. My Sorento EX does this after you start it and start to drive. In the manual it states that the noise is "normal." This noise, besides many other issues with transfer case problems, quality and lack of dealership concern has made me a, soon to be, ex Kia owner. ( Mayby it's just a lemon!)

incognito

Hello All,
Just bought a used 03 EX (14k miles)last night fully loaded with every option and I have already had an unusual sound develop. While getting off the highway after a short 85 mph sprint I switched the overdrive from on to off while rolling to the exit stoplight to slow the truck down a little (at a very slow speed). In the process I noticed a very noticeable clicking noise blended into the usual quiet idle while I waited on the light. The noise lasted for about a quarter of a mile and I almost pulled over to inspect before it disappeared.

Has anyone had a noticeable clicking noise with their idle? It sounded like a belt rubbing for a sec but it had me concerned. Should I worry?

Should I take it back before I completely fall in love with this fantastic truck?

I got an 03 EX with Luxury & full time 4WD, Anti lock brakes, climate control, tow hitch, 6cd, etc etc etc. for 19k - I love it but really concerned about this temporary clicking noise. Very weird.

lok888

I had my transfer case replaced last July. I had about 7500 miles at that time. The car drove like it was in 4Lo but it was actually in auto mode. My car was in the shop for a week. The parts were shipped from CA (I live in MA) within days. My dealer gave me a loaner car (Kia Sephia) at their expenses. My car ended up in the shop for few more days because they scratched my front bumper when they did the road test. They re-painted it. I had the Sephia for like 10 days. I wish I had the Sorento as a loaner.

I understand the Kia don't offer any loaner car. But under some circumstances like your car needs over 6 shop hours. I think there is a gray area on this issue. You need to confirm this with your dealer. If they insist, keep all your receipts for the rental and contact the Kia Consumer Affairs, possible a complaint. You need to know this is not your fault.

I also have self-levelizer on my EX 4WD. I have no problem with it and heard no noises. The leather seats is just as good as before even with a car seat. I take good care of it. No scratch at all.

I don't think your situation is consider LEMON. You must show that they have repaired the same problem for three times and still failed. You need to contact Kia directly first.

BTW, after months of reading of airbag light problem. I just got the airbag light on this morning. I have to go to my dealer this weekend. I assume there is a lose connector under the driver's side. Kia must deal with this problem and possible do some modification or recalls.

oldrocker

I have a 04 LX 4WD Sorento now for 2 weeks and love it so far.However Im not getting much air flow out of pass side vent,[ on all settings] also some wind sound after about 50 mph. Sounds like back window open a little. Tires maybe ? Anyone have same?

adkisson

I have 5000 miles on my kia and have had problems already. My first problem happened at 40 miles when the engine light came on. I made sure that the gas tank was put on tight and it was. I took it to the dealership and they replaced the part that made it do that. I have also had the ABS Brakes come on 4 times and to make the light go away I have to turn the car off completely and re start it. My Third problem was the other day, the mileage was at 4991 mile and the truck lost all power while driving. I noticed that the truck was slowing down so I looked down and noticed that the there wasn't any power so I took it to the dealership and they found nothing wrong with it. I also told them about the ABS Brake lights and they found nothing wrong. If anyone has the same problem let me know, or if anyone knows what went wrong let me know. I plan on going on a road trip and I don't want to be stuck with my child in the middle of no where.

andrewz

Has anyone takes the Sorento to the minimum when dealing with the gas tank? I was wondering how much mileage people have gotten out of the reserve tank. The tank goes down pretty quick at the end and I don't want to get stuck overestimating the reserve. Any help would be great. Thanks.

kiaparts

The grinding noises at start up are normal. All those noise are is the ABS Control Module running tests to make sure the system is normal.

lok888

I mentioned this last week about the airbag light on my Sorento. I finally have this problem after months of reading it. I went to service on Saturday. They told they need to replace the clock spring behind the steering wheel. What is this about? Th service manager said there is nothing wrong with the wire and connection underneath the driver's seat. I have to go back this weekend because they need to order the parts. Any comments?

lilac0422

Per the owners manual, when the gas light comes on, there are three gallons of gas left in the tank. So, however many miles to the gallon you are getting, you shouldn't go more than three times that. I find that my Sorento does not like to get really low on gas. I try to get gas before or as soon as the light comes on.

sonnyrocker

Whenever I run the AC in the Sorento, the fanbelt (I think) gets noisy.

lok888

I finally have the airbag light fixed. They replaced the clock spring assembly which located behind the steering wheel. I first thought it was some lose connectors under the driver's seat. It took almost three hours for the job. It covered under the warranty.

I was also in the service for the Kia rep about the rust on rear doors. I supposed with meet one yesterday. But they called the service that they are not coming. They (Kia rep) have been giving the service and me a short notice about the visit. I actually opened a complaint file with Kia Consumer Affairs over this. I took a day off yesterday for almost nothing, only have the airbag light fixed.

steviep9

What are the symptoms of the transfer case problem for the Sorento?

I wish I could describe it better, but unfortunately I cant.

I have '04 EX and at around 40km/4000 rpm and above, I can hear a rattling, something is loose noise. It sounds like its coming from underneath the centre of the truck somewhere, but I haven't been able to pinpoint the exact source of the noise.

It only happens when its moving at 40km or more. I tried revving the motor in neutral at around 4000 and don't hear it, so it appears it only happens when it is in motion.

anybody seen or heard of this before...

lok888

Like many said, I can't tell what is the problem without look at it. But at least you can tell me more details to find out what's the cause.

I had a transfer case replaced last summer. My car had 7500 miles at that time. One or two weeks before the problem occurred, the car turned like you are in 4Lo mode when making U-turns. I felt the rear wheels were locked. I couldn't hear any noise but felt the car isn't really moving when making turns. I didn't pay much attention to it. Days later, the car drove like it was in 4Lo even in straight line when the car was in AUTO mode. I had to go to dealer for service. My car was in the shop for a week to replaced the transfer case.

Have your service to look at it. I was lucky to have the problem before a road trip.

johnschleifer

I bought a new o4 EX two weeks ago. The temperature gauge always takes about 30 minutes of driving to read the correct temperature, (ie. in Vegas today it is 101 degrees and it will read 70 and take about 30 min to rise!). I've had it to the dealer 2x for this problem and they report that they keep "checking the connection" and that it instantaneously raises the temp. Does anyone know where the temp. reader is located? I may have to attempt to repair myself!

Thanks!

hciaffa

When the Sorento first came out I remember other people hearing a rattling noise from under the vehicle. One possibility is that maybe the exhaust pipe is hitting something under the vehicle. Check the exhaust system. Please do this when its cold. Try to get under the Sorento and wiggle the exhaust pipes and see if there is a rattle. Now you have to be careful on this. After going for a ride using a pot holder or something like that, shake the pipes again to see if there is a noise.
Second thing to so is that the spare tire may be loose and rattling in its housing. Try tightening it fisrt, it may be lose and causing the noise. Or lower it and check to see if there is any scuff marks on the tire where it makes contact to the body even if there isn't any marks get some thin foam or cardboard and use it separate the tire from the housing.

kiaparts

The only thing I can think of is that because the sensor is behind the bumper, it takes a little while to heat up to the outside temp. If you park your car in the garage it will probably be 70 in the shade and 30 degrees takes a little while to rise. Next time you go the dealer ask them to check the ambient temp sensor behind the bumper. Haven't had a problem with them but its a shot

johnschleifer

If I disconnect the temperature gauge and then reconnect, the temperature instantly rises (or lowers) to the correct temperature. This is what leads me to believe there may be a faulty sensor involved....

kiaparts

Is this before or after the engine gets hot...Try it first thing the morning and see if it does before you start the car for the day. If the temp goes up right away it may be a bad connection..either on the sensor itself or on the wiring harness in the engine.

stumped

I'm stumped...my 2004 Kia Sorento which I just purchased in March, has been having a problem since the beginning of May. Every morning when I first start it and back out of the driveway, it cuts out and has no power when I go to drive away. It will not do it any other time during the day after it's been driven...just the first start up of the day. I took it in, and of course, they tell me they can't find anything. Any ideas or anyone else experienced this?

lok888

I am having rough ride with my Sorento lately. It has 20,000 miles. It is losing power when taking off since few days ago. The RMP was under 2500 when cruising at 70 mph. It is above 2500 RMP now on the same road. I don't see any sudden upshift and downshift. But I have to hit the gas real hard when accelerate.

This morning, I replaced the air filter. I thought it was the cause. It was quite dirty with some small tree leaves inside the air filter elements. But I still have the rough ride. Any comments? A transmission re-programming?

mr_bots

Just want to make sure you haven't overlooked something simple. Have you checked the overdrive off button, you could have accidentally hit it and overlooked easily it in your diagnosis. If thats not it, if the engine sounds normal at idle and when you rev it up its probably something with the transmission.

lok888

Thanks but not. I checked that before. It happens since last weekend when I noticed the dirty air filter, at least the lower side. It looks normal on car with 20K miles. Since then, I experience a rough ride. There is no sudden upshift or downshift. But it has a hard time when taking off like you have a heavy load or towing thing. The RMP is normal at idle but seems abnormal when it is in motion.

I looked at the Kia service information site. The probably causes for rough idle, engine hesitates and poor acceleration are vacuum hose, PCV value, spark plugs or ignition wiring. I will go to my service tomorrow for the check up. Friend of mine has a similar problem on his Camry. His car was even worst when taking of from a full stop. His dealer did some re-programming on the transmission and it runs perfectly.

tomf4

Hi

I have a 1993 Sorento and got a coin stuck behind
my ashtray compartment and cannot close compartment. Does anyone know how to remove cartrige so I can get coin out of the way.

Thanks
tom

lok888

I returned to service on yesterday. They test drove my car and ran a diagnosis test. They couldn't find anything wrong with the transmission except it may have a bad gas. I don't know if I am accept this or not. And I will bring it to another dealer next week.

Again, the RMP is slightly higher than normal when cruising on the same road. It has poor acceleration. I replaced air filter, checked all fluids, tire pressure and not driving with O/D switch off.

stever

No solution, but you aren't the first person to have this problem:

sorentoguy Apr 22, 2004 11:31am

Are you lurking, Sorentoguy?

Steve, Host

slan_canada

I had the same problem has SorentoGuy last year. Kia replaced the Ashtray under warranty.

ocean

Has anyone had a problem of a shudder on deceleration especially when going downhill. I was thinking maybe it could be a misalignment of the wheels or an unbalance in the tires. Any suggestions or should I bring it in to get looked at?

ivygrnsorento

Your shudder that you feel is from the transmission downshifting, which aids in maintaining control of your vehicle on steep long downhill roads.

With the shudder, I'm sure you have also noticed the RPM's climb a bit. Basically your transmission is downshifting to O/D (overdrive).

I've noticed when I'm traveling at a rate of about 50-65mph on a moderate to steep decline, my transmission will downshift abruptly to help slow down the vehicle. The first few times it happend, it startled me a bit. But its normal.

ocean

thanks for your help. I thought it could have also been something with the brakes, but I'll take your suggestion.

ivygrnsorento

I may be a bit confused on your question. Does the shudder happen when you apply the brakes, or when just coasting down a hill? Sometimes with my Sorento, when traveling down a hill and I apply the brakes to slow down a bit, the transmission will also downshift.

But i ask the question about braking because I had to have all 4 brake rotors on my Kia replaced because of warping of the rotors. Because of the warped rotors, the vehicle really shuddered when braking, especially from higher speeds.

Hope that helps some.

johnschleifer

I have now had my car at the dealership for 7 collective days in an attempt to have the outdoor temperature gauge read the correct temperature! They have replaced the element and wiring and that has not corrected the problem. I was just informed that they need to order the internal display (overhead). The dealership will not proved me with a loaner and this will be my 5th time w/o transportation for the same issue. Any advice?

ocean

Yes, that is exactly what happens. Is this a problem on the part of the manufacturer? And was your repair done under warrenty?

ivygrnsorento

Ocean, yes, the brakes were replaced under warranty.

How many miles do you have on your Sorento? My brake rotors, and pads were replaced at 22,000 miles. The cause of the warped brake rotors is still up for debate, but I think it was caused by overtorqued lug nuts.

The first time I noticed I slight vibration from braking, I took my Sorento in to have it checked. The Service department said nothing was wrong, but interestingly, the problem was suddenly worse. So I took the car back in, and same thing happened. So now the brakes were sooo bad, nobody could miss what I was talking about. So I took my Sorento into a different dealership and had the service guy ride with me so I could show how bad it was. I told him the disks felt warped, and he agreed. After close inspection he felt the disks were warped because the prior service department had the torque rating on their air tools incorrectly set, thus warping the disks. They replaced everything with no questions asked and gave me a loaner car.

I've heard from other posters in this room and other Kia rooms of similiar problems with their brake rotors warping as well. I would take your vehicle in as soon as you can and have them check it. Also ask them what torque rating they are using when tightening those lug nuts. Kia has informed me the correct torque rating to be 80 foot pounds.

I hope this helps ocean. Let us know what you find.

lok888

Anyone has a problem with the digital clock in Sorento? For the past few days, the clock has default to 1:00 everytime I start my car after parking for hours or overnight.

jd97

I've just developed this nasty squealing from the one of the wheels. It doesn't happen until the car has been driven for 15 miles then it starts squealing loudly. The brakes still look good, possibly a caliper problem? The noise goes away if hit the brake pedal but comes right back when you let off. It also goes away if you turn sharply. Dealer says no warranty for brakes after 12,000 miles but I think it's a hardware problem not the brake discs. Also found out the alignment is only warranteed for 12,000 too. So much for the bumper to bumper 5 years.

soccermom3

I also have a problem with my EX Sorento that I bought 1 week ago. The temp guage does the same thing yours has been doing. The dealer said it can be like that ( taking forever for it to rise becasue we live in a hot weather area ( I am in Phoenix). However, I replied that any other car that I have had in Phoenix never had the problem. I have called Kia Customer Care, spoke with a nice gentleman named Josh who is going to look into the problem and let me know. I would appreciate any solutions you may have found or anyone else has to be put in this discussion board. BTW, my temp guage seems to be worse after having the car washed. Is the temp guage under the front or rear bumper?

lok888

I believe it is located in the front, not far away from the radiator. I found the reading is usually few degrees high or sometime as much as 10 degrees when I compared to the news broadcast. And it is not under a hot sun. I have a Camry with the same thing. I don't care much. Anyway, I don't like the way they display the outside temparture on my Sorento with luxury (auto climate control). It only shows for 5 seconds when I press the AMB button.

sonnyrocker

Sounds like a battery problem to me. That just happened with my Honda Accord so I took it to the shop, and they told me it was the battery.