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You had a good 03 Sorento before your dealer did the Trans. service. What they did I have no idea and don't think they have any idea. The BIG problem I have noticed at my dealer is they don't seem to be very knowledgeable in the service Dept. And from what I have read in this Sorento problem forum over the past two years this same problem exists in many other service Depts all across the USA also Canada. Now about the new 05 Kia has this new 5 speed Trans and I am thinking it's not ready for prime time. I have this idea Kia rushed it into the 05s because the heat they were getting for their poor gas mileage. I may be wrong but I still think I am on track about the new Sorento Trans. About the Kia clocks man do they suck BIG time. I have read about people having three or more replaced and they all did not work. That is poor quality and won't help Kia sell products. I have a 03 LX so far it's been ok "except" the gas mileage but I can live with it. But the first time anything really happens it bye bye Sorento.
We are waiting now to hear back from the dealer about what our options are. They want to replace the transmission and send us on our way until next time and with our history I'm quite sure there will be a next time. My fear is that we will be out of warranty eventually and have no recourse. Our problems with the first car began at 57,000 miles and we could never have afforded the 2 months of service hours and parts to fix it. I feel like we have no choice but to get out now.
Just got a new 2005 Sorento 4x4 loaded with Leather. The power front seat is lumpy and uncomfortable. Anyone else having this issue? Also the high beam indicator on the dash does not work. The lights work just the indicator not working.
I think the problem is getting that low low low price. Quality costs at Kia like GM and many others price is KING. Unless Kia starts understanding this they just as well quit the American market.
Apparently Kia feels ok about the quality of their cars, judging by their warranties. JD Power and other rating organizations seem to think they are doing pretty well.
I'm driving a rental Kia Rio for the next week so ask me how I feel in early April. :-)
I have a 2005 Sorento EX 4x4. When I put the car in four wheel "HI" and turn the wheel all the way to the right or left the car turns in a jerky/jumpy fashion. When it is in two wheel drive mode it turns smoothly. Is this normal? Do I need to bring it in for service?
I believe that KIA's 10 year warranty is nothing but a hook to reel people in. Have you seen the web site "Ripoff.com"? It seems that many many people are having problems getting KIA to honor the warranty. My dealership is no longer returning my calls.
I drove the '03 Kia Spectra (loaner) several times while my '03 Sorento was in service. It is not a bad car but my brother's wife who has a lot of problems with her '03 Spectra hatchback. My Sorento has a long repair list including the clock, CD changer (twice), power window switch, leaking anti-freeze coolant reservoir (twice), spring clock (airbag light on), rust on door panels, and many visits for lack of heat problem.
My Sorento is still a good car. I am surprised that they put leather, sunroof, auto headlights, auto climate control, torque-on-demand 4WD, auto rearview mirror and more for thousands less than the Japanese brands.
BTW, I also gave good rating for JD Power. But the rating only reflects the customer's satisfaction of the first few months (maybe) of ownership.
When you engaged the 4x4 hi and tried turning the wheels was the pavement wet or dry? This usually happens when the pavement is dry as well as trying to make sharp turns. Is this your first 4x4? If so try to remember that the system is made to be driven on wet (snowy or heavy rain)or sandy or muddy terrain an even on these conditions try not to make sharp turns. It creates binding in the axel joints. Nice slow turns does the trick.
The light is on 85% of the time when I have a passenger, fat, skinny, tall, short it doesn't matter. Dealer said "We can't duplicate the problem" It is an 05, any ideas. Also when is Kia going to put out some TSB's? It's alomost April and I can't find anything.
When the airbag light was on for the driver's side on my '03 Sorento, my dealer replaced the clock spring. It connects the airbag and the steering wheel column. So the steering wheel can turn freely. I am not sure about the passenger side.
After having the lack of heat problem during past two months, I notice something unusual on my '03 Sorento with auto climate control.
When I have the mix flow direction (FACE and FLOOR), I only get cool air from the FACE direction even at 70'F and hot air from the foot area. I selected only the FACE direction at 70'F - cool air. And I changed it to FLOOR only - hot air. No auto climate control has been used. It is like cool air comes out only at any flow direction at 70'F or blow. Only slightly warm air from the FACE at 70'F and more. Anyone has an idea before I go to dealer?
Bloody Hell !! I dont blame you for not wanting a Kia !! The electrical (at this point)problems with my 04 Kia Sorento have just begun with a missfire in the engine.This happened on a 3 day camping trip in some remote areas and totally ruined our weekend.Usual [non-permissible content removed] ,the so called mechanics dont have a clue (it is in a Toyota Dealership)I told them I checked the 3 coils on the left hand side of the engine under the little plastic cover and assured them all was ok,testing each one in each of the 3 electrical sockets and finding the end connector or something beond that was the fault.New coil fitted,fault still there ! YOU IDIOTS !! The car has been in there a week now and if the part did not take a week to arrive from the other side of Australia they may have found the fault in that time but they could,nt be bothered using the old age proceedure of "PROCESS OF ELIMINATION"
All I can say is Kia want to be very careful in who they select to be their mechanics because from what I can see,99% of their cars faults could be fixed if their mechanics were true mechanics and had SOME clue as to what they were doing.
If want to use safety as reason,this may be your best avenue.Do a couple of big trips to remote places and as people have been known to perish in unforseen circumstances, like breakdowns,the press would love a good hardship story where life and limb are at stake. My 04 Sorento has had its first (and counting) week off the road and is fast becoming a part of the local dealers workshop floor furniture,I for one will not risk my life to inferior (adj.lower in position,status,or quality.) machinery. The fact that the mechanic has no clue makes it alot worse as I for one can see through their lies to cover the fact that they just dont have the brain capacity to figure it out.Just reading some of these posts of peoples woes makes me mad as quite a few of the faults these vehicles suffer are easily fixed.Why cant Kia see this ?? feedback is what it is all about and testing a vehicle in all types of situations befor releasing them to the public is a sure way to success. You are right when you advise people to keep good records as this will help you no end in a court case. To all those unfortunate souls who have brought a Kia or are about to, GOOD LUCK ! you'll surley need it.
Dont ever try to operate your 4bee in 4x4 mode high or lowrange other than on loose surfices whatever you do.You will get what is called transmission windup and it will damage everything from the pinion seals in the diffs to creating flatspots on the gearbox bearings ect ect. Infact,when my Sorento goes in for warranty work at least every second week,I remove the fuse that controls the Hi/Lo switch that controls the transfer case because our mechanics are so doughy they are likely to put in 4x4 mode because they are frustrated they yet again cannot fix a relatively simple problem.
Let us unite ! Who here in Australia has had problems with their Sorento's and to all those theiving dealers who want to post lies how you never have had heard of any problems,dont bother because we know pigs cant drive.
Seriously though,all the kia customer care officers i have been speaking to over the last week reckon that the problems I have been experiancing are the first they have heard of ??!! This may be true given the fact most people buy 4x4's only for the higher driving position ??
The first week of ownership saw a the engine run rough after changing down through the gears befor coming to stop,like it was flooding.Could of been the early stages of the problems the car is in the workshop now for ? It was intermitant so was no major concern but now ?? Then while driving on some inland beach trails in 4x4 low range and while changing into 4x4 hi (while stopped) the whole show locked up and would not move forward or back.This was embarrassing as there were 6 other REAL 4x4's stuck behind me (narrow track).Here I sat in my yuppy 4x4 but probably the only Sorento in Australia with a bullbar,long range fuel tank,swingout tyre rack not to mention other kit nessesary for outback travel.I dumped the clutch and it all let go and we were on the move again,thank god.I could imagine Kia customer care and the logistics in our recovery blowing their minds eh eh... The other problem we had was the suspention.On a slight right hand bend and while driving on some very mild corragations the car lost all steering (due to poor suspention calabration) and it wanted to head straight into a parked tree.If it was'nt for the ABS brakes it would of been nasty and the fact that we were only driving slow,driving to the conditions. The shocks faded out very early due to overheating and the front end was very soft and would bottom out over mild dips in the road.I've heard that these cars are more setup for road use but this was ridiculous.
Anyway if there are any others out there that use their Sorento's for what they were intended and have any feedback please do.
I have an 05 recently purchased in October of 04. While my car does not have any door impressions, the one I was about to purchase, off the showroom floor, did. I only noticed after they were moving it off the showroom to clean it up. When I brought it to their attention, the dealer tried to wipe it off...thinking, because I was a woman, I wouldn't truly know what it was. Too bad for them that my hubby does custom paint work for cars. The 05 I got, has no imperfections as of yet.
On another note.....I am upset with my 05 because of a couple of things. One is the clock. I had researched information on the web just after purchasing my vehicle. I noticed there were lots of problems with this. When I talked with my dealer, they said they didn't have any Sorento's with this problem. I printed off all of the complaints and went out to the lot and had them check the cars there. Guess what....3 of them had bad clocks! Told them to add check clock to their incoming review process!
The other thing that is extremely upsetting is that my 05 is going in because of a bad main seal on the engine. Anytime an engine needs 5 hours of repairs, this is worrying. Especially because I told them when I had my oil changed that I thought it was shifting down too hard from 2 to 1st gear and that at 65 there is an engine vibration noise.
Anyone else with this same problem? Considering the lemon law in Ohio.
I was happy with my new Sorento until two days after I left the lot, My clock didn't keep the correct time. I kindly took back to the dealer, I thought it was a problem with the battery. I the service manager told me that the 2005 did have problems but they have not been told what to do regarding recall information. This is information that has been available to them for months. Since you reported it back in Oct. 04. Today, I will be gong in for my first oil change and I will question about any recall information. I heard on the new yesterday that recall for 2003-2004 for the spectra due to electronic problems was issued. This is an ongoing problem with Kia models. The lemon law is starting to be an option. Thanks for your input
I can't relate to your transmission problems, but I surely can relate to the clock not keeping time. If the car is off more than two hours that the clock automatically reset to 1:40. You had to replace your engine at 10,000 miles. How about asking for a new vehicle Lemon Law????
I read with interest about the oil leak on your 05.Is it the rear main ?? Mine is slightly leaking also and I have been keeping an eye on it.I have an 04 5 speed manual and I know for a fact that if it gets any worse it will contaminate the clutch.The clutch will eventally slip and burn out.I know this because I have owned old Holdens for years when I was a young bloke and they used a rope type oil seal and was next to usless.The end result of a rear main oil leak was a slipping clutch.
Why a brand new vehicle should develop an oil leak so early has me worried because when I noticed it, the thing had never been off road as yet nor had I towed a trailer and or put the motor under any real pressure.Bad build quality ??
I work for a major car hire company and we got rid of the Kia Carnivals we had on fleet years ago because of reliability problems.I honestly thought Kia had sorted most of the problems assosiated with their vehicles because Hyundia had a leg in there? Thats one reason I brought the Sorento with a bit more confidence. Like have said earlier,I think Kia realy need to look at their distributors a little more closley as the problems with Kia vehicles seem to stem from most dealers bad attitude to genuine complaints and their inability to deal with them quickly and efficiently.
Thank you to everyone who responded. It says in the owners manuel to put your vehicle in 4x4 mode once a month so I will make sure if I do it again I will not make hard turns or it will be on a slippery surface.
I've had my EX LUX for 4 months now... 5000 KM of all city driving. I have read through almost every post in this forum and would like to say a few things, Sorry if this turns into a long post.
#1. I notice the thumping sound as well when letting off the brake at a light before hitting the gas, or just as I am hitting the gas. I am going to bring it up with the service manager and see what he says.
#2. Gas mileage is low, but I have seen an increase lately... I live in canada and it was very cold the last 3 months I would get 375km to a tank. I have found that when filling the tank, when the filler "clicks" off , the sorento can take ALOT more gas... slowing keep filling and you should get another 10 liters in the tank. Now that I have got up to 5000 Km and its warmer out (above 0 celsius OR 32 F) I am getting about 475 KM to a tank.... no highway driving. I am happy with that.. on the highway i assume it'll be upwards of 550km.
#3. Power has increased since I've "bagged" it a little.... seriously, take it out and LET IT RIP THROUGH THE GEARS.... it really opened up the feeling of power.
#4. I have noticed the shifting to be a little sluggish into 2nd, I am going to try the synthetic ATF trick that a member here had luck with.
#5. I haven't had any troubles with brakes like some have had here?
#6. I have a couple annoyances like the rear hatch takes a good pull down to close right, and I would like the trip computer to have more functions that direction and barometric pressure (who cares). The windows fog up easy on humid days.
#7. I have a small problem with cruise control not being fluent.... it seems to be noticeable on and off the gas accommodating for rises and drops in the road. I have owned many vehicals with cruise and have never experienced this before, Its being booked in to look at on monday. (likely a vacume line or electronic part)
So my final thoughts are this: I love this SUV, I paid 10-20 grand less than a lexus or pilot that would be equiped the same and have the same power. I have had no major troubles at all. I have dealt with Kia a couple times while buying and service and they have been more than helpful and willing to try and make me happy. I would recommend this vehicle to someone in the market for what it provides. Scores an 8.5 out of 10 for me.
Well after a week of scratching heads and the motor in my 04 Sorento being almost completely stripped (poor girl, its no virgin now!) by the Kia/Toyota workshop boyz, they have finally found the fault that was causing the motor to run on only 4 cylinders.
First a bit of history about my rig. I don't abuse it and I dont attempt anything too rough with it because lets face it, if you want to be a true mountain climber you don't buy slippers to climb in do ya? Anyway it's seen a little action mainly on the beach and a few inland dirt tracks..at this stage anyway, it's only 6 months old and only done 11 thousand kilometers.
In that time I've changed the engine oil 2 times and the oil filter once, along with fresh oil in the gearboxes and diffs. I did this early because most of the wear occurs early in the game, once run in I'll bring the services inline with Factory specs.Rotated the tyres once and lubed all moving bits with silicone spray several times. If your rear door/bonnet struts bind up a bit when closing, spray them with silicone and they will glide nicely. I've fitted a Bull Bar to ward off stray Kangaroos (I love Kanga's and to begin with, would avoid hitting one no end) It's got a long range fuel tank and I've mounted the spare on a swing away tyre rack that also holds the Hi Lift Jack. So its had an easy life thus far...
Anyway after trucking the thing for 400 kilometers to the dealers workshop last week it turns out that the timing belt had slipped a couple of cogs on the pullies. When I got the phone call to say my rig would be off the road another week (they sell vehicles to the average Joe, but all parts are only stocked 4000 klm's away !!??). I immediately questioned why this slipping of belts occured? No answer or reason could or would be given, so seeing as I intend to do a 15,000 kilometer round trip of Australia in the near future I thought it a good idea to investigate as I don't want the same thing happening again.
Once at the dealer I spoke to the Workshop manager and asked to look at my rig in pieces to try to assertain what might of caused the problem for myself. Plain as day there was the fault staring me in the face, sand had entered through the timing cover and no doubt derailed the timing belt! Why didn't the mechanic just up and say it "There's a lot of sand in there, wonder if that may have had something to do with it?" But I'm sure most people reading this could see that they don't want it known that Kia's Timing covers just don't seal well enough! The belly plate underneath the radiator acts like a scoop and when driving in sand, this plate scoops sand up into the radiator then into the engine bay.
If you take your Sorento off road like the glossy brochures depict then be prepared for massive engine failer as the week point in the Sorento seems to be that the timing cover does not seal well enough to keep sand out! So once home and totally feeling ripped off I called Kia Customer CARE and after a lengthy conversation with some "Company Man" he basically said that be careful because it could be operator abuse, "you went off road" !! Talk about stoking the fire!! What have I brought into here?? Granted, Kia give you a rental to keep your [non-permissible content removed] off the ground while you rig is repaired but that's no conciliation when you are miles from nowhere, with your wife and kids melting away in the hot Australian sun, dieing of Hunger and thirst while you wait for the tilt tray to arrive, that won't come because it states in that same glossy brochure that they will only recover the vehicle if it is on a trafficable road accessable to a 2 wheel drive.
I don't think Kia and its representives have the luxury of the old saying "Deny, deny, deny"
What was I thinking when I decided to buy this bloody thing? I have a 1983 FJ45 Toyota Land Bruiser which has been around Australia 2 times, and into the Kimberley 6 times as well as been accross the Gun Barrel Hiway (not really a Hiway only the roughest road in the land, 1400 klm between fuel stops) and has been to the top of Australia naming Cape York Peninsula. Its retired now beacause its served its purpose and served it well but this bloody Sorento, 6 mnths old, its been mothered and already on the scrap heap!
Anyway if you take your Sorento into sandy territory, tape up the 4 big holes that face out front in the belly plate to avoid the same drama I'm going though. If you can, modify the plate altogether without the holes as I intend to do. Here's hoping a couple of valves haven't hit the tops of the pistons when the timing went ski wiff !!
I demanded a new engine be fitted as the damage has been done and I've lost confidence in the mechanics ability to reassemble the engine back to factory specs, correctly. Hell, it took them no less than 6 days to work out what went wrong and wasted 3 days for a new coil to arrive which was no where near the mark. They are not factory trained Kia technicians and should not be working on Kia's without access to all the latest bulletins ect ect. Kia have a plug point under the bonnet to connect diagnostic computors too but Toyota don't have the computor to plug into it !
Good luck with your Surrenderz people....if you go bush you'll surley need it !!
After reading about your problems with the Sorento and the Dealer I strongly advise you to sell your Sorento. Your Dealer is worthless and things won't get better the way you want to use the Sorento. Goodluck or betterluck with the next SUV.
Selling the Sorento is not really an option as I've done too much work on it ie custom made long range fuel tank,Bull bar is new and designed for a Pajero fitted using a seperate sub frame incorporating Hilift jack mounts and the swing away tyre rack/tow bar combo is a complete work of art and being custom made for the Sorento It will have to stay with it. I did do alot of research befor buying and most of the problems found with the Sorento that i red on this forum were not enough to stop it.Dont get me wrong,the Sorento is a good buy and is one of the nicest vehicles I have driven but the problem with the timing belt slipping and the dealers attitude, when they cant tell me why it happened looks to me like a cop out. Its obvious it was sand contamination as I saw this for myself while it was apart in the workshop and having toured Australia on a belt driven Harley Im here to tell ya,toothed rubber/Kevlar belts do not slip unless something gets between the belt and the cog.If the belt dose slip due to being to slack,it usually rips the ribs off the belt.The belt on my motor was unmarked.
Anyway they are still waiting on parts so when the thing gets going again and if all is well, I'll modify the belly plate that is the cause of all the drama in the first place.Both times I've taken the Sorento onto the beach I have had to pressure clean the engine to get rid of bucket loads of sand each time that has been scooped up by the belly plate.In Aus,we have access to alot of miles of beach driving,not sure what its like in other countries ? I had to laugh when the dealer asked if I'd been thrashing the vehicle.The answer to that is with a petrol V6 thrashing the motor is not nessesary.
One thing really concerns me though is that if could happen to me it could happen to anyone and unless these workshops document problems like this then they will never be rectified.I'm sure Kia would be very interested to hear any feedback as long as the word "Operator abuse" is left right out of it because most people I know who buy a 4wheel drive use it as a means to explore Australia ie their "Back Yard" and not as a extention of their old fella :-P One Last thing,its ashame the new FJ Cruiser had not been released when I brought the Sorento because I've got a 1983 FJ 45 (unlicenced) and it may be a truck and abit raw but they never stop ! But if you want abit of comfort....
I agree that belly cover under the front of engine needs special re-working if it is allowing sand to get to the front timeing belt cover. It's had to understand how sand alone could damage the cover but anything can happen when you'r driving into deep sand or a really rough area. You'r Sorento losing the timeing belt is the first I have seen posted have you called KIA direct? If you have access to them downunder in AU. Is you'r Sorento auto or stick? I know a lot of people all over the world are using the Sorento for off roading and they understand it's not like driving to the local Mall on a nice paved road. And as you said {most people I know who buy a 4wheel drive use it as a means to explore Australia ie their "Back Yard" and not as a extention of their old fella } So I am thinking you know you are pushing you'r Sorento into rough waters and you just might not get any help from KIA in keeping you'r Sorento running. Anyway I wish you luck and happy off roading downunder in wild AU. Keep us informed about how the repair turns out.
Thanks for the positive feed back Speedy.I'll post a link to webshots where I'll post some pics of the new belly plate and a few other bits and pieces for those interested.The tracks I were on were not that rough,its just that the front shocks fade out early and then the front end bounces hiting the bump stops on the slightest dip,even going slowly.There is only about 6" of ground clearance when this happens.My Sorento is a 5 speed manual.
When I get the beast back I will try to determine how the sand actually got in. A bit of advice in regards to the same area around the belly plate.The bottom radiator mounts are very vulnerable and if hit by log or a rock,will bend very easily thus destroying the radiator itself.I have read somewhere in this forum about a bloke from the UK doing just that.$1000 Aus for a new rad
Should be all repaired by Monday,thats a full two weeks in the shop so untill then...
Please relay the excuse that the dealership gives you concerning the clock problem. We have had multiple appointments (6) to try to "fix" our clock! Kia even sent a technician from Atlanta, Georgia, to work on our clock ( Greenville, S.C.), and he could not fix it. He then sent the faulty clock to corporate offices in California and they sent a new clock by fed ex and it did not even work at all!! The dealership has now turned it over to "corporate decisions" because they have ran out of answers
Just an FYI.....my clock was fixed and works fine. I did clarify with the dealer BEFORE the repair that they needed to ensure the clock worked. So far so good. (Knock on wood). Did you clock not work immediately after they changed it or did it work for awhile and then break again? I will tell you that my technician did confirm that the seat sensors and the clock are on the same switches (whatever that means) and they did replace both. Have they replaced your seat sensors?
My biggest fear is with the leaking rear seal they replaced. While it actually runs better now than before, I hope thiss seal does fail as well.
I read several messages many months ago about fuel filter replacement. Some said at 30,000 mile intervals. I always think it belongs to 60,000 mile service. I did the same for my last car at around 60K miles. There was no problem before the replacement. And I think changing fuel filter on my last car (Accord) wasn't too difficult than Sorento.
VERY INTERESTED TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE YOUR CAR BACK YET AND IF YOU HAVE POSSIBLY LOCATED WHERE THE SAND ENTERED THE TIMING COVER AS I HAVE HAD MY 05 SORENTO FOR ABOUT TWO MONTHS AND I INTEND TO TAKE IT TO FRASER ISLAND IN QLD FOR A FEW DAYS BEACH DRIVING AT THE END OF THIS WEEK AND IF YOU SUGGEST ANYTHING FORM YOUR EXPIRENCES TO HELP ME TO TRY AND ELIMINATE THIS PROBLEM IT WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED?
ALSO IF YOU HAVE ANY PICTURES THAT YOU COULD E-MAIL ME THAT WOULD BE GREAT?
A) Reading over these forums I see that yes it does have a clock problem, after running for 1+ hours the clock starts to flash bright dim bright dim bright dim constantly, took this in a month ago with my first oil change and they let it run for a complete day and found no issue. What are you showing/telling/saying to them to get a clock recall/replacement?
While driving last night 70 mph all of a sudden the lights dim, lose a bit of horsepower and the KIA engine feels like it is studdering like when you run over the emergancy strips on the side of the interstate. No issues if the gas is not pressed but when the gas pedal is pressed the check engine indicator light comes on and the studdering continues. This happened to the wife about 2-3 months ago at stop light but only for a second and per the Service Dept "was not on long enough to record anything in the computer." Luckly I forced the car to stay in that "state" for about 5-10secs hopefully long enough for it to record but I am curious to see if anyone else is having the issue, after a few moments the engine stopped studdering no strange smells and runs normal.
Making a call in the morning to get something done since we leave out next weekend for a 11 hr drive to Flordia and do NOT want to be stuck on the side of the road.
bad electrical system grounds can cause all sorts of erratic problems and are usually NOT the first place mechanics look. i have been a mechanic all my life both automotive and forklift. recently on our 05 sorento i installed a trailer hitch and 7 way wiring. and found what cound be a nasty main ground problem at the end of the battery neg cable where it attaches to the body behind the fuse and power distrabution box and the inside of the fender. they use a plated bolt (shinny black materal) the inner fender well was heavly coated with paint as well as the f/m threads. these conditions are not good since this is where i needed to make the ground connection for my brake controler i removed the (black shiney coating) from the bolt and removed all of the paint from the electrical contact surface of the fender to make sure it had a good ground circut from the batt. if this connection is poor it's electrical conductince can very with amp load (hence erratic problems) when i reinstalled this bolt and wiring i used a commerical conductive never seize compound on it
I don't know anything about the recall or TSB on the clock. But my dealer replaced mine like a year ago on my '03 Sorento. It showed 1:00 everytime I started the car and it changed to 1:00 in a little while after I reset it to the correct time. They just replaced it. I don't know what's up with Kia. It looks like my $10 watch from Wal-Mart runs better than theirs.
Yeah Gday Kent.I was reading your post from the kitchen while making a brew,thanks to the Caps mate ha ha..
I got the Sorento back last Friday and am happy to say its been fixed and runs as good as new.I again asked the shop what caused the timing belt to slip and again they say they dont know why but agreed with me that the amount of sand in with the belt might of had something to do with !! Anyway they went crook at me cos Kia phoned them (after talking with me) wanting to know what was the deal with the sand.The workshop only then wrote up a report about it like they should of done in the first place as without it, how can Kia fix any future problems ?
Monday after work I grabbed a beer and rolled the Sorento up onto the ramps and slid under with a 12mm air rachet in hand. While you could see the problem with the belly plate in place once removed and looking up at the radiator from the bottom, all was revealed.
On the backside of the radiator is a full shroud sealed tight against the edge of said radiator with two thermo fans poking out towards the engine, as is the norm. It was obvious that all the fine dry beach sand that had nowhere else to go, went through the fins of the radiator and into the cavity between the radiator and the shroud.Any wet sand was soon air dried with the radiator acting as a perfect heat exchanger. When the thermo's cranked up due to 4 wheel driving on a hot day and with the aircon on, the sand got sucked up throught the fans (both) at a great rate of knots and sand blasted the engine thus forcing sand into areas that normally would be ok to a small amount of sand flying around.The fans are quite powerfull and its not hard to see why the sand penatrated so far in through all the workings to contaminate the timing belt case.I saw the sand when the motor was stripped and there was heaps !
Now to the fix.Ive been to Fraser Island and your talking to the first person in Australia to ride the entire Island on a FLHS Harley Davidson.I know I know you'd have to be crazey to ride a Hog on Island like Fraser which is the largest sand Island in the world I might add and all I can say to that is it helps :P .The trip was very memorable and the two weeks on Fraser were a highlight of my around Aus ride (inc Tassie)..17,000 kilometers in just over 5 weeks.
Anyway Im in the process of building a subframe between the Bullbar and the cross member behind the front diff to protect the lower radiator mounts and this is VERY important cos the mounts ride very low.If you clout them the radiator will crack the lower plastic tank and you will be stranded and out of pocket $1000 for a new core.Over the box steel frame Im going to fit a 2mm steel plate the full length from Bullbar to the cross member behind front diff. I'll relocate the vent holes alot higher up and fit stainless steel mesh to protect the radiator from flying rocks.A couple of holes bored into the plate below the radiator will let any sand out and wont trap it like the old belly plate did !!! This will eliminate any future problems and as the subframe will be very strong, this will enable me to slide over rocks or logs (unintentionally) without fear of damaging anything.I'll post a few pics when the jobs done ok.
Anyway Kent have a great time on the island :shades: and remember to drop your tyre pressures to around 18 psi.The Sorento is a pretty mean rig and perfect for a place like Fraser.Watch out for the Dingo's, they know how to open eskies and will steel your boots,thongs or anything in sight !! :-P
but it looks as if they still are not getting the word out. I had this problem when my husband bought my Sorento in December. Clock always showed 1:00 and had to be reset every time you got in the truck. Turning it off would send it right back to 1:00 so I called the 800 Kia Customer Service number and told them that I was getting the run around about my clock. The dealership said they replaced it with a new one and it still did the same thing. I was not a happy girl. :mad: She called them while I was on the phone with her and told them what the problem was and I had a new appt. to have a new clock installed the next day and I have not had a problem since. If I had not researched this online and found someone who had the same problem and knew that the clocks had been recalled I honestly do not think the dealership would have ever told me! Other than that - not one problem. I love my Sorento!!!!!
I hope this helps someone. Gotta go wash my girl - the sun is shining and we must hit the road!!
I'm new to the forum, but hope you can give me some sage advice. I bought an EX in July 04, here in Ottawa Canada. After 13K km (just about 7 months) I've got rust on the tailgate, just by the trim piece above the license plate.
I took it to the dealer today, sure that it was a warranty issue. They had a service bulleting on the problem, explaining that poor design causes the chrome piece to rub the paint off & allowing rust to form. However, they also stated that only some VINs were eligible for warranty repair, and mine's not one of them!
Needless to say I'm gob-smacked that Kia doesn't appear willing to stand behind a virtually new vehicle, when the problem is 100% their fault! Has anyone else run into this problem? Can anyone give me some advice on how I can get Kia to stand behind their product?
If this level of support is common I'd like to know so I can get rid of the Sorento and move on to a more trust-worthy manufacturer.
It seems from past posts that this rust is a problem that alot of EX owners have.Why I have no idea but if you do a search and read what some of the other EX owners with this problem have said maybe you will find out what you need to do to have it fixed.
This is exactly what I have right now. I already bought this attention to my dealer yesterday. My car is in the shop again with power steering problem. I noticed the power steering fluid level was awful low. I can bearly see the fluid in the bottle. They found some serious leak and something about the rack and pinion. They ordered the parts and overnight them. They should fix it this afternoon or I will pick it up tomorrow.
Anyway, there is a rust spot on rear door, near the license plate garnish. My '03 has 30500 miles on it. I will see what my dealer can do about this. They already replaced both rear door body cladding (EX model) two months ago because of the rust problem. Rust appeared on the body cladding. There is a metal strip to support and connect the body cladding to the door frame. You don't see it when the doors closed.
There is a product available in Aus that is designed to eliminate the rust problems you are talking about.Its an electrical gizmo that you bolt in.Boats have them and the product is made to stop electrolysis thus prevent rust.If the rust continues to form in the same area even after repair/relacement of affected area then it sounds like electrolysis is happening. I'll have a flick thru my 4x4 mags where I saw an add for that gizmo and I'll post the details.
Hi! I am new to this forum. I purchased a 2005 Kia Sorento EX (2WD). When I drive between 35 and 45 MPH I hear a whine (howl) emanating from the trans, differential or some place. It is not loud, but I am concerned it may indicate a major problem in the future. I seem to remember hearing the same whine when I drove another Kia Sorento in a test of performance. Anyone experience this problem (noise)? Thanks.
I purchased a 2004 Kia Sorento....and LOVE. However...the two things that have haunted us since day one is between 65-70..the drive training vibrates..howling through the cabin. The second problem..the cruise control will not operate smoothly...but act as though you are pushing on and letting off the gas pedal.
We have worked with KIA locally...and did the Certified Factory person...but it is still there. Has anyone else go through this...had the drive shaft replaced as we did...and still experience the vibrations? Has anyone completely solved this..and what was done?
I've postedsome pics of the new belly pan and undercarrage I built for my Sorento this weekend to eliminate the sand contamination that occured recently.This sand made its way thru the old belly plate and got trapped between the radiator and the shroud.When the thermo fans kicked in the trapped sand got blown into the engine and made its way into the timing cover where it derailed the belt making it slip two teeth on the cogs. The car was repaired under warranty no worries but this area is a problem and I have fixed a area that should be fully sealed in a vehicle designed for off road activities.Hope Kia pull thier fingers out and test the vehicles properly befor releasing them to the open market.
Goodluck to all those with drama with their rigs and complain loudly if you have problems...
I recently purchased a used 2003 Sorento with about 23000 miles. I have noticed that when I release the brake pedal sometimes there is a lurch/movement/clunk in the rear of the vehicle. It doesn't happen all the time and doesn't make any noise but I can feel it. Has anybody else gone through this? Two dealers said this was normal, that there is still torque in the drive line and it is released when I take off the brake. I just can't believe Kia would release a product that does this normally though. Any help would be appreciated, should I fight to get it fixed? If it helps I have an EX 4x4 with the auto transfer case.
I just purchased by 05 Sorento EX on this past Saturday and have an appointment in one week to have the clock fixed.... After reading all the post, I have a feeling that I am in for a long haul. Wish me luck, KiaRN
Hey i can help with this one, it is in the lines heading into the air conditioning compressor. took mine in for the 1st 3 month check up complainging about it and there is 2 lines that "overlap" to couple/join. There is something on their side that says to replace it if someone complains about it. They replaced it same day and no whine what so ever.
"Hey i can help with this one, it is in the lines heading into the air conditioning compressor. took mine in for the 1st 3 month check up complainging about it and there is 2 lines that "overlap" to couple/join. There is something on their side that says to replace it if someone complains about it. They replaced it same day and no whine what so ever"
thanks, i have the same noise. i was wondering just what it was. now i have some info to give the delaler
Comments
I'm driving a rental Kia Rio for the next week so ask me how I feel in early April. :-)
Steve, Host
My Sorento is still a good car. I am surprised that they put leather, sunroof, auto headlights, auto climate control, torque-on-demand 4WD, auto rearview mirror and more for thousands less than the Japanese brands.
BTW, I also gave good rating for JD Power. But the rating only reflects the customer's satisfaction of the first few months (maybe) of ownership.
When I have the mix flow direction (FACE and FLOOR), I only get cool air from the FACE direction even at 70'F and hot air from the foot area. I selected only the FACE direction at 70'F - cool air. And I changed it to FLOOR only - hot air. No auto climate control has been used. It is like cool air comes out only at any flow direction at 70'F or blow. Only slightly warm air from the FACE at 70'F and more.
Anyone has an idea before I go to dealer?
All I can say is Kia want to be very careful in who they select to be their mechanics because from what I can see,99% of their cars faults could be fixed if their mechanics were true mechanics and had SOME clue as to what they were doing.
:mad: :sick: :lemon:
My 04 Sorento has had its first (and counting) week off the road and is fast becoming a part of the local dealers workshop floor furniture,I for one will not risk my life to inferior (adj.lower in position,status,or quality.) machinery.
The fact that the mechanic has no clue makes it alot worse as I for one can see through their lies to cover the fact that they just dont have the brain capacity to figure it out.Just reading some of these posts of peoples woes makes me mad as quite a few of the faults these vehicles suffer are easily fixed.Why cant Kia see this ?? feedback is what it is all about and testing a vehicle in all types of situations befor releasing them to the public is a sure way to success.
You are right when you advise people to keep good records as this will help you no end in a court case.
To all those unfortunate souls who have brought a Kia or are about to, GOOD LUCK ! you'll surley need it.
Infact,when my Sorento goes in for warranty work at least every second week,I remove the fuse that controls the Hi/Lo switch that controls the transfer case because our mechanics are so doughy they are likely to put in 4x4 mode because they are frustrated they yet again cannot fix a relatively simple problem.
Seriously though,all the kia customer care officers i have been speaking to over the last week reckon that the problems I have been experiancing are the first they have heard of ??!! This may be true given the fact most people buy 4x4's only for the higher driving position ??
The first week of ownership saw a the engine run rough after changing down through the gears befor coming to stop,like it was flooding.Could of been the early stages of the problems the car is in the workshop now for ? It was intermitant so was no major concern but now ??
Then while driving on some inland beach trails in 4x4 low range and while changing into 4x4 hi (while stopped) the whole show locked up and would not move forward or back.This was embarrassing as there were 6 other REAL 4x4's stuck behind me (narrow track).Here I sat in my yuppy 4x4 but probably the only Sorento in Australia with a bullbar,long range fuel tank,swingout tyre rack not to mention other kit nessesary for outback travel.I dumped the clutch and it all let go and we were on the move again,thank god.I could imagine Kia customer care and the logistics in our recovery blowing their minds eh eh...
The other problem we had was the suspention.On a slight right hand bend and while driving on some very mild corragations the car lost all steering (due to poor suspention calabration) and it wanted to head straight into a parked tree.If it was'nt for the ABS brakes it would of been nasty and the fact that we were only driving slow,driving to the conditions.
The shocks faded out very early due to overheating and the front end was very soft and would bottom out over mild dips in the road.I've heard that these cars are more setup for road use but this was ridiculous.
Anyway if there are any others out there that use their Sorento's for what they were intended and have any feedback please do.
CU on the the flip side
On another note.....I am upset with my 05 because of a couple of things. One is the clock. I had researched information on the web just after purchasing my vehicle. I noticed there were lots of problems with this. When I talked with my dealer, they said they didn't have any Sorento's with this problem. I printed off all of the complaints and went out to the lot and had them check the cars there. Guess what....3 of them had bad clocks! Told them to add check clock to their incoming review process!
The other thing that is extremely upsetting is that my 05 is going in because of a bad main seal on the engine. Anytime an engine needs 5 hours of repairs, this is worrying. Especially because I told them when I had my oil changed that I thought it was shifting down too hard from 2 to 1st gear and that at 65 there is an engine vibration noise.
Anyone else with this same problem? Considering the lemon law in Ohio.
Thanks
Why a brand new vehicle should develop an oil leak so early has me worried because when I noticed it, the thing had never been off road as yet nor had I towed a trailer and or put the motor under any real pressure.Bad build quality ??
I work for a major car hire company and we got rid of the Kia Carnivals we had on fleet years ago because of reliability problems.I honestly thought Kia had sorted most of the problems assosiated with their vehicles because Hyundia had a leg in there? Thats one reason I brought the Sorento with a bit more confidence.
Like have said earlier,I think Kia realy need to look at their distributors a little more closley as the problems with Kia vehicles seem to stem from most dealers bad attitude to genuine complaints and their inability to deal with them quickly and efficiently.
Good luck with your rig
#1. I notice the thumping sound as well when letting off the brake at a light before hitting the gas, or just as I am hitting the gas. I am going to bring it up with the service manager and see what he says.
#2. Gas mileage is low, but I have seen an increase lately... I live in canada and it was very cold the last 3 months I would get 375km to a tank. I have found that when filling the tank, when the filler "clicks" off , the sorento can take ALOT more gas... slowing keep filling and you should get another 10 liters in the tank. Now that I have got up to 5000 Km and its warmer out (above 0 celsius OR 32 F) I am getting about 475 KM to a tank.... no highway driving. I am happy with that.. on the highway i assume it'll be upwards of 550km.
#3. Power has increased since I've "bagged" it a little.... seriously, take it out and LET IT RIP THROUGH THE GEARS.... it really opened up the feeling of power.
#4. I have noticed the shifting to be a little sluggish into 2nd, I am going to try the synthetic ATF trick that a member here had luck with.
#5. I haven't had any troubles with brakes like some have had here?
#6. I have a couple annoyances like the rear hatch takes a good pull down to close right, and I would like the trip computer to have more functions that direction and barometric pressure (who cares). The windows fog up easy on humid days.
#7. I have a small problem with cruise control not being fluent.... it seems to be noticeable on and off the gas accommodating for rises and drops in the road. I have owned many vehicals with cruise and have never experienced this before, Its being booked in to look at on monday. (likely a vacume line or electronic part)
So my final thoughts are this: I love this SUV, I paid 10-20 grand less than a lexus or pilot that would be equiped the same and have the same power. I have had no major troubles at all. I have dealt with Kia a couple times while buying and service and they have been more than helpful and willing to try and make me happy. I would recommend this vehicle to someone in the market for what it provides. Scores an 8.5 out of 10 for me.
First a bit of history about my rig. I don't abuse it and I dont attempt anything too rough with it because lets face it, if you want to be a true mountain climber you don't buy slippers to climb in do ya? Anyway it's seen a little action mainly on the beach and a few inland dirt tracks..at this stage anyway, it's only 6 months old and only done 11 thousand kilometers.
In that time I've changed the engine oil 2 times and the oil filter once, along with fresh oil in the gearboxes and diffs. I did this early because most of the wear occurs early in the game, once run in I'll bring the services inline with Factory specs.Rotated the tyres once and lubed all moving bits with silicone spray several times. If your rear door/bonnet struts bind up a bit when closing, spray them with silicone and they will glide nicely.
I've fitted a Bull Bar to ward off stray Kangaroos (I love Kanga's and to begin with, would avoid hitting one no end) It's got a long range fuel tank and I've mounted the spare on a swing away tyre rack that also holds the Hi Lift Jack. So its had an easy life thus far...
Anyway after trucking the thing for 400 kilometers to the dealers workshop last week it turns out that the timing belt had slipped a couple of cogs on the pullies. When I got the phone call to say my rig would be off the road another week (they sell vehicles to the average Joe, but all parts are only stocked 4000 klm's away !!??). I immediately questioned why this slipping of belts occured? No answer or reason could or would be given, so seeing as I intend to do a 15,000 kilometer round trip of Australia in the near future I thought it a good idea to investigate as I don't want the same thing happening again.
Once at the dealer I spoke to the Workshop manager and asked to look at my rig in pieces to try to assertain what might of caused the problem for myself. Plain as day there was the fault staring me in the face, sand had entered through the timing cover and no doubt derailed the timing belt! Why didn't the mechanic just up and say it "There's a lot of sand in there, wonder if that may have had something to do with it?" But I'm sure most people reading this could see that they don't want it known that Kia's Timing covers just don't seal well enough! The belly plate underneath the radiator acts like a scoop and when driving in sand, this plate scoops sand up into the radiator then into the engine bay.
If you take your Sorento off road like the glossy brochures depict then be prepared for massive engine failer as the week point in the Sorento seems to be that the timing cover does not seal well enough to keep sand out! So once home and totally feeling ripped off I called Kia Customer CARE and after a lengthy conversation with some "Company Man" he basically said that be careful because it could be operator abuse, "you went off road" !! Talk about stoking the fire!! What have I brought into here?? Granted, Kia give you a rental to keep your [non-permissible content removed] off the ground while you rig is repaired but that's no conciliation when you are miles from nowhere, with your wife and kids melting away in the hot Australian sun, dieing of Hunger and thirst while you wait for the tilt tray to arrive, that won't come because it states in that same glossy brochure that they will only recover the vehicle if it is on a trafficable road accessable to a 2 wheel drive.
I don't think Kia and its representives have the luxury of the old saying "Deny, deny, deny"
What was I thinking when I decided to buy this bloody thing? I have a 1983 FJ45 Toyota Land Bruiser which has been around Australia 2 times, and into the Kimberley 6 times as well as been accross the Gun Barrel Hiway (not really a Hiway only the roughest road in the land, 1400 klm between fuel stops) and has been to the top of Australia naming Cape York Peninsula. Its retired now beacause its served its purpose and served it well but this bloody Sorento, 6 mnths old, its been mothered and already on the scrap heap!
Anyway if you take your Sorento into sandy territory, tape up the 4 big holes that face out front in the belly plate to avoid the same drama I'm going though. If you can, modify the plate altogether without the holes as I intend to do.
Here's hoping a couple of valves haven't hit the tops of the pistons when the timing went ski wiff !!
I demanded a new engine be fitted as the damage has been done and I've lost confidence in the mechanics ability to reassemble the engine back to factory specs, correctly. Hell, it took them no less than 6 days to work out what went wrong and wasted 3 days for a new coil to arrive which was no where near the mark. They are not factory trained Kia technicians and should not be working on Kia's without access to all the latest bulletins ect ect. Kia have a plug point under the bonnet to connect diagnostic computors too but Toyota don't have the computor to plug into it !
Good luck with your Surrenderz people....if you go bush you'll surley need it !!
I did do alot of research befor buying and most of the problems found with the Sorento that i red on this forum were not enough to stop it.Dont get me wrong,the Sorento is a good buy and is one of the nicest vehicles I have driven but the problem with the timing belt slipping and the dealers attitude, when they cant tell me why it happened looks to me like a cop out. Its obvious it was sand contamination as I saw this for myself while it was apart in the workshop and having toured Australia on a belt driven Harley Im here to tell ya,toothed rubber/Kevlar belts do not slip unless something gets between the belt and the cog.If the belt dose slip due to being to slack,it usually rips the ribs off the belt.The belt on my motor was unmarked.
Anyway they are still waiting on parts so when the thing gets going again and if all is well, I'll modify the belly plate that is the cause of all the drama in the first place.Both times I've taken the Sorento onto the beach I have had to pressure clean the engine to get rid of bucket loads of sand each time that has been scooped up by the belly plate.In Aus,we have access to alot of miles of beach driving,not sure what its like in other countries ?
I had to laugh when the dealer asked if I'd been thrashing the vehicle.The answer to that is with a petrol V6 thrashing the motor is not nessesary.
One thing really concerns me though is that if could happen to me it could happen to anyone and unless these workshops document problems like this then they will never be rectified.I'm sure Kia would be very interested to hear any feedback as long as the word "Operator abuse" is left right out of it because most people I know who buy a 4wheel drive use it as a means to explore Australia ie their "Back Yard" and not as a extention of their old fella :-P
One Last thing,its ashame the new FJ Cruiser had not been released when I brought the Sorento because I've got a 1983 FJ 45 (unlicenced) and it may be a truck and abit raw but they never stop ! But if you want abit of comfort....
When I get the beast back I will try to determine how the sand actually got in.
A bit of advice in regards to the same area around the belly plate.The bottom radiator mounts are very vulnerable and if hit by log or a rock,will bend very easily thus destroying the radiator itself.I have read somewhere in this forum about a bloke from the UK doing just that.$1000 Aus for a new rad
Should be all repaired by Monday,thats a full two weeks in the shop so untill then...
My biggest fear is with the leaking rear seal they replaced. While it actually runs better now than before, I hope thiss seal does fail as well.
ALSO IF YOU HAVE ANY PICTURES THAT YOU COULD E-MAIL ME THAT WOULD BE GREAT?
THANK YOU.
You might want to turn off that CAPS lock on your pc - people tend to ignore postings typed in all CAPS.
tidester, host
A) Reading over these forums I see that yes it does have a clock problem, after running for 1+ hours the clock starts to flash bright dim bright dim bright dim constantly, took this in a month ago with my first oil change and they let it run for a complete day and found no issue. What are you showing/telling/saying to them to get a clock recall/replacement?
Making a call in the morning to get something done since we leave out next weekend for a 11 hr drive to Flordia and do NOT want to be stuck on the side of the road.
Any help is appreciated!! :confuse:
i have been a mechanic all my life both automotive and forklift.
recently on our 05 sorento i installed a trailer hitch and 7 way wiring. and found what cound be a nasty main ground problem at the end of the battery neg cable where it attaches to the body behind the fuse and power distrabution box and the inside of the fender.
they use a plated bolt (shinny black materal) the inner fender well was heavly coated with paint as well as the f/m threads.
these conditions are not good
since this is where i needed to make the ground connection for my brake controler i removed the (black shiney coating) from the bolt and removed all of the paint from the electrical contact surface of the fender to make sure it had a good ground circut from the batt.
if this connection is poor it's electrical conductince can very with amp load (hence erratic problems)
when i reinstalled this bolt and wiring i used a commerical conductive never seize compound on it
I got the Sorento back last Friday
Monday after work I grabbed a beer and rolled the Sorento up onto the ramps and slid under with a 12mm air rachet in hand. While you could see the problem with the belly plate in place once removed and looking up at the radiator from the bottom, all was revealed.
On the backside of the radiator is a full shroud sealed tight against the edge of said radiator with two thermo fans poking out towards the engine, as is the norm. It was obvious that all the fine dry beach sand that had nowhere else to go, went through the fins of the radiator and into the cavity between the radiator and the shroud.Any wet sand was soon air dried with the radiator acting as a perfect heat exchanger.
When the thermo's cranked up due to 4 wheel driving on a hot day and with the aircon on, the sand got sucked up throught the fans (both) at a great rate of knots and sand blasted the engine thus forcing sand into areas that normally would be ok to a small amount of sand flying around.The fans are quite powerfull and its not hard to see why the sand penatrated so far in through all the workings to contaminate the timing belt case.I saw the sand when the motor was stripped and there was heaps !
Now to the fix.Ive been to Fraser Island and your talking to the first person in Australia to ride the entire Island on a FLHS Harley Davidson.I know I know you'd have to be crazey to ride a Hog on Island like Fraser which is the largest sand Island in the world I might add and all I can say to that is it helps :P .The trip was very memorable and the two weeks on Fraser were a highlight of my around Aus ride (inc Tassie)..17,000 kilometers in just over 5 weeks.
Anyway Im in the process of building a subframe between the Bullbar and the cross member behind the front diff to protect the lower radiator mounts and this is VERY important cos the mounts ride very low.If you clout them the radiator will crack the lower plastic tank and you will be stranded and out of pocket $1000 for a new core.Over the box steel frame Im going to fit a 2mm steel plate the full length from Bullbar to the cross member behind front diff. I'll relocate the vent holes alot higher up and fit stainless steel mesh to protect the radiator from flying rocks.A couple of holes bored into the plate below the radiator will let any sand out and wont trap it like the old belly plate did !!!
This will eliminate any future problems and as the subframe will be very strong, this will enable me to slide over rocks or logs (unintentionally) without fear of damaging anything.I'll post a few pics when the jobs done ok.
Anyway Kent have a great time on the island :shades: and remember to drop your tyre pressures to around 18 psi.The Sorento is a pretty mean rig and perfect for a place like Fraser.Watch out for the Dingo's, they know how to open eskies and will steel your boots,thongs or anything in sight !! :-P
See you out there....
I hope this helps someone. Gotta go wash my girl - the sun is shining and we must hit the road!!
I'm new to the forum, but hope you can give me some sage advice. I bought an EX in July 04, here in Ottawa Canada. After 13K km (just about 7 months) I've got rust on the tailgate, just by the trim piece above the license plate.
I took it to the dealer today, sure that it was a warranty issue. They had a service bulleting on the problem, explaining that poor design causes the chrome piece to rub the paint off & allowing rust to form. However, they also stated that only some VINs were eligible for warranty repair, and mine's not one of them!
Needless to say I'm gob-smacked that Kia doesn't appear willing to stand behind a virtually new vehicle, when the problem is 100% their fault! Has anyone else run into this problem? Can anyone give me some advice on how I can get Kia to stand behind their product?
If this level of support is common I'd like to know so I can get rid of the Sorento and move on to a more trust-worthy manufacturer.
Good Luck!
Anyway, there is a rust spot on rear door, near the license plate garnish. My '03 has 30500 miles on it. I will see what my dealer can do about this. They already replaced both rear door body cladding (EX model) two months ago because of the rust problem. Rust appeared on the body cladding. There is a metal strip to support and connect the body cladding to the door frame. You don't see it when the doors closed.
Did I read someone mention LOW PRICE IS THE KING?
I'll have a flick thru my 4x4 mags where I saw an add for that gizmo and I'll post the details.
Good luck
We have worked with KIA locally...and did the Certified Factory person...but it is still there. Has anyone else go through this...had the drive shaft replaced as we did...and still experience the vibrations? Has anyone completely solved this..and what was done?
The car was repaired under warranty no worries but this area is a problem and I have fixed a area that should be fully sealed in a vehicle designed for off road activities.Hope Kia pull thier fingers out and test the vehicles properly befor releasing them to the open market.
Goodluck to all those with drama with their rigs and complain loudly if you have problems...
Heres the link http://communtiy.webshots.com/album/323963502vGNCLt
After reading all the post, I have a feeling that I am in for a long haul.
Wish me luck,
KiaRN
"Hey i can help with this one, it is in the lines heading into the air conditioning compressor. took mine in for the 1st 3 month check up complainging about it and there is 2 lines that "overlap" to couple/join. There is something on their side that says to replace it if someone complains about it. They replaced it same day and no whine what so ever"
thanks, i have the same noise. i was wondering just what it was.
now i have some info to give the delaler