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Kia Sorento Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • tobyamptobyamp Member Posts: 9
    We have had the same problem in our area,(Southern California) the dealerships have been dropping like flys. The vehicles are great as far as creature comforts and whistles and bells, however the mechancial engineers need to go back to school, the drive train is real crap! I also had a Sorento-I also saw the hand writing on the wall and dumped mine about 6 months ago!!! :sick: :lemon:
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    There's a long term Sedona in the Edmunds fleet and guess what:

    "the dealership network doesn't seem capable of handling all the new customers"

    Kia Sedona Update: Service is still an issue
  • paopao Member Posts: 1,867
    we only lost one dealership here in the northern va area..but still have a have a half dozen to chose from in the area..not including MD....03 sorento here....97K on it..and not a problem with it at all.....so not all of them are bad.....just like not all imports or other american made cars dont have some :lemon:s either......
  • ggriffithggriffith Member Posts: 1
    In May, my daughter was driving her 2003 Sorrento, when the crackshaft bolt came loose. She was not on busy highway and was barely able to pull into a side street parking lot.
    the car was towed and repaired at the local dealership. I was troubled by this and the possibility of it happening again. I decided to check out this site to see if it was a common problem accross the country. To my amazement, within five minutes, I read about five or six similar horror stories. Two weeks later I traded the car. I felt that if it happened once, it was likely to occour again, and my daughter is to important for me to take that kind of risk.
  • paopao Member Posts: 1,867
    there is a major recall campaign currently ongoing for the 03-04 sorentos to replace the crankshaft bolt now..96K on mine and not one problem
  • keahaterkeahater Member Posts: 20
    Good for you!!!!! Get rid of it. It happened to me just as I was getting on the highway. There are many more problems also. That particular one is life threatening. There is a recall finally about it. I am not trusting that too much. why did it take 2 1/2 days to fix when the dealership told me that the new bolt only takes one hour? I have had problems with the belts constantly. :lemon:
  • puglover0101puglover0101 Member Posts: 6
    I have had my 2004 Sorento in many times for warranty work. The first was a power steering leak, they had to replace the power steering rack. Then it needed a driveshaft. That was replaced then 2 days later the crankshaft went! I luckily was not driving it at the time! I had to have it towed to the dealer. They said at first it was not that big, then basically I have a whole new engine, that was May 2007. I took it in for an oil change today at the dealer (I am afraid to take it anywhere else!) and now they tell me about the recall of the part of my car that was just fixed 3 months ago! That now needs to be replaced again??!! Oh yeah I forgot about the radio display went out, so I have a new radio to! I am starting to believe it would be cheaper for them to give me a new car! I regret the day I bought this car! I owe to much and will take a huge loss getting rid of it, but am starting to think twice about taking the loss! I would advise anyone of think of buying one not too!! Mine only has 41,000 miles on it.(I guess now maybe considered less with the NEW engine HA)
  • staplejstaplej Member Posts: 1
    My Kia Sorento idled rough. I started having problems starting it, but it was random. I put the key in the ignition and it would turn the electric panel on but not turn over. I waited 5-10 minutes and it would start up like nothing happened. After this happened several times in a month, I took it into the shop. They said they could not duplicate it or find the problem with starting BUT the reason it idled rough was a leak in the pressure system in the engine? Never heard of this? Can anyone enlighten me on this? Am I getting scammed or is this a real problem?
  • keahaterkeahater Member Posts: 20
    Puglover-I have a 2003 sorento and I've had nothing but problems with it--the crankshaft bolt broke right when I was getting on the highway--thank God I wasn't cruising at 70!!!!! I know just how you feel-I am locked into this and will also take a big loss if I try to sell it--which I have but not one call in 3 months!!! People know........I have only 54,000 and the dealer won't even talk to me now. I take my 90 year old mother everywhere and I don't feel safe. I borrow a car for that. I am ready to let the bank take it. This is awful.....small dogs rule :lemon:
  • jhowittjhowitt Member Posts: 2
    We really like our sorento,(2005).
    My wife drives it almost exclusively for work, about 2200km per mnth.
    We have had new brake rotors, The dealer replaced the drive shaft and the clunk is gone.They also changed the crankshaft bolt.
    Our biggest complaint is that the headlights burn out with great regularity,4 times in less than 3 yrs.
    It is WAY better in the snow than my old toyota landcruiser.
    It seems to be developing rust on the back door, but that seems to be a warranty issue as well.The two rear doors are developing rust as well and we were told that that is not a warranty issue. We will see about that!
    Over all we plan to keep it.
    Good luck to you all.
    John
  • paopao Member Posts: 1,867
    just for a statement on the other side....97K on my 03 Sorento EX and only minor problems with it....crankbolt replaced under the compaigne recall, one sensor replaced out of warranty, not covered by 5/100K, coolant reservoir replaced due to cracking of the tank on the bottom...other than normal maintenance that has been it....it does have a high scheduled maintenance requirement and MPG are lousy......and a lot of the "warranty" issues are with service departments at the dealerships...mine has been great and gave me no hassle at all over an extended time frame before I changed the timimg belt...it was almost 20K overdue when I had it finally changed.......

    do your research and choose what best fits your needs
  • lusigeplusigep Member Posts: 4
    I have had almost the exact same problems - on my 03 Sorento EX, the crankbolt replaced (recall), the coolant reservoir replaced due to the bottom of the tank having a crack that leaked out all of the coolant. watch out for that 90K-100K mile maintenance from KIA it runs about $450.00!
  • keahaterkeahater Member Posts: 20
    That's the first thing that happened to me--the coolant coming out from cracked PLASTIC. Then the crankshaft broke while I was driving-just getting on the highway. then a recall that they said takes an hoour, but the first time it happened it took 2 1/2 days.....hmmmm.........GET RID OF IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :lemon:
  • goldsuvgoldsuv Member Posts: 51
    Does anybody have the phone number for the Pope? I think I have a MIRACLE. At 53k I have had no problems. The tires still have 5k left on them. Original brakes, no squeeks or rattles. It is the most trouble free truck I have owned and it is the lowest cost BOF SUV made.
  • paopao Member Posts: 1,867
    Ive done all the maintenance for the end of warranty period so to speak.....I will probably keep the Sorento to next spring...will probably have about 110k on it when I trade it in on my 08 Cadillac CTS....
  • quazymotlquazymotl Member Posts: 1
    We must be blessed. We recently had the crankshaft bolt replaced at 83,000 (covered under recall) and the coolant tank started leaking. Dealership wouldn't cover the coolant tank so I made a copy of all the postings at this sight containing 'coolant' to the service manager and he knocked off $40 for the tank. I replaced the tank myself.

    Does anyone know any tricks to get more bass out of the stock radio on the Kia Sorento EX?
  • vermillionvermillion Member Posts: 3
    Well, I had to sue Kia for the Warranty. I had 86000 miles on my 04 Sorento when the rear main seal failed, and the crankshaft would no longer align due to elongation. Kia showed at Court, and blamed EVERYTHING on dealer and said Kia never denied Warranty. So now I have to amend lawsuit to add Dealer. Dealer very angry at Kia and said they will go to Court with their witnesses who spoke with Kia when Warranty denied. We'll see what happens next.
  • tropikimmietropikimmie Member Posts: 2
    When I test drove the '03 Kia Sorento I eventually bought, it had an alignment problem. The dealer gave me a free alignment. I had it aligned and it lasted like 2 seconds. So, I took it back and had it re-aligned. Same thing happened again. Over a 6 month period my car had 6 alignments. The front tires had the same wear on the inside too after probably 6 months of driving. Anywho, they ended up rotating my tires, which helped and they over-torqued the alignment bolt and it managed to stay aligned ever since then. I recently had 4 new tires and an alignment for my Kia at Pepboys. I will not take a vehicle to any dealership, unless its a warranty or recall item, for service because they charge an exorbitant amount of money. When Pepboys aligned it they told me that I needed to get a new alignment bolt so I said ok. They replaced it and aligned it again but the alignment did not hold because the bolt came loose or whatever. I took it back 3 times before they ended up slightly over-torquing it so the alignment would hold. Haven't had any problems with the alignment since. Hope this helps!
  • tropikimmietropikimmie Member Posts: 2
    Mine does the same thing but I thought it was the brakes. It just feels like the brakes stick and that's the weird thing that it does.
  • puglover0101puglover0101 Member Posts: 6
    I have to wonder again, but why, since I already know how terrible Kia is! Ironically, I have had the recalled crankshaft bolt replaced twice now. The first time was before the recall , mine was one that broke before the recall of course. Even though so far(I hope I do not jinx myself) they have paid for all the warranty work. Why did I finally receive my recall notice on October 23, 2007, when the recall came out around July 2007? I called the dealer right away actually laughing because I of course figured the bolt was recalled again, but they said I already had it fixed. I said are you sure(because I had my doubts)? They said yes. I believe they have sunk more money into my car than its worth! Now my biggest concern is that I bought mine used and the 10/100,000 warranty does not apply if you bought the Kia used, which of course I was not told when I bought! I have until June of 2008 to figure out what to do!
    Please let me know about any class action suit! I am just waiting for it! Or praying for it! :lemon:
  • paopao Member Posts: 1,867
    why is June 08 a magical date...and what are you trying to decide..assume that is when you 5/60 warranty ends...beleive that is the only transferrable side of the warranty and not the 10/100000 drive train warranty...

    03 LX here with 99K on it and no problems at all with it....had the crankshsft bolt replaced under the compaign as they call it.....it is voluntary so technically not a recall...
  • puglover0101puglover0101 Member Posts: 6
    My 5/60 warranty is up around that date, and I am panicking about being stuck with tons of repair work that I would have to pay for after the warranty expires!
    I guess you are one of the few lucky ones! Mine almost has a brand new engine because my crankshaft bolt failed in May. Then in Sept they had to replace the crankshaft bolt they just replaced! And with many other major problems, and 1 problem they cannot find(the engine noise at about 65-70mph), which I read that others have also!
    I have to wonder again, if this recall is only voluntary, why? Since the problem is serious and if you are driving causes you to lose your steering of your vehicle! Anyone whose bolt has failed knows what I am talking about!
    I otherwise love my Sorento, that what makes it difficult.
  • kelliebkellieb Member Posts: 2
    Right now, the problem I'm having is when I turn on the heat, the engine runs really high and it eats up gas much more quickly. It's now getting in the 30's in Ohio and I cannot afford to drive my SUV and not freeze. Can anyone tell me what could cause this? (I have a 2003 Sorento, RWD automatic EX).
    I was having similar trouble yours, where I could not start my car sometimes (randomly), so I got down under the car and tapped the starter with a hammer, then it would start. This went on several time, the starter w/ celinoid (spelling?) has since been replaced, along with new serpentine belt (not sure of the technical name), new rotors and pads, tires crankshaft bolt (recall repair), battery, headlight bulbs (twice), and more I cannot remember. I realize that this is routine and recall maintenance, but, although I love to drive the SUV when it runs well, I've had it in the shop several times this year. Conveniently, just after my warranty ran out. I'm gentle with it and take good care of it with regular maintenance. It costs a lot to upkeep and run because of the cost (and apparently rareness) of parts, and poor mileage.
  • jenn223jenn223 Member Posts: 1
    Wow... I know you posted this awhile ago, but I just want to comment. I haven't had this problem *yet*, but we had our transmission go completely out at 3000 miles :lemon: to which Kia did not want to give us a loaner while they took their pretty time replacing it. We immediately contacted the Better Business Bureau online and reported them, to which they immediately sent the dealership (within 24-48 hrs) a notice to fix the problem or have it go on their record with the BBB, we got a call from the dealership the day they received that notice and they gave us a rental, to which they told us we had to revoke the claim with the BBB. Kia dealerships are TERRIBLE and I'm sorry that happened to you, I would report them, that's too much money to put into things that may not have even needed to have been changed.

    But as a note to ANYONE who has problems with them not giving rentals... fight it all the way... :mad:
  • kelliebkellieb Member Posts: 2
    In reply to Jenn222.. New transmission at 3k miles? that's crazy! There should have been no questions asked.. When I had my kia in 2 wks ago for a recall which they needed all day to fix, I had to pay for a rental. The dealership is a mitsubishi / kia dealership and they only supply loaners for mitsubishi customers. nice... I contacted kia since the repair was a recall. Kia apologized that I had to have it in the shop and told me there's no provisions for rentals or loaners and that it's up to the dealership.
    With all that's happened with my kia since 2003, as much as I like driving the SUV itself, I won't buy another. I hope you have smooth sailing from here on in with yours.
  • paopao Member Posts: 1,867
    Rentals arent a manufacturer policy...they are a dealership policy.....some do and some dont...others use a fleet of their own cars as "loaners" while other reimburse you for the enterprise rental car or have a direct charge back to the dealer.......most good dealerships will do this...put you in a rental if the repair is more than a day, but again..realize its not KIA doing this..its the dealership...as they are the ones that eat the cost of the rental......GM is the same way......
  • al74al74 Member Posts: 5
    My dealer just quoted $130 for replacing the bulbs in the two front headlights of my 2003 Kia Sorento. Sears quoated $50 for the same job. Am I missing something here?
  • paopao Member Posts: 1,867
    why not do it yourself...bulbs at walmart or auto parts store are about $9-10 each.....two bolts to pull the headlamp assemblies out....unscrew the cap....replace the bulb and all is good again.....about $20 and 15 minutes of your time.....

    you arent missing anything...higher prices for the part.....and the dealer is charging you a full hour of labor......sears....probably about 1/4 hour labor and parts....

    this is an easy job..do it yourself
  • al74al74 Member Posts: 5
    Thanks. Should I worry about aligning the headlight in a specific direction when putting it back in?
  • paopao Member Posts: 1,867
    no..simply reinstall the same way it came out...the entire assembly will go back into the frame...
  • mopar_manmopar_man Member Posts: 3
    I have only ever owned product produced by Mopar. The 05 Sorento was a way for me to meet my growing family's needs and budget restraints. 4 days after buying the Sorento, it started over heating:sick: . Now, I gave the car the best look over I could with my wife, a 2, and 3 year old going nuts. Never buy a car with a young family in tow! Well that bracket under the radiator was bent and the radiator itself was pressed against the pullies. :sick: :lemon: I took it back to the dealer, they fixed it, gave me a "lot loaner", and cost nothing to me. Now originally the engine was very quiet, now it growls. Not an unhealthy growl by any means, but something that reminds me of my old Dakota racing down the freeway with a camper in tow. Is it normal for the Sorento to have that muscular growl, or is a symptom of another hidden problem? The belts make a squeaking noise too. I was surprised the dealership let it off the lot like I got it. I like the car, but I feel unfamiliar and unsure of Kia. Oh the specs are 3.5L 5-speed manual RWD( I think) I've got 25,000 left on warranty. How can you tell if its all wheel? Like I said I don't know anything about Kias. Some advice would be appreciated
  • paopao Member Posts: 1,867
    if you have a 4X4 or AWD..there should be a selector knob on the dash to the right of the steering column....about where the cruise control switch is...I have an 03 EX so dont know if it is different in the 05 or not....

    would assume with 25K left in warranty you have 35K on the sorie now...big scheduled maintenace due at 60K with timing belt and tune up.....belts shouldnt be squeaking....have service check the tension and the torgue on the crankshaft bolt..

    did you buy from a KIA dealership?....I would also certainly be concerned they didnt catch the damage to the front with the radiator bracket...major oversight on a tech inspection....but at least they seemed to have done you right with the repair...

    good luck
  • keahaterkeahater Member Posts: 20
    GET RID OF IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My belts have been squealing since I bought it..it's a pre horrible thing that will happen. Your crankshaft pulley bolt when you're cruising down the highway with your little ones in it and you will stall, loose steering. It's horrible-it happened to me. They "fixed it" but the belts still squeal and I'm afraid it'll happen again. Worst car I've ever had--I am going back to the old used american cars that have no payments. :lemon: :lemon: :lemon: :lemon: :mad:
  • paopao Member Posts: 1,867
    and for the other side of the story, 03 Sorento here....almost 100K on it....and no major issues at all.....still solid, no squealing belts, but expensive scheduled maintenance to maintain......and gas mileage....well.....all sorento owners know about that one!!!
  • mopar_manmopar_man Member Posts: 3
    Ok, its not AWD or 4X4. Thanks, my wife swears there are half shafts on the front tires, but there is no selector or any badge marking saying its a AWD or 4x4 (no selector knob either).

    I bought it from a Kia dealership, one of the first in upstate SC. Supposed to be very reputable. The story they gave me for not seeing the damage was that they traded it with another car to another Kia dealership and took it sight unseen because it was under warranty.
    Will they take care of the belts and noises under warranty? What about the engine having that growl? :confuse:

    I keep hearing about this bolt that breaks and you loose controll. Is this a common problem with Kia engins? I would assume that they are using zinc plated steel shank bolts for that, are the factory bolts aluminum? What should I do? Is there a recall?

    Hey to all of you having problems...I was in High School when the Kia first came out. My girlfriend at the time got a brand new one for her 16th B-day. Alternator fell of while doing 60 on the highway, transmission locked up at 10,500 miles, rear bumber fell off after 3 months, and the dealership did an oil cahnge, but forgot to put in oil...motor locked up with 26K on the car. :lemon: BB arbitration didn't work so they traded it into another Kia dealer for a used 1985 mustang.

    I thought after all this time that their engineering problems from growing pains were over. I know several Kia owners who have been very please with their cars, but they all own Rios or Optimas.
  • mopar_manmopar_man Member Posts: 3
    Is there a recall on the bolt? Which pully is it? Try buying a spray of "stop squeal" at Autozone, it didn't help mine, but may remedy yours.
  • paopao Member Posts: 1,867
    there is a compaign recall for the crankshaft bolt for the 03-04 models...dont know if one is coming for later models or not....keep after them for the warranty issues...I found warranty service is very dealer dependent.....mine has no problem with any warranty repair....others force you to the letter of the owners manual and exact mileage for ALL scheduled maintenance and claim it must follow severe driving vice normal driving operating environments......would help to strike up a friendly coversation with your service writer to address your concerns..particularily since they have already admitted they missed the damage...and fixed it.....make sure its all documented in their service records...

    would simply have the service department check the torque on the crankshaft bolt and the belt tensioner.....and let them know you are aware of the crankshaft bolt recall compaign for the earlier models...
  • jadzia007jadzia007 Member Posts: 2
    Hi just got my kia sorento back from the service shop. they performed that crankshaft recall thing. Well got home....took the key out of the ignition...and the radio and the lights stayed on. Jiggled around the key again...turned the car on and off....still...the power stayed on to the radio and the lights. I turned them off manually, but I'm sure there is still something else going on and my battery will be dead tomorrow. anyone have this happen or have any idea what it may be? I called the service department right away, but of course they are like "oh, we just replaced the bolt. bring it in on friday" I live about 1.5 hours away from them.......so this really sucks. thanks
  • cpattencpatten Member Posts: 1
    I have 2 dents on my rear tailgate parallel with the rear hatch boot opening . I have seen several other Sorento's with these dents I was wondering if any one else has these dents ?
  • kiadammitkiadammit Member Posts: 1
    keahater and puglover0101 are right! My 2004 Sorento has been in the dealership once in 3 years and 42,000 miles. The clock stopped working! What the hell!? How could KIA ship a $26,000 vehicle which had a clock that STOPPED WORKING? How many thousands of other Sorento clocks STOPPED WORKING? If at least 6 or 7 of the other 50,000 KIA Sorento clocks failed then KIA SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL!! Damn them! Does anyone realize this could have killed my children? The clock stopped working as I was merging onto a busy, crowded interstate.. I could have DIED! MY CHILDREN COULD HAVE BEEN TORN LIMB FROM LIMB!! I spent my hard earned money on this POS with a CLOCK WHICH STOPPED WORKING! KIA, I want my money back! DAMN YOU BASTARDS!
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    The clock stopped working!

    As a result, we may never know how long it took you type that heart-wrenching tale. And, thereby, you may never receive just compensation for your misery. :cry:

    On the bright side, it is possible that someone here could offer tips on how to fix your errant clock. :P

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • lok888lok888 Member Posts: 1,788
    Mine was replaced like 2 years ago when my '03 Sorento was under factory basic warranty. It hasn't been any problem after the replacement. Your dealer should replace it under warranty too. Unfortunately, this is not recall for the clock. But I was surprised that Kia didn't recall the leaking anti-freeze coolant bottle especially for '03 to '05 model years. It is more like a safety issue.
  • cheapengineercheapengineer Member Posts: 36
    Can anyone provide instructions for re-setting the barometer and altimeter on a 2006 Sorento EX ?
  • cassiewcassiew Member Posts: 2
    I have an '06 KIA Sorento and have had problems since day one with the transmission getting stuck in 5th, won't drop into a passing gear. This is on hills, flats, anyplace. Even the manual option didn't work. when it's cold it runs like a champ. This is an intermittent problem, couldn't get it to do it the first time with the KIA service personnel.
    Made enough complaints, and I guess others did, too, so they had us bring our vehicles in (four of us) and they kept them for two days, no loaners, of course, and I live 45 miles from the nearest dealer. They were able to make the car do what I had been complaining about and told me it was a software problem, that the computer setting for the transmission fluid was too low and as a result, sent it into "save" mode. Going up Smith Mountain at 30 mph in the emergency lane sucks. Had to keep pumping the gas pedal to get a surge of power, then would lose it, had to pump it again. So i called weekly after the big powwow to see if anything was going to be done, and got nowhere.
    Then it started going into 3rd, or passing, gear alright, but it wouldn't come out of 3rd back into 4th or 5th. I had to use the manual shift option to get it in to 4th.
    They've tried to come up with various explanations for the vehicle not running right except the right one, replace the computer chip. I read in another blog about a guy getting his tranny replaced but it didn't end the problem. KIA refuses to admit there's anything wrong with the car, period. They tell me it's because of the rapid rise in altitude. Then they tell me I'm confusing the computer by using the manual option. I told him he was blowing smoke up my butt and I didn't appreciate it. Bottom line is, I now have my attorney involved and I'm going to look into the Better Business Bureau. They're either going to fix this thing right or replace it. I'd rather have it replaced with something else cuz i'll never have another KIA.
  • keahaterkeahater Member Posts: 20
    Do what I did...GET RID OF IT!!!!!!!!!!!!! iT'S ABSOLUTELY THE WORST CAR i'VE EVER OWNED. and it was only 2 years old-now I'm driving a 94 buick and its a dream!!!!!!!!!!!! Good luck :lemon:
  • chillchill Member Posts: 5
    Just purchased a 2007 Sorento EX with the bigger engine than my 2004. I have noticed engine noise..(perhaps exhaust) that varies inside the passenger side of the car. It sounds like the exhaust pipe is touching the frame somewhere and the vibration ...humming is traveling up into the passenger compartment. When accelerating it is pretty loud, when traveling at a steady speed, it varies and the pitch level changes as the vehicle travels over dips in the road. It is as though KIA forgot to insulate the passenger compartment from the engine compartment.
    With 4000 miles on the car...it is extremely annoying. Has anyone else had to address this problem?
  • cheapengineercheapengineer Member Posts: 36
    Its your wife. If you let her drive the new car while you ride, the tone will become much more pleasant.
  • keahaterkeahater Member Posts: 20
    That's going to be the least of your problems :lemon:
  • icebluekiaicebluekia Member Posts: 1
    I was informed that the 30,000 warranty service was around $575 at the dealership and is absolutely mandatory to keep the warranty good. Does anybody know if this service can be done elsewhere and for cheaper?? That price I feel is outrageous.

    Also, has anybody had any problem with the tires? I barely had 25,000 miles on my new 2006 Kia when they told me that it needed new tires. Isn't that a little low on the mileage side to need new tires?

    Thanks for any information.
  • keahaterkeahater Member Posts: 20
    Wait till you get to the 60,000 mile service........trade it in. :lemon:
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