2004 Kia Sorento Power Train

Crank pully bolt snapped. Causing crank pully to fall, and critical belts to fail.

CRANKSHAFT BOLT BROKE WITH APPROX 75,000 MILES. KIA ISSUED SERVICE BULLETIN AND REPLACED THE BOLT. BUT THE MOTOR WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT BROKE AND CONTINUOUSLY OVERHEATED AND WAS UNDRIVABLE. IT REQUIRED A NEW MOTOR. NOT HAVING $ TO REPLACE MOTOR & KIAS ZERO ACCOUNTABILITY. VEHICLE SAT AT A REPAIR SHOP FOR 2 YEARS & THEY FILED FOR AN ABANDONED TITLE. AT THE TIME VALUED AT APPROX $7500. WASTED!!!! THANKS KIA!

DRIVING ON INTERSTATE HWY, 70 MPH, THE HARMONIC BALANCE BOLT AND ROLL PIN SHEARED OFF LEAVING BROKEN OFF STUBS IN CRANKSHAFT. CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKES, I HAD DEALER REPLACE ALL FAN BELTS BECAUSE OF SQUEALING FOR THE TRIP, 300 MILES BEFORE THE FAILURE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ALL WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AND ALL BELTS BROKE STEERING WOULDN'T WORK. *TR

CORROSION OF REAR DIFFERENTIAL, BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT ARM COMPLETELY BROKE OFF AXLE ASSY, UNSAFE TO DRIVE. REPAIR SHOP I'VE USED FOR THE LAST 4 YEARS GAVE ESTIMATE OF $1,300.00 WITH POSSIBLE ADDITIONAL COST OF UP TO $500.00. THEY SUGGESTED I CALL KIA REGARDING MY 10 YR. 100,000 MILE WARRANTY. CALLED KIA CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS FOR 10 YR. 100,000 MILE WARRANTY. WAS TOLD I NEEDED TO TOW IT FROM MY REPAIR SHOP TO THE NEAREST KIA DEALER WHICH WAS 48 MILES AWAY. SERVICE MANAGER AFTER LOOKING AT DEFECT TOLD ME WARRANTY DENIED WOULD COST $2,700.00 (APPROXIMATE) AND COULD COUNT ON AN ADDITIONAL $500.00 TO $1,000.00 WHEN TAKEN APART. PLACED ANOTHER CALL TO KIA CORP. HEADQUARTERS FOR WARRANTY AND WAS TOLD THERE IS NO DEFECT. DAMAGE AS A RESULT OF SALT OUT OF THEIR CONTROL, AND THE SERVICE MANAGER HAD THE FINAL SAY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA SORRENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED AN ABNORMALLY LOUD NOISE WHEN DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED AT THE MUFFLER TAIL PIPE HANGER AND THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT BOTH COMPONENTS WERE CORRODED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DENIED ASSISTANCE DUE TO THE MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 128,000.

2004 KIA SORENTO MANUAL TRANSMISSION TRANSMISSION LOCKS UP RANDOMLY. I AM UNABLE TO CHANGE GEARS. THE SHIFT STICK MOVES TO THE VARIOUS POSITIONS BUT THE CAR REMAINS IN GEAR. THIS OCCURS WHILE DRIVING OR STOPPED AND TRYING TO UPSHIFT OR DOWNSHIFT . I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE TO THE KIA DEALER ON THREE OCCASIONS, BUT THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND HENCE, CAN DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. LAST OCCURRENCE, ON 3/27/2008, HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER, HOWEVER THEY SAID THAT IT WAS NOT LOCKED UP WHEN THEY DROVE IT. NO HELP FROM KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE EITHER. *TR

INTERMITTENT SHIFTING DEFECT THAT CAUSES THE GEARS TO GET LOCKED UP AND THE TRUCK WILL NOT SHIFT INTO FIRST GEAR, OR THE SHIFTER WILL GET VERY TIGHT AND IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO SHIFT GEARS. *JB

CAR STARTED MAKING A SQUEAKING RUBBER NOISE IN AFTERNOON THEN BY NEXT EARLY MORNING CAR WAS MAKING A LOUD SQUEALING NOISE THEN A LOUD THUNK AND BY THE TIME WE GOT IT TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP IT WAS SLIGHTLY SHAKING. WAS TOLD THE WHOLE DRIVE SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND IT WOULD TAKE 6 DAYS TO GET THE PART IN! NO LOANER CAR AVAILABLE SO I'M LEFT WITH NO TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM WORK!! THANK GOD THIS IS WARRANTY WORK OTHERWISE I'D BE SCREWED EVEN MORE! *JB

WELL, THERE IS AN ANNOYING, OVER TIME DRIVEN HISSING SIBILANT NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE KIA SORENTO 2004 VEHICLE I WENT TO KIA, AND COMPLAINT ABOUT IT . THEY CLAIMED THAT THEY HEARD THE NOISE, BUT IT WAS NOT ENOUGH LOUD FOR THEM TO FIX THE PROBLEM. IN MY LIFE I NEVER HAD A CAR THAT MADE SUCH NOISE . COULD SOMETHING BE DONE ABOUT IT?*AK

TRANSMISSION OVERHEATED CAUSING OVERFLOW OF ATF ONTO EXHAUST MANIFOLD IGNITING A FIRE. *TR

THE VEHICLE HAS A HESITATION ON ACCELERATION. IT VIBRATES WHILE ON THE EXPRESSWAY. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEEDS. MOST RECENTLY, THE TRANSFER CASE SEIZED UP AND THE FRONT WHEELS LOCKED UP WHILE I WAS TURNING AND I ALMOST CRASHED. IT IS NOW IN THE SHOP GETTING THE TRANSFER CASE REPLACED AND I'M TOLD THERE ARE EVEN MORE PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION. PLEASE ADVISE ME ON WHAT TO DO SO THE COMPANY CAN POSSIBLY BUY THIS VEHICLE BACK FROM ME. *JB

SINCE PURCHASING NEW 2004 SORENTO IN FEBRUARY 2004, HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS FOR FIVE ATTEMPTS TO RESOLVE A VIBRATION FROM UNIDENTIFIED SOURCE. THE VIBRATION WAS FIRST EXPERIENCED AT 70 MPH. ONE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE GEAR CLUSTER IN THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL, BALANCE AND REBALANCED TIRES, REPLACED REAR U-JOINTS, AND REPLACED FRONT DRIVE SHAFT. THIS DID NOT CORRECT PROBLEM. SECOND DEALER REPLACED REAR DRIVE SHAFT A SECOND TIME. VIBRATION IS NOW WORSE. IT CAN BE FELT AT 50 MPH AND 70 MPH. HAVE MET WITH KIA FACTORY REP. KIA STATES THEY HAVE A TECHNICAL BULLETIN ON THIS PROBLEM.*AK

SINCE BUYING MY SORENTO IN FEBRUARY 2004, I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE CAR SOMETIMES HAS TO "THINK" BEFORE GOING INTO GEAR AND THERE IS NO PREDICTABILITY AS TO WHEN THIS WILL HAPPEN. IN EXAMPLE I WAS IN THE CENTER LANE MERGING INTO TRAFFIC WHEN THE CAR JUST WOULD NOT GET GOING IT HESITATES AND THEN DROPS INTO GEAR. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR IN AND THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT HE HAS HAD SEVERAL COMPLAINTS LIKE MINE BUT THERE IS NOTHING HE COULD DO TO HELP. HE SAID THAT IT SEEMS TO BE THE COMBINATION OF THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION AND THAT SINCE IT SEEMS TO BE JUST A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE CAR, THERE WOULD BE NOTHING THAT KIA WOULD DO. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS VEHICLE CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. SINCE IT IS A 6 CYLINDER, I WOULD BELIEVE THAT IT SHOULD GET UP AND GO WHEN YOU NEED IT. I ALWAYS NEED TO BE AWARE THAT I CANNOT RELY ON THE CAR TO GET IN GEAR QUICKLY. THIS IS UNSATISFACTORY, AND I HAVE NEVER HAD A VEHICLE REACT IN SUCH A WAY.*AK

THE CONSUMER APPROACHED A DRIVEWAY WHICH HAD A SLIGHT INCLINE. THE CONSUMER GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE WITH THE ENGINE STILL RUNNING AND THE DRIVER'S DOOR OPENED. AT LEAST TWO MINUTES LATER, A CLICK WAS HEARD AND THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS UNTIL IT HIT A TREE. A KIA REPRESENTATIVE CAME THREE DAYS LATER, INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, AND CLAIMED NO RESPONSIBILITY. *AK *SC *JB

1ST- MANUAL TRANSMISSION, HESITIATION OF TAKE OFF..O-RING REPLACED. 2ND-CLINKING NOISE WHEN SHIFTING GEARS..BEARINGS FAILING IN REAR DIFFERENTIAL WAS REPLACED 3RD-FELT LOOSENESS IN EMERGENCY BRAKE..I WAS TOLD NO TROUBLE FOUND 4TH-RUST ON METAL PARTS OF HEADREST..DEALER TO REPLACE.. 5TH-METAL ATTACHMENTS IN TRUNK AREA ALSO RUSTED ..WERE NOT REPLACED.. 6TH-THE BACK DEFROST PLASTIC PROTECTORS WERE NEVER REMOVED WHEN VEHICLE WAS DELIVERED, SO WHEN BACK DEFROST WAS USED THE HEAT MELTED THE STRIPS WHICH CAUSED CONDENSATION BUILD UP CAUSING THE RUST. GARDENDALE KIA OF AL HAD MY CAR FOR FIVE DAYS AND I HAD TO FIND A WAY TO WORK ON MY OWN. I WAS TOLD THEY DIDN'T GIVE LOANER CARS..VERY POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE. I BELIEVED IN THE COMPANY/PRODUCT AND PURCHASED BRAND NEW OFF THE LOT WITH A FULL WARRANTY AND BECAUSE OF BAD KIA PRODUCTS, I SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET A LOANER CAR. I STILL HAVE TO PAY FULL MONTHLY CAR NOTE. CUSTOMER SERVICE IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME AND I DON'T FEEL THAT I GOT IT. I HAD TO CALL BACK TO THE SERVICE TO GET A STATUS OF WHERE THEY WERE REPAIRING MY VEHICLE..I WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE 09-01-04 AND I DID NOT GET A RESPONSE, SO I CALLED ON 09-02-04 AND WAS TOLD THE PART CAME IN BUT ALL PARTS WERE NOT INCLUDED SO I HAD TO WAIT ANOTHER DAY 09-03-04. I CALLED AT 4:30PM CST TO GET A STATUS, I WAS TOLD THEY WERE WORKING ON IT & IT WOULD BE LATER THAT AFTERNOON. THIS WAS AFTERNOON, THEY CLOSE AT 6:00PM CST..NEEDLESS TO SAY, I GOT MY CAR AT 5:45PM.. I GUESS IT REALLY DID NOT MATTER TO THEM SINCE THEY WERE NOT GETTING ANY MONEY OUT OF ME.*AK

1ST- MANUAL TRANSMISSION, HESITIATION OF TAKE OFF..O-RING REPLACED. 2ND-CLINKING NOISE WHEN SHIFTING GEARS..BEARINGS FAILING IN REAR DIFFERENTIAL WAS REPLACED 3RD-FELT LOOSENESS IN EMERGENCY BRAKE..I WAS TOLD NO TROUBLE FOUND 4TH-RUST ON METAL PARTS OF HEADREST..DEALER TO REPLACE.. 5TH-METAL ATTACHMENTS IN TRUNK AREA ALSO RUSTED ..WERE NOT REPLACED.. 6TH-THE BACK DEFROST PLASTIC PROTECTORS WERE NEVER REMOVED WHEN VEHICLE WAS DELIVERED, SO WHEN BACK DEFROST WAS USED THE HEAT MELTED THE STRIPS WHICH CAUSED CONDENSATION BUILD UP CAUSING THE RUST. GARDENDALE KIA OF AL HAD MY CAR FOR FIVE DAYS AND I HAD TO FIND A WAY TO WORK ON MY OWN. I WAS TOLD THEY DIDN'T GIVE LOANER CARS..VERY POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE. I BELIEVED IN THE COMPANY/PRODUCT AND PURCHASED BRAND NEW OFF THE LOT WITH A FULL WARRANTY AND BECAUSE OF BAD KIA PRODUCTS, I SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET A LOANER CAR. I STILL HAVE TO PAY FULL MONTHLY CAR NOTE. CUSTOMER SERVICE IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME AND I DON'T FEEL THAT I GOT IT. I HAD TO CALL BACK TO THE SERVICE TO GET A STATUS OF WHERE THEY WERE REPAIRING MY VEHICLE..I WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE 09-01-04 AND I DID NOT GET A RESPONSE, SO I CALLED ON 09-02-04 AND WAS TOLD THE PART CAME IN BUT ALL PARTS WERE NOT INCLUDED SO I HAD TO WAIT ANOTHER DAY 09-03-04. I CALLED AT 4:30PM CST TO GET A STATUS, I WAS TOLD THEY WERE WORKING ON IT & IT WOULD BE LATER THAT AFTERNOON. THIS WAS AFTERNOON, THEY CLOSE AT 6:00PM CST..NEEDLESS TO SAY, I GOT MY CAR AT 5:45PM.. I GUESS IT REALLY DID NOT MATTER TO THEM SINCE THEY WERE NOT GETTING ANY MONEY OUT OF ME.*AK

I AM COMPLAINING TO LET YOU KNOW OF A DEFECT IN MY 2004 KIA SORRENTO V.I.N. [XXX] AND A POTENTIAL HIGHWAY DISASTER IF THE WHEELS LOCKED UP ON THIS VEHICLE WHILE I'M DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IT WILL PROBABLY CAUSE A MAJOR PILE-UP AND LEAD TO A LOT OF DEATHS IF THEY DON'T FIX THIS WHEN I PUT THE VEHICLE IN FOUR WHEEL DRIVE IT IS LIKE TRYING TO DRIVE WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON I BROUGHT IT IN FOR SERVICE THEY SAID THAT IS THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE AND I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO USE THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE ANYWAY UNLESS IT'S ABSOLUTELY NEEDED THIS WAS THE SERVICE MANAGER AT KIA OF LYNNFIELD MASS. PHONE #781-596-0800 ON THE 25TH OF JUNE 2004 I AM BRINGING IT IN AGAIN ON JULY 22ND 2004 BUT EXPECT THE SAME THING I FURTHER WENT ON TO QUESTION HIM ABOUT USING THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE AND HE TOLD ME I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO USE IT TO IN RAIN OR SNOW OR FOR ANY OTHER REASON UNLESS I'M STUCK AND NEED IT TO GET OUT OF WHATEVER THE PROBLEM IS SO IF THIS VEHICLE TURNS UP IN A DISASTER YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED AND WHERE TO START YOUR INVESTIGATION I'M ALSO GOING TO FOLLOW UP WITH THE MASS. LEMON LAW THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. *LA UPDATED 07/25/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

1. SINCE NEW, 2004 KIA SORENTO 5-SPEED TRANSMISSION HAS HAD A GRIND WHEN SHIFTING BETWEEN LOWER GEARS. I BROUGHT PROBLEM TO ATTENTION OF BERLIN CITY KIA DEALERSHIP IN BURLINGTON VT DURING MY FIRST ROUTINE SERVICE. THEY CONFIRMED THE GRIND AND ELECTED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AS AN ATTEMPTED SOLUTION. 2. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED WITH THE NEW TRANSMISSION, AND IN FACT HAS GOTTEN WORSE, PARTICULARLY ON COOLER MORNINGS. I HAVE HAD IT BACK FOR THEM TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM, AND HAVE BEEN ADVISED THAT KIA IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM ON THESE PARTICULAR TRANSMISSIONS, BUT HAS NO SOLUTION AT THIS TIME. 3. I BELIEVE A RECALL IS IN ORDER, AS THE TRANSMISSIONS ARE KNOWN TO BE DEFECTIVE BY THE MANUFACTURER. *AK