2004 Kia Sorento Suspension

2004 KIA SORRENTO 97,000 MILES. THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE REAR CONTROL ARM BRACKETS RUSTED OFF.

WAS DRIVING WIFE TO WORK , STOPPED AT LIGHT WHEN LIGHT TURNED GREEN I PUSHED THE GAS PEDAL AND I HEARD A BANG SO LOUD I THOUGHT SOMEONE HIT US FROM BEHIND. I DROVE CAR HOME AND LOOKED UNDER IT AND I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT ! THE RUST ON THE REAR END BRACKETS AND THE TWO BARS CONNECTED TO THEM WERE TOTALLY RUSTED THROUGH AND HANGING OFF. I WENT TO THE KIA DEALER WHERE I ORIGINALLY BOUGHT THE CAR AND ASKED THEM ABOUT IT THEY SAID THEY NEVER HEARD OF THAT PROBLEM. I TOLD THEM THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET ABOUT IT ,THEY TOLD ME DON'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU SEE ON THE INTERNET. THEN THEY SAID THAT IT'S NOT A KIA PROBLEM IT'S A ROAD SALT PROBLEM. I TOLD THEM NOTHING ELSE UNDER THE CAR WAS RUSTED THAT BAD , AND I BELIEVE IT'S A DESIGN PROBLEM. THEY SAID THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO, SO NOW I HAVE A CAR WITH ONLY 83,000 MILES ON IT THAT IS TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. THIS PROBLEM HAD TO HAVE STARTED WAY WAY BEFORE 83,000 MILES TO HAVE GOTTEN THIS BAD.

MY DAUGHTER TOOK MY CAR A 2004 KIA SORENTO IN FOR A NYSI AND THE SHOP DEAD LINED THE CAR AND MADE ME FLATBED IT HOME DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE REAR END WAS FALLING OUT DUE TO EXCESSIVE ROT ON THE BRACKETS AND THEY DEEMED THE CAR UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE WOMEN THAT RUNS THE SHOP TOLD MY DAUGHTER AND SON THAT THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME THAT SHE HAS SEEN THIS ON A KIA. IN FACT ITS A PREVALENT ISSUE! UPON COMING HOME I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE LOOKING INTO ORDERING KIA TO DO A RECALL,MY DAUGHTER COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED DRIVING THIS VEHICLE.I ALSO SAW ON THE INTERNET THAT IN THE UK KIA HAD TAKEN CARE OF THIS ISSUE WITH CONSUMERS. I WOULD LIKE CONSIDERATION IN HAVING KIA REPAIR THIS CAR FREE OR PURCHACE THE VEHICLE BACK AT BLUE BOOK PRICING. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS ISSUE THAT COULD HAVE KILLED MY DAUGHTER OR ANYONE ELSE ON THE ROAD WHERE MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THE KIA SORENTO.

TOOK MY CAR IN FOR NYS INSPECTION AND WAS ALERTED TO AN ISSUE WITH MY REAR SUSPENSION. THE REAR CROSS MEMBER IS COMPLETED ROTTED OUT AND THE UPPER TRAILING ARM HAVE BECOME SEPARATED FROM THE CROSS MEMBER DUE TO RUST AND CORROSION. THIS IS A 2004 KIA SORENTO EX THAT I PURCHASED NEW AND NOW HAS 103,000 MILES. THIS CORROSION IS AN EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS SITUATION AND THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE REPAIRED. NEEDLESS TO SAY IT CANNOT BE DRIVEN.

THE REAR AXLE IS FALLING APART AND IT'S RUSTED WHERE I CAN'T EVEN WELD A BRACKET FOR THE REAR SUSPENSION IT'S SO RUSTED THAT I WAS TOLD BY A MECHANIC THAT THE REAR AXLE CAN ACTUALLY FALL OFF THE VEHICLE I WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE REAR AXLE SO I CAN PUT A BRACKET OR IT WILL COME WITH A BRACKET IT WILL COST ME $4000 AND I THINK A KIA SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE BECAUSE THE WHOLE ENTIRE CAR UNDERNEATH IT RUSTED BUCKET FULL OF RUST

THIS IS A FOLLOW UP TO NHTSA ID #10852665. I CONTACTED MANUFACTURER REGARDING THE RUSTED FRAME. SUGGESTED TOWING TO DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. TOWED TO DEALER, WHO CALLED SAYING IT WAS BAD AND TO CALL KIA BACK. CALLED KIA AND A CASE WAS OPENED #K3156514. WAS TOLD I WOULD HEAR BACK BY WEDNESDAY THE 6TH OF APRIL HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY RETURN CALLS, LEFT 2 VOICEMAILS CAR IS STILL AT DEALER, ITS BEEN 8 DAYS AND NO INFO..KIA NEEDS TO STEP UP AND RECALL THESE VEHICLES BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED! THIS COMPLAINT STARTS AT 2003 AND SO FAR HAVE READ UP TO 2005 FOR THI ISSUE. EUROPE RECALLED IT BUT NOT HERE? MILEAGE WAS 92000 NOT 82000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA SORENTO. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE REAR CONTROL ARM BRACKET WAS CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000. UPDATED 02/26/16*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE CONTROL ARM BRACKET COMPLETELY DETACHED FROM THE AXLE. UPDATED 03/01/16.*JB

MECHANIC AT A GAS STATION TOLD MY MIL SHE NEEDED A NEW REAR AXLE. WHEN I CHECKED THE AXLE I FOUND THE TOP LEFT STABILIZER BRACKET WAS BADLY RUSTED. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE LOCAL KIA DEALER TO GET A RECALL REPAIR. THIS SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN TO A CAR WITH ONLY 60K MILES. THE DEALER HAS NOT COMPLETED THE ESTIMATE. THE CAR IS NOT DRIVE-ABLE. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL

BROUGHT VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR OIL/FILTER CHANGE AT 53,000 MILES. DEALER FOUND ONE OF THE TWO BRACKETS ON TOP OF REAR END WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED AND BROKEN OFF AND THE OTHER BRACKET WAS SEVERELY RUSTED. DEALER WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO DRIVE VEHICLE AND IS NOT REPAIRABLE. THERE ARE NO NEW REPLACEMENT REAR ENDS FOR VEHICLE AND THE BRACKETS ARE NOT AVAILABLE AS A REPLACEMENT PART. I NOTICED OTHER VERY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON YOUR SITE: NHTSA ID #'S - 10452414, 10439449, 10427559, AND 10403443. THERE MAY BE OTHER ID'S THAT HAVE BEEN RETIRED (MICROFILM, ETC.). AS SUCH, THE VEHICLE IS A TOTAL LOSS. DON'T KNOW WHY NHTSA HASN'T ISSUED A RECALL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED BY THE DEALER WHEN THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE REAR HOUSING LINKAGE WAS CORRODED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 107,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 107,500.

VEHICLE IS ONLY 8 YEARS OLD. I CONSTANTLY HAVE THIS PROBLEM. THE FIRST TIME I HAD THIS PROBLEM I SLID WHILE TRYING TO HOLD BRAKES, THERE WAS ALSO A LOT OF WEIRD SOUNDS AND THE REAR END DID NOT FEEL STURDY. I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC AND HE FOUND METAL BRACKET WELDED TO THE REAR AXLE THAT HOLDS THE UPPER CONTROL ARMS HAD COMPLETELY FAILED! THE NORMAL TORQUE FROM THE REAR AXLE WAS BROKEN BOTH BRACKETS HOLDING THE UPPER CONTROL ARM TO THE CARS FRAME. ALL THAT IS HOLDING THE REAR AXLE IN PLACE IS THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS AND THE SWAY BARS. THERE ARE NO WEEP HOLES TO ALLOW WATER TO DRAIN OUT OF THE BRACKET WELDMENT, CAUSING WATER TO FILL THE CUP-LIKE CONDITION CREATED. THIS CONDITION HAS (AN WILL) CAUSE PREMATURE FAILURE OF ALL KIA SORENTO REAR AXLE/UPPER CONTROL ARM CONNECTIONS. WHILE DRIVING THE REAR AXLE COULD BECOME DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE DUE TO EXCESSIVE STRESS PLACED ON THE REMAINING PARTS. REGULAR DRIVING COULD CAUSE A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE, AND RENDER THE VEHICLE UNCONTROLLABLE, WITH THE LIKELIHOOD OF MASSIVE INJURY AND POSSIBLY DEATH AS A RESULT!!! HE ALSO SAID THAT IT CANNOT BE REPAIRED. THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM FOR ME BECAUSE I STILL HAVE A CAR NOTE TO PAY. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CONDITION!!! THESE CARS NEED TO BE RECALLED NOW BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED!!! *KB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS ENGAGED THE REAR END ROCKED BACK AND FORTH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE THE MECHANIC CONFIRMED THAT THE HANGERS ON THE REAR END WERE CORRODED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 101,000.

RECENT (6 MO. AGO) PURCHASE OF A 2004 KIA SORRENTO. AT TIME OF PURCHASE APPROX. 75,000 MI. LOGGED. TIRES APPEAR TO BE IN VERY GOOD.CONDITION. WITHIN A MONTH OR TWO OF PURCHASE, IT BECAME OBVIOUS THAT THERE WAS A TRACTION PROBLEM ON WET OR EVEN SLIGHTLY WET ROADS. AS OF TODAY, DEC. 10, 2008, I HAVE SKIDDED TWICE AND "FISHTAILED" ONCE, GOING VERY SLOWLY (20 MPH OR LESS) TODAY IT WAS BARELY SPRINKLING AND AS I LITERALLY CREPT AROUND A CORNER, THE CAR UNEXPECTEDLY BEGAN TO SWERVE AND FISHTAIL. IT WAS A LITTLE SCARY AND I'M SURE THE PEOPLE BEHIND ME FREAKED ME OUT... DESPITE MY SURPRISE, I TRIED NOT TO JERK THE WHEEL . THE CAR STRAIGHTENED UP AFTER A FEW TAIL END SWISHES BACK AND FORTH. I HAVE SEARCHED THE INTERNET RECENTLY AND HAVE SEEN CONSUMER REFERENCE TO "POOR TRACTION ON WET SURFACES" (UNDERSTATEMENT). I HAVE MENTIONED IT TO A KIA REPAIR SHOP, BUT WAS TOLD TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AND BRING IT IN. SINCE I DO NOT HAVE THOUSANDS FOR A MAJOR SUSPENSION (OR ?) REPAIR, I HAVE BEEN PRAYING FOR DRY WEATHER. I HAVE ALSO HEARD AND FELT STRANGE NOISES WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS ACCIDENTALLY SWITCHED TO 4 WHEEL DRIVE, BUT IT IS NOT APPARENT WHEN IN 2 WHEEL DRIVE. AND, THE TRANSITION FROM ONE GEAR TO ANOTHER IS NOT SOOTH AND IS A LITTLE SLOW. ANYWAY, THE MAIN ISSUE IS SKIDDING ON WET ROADS. I AM VERY SURPRISED THERE HAS NOT BEEN SOME KIND OF SAFETY ALERT OR RECALL. THANKS FOR LISTENING. THERESA ARNEY *TR

CONSUMER FELT VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE ON WASHBOARD TYPE ROADS IN CERTAIN TYPE WEATHER CONDITIONS. *PH WHILE DRIVING OVER ROUGH ROAD THE VEHICLE RIDE WAS VERY BUMPY AND CAUSED PHYSICAL PAIN TO THE OCCUPANTS. THE CONSUMER INDICATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE VEHICLE'S SUSPENSION PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER REQUEST THAT THE MANUFACTURER REPURCHASE THE VEHICLE. *NM