2003 Kia Sorento Electrical System Problems

THE DRIVER DOOR CANNOT BE OPENED FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH KIA SORENTOS.

I WAS DRIVING BACK FROM ORLANDO, FLORIDA AFTER PICKING UP MY DAUGHTER WHO TRAVELLED DOWN FROM UF IN GAINESVILLE - 1ST WEEKEND IN SEPTEMBER, 2015. WE WERE TRAVELLING SOUTH I95 IN THE MIDDLE LANE, WHEN THE CAR COMPLETELY SHUT OFF ALL THE RED LIGHTS ON THE DASH BOARD CAME ON. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO STEER THE CAR OVER TO THE HARD SHOULDER, THIS WAS EXTREMELY HARD, & PRESS HARD ON THE BRAKES TO STOP. AFTER 5MINS OR SO I TRIED STARTING THE CAR AGAIN, WHICH TO MY SURPRISED IT STARTED AND WE CONTINUED ON OUR JOURNEY, THIS TIME I STAYED IN THE RIGHT HAND LANE, NEXT TO THE HARD SHOULDER, AFTER A FEW MILES, THE SAME THING HAPPENED EXACTLY AGAIN. THE ENGINE SHUT OFF, AND CAME TO A HALT. NOW WE WERE BOTH UPSET AS IT WAS AFTER 10PM AT NIGHT, WE CALLED HOME TO LET SOMEONE KNOW TO BE ALERT, AND IN THE MEAN TIME STARTED THE CAR AGAIN, THIS OFF AND ON AGAIN ISSUE OCCURRED IN TOTAL FOUR TIMES BEFORE WE MANAGED TO GET HOME SAFELY. DUE TO DRIVING VERY SLOWLY ALONG THE HIGHWAY!!! THE NEXT DAY THE CAR STARTED FIRST TIME, DROVE TO AUTO ZONE AS IT WAS A PUBLIC HOLIDAY, AFTER PUTTING THEIR MACHINE ON IT. THE TEST CAME BACK SAYING MAYBE IT NEEDED WATER, AND A FEW OTHER CODES. THEY ADVISE TO TAKE IT TO A CAR MECHANIC ASAP, STARTED THE CAR MADE IT 1/2 WAY HOME, AND THE CAR STOPPED DEAD IN THE MIDDLE OF A TWO LANE ROAD, NEARLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. AFTER PUSHING THE CAR TO A SIDE ROAD, LEFT IT FOR 4HRS CAME BACK & MANAGE TO GET HOME. THE NEXT DAY ALONG WITH MY SON DRIVING THE KIA, AND MYSELF BEHIND HIM WE ATTEMPTED TO GET TO THE CAR MECHANIC WE NEVER MADE IT, THE VAN SHUT DOWN, AGAIN. PUSH IT TO ANOTHER SIDE ROAD, AND HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE MECHANIC. BEEN THERE EVER SINCE, CAR MECHANIC IS HAVING TROUBLE LOCATING THE PROBLEM, CALLED THE DEALER THEY HAVE OFFERED NO HELP. NOTICED THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTED PROBLEMS OCCURRING WITH THE NEW 2016 MODELS OF THE SAME ISSUE!!

ENGINE LIGHT IS ON, AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON, CLOCK CAN'T KEEP RIGHT TIME, NOW WON'T START AT ALL, I WISHED I NEVER BOUGHT THIS 2003 KIA SORENTO, THEY ARE NOTHING BUT JUNK. PLEASE ANYBODY WHO READS THIS DO NOT BUY A KIA VEHICLE. I HATE KIA VEHICLES, I WILL NEVER OWN ONE AGAIN, I WOULD NOT TAKE A KIA VEHICLE, EVEN IF THEY GIVE ME ONE. TO MANY PROBLEMS, SINCE I BOUGHT IT, HAVEN'T BEEN ANYWHERE IN TWO WEEKS, BECAUSE KIA VEHICLE IS JUNK.

ALL LIGHTS COME ON, HORN BLOWS, BUT WILL NOT START AT ALL, THIS KIA SORENTO IS JUNK, ITS FALLING APART, I GOT A DISABLE MOTHER, NOW CAN'T TAKE HER TO HER DOCTOR APPOINTMENTS, EVERY SINCE I HAD IT, ITS BEEN NOTHING BUT JUNK, WE LIVE ON FIXED INCOME, CAN'T AFFORD TO GET ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND THIS 2003 KIA SORENTO SHOULD NOT BE ON THE ROAD, ALL KIA SORENTO VEHICLES ARE JUNK, CLOCK IS MESSED UP, COMES OFF AND ON, AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON, NOW WON'T EVEN START AT ALL, SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT KIA DEALERSHIPS SELLING JUNK VEHICLES, WILL COMPLAIN AGAIN AND AGAIN, THEY ARE JUNK!

WHEN I TRY TO START THE VEHICLE IT WILL NOT DO ANYTHING UNTIL I OPEN THE DRIVER DOOR THEN IT WILL START. *TR

DRIVING AT NIGHT WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN INTERIOR LIGHTS STARTED BLINKING OFF & ON LIKE STROBE LIGHTS AT A DISCO. I TRIED TURNING THEM OFF, NOTHING. IT SEEMED RELATED TO THE DIMMER SWITCH BECAUSE IF I KEPT PRESSURE ON IT TO THE LOWEST DEGREE, THE FLASHING STOPPED. FOR AWHILE I WEDGED A PIN IN THE SWITCH & THAT WORKED. EVENTUALLY, THOUGH THAT STOPPED WORKING & THE LIGHT SHOW WOULD BEGIN. IT HAPPENED DAY & NIGHT, JUST MORE NOTICEABLE AT NIGHT. I FINALLY REMOVED THE FUSE FOR THE CABIN LIGHTS & AS A RESULT, HAVE NO DASH LIGHTS EITHER WHILE DRIVING IN THE DARK. I'VE NOT GONE TO KIA AS I AM SURE IT WILL COST WAY MORE THAN I CAN AFFORD. I'M REDUCED TO USING A FLASHLIGHT WHEN ON LONG ROAD TRIPS TO CHECK GAS GAUGE & SPEEDOMETER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SORENTO. AFTER REMOVING THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING. SHE IS IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE VEHICLE INSPECTED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 67,000.

TL* - THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP THREE TIMES CONCERNING THE HORN NOT WORKING. EVERY TIME HE TOOK SIT TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY STATED THAT THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED ON AND OFF. *AK

2003 KIA SORRENTO - CONSTANTLY REPLACING HEADLIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS. RECENTLY STARTED EXPERIENCING INTERIOR LIGHTING PROBLEM. LIGHTS COME ON AND WILL NOT GO OUT DURING DRIVING AND WHILE HEAT IS ON. DASH LIGHTS GO OUT AND WILL NOT COME ON - NO ASSISTANCE FROM THE DEALERSHIP. *JB

I HAD A 1 YEAR OLD BATTERY REPLACED, WHICH WAS DEFECTIVE (NON-KIA DEALER). AFTERWARDS, I NOTICED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. KIA DEALER SAID IT WAS DUE TO A BAD SENSOR ($300 PART, $300 LABOR). IT WAS TOO EXPENSIVE FOR ME TO PURSUE CORRECTING. I TOLD THE DEALER TO FORGET THE REPAIR. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE HORN WORKS INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER FIVE TIMES FOR THE PROBLEM. THE FOURTH TIME, THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG, WHICH DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN ALERTED. THE VEHICLE IS A 2003 KIA SARENTO.*AK

HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THE DASH CLOCK GOING OUT, HEADLAMPS-6 TIMES NOW, AND BRAKE LAMPS 3X IN 3 MONTHS! WAS TOLD BY SERVICE DEPT AT KIA THAT THE CAR OVER CHARGES ITSELF CAUSING PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. WROTE KIA A LETTER TRYING TO GET THEM TO TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM OR PAY ME BACK FOR THIS CAR AND BUY IT BACK ON 3/7/06. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER HE GETS AN OIL CHANGE, THE VEHICLE'S EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR LIGHTS BLOW OUT. AS OF MAY 17, 2007, THE DOME LIGHT IS CURRENTLY OUT AND HAS BEEN SINCE NOVEMBER 25, 2005. KIA MOTORS STATED THAT EVEN THOUGH HER VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY, SHE STILL HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR COSTS. KIA ALSO STATED THAT IN ORDER TO KEEP HER WARRANTY, THE CONTACT WOULD NEED TO PAY $1,000 PLUS THE REPAIR COSTS. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER HAVE NOT PROVIDED A SATISFACTORY EXPLANATION AS TO WHAT IS CAUSING THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY EIGHT TIMES. SHE STATED THAT THE BATTERY HAD TO BE REPLACED EVEN THOUGH IT WAS ALSO STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THE ENGINE SIZE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 62,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,600. THE DEALER STATED GAS PEDAL STICKS WHEN ACCELERATING . THE CONSUMER STATED SHE HD TO PURCHASE 2 BATTERIES. UPDATED 06/07/07 *TR

THE CAR BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE FIRST YEAR , I CALLED DISTRICT MANAGER FOR KIA BACK IN 2004,TOLD HIM CAR WAS SKIPPING BEAT, AND SHAKING...HE TOLD ME IS WAS MY IMAGINATION...THE 2ND BIG PROBLEM<WHICH I HAD TO SOLVE THROUGH COMPUTER INVESTIGATION> CAR WOULD JUST START LOSING POWER IN I-95 OR FL.TURNPIKE AND COME TO STAND STILL, NO MATTER HOW MUCH I PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL, NO GO, ALMOST GOT IN SEVERAL ACCIDENTS IN I-95,FLORIDA LATE AT NITE...SPEND $800 AT KIA OF KENDALL IN FLORIDA, IN MIAMI, TOLD ME WAS FUEL PROBLEM...WAY BACK HOME THAT SAME DAY, CAR DID SAME THING SLOWED DOWN IN RUSHING TRAFFIC IN I-95 FLOIRDA,ALMOST GOT DEADLY ACCIDENT FROM CAR BEHIND ME, TOOK IT TO KIA OF FT.PIERCE , KEPT CAR 1 WEEK, MECHANIC COULD NOT FIGURE OUT PROBLEM, ...I FOUND ON LINE,PROBLEM WAS AT THE FUELING ENTRANCE,SOMETHING DISSOLVED AND PARTICLES WENT TO FUELING INJECTORS,CLOGGING IT AND CAUSING PROBLEMS, TOLD MECHANICS ,REPLACED THIS PART ,CAR GOT FIXED....LAST INCIDENT,MAJOR ONE, BACK 3 YEARS AGO TOOK CAR TO KIA DEALER, DUE TO LETTER FROM KIA CORPORATION, MAJOR RECALL ON SCREW THAT HOLD HARMONEY BLANCER TO LOWER ENGINE CASE...THEY REPLACED IT...1/9/2004.DRIVING BACK FROM ORLANDO,FL,AT NITE, CAR JUST SLOWS DOWN, SHAKES, BATTERY LIGHT AND BRAKE LITE COME ONE...MIRACLE , 1 HOUR I DROVE CAR SLOWLY BACK HOME...FRIDAY I TAKE TO SHOP,FIND OUT SAME RECALL ,REPLACED SCREW,RUSTED OFF ,SHEARED OFF, HALF OF IT STILL IN ENGINE,HARMONEY FELL OFF,..MIRACLE I DID NOT GER MAJOR FIRE IN CAR,LATE AT NITE,ON I95..TOOK IT FRI.TO FT.PIERCE KIA,MECHANIC SAID CAN NOT BE REPAIRED, NEED SPEND$79000ON NEW ENGINE...NOTHING WAS MENTIONED SAME SCREW ,RECALL, THEY REPLACED BACK 3 YEARS AGO...CAR HAS HISTORY OF MY COMPLAINTS TO CORPORATE KIA..NOTHING EVER DONE. *TR

VEHICLE IS A 2003 KIA SORENTO WITH 70,000 MILES, PURCHASED NEW. VEHICLE APPEARS TO HAVE SERIOUS ELECTRICAL ISSUES. I HAVE, TO DATE, REPLACED LIGHT BULBS APPROXIMATELY 38 TIMES. THIS INCLUDES HEAD LIGHT BULBS (HIGH AND LOW), FOG LIGHT BULBS, TAIL LIGHT BULBS AND BRAKE LIGHT BULBS. ALSO THE CLOCK ONLY WORKS INTERMITTENTLY AND THE POWER SUN ROOF HAS CEASED WORKING. DEALER OFFERS NO SOLUTION. THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE THE FIRST MONTH OF OWNERSHIP. *NM

2003 KIA SORENTO, HEADLIGHTS SINCE NEW HAVE CONTINUED TO BURN OUT (THEIRS/OURS ANY MANUFACTURE) IT DOES NOT MAKE A DIFFERENCE IF THEY INSTALL OR WALMART (EXCEPT FOR PRICE$$$) PARTS AND LABOR NOW EXCEEDS $500.00 AND NOW MY WIFE HAS BOTH TO BURN OUT AT APPROXIMATELY THE SAME TIME. DEALERS (3) HAVE STATED IT WAS THE ALARM WHICH WAS INSTALLED WHEN WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW. THE FRUSTRATION HAS NOW REACHED THE POINT WE MUST GET RID OF IT . *NM