2003 Kia Sorento Engine Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2003 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE CONTACT STATED THAT SMOKE CAME FROM OUT OF THE VENTS. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER ON THE SHOULDER AND EXITED THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE SPARKS COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED AND TOWED AWAY. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. TH VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SORRENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITH THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT A 'SNOW' WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS WELL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 202,699.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RPMS WOULD NOT GO OVER 4,000 AND SMOKE APPEARED FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEED WOULD NOT EXCEED 40 MPH AND THE ENGINE WAS DRAINING THE OIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO PEAK KIA (5077 S WADSWORTH BLVD, LITTLETON, CO 80123, (303) 904-7800) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED AN OIL CHANGE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO CALL THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,300. *DT

ENGINE CRANK SHAFT HAS BROKEN FOUR TIME , AIR COMPRESSER TWO TIME

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND CRANKSHAFT BOLT FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

WHILE UNDER MOTION ON HIGHWAY AT 65+ MPH, LOST POWER STEERING DUE TO CRANK SHAFT BOLT AND PULLEY FAILURE, RESULTING IN COMPLETE LOSS OF ACCESSORY FUNCTIONS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SORENTO. THE VEHICLE STALLED AND LOST MOTIVE POWER WHILE DRIVING THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED FOR HIS SAFETY WHEN THE VEHICLE STALL THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT IT WAS RELATED TO THE FUEL SYSTEM WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE SPUTTERED AND STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SEVERAL INDEPENDENT MECHANICS WHERE THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED, A TUNE UP WAS PERFORMED, THE CAMSHAFT SENSOR, AND TIMING BELT WAS ALSO REPLACED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT STATED WAS CONCERNED THAT THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. LAKESHORE KIA, 330 E HOWZE BEACH RD #2, SLIDELL, LA 70461, (888) 220-8645, WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED NOR INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.

THE CRANKSHAFT BOLT SUPPORTING THE TIMING SPROCKET AND BALANCE PULLEY SNAPPED AGAIN FOR THE THIRD TIME. RIGHT NOW THE VEHICLE IS IN THE THE KIA DEALER SERVICE CENTER TO REPLACE IT. ONCE AGAIN THEY ARE ASKING FOR A RIDICULOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY TO FIX. LAST BOLT LASTED 4,000 MILES BEFORE IT SNAPPED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE BRAKE LIGHT AND BATTERY LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT BOLT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED AND STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART. IN ADDITION, WHEN THE CONTACT INSERTED FUEL IN THE VEHICLE, FUEL SPEWED OUT THE FUEL TANK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 116,000.

THE CAR STARTED MAKING A SCRUBBING SOUND AND THE BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK. THE NEXT DAY THE BRAKES WORKED SCRUBBING SOUND CONTINUED AND WE WERE TOLD BY THE MECHANIC THAT THE ENGINE NEEDS REPLACING.

THE BOLT HOLDING THE HARMONIC BALANCER PULLEY TO THE CRANKSHAFT FELL OUT AND ALL THE ENGINE BELTS AND PULLEYS STOPPED TURNING RESULTING IN A LOSS OF POWER STEERING, AND MAKING THE VEHICLE VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER. THIS HAPPENED AT A LOW SPEED AND THE DRIVER WAS BARELY ABLE TO TURN OFF THE ROAD WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT. AT A HIGHER SPEED, IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, OR ON MOUNTAIN ROADS, THE RESULT WOULD LIKELY HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A KIA DEALER AND REPAIRED FOR APPROXIMATELY $1,500.00, REPLACING THE FAILED PARTS WITH NEW PARTS AND WITH A WARRANTY OF 12 MONTHS/10 THOUSAND MILES. PREVIOUSLY, AT 70 THOUSAND MILES AS PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE, THE TIMING BELT WAS REPLACED BY A KIA DEALER. KIA MOTORS, HAVING KNOWN OF MANY FAILURES OF THE BOLT, SPROCKET, AND PULLEY, SHOULD HAVE UPGRADED THESE PARTS YEARS AGO AND ISSUED A RECALL OR AT LEAST A SERVICE BULLETIN TO AVOID SUCH DANGEROUS FAILURES. AFTER OUR EXPERIENCE, WE DID NOT TRUST THIS CAR AND TRADED IT IN FOR A NEW CAR FROM HOPEFULLY A MORE RESPONSIBLE MANUFACTURER.

I PURCHASED THIS CAR BRAND NEW FROM STEVENS KIA IN PATCHOGUE, NY AND HAD THEM REPLACE THE TIMING BELT @ 58K MILES AS PER THEIR GUIDE LINES. WHILE DRIVING THE CAR I LOST MY POWER STEERING AND ELECTRICAL CHARGING SYSTEM, I WAS GOING AROUND 45MPH, I LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR AND WAS ABLE TO GET IT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT ANY DAMAGE TO THE CAR OR ANYTHING ELSE. I CALLED CORPORATE KIA AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY.(IT HAS 123K MILES ON IT). THEY TOLD ME IF I WANTED I COULD HAVE IT TOWED TO A KIA DEALER AND THEY WOULD LOOK AT IT FOR A DIAGNOSIS FEE, BUT IT WAS STILL OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEY ALSO TOLD ME MY VIN# DIDN'T FALL INTO THE RECALL THEY HAD CONCERNING THAT ISSUE. I HAD MY MECHANIC LOOK AT IT AND HE TOLD ME THE CRANKSHAFT DOWEL PIN SNAPPED ON THE TIMING GEAR CAUSING THE HARMONIC BALANCER TO FALL OFF THUS TAKING ALL THE BELTS WITH IT. IT COSTED ME OVER $2,000 TO HAVE THE CAR REPAIRED. AFTER DOING A GOGGLE SEARCH IT SEEMS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS AND IS BEING IGNORED BY CORPORATE KIA. *TR

I WAS TOLD BY THE MECHANIC THAT "SOMETHING HAPPENED INSIDE THE ENGINE THAT CANNOT BE REPAIRED". PRIOR TO THE ENGINE FAILURE (MAY, 2014) THE REAR THROTTLE PLATE CAME APART AND LODGED IN THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO RETRIEVE THE SCREWS AND ONE WAS EVEN LODGED IN A CYLINDER HEAD. A THROTTLE PLATE ASSEMBLY WAS INSTALLED AND THE CAR WAS DRIVABLE BUT WITH AN AUDIBLE NOISE. AT THIS TIME I WAS TOLD THE SAME PROBLEM EXISTS WITH MANY KIA'S AND YET A RECALL HAS NOT BEEN ISSUED. MY CAR IS NOT DRIVABLE, IT'S A V6 AND THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE IS COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN AND I FEEL KIA COULD HAVE AVOIDED THIS WITH A RECALL WHEN THEY HAVE KNOWN FOR YEARS THAT THE PROBLEM EXISTS. *TR

THE OVERFLOW BOTTLE FOR THE RADIATOR HAS BEEN LEAKING AGAIN. THE FIRST ONE THAT CAME WITH THE CAR WAS REPLACED IN 2011 AND NOW WE ARE HAVING TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR RESERVOIR AGAIN. *TR

MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON 2 MONTHS AGO AND I BROUGHT IT TO A KIA DEALERSHIP WHO TOLD ME IT WAS THE CYLINDERS THAT WERE MISS FIRING AND THE BELTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACES AND THEY FIXED THAT. I ASKED ABOUT THE CRANKSHAFT AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS FINE. WHEN I LEFT THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON AND THEY TOLD ME I NEED NEW SPARK PLUGS, FIXED THAT AND THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON AGAIN. WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE BREAK LIGHT AND BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR BEGAN TO LOOSE POWER. NOW THE CAR IS AT ANOTHER DEALERSHIP AND THEY ARE TELLING ME IT'S THE CRANKSHAFT. AFTER READING WHAT HAS HAPPENED WITH MANY OTHER PEOPLE I CAN SEE THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM WAS THE CRANKSHAFT.I HAVE SPENT OVER $4K ON FIXING THE CAR AND THE CAR IS NOT WORTH IT. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON ROUTE 495 NORTH IN MASSACHUSETTS BETWEEN EXITS 7 AND 8, MY KIA SORENTO LOST POWER TO THE ENGINE TO THE POINT I HAD TO STOP IN THE BREAKDOWN LANE. NO WARNING OF PRIOR SMELL OR POWER LOSS HAD OCCURRED PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. TOWED TO TWO DIFFERENT SERVICE STATIONS AND BOTH INFORMED ME THAT THE ENGINE FAILED AND LOST COMPRESSION ON MORE THAN ONE CYLINDERS. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION TO BE ON THE HIGHWAY AND LOSING POWER.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED BEFORE THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO INDICATED THAT WHILE REFUELING, FUEL SPILLED FROM THE FILLER NECK. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000.

DRIVING VEHICLE AT ABOUT 45MPH, ENGINE STARTED MAKING A SCREECHING NOISE AND GOT LOUDER WHEN ACCELERATING. THERE WAS A LOUD BANG FROM ENGINE AREA AND IMMEDIATELY LOST ALL POWER AND ABILITY TO STEER AND BRAKE. WE WERE APPROACHING A BUSY INTERSECTION AND HAD TO PULL THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO AVOID RUNNING A RED LIGHT INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO OUR DEALERSHIP. THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BOLT SNAPPED OFF AND THE BELT AND PULLEY FELL OFF. THE BOLT DID NOT BREAK FAR ENOUGH INTO THE ENGINE BLOCK SO REPAIR WAS ABLE TO REPLACE IT. AFTER THIS HAPPENED WE LEARNED OF THE SAFETY CONCERN WITH SAID VEHICLE AND KIA DENIES ANYTHING WRONG WITH THEIR SORENTOS. THERE IS A PENDING LAWSUIT AGAINST KIA FOR THIS KNOWN PROBLEM. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND WE ADVISED THE DEALER THAT WE WANT TO TRADE THE VEHICLE AS IT POSES A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM. KIA SHOULD PROVIDE A MAJOR RECALL. NOW GETTING A HARD TIME FROM DEALER. WE ARE STUCK IN THE MIDDLE AND STILL OWE A LOT ON THIS HAZARDOUS VEHICLE. *TR