There are 50 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2004 Kia Sorentoin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
I HAVE FIXED MY PULLEY BOLT 3 TIME AND IT KEEP BRAKING AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO TO FIX THE PROBLEM
CRANK SHAFT BOLT ISSUES. I AM ON MY 3RD HARMONIC BALANCER AND NOW MY MECHANIC IS SAYING IT IS THE CRANK SHAFT BOLT. . I CALLED A&B KIA AND THEY SAID NO ISSUES . I HAVE RECEIVED A CLAIM LETTER FOR THIS ISSUE AND A&B KIA IS REFUSING TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA SORENTO. WHILE STATIONARY, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.
THREE TIMES THIS WEEK I HAVE BEEN TRAVELING 35 MILES AN HOUR OR LESS AND THE CAR HAS JUST TURNED OFF. THE FIRST TIME I WAS IN A PARKING LOT AND HAD TO PUSH IT INTO A STALL (CRACKING MY TAIL LIGHT WHILE DOING THAT QUICKLY TO GET OUT OF THE WAY.) THE SECOND TIME WAS TURNING A CORNER AND IT DIED. THE THIRD TIME I WAS JUST ENTERING THE FREEWAY ON-RAMP WHEN IT DIED. IT GIVES NO WARNING OTHER THAN SILENCE AND A LAST GASP OF GAS GOING THROUGH. ALL THREE TIMES I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR, PUT IT IN PARK AND RESTART IT. IT HAS BEEN HARDER AND HARDER TO GET IT STARTED AFTER THAT. I TOOK IT INTO THE MECHANIC AND HE CLEANED THE FUEL FILTER, BUT IT HASN'T STOPPED THE PROBLEM TOTALLY.
ON 10-4-2015 I WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 80 FROM HASTINGS, NE TO KEARNEY, NE. MY GIRLFRIEND HEARD A BANG FROM THE ENGINE, SHORTLY AFTER THAT NOISE I LOST ALL POWER. I MANAGED TO STEER OUR 2004 KIA SORENTO ONTO AN OFF RAMP. I POPPED THE HOOD AND SAW THE HARMONIC BALANCER AND THE LOWER TIMING SPROCKET LAYING ON THE SKID PLATE. WE HAD HER BROTHER-IN-LAW COME GET US. WE PUT THE KIA SORENTO UP ON HIS TRAILER AND TOWED IT TO A MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC TOLD US THAT THE CRANK SHAFT BOLT HAD SHEARED OFF. AFTER FIXING THIS BOLT, AND PUTTING EVERYTHING BACK TOGETHER HE THEN INFORMED US THERE WAS NO COMPRESSION IN THE ENGINE. IT HAS BEEN SITTING EVERY SINCE. *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST ALL ELECTRICAL POWER. THE VEHICLE STALLED AND ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS MERGED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND AFTER OPENING THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE DRIVE BELTS FRACTURED. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE CRANK SHAFT PULLEY WAS LOOSE AND THE CRANK SHAFT BOLT HAD FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 177,000. UPDATED 9/21/15 *LN.....UPDATED 10/01/15*BF
I BROUGHT A 2004 KIA SORENTO USED IN JUNE 2015 WITH 96,000 MILES ON IT AND NOTICED THE ENGINE WAS MAKING NOISE AFTER A SHORT TIME IT WASENT THAT BAD I THOUGHT, UNTIL IT STARTED GETTING WORSE. THEN I TOOK IT IN TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP AND GOT A CALL FROM THEM AND I WAS TOLD THE BLANCER PULLEY BOLT BROKE OFF IN THE CRANKSHAFT AND WAS A BIG ISSUE AND THEY WOULD LET ME KNOW IF THEY COULD GET IT OUT, THEY DID BUT FOUND THE SPROCKET WAS DAMAGED ALSO, I WENT ONLINE TO SEE IF THEIR WAS A RECALL AND FOUND MANY KIA OWNERS HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE. I HAD TO PAY 1300 DOLLARS TO GET THIS FIXED BECAUSE OF A BAD PART BY KIA. I'M VERY UPSET.
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE CAR STARTED STALLING THE IT PICKED UP. LITTLE WAYS DOWN THE HIGHWAY THE CAR FELT LIKE IT WAS DRAGGING THEN THE BELT BROKE I PULLED IT OVER. WHEN REACH THE SHOP THE MECHANIC SAID THE CRANK SHAFT PULLEY BROKE APART. *TR
WHILE DRIVING HOME THERE WAS A LOUD SCREECHING NOISE. GET HOME TO FIND OUT THAT MY CAMSHAFT PULLEY IS COMPLETELY LOOSE AND BROKE! THIS NEEDS TO BE RECALLED!!!! COMPLETELY UNSAFE TO BE DRIVING LUCKILY I WAS ONLY A MILE AWAY FROM HOME. *TR
SON HEARD SQUEALING SOUND FROM BELTS, HAD BELTS CHANGED. 1 WEEK LATER BELT CAME OFF PULLEY AND NEVER WOULD LINE UP. REPAIR SHOP CAME BACK SAYING THAT IT WAS THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY AND THAT A BOLT HAD BROKEN. AFTER CHANGING TIMING GEARS, BELTS, GASKETS AND OTHER FRONT END PARTS END OF COSTING 1500. I THEN READ THE PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE ON LINE. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND BECKY ACT LIKE THIS WAS THE FIRST THEY HAD HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM. *TR
THE CRANKSHAFT BOLT BROKE. THIS HAS BEEN A HUGE PROBLEM AND IS A RECALL IN THE 2003 KIA SORENTO'S. IT SHOULD ALSO BE RECALLED FOR 2004 IMMEDIATELY! *TR
WHILE IN A FAST-FOOD DRIVE-THRU LINE, MY CAR SHUT DOWN. I IMMEDIATELY TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR AND AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, IT TRIED TO TURN-OVER, BUT IT DIDN'T START. I DIDN'T WANT TO FLOOD THE ENGINE, SO I WAITED A FEW MINUTES. WHEN I TRIED AGAIN, IT STARTED RIGHT UP AND I HEADED STRAIGHT HOME THINKING I MUST HAVE SOME WATER IN MY GAS BECAUSE NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. AFTER TALKING WITH MY HUSBAND, HE AGREED WITH MY ASSESSMENT AND PUT SOME DRY GAS IN THE TANK. I DROVE THE NEXT DAY, MONDAY, JUNE 23RD, WITH NO PROBLEMS, BUT TUESDAY, THE CAR SHUT DOWN AGAIN. IT TOOK A LONGER TIME TO RESTART AND THEN FINALLY I COULDN'T RESTART IT AND HAD TO GET IT TOWED TO OUR MECHANIC WHO TOLD US THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HE ASSURED US THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WE COULD HAVE DONE TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING - ACCORDING TO OUR CAR MECHANIC, THE CAM SENSOR WAS ACTUALLY BURNT WHICH LED TO A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. *TR
LOUD CRACK WAS HEARD WHILE DRIVING. LOST POWER STEERING. PIN IN THE CRANK PULLEY SNAPPED AND BELTS STOPPED TURNING. CAR WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER AND FORTUNATELY WE WERE ABLE TO GET IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THIS CAR HAS A 10 YEAR, 100M MILE WARRANTY WHICH EXPIRED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2014. DEALER CONTENDED THAT THIS PROBLEM, ALTHOUGH PART OF THE ENGINE WAS NOT COVERED. *TR
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE EXPRESSWAY WHEN THE CAR ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, THE POWER SHUT DOWN AND THE POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING. I HAD TROUBLE TRYING TO MERGE OVER INTO A SAFE LANE BEFORE THE CAR STOPPED ROLLING. I DID MANAGE RESTARTING THE VEHICLE TO MOVE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BEFORE IT CUT OFF ON ME AGAIN. ONCE I WAS SAFE I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND LET IT RUN A COUPLE OF MINUTES BEFORE I WAS SAFE TO PULL BACK OUT. THIS HAPPEN TO ME A COUPLE OF TIME BEFORE BUT THIS TIME IT WAS SO UNSAFE I ALMOST WAS KILLED MY A 18 WHEELER TRUCK. I CONTACT MANY DEALERSHIPS TO SEE WHAT CODE COMES UP AND NO CODE COMES UP. *TR
MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY @ 55 MPH WITH TWO CHILDREN AGES 2 AND 1 YEAR OLD IN JANUARY 14. SHE HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND POWER STEERING WENT OUT. SCARED THE[XXX] OUT OF HER. IT TOOK ALL OF HER STRENGTH TO STEER IT TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY.THE SORENTO WAS TOWED TO REPAIR SHOP AND WAS TOLD THE CRANKSHAFT BOLT (PULLEY) BROKE THAT DRIVES ALL THE OTHER PULLEYS INCLUDING THE POWER STEERING. HALF THE BOLT WAS STILL IN THE ENGINE. IT WAS REPAIRED WITH A KIA UPDATED BOLT AND REMEMBER BEING TOLD, "THIS IS KNOWN TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL" . THANK GOODNESS NOTHING HAPPENED TO HER AND MY GRANDCHILDREN. ON 21 FEBRUARY, THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT AGAIN CAUSED BY THE SAME REASON AS BEFORE. WHAT I DO NOT UNDERSTAND IS: 1. THE BOLT ITSELF HAS BEEN RECALLED BUT IT IS OBVIOUSLY NOT A BOLT ISSUE. IT IS A "DESIGN ISSUE" THAT KIA IS WELL AWARE OF AND THEY ARE IGNORING THIS ISSUE. 2. A CLASS ACTION SUIT IS IN PROCESS AGAINST KIA,"KIA SORENTO ENGINE DEFECT CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT" CASE IS ROBINSON ET AL V. KIA MOTORS AMERICA INC. ET AL., CASE NO. 13-CV-00006 U.S. DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF NEW JERSEY. THIS IS FOR KIA SORENTO'S 2002-2009. 3.A NUMBER OF INCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED AND REPORTED TO NHTSA (SAFECAR.GOV). 4. PERFORMING A FMECA (FAILURE MODE EFFECT CRITICALITY ANALYSIS) IT WOULD SHOW THIS FAILURE COULD LEAD TO ENGINE FAILURE, LOSS OF POWER STEERING, HAZARD TO OTHER DRIVERS DUE TO ENGINE PARTS BREAKAGE, INJURY AND POTENTIAL DEATH. WHAT DOES IT TAKE FOR AN AGENCY SUCH AS NHTSA TO TAKE ACTION. THE DEATH OF A CHILD. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
WHILE DRIVING THERE WAS A NOISE FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT,POWER STEERING FAILEDBY THE GRACE OF GOD WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE OFF OF THE INTERSTATE. LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD AND SEEN THE CRANK SHAFT PULLEY AND BOLT LAYING ON THE TIE ROD UNDER CLOSE EXAMINATION THE SPRING PIN WAS SHEARED OFF FROM THE TIMING CHAIN PULLEY. THE FIRST TIME TOOK THE VEHICLE TO KIA OF BRANDON FLORIDA , INWHICH THEY SAID OTHER THINGS WERE WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE AS WELL, THE TOTAL BILL CAME TO AROUND 800.00 DOLLARS. I THINK THEY JUST TIGHTENED DOWN THE BOLTS BECAUSE THE CRANK SHAFT PULLEY CAME OFF AGAIN, WENT BACK TO KIA OF BRANDON AND THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR IT, STATING THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE FOR FREE, THEY WANTED TO CHARGE ANOTHER 800.00 DOLLARS...SO VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC THAT REATTACHED THE PULLEY...AND THE PULLEY CAME OFF AGAIN THIS TIME THE BOLT BROKE OFF IN THE CRANK SHAFT,THE TIMING CHAIN SPROCKET ALSO CAME OFF. CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY ARE ONLY REPAIRING CERTAIN VIN NUMBERS OF THAT YEAR. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE AS THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED. THE BATTERY WARNING LIGHT AND THE PARKING BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE WAS REPORTED TO THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 154,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST COMPLETE POWER AND ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND TOOK IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY ADVISED THAT THE CRANK SHAFT SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,471.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE, SHE HEARD AN ABNORMAL TICKING NOISE AS THE BATTERY AND ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE VIBRATION DAMPENER HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 81,000.
SUMMARY: I WAS DRIVING ALONG THE INTERSTATE AT APROX. 65 MPH. I HEARD A TICKING NOISE AND LOOKED AT THE DASH. NO WARNING LIGHTS MY FRIEND ASKED IF THE CAR FELT LIKE IT WAS LOSING SPEED AND IT WAS I IMMEDIATLY PULLED OVER. MOVING TO THE EMERGENCY LANE THE ENGINE STALLED. NONE OF THE GUAGES INDICATED ANYTHING WRONG , AND EVEN AFTER THE ENGINE FAILED THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT DOES NOT LIGHT UP, NONE OF THE SAFETY INDICATORS LIGHT UP. THE VEHICLE HAS 75,000 MILES ONLY 13,000 OF WHICH I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR. I AM NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY BECAUSE I AM NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER WHICH IS RIDICUALOUS IN ITSELF BECAUSE THE WARRANTY SHOULD COVER MILEAGE AS IT STATES NOT OWNERS. HOWEVER, THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED BECAUSE OF THE FLUID LEAKING OUT OF THE WATER RESERVOIR/OR POSSIBLY A FAILED WATER PUMP THAT KIA KNOWS WILL FAIL. IF KIA WAS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND DID NOT ISSUE A RECALL, KNOWING THAT THIS COULD CAUSE SERIOUS ENGINE PROBLEMS OR DEATH, WHY ARE THEY NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS MOTOR? THE REPAIRS ARE GOING TO COST MORE THAN 5000 DOLLARS THIS SHOULD NOT BE TOLERATED. IF YOU SPEND ANY MONEY ON A VEHICLE, CHANGE THE OIL EVERY 3 TO 5 THOUSAND MILES FOLLOW ALL SAFETY RECALLS, YOU SHOULD EXPECT MORE THAN 75,000 MILES OUT OF IT. KIA SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE! I HAVE CONTACTED A LAWYER IN THIS MATTER I BELIEVE THAT KIA KNOWS ITS VEHICLES ARE FAULTY AND ARE WAITING FOR THE COST OF LAWSUITS AGAINST THEM TO INCREASE TO BE MORE THAN THE COST OF A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM, BEFORE THEY DO ANYTHING TO RECTIFY THE ISSUES. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026