2004 Kia Sorento
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 220 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 13th highest complaint count among 23 Sorento model years with reports.
Of the 2004 reports, 11 involved a crash and 12 involved a fire. 16 people were injured and 1 person died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
No safety recalls on file.
Representative owner complaints: electrical system
28 reports, newest first. Show all
Engine and engine cooling, Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Apr 14, 2007
2004 KIA SORENTO - LOSS OF POWER, BRAKE AND BATTERY LIGHTS ILLUMINATED, VEHICLE STALLED. CRANK BOLT FAILURE. HAPPENED 3 TIMES; REPLACED/FIXED 3 TIMES. A LETTER TO KIA BEING SENT AT THE TIME THIS WAS BEING WRITTEN.*AK
Power train, Electrical system, Feb 12, 2007
I PURCHASED A 2004 KIA SORENTO TWO YEARS AGO. IT WAS NOT LONG BEFORE I BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH MY VEHICLE. TAIL LIGHTS/BRAKE LIGHTS BURNING OUT FREQUENTLY WHICH IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE SINCE I DELIVER RURAL USDA MAIL. NOW MY TRANSMISSION IS BROKEN!! KIA-DULUTH ASKED IF I HAD HAD THE TRANSMISSION FLUSHED AT THE SPECIFIED MILEAGE AND THAT THEY WILL NEED VERIFICATION OF THIS. (I KNEW IMMEDIATELY THEIR OBJECTIVE WAS TO NOT HONOR THEIR WARRANTY (10 YEARS/100,000 MILE WARRANTY IF I HAD NOT FLUSHED THE TRANSMISSION). I FAXED THEM THE RECEIPT INDICATING THE TRANSMISSION HAD BEEN FLUSHED. I CONTACTED KIA-DULUTH THE FOLLOWING DAY BECAUSE I HAD NOT HEARD FROM THEM. HE SAID HE HAD NOT HEARD BACK FROM KIA YET TO AUTHORIZE THE REPAIR. THIS VEHICLE HAS CAUSED ME SO MUCH LOST WORK TIME, STRESS AND HAS BEEN EMOTIONALLY DRAINING FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS. KIA'S DECEPTIVE ADVERTISING - I BELIEVED THAT SINCE KIA WAS OFFERING A 10 YEAR/100,000 MILE WARRANTY, THEIR VEHICLE MUST BE REALLY GOOD. BOY WAS I WRONG! KIA IS BUILDING VEHICLES WITH DEFECTIVE PARTS AND MATERIALS AND HAS SET-UP THEIR WARRANTY PLAN TO BE ABLE TO VOID THEM FROM HAVING TO HONOR THEIR WARRANTY PLAN AND HAVING ANY RESPONSIBILITY. FOR FURTHER COMPLAINTS ON KIA VEHICLES, PLEASE CONTACT THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU AND ATTORNEY GENERAL OFFICES ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND YOU WILL FIND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS. NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS BY CONSUMERS ARE ALSO LOCATED AT THE FOLLOWING WEBSITES: WWW.MY3CENTS.COM AND WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM. KIA NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED AND PUT A STOP TO THEIR SCAMMING AND DEFRAUDING THE CONSUMER AND BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY HURT OR KILLED DUE TO NUMEROUS DEFECTIVE PARTS IN THEIR VEHICLES. *NM
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Structure, Oct 7, 2005
IN LESS THAN A YEAR CONSUMER HEADLIGHT WENT OUT AND THE BACK HATCH WINDOW WAS LEAKING INSIDE THE VEHICLE EVERY TIME IT RAINED. *TS THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED ON NOVEMBER 30, 2004 AND FIVE MINUTES AFTER THE NEW BULB WAS INSTALLED IT SHATTERED. ON THAT SAME DATE THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED PROBLEM WITH THE CLOCK AND HVAC INDICATORS. UPDATED 03/30/07. *JB