2005 Kia Sorento
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 307 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 10th highest complaint count among 23 Sorento model years with reports.
Of the 2005 reports, 17 involved a crash and 5 involved a fire. 20 people were injured and 1 person died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
No safety recalls on file.
Representative owner complaints: air bags
43 reports, newest first. Show all
Air bags, Nov 22, 2005, crash
DT : THE CONTACT"S WIFE WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 65 TO 70 MPH WHEN VEHICLE COLLIDED WITH A DEER . THIS WAS A FRONTAL LEFT CORNER AND SIDE IMPACT. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP. THE VEHICLE IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY.*AK
Air bags, Oct 4, 2005
THE PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON. WHEN I AM IN THE PASSENGER SEAT THE AIRBAG INDICATOR SAYS "PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF". I WEIGH ABOUT 120 LBS. WHEN MY FIANCE IS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT THE AIRBAG IS ON. HE WEIGHS ABOUT 150 LBS. WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND TOLD THEM ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THEY SAID THAT I AM PROBABLY SITTING WRONG. I CANNOT ACCEPT THIS. *JB
Air bags, Sep 29, 2005
I PURCHASED A NEW 2005 KIA SORENTO IN JULY. WHILE SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT I WOULD NOTICE THAT THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR WAS NOT DETECTING ME THUS LEAVING THE AIRBAG OFF. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER TO FIND THE PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD IT IS A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM AND THE SEAT MUST BE REMOVED, SENT BACK TO THE MANUFACTURER AND BE REPROGRAMMED. IT DOES NOT SENSE LARGER SIZE PEOPLE AS THE PEOPLE OF KOREA ARE SMALLER AND THE SENSORS ARE DESIGNED FOR THEM. I WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THIS DEFECT UNTIL I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THEM. THEY DID NOT FEEL IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE. *NM
Engine and engine cooling, Electrical system, Air bags, Seats, Aug 9, 2005
DT: 2005 KIA SORENTO. THE AIRBAG LIGHT STAYED ON. THEY HAVE REPLACED THE SEAT, T AND SENT THE SEAT OFF TO HAVE THE SENSOR REPLACED. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE THEY COULD DO. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THIS HAPPENED TWICE IN ONE DAY. THE VEHICLE WILL RESTART AFTER WAITING A WHILE. ALSO, THE CLOCK HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE. *AK
Air bags, Jul 20, 2005
MY NEW KIA SORENTO HAS "ADVANCED AIRBAGS" AND THE "PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG OFF" INDICATOR IS FREQUENTLY ILLUMINATED EVEN WITH AN ADULT PROPERLY SECURED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. I HAVE HAD IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE AND THEY HAVE INDICATED BOTH TIMES THAT THE PROBLEM WON'T HAPPEN WITH THEM. I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO CONFIRM WHETHER THE AIRBAG WILL ACTUALLYWORK WHEN THIS LIGHT IS ON.
Air bags, Jun 1, 2005
THE 2005 KIA SORENTO ADDED A FRONT PASSENGER WEIGHT DETECTION SYSTEM TO AUTOMATICALLY ARM OR DISARM THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG FOR LIGHTER WEIGHT INDIVIDUALS. THIS DETECTOR AND/OR RELATED EQUIPMENT OPERATES IRRADICALLY AND INEFFECTIVELY, LEAVING THE USERS REGULARLY UNCERTAIN REGARDING THE STATUS OF THE AIR BAG SYSTEM. THIS IS A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM KNOWN TO KIA BUT NO SCHEDULE EXISTS FOR A FIX.
Air bags, May 26, 2005, crash
DT: CALLER STATES HER SON HAD AN ACCIDENT AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *AK
Air bags, May 18, 2005
DT: CONTACT STATES THE AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE SERVICE DEALER SAID THE AIRBAG SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED. AN ENGINEER WILL NOT BE AT THE LOCAL SERVICE DEALER TO REPROGRAM THE SYSTEM UNTIL ABOUT 6 WEEKS. *AK
Air bags, May 5, 2005
DT: THE PASSENGER SEAT HAS A SENSOR WHICH TURNS OFF THE AIR BAG FOR PASSENGERS UNDER A CERTAIN WEIGHT. THE AIR BAG REMAINED OFF ALTHOUGH AND ADULT OVER THE WEIGHT TARGET WEIGHT WAS SITTING IN THE SEAT. THE DEALER CLAIMED THAT THE SENSOR WAS OVER SENSITIVE, THE MANUFACTURER SAYS THEY DO NOT HAVE A PROBLEM. *NM
Air bags, Apr 27, 2005
PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON INDICATING THE AIR BAG DOES NOT WORK. I TOOK IT BACK TO KIA TWICE. THEY STATED KIA KNOWS OF THE PROBLEM, BUT DOESN'T HAVE A FIX. THEY SAID THE AIR BAG WILL "PROBABLY DEPLOY" IN AN ACCIDENT.
Air bags, Mar 27, 2005
I JUST BOUGHT A BRAND NEW 2005 KIA SORENTO LAST WEEK (MARCH 18, 2005.) I LOVE THE CAR, BUT IT HAS AN AUTOMATIC SHUT OFF ON THE PASSENGER AIR BAG THAT CONTINUES TO MALFUNCTION. IT IS SUPPOSED TO STAY OFF UNLESS A PASSENGER WEIGING MORE THAN 40 POUNDS IS SITTING IN THE SEAT. MY HUSBAND (200 LBS. +) AND MY FATHER IN LAW (180 LBS. +) HAVE SAT IN THE SEAT WHILE I AM DRIVING AND THE AIR BAG WILL NOT TURN ON. I MENTIONED IT TO MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE HAD SEVERAL COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME THING. THEY HAVE SUPPOSIDLY CHECKED THE SENSOR SYSTEM AND IT IS "FUNCTIONING PROPERLY." I HAVE NEVER BEEN IN A WRECK, BUT IF I AM EVER IN ONE WHERE MY PASSENGER IS SERIOUSLY INJURED BECAUSE THE AIR BAG MALFUNCTIONS, I WILL NEVER FORGIVE MYSELF. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS. THANK YOU.
Air bags, Mar 21, 2005
THE AIR BAG SENSOR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE DID NOT FUNCTION WHEN A SOMEONE SAT IN THE SEAT. THIS COULD BE UNSAFE IF THE VEHICLE WERE TO BE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR ABOUT 15 TIMES FOR REPAIRS, BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK
Air bags, Mar 16, 2005
PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS ARE INTERMITENT. *AK
Air bags, Mar 6, 2005
THE "PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF" LIGHT REMAIN LIT EVEN WITH AN ADULT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. I HAVE ONLY OWNED THE 2005 KIA SORENTO EX FOR 2 DAYS AND EVERYTIME A PASSENGER IS IN THE SEAT THEY MUST TRY TO REPOSITION THEMSELVES AND THEN YOU TURN OFF THE IGNITION AND RESTART THE ENGINE BEFORE LIGHT WILL GO OFF. I HAVE SEEN THIS ISSUE POSTED ON SOME KIA DISCUSSION FORUMS AND SO FAR DEALERS HAVE NO ANSWER TO THE PROBLEM.*AK
Air bags, Feb 25, 2005
THE DRIVER NOTICED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING OR PARKED. THE PASSENGER FRONT SIDE AIR BAG LIGHT WOULD APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAIN ON. THE DRIVER DROVE TO THE DEALER. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE PROBLEM CAN NOT BE DUPLICATED AND THE VEHICLE IS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. THE DRIVER INFORMED THE MECHANIC THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURS MORE THAN ONCE AND HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM
Air bags, Feb 18, 2005
THE AIR BAG LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON WHILE DRIVING. DRIVER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT HE CAN NOT LEAN BACK IN THE SEAT OR LEAN AGAINST THE WINDOW. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON WHEN SOMEONE OVER 50 POUNDS IS IN THE SEAT. THE CONSUMER CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY. *TC
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Electrical system, Air bags, Jan 31, 2005
THE CLOCK DID NOT WORK PROPERLY, THERE WAS A NOISE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS COLD OR STARTING COLD WHILE TURNING RIGHT OR BACKING AND PULLING FORWARD AND A SHUDDER FEELING WAS IN THE BRAKE PEDAL. THERE WAS A SUPPOSED SERVICE BULLETIN IN REFERENCE TO THE ABS/BRAKE PEDAL. ON FOUR OCCASIONS, THE PASSENGER AIR BAG SENSOR DASH LIGHT DID NOT ENGAGE PROPERLY WITH THREE DIFFERENT PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT HEIGHT A WEIGHT, THE POWER STEERING FAILED, THE DASH DISPLAY FAILED TO LIGHT UP WHEN THE PASSENGERS DID NOT HAVE THEIR SEAT BELTS ON, NOISE IN THE STEERING HAD WORSENED SINCE THE POWER STEERING PUMP REPLACEMENT, THERE WAS A WHINING AND OR WHISTLING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT BRAKES ON THE RIGHT SIDE OR IN THE AXLE AS THE WHEEL WAS BEING TURNED, AND THE POWER STEERING FAILED AGAIN. *SC
Steering, Service brakes, Hydraulic, Engine and engine cooling, Air bags, Jan 19, 2005
2005 KIA SORENTO EX DEVELOPED PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER STEERING.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR WITHIN A FEW DAYS OF OWNING THE VEHICLE, THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE CLOCK WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY, THERE WAS A NOISE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS COLD, WHILE TURNING RIGHT OR BACKING AND PULLING FORWARD, A SHUDDER IN THE BRAKE PEDAL, A CUT IN THE LEATHER PASSENGER SEAT. ON 4 OCCASIONS THE PASSENGER AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT DASH LIGHT DID NOT ENGAGE PROPERLY WITH 3 DIFFERENT PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT WEIGHTS/HEIGHTS WERE SITTING IN THE SEAT. THE POWER STEERING FAILED 3 TIMES. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE SHUDDER IN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS NORMAL AND WAS A PART OF THE ABS. *JB