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: power train
38 reports, newest first. Show all
Power train, Feb 4, 2011
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING UP HILL AND DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL OR CHANGING GEARS, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS MOVED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD FOR A FEW MINUTES AND THEN SHE WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000. UPDATED 04/12/11*LJ UPDATED 12/28/2011 *LN
Steering, Power train, Dec 7, 2010
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SORRENTO. THE CONTACT WAS ATTEMPTING A TURN WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL ABNORMALLY LOCKED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL AND THE VEHICLE WAS IMMEDIATELY SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR FACILITY WHERE SHE WAS INFORMED THAT A BOLT WITHIN THE DRIVESHAFT HAD FRACTURED AND CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 64,000.
Suspension, Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Nov 18, 2010
MY 2005 SORENTO, SUV, BEGUN TO SHAKE ON THE FRONT AND LATER STOPPED. I HAD A MECHANIC CHECK IT FOR THE MAIN BELT TO BE OFF AND HE SAID IT WAS MORE MAJOR. THE BOLT HAD BROKEN OFF IN THE MOTOR. SOME CARS FROM KIA HAD ALREADY HAD THAT COMPLAINT. I CALLED THE KIA HEADQUARTERS AND THEY SAID YES, BUT NOT A RECALL FOR THAT MODEL DOING IT. WELL IT IS AND I AM STILL PAYING FOR SOMETHING I CAN'T USE.???? *TR
Power train, Sep 10, 2010
2005 SORENTO LOVE THE CAR, BUT ON TAKE OFF AROUND 45 TO 50 MPH IF I'LL JERK AND LOSE SPEED BUT IF I KEEP MY FOOT IT DOES HAPPEN AS OF YET, IT JUST HOLDS THERE END MUCH GIVE LOTS OF GAS TO GET IT GOING. THAT'S THE ONLY PROBLEM I HAVE. PLEASE HELP. ALL THE TIME! *TR
Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Apr 17, 2010
EARLIER RECALL DEFECTIVE!!! 2005 KIA SORENTO V6, HAD A RECALL OF BREAKAGE OF CRANKSHAFT ACCESSORY PULLEY BOLT. NEW BOLT FROM THE RECALL HAS ALSO FAILED. MY CRANKSHAFT PULLEY AND BOLT FELL OUT ON THE HIGHWAY WHILE IN OPERATION. KIA SERVICE REFUSES TO COVER THE NEW BOLT ON WARRANTY. HAD BOLT TIGHTENED AT LOCAL SHOP AND IT FAILED AGAIN IN 3 DAYS!!! KIA IS FAILING TO FIX THIS PROBLEM IN WHICH WILL RESULT IN FATALITY ACCIDENTS. *TR
Power train, Electrical system, Mar 4, 2010
I HAVE A 2005 KIA SORENTO THAT STARTED TO SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING ON JAN 3RD 2009. SINCE THEN IT HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES. IT IS RANDOM AND I AM CURRENTLY IN COURT WITH KIA THROUGH THE PA LEMON LAW. I WANTED TO FILE THIS COMPLAINT SO IT IS ON RECORD. *TR
Power train, Feb 1, 2010
THE CRANK SHAFT PULLEY IN MY 2005 KIA SORENTO IS DEFECTIVE. THE PART HAS FAILED MULTIPLE TIME AND THE MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO REPAIR OR REPLACE THE PART OR VEHICLE. THE CAR IS STILL WITHIN THE POWER-TRAIN WARRANTY WITH COVER THE ENGINE. THEY HAVE HOWEVER STATED THAT THIS IS NOT COVERED AS IT IS NOT PART OF THE ENGINE HOWEVER THIS PART IS ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP PART OF THE ENGINE AS IT CONTROLS THE PISTONS AND WITH OUT IT THE ENGINE CAN NOT RUN. THIS SEEM TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM AS CONSUMER COMPLAINT ARE POSTED ALL OVER THE INTERNET AND THE DEALERSHIP HAS INFORMED ME THEY RECEIVE MANY COMPLAINT ABOUT THIS SAME ISSUE AND FIX 3-4 A WEEK AND OFTEN THE PART FAILS AND THEY AGAIN HAVE TO REPLACE IT. *TR
Power train, Jul 28, 2009
THE GEAR SHIFT LEAVER BROKE WHILE DRIVING 2005 KIA SORRENTO WHEN EXAMINING THE LEAVER IT IS HELD TOGETHER BY A SMALL PLASTIC SCREW THAT SPLIT IN HALF WHEN THE LEVER WAS SHIFTED INTO ANOTHER GEAR. THUS MAKING THE SHIFTER INOPERABLE THE CAR HAD 65000 MILES ON IT I BROUGHT THE CAR TO KIA AND HAD TO REPLACE THE SHIFT LEAVER. I DID NOT ASK TO KEEP THE OLD LEAVER. *TR
Power train, Jan 25, 2008
WHILE DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IN MY 2005 KIA SORENTO MAKES AN UNUSUAL NOISE (KLUNK) WHILE SHIFTING BETWEEN GEARS, THEN IMMEDIATELY LOSES POWER. I MAYBE ABLE TO DRIVE AT A VERY LOW SPEED FOR A SHORT DISTANCE WITH NO POWER OR IT WILL JUST NOT MOVE (AS WHAT HAPPENED TO ME IN THE SECOND FAILURE). THE KIA DEALERSHIP IN WHICH I HAVE HAD IT TOWED TO HAS DONE THE FOLLOWING. FIRST VISIT = "MISC FOUND CODES P0716/P0893//CLEAR CODES OK AT THIS TIME" COULD NOT DUPLICATE CUSTOMERS CONCERN. SECOND VISIT = REPLACED THROTTLE POS SENSOR". THIRD VISIT = "VEHICLE WAS LOW ON TRANSMISSION FLUID". I AM NOT ACCEPTING THE LAST EXCUSE AS A FIX TO THE PROBLEM, I BELIEVE THERE IS AN UNDERLYING PROBLEM. *TR THE VEHICLE WENT BACK TO THE DEALER FOR THE 4TH TIME FOR THE CLUNKING NOISE THAT CAUSES IT TO STOP AND THE DEALER REPLACED THE WIRING HARNESS KIT.
Power train, Aug 28, 2007
MY FIANCE' AND I HAVE RECENTLY STARTED EXPERIENCING SOME ISSUES WITH OUR 2005 MANUAL TRANSMISSION. FOR SOME REASON, FROM A STOP, THE CAR WILL NOT MOVE FORWARD ONCE IT IS ON GEAR. IT JUST WON'T MOVE. I CAN TAKE IT IN AND OUT OF GEAR AND IT STILL WON'T MOVE. I CAN TRY IT IN FIRST OR SECOND AND STILL NOTHING. THE WORK AROUND WE FIGURED OUT IS TO PUT IT IN REVERSE AND MAYBE MOVE IT BACKWARDS JUST A LITTLE BIT AND WE ARE THEN ABLE TO PUT THE CAR IN FIRST AND MOVE FORWARD LIKE NORMAL. IT HAS ACTUALLY HAPPENED TO HER THREE TIMES IN THE PAST WEEK, ONCE LAST WEEK AND TWICE TODAY. I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE CAR LAST WEEK THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED AND SAW THE ISSUE FIRST HAND. I AM GOING TO KIA ABOUT THIS, BUT I WAS WONDERING IF ANYONE ELSE HAS HAD THIS ISSUE OR EXPERIENCED THIS ISSUE WITH THE 2005 MANUAL TRANSMISSION, OR ANY YEAR TRANSMISSION FOR THAT MATTER. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED ON BUSY ROADS AND INTERSECTIONS IN THE MIDDLE OF RUSH HOUR. WE ARE WORRIED THAT IT WILL HAPPEN WHILE SHE IS MOVING OR CHANGING GEARS. THIS HAS TO BE SOME SORT OF SAFETY ISSUE. THE CAR IS GOING TO KIA TOMORROW TO HAVE THE ISSUE ADDRESSED. *JB
Power train, Jan 4, 2007
MANUAL TRANSMISSION INTERMITTENT SHIFTING SAFETY DEFECT CAUSES OUR 2005 KIA SORENTO TO LOCK UP WHILE WE ARE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC AND WILL NOT LET US SHIFT GEARS OR MOVE THE CAR. HAS HAPPENED PULLING INTO TRAFFIC IN FIRST GEAR; HAS HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY SHIFTING UP THROUGH GEARS, HAS HAPPENED DOWN SHIFTING IN INTERSECTIONS. THIS DANGEROUS SAFETY DEFECT COULD CAUSE US TO BE IN A POSSIBLY FATAL ACCIDENT. WE HAVE REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO KIA INC. TWO TIMES AND TAKEN TO DEALERS FOR DIAGNOSIS BUT HAVE BEEN TOLD SINCE THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM AND THEY CAN'T DUPLICATE IT THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO TO HELP US. THEY TEST DRIVE THE CAR BUT WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ELSE TO LOOK AT THE CAR. IN THE MEANTIME THE PROBLEM CONTINUES TO EXIST AND WE ARE DRIVING A DANGEROUS VEHICLE AND WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM CORRECTED. OUR CONSCIENCE TELLS US WE SHOULD NOT TRADE OR SELL THIS AUTO BECAUSE WE KNOW IT HAS A POTENTIALLY LIFE-THREATENING SAFETY DEFECT (EVEN THOUGH IT HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY) . THIS IS A FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE. EVERY TIME WE DRIVE THE CAR WE WONDER IF THE SHIFTING PROBLEM WILL OCCUR. WE HAVE YOUNG GRANDCHILDREN AND BOUGHT THE KIA SORENTO BECAUSE OF ITS POSITIVE SAFETY FEATURES. BECAUSE OF THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM WE ARE HIGHLY CONCERNED FOR THEIR AND OUR SAFETY. *NM UPDATED 11/21/06. *JB UPDATED
Power train, Oct 12, 2005
WHILE DRIVING MY 2005 KIA SORENTO IT SUDDENLY LOOSES POWER AND WILL NOT SURPASS 30 MPH. WHEN I CHANGE FROM AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION TO THIS NEW STANDARD SHIFT THERE IS NO RESPONSE. THIS HAS OCCURRED NOW 4 TIMES THE PAST 2 MONTHS. THE DEALER CHECKED THE CODES AND NOTHING SHOWS. I MUST STOP AND SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF, RESTART AND ALL SYSTEMS RETURN TO NORMAL. MY DEALER SAYS THAT I MUST BRING THIS TO THEM WHEN IT IS IN THIS STATE. THIS REQUEST IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DO.*JB
Power train, Aug 18, 2005
TRANSMISSION SLIPS IN THE FIRST FOUR GEARS. I A HAVE ALMOST BEEN REAR ENDED MANY TIMES BECAUSE TRANSMISSION GOES INTO NEUTRAL. TRANSMISSION MODULE REPLACED. IT IS STILL SLIPPING OUT OF GEAR. *NM