2006 Kia Sorento
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 242 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 12th highest complaint count among 23 Sorento model years with reports.
Of the 2006 reports, 12 involved a crash and 8 involved a fire. 14 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Exterior lighting, brake lights, switchApr 17, 2009
HUYNDAI-KIA IS RECALLING 139,844 MY 2006-2007- SEDONA, SPORTAGE, SORENTO AND MY RONDO AND AMANTI VEHICLES. THE STOP LAMP SWITCH IN THE AFFECTED VEHICLES MAY MALFUNCTION. A MALFUNCTIONING STOP LAMP SWITCH MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED OR MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO REMAIN ILLUMINATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS RELEASED. A STOP LAMP SWITCH MALFUNCTION MAY ALSO AFFECT THE OPERATION OF THE BRAKE-TRANSMISSION SHIFT INTERLOCK FEATURE SO THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BE SHIFTED OUT OF THE PARK POSITION. IT MAY ALSO CAUSE THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) MALFUNCTION LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE, AND IT MAY NOT DEACTIVATE THE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED.
ANY OF THESE MALFUNCTIONS, ALONE OR IN COMBINATION, MAY LEAD TO A CRASH.
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STOP LAMP SWITCH FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 17, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA'S CONSUMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-333-4542.
Campaign 09V130000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: engine
85 reports, newest first. Show all
Engine and engine cooling, Sep 29, 2011
UNDER NORMAL OPERATION AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE CRANKSHAFT BOLT BROKE AND ALLOWED THE HARMONIC BALANCER/CRANKSHAFT PULLEY ASSEMBLY TO COME FREE OF THE CRANKSHAFT. THIS RESULTED IN A BROKEN CRANKSHAFT SPROCKET, CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR AND TIMING BELT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTEE BECAUSE IT IS NOT CONSIDERED PART OF KIA'S DRIVETRAIN BECAUSE IT IS NOT A LUBRICATED PART. THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF SERVICE FOR 14 DAYS. ON SEPTEMBER 22, 2011 THE SAME BOLT CAME LOOSE AND SNAPPED THE SPRING PIN ALIGNING THE BALANCER WITH THE CRANKSHAFT SPROCKET. THIS RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND CHARGING SYSTEM WHILE MY WIFE AND DAUGHTERS WERE TRAVELING IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UP TO SPEED YET SO THE DAMAGE WAS MINIMAL. THE BOLT HAD TO BE REMOVED AS WELL AS THE BALANCER. THE SPRING PIN HAD TO BE DRILLED OUT OF THE CRANK SPROCKET AND REPLACED.THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF SERVICE FOR 7 DAYS. *TT
Steering, Engine and engine cooling, Sep 19, 2011
WAS TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY 65MPH TRIED TO CHANGE LANES BUT THE STEERING HAD GONE OUT, HAD TO TURN STEERING WHEEL VERY HARD TO GET IT TO TURN, ONCE I PULLED OVER AND LOOKED BENEATH HOOD THE BELTS WERE NO LONGER TURNING AND COULD SEE WHAT LOOK LIKE A PULLEY LAYING AT BOTTOM OF ENGINE. MATT CASTRUCCI KIA IN DAYTON, OHIO STATED THAT MY BOLT HAD BROKEN OFF AND CAUSED MY PULLEY TO BREAK. HAVE READ A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS HAPPENING ON KIA'S SORENTO, ENOUGH THAT A INVESTIGATION SHOULD HAVE TAKEN PLACE BY NOW. WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN BEFORE THIS IS INVESTIGATED. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO DIE FIRST? *KB
Engine and engine cooling, Aug 15, 2011
AFTER HEARING A LOUD SCREECHING NOISE FROM MY ENGINE I CALLED THE DEALER & TOLD THEM I WAS COMING IN, MY CAR STALLED ON THE WAY IN. THE DEALER SAID MY CRANK SHAFT PULLEY BOLT BROKE, CAUSING DAMAGE TO MY CRANK SHAFT SENSOR & MY TIMING BELT WHICH I HAD REPLACED A FEW MONTHS BACK. I AM JUST LEARNING THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AND THAT KIA IS AWARE OF THIS DEFECTIVE BOLT AND REFUSES TO COVER THE DAMAGE CAUSED TO THE ENGINES WHEN IT BREAKS. *TR
Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Aug 9, 2011
CRANKSHAFT BOLT SHEARED OFF IN MAY 2010 AT 63,000 MILES CAUSING $1200 IN DAMAGE AND TOWING. AFTER HAVING A KIA DEALER FIX THE ISSUE OUT OF MY POCKET BECAUSE I'M A "SECOND OWNER", THE ISSUE HAPPENED AGAIN IN JULY 2011 AT 101,000 MILES. THE DEALER AGAIN HAS TO REPAIR WITH SIMILAR COSTS OUT OF MY POCKET. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AS THE BELT CONNECTING TO THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY IS ALSO ATTACHED TO THE ALTERNATOR WHICH, WHEN BROKE, CAUSES A LOSS OF ALL POWER, EVEN WHILE THE CAR IS AT FULL DRIVING SPEED. THIS IS ALSO AN EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE ISSUE WHICH AFTER SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS WITH KIA, THEY HAVE YET TO ACKNOWLEDGE IS A PROBLEM. *TR
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 24, 2011
AUTO LOSING SPEED ON ACCELERATION AND CAR RUNNING POORLY, THEN QUIT COMPLETELY. HAD TOWED TO NEAREST SHOP FOR REPAIR. ALSO HAD TIMING BELT CHANGED AT THE SAME TIME, PER KIAS REQUIRED MAINTENANCE AT 60,000 MI. ON FEB. 18, 2011, REPAIRS WERE MADE: CRANKSHAFT BOLT WAS GONE AND COTTER PIN SHEERED OFF. THESE ITEMS WERE FIXED ALONG W/TIMING BELT REPLACEMENT.. JUNE 15, 2011, CAR LOSING SPEED ON ACCELERATION AND RUNNING VERY BADLY. I WAS ON HIGHWAY. I DID MAKE IT HOME. I HAD AAA COME AND TOW IT TO MY NORMAL REPAIR SHOP, THE DORSCH KIA DEALER. DORSCH OPENED HER UP AND SAID BOLTS WERE NOT TIGHTENED DOWN PROPERLY. MEANTIME, PERFORMANCE AUTO WERE I ORIGINALLY TOOK MY CAR SHOWED ME A BULLETIN ON MY MAKE AND MODEL THAT SHOWED ISSUES WITH THIS BOLT STRETCHING AND COMING OFF AND OR CRACKING OFF. FURTHER, THEY WILL NOT REPLACE ANY PARTS OR LABOR BECAUSE IT IS KIA'S ISSUE THEY SAID. NOW MY CAR IS AT KIA DEALERSHIP AND MY POCKETS ARE EMPTY. *TR
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 2, 2011
FITTING THAT CONNECTS HOSE TO RADIATOR SNAPPED IN HALF CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK AND ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. INFORMED BY REPAIR SHOP THAT THIS CAN BE TEMPORARILY FIXED BY INSTALLING A BRASS FITTING USING EPOXY BUT THAT THE ONLY PERMANENT REPAIR IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE RADIATOR. *TR
Engine and engine cooling, May 4, 2011
CRANKSHAFT TORQUE BOLT SHEARED OFF CAUSING THE BRAKING AND STEERING TO BECOME STIFF RESULTING IN GREATLY DIMINISHED CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE PULLEY ASSEMBLY BEGAN TO SQUEAL RESULTING IN PARKING THE VEHICLE UNTIL IT WAS TIME TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE OF THE CONCERN. ENROUTE TO THE DEALERSHIP THE BRAKE AND ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED AND BRAKING BECAME SLUGGISH AND STEERING APPEARED TO BE STIFF. WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND I OPENED THE HOOD SEEING THAT THE SERPENTINE BELT HAD COME OFF. THE FOLLOWING DAY THE DEALERSHIP NOTIFIED ME THAT THE CRANKSHAFT TORQUE BOLT HAD SHEARED OFF AND THEY WERE CALLING KIA TO DETERMINE A FIX FOR REPLACING THE BOLT OR IF THE ENGINE WOULD NEED REPLACED. AFTER SOME BRIEF RESEARCH THIS APPEARS TO BE A RECURRING PROBLEM FOR SEVERAL KIA MODELS AND MODEL YEARS. *TR
Engine and engine cooling, Jul 14, 2010
THE ISSUE IS WITH 2 KIAS I BOUGHT WITHIN THE LAST YEAR. BOTH AUTOMOBILES HAD AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSORS THAT FAILED WITHIN MONTHS OF ME PURCHASING IT. THE FIRST KIA I BOUGHT WAS A SEDONA 2003. THE SECOND IS A SORENTO 2006 I BOUGHT NOVEMBER 2009. *TR
Engine and engine cooling, Jul 30, 2008
CAR STALLS WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT ANY WARNING. IT HAS STALLED IN INTERSECTIONS AND JUST RIDING DOWN THE ROAD. WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLS IT JUST CUTS OFF AND MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP AND YOU HAVE NO TIME TO PULL OVER. ALMOST REAR ENDED 3 TIMES IN A WEEK. *TR
Engine and engine cooling, Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Jan 9, 2007
2006 SORENTO WAS PURCHASED IN NOV 2005. JAN OF 2006 THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I WAS TOLD IT WAS DUE TO POSSIBLE LOOSE GAS CAP. FIRST TIME TAIL LIGHT WENT OUT WAS IN JULY OF 2006. RIGHT REAR TAIL LIGHT WAS REPLACED. IN OCTOBER OF 2006 A TAIL LIGHT BULB WAS REPLACED DURING MY 15,000 MILE MAINTENANCE. IN NOVEMBER 2006 RIGHT TAIL LIGHT WENT OUT AND KIA REPLACED BULB ONCE AGAIN. IN DECEMBER OF 2006 LEFT TAIL LIGHT WENT OUT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. BULB WAS REPLACED AND I WAS TOLD MY SPARK PLUGS WERE MISFIRING AND WERE REPLACED. A DAY LATER MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I AM NOW TRYING TO SEE WHAT DAY I CAN TAKE OFF OF WORK YET AGAIN TO GO AND HAVE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT LOOKED AT. *NM