2003 Kia Sorento: steering wheel locks up

Filed Sep 21, 2015 · Acceleration, Engine · 147,233 miles · NJ

While driving on highway approx 55mph the car just power. Dead gas pedal. Had to get over to shoulder but could not due to the steering locking up and the car shutting down. I got assistance from passerby who go me over to shoulder. I started up the car and it started up and ran with no issue. Sudden shut dowm of engine is very dangerous. Once I got home and had the car checked the mechanic could not duplicate the incident in order to make repairs. This happened 2 more times and only happens to me on highway driving. Never in city driving.

Filed Feb 25, 2014 · Engine, Steering · 38,000 miles · PA · crash

I was driving the vehicle in the parking lot when I heard a loud noise and lost control of the steering because the car died and the steering wheel locked up. I looked under the hood and notice all the belts and front of the motor fell off and was laying at the bottom. I called the tow truck they towed it to the kia dealer. Where they told me its a problem the 2003 kia sorento has. They told me they will replace the engine that was at 38,000 mile. Now the car has 72,000 miles on it so that's 34,000 miles on this motor now they tell me the same thing is happening and the motor has to be replaced. So the kia motor is only good for 30,000 miles that's just ridiculous and the cost is on me.

Filed Aug 8, 2012 · Driver assistance, Engine · 120,000 miles · FL · 2 injuries

While driving on hwy 275 at 60 MPH. Engine lights came on and steering wheel locked..total system power failure..2 daughters almost lost their lives trying to maneuver this death missile to emergency lane..just in time to miss multiple tractor trailers vehicles from crushing them..not to mention multiple passenger cars in harms way from defective part replaced malfunctioning again... Kia claims no responsibility even though defective part is clearly at fault..have firestone mechanic willing to substantiate claim and is willing to help in class action lawsuit.. I urge everyone that has any history with this deathtrap to please get the message out that this vehicle will kill you..most likely their other vehicles will as well...do not ever drive or put anyone you love in any vehicle that they make!!!!! My daughters are scarred for life and never want to drive this vehicle or anything at this point..I am going to make sure that everyone that I can reach via social media really really understands the truth of this vehicles death warrant.

Filed Nov 20, 2009 · Engine, Steering · 79,000 miles · MD

I have a 2003 kia sorento. As I left the garage at my office around 6 p.m. Monday 11/16, the car began making a horrible squealing noise. It immediately lost power steering, several warning lights came on, and it felt like the parking brake was on (it wasn't). I managed to get out of the garage to a space on the street. I turned the car off. When I tried to start it again, it wouldn't start. I had it towed to a service station, which said the car had thrown its drive belts and that it needed a new crankshaft balancer pulley, crankshaft sprocket, crankshaft pulley bolt and crankshaft pulley washer to fix the underlying cause. I called kia customer service to see if there was a recall related to those parts. There was a recall in 2007 and my car was serviced at that time as ordered by kia. Kia said tuesday that they would only consider paying for needed repairs if I had the car towed to a kia dealership. I had it towed to king kia in gaithersburg, md., at my expense. The service writer, wayne johnson, told me that the garage that had put my new timing belt on had left a bolt loose. He told me his mechanic put the three drive belts back on. He told me I needed a new battery (though the current battery was only 2 years old) because the current one wasn't holding a charge. I told him to put one on. He told me the car was running fine and ready to go. I assumed -- it now turns out, wrongly -- that the kia mechanic had tightened whatever bolt he found loose. I picked up the car wednesday night and drove it straight home. When I started it yesterday morning to leave for work, I drove it about 1.5 blocks and the steering locked up, the brake and battery warning lights came on, and it felt like the parking brake was on. This time the engine kept running. I brought it back home and called the kia garage back. Wayne now admits the mechanic never looked for an underlying cause. He simply put the old drive belts on and a new battery in. Today he says it needs a new crank pulley.

Filed Apr 9, 2007 · Steering · 79,000 miles · VA

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 kia sorento. The contact stated that while driving the steering wheel locked and could not turn left or right. The mechanic stated that a bolt and balancer detached from the hinges. The contact suggested that the power steering may have been low in fluid. The current and failure mileage were 79,000.