Tl* the contact owns a 2005 kia sorento. While driving approximately 7 MPH down an icy hill, the vehicle was shifted into 4-wheel drive but it failed to engage. The driver lost control and crashed into another vehicle without warning. The driver's shoulder and left arm were injured, but did not require medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer. The technician diagnosed that the front pinion fractured. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 119,700. Updated 03/31/15
2005 Kia Sorento steering complaints
Page 2 of 2: complaints 11 to 39 of 39, newest first, as owners wrote them.
First incident-on august 16, 2014 while on vacation and driving from virginia to chicago ill, the vehicle start making a rattling noise coming from the front of the vehicle and warning lights came on the dash (battery, brake) and the power steering went out making the vehicle very hard to maneuver, I immediately pulled over into a fast food parking lot to check the noise and found that the harmonic balancer was loose and belts were not turning, I had the vehicle towed to a mechanic after inspection I was informed that the crank shaft gear pin had broke off to the harmonic balancer. I purchase the parts (harmonic balancer, bolt and crank shaft gear) and had the mechanic repair the vehicle and drove back to virginia. Second incident-october 2014 while my wife was driving the vehicle, she encountered the same problems the warning lights, rattling in the front of vehicle, power steering locked unable to turn vehicle, I inspected the vehicle and saw that the harmonic balancer was loose and belts were not turning, the pin in the crank shaft gear has broken again, I had the vehicle towed to the kia dealership in richmond, and they stated that I needed a new motor. After investigating complaints about this vehicle on line I found out that this problem is well documented with this make and year vehicle. If I or my wife had been on the highway at the time of this fault it could have been catastrophic. I also found that their is a class action suit against kia motors addressing the exact same fault.(civil action no. 13-006 united states district court, district of new jersey) essentially, plaintiffs claimed their vehicles were designed with a ?defective crankshaft pulley bold and balancer,? Which could result in ?breaking off the spring guide pin,? Causing ?catastrophic engine failure.? This vehicle is unsafe, a recall is warranted and kia motors needs to correct the defect.
On 8/23/2014 my family a I were in chicago we traveled there on friday 8/22/2014 from virginia in the 2005 kia sorento that I just purchased in july 2014 from pearson hyundai. While driving to my family reunion in the forest reserves the vehicle brake light and other warning lights came on, and a rattle could be heard coming from the engine, the vehicle became hard to steer and the noise from the engine became louder. I stopped the vehicle and had it towed to my families mechanic, after checking the vehicle it was found to have the pin on the crank gear broken off, and the crank bolt came loose, replaced the sprocket (crank gear), the harmonic balancer, and the bolt. I drove the vehicle back to virginia with no problem, then on october 3, 2014 while my wife was driving in richmond, va the exact same thing happened again, (warning lights, no power steering and rattling from the harmonic balancer, I had the car towed to the kia dealership on friday, they finally got back with me wed, october 8, 2014 and told me that I needed a motor cause the crank shaft is blown, prior to having it towed, I saw that the harmonic balancer was doing the exact same thing it had did in chicago and turning it I can tell that the same pin has came off the sprocket. The kia dealership wants to sell me a used engine, same as the one that is in the kia I have, I am reluctant to pay $5000.00 to replace the engine to have the same problem, that I and after further investigation a lot of kia sorento owners have suffered.
Kia sorento 2005, similar crank bolt main pulley assembly break that many, many of the others have all been complaining about and unfortunately been experiencing. This is the third time I had this very same issue repaired for substantial dollars and now my mechanic stated there is not enough thread left into the crankshaft to fix and it needs a completely rebuild or engine replacement - which in all likelihood be less expensive. There should definitely be a recall for this - as so many have the same issue. Thank god my incidents were all at slow speed because this would easily cause a crash because you loose all power steering and control.
Driving approximately 55mph 22 nov 2013, heard a thump from engine compartment, and lost all power to vehicle, ending up in a ditch. Engine stopped, no steering, no brakes. Dash lights illuminated. Vehicle would not re-start. Crank pulley bolt broke off. Over 5 hours to extract remainder of bolt to repair engine. $1359 in repairs. Now, 22 sept 2014, 10 months later, had same happen on highway at 70mph in heavy traffic. Thankful I was in a lane at the edge of the roadway. Current mileage slightly under 114,000. Yeah. 10 months and 13000 miles and another huge repair bill. No recall, kia claims no liability. Other issue: interior lighting turns itself off and on at whim. Headlights burn out every 45-90 days.
In september 2012, traveling at 35mph my kia came to a stop. At first glance it was determined the drive belts had unfastened and the cam shaft bolt was laying on the engine pan. After inspection at kia service shop the specialist identified that the cam shaft bolt had sheered off due to the defective part: cam shaft sprocket-c, part # 23120-35701 cost $60.00. The final suggestion was to replace the bolt set, sprocket, crank angle sensor, damper pulley, auto tensioner and all drive belts a total of $2,000 repair cost. In 2014, the cost repair is now 4,000 to replace the engine because of the same exact issue but traveling over 40mpg causing more damage. The main cause of this defect derives from the small pin attached to the sprocket that turns the harmonic balancer and grinds the steel with the force of the engine into nothing. The result of this defect causes the harmonic balancer to come lose, shearing off the crank bolt first, then if traveling at low speed will follow with the repair above, however if at high speed will result in engine damage in the valves making it necessary to replace the engine at a cost of $4,000. You may refer to the following resources for more information: the kia sorento engine defect class action lawsuit case is robinson el al v. Kia motors america inc. Case no. 13-cv00006 us district court of new jersey. For a video visual of the exact defect you may refer to youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhll55fv2z0.
While driving at 50 MPH the power steering failed on my 2005 kia sorento making it extremely difficult to control. When I finally pulled into a parking lot there was a loud noise coming from the engine. I turned off the engine immediately. When I tried to restart the vehicle the battery appeared to be dead. I finally had to have it towed around 11 p.m. Upon further inspection by a mechanic it was determined that the cam shaft bold broke off.causing the pulleys to stop which affected everything that was driven by the pulleys. There was also damage to the radiator that needs to be replaced. Initial estimate to repair the vehicle was $1550.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 kia sorento. While driving approximately 30 MPH, the power steering failed without warning and the vehicle became increasingly difficult to control. The dealer stated that the camshaft needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 117,000.
From the time I got the car head lights have repeatedly burned out after a month or two, also dash lights go off randomly and flicker and then come back on when ever they decide,my power steering went out, brake light came on and A/C went out all at once. Started to overheat, so it was determined the serpentinre belt had broke,replaced belt and vibration under hood was noticeable but could not determine the source., but somewhere under the hood. Still replacing headlights every couple months, then power steering fluid started to be consumed and constantlyt required adding fluid, then had a mechanic check for leak and he replaced some hoses and clamps but vibratiion continued and eventually power steering began loud noise when car started and only when reved up would noise stop, and when A/C was on sometimes would effect the power steering noise. Replaced the powersteering pump, still the noise continued and recently the belt came off while I was driving and brake light came on , I was able to get safely off the road and didnt cause an acciedent, but very close call, belt had come off but after minor adjustment it was put back on, vibration noise has become worse, I am affraid to drive it, mechanic looked at it and said harmonic balance seems to be off and root of problem is crank shaft bolt most likely , common problem , however during the time in kia dealership for other recall issues , crank bolt was never brought to my attention as being a problem in my year or model car, non it turns out it is a major problem and legal action has been taken by class action suit dealing with same issue.
I recently had to have the crank shaft sensor replaced on my 2005 kia sorento. This morning, driving my young son to school, I lost the steering on my vehicle. Additionally, the engine light and brake light came on. As I understand it, this is an ongoing defective issue with kia's. This is a dangerous problem for the public as well as consumers.
I was driving from daughter bus stop after leaving the hospital and it just was shaking or felt funny then brake light and battery light came on and took to parking lot called mechanic told me crank shaft was broke reported to kia as well.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 kia sorento. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, there was a sudden loss of steering power and the vehicle became difficult to maneuver. The vehicle was taken to a private mechanic where it was diagnosed that the crankshaft pulley needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure and current mileage was 90,000. The VIN was not available.
3/2/13 had timing belt replaced @50,031 miles on my 2005 kia sorento to manual specs.drove from phx to nashville.5/2013 I heard a terrible squeaking sound under my hood,first thought loose belt. Went on to get it check out&as I was trying to make a right turn a few blocks from the house,my steering wheel was almost impossible to turn. Thought my power steering pump had gone out. I almost ran over 2 people crossing the street&almost hit another car. I was turning my steering wheel to the right w/all my might! Everyone was honking at me & thought I was probably drunk! I was so upset. Had it towed to kia. My power train still under warranty,am original owner&denied coverage 3x.they tried to sell me a used engine for $5k.stated they knew they could not get the broken piece of bolt out.I did some research on-line&there is many complaints w/ this problem,some have had it happen 2,3,4 x.mgr. Told me my model had the new re-designed bolt,&it was brakes plus fault when they put on the timing belt. Mgr. Said that they should have never used the old bolt&that they put on a new bolt when replacing timing belt.I heard a tsb went out regarding the bolts to all service shops to use the new re-design bolt on 03&04 models,but not 05.if I had gotten a copy of that notice,I would have made sure that whoever replaced timing belt,used new bolt. A kia tech wrote:8/10/12 its not the bolt, it is the crank sprocket&balancer, the design of the balancer sticks out to far&weighs to much breaking off the spring guide pin.when there is a repair,we replace them everytime we do a timing belt on one.you take the crack sprocket&balancer&u add 2 more spring pins as well as drill&tap the crank&install a timesert (heavier helicoil) have not had one of these come back,if anyone is doing a timing belt I highly recommend doing this at the same time,but it will not break the bolt or sheer the guide pin.
Was driving down road with my son when my car started to vibrate and make a horrible noise. The warning lights on the dash turned on and I lost my power steering just as I was turning onto our street. I had the vehicle towed to an auto shop and before they looked at it, the owner told me that it was the crank pulley bolt that sheered off. He said its common in kia SUV's of that time period! I was lucky to be on a side street and not a highway going faster because there was no warning to this happening and I could've easily lost control. This defect will eventually cause someone to lose control and become injured or killed.
Second failure of crank shaft pulley bolt within 2 months of it being repaired. Dealer assured me it was fixed properly according to the manufacturers tsb. Bolt sheared off again and all belts came loose. 18 year old female driver, while slowing to turn corner lost power assist steering, incredibly lucky to be alive. Loud clunk...that was the harmonic balancer falling off the vehicle. Kia fails to acknowledge design flaw in this dangerous, dangerous vehicle!
The power steering on our 2005 kia sorento being driven by my 18 year old daughter failed. It was so fortunate that it occurred when she was decelerating to turn a corner, however it was incredibly hard to steer with the loss of power. She was lucky to be able to navigate out of traffic safely. Had aaa tow to the dealer who had sold us the car 2 months earlier. I had purchased an extended warranty for just this purpose...never thinking that I would need to use it so soon.. The aaa driver said it looked as a belt had come off. When at the dealer, found that the crank pully bolt had sheared off resulting in no power steering, AC or charging system! Bolt had broken off and harmonic balancer had dropped off the vehicle! After some net research I found a technical service bulletin{ #072 revised} for this same crankshaft bolt. Kia is well aware of this failing bolt and continues to put peoples lives at risk? This is a huge design flaw.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 kia sorento. The contact was traveling 10 MPH when the power steering assist failed while attempting a left turn and the contact crashed into a ditch. The vehicle was destroyed. The police were not contacted. There were no injuries. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer and the manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 140,000 and the current mileage was 143,000 . . Updated 07/27/12 *bf the consumer stated the power steering failure happened on four different occasions. The airbags did not deploy during crash. Updated 08/02/2012.
While driving my vehicle home I noticed pulsating in the steering wheel and the power steering went out, the vehicle became very hard to turn, after parking the vehicle and turning it off, I turned it back on and the power steering came back, this issue will be addressed with the dealership on monday.
While traveling down the road in my 2005 kia sorento my car lost steering. My brake light and battery light came on, I took it to the dealer where they told me crankshaft bolt had broke with half of it stuck in engine. Kia refuses to address the issue with some many people having it. It is a dangerous condition that causes you to lose steering while driving luckily I didn't crash, but some many others have. Kia must recall this crankshaft bolt issue, someone my get seriously hurt or killed!
On tuesday may 24, 2011 as I was about to make a turn in my 2005 kia sorento the steering wheel locked and the brake light turned on. I was able to turn the steering wheel to the right slightly and drive diagonal to the sidewalk and park the vehicle. Upon towing the vehicle it was found that the bolt that holds the damper, controlling the steering had broken. I am currently researching how this bolt could have broken. My vehicle has 111,025 miles and I am the first owner. The vehicle is undriveable.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 kia sorento. The contact was driving approximately 60 -65 MPH when the battery and parking brake warning lights illuminated momentarily. The contact stated that the power steering failed suddenly and caused extreme difficulty in steering capabilities. The vehicle was then inspected by an independent mechanic and they advised that the failure was the harmonic balancer bolt and that the entire engine would need to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was approximately 75,000.
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.
Tl*the contact owns a 2005 kia sorento. The contact stated that when entering her vehicle she had a difficult time trying to turn the steering wheel. The vehicle was towed to a independent mechanic who informed the contact that the bolt on the crank shaft had fractured. The manufacturer was contacted and offered no assistance. The VIN was unknown. The vehicle has not been repaired. The failure mileage was 82,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 kia sorrento. The contact was pulling into a driveway at relatively low speeds of 5 MPH when he noticed an unusual popping sound. The steering immediately failed and the contact was able to stop the vehicle without incident. The contact noticed that when turning the steering wheel, the tires would not move. The manufacturer advised having the vehicle towed to a local dealer for a diagnosis of the failure. The contact stated he would have his personal mechanic diagnose the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileages were 78,000.
Tl*the contact owns a 2005 kia sorento. While driving at 15 MPH, the contact noticed that the power steering suddenly stopped functioning. The vehicle was towed to an authorized dealership where the contact was informed that the crank shaft pulley bolt needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. The current and failure mileages were approximately 72,000. Updated 07/29/10 *bf the consumer also stated the vehicle lost steering. Updated 08/09/10
Intermittent hard steering as stated on technical service bulletin, kia motors, # kt2005022519, model: sorento ex, produced before 10/06/04. May intermittently have variations in the level of power assist during driving and parking. Steering problems were related to dealer, alignment of front wheels was performed that required major rebuild due to defective parts. Did not solve problem. I became aware of this service bulletin recently while speaking with a service writer at new kia dealership. No action will be taken due to vehicle being out of warranty. This information was never made know to me since the vehicle was purchased new. This is a serious safety issue that should be addressed.
While returning from our vacation our kia started making at lot of noises in around the airconditioning heating system, the air coming from the vents didn't seem to be warm enough to defog the windows, then the next day when it was warmer it started making a rattling fan noise when the air was turned on. When the system was turned off it didn't make the noise anymore. We arrived home unloaded our gear and then went out again a while later. The fan noise started again and the warning light came on and the power steering didn't work, when the air was turned off everything resumed to normal. We arrived at our friend house and went inside. After several minutes we smelled something burning and went outside to see smoke coming from the engine area. We lifted the hood to investigate where we saw flames coming from the engine. We immediately extinguished the fire and had the vehicle towed the next day. Come to find out several days later that our vehicle was too badly burned to repair the engine. The engine had to be replaced due to a timing belt failure. If this is an ongoing problem it should be mandatory that they should be replaced by whomever owns the vehicle or the dealer if the car has been traded because the next owner would not know any of the previous repairs such was our case. As it stands now there are some interior electrical problems such as the lights an the electronic seats we are hoping for some kind of recall for this problem. There was also a problem with the fan running on after the car was turned off. This was still happening even after the engine had been replaced and we were told earlier that it was a sensor problem which still happened even after the sensor was replaced.
2005 kia sorento v6, breakage of crankshaft accessory pulley/vibration damper bolt, causing loss of power steering due to power steering belt to become inoperative. This problem effects 2003 to 2006 kia sorento v6 engines many owners have had multi failures of this bolt, the updated bolts fail too. Kia is trying to hide this serious problem and has no intention of a real fix. My vehicle and others are afraid to drive our kia sorento's.
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.
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