Problems with 2003 Kia Sorento ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 kia sorento. while driving 45 mph, the crank shaft failed and the vehicle was towed. the total cost of the rental expense was $600. the contact stated that when the crankshaft failed, he was stranded. the kia dealer claimed to have repaired the vehicle. there are no warning indicators present when the failure occurs. the manufacturer stated that they could not be of assistance. the vehicle was repaired under warranty. the current mileage is 48,000 and failure mileage was 40,000. the consumer stated the repair was covered under recall, since a recall was issued, however he is requesting reimbursement for the rental car. the radiator assembly was replaced due to a leak at the lower seam. updated

As i was driving down the freeway, the engine stalled and all lights on the dash came on. i was able to pull to safety (just by sheer luck) and called kia 1-800 for towing service. the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealership. i was initially told that the timing belt was malfunctioning. supposedly the analyzer showed that there were "multiple misfires. i was asked if the car was missing prior to the stall. i told them it ran as smooth as silk. i authorized them to replace the timing belt despite the fact that it had been replaced as part of scheduled maintenance two months earlier. the dealership then called and told me they had "good news and bad news". the timing belt was repaired but it appeared the head was blown and that kia refused to pay for repairs because the overflow bottle was cracked. they stated that the head blew because the engine overheated and was caused by my negligence. the gauges never indicated that the car overheated. they are unable to tell me how much the repairs will cost because there may be further damage once they tear it down. the estimate is between $2500 and "wore case scenario" $4700 i am furious. the car is not yet four years old and still has 36,000 miles left on the warranty. *jb

The battery and brake lights were on the dashboard. also, the vehicle lost power steering. opened the hood and the engine area and found the alternator belt fell off its pulley. the power steering belt ran off the alternator belt. this was why the vehicle had no power steering. checked the crank shaft pulley, and found the crank shaft pulley had play, and the crankshaft bolt backed out of place. kia has a pit stop highlight , stating that the crank shaft bolt backed out of place due to improper torque settings on the crank shaft bolt. highlight kt2006042501. removed the radiator to gain access to the crank shaft pulley. removed the crank shaft pulley and inspected. found the crank shaft sprocket pin sheared off due to the crank shaft pulley backing out place. the crankshaft sprocket holds the pulley in place. the crank shaft pulley, sprocket, and bolt will have to be replaced. removed the timing belt and to replace the sprocket. installed everything back in place and started the vehicle. oil was now leaking from behind the timing cover. removed all parts again to gain access to the timing belt. found oil was leaking from behind the timing sprocket. removed the sprocket, and found the crank shaft rubber seal had signs of wear and was slightly bent. replaced the crank shaft rubber seal, and reinstalled sprocket and timing belt. started vehicle, and no signs of leaks were noticed. road tested vehicle , and vehicle drove properly. the owner complained and questioned the result of the loss of power steering due to the improper torque setting on the crank shaft bolt as suggested by the narrative of the mechanic's report and as stated above. if it was so does the owner have remedy in contacting kia or the dealership )for possible reimbursement for the parts and labor associated with this part of mechanical performance. *ak ivoq n 20061104 n y n 6 4wd fi gs auto 30 kia of westchester west chester pa 19382 v n n

Crankshaft pulley broke off. kia dealer recommends engine replacement. cost would be $7000. researching this topic find others with same situation. this is a serious safety problem. the power steering becomes inoperable and the power shuts off while driving. *jb

Like many 2003 kia sorento owners the overflow tank in mine developed a crack in the bottom that is only visible when it is pressurized. although kia knows there is a problem with the overflow tank in most if not all 2003 kia sorento's and has sent out a tsb to their mechanics over how to replace it. as soon as my car had overheated due to the leak, i had to pay around $100 to buy a new tank from the nearest dealership but alas after over heating my car developed more problems and engine having to be thrown out. this has cost me over $4300 in repairs so far, and have not been able to drive the car i am still making monthly payments on in nine months. none of which are covered to the warranty due to their "10 year 100,000 mile" powertrain warranty not being transferable to those who buy the car used. *tr

I would like to make a complaint about my 03 kia sorento. i bought this car used in 2004. my husband called kia to check to see if the warranties where transferable and the representative told him they were. since i have had this vehicle, i have had to replace the rear tail/brake lights 3 times, i have had to replace the coolant bottle, my rotors were vibrating when i braked so i had them surfaced and now they vibrate again. my blower fan has gone out and now my crankshaft bolt has broke last week. the vehicle is currently at the dealer. i didn't buy an extended warrant because i was under the impression that the engine, transmission ect was covered up to 100,000 or 5 years, which i was informed that it was only for the original owner. at first, i was just thinking that it was just my bad luck, until i started researching it on the internet and discovered that many people seem to be having the same problems as i am and that is only the those of use who actual post it on the internet, i am sure that there are probably many more that are not reported. at this time, i don't even know how much this is going to cost me at first the deal told me $765.00, then they said may be $3700.00. i think it is ridicules that so many people are having a problem with the crankshaft bolt braking off and ruining the motor of a vehicle that is 3 years old and kia has not done anything about it. i also have seen that many people have had there coolant bottle leaking, again like mine, but they have blown their engines. again why is it that kia is not recall this vehicles for these problems. if my crankshaft bolt had broke while i was driving down the interstate, it chills me to think of what might have happened. someone really needs to help all of us kia owners who are all having the same problem. *jb

I have heard about the crankshaft bolts breaking off in the kia sorento's. that is a major safety problem, and i am scared to drive my 2003 over 45 miles an hour. my service dept, dick edwards kia, informed me to have them check the torque on the bolt everytime i go in for service. kia should own up to this problem and not have its owners scared to drive it. *jb

I have now had the crank shaft pulley break 3 times, the engine and other parts have had to be replaced due to this. it makes the vehicle suddenly inoperable and unsafe.*ak

Coolant tank cracked. called kia and they said that it was not covered by warranty but that the part had been re designed. so i guess there was a problem with the tanks. but kia would not cover the replacement of the defective tank.*ak

A screw that hold the crank shaft & the tamper get broken while i was driving to my house. the dealer in puerto rico said that i have to pay$2,521.00 to fix it. but i heard from an insurance agent that kia was told by some government agency, i think that agency is nhtsa; to modify the screw involved in my incident, causing the lost control of my sorento. the steering get hard to move.

Dt*: the contact stated while attempting to turn on the defogger/defrost system, the heater failed to operate, and no heat was present. the vehicle was inspected by a dealer, who determined antifreeze fluid leaked out of the reservoir tank because it was fractured and needed to be replaced. the replacement parts were not available at the dealer, and the manufacturer was alerted, who confirmed the parts were not available. the dealer instructed the contact to monitor the level of antifreeze fluid daily and add more antifreeze if needed.

First incident - car stalled and fluid steamed from the hood. it had to be towed after several restarts to drive to the dealer. the coolant reservoir was cracked. this part is on national backorder and i have so far been waiting approx. four weeks for the part. the dealer said kia has halted manufacturing/distributing the part just for new cars and requested that the parts be shipped to the dealers for repair installations. the dealer customer service is great and i have no complaint about the dealer. *nm

Engine and cooling system. *jb

Where do i start?....well not long after we got the piece of junk we had to take it to the kia dealer because the engine light kept coming on, they said it was because the gas cap wasn't being twisted enough and air got in. well for about 2 weeks the engine light stayed off, we took it back numerous times but it kept coming back on. then on one occasion i was stranded about 40 miles from home...the car was dead, we had it towed to the dealer, all the belts had come off, they tried to make excuses why kia wouldn't fix it under the warranty, thank god we won that battle...keep in mind, the engine light is still on at this point. now this year the heater won't stay hot after about 30 seconds it turns cold, as cold as the air. then with no warning the car over heats and dies on me. we have it towed to the dealer they say it is my fault because when i seen the light come on i should have pulled over, "the light never goes off" kia won't fix it unless we pay for it, and the cost is $10,000. we have one year left and it would be paid off...less than $7,000 and now this. i am so angry, this is not right. i think the kia company needs to be investigated. something needs to be done they are ripping everyone off. taking money from working people and scamming them. they are no better than thieves and liars. they are selling a product along with a promise to service it should something go wrong but not honoring that promise. oh and did i mention the head lights are always going out? *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while traveling 35 mph, without warning there was a loss of power. the vehicle was pulled over and then towed to the dealership, who replaced the crankshaft. the problem recurred five weeks later and the vehicle was towed a second time. the dealership put lock spray in to keep the pin on the crankshaft from falling out.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 kia sorrento. the contact stated that after starting the vehicle, a long bang was heard from under the vehicle as it stalled. the vehicle was towed to the dealer where the dealer confirmed that the crank shaft pulley detached from the vehicle abnormally. the vehicle was repaired yet the failure recurred later while the contact was driving 40 mph.the vehicle was again towed to the dealer where the dealer confirmed that the crankshaft pulley had yet again, detached from the vehicle. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and the vehicle was repaired a second time. the failure mileage was 32,500 and the current mileage was 76,000.

Dt*: the contact stated while driving various speeds a noise and a vibration was noticed. upon further inspection, unusual wear on the inner tread of the front tires was also noticed. the vehicle was driven to the dealer who could not duplicate the problem. updated 9/11/2006 - the left front strut was noisy due to loose bottom strut bolt. the dealer tightened end and secured bolt. the consumer felt vibration in brake pedal when reversing and making turns. the dealer resurfaced the brake rotors and pads. the vibration returned. the dealer indicated that the rotors were warped and replaced them. the vehicle's engine made noise. the dealer adjusted all the belts. the cd player would not eject properly. *nm

The reservoir on my 2003 kia sorento ruptured and all the coolant leaked out while i was driving. i pulled off the highway and into a gas station and the let the car cool. i then added in anti- freeze and filled it with water and drove another 10 miles and dropped the car at a repair shop. the next day the car would not start. the kia dealership is saying it is not covered under warranty. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 65 mph there was a screeching noise that came from the engine. the dealer determined that the bolt on the drive shaft pulley had sheared off and that the crank shaft needed to be replaced. the manufacturer has been alerted. updated 7/13/2006 - *nm

Electrical failure,cooling system failure,rough running-engine misfire purchased car 2-22-2003 brand new this car has spent a lot of time on the dealers lift. also has seen its share of tow trucks. in the past 1 1/2 years i have replaced 18 left side headlights,23 right side headlights ,16 fog lights,8 license plate lights and 6 tail lights the truck has been to 3 dealers and they all say its either normal or it's only because i did not buy the bulbs from kia well some i did and they do not last either. the last time it was in they had the truck for 9 1/2 minutes and told us there is nothing wrong and for $149.00 they will put in a new bulb. no warranty on how long it will last..... the truck also misfires and the dealer also cannot fix it they say the computer says its good so it must be good. well you can feel the misfire even the dealers mechanic stated it is misfiring but he cannot fix it maybe after the warranty is over we will be able to find the problem..... another problem is the cooling system in the past 3 years it has had the recovery tank replaced 2 times the radiator replaced the connecting y behind the motor replaced ... i have spent over $200.00 on rent a cars with no help from kia each time my car is towed in this car is still under warranty so why cant they fix it o yeah the last thing is the fog lights are melting or shall i say its the inside chrome coating is burning and i was told its not warranty and there about $85.00 each why wont kia meet with me ?????????????? can anyone please help me. *nm

Electrical failure,cooling system failure,rough running-engine misfire purchased car 2-22-2003 brand new this car has spent a lot of time on the dealers lift. also has seen its share of tow trucks. in the past 1 1/2 years i have replaced 18 left side headlights,23 right side head light ,16 fog lights,8 license plate lights and 6 tail lights the truck has been to 3 dealers and they all say its either normal or it's only because i did not buy the bulbs from kia well some i did and they do not last either. the last time it was in they had the truck for 9 1/2 minutes and told us there is nothing wrong and for $149.00 they will put in a new bulb. no warranty on how long it will last..... the truck also misfires and the dealer also cannot fix it they say the computer says its good so it must be good. well you can feel the misfire even the dealers mechanic stated it is misfiring but he cannot fix it maybe after the warranty is over we will be able to find the problem..... another problem is the cooling system in the past 3 years it has had the recovery tank replaced 2 times the radiator replaced the connecting y behind the motor replaced ... i have spent over $200.00 on rent a cars with no help from kia each time my car is towed in this car is still under warranty so why cant they fix it o yeah the last thing is the fog lights are melting or shall i say its the inside chrome coating is burning and i was told its not warranty and there about $85.00 each why wont kia meet with me ?????????????? can anyone please help me. *nm

I have consistently had problems with my car from the 1st month of purchase. the major problems have been: check engine light kept coming on and a problem with the drive shaft. the check engine light problem was resolved approximately 2 attempts after it first appeared. it was diagnosed as a problem with the tsp. the problem with the drive shaft has not yet been resolved as it still continue to vibrate at speeds higher than 65 mph. these problems concern me as it may interfere or hinder with my driving abilities and cause an accident. *jb

When i stopped at 12,000 ft mt pass summit in remote area i noticed fluid draining from my kia sorento. i limped into small town -had the radiator checked and refilled-temperature gauge did not register hot- i was sent on my way but then became stranded in middle park area of colorado (kremmling) with what was discovered to be cracked, leaking resevoir. no authorized repair shop in area and kia wanted me to cross mt pass to get into denver 100 miles away!--kia refuses to honor warranty as i was not at authorized service shop-it took me days to locate the needed parts and have the replacement done. upon returning home to authorized kia dealer for a general inspection of the problem i was told there were 3 other vehicles with same incident--now there are 2-3 more cracked and leaking resevoirs plus mine -(told to me by the kia service department)--kia sorento 2003; mileage 33,500--old part is available for inspection--interesting to note-new resevoir is of different design, so kia knew there was a problem!*jb

Harmonic balancer bolt broke. traveling less than 5mph. vehicle started to vibrate. upon investigation, found that the main bolt holding the harmonic balancer in had sheared off. there were some rust deposits at the breakage point. this occured while on an offroad trip. the vehicle was left in the backcountry. i will have to attempt to make repairs in the field in order to get it to the dealer. there is no way to tow the vehicle out of its current position.

While driving, the engine blew out the first time on 10-04-04. it was replaced and it blew again on 01-21-05. the vehicle is on its third engine. *ak the key became stuck in the ignition, the vehicle shifted out of park. the consumer stated he has had transmissions and engine problems since he purchased the vehicle. the front wheel bearings were damaged. the fog light was inoperative. *jb

I was driving my vehicle to work. for the past 2 to 3 days, i noticed some noise from my engine that sounded like a loose belt. no problem, i could replace it on the weekend. on the way to work, my power steering went and the engine light flickered on and off. i didn't want to be stuck on a backroad in maine with no cell service so i continued, slowly, to work. after reaching work, i had the 24 hour service tow my kia sorento to the nearest dealer. this vehicle is 18 months old and they tell me the bolt holding the crankshaft to the pulley has sheared off. they cannot remove the bolt pieces from the crankshaft and have to replace it. to top it off, the airbag light was on, for the second time, and the radio has been replace twice. *la

1) upon purchase, exhaust smell was strong inside suv, leading to headaches and queasiness. 2) took it in within weeks (?) 3) a correction was made, part replaced. since then, the exhaust smell is intermittent, and not as strong. service does not see further issue. *jb

The sorento suv was bought in june 2003. with less than 1000 miles in june 2003 the sorento was brought to the dealer's service to check an oil leak on the front axle. the dealer cited an overfilled gear oil and the gear oil level was corrected. after few weeks, in july 2003, the sorento was brought back again to the same dealer because the gear oil leak was still there. the dealer kept the sorento, cited non-drivable and have to order the part. the gasket was replaced and sorento was test driven. the gear oil leak still showed up. now the dealer said that they got hold of kia and cited that they have to replace the bleeder tube. the bleeder tube was replaced and the gear oil leak did not go away. at this time, the whole unit of the front drive axle was ordered and replaced the originally installed unit of the sorento. after the dealer test drove the newly installed front axle, the gear oil was still leaking. at this time, for almost a month, the sorento is still in the repair bay of the dealer awaiting direction from kia. *ak

The vehicle was purchased in april 03. not long after that there was a strange sound, then there was oil leak under the car. took it in. checked. did dye check. replaced some bolts. replaced a part. every few months up to today feb 2006, there has been an oil leak. taking car again to dealer on feb 3, 2006 to see what they say now. the oil is felt when one touches under the car and there is a puddle in the driveway (oil stain). the car has only been serviced by the kia mechanics at the kia dealer. criswell kia as of january 06 no longer services kia. i have to now take the car to farrish kia in virginia. *nm

Vehicle would not start/has been in shop 4 times in last week/1st trip replace throttle body 2nd recalibrate engine 3rd trip egi unit faulty engine light on /replace egi unit 4th trip replaced throttle body(again) calibrated. checked idle set ..vehicle was kept for 2 days on 2 of the visits. *nlm