U.S. public vehicle records

2003 Kia SORENTO problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

305 owner complaints analyzed

1 distinct recall campaigns

74,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2003 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 242 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine And Engine Cooling is the most frequently named component, appearing in 46 of 305 complaints (15.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Steering behavior	54	17.7%
Braking behavior	40	13.1%
Fuel system concerns	39	12.8%
Engine operation	25	8.2%
Electrical and battery issues	21	6.9%
Transmission and shifting	6	2.0%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Engine And Engine Cooling

Engine

Fuel/Propulsion System

Fuel System, Gasoline

Steering

Electrical System

Air Bags

Suspension

Engine And Engine Cooling: 46; Engine: 43; Fuel/Propulsion System: 34; Fuel System, Gasoline: 33; Steering: 24; Electrical System: 20; Air Bags: 19; Suspension: 13

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 35; 25,000 to 49,999: 37; 50,000 to 74,999: 50; 75,000 to 99,999: 42; 100,000 to 149,999: 57; 150,000 and above: 21

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (57). 63 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2025

2002: 2; 2003: 11; 2004: 17; 2005: 13; 2006: 28; 2007: 35; 2008: 18; 2009: 24; 2010: 17; 2011: 21; 2012: 23; 2013: 15; 2014: 26; 2015: 23; 2016: 13; 2017: 11; 2018: 3; 2019: 4; 2025: 1

Pattern summary

Engine And Engine Cooling leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 54 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 40 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 39 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10023204 · 2003-06-16 (June 16, 2003)

PURCHASED 2003 KIA SORENTO 4X4 ON 5/26/03. ON 5/31/03 (ODOMETER 600 MILES)WHILE DRIVING AND MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN THE POWER STEERING FAILED, ALMOST STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE, TRIED TO REGAIN CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND PULLED TO SIDE OF ROAD. A FRIEND WAS IN THE VEHICLE WITH ME AND CAN ATTEST TO THE POWER STEERING FAILURE BECAUSE HE TRIED TO STEER THE VEHICLE ALSO. 6/2/03 DEALERSHIP REPLACED POWER STEERING RACK, GEAR AND ASSEMBLY. ON 6/10/03 (ODOMETER 830) POWER STEERING FAILED AGAIN WHILE I WAS EXITING DOWN IN A PARKING GARAGE; HAD TO FIGHT WITH…

Owner-reported narrative. 600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10023204 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10034462 · 2003-08-25 (August 25, 2003)

INTERMITTENTLY POWER STEERING FAILED, MAKING HARD TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10034462 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10052884 · 2004-01-12 (January 12, 2004)

FRONT BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS HAD TO BE REPLACED BY DEALER AFTER ONLY 20,000 MILES. DEALER SAID THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THE SORENTO. *LA

Owner-reported narrative. 20,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10052884 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10058757 · 2004-02-23 (February 23, 2004)

BOUGHT 2003 SORENTO JULY 1, 2003. SOON AFTER THE BACK BRAKES OR SOMETHING AFTER BRAKING WOULD "CLUNK". WHETHER IS WAS AFTER RELEASING BRAKES OR SECONDS LATER IT WOULD "CLUNK" (DEALER KEEPS SAYING IT 'POPS', IT CLUNKS). FIRST TIME IN THEY DIDNT FEEL IT THEY SAID. SECOND TIME THEY FELT IT AND THEN SAID THEY DIDNT KNOW WHAT IT WAS AND WOULD CONTACT KIA ABOUT IT-----THIS THIRD TIME---THEY SAY ITS NORMAL FOR THE VEHICLE. FTER THE FIRST TIME IN THE SHOP FOR THE 'CLUNKING' THE SERIOUS VIBRATION ON THE HIGHWAY BEGAN TO BE FELT STARTING AT 68 MPH…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10058757 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10203356 · 2007-09-18 (September 18, 2007)

2003 KIA SORENTO. GAS TANK WILL NOT FILL AND WHEN ATTEMPTING TO FILL THE CAR WILL SPEW GAS ONTO THE CONSUMER AND ALL OVER THE CAR AND SURROUNDING AREA CREATING A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. ACCORDING TO KIA I HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE GAS TANK ASSEMBLY BECAUSE IT'S DEFECTIVE. FOR NOW I HAVE TO PUMP THE GAS IN EXTREMELY SLOWLY AND IT TAKES APPROXIMATELY 12 TIMES LONGER THAN NORMAL. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 58,981 miles reported. Look up ODI 10203356 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10225550 · 2008-04-23 (April 23, 2008)

Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10225550 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10104350 · 2004-12-22 (December 22, 2004)

ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH POWER STEERING. FEELS LIKE ENGINE IS STALLING AND POWER STEERING IS LOCKING UP WHEN MAKING TURNS AT LOW SPEED. VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10104350 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10146679 · 2006-01-02 (January 2, 2006)

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 TRU…

Owner-reported narrative. 25,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10146679 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10146681 · 2006-01-02 (January 2, 2006)

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 TRU…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10146681 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10101766 · 2004-11-29 (November 29, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED CONSUMER SMELLED A BURNING ODOR. THEN, SMOKE CAME FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, TRANSMISSION FAILED AND FLAMES EMANATED FROM THE UNDER CARRIAGE. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10101766 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10112870 · 2005-03-15 (March 15, 2005)

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

Owner-reported narrative. 58,947 miles reported. Look up ODI 10112870 at NHTSA ↗