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U.S. public vehicle records

2005 Kia SORENTO problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

307 owner complaints analyzed

0 distinct recall campaigns

84,700 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2005 model year. Data snapshot: . 256 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 63 of 307 complaints (20.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Steering behavior7022.8%
Braking behavior6521.2%
Electrical and battery issues5016.3%
Transmission and shifting175.5%
Engine operation154.9%
Fuel system concerns123.9%

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
63
Electrical System
46
Exterior Lighting
44
Steering
37
Air Bags
27
Power Train
27
Engine And Engine Cooling
24
Suspension
22
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Engine63
Electrical System46
Exterior Lighting44
Steering37
Air Bags27
Power Train27
Engine And Engine Cooling24
Suspension22

Engine: 63; Electrical System: 46; Exterior Lighting: 44; Steering: 37; Air Bags: 27; Power Train: 27; Engine And Engine Cooling: 24; Suspension: 22

Reported problems by failure mileage

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

Under 25,000
44
25,000 to 49,999
25
50,000 to 74,999
39
75,000 to 99,999
46
100,000 to 149,999
93
150,000 and above
9
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,00044
25,000 to 49,99925
50,000 to 74,99939
75,000 to 99,99946
100,000 to 149,99993
150,000 and above9

Under 25,000: 44; 25,000 to 49,999: 25; 50,000 to 74,999: 39; 75,000 to 99,999: 46; 100,000 to 149,999: 93; 150,000 and above: 9

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (93). 51 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.

2005
24
2006
8
2007
12
2008
17
2009
13
2010
27
2011
32
2012
19
2013
23
2014
39
2015
37
2016
25
2017
6
2018
10
2019
3
2020
2
2021
3
2022
4
2023
2
2024
1
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
200524
20068
200712
200817
200913
201027
201132
201219
201323
201439
201537
201625
20176
201810
20193
20202
20213
20224
20232
20241

2005: 24; 2006: 8; 2007: 12; 2008: 17; 2009: 13; 2010: 27; 2011: 32; 2012: 19; 2013: 23; 2014: 39; 2015: 37; 2016: 25; 2017: 6; 2018: 10; 2019: 3; 2020: 2; 2021: 3; 2022: 4; 2023: 2; 2024: 1

Pattern summary

Engine leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 70 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 65 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 50 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 10111047 · 2005-01-31 (January 31, 2005)

THE CLOCK DID NOT WORK PROPERLY, THERE WAS A NOISE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS COLD OR STARTING COLD WHILE TURNING RIGHT OR BACKING AND PULLING FORWARD AND A SHUDDER FEELING WAS IN THE BRAKE PEDAL. THERE WAS A SUPPOSED SERVICE BULLETIN IN REFERENCE TO THE ABS/BRAKE PEDAL. ON FOUR OCCASIONS, THE PASSENGER AIR BAG SENSOR DASH LIGHT DID NOT ENGAGE PROPERLY WITH THREE DIFFERENT PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT HEIGHT A WEIGHT, THE POWER STEERING FAILED, THE DASH DISPLAY FAILED TO LIGHT UP WHEN THE PASSENGERS DID NOT HAVE THEIR SEAT BELTS ON, NOISE IN THE STEERIN…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10111047 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10128000 · 2005-01-19 (January 19, 2005)

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 …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10128000 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10216000 · 2008-01-25 (January 25, 2008)

WHILE DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IN MY 2005 KIA SORENTO MAKES AN UNUSUAL NOISE (KLUNK) WHILE SHIFTING BETWEEN GEARS, THEN IMMEDIATELY LOSES POWER. I MAYBE ABLE TO DRIVE AT A VERY LOW SPEED FOR A SHORT DISTANCE WITH NO POWER OR IT WILL JUST NOT MOVE (AS WHAT HAPPENED TO ME IN THE SECOND FAILURE). THE KIA DEALERSHIP IN WHICH I HAVE HAD IT TOWED TO HAS DONE THE FOLLOWING. FIRST VISIT = "MISC FOUND CODES P0716/P0893//CLEAR CODES OK AT THIS TIME" COULD NOT DUPLICATE CUSTOMERS CONCERN. SECOND VISIT = REPLACED TH…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10216000 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10220167 · 2008-03-05 (March 5, 2008)

LIGHTING PROBLEM IN MY 2005 KIA SORENTO LX. IN 2006, MY DOME LIGHT STOPPED WORKING IN THE "DOOR" POSITION (I DIDN'T GET IT FIXED). SINCE 2006, I HAVE REPLACED MY KIA'S LEFT HEADLIGHT 3 TIMES AND THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT 2 TIMES. I NOW HAVE MY RIGHT HEADLIGHT OUT AGAIN AND THE REAR LEFT BRAKE LIGHT AS WELL. SINCE THIS HAS HAPPENED TOO MANY TIMES TO BE NORMAL, I CALLED KIA. THE KIA DEALERSHIP SAYS IT REQUIRES "KIA LIGHTBULBS" AT $50/EACH AS WELL AS A $75 DIAGNOSTIC FEE TO CHECK THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. KIA CLAIMS THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH AFTER MAN…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10220167 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10133408 · 2005-08-18 (August 18, 2005)

TRANSMISSION SLIPS IN THE FIRST FOUR GEARS. I A HAVE ALMOST BEEN REAR ENDED MANY TIMES BECAUSE TRANSMISSION GOES INTO NEUTRAL. TRANSMISSION MODULE REPLACED. IT IS STILL SLIPPING OUT OF GEAR. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 1,734 miles reported. Look up ODI 10133408 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10139390 · 2005-10-12 (October 12, 2005)

WHILE DRIVING MY 2005 KIA SORENTO IT SUDDENLY LOOSES POWER AND WILL NOT SURPASS 30 MPH. WHEN I CHANGE FROM AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION TO THIS NEW STANDARD SHIFT THERE IS NO RESPONSE. THIS HAS OCCURRED NOW 4 TIMES THE PAST 2 MONTHS. THE DEALER CHECKED THE CODES AND NOTHING SHOWS. I MUST STOP AND SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF, RESTART AND ALL SYSTEMS RETURN TO NORMAL. MY DEALER SAYS THAT I MUST BRING THIS TO THEM WHEN IT IS IN THIS STATE. THIS REQUEST IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DO.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10139390 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10124597 · 2005-06-08 (June 8, 2005)

1) SLOWED CAR TO PUT INTO PARK & CAR LUNGED FORWARDED, BACKED OFF, LUNGED FORWARD, BACKED OFF, ETC. TAPPING SOUND CAME FROM ENGINE. 2) CAR ENGINE STOPPED AND WOULD NOT RESTART (STALLED ON ROADWAY) 3) IT IS CURRENTLY IN THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS, AFTER THEY TOLD ME THEY COULDN'T GET IT TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM (ALTHOUGH THE 1ST DAY IT WAS IN THE DEALERSHIP, THEY ANKNOWLEDGED IT WAS "MISFIRING".) THEY HAVE NOW STATED THAT A CLIP ON THE INTAKE MANIFOLD COMES DISLODGED AND END UP IN THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, AND THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED THE PROBL…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,632 miles reported. Look up ODI 10124597 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10132062 · 2005-08-09 (August 9, 2005)

DT: 2005 KIA SORENTO. THE AIRBAG LIGHT STAYED ON. THEY HAVE REPLACED THE SEAT, T AND SENT THE SEAT OFF TO HAVE THE SENSOR REPLACED. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE THEY COULD DO. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THIS HAPPENED TWICE IN ONE DAY. THE VEHICLE WILL RESTART AFTER WAITING A WHILE. ALSO, THE CLOCK HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 50 miles reported. Look up ODI 10132062 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10136297 · 2005-09-13 (September 13, 2005)

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT,NEEDED CANISTER CLOSE V CANISTER ASS/CHECK ENGINE INSTALL CCV FILTER AND SPLASH SHIELDS/CHECK ENGINE SENSOR FUEL TANK/ STILL WAITING FOR SENSOR. NOW CANNOT PUT GAS IN VEHICLE, KEEPS BACK SPLASHING OUT, ON 1/4 TANK AND CANNOT PUT GAS IN,STILL WAITING FOR PART. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 3,005 miles reported. Look up ODI 10136297 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10275935 · 2009-07-07 (July 7, 2009)

THIS IS CONCERNING MY 2005 KIA SORENTO THAT I NEVER GOT THE RECALL LETTER FOR THE ICV SENSOR, IT JUST SO HAPPEN THAT MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I CALLED THEM COMPLAINING AND THEY MADE IT SEEM AS IF THEY WERE DOING ME A FAVOR AND SAID BRING IT IN, IT IS COVERED AND I DISCOVERED ON THE COMPUTER THAT THERE WAS A RECALL. I THEN HAD TWO HEADLIGHTS BLOW OUT AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS BACK ON AND THEY TOLD ME TO BRING IT IN AND THEN SAID THAT IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE BUT IT WAS COVERED. MY CAR LATER WOULD NOT PICK UP SPEED AND I CALLED TH…

Owner-reported narrative. 71,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10275935 at NHTSA ↗