FaultScore

2004 KIA Sorento airbag problems

14 of the 341 complaints about the 2004 KIA Sorento are about the airbag system — 4% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 89,449 miles.

F

14

Complaints

6

Crashes

0

Fires

5

Injuries

Exactly what failed

AIR Bags 11 78.6%
Frontal 2 14.3%
Side/Window 1 7.1%

Airbags across every KIA Sorento year

2003 32 4.6%
2004 14 2.0%
2005 45 6.4%
2006 19 2.7%
2007 61 8.7%
2008 67 9.6%
2009 21 3.0%
2011 183 26.1%
2012 80 11.4%
2013 60 8.6%
2014 51 7.3%
2015 29 4.1%
2016 16 2.3%
2017 13 1.9%
2018 10 1.4%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Marysville, WA

AIR BAGS

"TAKATA RECALL" I BOUGHT THIS CAR JUST RECENTLY AND THE DRIVERS SIDE AIR BAG STAYS ON ALL THE TIME THERE HAVE BEEN RECALLS BUT NOT ON MY CAR IS IT SAFE TO DRIVE THIS LIKE THIS OR IS IT DANGEROUS AND THE FACTORY SHOULD SEND OUT A RECALL ON THIS RIGHT !

NHTSA complaint #11252535 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Marysville, WA

AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON THE DASH CAN I GET THIS REPLACED FOR NO CHARGE LIGHT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME.

NHTSA complaint #11252136 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 115,000 miles Coldpepper, VA

AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE GOING THROUGH INSPECTION, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. IN ADDITION, THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT FAILED TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE AIR BAG WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.

NHTSA complaint #10807408 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Culpeper, VA

AIR BAGS

MY AIR BAG LIGHT TURNED ON. IT TURNED ON JUST UNDER A 100,000 MILES. I LOOKED AROUND ON LINE AND ALOT OF PEOPLE ARE COMPLAININF ABOUT THIS SAME ISSUE WITH THE SAME MAKE AND YEAR. IT WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION BECAUSE OF IT AND THAT IT WILL COST ME AT LEAST $200 TO FIX IT.

NHTSA complaint #10807216 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 130,000 miles SAN Antonio, TX Crash 5 injured

AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS FLIPPED BY THE FORCE OF THE IMPACT. THE FRONT AND SIDE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE BACK, NECK, HIPS AND EYES. THE FRONT PASSENGER SUSTAINED A HEAD CONTUSION, INJURIES TO THE SHOULDER, HIPS, LEGS AND BACK, IN ADDITION TO INTERNAL BRUISING. ADDITIONALLY, THERE WERE THREE SMALL CHILDREN WHO WERE SEATED IN THE REAR THAT SUSTAINED HEAD INJURIES AND ABRASIONS. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE AIR BAG FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

NHTSA complaint #10575892 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 120,000 miles Honolulu, HI

AIR BAGS

BATTERY WAS LOW AND THEN THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ON. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED AND THE LIGHT STILL ON. LOOKING ONLINE AND FIND OUT THIS ISSUE IS TYPICAL ON ALL KIA SORENTOS. WONDERING WHY THIS ISSUE IS NOT BEING RECALL. CALLED DEALER AND THEY MENTIONED THAT A $130 DIAGNOSE TEST NEEDS TO BE PAID IN ORDER TO KNOW WHAT IS THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10559539 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 63,899 miles SAN Juan, PR Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS

WHILE APPROACHING TO AN INTERSECTION THE KIA CRASH THE FRONT LEFT SIDE TO THE BACK OF A LAND ROVER, AND DESPITE THE BIG IMPACT AND DAMAGES THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T OPENED ENDANGERED THE LIFE OF MY DAUGHTER. I HAVE PHOTOS OF THE BIG IMPACT AS OF THE FACT THAT THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T OPENED.

NHTSA complaint #10423309 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Miami, FL

AIR BAGS

I BOUGHT A 2004 KIA SORENTO IN 2006 FINISHED PAYING FOR IT IN 2010,OVER THE YEARS I HAVE HAD TO CHANGE THE LIGHTS SO MANY TIMES I CANT COUNT,I HAVE HAD TOPAINT IT TWICE,THEN THE DRIVING SHAFT BROKE,THE COMPRESSOR WAS CHANGED TWICE, THE CD PLAYER WORKS ON AND OFF THE AIR BAGS LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED FOR MONTHS ON END THE ENGINE LIGHT DOES THE SAME AND MOST RECENTLY THERE IS SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE, I AM HAVING TO STOP PARK AND LET IT COOL OFF BEFORE CONTINUING ON MY JOURNEY, AT THE MOMENT I GOT SCARED AND I NOW I HAVE MY VEHICLE PARKED AT HOME BECAUSE I AM SCARED TO DRIVE IT, IT IS A SHAME AND I AM VERY UPSET. IS THERE ANYONE OUT THERE WHO IS TRYING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS US CONSUMERS ARE HAVING? I OWN MY VEHICLE AND HAS A CLEAN TITLE AND WOULD LIKE TO TRADE IN OR SELL BUT WITH ALL THESE PROBLEMS HOW CAN I PASS IT ON TO SOMEONE ELSE? I AM ASKING SOMEONE FROM KIA TO DO THE RESPONSIBLE THING AND GIVE US SOME ANSWERS BEFORE SOMEONE LOSES THEIR LIFE,THAT IS IF IT HASN'T HAPPENED ALREADY. DON'T LET THIS BE TOYOTA.

NHTSA complaint #10392580 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Chewelah, WA Crash 1 killed

AIR BAGS

2004 KIA SORENTO. ROLLOVER. KIA SAYS THAT THE AIR BAGS ARE TURNED OFF IN A ROLL OVER NOT WHEN HIT ON THE SIDE! WHAT GOOD ARE THEY THAN? THIS INFORMATION IS NOT GIVEN WHEN THE KIAS ARE PURCHASED.... RESEARCH NEEDS TO BE DONE FOR HOW OFTEN IT OCCURS AND THAT THERE MAY BE MORE ROLLOVERS THAN SIDE IMPATCTS, WHY THEY ROLLOVER SOO MANY TIMES, AND THAT THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS FOR OTHER KIAS THAT THE AIRBAGS HAVE NOT DEPLOYED IN CRASHES. CONSEQUENCES WERE THAT THE DRIVER DIED THIS TIME DUE TO THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY! THERE WAS ONLY ONE PERSON THE DRIVER IN THE KIA, THE CRASH WAS WHEN THE VEHICLE HIT THE ROCK AND THAN THE GROUND 15 TIMES.

NHTSA complaint #10356068 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 130,000 miles Blue Ridge, GA Crash 2 injured

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW

THE SIDE AIRBAGS ON OUR 2004 KIA SORENTO DID NOT DEPLOY IN A SIDE IMPACT WITH A UTILITY (ELECTRIC) POLE. CAR SLID FROM ROAD IN A SUDDEN HAIL STORM AND SLID PASSENGER SIDE INTO THE POLE. SPEED WHEN CONTROL OF CAR WAS LOST, APPROX 45 MPH. THE IMPACT BROKE THE POLE INTO 4 PIECES AND TOTALED THE CAR. THE IMPACT WAS IN THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR, JUST INFRONT OF THE RIGHT REAR TIRE. THE DAMAGE TO THE CAR WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FRAME.

NHTSA complaint #10328219 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 43,000 miles Columbiana, OH Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING IN A SNOW STORM AT 55 MPH, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND STRUCK A PINE TREE. THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. HE WAS WEARING HIS SEAT BELT AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH, BUT HIS HEAD STILL STRUCK THE WINDSHIELD. THE CONTACT WANTS TO KNOW WHY THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY DURING THE HIGH SPEED CRASH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,000.

NHTSA complaint #10254025 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 50,000 miles Indianaplois, IN

AIR BAGS

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE ENGINE STALLED UNEXPECTEDLY AND RESTARTED AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND REMAINED LIT UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. ON SIX SEPARATE OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR IDENTICAL FAILURES, BUT THERE WERE NO RESOLUTIONS. THE CONTACT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR EXPENSE BECAUSE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. THE AUTHORIZED DEALER REPLACED THE CRANKSHAFT, CRANKSHAFT SENSOR, TIMING BELT, AND DRIVE BELT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 66,000. UPDATED 12/23/08 THE AIR BAG ILLUMINATED AND WOULD NOT GO OUT, EVEN WHEN SOMEONE WAS SEATED IN. THE HEADLIGHT WAS BLOWN, THE REAR HATCH WOULD NOT STAY UP. THE DEALER HAD TO ORDER HOOD STRUTS. UPDATED 12/23/08.

NHTSA complaint #10250088 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 57,000 miles Sanford, NC Crash 3 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HYDROPLANE. THE VEHICLE TURNED AND CRASHED HEAD ON WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING 45 MPH AS WELL. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SENT PICTURES OF THE CRASH AND CALLED THE MANUFACTURER, BUT WAS INFORMED THAT THE IMPACT WAS NOT POWERFUL ENOUGH TO DEPLOY THE AIR BAGS. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT'S WIFE AND TWO OTHERS WERE INJURED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 57,000. UPDATED 04/23/08

NHTSA complaint #10223359 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Acworth, GA

AIR BAGS

AIRBAGS NOT WORKING PROPERLY DURING ACCIDENTS. THIS HAS CAUSED ALL INSURANCE COMPANIES TO REMOVE THE DISCOUNTS FOR AIRBAGS. THIS NEED TO BE INVESTIGATED DUE TO THE FACT SEVERAL INJURIES HAVE OCCURRED BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. IF THE AIRBAGS FAIL DURING THE TIME WHEN THEY ARE NEEDED MOST THEN THE MANUFACTURER HAS A DUTY TO FIX THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10149168 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2004 KIA Sorento problems

← Full 2004 KIA Sorento report