14 of the 457 complaints about the 2005 KIA Sorento are about the body and structure — 3% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 124,000 miles.
14
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
STRUCTURE:BODY
Vehicle's rear end bolts rusted through had to replace the rear-end, we also had a 2004 that the frame rusted and broke in half, and the rear-end rusted out on it too. It was said it was caused by a design flaw that wouldn't allow the water to drain properly. They have recalls on it in the uk and other countries.
NHTSA complaint #11581628 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
Rear suspension rusted from chassis. Google search shows multiple people with same issue. Issue making car unsafe to drive. Car has extreme rust problems.
NHTSA complaint #11466326 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
A TRUCK HAULING CARS CAME THROUGH MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND AS HE WAS TURNING HE HIT MY CAR WITH THE TRAILER WHEN MY VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND DID NOT STOP.
NHTSA complaint #11390526 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WITH MY 7 MONTH OLD BABY IN THE BACKSEAT IN HIS CHILD SEAT. I WAS ABOUT 10 MILES INTO MY DRIVE WHEN I HEARD A PUFF AND A SMALL WHISTLE OF AIR. I THOUGHT MY PASSENGER WINDOW HAD COME DOWN SOME OR MAYBE I HAD LEFT THE DOOR OPENED AND IT WAS LETTING AIR IN. WHEN I TRIED TO PUT MY EAR CLOSER TO THE SOUND I HEARD IT COMING FROM THE TOP OF MY CAR. I TURNED TO THE SUNROOF COVER AND SLID IT OPEN SLIGHTLY TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED AND I IMMEDIATELY NOTICED THE WHOLE GLASS WAS CRACKED. AS I KEPT GOING DOWN THE ROAD I COULD HEAR SMALL PIECES OF GLASS FALLING OFF AND INTO THE SLOT WHERE THE SUNROOF SLIDES INTO. IF I WOULD HAVE HAD THAT OPEN THERE COULD HAVE BEEN SHARP PIECES OF GLASS THAT COULD HAVE FALLEN ONTO MY BABY.
NHTSA complaint #11142252 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 50 MPH. REPAIR SHOP INFORMS THAT THE TRAILING ARM SUPPORT BRACKETS AND REAR OF THE FRAME ARE SO BADLY CORRODED THAT THE AXLE WAS DISLODGED FROM THE FRAME. THE MOVEMENT OF THE AXLE SEVERED A BRAKE LINE, WHICH IS SECURED TO THE CROSS MEMBER STRUCTURE. CORROSION WAS FROM THE INSIDE OUT. ON VISUAL INSPECTION THE METAL IN THE CROSS MEMBER AND BRACKETS APPEARED TO BE SOUND, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO PEAL AWAY THE STRUCTURE WITH OUR FINGERS. THIS TYPE OF CORROSION BEGINS YEARS BEFORE FAILURE.
NHTSA complaint #11061449 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRACKETS ON THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE WERE CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 145,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
NHTSA complaint #10937690 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
WHILE DRIVING MY 2005 KIA SORENTO, WAS COMING TO A STOP, THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE DROPPED AND THE REAR END SHIFTED, THE TIRE STARTED RUBBING ON THE BODY. GOT IT UNDER CONTROL AND PULLED OVER. CHECKED UNDER VEHICLE AND FOUND THE FRAME WAS RUSTED AND THE CONTROL ARM BROKE OFF OF THE FRAME. HAD TO GET IT TOWED.
NHTSA complaint #10913928 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL RATTLING NOISE AND THE VEHICLE SHOOK. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE ENTIRE FRAME HAD EXCESSIVE RUST AND FRACTURES AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 124,000.
NHTSA complaint #10788110 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
WENT TO GET THE KIA CHECKED OUT FOR A PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION AT THE KIA DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME THE BACK FRAME AND SUSPENSION WERE SO ROTTED OUT THEY COULD NOT PUT ON A LIFT TO SEE THE TRANSMISSION. IN MY FINDING THERE ARE TONS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10631021 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
I WAS TRAVELING NORTH ON WHITE BRIDGE ROAD IN WEST NASHVILLE WHEN A CAR RAN A STOP SIGN HITTING ME ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, WHICH TOTALED MY CAR THE IMPACT WAS SO HARD THAT IT KNOCKED THE CAR SEVERAL FEET FACING THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY DURING THE CRASH NEITHER DRIVER OR PASSENGER SIDE.
NHTSA complaint #10614700 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS
TOOK MY 2005 KIA SORENTO IN FOR A STATE INSPECTION MECHANIC PULLS ME IN THE SHOP AND SHOWS ME THE PROBLEM LEFT REAR UPPER CONTROL ARM BRACKET IS COMPLETELY ROTTED OFF AND THE RIGHT SIDE IS NOT FAR BEHIND.I AM A WELDER FABRICATOR BY TRADE SO I LOOK AT THE AXKE HOUSING AND INSTANTLY SEE THE ISSUE THE BRACKETS WHERE WELDED ON WITH NO DRAIN HOLES THERE IS BASICALLY A CUP CREATED BY THE BRACKET THAT IS ABOUT 3 INCHES DEEP THAT HOLDS EVERY BIT OF WATER THAT GETS THROWN IN THERE THIS IS A MANUFACTURES DESIGN FLAW BRILLIANT ENGINEERS THAT NEVER THINK ABOUT THE REAL WORLD THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL OH THE REST OF THE AXLE HOUSING IS BARELY RUSTY.
NHTSA complaint #10592900 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
FRONT PASSENGER DOOR WILL NOT (OPEN) FROM INSIDE OF VEHICLE.. IT LOCKS AND UNLOCKS BUT DOOR OPENING CONNECTION LINK IS NOT OPENING. THIS PRESENTS A CRASH AND FIRE HAZARD AS PASSENGERS MUST EITHER OPEN THE WINDOW AND REACH OUT TO OPEN OR HAVE SOMEONE OUTSIDE OPEN THE DOOR! HAD IT REPAIRED AND IT BROKE AGAIN SHORTLY AFTER REPAIR.
NHTSA complaint #10554284 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE ON THE SHOULDER. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE WITHOUT FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING HOWEVER, THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,500. ..UPDATED 01/16/2013 *BF UPDATED 129/2013 JS
NHTSA complaint #10487880 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE
CAR POWER STEERING BEGAN TO FAIL. POWER STEERING FLUID WAS CHECKED BUT ADDING FLUID DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. VEHICLE FAILED TO START, NEEDED TO BE TOWED TO MECHANIC. AFTER INSPECTION BY MECHANIC, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CRANK SHAFT BOLT BROKE OFF FROM THE CAR. CONSEQUENTLY THIS BROKE THE TIMING BELT AND MAY HAVE BENT THE VALVE RODS (MECHANIC IS IN THE PROCESS OF TAKING THE VEHICLE APART AND ASSESSING ANY OTHER SUBSEQUENT DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE BROKEN CRANK SHAFT BOLT). THE VEHICLE NEEDS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF REPAIRS (STILL BEING DETERMINED AS TO THE ENTIRE SCOPE). THE BOLT, TIMING BELT AND MOST LIKELY VALVE RODS WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED, ALONG WITH NUMEROUS HOURS OF LABOR DUE TO THE FACT THE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE TAKEN APART AND PUT BACK TOGETHER. THE OLD CRANK SHAFT BOLT IS AVAILABLE.
NHTSA complaint #10365061 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.