2004 Kia Sorento

ON SAT. SEPT. 12, 2009, I WAS ON THE EXPRESS WAY AND NOTICED THAT MY 2004 KIA SORENTO WAS SLOWING DOWN. I IMMEDIATELY LOOKED AT MY DASHBOARD TO SEE IF ANY LIGHTS WERE ON, NONE ON. I THEN NOTICED THAT MY HEAT GAUGE WAS AT H. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OF AT THE NEXT EXIT AND THERE WAS A GAS STATION AT THE CORNER. STEAM STARTED TO COME FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND FLUID FROM UNDER THE CAR. I HAD IT TOWED HOME BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT START. I THEN HAD IT TOWED TO A KIA DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPT AND THEY LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE. THE SERVICE MANAGER CALLED TO INFORM ME THAT MY ENGINE WAS GONE. I SAID GONE. HOW DID THAT HAPPEN. HE SAID BECAUSE I DROVE IT TOO LONG AFTER IT STARTED TO SHUT OFF. II EXPLAINED THE CAR WAS SLOWING DOWN AND I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF THE EXPRESS WAY TO A GAS STATION (WHICH IS RIGHT OFF THE RAMP). I DID NOT DRIVE IT FAR. HE TOLD ME I HAD 2 CHOICE, A NEW ENGINE FOR $10, 000+ OR A USED ENGINE $6300+. IT WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AS OF 10/2008. I AM DEVASTATED. I THOUGHT THE COMPANY OFFERED A 100,000 MILE WARRANTY. I HAD ABOUT 87,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. I CALLED KIA HEADQUARTERS AND THEY ARE LOOKING INTO THIS MATTER. I AM AWAITING A REPLY FROM THEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH REAR DOORS HAVE CORROSION ON THEM AND HAVE CAUSED PIECES OF RUST TO FALL OFF WHEN THE DOOR WAS OPENED. THE DEALER CONCLUDED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE ENTRANCE OF ROCK CHIPS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT AN EXPENSE OF $70.00 BY USING A BLACK SPRAY TO ELIMINATE THE CORROSION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 63,000.

FRONT PASSENGER TIRE TREAD CAME OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWNHILL ON A MOUNTAIN ROAD AND CAUSE PASSENGER AIRBAG TO DEPLOY, WE WERE LUCKY CAR DID NOT ROLL OVER AND WE ALL WERE KILLED. BRIDGESTONE IS THE TIRE MANUFACTURER (DUELER 684, P245/70R16) AND WHEN I DO A WEB SEARCH ALL KINDS OF INFORMATION COMES UP WITH RECALLS BUT COULD NOT FIND MY TIRE TYPE BUT FOUND ALL KINDS OF BLOGS WITH PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT MY TYPE OF TIRE AND THE TREAD COMING OFF. *TR

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.

I BOUGHT MY 2004 SORENTO NEW. IN MAY 2008 AND AT 64,000 MILES THIS YEAR THE WATER PUMP STARTED LEAKING. I TOOK IT INTO THE LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT WAS UNDER A RECALL AND REPLACED IT. THEY ALSO RECOMMENDED A TIMING BELT CHANGE AT THAT TIME AND I DID THAT TOO. AFTER I LEFT THE DEALERSHIP AND DROVE INTO MY GARAGE, WATER WAS POURING OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE PASSENGERS SIDE TIRE, WHERE THE RESERVE TANK WAS. I TURNED AROUND TOOK IT RIGHT BACK AND SHOWED THEM. THEY SAID IT WASN'T ANYTHING THEY DID TO BUST IT, IT MUST OF BEEN THAT WAY ALREADY. I INFORMED THEM THAT I KNOW IT WASN'T THAT WAY BECAUSE I HAD BEEN POURING TONS OF WATER IN IT UNTIL I COULD GET MY CAR IN FOR THAT APPOINTMENT SINCE THE WATER PUMP WAS LEAKING AND THE LEAKING BEFORE WAS COMING FROM THE CENTER OF THE CAR, NOT BY THE TIRE. I ALSO INFORMED THEM, THAT I KNEW THEY BUSTED BECAUSE THEY HAD TO PUT PRESSURE ON THE WATER PUMP LINE TO TEST IT AND THEREFORE IT WAS THERE FOUGHT. THEY STILL SAID EVEN THOUGH THEY DIDN'T DO IT THEY WOULD GO AHEAD AND REPLACE IT FOR FREE. WHY DO THEY NOT WANT TO OWN UP TO IT TO BEGIN WITH? IF I HAD NOT MADE A SCENE IN FRONT OF THEIR OTHER CUSTOMERS THEY WHERE GOING TO MAKE ME PAY FOR IT. I HAVE ALSO HAD THE WIPER PARK AREA BURN OUT. SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM MY WINDSHIELD ON HE INSIDE AND NOW THE HEATED WIPER PARK AREA IS NOT WORKING. IT WILL NEED A WHOLE NEW WINDSHIELD. *TR

RECENT (6 MO. AGO) PURCHASE OF A 2004 KIA SORRENTO. AT TIME OF PURCHASE APPROX. 75,000 MI. LOGGED. TIRES APPEAR TO BE IN VERY GOOD.CONDITION. WITHIN A MONTH OR TWO OF PURCHASE, IT BECAME OBVIOUS THAT THERE WAS A TRACTION PROBLEM ON WET OR EVEN SLIGHTLY WET ROADS. AS OF TODAY, DEC. 10, 2008, I HAVE SKIDDED TWICE AND "FISHTAILED" ONCE, GOING VERY SLOWLY (20 MPH OR LESS) TODAY IT WAS BARELY SPRINKLING AND AS I LITERALLY CREPT AROUND A CORNER, THE CAR UNEXPECTEDLY BEGAN TO SWERVE AND FISHTAIL. IT WAS A LITTLE SCARY AND I'M SURE THE PEOPLE BEHIND ME FREAKED ME OUT... DESPITE MY SURPRISE, I TRIED NOT TO JERK THE WHEEL . THE CAR STRAIGHTENED UP AFTER A FEW TAIL END SWISHES BACK AND FORTH. I HAVE SEARCHED THE INTERNET RECENTLY AND HAVE SEEN CONSUMER REFERENCE TO "POOR TRACTION ON WET SURFACES" (UNDERSTATEMENT). I HAVE MENTIONED IT TO A KIA REPAIR SHOP, BUT WAS TOLD TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AND BRING IT IN. SINCE I DO NOT HAVE THOUSANDS FOR A MAJOR SUSPENSION (OR ?) REPAIR, I HAVE BEEN PRAYING FOR DRY WEATHER. I HAVE ALSO HEARD AND FELT STRANGE NOISES WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS ACCIDENTALLY SWITCHED TO 4 WHEEL DRIVE, BUT IT IS NOT APPARENT WHEN IN 2 WHEEL DRIVE. AND, THE TRANSITION FROM ONE GEAR TO ANOTHER IS NOT SOOTH AND IS A LITTLE SLOW. ANYWAY, THE MAIN ISSUE IS SKIDDING ON WET ROADS. I AM VERY SURPRISED THERE HAS NOT BEEN SOME KIND OF SAFETY ALERT OR RECALL. THANKS FOR LISTENING. THERESA ARNEY *TR

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.*JB