10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
115,359 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2006 Kia Sorento miscellaneous problems

miscellaneous problem

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2006 Kia Sorento Owner Comments

problem #9

Feb 012022

Sorento

  • 100,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owned a 2006 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, an unknown person alerted the contact that her vehicle had caught fire. The fire started in the engine compartment. The fire department was able to extinguish the fire. Police and fire department reports were filed. The vehicle was not deemed totaled by the insurance company. The insurance company referred the contact to the manufacturer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The failure mileage was approximately over 100,000.

- Elizabeth, PA, USA

problem #8

Jan 292022

Sorento

  • miles
My vehicle was sitting for 4 hours and suddenly caught on fire-€¦drivers side.

- Port St Lucie, FL, USA

problem #7

Aug 222017

Sorento

  • 177,000 miles
Parked the car one night, next morning only clicks, clicking coming from fuse box too. New battery, battery and brake light are on, car dies after sputtering. This is a new $5,000 engine with only 20,000 miles due to a crankshaft pulley break ruining the original one. Now, it won't crank, obdii returns codes P0763 and P0101 which are shift solenoid and mass air flow electrical. The cooling fan relaly is burned as well as the fuse box circuit board it goes into. Have a mechanic coming to check it but not too optimistic given the car's history. Luckily, I only drove 3 miles to my other home when the second time for quitting occurred where it is still, now I'm out of a car and lots of obligations to fulfill and walking.

- Ellijay, GA, USA

problem #6

Dec 232015

Sorento

  • 168,504 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Overheated on highway wouldnt run nevember 2015 12/23/2015 $3,687.71 engine replacement 03/30/2016-05/23/2016 jeff smith auto multi pt. Inspection replace coils wires plugs timing crank and cam sensors clean tank and replace fuel pump $2,995 and car still had to be towed to the location it sits at now

- Warner Robins, GA, USA

problem #5

Nov 232015

Sorento

  • 177,000 miles
On 11/23/15 I was driving down 85S when I hit something in the road. Had to pull over cause it sounded like the bottom of my car fell out. After waiting 2hrs for help we nticed that the driveshaft (2part shaft) broke off, punctured my gas tank, my cable that runs to my transmission and put a good size hole in the bottom of my back seat. The shop told me that this a reoccuring problem with this type of vehicle. After looking more closely we noticed a lot more damage that was caused by this. My car is still at the shop as of today since we are waiting on insurance. But, this car has given me more trouble than anything in my life! I will never get a Kia again! and the biggest problem is Kia won't do anything about this! in the past my car started to shake once I got over 30mph, my dash lights and engine lights don't work (and yes we've checked fuses, the shop has looked and we don't know why they don't work.) guess this is what I get for buying a car from a crook of a used car lot!

- Lawrenceville, GA, USA

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problem #4

Oct 082015

Sorento

  • 156,000 miles
On Oct.8, 2015 my daughter was driving my truck and she started to hear a loud sound and was having difficulty steering. Several of the dash lights came on such as engine, brake, battery. She made it home, I came out to see what was wrong and looked under the hood. My dad and I looked and at the time both pulleys were moving and my dad just assumed it was a loose bolt on the pulley and it needed to be tighten. The next day Oct.9, 2015, I took my truck down to an auto shop still having trouble steering and still hearing a loud noise. When I popped the hood and the mechanic looked under the hood we both noticed that the pulley had stop moving. The shop was actually at there closing so I had to drive it back home. The next day Oct.10, 2015 I went to try and take my truck down to the shop and could start it. It would turn over but would not start, so they had to come and tow it away. The mechanic assumed without taking it off that I would need an harmonic balancer, upon taking this part off he noticed the bolt was loose. While removing this part the bolt broke in half lodging into the engine block. I was told that there was an recall on this particular part, so I called Kia consumer line to check they told me there isn't one on my truck. Kia suggested that I buy a new engine. The bolt to the pulley cost between $7- $10.49. I also searched and priced an rebuilt or used engine that would run lowest $2,001.50 and up. I am still making payments on this car and the repairs will cost just as much as the remainder of payments that I have. I can't afford to buy an engine. I have noticed that this has been a problem for Kia Sorento's for some time now. There actually was an recall on this same part some years back. After reading several reviews about this same problem I see it hasn't been resolve and still remains a problem today.

- Toledo, OH, USA

problem #3

Jul 282015

Sorento

  • 87,895 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

When I purchased this 2006 Kia it had less the 70,000 miles on it. Within 6 months of purchase the crank shaft bolt fell out when it was going 50 miles per hour. Lost steering and brakes. Had to replace crank shaft, bolt, gear, timing belt. Then the brakes froze up, then the muffler system by the O2 sensor, then battery, alternater, water pump. Know the 4X4 low light stays on so it needs a throttle sensor, and I found out today that the rear axle case is rusted out. This vehicle only has 87,000 miles. I have spent thousands. The axle should be under the 100,000 mile warranty. Can't even check the rear axle because it can't be opened. I have filed with you before about these vehicles. The crank shaft bolt should last the life of the vehicle. So should the axle case. The rear windshield wiper just rusted off. The throttle sensor as well should last the life of the vehicle. All these things shouldn't go wrong on a vehicle with 87,000 miles. These are not normal maintance. Kia sorrento first generation is an unsafe vehicle. If the 4X4 low should kick in while I am driving at 55 mph, it will blow tranny and I could flip, there already is a warning about sudden movement and roll over.

- Honeoye, NY, USA

problem #2

Apr 072015

Sorento

  • 82,836 miles
I took my 2006 Kia Sorento to Kia to have timing belt replaced and at that time they told me that the crank shaft pulley bolt was stripped, and the car was not safe to drive, because the crank shaft bolt could not be tightened.

- Boswell, PA, USA

problem #1

Sep 282012

Sorento

  • 89,000 miles
About a week ago, I was unloading groceries from my Kia Sorento. The hatchback has a handle in order to pull down the hatchback. In this instance, I pulled it down a little bit and it felt like it had been jerked out of my hand and fell on my hand. I have some deep cuts and possibly a break in my hand. It felt as if the hatch once I let go continued as if it was pulled down.

- Eastman, GA, USA

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