2003 Kia Sorento Service and Repair Manual

I AM THE ATTORNEY FOR THREE MINOR CHILDREN. THEY WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED, AND THEIR FATHER WAS KILLED IN A ROLLOVER IN LAS VEGAS, NEVADA IN FEBRUARY, 2006. THE REAR B.F. GOODRICH TIRE ON THE 2003 KIA SORENTO THAT THE FATHER WAS DRIVING BLEW OUT AND SEPARATED, RESULTING IN THE ROLLOVER. THE TIRE WAS APPARENTLY PLUGGED THE DAY BEFORE AT A LAS VEGAS TIRE SHOP. *JB

THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT-END ACCIDENT. *BF AS A RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT AND THE AIR BAG NOT DEPLOYING, THE CONSUMER SUFFERED NECK AND BACK INJURIES. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING 15-20 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR OF THE CONTACTS VEHICLE. THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEAT BELT DISENGAGED, WHICH CAUSED THE PASSENGER TO SUSTAIN BRUISES TO THE CHEST. THE DEALER HAS NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND THE INSURANCE COMPANY HAS NOT YET DETERMINED IF THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 86,000. *UPDATED 12/12/07 *BF MISSOUR

MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING A 2003 KIA SORRENTO AND FELL A SLEEP AT THE WHEEL AFTER COLLEGE EXAMS. SHE DROVE INTO THE REAR OF A TRACTOR TRAILER TANKER AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AS A RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT. SHE HAD A CONCUSSION AND A CRACKED STERNUM. STATE FARM INSURANCE DECLARED THE CAR A TOTAL LOSS DUE TO A BENT FRAME, ENGINE MOUNT FAILURE AND A TOTALED FRONT END. AFTER CONTACTING KIA, THEIR RESPONSE TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THAT THE ANGLE THE CAR HIT THE TRAILER, WAS

REFERENCE NHTSA ITEM NUMBER 10015248 -- TSB# 029 2003 KIA SORENTO -- AIR BAGS PURCHASED CAR IN 8/2003 AND HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH AIR BAG COMING ON AND OFF OVER THE PAST 5 YEARS. NOW THE CAR HAS BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND IS THREE MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY, THE DEALERSHIP IS NOT INCLINED TO COVER THE EXPENSE TO REPLACE THE "ADU" BUT RATHER WISHES TO CHARGE ME MORE THAN $500. MY DAUGHTER WAS IN A SCARY ACCIDENT AND AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2003 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE CONTACT STATED THAT SMOKE CAME FROM OUT OF THE VENTS. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER ON THE SHOULDER AND EXITED THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE SPARKS COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED AND TOWED AWAY. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. TH VIN WAS NOT AVAILA

IN FEBRUARY THIS BEAUTIFUL VEHICLE BECAME A NIGHTMARE QUICK. A HORRID SOUND CAME FROM BELOW AND I LOST STEERING, SEVERAL LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD LIT UP AND OUR WAS VERY DIFFICULT CONTROLLING THE SUV. ME AND MY CHILDREN WERE VERY AFRAID. I ALLOWED THE SUV TO SLOW N IT VEERED OFF AND JUMPED THE CURB. AFTER A TOW, $2000 BUCKS PLUS, AND SEVERAL SHOPS INCLUDING KIA IS JUST SITTING LIKE HUNKS UNLESS I CAN STUFF ANOTHER $2000 OR SO IN. KIA NEEDS TO FIX THIS!! *TR

THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *JB

ON SATURDAY, APRIL 3, 2004, MY 2003 KIA SORRENTO WAS PARKED IN THE MIDDLE OF MY DRIVEWAY WHILE I MOVED THE LAWN. AFTER RETURNING MY LAWN MOWER TO THE GARAGE, I GOT INTO THE SORRENTO TO MOVE IT BACK INTO THE GARAGE. AFTER I STARTED THE VEHICLE AND PUT IT INTO DRIVE, IT ACCELERATED RAPIDLY, PULLED ME THROUGH THE GARAGE AND THROUGH THE BACK WALL, WHICH IS SOLID BRICK. I WENT THROUGH MY FRONT YARD, AND THE ONLY REASON I STOPPED WAS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WENT OVER SOME BOULDERS AND DOWN AN INCLINE, CA

I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE IN THE PARKING LOT WHEN I HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING BECAUSE THE CAR DIED AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. I LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD AND NOTICE ALL THE BELTS AND FRONT OF THE MOTOR FELL OFF AND WAS LAYING AT THE BOTTOM. I CALLED THE TOW TRUCK THEY TOWED IT TO THE KIA DEALER. WHERE THEY TOLD ME ITS A PROBLEM THE 2003 KIA SORENTO HAS. THEY TOLD ME THEY WILL REPLACE THE ENGINE THAT WAS AT 38,000 MILE. NOW THE CAR HAS 72,000 MILES ON IT SO THAT'S 34,

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED CONSUMER SMELLED A BURNING ODOR. THEN, SMOKE CAME FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, TRANSMISSION FAILED AND FLAMES EMANATED FROM THE UNDER CARRIAGE. *AK

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 35-40 MPH, THE MOTOR IN THE COOLING FAN FAILED. THE MOTOR WAS ATTEMPTING TO TURN OVER; HOWEVER, IT COULD NOT BECAUSE THE FUSE IN THE FUSE BOX DID NOT BLOW OUT AS IT SHOULD. THE WIRE FROM THE TERMINAL BLOCKER MELTED INTO THE FUSE BOX. THIS CAUSED THE WIRES TO BURN AND THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT BECAME ENGULFED IN SMOKE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN HOME AND DID NOT CATCH ON FIRE. THE VEHICLE HAS TWO SAFETY FEATURES, ONE IN THE TERMINAL

COMMENTS: I WOULD LIKE TO INFORM YOU OF WHAT I THINK IS A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD. SEVERAL WEEKS AGO MY WIFE AND I WERE RETURNING FROM A VACATION IN OUR CAR AND IT CAUGHT FIRE. LUCKILY THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR SERIOUS DAMAGE. AT THE END OF THIS LETTER WILL BE ALL THE PARTICULARS. WE WERE COMING FROM SANTA CRUZ ON HIGHWAY 1, IN CALIFORNIA AND AT WHAT IS CALLED THE SUMMIT, OF I STARTED SEEING SMOKE IN BACK OF OUR VEHICLE. WE STOPPED, TURNED OFF THE CAR ,OPENED THE HOOD AND THERE WAS A SMALL

WHILE DRIVING ON HWY 275 AT 60 MPH. ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON AND STEERING WHEEL LOCKED..TOTAL SYSTEM POWER FAILURE..2 DAUGHTERS ALMOST LOST THEIR LIVES TRYING TO MANEUVER THIS DEATH MISSILE TO EMERGENCY LANE..JUST IN TIME TO MISS MULTIPLE TRACTOR TRAILERS VEHICLES FROM CRUSHING THEM..NOT TO MENTION MULTIPLE PASSENGER CARS IN HARMS WAY FROM DEFECTIVE PART REPLACED MALFUNCTIONING AGAIN... KIA CLAIMS NO RESPONSIBILITY EVEN THOUGH DEFECTIVE PART IS CLEARLY AT FAULT..HAVE FIRESTONE MECHANIC WILLING TO S

AFTER PURCHASING CAR FROM PRIVATE SELLER I DISCOVERED THAT WHEN TRYING TO PUMP GAS, MY FUEL SPRAYS BACK OUT ALL OVER MYSELF, MY VEHICLE, AND THE GROUND. HAVE EVEN HAD IT SPRAY INTO MY EYES. DID RESEARCH AND SAW THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON OCCURRENCE FOR THIS YEAR/MAKE/MODEL. I BELIEVE ITS A FIRE AND SAFETY HAZARD AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED YEARS AGO!