Problems · by component

2003 Kia Sorento engine and engine cooling problems

82 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2003 Kia Sorento cite engine and engine cooling, 27% of all 308 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
82
27% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the engine and engine cooling

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“THE CRANK BOLT BROKE JULY 23, 2013. THE SECOND TIME WAS, THE CRANK BOLT AGAIN AND IT BROKE DECEMBER 19, 2014. THE ODOMETER WAS AT 133181 FOR THE SECOND BOLT BREAK. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 1, 2015Engine and engine coolingODI 10680375
“DRIVING TO STORE AND HEARD NOISE. SEVERAL WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AND I HAD NO POWER STEERING. RETURNED HOME AND FOUND CRANK PULLEY AND BROKEN CRANK PULLEY BOLT LAYING IN THE SKID PLATE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 29, 2012Engine and engine coolingODI 10456810
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO VIBRATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHERE THE CRANK SHAFT PULLEY BOLT WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 107,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 14, 2012Engine and engine coolingODI 10451667
“2003 KIA SORENTO. CONSUMER STATES BOLT LOOSENED WHILE DRIVING *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING, THE BRAKE AND BATTERY LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONSUMERS HUSBAND SOON DISCOVERED IT WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. HER HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. AS HE EXAMINED THE VEHICLE, HE TOUCHED A BOLT, WHICH WAS EXTREMELY HOT, AND IT WAS THE SAME BOLT THAT WAS RECALLED, WHICH HAD BECOME LOOSE AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW ENGINE AT A COST OF $6,000 EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE REST OF THE ENGINE. THE CONSUMER WANTED THE BOLT TO BE RE-THREADED. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONSUMER, THEY DID NOT HAVE THE EQUIPMENT, TO PERFORM THE RE-THREAD OF THE BOLT, BUT INSTEAD OF NEEDING A NEW ENGINE, THEY COULD REPLACE THE CRANKSHAFT AT A COST OF $3,500. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 9, 2012Engine and engine coolingODI 10450958
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SORRENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, A LONG BANG WAS HEARD FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE AS IT STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE CRANK SHAFT PULLEY DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED YET THE FAILURE RECURRED LATER WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 40 MPH.THE VEHICLE WAS AGAIN TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY HAD YET AGAIN, DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED A SECOND TIME. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 76,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 27, 2011Engine and engine coolingODI 10441355
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SERENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BOLT TO THE HARMONIC BALANCER WOULD FRACTURE AT ANYTIME. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE DEALER REPAIRED THE FAILURE ONCE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DENIED ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 84,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 19, 2011Engine and engine coolingODI 10440483

Showing 6 of 82 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.