Problems · by component

2003 Kia Sorento steering problems

31 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2003 Kia Sorento cite steering, 10% of all 308 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
31
10% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the steering

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TAKATA RECALL THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BOLT KEEPS COMING LOSE AND THIS CAUSES THE STEERING WHEEL TO BECOME STIFF. THIS HAPPENED IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC AND HAD TO GET IT TOWED TO A FRIENDS HOUSE. CURRENTLY THE CAR IS NOT DRIVEABLE FOR OVER TWO WEEKS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 23, 2017SteeringODI 11048181
“WHILE DRIVING I HEARD A CLUNK AND A THE CAR BEGAN ROLLING SIDE TO SIDE. I LIMPED TO A MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THAT THE FRAME WHERE THE SUSPENSION AND ALL PARTS CONNECT WAS RUSTED OUT. FRAME REPAIR SAID THIS CAN NOT BE FIXED AS THE FRAME IS RUSTED OUT. WHERE THE STABILIZER AND SUSPENSION CONNECTS. TEH CAR ONLY HAS 149,OOO MILES AND IS IN NORTH CAROLINA. I HAVE READ OTHER REPORTS OF A RUSTED OUT SUPPORT FRAME ON THIS SITE. WILL THE MANUFACTURER REPLACE THIS FRAME.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 21, 2016Steering, Suspension, StructureODI 10875587
“CRANKSHAFT BOLT BACKED OUT LOST POWER STEERING BRAKES,KIA IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM FROM 2002 TO 2009 MANY REPORTS HAVE BEEN FILED,ITS THE MANUFACTURING OF THE BOLT WHICH IS TO SMALL,THEY ARE NOT STANDING BY THIS DEFECT,THERE IS NO PERMENANT FIX FOR THIS AND KIA ISN'T WARNING ANYONE OF THIS PROBLEM WHICH COULD LEAD INTO A FATILE ACCIDENT WITH INJURIES AND DEATH.GOING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED THERE WOULD BE NO CONTROL EVEN AT SLOW THERE IS NO EASY TURNING THE WHEEL.NOW IM STUCK WITH THIS PROBLEM AND A TEMP FIX WONT FIX IT,SO NOW I HAVE NO VEHICLE OR ANYWAY TO GET ONE,NO WAY TO WORK,NO MONEY TO TEMP FIX IT,THIS IS UNJUST AND THIS VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE NEVER PASSED SPECS TO BE ON THE ROAD.KIA SHOULD STEP UP AND HONOR THERE PRODUCTS,THEY ARE DECEIVING BUYERS AND PUTTING THERE LIFE IN DANGER AND U DON'T KNOW IT TILL IT HAPPENS,I DIDN'T...I WAS TAKING MY DAUGHTER TO SCHOOL I AM THANKFUL I WASN'T ON THE HIGHWAY POSSIBLE RESULTING IN MY FAMILYS LIFE OR SOMEONE ELSE ON THE ROAD,WITH NO CONTROL ALL BECAUSE OF THERE NEGLIGENCE NOT CARING FOR PEOPLES LIFES BUT FOR MONEY,ITS SAD .IF U PULL UP CRANKSHAFT BOLT FOR KIA IT WILL SHOW YOU ALL THE COMPLAINTS AND PROBLEMS AND THIS IS A…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 17, 2015Steering, Service brakes, EngineODI 10810897
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY FORCE TO THE STEERING WHEEL IN ORDER TO TURN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE HARMONICA BALANCE IN THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE HARMONICA BALANCE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THE REAR AXLE CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE WELDED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, WHILE AT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR ROUTINE SERVICE, THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS CORRODED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 12, 2015Steering, Suspension, StructureODI 10748133
“I HAVE SERVICE RECORDS SHOWING I HAD THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY REPLACED AT 55,000 MILES UNDER WARRANTY BY KIA. THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BROKE OFF AT 105,000 MILES. I WAS ABLE TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED COST $1500 OUT OF MY POCKET. ON 1/11/2015 THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BROKE OFF FOR A 3RD TIME, SHEARING THE THREADS TO THE ENGINE, AND CAUSING THE ENGINE TO NO LONGER WORK. ALL 3 EVENTS CAUSED LOSS OF POWER AND ABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 13, 2015Steering, Power train, EngineODI 10672207
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE WHEN THE BATTERY AND ANOTHER UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT HAD TO PUMP THE BRAKE PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD STOP AND THE POWER STEERING STOP WORKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE CRANK SHAFT PULLEY BOLT WAS HOLDING TOO MUCH WEIGHT CAUSING IT TO FRACTURE. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 22, 2014Steering, Service brakesODI 10638149

Showing 6 of 31 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.