2004 Kia Sorento suspension problems

“2004 KIA SORENTO EX WITH EXTENSIVE RUST DAMAGE TO REAR CROSS-MEMBERS #2 AND #3. DISCOVERED DURING TIRE ROTATION IN NOV 2018, BUT IS OBVIOUS THE DAMAGE HAS EXISTED FOR A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF TIME. CROSS-MEMBER #2 IS JUST IN FRONT AND ABOVE THE REAR AXLE AND HAS THE MOUNTING BRACKETS FOR THE AXLE STRUTS, WHICH KEEP THE AXLE IN PLACE, IT ALSO HAS A MOUNTING BRACKET FOR THE FUEL TANK, AS WELL AS A PASS THROUGH BRACKET FOR THE REAR BRAKE LINES, AND A MUFFLER HANGER. THE CAR IS NOT SAFE TO BE DRIVEN DUE TO THE IMMINENT DANGER OF A FULL FAILURE. CROSS-MEMBER #2 IS ABOUT 70% RUSTED THROUGH ON THE FUEL TANK SIDE AND PERFORATED IN SEVERAL OTHER PLACES AS WELL. CROSSMEMBER #3 WHICH IS BEHIND THE REAR AXLE CONTAINS NO MOUNTS, BUT A TORSION BAR DOES CONNECT WHERE THE CROSS-MEMBER PASSES THROUGH THE LEFT FRAME RAIL. STRUT MOUNT CONNECTORS ON AXLE ARE ALSO SEVERELY RUSTED. BACKING PLATE FOR REAR DISC BRAKES ON BOTH SIDES IS RUSTED SO SEVERELY THEY CRUMBLE LIKE AN EGGSHELL. CONTACTED KIA AND THEY SAID THEY WILL NOT COVER REPAIR OF THE DEFECT, CASE #12944853 OPENED. IT ONLY TAKES A QUICK SEARCH ONLINE TO FIND THERE ARE MANY CASES OF THIS WITH PARTICULARLY 2004 MODELS.”

“TOOK MY CAR IN FOR NYS INSPECTION AND WAS ALERTED TO AN ISSUE WITH MY REAR SUSPENSION. THE REAR CROSS MEMBER IS COMPLETED ROTTED OUT AND THE UPPER TRAILING ARM HAVE BECOME SEPARATED FROM THE CROSS MEMBER DUE TO RUST AND CORROSION. THIS IS A 2004 KIA SORENTO EX THAT I PURCHASED NEW AND NOW HAS 103,000 MILES. THIS CORROSION IS AN EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS SITUATION AND THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE REPAIRED. NEEDLESS TO SAY IT CANNOT BE DRIVEN.”

“WAS DRIVING WIFE TO WORK , STOPPED AT LIGHT WHEN LIGHT TURNED GREEN I PUSHED THE GAS PEDAL AND I HEARD A BANG SO LOUD I THOUGHT SOMEONE HIT US FROM BEHIND. I DROVE CAR HOME AND LOOKED UNDER IT AND I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT ! THE RUST ON THE REAR END BRACKETS AND THE TWO BARS CONNECTED TO THEM WERE TOTALLY RUSTED THROUGH AND HANGING OFF. I WENT TO THE KIA DEALER WHERE I ORIGINALLY BOUGHT THE CAR AND ASKED THEM ABOUT IT THEY SAID THEY NEVER HEARD OF THAT PROBLEM. I TOLD THEM THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET ABOUT IT ,THEY TOLD ME DON'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU SEE ON THE INTERNET. THEN THEY SAID THAT IT'S NOT A KIA PROBLEM IT'S A ROAD SALT PROBLEM. I TOLD THEM NOTHING ELSE UNDER THE CAR WAS RUSTED THAT BAD , AND I BELIEVE IT'S A DESIGN PROBLEM. THEY SAID THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO, SO NOW I HAVE A CAR WITH ONLY 83,000 MILES ON IT THAT IS TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. THIS PROBLEM HAD TO HAVE STARTED WAY WAY BEFORE 83,000 MILES TO HAVE GOTTEN THIS BAD.”

“WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE SHOOK VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO NOTICED THAT THE CROSSMEMBER BARS WERE SEVERELY CORRODED THROUGH AND WERE NOT ABLE TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD. THE ENTIRE BRACKET HOLDING THE DIFFERENTIAL RUSTED THROUGH. THE FRAME REAR CROSS MEMBER ALSO RUSTED THROUGH CAUSING THE CONTROL ARMS IS DETACHED FROM THE REAR END ALSO CREATING A SAFETY HAZARD.”

“MY DAUGHTER TOOK MY CAR A 2004 KIA SORENTO IN FOR A NYSI AND THE SHOP DEAD LINED THE CAR AND MADE ME FLATBED IT HOME DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE REAR END WAS FALLING OUT DUE TO EXCESSIVE ROT ON THE BRACKETS AND THEY DEEMED THE CAR UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE WOMEN THAT RUNS THE SHOP TOLD MY DAUGHTER AND SON THAT THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME THAT SHE HAS SEEN THIS ON A KIA. IN FACT ITS A PREVALENT ISSUE! UPON COMING HOME I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE LOOKING INTO ORDERING KIA TO DO A RECALL,MY DAUGHTER COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED DRIVING THIS VEHICLE.I ALSO SAW ON THE INTERNET THAT IN THE UK KIA HAD TAKEN CARE OF THIS ISSUE WITH CONSUMERS. I WOULD LIKE CONSIDERATION IN HAVING KIA REPAIR THIS CAR FREE OR PURCHACE THE VEHICLE BACK AT BLUE BOOK PRICING. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS ISSUE THAT COULD HAVE KILLED MY DAUGHTER OR ANYONE ELSE ON THE ROAD WHERE MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THE KIA SORENTO.”

“THE REAR AXLE IS FALLING APART AND IT'S RUSTED WHERE I CAN'T EVEN WELD A BRACKET FOR THE REAR SUSPENSION IT'S SO RUSTED THAT I WAS TOLD BY A MECHANIC THAT THE REAR AXLE CAN ACTUALLY FALL OFF THE VEHICLE I WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE REAR AXLE SO I CAN PUT A BRACKET OR IT WILL COME WITH A BRACKET IT WILL COST ME $4000 AND I THINK A KIA SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE BECAUSE THE WHOLE ENTIRE CAR UNDERNEATH IT RUSTED BUCKET FULL OF RUST”