Problems · by component

2005 Kia Sorento air bags problems

43 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2005 Kia Sorento cite air bags, 14% of all 307 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
43
14% of all complaints
Crashes
8
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
10
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the air bags

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“SEAT SENSOR ON MY KIA SORENTO FOR THE AIRBAG LIGHT DOES NOT WORK. WHEN A PASSENGER SETS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT THE AIRBAG OFF LIGHT STAYS ON. YOU PUT THE VEHICLE IN GEAR, YOU DRIVE AND THE LIGHT STAYS ON. CITY OR HIGHWAY TRAVEL, THE LIGHT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME INDICATING THE PASSENGER AIRBAG IF OFF.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 10, 2017Air bags, SeatsODI 11045207
“PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR FAILED, VEHICLE IS OTHERWISE IN PERFECT CONDITION. THE REPAIR IS ALMOST 2000.00. WITH THIS REPAIR NEEDED THE VEHICLE WON'T PASS INSPECTION, SO WHAT IS OTHERWISE A PERFECTLY FINE VEHICLE IS NOW SCRAP. THE PASSENGER SEAT WAS HARDLY USED ( MAYBE 20% OF THE VEHICLE USE ) SO A FAILURE OF AN EXPENSIVE OCCUPANCY SENSOR LIKE THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 21, 2017Air bagsODI 11000408
“DRIVING ACROSS A 4 LANE EXPRESSWAY, BARELY MADE IT ACROSS, THE VEHICLE SPUTTERS AND COMES TO A STOP AFTER FIGHTING WITH THE POWER STEERING LOSING ALL CONTROL. CRANKSHAFT PULLEY HAS DAMAGED THE ENGINE SO SEVERE, THAT A NEW ENGINE WAS PUT IN AT OUR EXPENSE ($5,000), GAS TANK WAS DISCOVERED TO HAVE A HOLE AND LEAKING GAS. AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF JUST DEPENDS ON IT'S MOOD, THE DISPLAY ON THE RADIO, ETC. GOES AWAY IN COLD WEATHER, AND NOW HAVE A CONSTANT THUMP THUMP WHEN DRIVING AS IF THE TIRE IS FLAT. DRIVING FOR 5 MONTHS WITH NEW ENGINE, I PRESSED ON THE ACCELERATOR QUICKLY TO PASS A TRUCK WHEN A LOUD NOISE (SOUNDING LIKE THE ENGINE BLEW) FROM THE ENGINE WAS HEARD THEN SOMETHING COMES LOOSE AND HITS THE UNDERCARRIAGE SO HARD I CAN FEEL IT THROUGH THE FLOORBOARD. NO SMOKE, NO ELEVATION IN TEMPERATURE. PULL OVER, THERE IS NOW A VIBRATION WHEN IDLING BUT CANNOT SEE ANYTHING OBVIOUS MISSING. WHATEVER IT WAS TOOK CHUNKS OUT OF THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE. BRAKES SEEMED TO LOCK UP AT TIMES AND YOU COULD FEEL SOMETHING LIKE A PUMP LOSING AIR AND THE CAR SLIDES JUST BEFORE THE COMPLETE STOP WITH A LOW GROANING NOISE. HAVEN'T TOOK TO THE MECHANIC YET, BUT WILL BE SOON. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 18, 2016Air bags, Unknown or other, EngineODI 10885737
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SORENTO. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SENSOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FLOOR MAT SENSOR WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 23, 2016Air bagsODI 10851187
“I PURCHASED THIS 2005 KIA SORENTO AND ON MY WAY HOME THERE WAS A KNOCK BEFORE I LOST MY STERRING AND BRAKES. LUCKILY I SLOWED DOWN WHEN I HEARD THE SOUND. I GOT THE CAR HOME SAFELYBEING ONLY A HALF A MILE AWAY. CALLED THE DEALER I PURCHASED THE KIA FROM AND HE CAME AND GOT IT TO REPAIR IT. HE BOUGHT THE UPDATED SO CALL BOLT THAT WAS SUPPOSE TO FIX THE ISSUE WITH THE CRANK SHAFT BOLT. THEN I GOT THE CAR BACK AND HAD THE GAS TANK LEAKING FROM THE SEAMS. HE FIX AND REPLACED THAT. JUST THE OTHER NIGHT ON MY WAY TO WORK AND I LOST MY STERRING AND BRAKES AGAIN..I TRAVEL ON MAIN ROADS BUT THERE IS A LOT OF AMISH HERE AND THANK GOD I WASN'T GOING AROUND ANY OF THERE BUGGY AND HURT THOSE PEOPLE OR MYSELF..THERE IS NO FIX WHAT SO EVER FOR THIS ISSUE AND SOMEONE NEEDS TO MAKE KIA STAND UP AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS FAULTY DEFECT BEFORE A INNOCENT CHILD OR WOMAN OR HUSBAND GETS KILLED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 24, 2015Steering, Air bags, Service brakesODI 10806435
“I JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR FEW MONTHS AGO AS A USED CAR, WHENEVER I START THE CAR , PASSENGER AND DRIVER AIR BAGS LIGHTS IS ALWAYS ON. I WENT TO KIA SERVICE CENTER TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM, THEY TOLD ME IT'S NOT INCLUDED ON A RECALL LIST, I EVEN SHOWED THEM A PAPER WHICH STATED A GROUP RECALL SC076. AND ALSO READ ON A KIA FORUM THAT THAT THERE IS ANOTHER RECALL WHICH IS SC045, STATING A GROUP RECALL ALSO. KIA MUST DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT'S MATTER OF LIFE & DEATH IF THEY DO NOT FIX THIS PROBLEM.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 15, 2015Air bagsODI 10748870

Showing 6 of 43 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.