Problems · by component

2006 Kia Sorento power train problems

35 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2006 Kia Sorento cite power train, 14% of all 242 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
35
14% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the power train

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“I WAS DRIVING HEADED TO GET ON THE HI-WAY, HEARD A NOISE AND A WHINE AND THEN MY CAR BEGAN TO RUN BAD. SHAKING AND LIKE NO POWER STEERING OR SOMETHING. AS I WAS TRYING TO STOP AND PULL OVER THERE WAS A RATTLING SOUND. I AM BEING TOLD 2 THINGS. BUT THEY ALL COME DOWN TO A BOLT THAT IS SAID TO HAVE COME LOOSE AND CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE CAMSHAFT AND HARMONIC BALANCER. WHICH I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT AND YOUR COMPANY IS NOT OWNING THIS ISSUE OR ASSISTING TO HAVE THE ISSUE REPAIRED OR RECALLED AND RESEARCH SHOWS YOU ARE WELL AWARE OF THE ISSUE, AS THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION SUIT THAT YOU SETTLED ON IN 2017. HOWEVER, I DID NOT PURCHASE MY CAR OR HAVE ISSUES WITH THE BOLT UNTIL AFTER THEN. WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS FOR PPL WHO ARE NOW EXPERIENCING THIS? I HAVE CHECKED WITH THE PREVIOUS OWNER AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED FOR THIS PROBLEM AND THEY HAVE NO RECORD OF BEING A PART OF THE SUIT. I WOULD APPRECIATE SOMEONE CONTACTING ME CONCERNING THIS AND OPTIONS FOR REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT IMMEDIATELY. THANK YOU. I COULD HAVE DIED HAS I ALREADY GOTTEN ON THE HI-WAY OR BEEN GOING MUCH FASTER. ONLY BY THE GRACE OF GOD DID THAT NOT HAPPEN. I PRAY THAT YOUR COMPANY IS READY…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 26, 2018Power train, EngineODI 11081363
“OVERHEATED ON HIGHWAY WOULDNT RUN NEVEMBER 2015 12/23/2015 $3,687.71 ENGINE REPLACEMENT 03/30/2016-05/23/2016 JEFF SMITH AUTO MULTI PT. INSPECTION REPLACE COILS WIRES PLUGS TIMING CRANK AND CAM SENSORS CLEAN TANK AND REPLACE FUEL PUMP $2,995 AND CAR STILL HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE LOCATION IT SITS AT NOW”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 3, 2016Power train, Unknown or other, EngineODI 10892709
“ON 11/23/15 I WAS DRIVING DOWN 85S WHEN I HIT SOMETHING IN THE ROAD. HAD TO PULL OVER CAUSE IT SOUNDED LIKE THE BOTTOM OF MY CAR FELL OUT. AFTER WAITING 2HRS FOR HELP WE NTICED THAT THE DRIVESHAFT (2PART SHAFT) BROKE OFF, PUNCTURED MY GAS TANK, MY CABLE THAT RUNS TO MY TRANSMISSION AND PUT A GOOD SIZE HOLE IN THE BOTTOM OF MY BACK SEAT. THE SHOP TOLD ME THAT THIS A REOCCURING PROBLEM WITH THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE. AFTER LOOKING MORE CLOSELY WE NOTICED A LOT MORE DAMAGE THAT WAS CAUSED BY THIS. MY CAR IS STILL AT THE SHOP AS OF TODAY SINCE WE ARE WAITING ON INSURANCE. BUT, THIS CAR HAS GIVEN ME MORE TROUBLE THAN ANYTHING IN MY LIFE! I WILL NEVER GET A KIA AGAIN! AND THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IS KIA WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS! IN THE PAST MY CAR STARTED TO SHAKE ONCE I GOT OVER 30MPH, MY DASH LIGHTS AND ENGINE LIGHTS DON'T WORK (AND YES WE'VE CHECKED FUSES, THE SHOP HAS LOOKED AND WE DON'T KNOW WHY THEY DON'T WORK.) GUESS THIS IS WHAT I GET FOR BUYING A CAR FROM A CROOK OF A USED CAR LOT!”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 10, 2015Power train, Structure, Unknown or otherODI 10809564
“WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE HOME AFTER BUYING IT, THE CLUTCH PEDAL BEGAN STICKING AFTER IT WAS DEPRESSED AND NOT ENGAGING, LEAVING THE VEHICLE UNPOWERED. I TRIED TAPPING THE PEDAL IN ORDER TO RELEASE IT- SOMETIMES THIS WORKED, SOMETIMES NOT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 16, 2015Power trainODI 10748976
“I WAS TURNING AT A STOP LIGHT WHEN I LOSS POWER STEERING AND NEARLY CRASHED.I WAS ABLE TO GET IT PULLED OVER.I RAISED THE HOOD AND SAW THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY LYING ON THE THE BOTTOM SKID PLATE.I LOOKED ON THE INTERNET ONLY TO FIND THERE ARE PROBABLY THOUSANDS OF SIMILAR CASES WORLDWIDE.I CALLED KIA .THEY BASICALLY BLEW ME OFF!”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 18, 2015Steering, Power train, EngineODI 10726095
“WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, THE CRANKSHAFT BOLT BROKE INSIDE THE CRANKSHAFT CAUSING STEERING PROBLEMS, AND THE CAR SHUTDOWN. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND COULD CAUSE DEATH BY LOSING STEERING CONTROL OR A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WITH OTHERS DUE TO LOST OF POWER. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 17, 2014Steering, Power trainODI 10667001

Showing 6 of 35 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.