Problems · by component

2006 Kia Sorento steering problems

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

Complaints
33
14% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the steering

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE CRANKSHAFT FRACTURED AND THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND HAD IT TOWED TO COMMUNITY KIA (4221 EAST FWY, BAYTOWN, TX 77521, 832-612-3807). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THEY WOULD BE IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 13, 2019Steering, EngineODI 11243587
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA SORENTO. WHILE PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE POWER STEERING SEIZED AND THE BATTERY AND EMERGENCY BRAKE INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE BACK INTO THE DRIVEWAY. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS REFERRED TO ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO SPEAK WITH ANYONE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 154,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 14, 2019SteeringODI 11169873
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA SORENTO. WHILE THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING 70 MPH, SHE HEARD A LOUD BANG AND FELT AN IMPACT UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER NOTICED A PIECE OF METAL HAD DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY PULLED TO THE RIGHT AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CRANK SHAFT PULLEY BOLT FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. A DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR A FREE REPAIR BECAUSE THE MILEAGE WAS OVER 100,000. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 26, 2017SteeringODI 10980952
“OUR 2006 KIA SORENTO ALL THE SUDDEN WHILE DRIVING ON A VERY BUSY IN CITY HIGHWAY, STARTED SOUNDING LIKE IT KEPT TRYING TO TURN OVER AND WE PULLED OVER. WE NOTICED IT STARTED SMELLING HOT BUT WOULDN'T TURN OFF SO MY HUSBAND TRIED TAKING OFF THE BATTERY BUT COULDN'T BECAUSE IT WAS SO HOT IT BURNED HIM AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. WE FINALLY GOT IT OFF SO WE TRIED TO RESTART IT BUT THE BATTERY WAS TOTALLY DEAD. THE SHOP SAID THE ENGINE IS GONE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 30, 2016Steering, Electrical system, WheelsODI 10910860
“I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE BRAKE LIGHT & BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON . THE ENGINE SOUNDED ROUGH , WHEN I WENT TO PULL OF THE HIGHWAY , I HAD NO POWER STEERING”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 30, 2016Steering, Air bagsODI 10852437
“LESS THAN A YEAR PRIOR, TIMING BELT NEEDED REPLACED. A COSTLY FIX. ONLY MONTHS LATER DUE TO PROBLEM(COMMON ISSUE KIA IS AWARE OF) WITH CRANKSHAFT SENSOR, VEHICAL STALLED AND DIED DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. THERE WAS NO WARNING FOR THIS AND WHEN THE ENGINE STOPPED WHILE GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, I LOST ALL CONTROL OF POWER STEARING, SPEED, BRAKES AND OTHER MAIN ELECRICAL COMPONETS. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A CURVE OF THE HIGHWAY WHEN THIS OCCURED. THIS THREW ME INTO ONGOING TRAFFIC. LUCKILY, I ONLY HIT A HWY TRAFFIC SIGN. THE RECALLS FOR THIS VEHICLE NEEDS TO BE UPDATED AND ADDED TO. THIS VEHICAL SHOULD NOT BE ALOUD ON THE ROAD! ITS DANGEROUS FOR EVERYONE ON THE ROAD.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 13, 2016Steering, Vehicle speed control, EngineCrash reportedODI 10825925

Showing 6 of 33 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.