NHTSA Complaint #10190138 — 2003 KIA SORENTO

"THE BATTERY AND BRAKE LIGHTS WERE ON THE DASHBOARD. ALSO, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING. OPENED THE HOOD AND THE ENGINE AREA AND FOUND THE ALTERNATOR BELT FELL OFF ITS PULLEY. THE POWER STEERING BELT RAN OFF THE ALTERNATOR BELT. THIS WAS WHY THE VEHICLE HAD NO POWER STEERING. CHECKED THE CRANK SHAFT PULLEY, AND FOUND THE CRANK SHAFT PULLEY HAD PLAY, AND THE CRANKSHAFT BOLT BACKED OUT OF PLACE. KIA HAS A PIT STOP HIGHLIGHT , STATING THAT THE CRANK SHAFT BOLT BACKED OUT OF PLACE DUE TO IMPROPER TORQUE SETTINGS ON THE CRANK SHAFT BOLT. HIGHLIGHT KT2006042501. REMOVED THE RADIATOR TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE CRANK SHAFT PULLEY. REMOVED THE CRANK SHAFT PULLEY AND INSPECTED. FOUND THE CRANK SHAFT SPROCKET PIN SHEARED OFF DUE TO THE CRANK SHAFT PULLEY BACKING OUT PLACE. THE CRANKSHAFT SPROCKET HOLDS THE PULLEY IN PLACE. THE CRANK SHAFT PULLEY, SPROCKET, AND BOLT WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED. REMOVED THE TIMING BELT AND TO REPLACE THE SPROCKET. INSTALLED EVERYTHING BACK IN PLACE AND STARTED THE VEHICLE. OIL WAS NOW LEAKING FROM BEHIND THE TIMING COVER. REMOVED ALL PARTS AGAIN TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE TIMING BELT. FOUND OIL WAS LEAKING FROM BEHIND THE TIMING SPROCKET. REMOVED THE SPROCKET, AND FOUND THE CRANK SHAFT RUBBER SEAL HAD SIGNS OF WEAR AND WAS SLIGHTLY BENT. REPLACED THE CRANK SHAFT RUBBER SEAL, AND REINSTALLED SPROCKET AND TIMING BELT. STARTED VEHICLE, AND NO SIGNS OF LEAKS WERE NOTICED. ROAD TESTED VEHICLE , AND VEHICLE DROVE PROPERLY. THE OWNER COMPLAINED AND QUESTIONED THE RESULT OF THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING DUE TO THE IMPROPER TORQUE SETTING ON THE CRANK SHAFT BOLT AS SUGGESTED BY THE NARRATIVE OF THE MECHANIC'S REPORT AND AS STATED ABOVE. IF IT WAS SO DOES THE OWNER HAVE REMEDY IN CONTACTING KIA OR THE DEALERSHIP )FOR POSSIBLE REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE PARTS AND LABOR ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PART OF MECHANICAL PERFORMANCE. *AK