2003 KIA SORENTO Electrical System Problems

MY 2003 KIA SORENTO DRIVES FOR 15 MINUTES AND STALLS OUT. I WAIT 5 MIN AND IT'LL START AND DRIVE FOR A BLOCK OR 2AND CONTINUES TO THAT UNTIL I GET IT TOWED HOME

THE DRIVER DOOR CANNOT BE OPENED FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH KIA SORENTOS.

I WAS DRIVING BACK FROM ORLANDO, FLORIDA AFTER PICKING UP MY DAUGHTER WHO TRAVELLED DOWN FROM UF IN GAINESVILLE - 1ST WEEKEND IN SEPTEMBER, 2015. WE WERE TRAVELLING SOUTH I95 IN THE MIDDLE LANE, WHEN THE CAR COMPLETELY SHUT OFF ALL THE RED LIGHTS ON THE DASH BOARD CAME ON. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO STEER THE CAR OVER TO THE HARD SHOULDER, THIS WAS EXTREMELY HARD, & PRESS HARD ON THE BRAKES TO STOP. AFTER 5MINS OR SO I TRIED STARTING THE CAR AGAIN, WHICH TO MY SURPRISED IT STARTED AND WE CONTINUED ON OUR JOURNEY, THIS TIME I STAYED IN THE RIGHT HAND LANE, NEXT TO THE HARD SHOULDER, AFTER A FEW MILES, THE SAME THING HAPPENED EXACTLY AGAIN. THE ENGINE SHUT OFF, AND CAME TO A HALT. NOW WE WERE BOTH UPSET AS IT WAS AFTER 10PM AT NIGHT, WE CALLED HOME TO LET SOMEONE KNOW TO...

ALL LIGHTS COME ON, HORN BLOWS, BUT WILL NOT START AT ALL, THIS KIA SORENTO IS JUNK, ITS FALLING APART, I GOT A DISABLE MOTHER, NOW CAN'T TAKE HER TO HER DOCTOR APPOINTMENTS, EVERY SINCE I HAD IT, ITS BEEN NOTHING BUT JUNK, WE LIVE ON FIXED INCOME, CAN'T AFFORD TO GET ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND THIS 2003 KIA SORENTO SHOULD NOT BE ON THE ROAD, ALL KIA SORENTO VEHICLES ARE JUNK, CLOCK IS MESSED UP, COMES OFF AND ON, AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON, NOW WON'T EVEN START AT ALL, SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT KIA DEALERSHIPS SELLING JUNK VEHICLES, WILL COMPLAIN AGAIN AND AGAIN, THEY ARE JUNK!

ENGINE LIGHT IS ON, AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON, CLOCK CAN'T KEEP RIGHT TIME, NOW WON'T START AT ALL, I WISHED I NEVER BOUGHT THIS 2003 KIA SORENTO, THEY ARE NOTHING BUT JUNK. PLEASE ANYBODY WHO READS THIS DO NOT BUY A KIA VEHICLE. I HATE KIA VEHICLES, I WILL NEVER OWN ONE AGAIN, I WOULD NOT TAKE A KIA VEHICLE, EVEN IF THEY GIVE ME ONE. TO MANY PROBLEMS, SINCE I BOUGHT IT, HAVEN'T BEEN ANYWHERE IN TWO WEEKS, BECAUSE KIA VEHICLE IS JUNK.

I AM SINGLE OLD LADY, LATE JAN.2014 , DRIVING BACK FROM ORLANDO,FL. TO MY HOME<2 HRS AWAY> ON I-95 CAR SLOWS DOWN, ALL LIGHTS GO ON DASHBOARD. GET HOME AT 40 MILES AN HOUR.NEXT DAY GO TO TIRE PLUS, CAN NOT FIX CAR, ENGINE TROUBLE..GO TO DEALER BEV SMITH KIA, FT.PIERCE, FL, I AM A REGULAR THERE,WITH CAR PROBLEMSELL ME CAN NEEDS NEW LOWER ENGINE, $7000 I ALMOST FAINT, , CAR NOT SAFE, I LEFT ANYWAY, THEY WOULD NOT EXACTLY TELL ME WHAT WRONG WITH CAR...COWORKER AT WALMART, TELLS ME OF MECHANIC,CAN FIX IT...TAKE IT THERE, HE TELLS ME WHAT REALLY IS WRONG WITH CAR..SCREW THAT HOLD HARMONY PART, HAD BROKEN OFF, HALF OF IT WAS STILL STUCK INTO LOWERE ENGINE< BY THE WAY, THIS WAS A RECALL BACK 3 YEARS AGO, IN WHICH I HAD COMPLYED WITH KIA AND THEY HAD REPLACED NEW HARMONY SCREW>...THIS HONEST MECHANIC, TOLD ME...

AS MY FAMILY AND I DROVE DOWN 146 TOWARDS BAYTOWN, TX FROM DAYTON, TX I HEARD A LOUD "THUD". IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY A LOSS OF A/C, POWER, AND STEERING. I PULLED ONTO THE SHOULDER IMMEDIATELY AND POPPED THE HOOD. I SAW THE HARMONIC BALANCE LYING ON THE SPLASH GUARD AND A BELT LYING BESIDE IT, AS WELL AS ANOTHER BELT LOSS BUT STILL HANGING ON THE OTHER PULLEYS. I GOT A FRIEND TO TOW ME BACK TO MY STUDIO. I BEGAN SEARCHING ONLINE FOR WHY THE BOLT THAT HOLDS THE BALANCE COULD JUST BREAK. I FOUND NUMEROUS REPORTS OF THIS PROBLEM, AS WELL AS LAW SUITS FILLED IN OTHER STATES FOR THIS VERY ISSUE. *JS

THE CAR BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE FIRST YEAR , I CALLED DISTRICT MANAGER FOR KIA BACK IN 2004,TOLD HIM CAR WAS SKIPPING BEAT, AND SHAKING...HE TOLD ME IS WAS MY IMAGINATION...THE 2ND BIG PROBLEM<WHICH I HAD TO SOLVE THROUGH COMPUTER INVESTIGATION> CAR WOULD JUST START LOSING POWER IN I-95 OR FL.TURNPIKE AND COME TO STAND STILL, NO MATTER HOW MUCH I PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL, NO GO, ALMOST GOT IN SEVERAL ACCIDENTS IN I-95,FLORIDA LATE AT NITE...SPEND $800 AT KIA OF KENDALL IN FLORIDA, IN MIAMI, TOLD ME WAS FUEL PROBLEM...WAY BACK HOME THAT SAME DAY, CAR DID SAME THING SLOWED DOWN IN RUSHING TRAFFIC IN I-95 FLOIRDA,ALMOST GOT DEADLY ACCIDENT FROM CAR BEHIND ME, TOOK IT TO KIA OF FT.PIERCE , KEPT CAR 1 WEEK, MECHANIC COULD NOT FIGURE OUT PROBLEM, ...I FOUND ON LINE,PROBLEM WAS AT THE FUELING ENTRANCE,SOMETHING DISSOLVED AND PARTICLES WENT TO FUELING INJECTORS,CLOGGING IT AND...

WHEN I TRY TO START THE VEHICLE IT WILL NOT DO ANYTHING UNTIL I OPEN THE DRIVER DOOR THEN IT WILL START. *TR

DRIVING AT NIGHT WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN INTERIOR LIGHTS STARTED BLINKING OFF & ON LIKE STROBE LIGHTS AT A DISCO. I TRIED TURNING THEM OFF, NOTHING. IT SEEMED RELATED TO THE DIMMER SWITCH BECAUSE IF I KEPT PRESSURE ON IT TO THE LOWEST DEGREE, THE FLASHING STOPPED. FOR AWHILE I WEDGED A PIN IN THE SWITCH & THAT WORKED. EVENTUALLY, THOUGH THAT STOPPED WORKING & THE LIGHT SHOW WOULD BEGIN. IT HAPPENED DAY & NIGHT, JUST MORE NOTICEABLE AT NIGHT. I FINALLY REMOVED THE FUSE FOR THE CABIN LIGHTS & AS A RESULT, HAVE NO DASH LIGHTS EITHER WHILE DRIVING IN THE DARK. I'VE NOT GONE TO KIA AS I AM SURE IT WILL COST WAY MORE THAN I CAN AFFORD. I'M REDUCED TO USING A FLASHLIGHT WHEN ON LONG ROAD TRIPS TO CHECK GAS GAUGE & SPEEDOMETER. *TR

I BOUGHT A 2003 KIA SORENTO ABOUT 6 YEARS AGO AND I'VE HAD A LOT OF PROBLEMS. THE WORST AND MOST RECENT PROBLEM IS THE GAS SPEWS OUT OF THE TANK EVERY TIME I TRY TO FILL IT. IT RUNS DOWN THE SIDE OF THE CAR AND ON MY WHEEL. SOMETIMES IT GETS ON ME. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW. IF YOU PUMP VERY SLOW AND STOP EVERY .80 CENTS IT LESSENS THE AMOUNT OF TIMES IT SPEWS OUT, BUT THIS IS SO VERY TIMELY. THE GAS GAUGE PERIODICALLY GOES OUT. THE HORN HAS NEVER WORKED. THE POWER STEERING PERIODICALLY GOES OUT. WHEN USING CRUISE CONTROL IT WILL PERIODICALLY GO OFF ON IT'S OWN. THE PAINT LOOKS HORRIBLE AND HAS PEELED OFF ON THE SIDE MIRRORS. THE LEATHER SEATS HAVE NOT HELD UP WELL. THE DOME LIGHT WILL NOT WORK WHEN YOU OPEN THE DOOR, BUT...

I HAVE HAD MY 2003 KIA SORENTO SINCE MARCH 2010. IT WAS PURCHASED WITH 32,000 MILES ON IT, AND AS OF THE END OF OCTOBER 2010, IT HAD 36,000 MILES. SO FAR, I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE COOLANT RESERVOIR, BECAUSE IT WAS CRACKED. I WAS DRIVING, AND IT OVERHEATED OUT OF NOWHERE. IT WAS IN THE SHOP FOR FOUR DAYS, BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM EVEN AFTER DOING SEVERAL PRESSURIZED SYSTEMS TESTS. AT THE END OF OCTOBER 2010, I HAD TO REPLACE THE OIL PUMP, BECAUSE IT HAD A CRACK IN IT. NO ONE ANYWHERE I CALLED COULD BELIEVE I HAD TO REPLACE AN OIL PUMP. ALL THE MECHANICS STATED THAT'S ONE OF THE FEW THINGS THEY NEVER HAVE TO REPLACE ON ANY VEHICLE, AND CERTAINLY NOT AT 36,000 MILES. ANYWAY, DUE TO OIL LEAKING ONTO THE TIMING BELT, THAT HAD TO BE REPLACED ALSO. THE TIMING...

I PURCHASED MY 03 KIA SORENTO IN 2004 AND HAVE HAD MANY ISSUES SINCE THEN. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE LIGHTS FROM THE FRONT TO THE BACK NUMEROUS TIMES. I'VE BEEN DRIVING DOWN OUR REMOTE COUNTRY ROAD AT NIGHT AND HAD MY HEADLIGHTS GO OUT. MY COOLANT TANK CRACKED AND LEFT ME STRANDED ON ANOTHER COUNTRY ROAD IN THE SNOW LAST YEAR. I LATER FOUND OUT IT WAS RECALLED FOR THAT PARTICULAR DEFECT; AFTER I HAD IT REPLACED. THE LIGHTING ISSUE IS MY BIGGEST CONCERN RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF WHERE I LIVE (REMOTE COUNTRY ROADS, DEER AT NIGHT, ETC) I HAVE TO HAVE PROPERLY FUNCTIONING HEADLIGHTS AT ALL TIMES. NOW, I AM HAVING PROBLEMS CONCERNING THE BEARINGS ON IT. IT MAKES A HORRIBLE SCREECHING NOISE THAT IS NOW; ALMOST CONTINUOUS. IT DOESN'T MATTER THE TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE, DRIVING CONDITIONS, ETC. IT HAS BECOME HARDER TO STEER AND THE POWER STEERING FLUID...

2003 KIA SORENTO, PURCHASED USED WITH 11,000 MILES ON IT. HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE SINCE THE DAY I BOUGHT IT! HEAD GASKETS WARPED AT 28,000 MILES, OVERHEATED WITHOUT WARNING, NO SPIKE IN TEMP GAUGE, WHAM SMOKE FROM EVERYWHERE AND EVEN WITH PROOF OF MAINTENANCE UPKEEP IT TOOK KIA 2 MONTHS TO DECIDE TO HONOR THE WARRANTY. THIS WAS AFTER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON EVERY TWO SECONDS AND HAVE TO BE IN THE SHOP FOR MONTHS FOR THEM TO SAY NOTHING WRONG WITH IT, EVEN WHEN IT WAS TOWED IN EVERY TIME BECAUSE IT WOULD JUST SHUT OFF. THEN THE HEADLIGHT ISSUES ARE INSANE. EVERY OTHER MONTH AND THAT IS NO EXAGGERATION I HAVE TO REPLACE EITHER LOW BEAMS, HIGH BEAMS, BRAKE LIGHTS & TAIL LIGHTS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SORRENTO. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO OVERHEAT. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICE THE COOLANT WAS LOW. APPROXIMATELY A WEEK LATER HE INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AGAIN NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE RESERVOIR TANK. HE REPLACED THE RESERVOIR TANK. AS OF APRIL 15, 2008, THE DEALER HAD NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHTS, TAIL LIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. AS OF APRIL 15, 2008, THE DEALER HAD NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE FOR THIS FAILURE. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 76,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER HE GETS AN OIL CHANGE, THE VEHICLE'S EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR LIGHTS BLOW OUT. AS OF MAY 17, 2007, THE DOME LIGHT IS CURRENTLY OUT AND HAS BEEN SINCE NOVEMBER 25, 2005. KIA MOTORS STATED THAT EVEN THOUGH HER VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY, SHE STILL HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR COSTS. KIA ALSO STATED THAT IN ORDER TO KEEP HER WARRANTY, THE CONTACT WOULD NEED TO PAY $1,000 PLUS THE REPAIR COSTS. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER HAVE NOT PROVIDED A SATISFACTORY EXPLANATION AS TO WHAT IS CAUSING THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY EIGHT TIMES. SHE STATED THAT THE BATTERY HAD TO BE REPLACED EVEN THOUGH IT WAS ALSO STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THE ENGINE SIZE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 62,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,600. THE DEALER STATED GAS PEDAL STICKS WHEN ACCELERATING ....

VEHICLE IS A 2003 KIA SORENTO WITH 70,000 MILES, PURCHASED NEW. VEHICLE APPEARS TO HAVE SERIOUS ELECTRICAL ISSUES. I HAVE, TO DATE, REPLACED LIGHT BULBS APPROXIMATELY 38 TIMES. THIS INCLUDES HEAD LIGHT BULBS (HIGH AND LOW), FOG LIGHT BULBS, TAIL LIGHT BULBS AND BRAKE LIGHT BULBS. ALSO THE CLOCK ONLY WORKS INTERMITTENTLY AND THE POWER SUN ROOF HAS CEASED WORKING. DEALER OFFERS NO SOLUTION. THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE THE FIRST MONTH OF OWNERSHIP. *NM

2003 KIA SORENTO, HEADLIGHTS SINCE NEW HAVE CONTINUED TO BURN OUT (THEIRS/OURS ANY MANUFACTURE) IT DOES NOT MAKE A DIFFERENCE IF THEY INSTALL OR WALMART (EXCEPT FOR PRICE$$$) PARTS AND LABOR NOW EXCEEDS $500.00 AND NOW MY WIFE HAS BOTH TO BURN OUT AT APPROXIMATELY THE SAME TIME. DEALERS (3) HAVE STATED IT WAS THE ALARM WHICH WAS INSTALLED WHEN WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW. THE FRUSTRATION HAS NOW REACHED THE POINT WE MUST GET RID OF IT . *NM

HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THE DASH CLOCK GOING OUT, HEADLAMPS-6 TIMES NOW, AND BRAKE LAMPS 3X IN 3 MONTHS! WAS TOLD BY SERVICE DEPT AT KIA THAT THE CAR OVER CHARGES ITSELF CAUSING PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. WROTE KIA A LETTER TRYING TO GET THEM TO TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM OR PAY ME BACK FOR THIS CAR AND BUY IT BACK ON 3/7/06. *JB

ELECTRICAL FAILURE,COOLING SYSTEM FAILURE,ROUGH RUNNING-ENGINE MISFIRE PURCHASED CAR 2-22-2003 BRAND NEW THIS CAR HAS SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THE DEALERS LIFT. ALSO HAS SEEN ITS SHARE OF TOW TRUCKS. IN THE PAST 1 1/2 YEARS I HAVE REPLACED 18 LEFT SIDE HEADLIGHTS,23 RIGHT SIDE HEAD LIGHT ,16 FOG LIGHTS,8 LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS AND 6 TAIL LIGHTS THE TRUCK HAS BEEN TO 3 DEALERS AND THEY ALL SAY ITS EITHER NORMAL OR IT'S ONLY BECAUSE I DID NOT BUY THE BULBS FROM KIA WELL SOME I DID AND THEY DO NOT LAST EITHER. THE LAST TIME IT WAS IN THEY HAD THE TRUCK FOR 9 1/2 MINUTES AND TOLD US THERE IS NOTHING WRONG AND FOR $149.00 THEY WILL PUT IN A NEW BULB. NO WARRANTY ON HOW LONG IT WILL LAST..... THE TRUCK ALSO MISFIRES AND THE DEALER ALSO CANNOT FIX IT THEY SAY THE COMPUTER SAYS ITS...