2006 KIA SORENTO Power Train Problems

RECENTLY PURCHASED 2006 KIA SORENTO..RECALL #SC077 THE BRAKE LIGHTS INTEROIR LIGHTS ARE NOT WORKING I REPLACED ALL BULBS AND FUSES..PLEASE HELP

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...

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

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...

IT DOESNT SHIFT PARTS OF THE TRANSMISSION SEEMS LIKE FALLLING OFF. LOOSE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES DONT WORK

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.

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!

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

WE WERE JUST TURNING AROUND A BEND AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN, WE LOST POWER STEERING AND THE CAR LOST POWER. THEN WE MANAGED TO PULL IT OVER TO A PARKING LOT. THEN WE NEEDED TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED. WE HAVE ALREADY CONTACTED KIA TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL ON IT. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THERE WASN'T THAT PARTICULAR RECALL ON THAT MODEL. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS MODEL SHOULD HAVE BIN INCLUDED IN THE RECALL LIST. *TR

ON 09/18/2014 ARRIVING HOME I STARTED TO HEAR LOUD RUMBLE NOISES COMING FROM THE ENGINE, TOOK IT TO A LOCAL SHOP AND WAS TOLD IT MIGHT BE THE PULLEYS, HOWEVER, IT WAS DETERMINED THE NEXT DAY - DIFFERENT SHOP THAT COULD MAKE THE REPAIRS, THE CRANKSHAFT PIN SHEARED OFF (THIS WORK WAS PREVIOUSLY DONE ON MARCH 2014 AT A TOTAL OF 1,800+ AND HERE IT IS AGAIN!). MECHANIC AT THE SHOP WAS THE ONE THAT SAVED ME $$ THIS TIME AS HE NOTICED THE WORK AS VERY RECENT, AND SUGGESTED I TAKE IT BACK TO WHERE THE REPAIR HAD BEEN DONE IN MARCH. ONE WEEK LATER - 09/26/2014 I HAD MY CAR BACK. HOWEVER, I SUSPECT THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN, SINCE THERE ARE SO MANY OTHERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS, AND HOW MANY OTHER REPAIR SHOPS CONTINUE TO ORDER THE SAME PART OVER AND OVER. REALLY? HELLO KIA, THEY NEED...

THE CRANKSHAFT BOLT SHEARED OFF, CAUSING THE HARMONIC BALANCER TO FAIL. THE ENGINE STALLED AND I COASTED TO SAFETY. THIS HAPPENED ON THE INTERSTATE AT 75MPH. KIA IS AWARE OF THIS AND SHOULD BE HELD LIABLE. *TR

REPEATED PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. NOT SMALL PROBLEMS. LIFE THREATENING PROBLEMS. WHAT IS THE NHTSA DOING? WHY NOTHING, NO QUESTIONS, NO NOTHING. THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF CONSUMERS WITH NO HELP FROM THIS PUBLIC AGENCY. WHY? BRAKE PROBLEMS, WIDELY KNOWN. KIA REFUSES TO ADMIT THAT THE BRAKES DON'T WORK ON THEIR VEHICLES, THE ROTORS HAVE TO BE CHANGED EVERY 3 MONTHS. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. I HAD MANY NEAR ACCIDENTS THINKING MY BRAKES WERE FINE AND THEN BRINGING MY CAR IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND THE ROTORS ARE GONE, THE GUYS ARE SAYING YOU ARE LUCKY TO BE ALIVE. NOW AFTER REPEATED REPAIRS, WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON 6/13/14 I WAS ALMOST KILLED WHEN MY CAR NEARLY FLEW OUT OF A HIGH RISE PARKING GARAGE BECAUSE THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BOLT SHEARED OFF CAUSING MY HARMONIC BALANCER TO COME OFF. THE RESULT NO BRAKES, NO STEERING WHILE IN A HIGH...

25 MINUTE DRIVE TO TOWN. SQUEALING SOUND. PULLED OVER, THE CRANK SHAFT PULLEY WAS SO LOOSE THAT THE BOLT COULD BE HAND TIGHTENED. MECHANIC SAID PIN FELL OUT AND BOLT SHEERED. MAY NEED NEW ENGINE. COULD HAVE DESTROYED THE CRANK SHAFT. ALSO HAVE TRANSMISSION HESITATION, THE 4X4 LOW LIGHT ON DASH GOES ON AND THE TRANSMISSION KICKS IN LOW . HAVE TO SIT AND WAIT FOR IT TO GO OFF. THIS HAPPENS WITH OUT THE BUTTON BEING TURNED ON. THIS KIA ONLY HAS 79,000 HIGHWAY MILES. ITS AMESS. THIS CRANK SHAFT HARMONIC BALANCER SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OFF THE VEHICLE. SOME ONE IS GOING TO DIE OR GET SERIOUSLY INJURED BECAUSE WHEN THIS HAPPENED YOU COULD NOT STEER THE KIA OR USE BRAKES. *TR

JUST DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. MADE A TURN ON TO A STREET AND HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND ENGINE CUT OFF AND POWER STEERING HAD QUIT WORKING. IF I WAS GOING FAST WOULD HAVE BEEN A WRECK. I GOT IT STOPPED AND HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED HOME. MY HUSBAND LOOKED UNDER HOOD AND A BELT WAS LOOSE AND THE CRANKSHAFT BOLT WAS LAYING THERE BROKE OFF.CALLED KIA AND THEY SAID IT IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY FOR THAT. I HAVE 92,500 ON MY SUV AND THE POWERTRAIN IS FOR 100,000 MILES BUT THEY SAY A BOLT IS NOT COVERED. I HAVE READ ONLINE - THIS HAS HAPPENED TO SEVERAL PEOPLE. NOW HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO HAVE IT FIXED. SHOULD BE A RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED... ALSO THEY SHOULD RECALL ABOUT THE HEAD AND TAIL LIGHTS - THEY HAVE TO HAVE A BULB REPLACED AT LEAST ONCE...

I HAVE A 2006 KIA SORENTO THE REAR HOUSING AXLE HAS RUSTED ALL THE WAY . AND THERE IS LARGE HOLE FROM THE RUST AND OIL DRIPPING OUT. AND THE BODY HAS IS ALREADY STARTING TO RUST. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF. I'VE HAVE WASHED AND WAXED AND KEPT IT . BUT IT DIDN'T DO ANY GOOD. KIA NEEDS TO WORK TO IMPROVE. *TR

I WAS MERGING ONTO A HIGHWAY WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEARD A LOUD THUD AND MY BATTERY LIGHT & E BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON AND I LOST POWER STEERING. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO INFORMED ME THAT THE HARMONIC BALANCER HAD FALLEN OFF DUE TO THE CRANKSHAFT BOLT SHEARING OFF. ONCE IT WAS FIXED BY AN ASE CERTIFIED MECHANIC, APPROXIMATELY 8000 MILES LATER I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND THE CAR STARTED SHAKING LIKE I WAS DRIVING ON RUMBLE STRIPS. I TOOK IT BACK TO A SERVICE GARAGE AND AFTER REPLACING THE HARMONIC BALANCER AND CRANKBOLT AGAIN THEY CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE CRANKSHAFT WAS BENT. THE GARAGE SUGGESTED REPLACING THE ENTIRE CRANKSHAFT AND BALANCER AND THEN HAVING THE ENGINE REBALANCED OR A COMPLETE ENGINE REPLACEMENT BOTH OF WHICH ARE GREATER THAN $3500 TO REPAIR ON A VEHICLE THAT'S WORTH...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS STOPPED ILLUMINATING INTERMITTENTLY. ADDITIONALLY, WHILE ACCELERATING THE VEHICLE JERKED AND DECELERATED SUDDENLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V130000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) THAT COULD HAVE BEEN RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000. *TR

WHILE DRIVING IN BUSY CITY TRAFFIC, HEARD A LOUD CLUNKY NOISE, LOSS OF POWER STEERING CAPABILITIES IMMEDIATELY ALONG WITH BRAKE AND BATTERY LIGHTS APPEARING ON DASH. VEHICLE TAKEN TO LOCAL DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT "CRANK BOLT BROKEN OFF THE CRANKSHAFT, REMOVED CRANK BOLT WITH EASY OUT, REPLACED DAMAGED CRANK SPROCKET, DAMPER PULLEY, AND CRANK BOLT." NOW TEN (10) MONTHS LATER AND 7000 MILES (APPROXIMATELY) WE HAVE THE SAME ISSUE IDENTICAL TO THE ORIGINAL. AM CURRENTLY WAITING FOR RESOLUTION FROM DEALERSHIP WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED AND SERVICED. IT IS CURRENTLY THERE WAITING REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT. SEEMS THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT IS NOT FIXED BY SIMPLY REPAIRING OR REPLACING THE CRANK BOLT AS IT HAS HAPPENED TWICE WITH MY VEHICLE, LEADING ME TO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A STRESSOR ELSEWHERE! MORE THAN LIKELY A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT OF THE ENGINE BLOCK SOMEWHERE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING HEARD A LOUD NOISE FROM ENGINE CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING. CAR TOWED TO MECHANIC. DIAGNOSIS: CRANK BOLT BROKEN AND LAYING IN SKID PLATE; PART OF BROKEN CRANK BOLT IN CRANKSHAFT. CRANK PULLEY SHEARED PIN AND MOVED FORWARD CAUSING POWER STEERING BELT TO COME OFF AND OTHER BELT MISALIGNMENT. UPON REMOVAL OF BROKEN CRANKSHAFT BOLT, DAMAGE WAS FOUND TO CRANK GEAR AND BALANCER PULLEY. THE TIMING BELT, TENSIONER AND CRANKSHAFT BOLT HAD ALL BEEN REPLACED AT 91,000. LESS THAN TWO MONTHS AFTER REPLACING THE CRANKSHAFT BOLT, IT SHEARED OFF CAUSING MAJOR DAMAGE. LOSING POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT TO KIA THAT HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED CAUSING A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE TO ALL MOTOR VEHICLE DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS. IN ADDITION, THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR ISSUE. *TR

DRIVING 65MPH ON TURNPIKE HEARD A LOUD SCREECHING NOISE BRAKES WERE HARD TO APPLY STEERING WAS DIFFICULT AND DASH BOARD LITE UP PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAS TOWED TO THE NEAREST KIA DEALERSHIP TO BE TOLD THAT CRANK SHAFT BOLT BROKE. AT 60000 MILES WE DID THE REQUIRED MAINTENANCE TO THE TUNE OF 663.65 AND HAD THE TIMING BELT REPLACED. THERE WAS ALSO A MEMO TO THE DEALERSHIPS TO REPLACE THE BOLT WHEN REPLACING THE TIMING BELT. ACCORDING TO MY ITEMIZED STATEMENT THE BOLT WAS NOT REPLACED. I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE COVERED SINCE I FOLLOWED THE RULES AND GOT THE REQUIRED SERVICE THEY WERE NEGLIGENT NOT REPLACING THE BOLT. HOWEVER THEY REFUSE TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THERE MISTAKE. NOW I AM STUCK WITH A CONSIDERABLE BILL. *TR

AT 60,000 MILES TOOK MY 2006 SORENTO IN FOR MANUFACTURER'S RECOMMENDED SERVICE - CHANGE TIMING BELT AND NEW PLUGS, ETC., NEVER HAD A PROBLEM BEFORE THEN. GOT THE SUV BACK FROM MECHANIC AND THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE BELTS CAME OFF, LOST POWER, OVERHEATED. CRANK SHAFT BOLT CAME LOOSE. NOW AT 82,290 MILES, BOLT BROKE, HARMONIC BALANCER CAME LOOSE AND CHEWED UP THE END OF THE CRANKSHAFT. $3200 FIX. SUV HAS BEEN IN SHOP FOR 5 WEEKS AND WILL REMAIN THERE FOR AT LEAST 5 MORE UNTIL I CAN GET THE MONEY TO FIX IT. KIA SHOULD RECALL THIS MODEL AS WELL, THEY ALREADY RECOGNIZED THE PROBLEM IN 2003 AND 2004 MODELS. I AM A SINGLE MOM, RAISING BOYS WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF CHILD SUPPORT OR ANY OTHER HELP. KIA SHOULD STAND BEHIND THEIR WORKMANSHIP!

DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY 230 MILES FROM HOME, 150 MILES FROM MY DESTINATION BRAKE LIGHT AND BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON. PULLED OFF ROAD LOSS OF STEERING POWER. OPENED HOOD AND FOUND BELTS OFF. TOWED TO NEAREST TOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE AND MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE CRANKSHAFT (HARMONIC BALANCER) BOLT HAD SHEERED OFF AND BROKEN PIECE STILL IN CRANKSHAFT. TOWED TO NEAREST KIA DEALERSHIP 150 MILES AWAY AND WAS TOLD POSSIBLE CRANKSHAFT/ENGINE DAMAGE. COULD NOT DO FURTHER DIAGNOSIS DUE TO WEEKEND (SATURDAY) AND WILL NEED TO STAY IN TOWN UNTIL CAR IS REPAIRED (NO OTHER TRANSPORTATION). NO LOANER CAR OFFERED. THIS IS A DANGEROUS COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH KIA SORENTO OWNERS THAT THE COMPANY SEEMS TO KNOW ABOUT BUT DOES NOT WANT TO ADDRESS OR COVER COST OF REPAIRS. RECALL ON BOLT FOR 2003 MODELS DOES NOT COVER LATER MODELS BUT DANGEROUS SITUATION STILL EXISTS WITH THOSE LATER MODELS. I AM...

CRANKSHAFT BOLT SHEARED OFF IN MAY 2010 AT 63,000 MILES CAUSING $1200 IN DAMAGE AND TOWING. AFTER HAVING A KIA DEALER FIX THE ISSUE OUT OF MY POCKET BECAUSE I'M A "SECOND OWNER", THE ISSUE HAPPENED AGAIN IN JULY 2011 AT 101,000 MILES. THE DEALER AGAIN HAS TO REPAIR WITH SIMILAR COSTS OUT OF MY POCKET. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AS THE BELT CONNECTING TO THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY IS ALSO ATTACHED TO THE ALTERNATOR WHICH, WHEN BROKE, CAUSES A LOSS OF ALL POWER, EVEN WHILE THE CAR IS AT FULL DRIVING SPEED. THIS IS ALSO AN EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE ISSUE WHICH AFTER SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS WITH KIA, THEY HAVE YET TO ACKNOWLEDGE IS A PROBLEM. *TR

THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BOLT SHEARED OFF ON MY 2006 KIA SORENTO AT 70,000 MILES. THIS CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE THE HARMONIC BALANCER WHICH CAUSED MY BELT TO FALL OFF ITS TRACK. KIA HAS PREVIOUSLY ISSUED A RECALL ON OLDER MODELS FOR THIS EXACT SAME PART DUE TO A MANUFACTURE DEFECT. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE SINCE THIS HAS ALSO CAUSED THE STEERING TO LOCK AND DRIVERS CAN LOOSE CONTROL. THEIR ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS SIMILAR TO THIS ISSUE ON THE SAME YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL. I AM CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF COMPLAINING TO KIA & THE BBB REGARDING THE REPAIR SINCE THEY DON'T FEEL RESPONSIBLE. THE REPAIR WOULD CONSIST OF A NEW ENGINE ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO DETERMINE OR EXPLAIN THE CAUSE. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THIS DEFECT BE INVESTIGATED SINCE IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE FOR SEVERAL KIA MODELS AND YEARS. *TR

BOLT SHEARED CAUSING THE HARMONIC BALANCER TO FALL OFF CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE BECAME VERY HARD TO STEER. CLEARLY THIS VEHICLE CAN NOT BE SAFE TO DRIVE IF BOLTS THAT HOLD THE ENGINE AND STEERING JUST SHEAR OFF. *TR

I HAVE BEEN THE OWNER OF 2 BRAND NEW KIA SORRENTOS, A 2004 AND A 2006. WITH BOTH VEHICLES I HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES SHAKING (SOMETIMES VIOLENTLY) AFTER ONLY 6,000 TO 8,000 MILES. WHEN TAKEN TO BE LOOKED AT I WAS TOLD THE ROTORS WERE WARPED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AT MY OWN COST BECAUSE "BRAKES ARE A WEAR ITEM". I HAVE A FRIEND WITH A 2005 SORRENTO THAT HAS DEALT WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A HUGE PROBLEM WITH THE SORRENTO LINE AND YOU WOULD THINK THEY WOULD TRY TO MAKE CUSTOMERS HAPPIER AND MAKE STRONG PARTS. *TR

2006 KIA SORENTO EX 4WD, CLUNKING SOUND IN THE REAR END WHEN YOU COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND THEN START AGAIN. REAR DIFFERENTIAL WENT OUT AND WAS REPLACED IN AUG 2005, BUT THE CLUNK IN THE REAR END STILL REMAINS. AS OF OCT 2005 THERE IS ALSO AN INTERMITTENT SOUND IN THE REAR END THAT SOUNDS LIKE THE DIFFERENTIAL IS STICKING OR LOCKING INTO A POSITIVE TRACTION CAUSING ONE TIRE TO SOUND AND FEEL LIKE IT IS SLIDING ON GRAVEL. PREVIOUS OWNER REPORTED SAME PROBLEM "CLUNK" IN THE REAR END NUMEROUS TIMES AS WELL. POSSIBLY A DESIGN FLAW. *NM