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2004 Kia SorentoProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 220 owner complaints about the 2004 Kia Sorento, most often about the engine. It has no vehicle safety recalls on record.

2004 Kia Sorento
57
CarFlaw IndexSolid year24% below the Sorento median · #18 of 21 years by complaints
Safety recalls0None on recordOwner complaints22032 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage109kEngine, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through December 20, 2021. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.

Complaints by system

Where the 2004 Kia Sorento has problems

220 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Engine466
Engine and engine cooling462
Power train402
Suspension302
Electrical system287
Structure282
Steering244
Exterior lighting140
Air bags146
13 other systems485

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

0 recalls

2004 Kia Sorento recalls and how many were fixed

No vehicle safety recalls are on record for this model year.

Mileage at failure

When do engine problems start?

109kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 39 engine complaints. 36% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
2under 30k miles14under 100k miles25100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Engine and engine cooling

9 owners mentioned a cost

$3,600median

Middle half: $700 – $4,000

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

2004 vs. every other Sorento year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Sorento median. How we score

'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2004 Kia Sorento safety ratings

2004 Kia Sorento 4-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

2004 Kia Sorento frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crashNot rated
2004 Kia Sorento side barrier test, NHTSA
Side barrierNot rated
  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
In owners' words

What Sorento owners report

Recent engine complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

I BOUGHT MY 04 SORENTO FROM MY AUNT WHO WAS THE ONLY OWNER. IT HAD A POWER STEERING ISSUE AT THAT TIME WHICH TOOK SEVERAL ATTENPTS TO FIX. ABOUT A MONTH LATER WE WE VISITING FAMILY AND HAD TO TURN AROUND. UPON STOPPING WE NOTICED SMOKE FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT SO I GRABBED MY 4 Y/O DAUGHTER OUT…
Complaint 11271165 · Oct 26, 2019 · 180,000 miles
OCT, 2016 - I AM THE ORIGNAL OWNER OF THE VEHICLE AND HAD MAINTAINED REGULAR MAINTAINENCE ON THE VEHICLE. I HAD JUST PUT $700 OF NEW TIRES ON VEHICLE AND HAD A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE AND FLUID CHECK BEFORE WE LEFT FOR OUR VACATION. I NEVER HAD ANY ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE AND I STILL OWN. THE VEHICLE…
Complaint 11269088 · Oct 17, 2019 · 140,000 miles
THEY HAD A RECALL AND A LAWSUIT ON THE KIA FOR THE PULLEY BOLT KEEPS BREAKING AND I NEVER GOT A NOTICE AND MINE KEEPS BREAKING AND KIA WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
Complaint 11183151 · Feb 28, 2019

Own a 2004 Sorento?

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