December 18, 2010 Kia motors america, inc. Dear Kia this letter is to complain about an internet posted and known defect in your 2005 Kia sorento. I recently broke down because 'the crankshaft bolt broke off inside the engine'. It cost me $85.00 to get it towed and now will run an additional $1,200+/- to repair it. From what I'm reading on the internet when the problem is fixed there is…
2005 Kia Sorento engine problems
moderate 73 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $3,100 · see engine across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
73
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$3,100
1crash
2fires
When does it fail?
Of the 73 engine complaints filed for the 2005 Kia Sorento, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 50,000-75,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Owners have filed 73 engine complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
Engine accounts for 24% of all owner complaints filed against this vehicle, across 10 categories tracked.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 2005 Sorento has a documented defect: the crankshaft pulley bolt breaks, strips, or shears off. When it does, you lose power steering instantly and the engine stalls—often at highway speed. Owners describe hearing a loud clunk or bang, seeing battery and brake lights flash on, and suddenly being unable to steer. The harmonic balancer or pulley itself can detach and fall, tearing up timing belts, water pumps, and other belt-driven components in the process.
Kia issued a Technical Service Bulletin directing dealers to replace the bolt during service visits, and a recall exists for some VINs—but many owners' VINs are excluded despite identical failures. Worse: after shops repair it, the bolt breaks again in days or weeks. Multiple owners report paying $1,200–$2,000 per repair, sometimes three times in under a year. Some end up needing a full engine replacement ($4,000–$6,900), which Kia has refused to cover under the powertrain warranty. Kia claims the bolt is an external component, not part of the engine, and has demanded maintenance records before honoring warranty claims.
A handful of narratives mention engine knock with metal in the oil and internal damage requiring engine swap; one describes a blown head gasket with piston failure. Class-action lawsuits have been filed; Kia has contested them. The core issue—whether the bolt design or crankshaft mating surface is flawed—remains unresolved, and owners who've had repairs done express no confidence the failure won't happen again.
Same Kia Sorento engine reports on nearby years: 2006 · 2008
Failure modes owners describe
Crankshaft pulley/harmonic balancer bolt failure
The bolt securing the harmonic balancer or crankshaft pulley to the crankshaft breaks, strips, or shears off, causing the balancer/pulley to detach and all accessory belts to fail. This results in loss of power steering, battery light illumination, and engine stalling.
When: Between 10,000 and 123,000 miles; some failures occurred within months of previous repairs; owners report failures at 20k, 43k, 50k, 62k, 66k, 69k, 77k, 80k, 82k, 87k, 97k, 100k, 105k, 120k, 123k miles
Symptoms owners cite: Loud clunking or banging noise from engine; Battery warning light and brake warning light illuminate; Sudden loss of power steering while driving; Engine stalls or shuts off without warning; Rattling or squeaking noise from under hood; Engine running roughly or difficult to control steering wheel; All accessory belts become detached or damaged
Codes mentioned: P0300, Crankshaft sensor faults, Battery/brake warning lights
Repairs/costs cited: Repairs include replacing crankshaft pulley bolt, harmonic balancer, timing belt, crank sprocket, water pump, tensioner, and idler pulley. Some shops estimate engine replacement at $4,000–$6,900. Owners cite labor costs of $1,200–$2,000+ per repair. Multiple owners report the bolt breaks again after repair, sometimes within days or weeks. One owner reports six business days repair time at dealer with no loaner vehicle.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: KIA issued a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) directing dealers to replace the bolt upon next service, but owners report dealers often fail to follow it. An active recall exists for some 2005 Sorento VINs, but many owners' VINs are excluded despite identical failures. KIA has denied warranty coverage, claiming the bolt is an external engine component not covered under powertrain warranty. KIA customer service has requested maintenance records before covering repairs under warranty. Some owners mention a lawsuit 'Yvonne Robinson vs. KIA' related to crankshaft bolt failure. Class-action lawsuits have been filed by owners, which KIA has contested.
Blown head gasket with coolant intrusion
Head gasket failure allows coolant to enter the engine, causing piston damage, scorched interior engine walls, and severe internal damage requiring full engine replacement.
When: At 123,000 miles in one report; with less than 70,000 miles in another case despite regular dealer maintenance
Symptoms owners cite: Battery light comes on during starting; Engine fails to start or runs very rough; Severe internal engine damage upon inspection
Repairs/costs cited: One owner reports finding two pistons missing and interior engine wall severely scorched. Full engine replacement required. No repair cost quoted in narratives.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner reports KIA has not made any gestures to help despite vehicle being well-maintained per KIA requirements.
Engine knock/misfire with internal damage
Engine develops loud knocking noise, metal particles appear in oil, and cylinders/valves become damaged. Some cases trace to intake manifold clips lodging in catalytic converter or sludge buildup from oil starvation claims (disputed by owners).
When: At 12,149 miles (one case); 50,000–105,000 miles in multiple reports; one occurred immediately after oil change
Symptoms owners cite: Loud knocking noise from engine; Check engine light with P0300 misfire code; Vehicle sluggish, cannot accelerate past 50 mph; Vehicle shakes severely and makes ticking noise; Sludge visible when oil cap removed; Metal particles in oil
Codes mentioned: P0300
Repairs/costs cited: Repairs include timing belt replacement, cylinder head work, valve repairs, bent valve corrections, broken pushrods/cams replacement, and in some cases full engine replacement at $4,000–$4,700. One owner paid $80–$500 for diagnosis. Dealers have disputed whether failures are warranty-covered based on oil sludge claims.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: KIA engine was replaced under warranty in one early case (12,149 miles). In later cases, dealers questioned maintenance records and sludge conditions before approving warranty coverage.
Engine stalling/no-start with electrical warning lights
Vehicle stalls suddenly while driving or fails to restart after stalling. Multiple warning lights illuminate (battery, brake, check engine). In some cases, the root cause remains undiagnosed despite extended dealer investigation.
When: Ranging from 25 mph parking lot speeds to 70 mph highway driving; one vehicle remained at dealer for three months without diagnosis; failures reported at 50k, 100k+ miles
Symptoms owners cite: Engine stalls suddenly without warning while driving; Multiple dashboard warning lights illuminate; Vehicle fails to restart after stalling; Loss of power steering during stall; Engine restarts but vehicle cannot fully accelerate
Codes mentioned: Cam sensor codes, Crank sensor codes
Repairs/costs cited: One vehicle required cam sensor, crank sensor, timing belt, and ECM computer replacement; failure recurred one month later. Another dealer could not duplicate problem despite acknowledged misfiring and parts replacement (intake manifold ordered). Owners report $0–extensive labor with inconclusive diagnoses.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealers have stated they cannot duplicate intermittent stalling problems and refused to repair under warranty in some cases. KIA has not been responsive to reimbursement requests in multiple cases.
Power steering loss
Power steering fails suddenly, most often coinciding with crankshaft pulley bolt failure or engine stalling events. In one case, owner collided with a cement pole while attempting to regain control.
When: Occurs at driving speeds from 10 mph to 70 mph; coincides with other engine failures listed above
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel becomes very stiff and difficult to turn; Complete loss of power steering with no warning; Requires full strength to manually steer vehicle
Repairs/costs cited: No separate repair; addressed as part of crankshaft bolt/harmonic balancer repairs. One owner involved in collision while steering failed.
Synthesized from 73 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Kia sorento. The contact stated that all of the instrument panel light illuminated as the vehicle stalled. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was told that the crankshaft position sensor failed and needed to be replaced. The failure and the current mileage was 110,522. Updated 1/29/13 *cn updated 2/6/2013*js
Had engine trouble with your 2005 Kia Sorento?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the engine problem on the 2005 Kia Sorento?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 73 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $3,100 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the engine typically fail?
Across the 67 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most engine failures cluster between 55,606 and 106,000 miles, with the median around 81,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 55,606; a quarter make it past 106,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $3,100 for engine repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to engine?
No active recalls currently cover engine issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2005/Kia/Sorento.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.