2003 Kia Sorento Problems, Recalls & Reliability
421 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2003 Kia Sorento, alongside 1 recall campaign and 1 defect investigation. It scores 18/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Engine leads the reports, typically around 73,001 miles.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2003 Kia Sorento has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2003 sits among all Sorento years
What owners report
“While under motion on highway at 65+ mph, lost power steering due to crank shaft bolt and pulley failure, resulting in complete loss of accessory functions.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2003 Sorento
“Fule is shooting back of gas tank while putting in gas.this is very dangerous. Pleas tell me a fix for this. Car is stationary.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2003 Sorento
“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”— owner report to NHTSA, 2003 Sorento
“Airbag indicator turned on and has been on since the beginning of the year. I have not been driving the vehicle since the indicator light turned on in fear of the airbags deploying on their own while i'm driving or not deploying if an accident occurs.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2003 Sorento
“While driving i heard a clunk and a the car began rolling side to side. I limped to a mechanic and was told that the frame where the suspension and all parts connect was rusted out. Frame repair said this can not be fixed as the frame is rusted out. Where the stabilizer and suspension connects. Teh…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2003 Sorento
“We had a vibration in the front end of the car when we stopped. We took it to the local kia dealer. We were told that the rotors were warped. We bought the car new, it only had 33,000 miles on it. Was told that the rotors warranty was 5yr/50000 miles, but only on defects. Since most rotors wear out…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2003 Sorento
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 326 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 73,501 miles. Half of those reports fall between 38,000 and 118,892 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (1)
CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE A FUEL LEAK FROM FUEL TUBES NEAR THE FUEL TANK DUE TO AN INTERFERENCE FIT WITH THE VEHICLE FLOOR PANEL.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE A SECTION OF THE FUEL LINE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 10, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.
Federal defect investigations
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2003 Kia Sorento reliable?
The 2003 Kia Sorento drew 421 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 18/100, scored against the model's worst year (2011).
What are the most common 2003 Kia Sorento problems?
The top reported problems for the 2003 Kia Sorento are engine (126 complaints), fuel system (75), and electrical (47).
At what mileage do 2003 Kia Sorento problems show up?
Owners most often report 2003 Kia Sorento problems around 73,501 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 38,000 and 118,892 miles.
Does the 2003 Kia Sorento have recalls?
1 recall campaign applies to the 2003 Kia Sorento. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.