2005 Kia Sorento Problems, Recalls & Reliability
457 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2005 Kia Sorento, alongside 0 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 23/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 55,000 miles.
Typical
Where 2005 sits among all Sorento years
What owners report
“The vehicle has had several electronic issues. One owner with a garage parked low mileage suv. The driver seat will not move forward. All other adjustments work fine. This issue has happened several times over the years but now seems to be a permanent problem. The interior overhead light does not…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2005 Sorento
“While driving a noise comes from engine compartment. Battery and brake warning light come on. Power steering goes out. Have to man ahndle suv to a safe spot. Crankshaft bolt that hold harmonic balancer broke. Common problem known to kia engines they offer to fix it for $1300.00 plus more.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2005 Sorento
“Seat sensor on my kia sorento for the airbag light does not work. When a passenger sets in the front passenger seat the airbag off light stays on. You put the vehicle in gear, you drive and the light stays on. City or highway travel, the light stays on all the time indicating the passenger airbag…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2005 Sorento
“Driver side axle broke in june 2015 and july 9, 2015 passenger side axle cracked and passenger side hub assembly went bad. Making a rattling, metal grinding noise. When the sorento was raised up the whole underneath is rusted out. Im lucky i didnt have a major accident. Should be recalled for…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2005 Sorento
“Vehicle's rear end bolts rusted through had to replace the rear-end, we also had a 2004 that the frame rusted and broke in half, and the rear-end rusted out on it too. It was said it was caused by a design flaw that wouldn't allow the water to drain properly. They have recalls on it in the uk and…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2005 Sorento
“This is a follow up to nhtsa id numbers, 10819147,10824199 and 10838525. In researching the crossmember corrosion may cause loose control arm in the kia sorento's i found that there was a nhtsa campaign number: 13v354000 hyundai motor company ( kia's parent company) for the exact same issue. Was…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2005 Sorento
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 373 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 93,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 50,254 and 112,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls
No recall campaigns on file for the 2005 Kia Sorento.
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 2005 Kia Sorento reliable?
The 2005 Kia Sorento drew 457 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 23/100, scored against the model's worst year (2011).
What are the most common 2005 Kia Sorento problems?
The top reported problems for the 2005 Kia Sorento are electrical (110 complaints), engine (108), and airbags (45).
At what mileage do 2005 Kia Sorento problems show up?
Owners most often report 2005 Kia Sorento problems around 93,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 50,254 and 112,000 miles.
Does the 2005 Kia Sorento have recalls?
No recall campaigns are on file for the 2005 Kia Sorento. Recalls can be issued at any time, so check the VIN before buying.
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.