Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2003 Kia Sorento owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl* the contact owned a 2003 Kia Sorento. While driving at 60 MPH, the contact stated that smoke came from out of the vents. The contact pulled over on the shoulder and exited the vehicle. There were sparks coming from the engine and the vehicle caught on fire. A police report was filed and there were no injuries reported. The vehicle was totaled and towed away. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 60,000. Th VIN was not available.
Crankshaft bolt backed out lost power steering brakes,Kia is aware of this problem from 2002 to 2009 many reports have been filed,its the manufacturing of the bolt which is to small,they are not standing by this defect,there is no permenant fix for this and Kia isn't warning anyone of this problem which could lead into a fatile accident with injuries and death.going at a high rate of speed there would be no control even at slow there is no easy turning the wheel.now im stuck with this problem and a temp fix wont fix it,so now I have no vehicle or anyway to get one,no way to work,no money to temp fix it,this is unjust and this vehicle should have never passed specs to be on the road.Kia should step up and honor there products,they are deceiving buyers and putting there life in danger and u don't know it till it happens,I didn't...I was taking my daughter to school I am thankful I wasn't …
I purchased this car brand new from stevens Kia in patchogue, ny and had them replace the timing belt @ 58K miles as per their guide lines. While driving the car I lost my power steering and electrical charging system, I was going around 45mph, I lost control of the car and was able to get it on the side of the road without any damage to the car or anything else. I called corporate Kia and explained the problem and was told the car is out of warranty.(it has 123K miles on it). They told me if I wanted I could have it towed to a Kia dealer and they would look at it for a diagnosis fee, but it was still out of warranty and they also told me my VIN# didn't fall into the recall they had concerning that issue. I had my mechanic look at it and he told me the crankshaft dowel pin snapped on the timing gear causing the harmonic balancer to fall off thus taking all the belts with it. …
The bolt holding the harmonic balancer pulley to the crankshaft fell out and all the engine belts and pulleys stopped turning resulting in a loss of power steering, and making the vehicle very difficult to steer. This happened at a low speed and the driver was barely able to turn off the road without an accident. At a higher speed, in heavy traffic, or on mountain roads, the result would likely have been much worse. The car was towed to a Kia dealer and repaired for approximately $1,500.00, replacing the failed parts with new parts and with a warranty of 12 months/10 thousand miles. Previously, at 70 thousand miles as preventive maintenance, the timing belt was replaced by a Kia dealer. …
Driving vehicle at about 45mph, engine started making a screeching noise and got louder when accelerating. There was a loud bang from engine area and immediately lost all power and ability to steer and brake. We were approaching a busy intersection and had to pull the emergency brake to avoid running a red light into oncoming traffic. Had vehicle towed to our dealership. The crankshaft pulley bolt snapped off and the belt and pulley fell off. The bolt did not break far enough into the engine block so repair was able to replace it. After this happened we learned of the safety concern with said vehicle and Kia denies anything wrong with their sorentos. There is a pending lawsuit against Kia for this known problem. This is a very dangerous situation and we advised the dealer that we want to trade the vehicle as it poses a very serious safety problem. Kia should provide a major recall. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Kia Sorento. The vehicle stalled and lost motive power while driving the contact was concerned for his safety when the vehicle stall the contact was concerned that it was related to the fuel system while driving at approximately 60 MPH, the sputtered and stalled. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to several independent mechanics where the fuel pump was replaced, a tune up was performed, the camshaft sensor, and timing belt was also replaced however, the failure recurred. The contact stated was concerned that the fuel system was the cause of the failure. Lakeshore Kia, 330 e howze beach rd #2, slidell, la 70461, [phone], was contacted and informed of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted nor informed of the failure. …
I was driving the vehicle in the parking lot when I heard a loud noise and lost control of the steering because the car died and the steering wheel locked up. I looked under the hood and notice all the belts and front of the motor fell off and was laying at the bottom. I called the tow truck they towed it to the Kia dealer. Where they told me its a problem the 2003 Kia Sorento has. They told me they will replace the engine that was at 38,000 mile. Now the car has 72,000 miles on it so that's 34,000 miles on this motor now they tell me the same thing is happening and the motor has to be replaced. So the Kia motor is only good for 30,000 miles that's just ridiculous and the cost is on me.
Tl contact owns a 2003 Kia Sorento. While driving between 35-40 MPH, the motor in the cooling fan failed. The motor was attempting to turn over; however, it could not because the fuse in the fuse box did not blow out as it should. The wire from the terminal blocker melted into the fuse box. This caused the wires to burn and the passenger compartment became engulfed in smoke. The vehicle was driven home and did not catch on fire. The vehicle has two safety features, one in the terminal block and the other in the fuse box, but they did not work. The contact called Kia and was informed that the warranty ended at 60,000 miles. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 100,000.
All lights come on, horn blows, but will not start at all, this Kia Sorento is junk, its falling apart, I got a disable mother, now can't take her to her doctor appointments, every since I had it, its been nothing but junk, we live on fixed income, can't afford to get another vehicle, and this 2003 Kia Sorento should not be on the road, all Kia Sorento vehicles are junk, clock is messed up, comes off and on, airbag light is on, now won't even start at all, something needs to be done about Kia dealerships selling junk vehicles, will complain again and again, they are junk!
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the rpms would not go over 4,000 and smoke appeared from the engine. The contact stated that the speed would not exceed 40 MPH and the engine was draining the oil. The vehicle was taken to peak Kia (5077 s wadsworth blvd, littleton, co 80123, [phone]) where it was diagnosed that the vehicle needed an oil change. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to call the dealer. The failure mileage was 56,300.
Engine complaints in other Sorento years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2003 Kia Sorento?
NHTSA has 124 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2003 Kia Sorento, 41% of the model year's 305 complaints. The component named most often is cooling system (11 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Kia Sorento engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2003 Kia Sorento, though it has 1 recall for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2003 Kia Sorento engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 73,000 miles, and 5% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 1 fire and 2 injuries to engine & cooling problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.