Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2004 Kia Sorento owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
While driving my vehicle at 65mpg on the highway with my baby in the car, the steering jerked to the left. I almost crashed into a desiel truck !! I then correct it and pulled over. I dropped my son off at my mom's home and went to the garage to have it looked at. On the way, it lost all power steering and I could not turn correctly. Someone hit the back of my car and shoved it into another vehicle in the front. So now my back and fron in looks like crap and I have no power steering.. But my son and I are still alive.. When researching this issue, I found out it was not my fault or my car.. This is a faulty manufacture safty issue that has not even been researched yet !! There have been so many customer complaints about the danger of this vehicle and this issue I can not believe it's still on the road. …
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 of the car and by boyfriend opened the hood to find a small fire on opposite side fro where battery is. Once fire was put out we drove .5 miles on a city rd to family. The power steering was gone at that time as well. 10/13/19 - the directional worked all day and come night time when I came out from the store and started vehicle they did not work. The next day they worked finehowever, on 10/14/19 - I started the car in am and there was a squeaky belt. I hit the gas pedal quickly and noise went away. …
On Monday, 06-30-08, at about 1400 hours, I parked my vehicle a 2004 Kia sorrento 4x4 ex with approx. 80,000 plus miles. Shortly after parking this vehicle I entered a baskin and robins to have an ice cream cone. I was informed by frantic passerby's that a vehicle was on fire. I took a look outside and was shocked to see that my vehicle mentioned above was smoking and flaming up. This fire appeared to start on the passenger side of my vehicle near the power steering pump and alternator. My vehicle had been operating fine until this incident occurred and only went to the dealership for routine servicing under warranty. The honolulu police and fire departments were notified and reports documented under honolulu police department report #08-242969 and the honolulu fire department report #24891. …
Was driving down the road at 55 power steering went car lost power lights went crazy car shut down. I almost wrecked harmonic balancer fell into pieces all pulley belts and pin have to be replaced. I just got this car I have a payment on it. Going to cost 1200 to fix. This is on top of it sputtering and spottying. Replace head lights the radio glitches the air bag light is on all the time and if u turn the interior dash lights up it turns the interior lights on.over drive button does not work and transmission lags... I have read al these complaints over and over again why isn't anyone forcing a recall? These are serious issues I almost got rear ended and the electrical problem could cause fire.... Someone is going to end up very hurt if Kia is not forced to fix these. Could u imagine this happening on a thru way?
In this instance, the car failed to start. However, there were several more incidents concerning the same issues. In those instances, the car would suddenly lose power, stall out and if able to be restarted, could be driven with a lag in the engine a short distance before all the dash lights would turn on and the car would lose power steering. In two instances, the power steering was suddenly lost when making a left turn with a break across oncoming traffic.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Kia Sorento. While driving approximately 30 MPH, the power steering and brakes suddenly malfunctioned. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the camshaft pulley was faulty and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer and the local dealer (quirk Kia in brankly, ma) were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 99,000.
I was driving our 2004 Kia Sorento with my 3 young children in the car. Driving down a city street at 45 MPH the car began to jerk as all the lights flashed on the dashboard. I lost all power, but I was able to cruise to park next to a curb, however the vehicle would not restart. I had it towed to my mechanic. The mechanic found that the crankshaft sprocket, key shaft, damper pulley, and crank bolt all were damaged and needed to be replaced.
Tl contact owns a 2004 Kia Sorento. While driving 15 MPH, the steering wheel failed to turn to the right and the vehicle crashed into a pole. The fender was badly damaged and the vehicle was towed to the local dealer. The dealer stated that the vehicle needed a new rack and pinion, tie rod, upper and lower ball joint assembly, steering knuckle, and a passenger side front wheel. The current and failure mileages were 38,000.
I was driving the car when I suddenly started hearing rattling noises from the engine. The power steering stopped working and the steering wheel would not turn. Thankfully, I was on a side street with no other traffic. If I had been in traffic or traveling at a higher speed, this would surely have caused a crash. My mechanic says that the crankshaft bolt is sheared off and must be drilled out to be replaced. Kia won't cover this expensive repair, says it is not covered by their warranty. After researching this issue, I see that Kia is aware of a defect in the bolt and has issued service bulletins and discontinued the bolt, issuing a new part to replace it. There are already numerous complaints on this and other sites due to this issue, spanning several model years. To date, I have not seen a recall from Kia. …
We have had 4 instances with the same issue in the fixing the pulley crank shaft. June 30, 08, (recall) October 6, 09, aug 10, 10 and once again sept 18,12. This is the same issue that causes you to loose steering while driving with apparently no warning. I find this extremely troubling as we have a new driver learning with this car. We are lucky to report that there have been no accidents or deaths but I think it is a very dangerous situation that will soon happen. The dealer wagner Kia of shrewsbury,ma feels that it is not an issue and is just from wear and tear. 4 times for the same problem? Obviously Kia has not fixed the problem correctly. It angers me that Kia is not taking this seriously. We drive our children as well as other children in this car and could of had serious to fatal injuries. …
Steering complaints in other Sorento years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2004 Kia Sorento?
NHTSA has 24 complaints about the steering of the 2004 Kia Sorento, 11% of the model year's 220 complaints. The component named most often is rack and pinion (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Kia Sorento steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for the 2004 Kia Sorento. 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 2004 Kia Sorento steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 99,000 miles, and 4% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 2 fires and 0 injuries to steering 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.