Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2005 Kia Sorento owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I have an 05 Kia Sorento lx. When I was driving I noticed that my car kept making a grinding sound when making a left, and then I also noticed that it was rattling a lot when hitting bumps and just driving down the road. I took the vehicle into my personal mechanic whom I've been using for years and trust to the highest, and he told me that the entire frame was rusted through, with multiple holes and it was unsafe to drive and the cost to repair is was extremely high. He told me to take it to Kia to see if there were any recalls or anything they could do because a barely 10 year old car shouldn't be having this issue, and it's a safety issue. I took it to the Kia dealership, they inspected the car, and upon their inspection they said, "frame is rusting and has many holes, is unsafe. Advise customer to drive at own risk since it could break at any time. …
This is a follow up to NHTSA id number's 10819147 & 10824199. After filing vsc 10824199, I was contacted by a Kia America representative from california. She requested a copy of my original bill of sale, the vehicle registration and the repair estimate from the dealer to repair the repair upper control arm brackets. She did not request any other documentation or pictures. She said she would review the case and speal to the dealer and depending on the cost would either have the repair completed or purchase the car to be scrapped for kbv. I received a call today and was informed that the repair would cost at least $3,000 and because the vehicle was 10 years old and not in the repair program ( I assume that was being done in the uk) Kia would offer me $1,500 for the car. I asked if the vehicle was safe to drive in it's present condition and was told I should contact the dealer. …
While examining the rear suspension prior to replacing the shocks I saw that the upper control arm brackets on the rear axle are badly rusted. The left is slightly worse. I do not live in a rust belt area. Western washington to be specific. There is no other rust or corrosion on this car. There is a design flaw that allows water to stay in the area above the axle and corrode the bracket. When the bracket breaks the rear axle is no longer held in place. The car will be very difficult to steer and the wheels could lock up. The addition of a weep hole and an anti-corrosion coating would have prevented this. There are reports here on NHTSA where these brackets have rotted away and failed causing loss of control of the vehicle. This is a known design flaw that is just now appearing on the older cars. There are a multitude of comments on the internet worldwide. …
I have an 05 Kia Sorento lx. I took it to my auto repair to day to have a tire repair done. My mechanic ask me to come into the shop to see an issue once it was on the lift. The rear upper control arm bracket on the driver's side had completely rusted away and was detached from the rear axle housing. The bracket on the passenger's side was heavily rusted but had not yet broken. The repair suggested was to replace the entire rear axle and differential housing . I did some researched on the NHTSA site and the internet and found that this is a problem that has been reported several times and in fact was probably caused by how the bracket had been constructed with no drain holes. Iss the NHTSA or Kia going to issue a recall? I saw in my research that this was done by Kia in the united kingdom. …
My wife drives this car primarily. She asked me last week to see what I thought about weird noises from the rear brakes when applying. I could not recognize the noises, so I took it to a local shop. The technician has found extreme rust issues with the rear axle link brackets on the axle housing being rusted out and no longer connected. I have dealt with vehicle repair most of my life, and know this is an extremely dangerous condition. My wife carries her 83 year old mother, and our 3 year old grand daughter. I will not allow her to drive it until I am able to get it on a lift and investigate for myself. I do not have a spare vehicle at this time I have found this to be a very widespread problem on these autos, and am inquiring if there is any knowledge of there being a recall for this issue.
I brought my vehicle for a coolant leak. My mechanic asked that I come over to look at underneath the vehicle. The rear drivers side control arm was no longer attached to the rear axle. He explained that the upper control arm bracket welded to the rear axle on driver side rotted right through, causing the control arm to come off. I called Kia and they won't do anything to help. This problem has been addressed in the uk and domestically for hyundia santa fe. So basicly I have a 2005 Kia with 93,000 miles on it that is unsafe to drive due to a design defect. Both Kia and dealer said they would do nothing.
This is a follow up to complaint # 10819147. After taking the car to the dealer I was told by Kia USA it was out of warranty and would not be repaired, the repair estimate for parts only was between $1,300 and $3,000. I had informed Kia USA that they were doing the repairs I the uk, but apparently it did not matter to them. Further follow up showed that Kia in the uk program ends in April 2016. Since this is a design safety issue that is being addressed in other countries, is the NHTSA going to take any action?
This is a follow up to NHTSA id numbers, 10819147,10824199,10838525 and 10838531. I further researched the crossmember corrosion May cause loose control arm in the Kia Sorento's and found that in europe Kia issued the attached service bulletin to attempt to correct this issue before the brackets rusted out. Based on Kia Sorento vehicle sales in the us from 2002 to 2008 (the production range noted on the attached service bulletin) this issue could possibly affect up to approx. 266,000 vehicles.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 50 MPH, the contact heard a loud noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the brackets on the rear end of the vehicle were corroded and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 145,000. The VIN was not available.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Kia Sorento. While driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal rattling noise and the vehicle shook. The failure recurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was discovered that the entire frame had excessive rust and fractures and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 124,000.
Suspension complaints in other Sorento years
Frequently asked questions
How common are suspension problems on the 2005 Kia Sorento?
NHTSA has 25 complaints about the suspension of the 2005 Kia Sorento, 8% of the model year's 307 complaints. The component named most often is rear (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Kia Sorento suspension problems?
No. NHTSA lists no suspension recall for the 2005 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 2005 Kia Sorento suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 108,000 miles.
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.