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 2006 Kia Sorento owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Less than a year prior, timing belt needed replaced. A costly fix. Only months later due to problem(common issue Kia is aware of) with crankshaft sensor, vehical stalled and died driving down the road. There was no warning for this and when the engine stopped while going down the highway, I lost all control of power stearing, speed, brakes and other main elecrical componets. I was in the middle of a curve of the highway when this occured. This threw me into ongoing traffic. Luckily, I only hit a hwy traffic sign. The recalls for this vehicle needs to be updated and added to. This vehical should not be aloud on the road! Its dangerous for everyone on the road.
Belt sprocket and harmonic balancer with bolt. The bolt is made of substandard material and broke causing the automobile to lose power steering and other vital car features. No warning, it just broke while in motion causing all of the belts to seize. I was on a hilly mountainous road in my home area of high ridge missouri, acutally on the high ridge.I am lucky that I am Smart enough to drive defensively and was able to coast to a safe side road. Two mechanics came to my rescue and easily saw that the problem stating that I would need a whole new engine.I have a temporary fix estimate from my mechanic but he says the car really needs a whole new engine.....
Tl* the contact owned a 2006 Kia Sorento. While driving 35 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle. The contact was informed by a passing motorist that the vehicle was on fire. The fire department was notified and was able to extinguish the fire. There were no injuries and no reports were filed. The vehicle was destroyed and remained at the scene of the fire. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000. The VIN was not available.
Tl* the contact owned a 2006 Kia Sorento. While the vehicle was off, the engine caught fire. The fire was extinguished by the fire department. The cause of the failure could not be determined. A police report was not filed and there were no injuries. An independent mechanic deemed the vehicle a total loss. The vehicle was not towed. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.
While stopped at a traffic light, the car was running fine. When the light turned green, I took my foot off the brake and all the lights on my dash illuminated and the car immediately shut off. I shift into park and restart the car with no problems as if nothing happened. No other issues occurred until today (3 weeks later). This time I started my car and was driving through a parking lot with no signs of a problem. After I stopped, to let a car out in front of me, I took my foot off the brake to proceed. Immediately as I stepped on the gas, the dash illuminated, the steering wheel locked, and the car shut off. I tried restarting it a few times, but it wouldn't budge at all. I shut off all electrical devices, such as headlights, radio, and hazard lights and tried starting it again. This time it started as if nothing was wrong. …
While driving my 2006 Kia Sorento on Wednesday December 17, 2014, a week before christmas, the crankshaft pulley bolt loosened up. Under tremendous pressure from the engine the steel pulley bent skewing all belted driving systems: power steering, electrical, electricity to engine, A/C, wipers, heating and defrosting systems, and etc causing me to lose complete control of car while turning corner at busy intersection; loosing steering, complete engine shutdown, panic, and putting me in 'harm's way'! My wife and I had specifically bought this SUV because we care and drive our 3 beautiful grandchildren to school/back and to all activities and so many other children (their friends) going to the same places and activities. …
Kia Sorento 2006. Crank shaft bolt sheared off. Total control of vehicle lost. Can not drive vehicle. Contacted Kia motors who stated they know this happens. Exact words of person on phone were "you should have replaced the crank shaft bolt with an upgraded model". As I am a private owner and never got any information from Kia this was never done. The dealership was helpful in that they said they would look at the vehicle for a fee, in which case they stated that they could fix it for a large amount and that it was the crank shaft bolt which was the problem. Lol I asked them if they were going to put in the upgraded version I was told about, and they said they only have one kind which is the original part. …
6/2015 vehicle began to run rough. Local mechanic discovered crankcase bolt had snapped and the pulley and balancer mounting screw had sheared off. Shop confirmed a Kia kit to fix the issue ($1200.00 + 1007.00 for timing gear kit and water pump) 1/15/2016 while driving into the roundabout on portal way (15 MPH) there was a loud clunk from the engine compartment immediately followed by the loss of power steering, asb braking and voltmeter warning lights. The vehicle was towed to mechanics shop where it was confirmed that the new crankcase bolt has broken again damaging the new pulley and balancer also. The shop contacted the local Kia dealer and they confirmed that the 2003-2006 v6 3.5l misabishi engines used have a long record of this problem with no permanent fix. …
I was driving headed to get on the hi-way, heard a noise and a whine and then my car began to run bad. Shaking and like no power steering or something. As I was trying to stop and pull over there was a rattling sound. I am being told 2 things. But they all come down to a bolt that is said to have come loose and cause damage to the camshaft and harmonic balancer. Which I have seen several complaints about and your company is not owning this issue or assisting to have the issue repaired or recalled and research shows you are well aware of the issue, as there was a class action suit that you settled on in 2017. However, I did not purchase my car or have issues with the bolt until after then. What are the options for ppl who are now experiencing this? I have checked with the previous owner and the vehicle was not repaired for this problem and they have no record of being a part of the suit. …
My 2006 Kia Sorento has had a few problems that I fear May be very dangerous. A few months ago I was driving on highway and it felt like it was speeding up on its own. As I got off the highway on an s curve the car completely died. The battery and check engine light came on. It started back up and I got to work. The next morning on the way to work it died again at the same spot on the off ramp. I had to have it towed and missed a day of work because of it. I brought it into the shop and mechanic said the alternator belt was loose and he fixed it. However its happened since numerous times when I turn the car off and try to start it again the car wont start at all for 20 minutes to a couple hours. Now recently it will shut off as I'm driving and steering wheel is very hard to turn. It is getting more and more frequent and is effecting work. …
Engine complaints in other Sorento years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2006 Kia Sorento?
NHTSA has 85 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2006 Kia Sorento, 35% of the model year's 242 complaints. The component named most often is engine (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2006 Kia Sorento engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2006 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 2006 Kia Sorento engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 85,000 miles, and 2% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 3 fires and 0 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.