2004 Kia Sorento problems & reliability
220 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2004 Kia Sorento. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
9 complaints report injuries (16 injured, 1 deaths reported).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2004 Kia Sorento vehicles were involved in 15 fatal crashes with 13 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 46 | 21% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 46 | 21% |
| Power Train | 40 | 18% |
| Suspension | 30 | 14% |
| Electrical System | 28 | 13% |
| Structure | 28 | 13% |
| Steering | 24 | 11% |
| Air Bags | 14 | 6% |
| Exterior Lighting | 14 | 6% |
| Unknown OR Other | 13 | 6% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 88,596 miles (middle 50% between 61,125 and 122,500 miles), based on 182 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“This kia was housed and stored in a garage for most of its life and driven only in the summer. In the winters of michigan is was housed in a clean dry garage. This kia was a 2 owner car. I am the second owner. I had driven it one winter and this summer took it to get an alignment because it pulled to the right…”
Structure · filed Aug 25, 2020
“While my daughter was driving on the highway, the brakes failed. The mechanic showed me the brake lines toward the rear suspension rusted through. Also the support for the rearend rusted through making the vehicle dangerous to drive. The brake lines from front to back were changed and I am looking to have the support…”
Structure · filed Jan 21, 2020
“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…”
Electrical System · filed Oct 26, 2019
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
22 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2004 Kia Sorento. The 10 most recent:
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: INFORMATION FOR HEADLAMP CONDENSATION AND MOISTURE - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in…
TSB_BOD055_R1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 13, 2021
PITSTOP - ENGINE COMPONENT RE-USE GUIDELINES - In general, parts and components removed during engine repairs should be considered serviceable, and should be thoroughly cleaned and transferred to the new engine.
PS539 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 2, 2018
TSB: MANDATORY REPLACEMENT OF LOCKING/SECURITY HARDWARE - By design, certain fasteners, which are designed to lock into place once fully attached, are utilized in various Kia models and are strictly intended for ?one…
TSB-GEN085R1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 18, 2017
TSB: MANDATORY REPLACEMENT OF LOCKING/SECURITY HARDWARE - By design, certain fasteners utilized in various Kia models are strictly intended for ?one time use?. Though not limited to the following, some examples are…
TSB-GEN085 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 4, 2016
TSB - USE OF AFTERMARKET USB CHARGING CABLES IN USB/12V PORTS - This article provides information regarding the use of USB ports and 12V power outlets to connect/charge mobile phones. Customers may experience issues…
PS443 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 4, 2016
Pitstop: unusual fuel trim values and/or misfire codes after incorrect engine repair - this outlines the procedure to follow if after an engine repair you encounter a complaint relating to mil on (dtc p)#)x) with a…
PS233 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 17, 2013
Summary to be provided on a future date.
PS233 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2013
Kia: see document search button for owner letter. Fuel tank air filter replacement. *kb
SC-092 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2012
Kia: there may be erratic shifting, shift shock, and a malfunction light on with stored trouble codes. This is caused by a problem within the transfer motor. *rm
034 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2011
Kia: fuel tank air filter reminder. The air filter can accumulate dirt over time and needs to be maintained. *rm
TSB-019 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 1, 2010
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 2004 Kia Sorento in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2004 Kia Sorento?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 88,596 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.