2005 KIA Sorento Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Sorento years
- More complaints than other years 9th of 24 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- None on file
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 307 complaints with NHTSA about the 2005 KIA Sorento. That ranks 9th out of 24 Sorento model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (63 complaints, 21%), typically at around 101,000 miles. Complaints mention 17 crashes, 5 fires, 20 injuries. There are no safety recalls on file for this model year.
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- 307owner complaints
- 0safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 17complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2005 KIA Sorento problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine problems | 63 | 21% | 101,000 | “crank shaft” (25%) | $2,250 |
| Exterior Lighting problems | 53 | 17% | 45,400 | “headlights taillights” (9%) | — |
| Electrical System | 49 | 16% | 67,625 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 44 | 14% | 69,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 43 | 14% | 65,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 39 | 13% | 106,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 38 | 12% | 94,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 25 | 8% | 108,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 18 | 6% | 98,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 14 | 5% | 124,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 12 | 4% | 79,500 | — | — |
| Seats | 8 | 3% | 48,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 6 | 2% | 111,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 6 | 2% | 22,648 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 6 | 2% | 61,500 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 5 | 2% | 101,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 4 | 1% | 29,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 4 | 1% | 81,400 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 3 | 1% | 53,000 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 2 | 1% | 25,385 | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 1% | 67,762 | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 1% | 58,890 | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 1% | 115,500 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 0% | 115,085 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2005 KIA Sorento recalls (0)
No safety recalls are on file for the 2005 KIA Sorento.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Vehicle's rear end bolts rusted through had to replace the rear-end, we also had a 2004 that the frame rusted and broke in half, and the rear-end rusted out on it too. It was said it was caused by a design flaw that wouldn't allow the water to drain properly. They have recalls on it in the uk and…
I am experiencing a recurring issue with gas backflow at the gas pump, whereby gasoline expulses back out of the nozzle and onto my hands and clothing. It happens every time.
When driving there was a clunking noise and then the steering was hard to steer and the battery light came on & had to have it towed to find out that the harmonic balancer bolt broke. There are hundreds of complaints online about this same issue happening with these engines as this is a poor…
Electrical fire under drivers dash. While trying to drive the kia . called fire department and they responded quickly. I know there was recall on 2006 and believe 2005 should have been included Thanks [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C…
Rear suspension rusted from chassis. Google search shows multiple people with same issue. Issue making car unsafe to drive. Car has extreme rust problems.
Other KIA Sorento years
← 2004 Sorento · 2006 Sorento →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Sorento | 6 | 2 |
| 2025 Sorento | 76 | 3 |
| 2024 Sorento | 42 | 2 |
| 2023 Sorento | 123 | 3 |
| 2022 Sorento | 193 | 6 |
| 2021 Sorento | 254 | 4 |
| 2020 Sorento | 137 | 1 |
| 2019 Sorento | 431 | 2 |
| 2018 Sorento | 255 | 3 |
| 2017 Sorento | 806 | 4 |
| 2016 Sorento | 1,254 | 8 |
| 2015 Sorento | 753 | 3 |
| 2014 Sorento | 988 | 6 |
| 2013 Sorento | 981 | 5 |
| 2012 Sorento | 880 | 5 |
| 2011 Sorento | 1,520 | 7 |
| 2010 Sorento | 3 | 1 |
| 2009 Sorento | 55 | 2 |
| 2008 Sorento | 217 | 3 |
| 2007 Sorento | 154 | 4 |
| 2006 Sorento | 242 | 1 |
| 2005 | 307 | 0 |
| 2004 Sorento | 220 | 0 |
| 2003 Sorento | 305 | 1 |
See all KIA Sorento problems by year, every KIA model, or the KIA VIN decoder.
Similar KIA models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2005 KIA Sorento?
Owners most often report engine, exterior lighting, electrical system problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 63 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2005 KIA Sorento?
No safety recalls are on file for this model year.
Was the 2005 KIA Sorento a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Sorento model years, the 2005 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.