2006 KIA Sorento Engine Problems
Owners have filed 67 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2006 KIA Sorento, 28% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 92,700 miles. The words owners use most often: “crank shaft” (21% of reports).
- 67engine complaints
- 92,700median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $3,900typical repair cost reported by owners
- 33%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Crank shaft: mentioned in 14 of 67 complaints (21%)
- Crankshaft bolt: mentioned in 10 of 67 complaints (15%)
- Harmonic balancer: mentioned in 10 of 67 complaints (15%)
- Timing belt: mentioned in 7 of 67 complaints (10%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine repair on the 2006 KIA Sorento at $3,900, and half of them between $1,800 and $7,700.
Based on 8 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2013–2016), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 65 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 67 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 3 a fire.
KIA Sorento engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Sorento | 1 | 17% | 7,000 |
| 2025 Sorento | 19 | 25% | 4,000 |
| 2024 Sorento | 5 | 12% | 31,000 |
| 2023 Sorento | 31 | 25% | 1,600 |
| 2022 Sorento | 52 | 27% | 50,000 |
| 2021 Sorento | 68 | 27% | 33,000 |
| 2020 Sorento | 66 | 48% | 61,500 |
| 2019 Sorento | 158 | 37% | 40,000 |
| 2018 Sorento | 107 | 42% | 72,000 |
| 2017 Sorento | 387 | 48% | 64,000 |
| 2016 Sorento | 695 | 55% | 83,500 |
| 2015 Sorento | 362 | 48% | 87,560 |
| 2014 Sorento | 388 | 39% | 100,000 |
| 2013 Sorento | 496 | 51% | 89,691 |
| 2012 Sorento | 461 | 52% | 99,612 |
| 2011 Sorento | 284 | 19% | 103,000 |
| 2010 Sorento | 1 | 33% | 52,000 |
| 2009 Sorento | 4 | 7% | 140,000 |
| 2008 Sorento | 35 | 16% | 75,000 |
| 2007 Sorento | 7 | 5% | 133,000 |
| 2006 Sorento | 67 | 28% | 92,700 |
| 2005 Sorento | 63 | 21% | 101,000 |
| 2004 Sorento | 46 | 21% | 112,000 |
| 2003 Sorento | 43 | 14% | 118,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine for the 2006 KIA Sorento. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 kia sorento. The contact stated that while driving, the vehicle suddenly began to violently shake and rattle before stalling. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer sterling kia located at 125 s. City parkway, lafayette la 70503 who diagnosed that the engine crank…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE CRANKSHAFT FRACTURED AND THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND HAD IT TOWED TO COMMUNITY KIA (4221 EAST FWY, BAYTOWN, TX 77521, [redacted]). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE…
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…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2006 KIA Sorentos have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 67 owner complaints about engine for the 2006 KIA Sorento (28% of the 242 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2006 KIA Sorento engine?
No recall currently lists engine for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 92,700 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix engine problems on the 2006 KIA Sorento?
Owners report a typical cost of $3,900 (half paid between $1,800 and $7,700), from 8 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2006 KIA Sorento?
The most frequent phrase is “crank shaft”, in 14 of 67 complaints, followed by “crankshaft bolt” (10).
Other 2006 KIA Sorento problems
See all 2006 KIA Sorento problems or engine problems across all Sorento years.