Kia Sorento Problems

The car was going into limp home mode when it was losing power, that's why the speed was limited. Turning the engine off and restating has the effect of rebooting the computer. That suggests there was an electronic problem, and replacing the speed sensor would seem to be a valid course of action. I wouldn't have thought blocked injectors would cause the engine to go into limp home mode, that's a different issue. Worn injectors are a regular problem on modern common-rail diesels, whatever the brand, and replacing them is the way to go. Check your warranty documents to see if the injectors are included in the consumables list. If they are they probably won't be covered by the warranty, if they aren't you might have a claim. At best Kia might come to the party with part of the cost of replacement.

Finding the cause of a problem can be challenging, particularly if it is intermittent, or like yours, only when the radio was turned on. You have to pity the mechanic sometimes, but it does highlight the need to be observant when you find a problem. Write down as much information as you can about what happens, when it happens and anything else that might help the mechanic diagnose it.

Thanks for your feedback. It's good to know what others have done to sort out the problems with their cars.

We asked Kia and we were told the following: "The Engel thermoelectric cooler model TE 08 draws 4 amps per hour, so if the engine is running there should be no issue with the cooler. There is no issue with the warranty on the amp. If the cooler is used for extensive periods without the engine running then the battery will be on a constant draining/recharging cycle that could reduce the life of the battery."

There are so many things that can affect fuel consumption in real life that it’s difficult to precisely predict what you might get. But you can take the claimed fuel consumption figures published by every carmaker as a guide. Kia’s published figures for the car you are considering are: 9.7 L/100 km (urban), 7.3 L/100 km (combined) and 5.9 L/100 km (hwy). If most of your travel is around town, with little highway or freeway driving, I would expect your fuel consumption should be 7.5-8.0 L/100 km. If you do short runs only it will tend to be closer to 9.7 L/100 km, if you’re regularly on the freeway it could be less than the combined figure.

It's always good to hear about the experience of owners, and this information should help anyone having similar troubles with their Sorento.

The brief history you supplied with your e-mail suggests that Kia has attempted to fix the vehicle each time it has broken down, so it would appear that they have met their responsibilities, even if you consider their work to be less than perfect in some instances. I would suggest you continue to pursue Kia over the latest problem and press for at least part payment of the cost of the repairs. Just because Kia's warranty has expired it doesn't mean the car isn't covered at all, as there is still the statutory warranty under our consumer laws. If Kia doesn't come to the party you could take action under consumer laws, beyond that there is always the option of civil action.

The Santa Fe gets The Tick, and several friends are very happy with new ones. Kia has also just totally overhauled the Sorento and that's definitely worth a test drive.

It would seem it is a ploy for more income, but regular oil changes are vital in ensuring your engine remains in good health. Kia spokesman Kevin Hepworth told us that the Sorento servicing is generally 12-months/15,000 km, but there is a provision for a supplementary service, every 6-monthly/7500 km, when the vehicle is used in severe conditions. Severe conditions are highlighted in the service manual and generally they include prolonged high speed driving, extended towing, dusty conditions etc. Talk to your dealer if you're concerned that you might be operating in severe conditions, but it would seem that you're probably not, so sticking to the yearly servicing would seem to be the best course of action.