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#BS-2004-KIASOR-433B

2004 Kia Sorento

Based on reports from 341 owners and 0 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
341
Crashes
15
Fires
24
Recalls
0
TSBs
22
🛑

Preliminary Verdict

Red Flag

Based on 341 complaints, 15 crashes, 24 fires, and 0 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

pulley bolt broke off twice

4 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX
2

rubbing sound from underneath

3 complaints • Severity 8/10

$X,XXX
3

pulley bolt broke

2 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the EngineHIGH

72 owners reported engine issues — failures commonly reported around 99K miles.

!Inspect the SuspensionMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

21
0–30K
35
30–60K
72
60–90K
68
90–120K
57
120–150K
40
150K+

Peak failure range: 60–90K miles (72 reports) • Median: 99K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Engine (72 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Engine72 (21%)
Suspension28 (8%)
Electrical25 (7%)
Drivetrain23 (7%)
Steering20 (6%)
Structure:body19 (6%)
Other14 (4%)
Fuel System13 (4%)

2004 Kia Sorento: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Engine Issues

Engine complaints account for 21% of all reports filed for the 2004 Kia Sorento, with 72 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 99,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 99K-mile mark.

Suspension Issues

Suspension complaints account for 8% of all reports filed for the 2004 Kia Sorento, with 28 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to suspension-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Electrical Issues

Electrical complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 2004 Kia Sorento, with 25 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Drivetrain Issues

Drivetrain complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 2004 Kia Sorento, with 23 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to drivetrain-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

14
04
6
05
2
06
26
07
31
08
10
09
13
10
28
11
23
12
42
13
33
14
39
15
33
16
8
17
13
18
15
19
4
20
1
21

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2004 Kia Sorento. Recent trend: decreasing.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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The worst model year for the Kia Sorento is the 2016 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.

2004 Kia Sorento vs. Class Average (Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD)

This vehicle

341

Class avg

375

Complaint volume is roughly in line with other sport utility vehicle - 2wd vehicles from 2004.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 341 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 0 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Kia Sorento Model Years

202620252024202320222021202020192018201720162015201420132012201120102009200820072006200520042003
View all Kia Sorento years →

2004 Kia Sorento: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2004 Kia Sorento?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2004 Kia Sorento is related to the engine, with 72 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2004 Kia Sorento reliable?
The 2004 Kia Sorento has 341 complaints, 15 crash reports, and 24 fire reports filed with NHTSA. The full report analyzes whether these numbers indicate real risk or are proportional to the vehicle’s popularity.
How much does it cost to fix 2004 Kia Sorento problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 2004 Kia Sorento have any recalls?
No recalls have been issued for the 2004 Kia Sorento according to NHTSA records.
What mileage do Kia Sorento problems start?
Based on 293 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 99,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 60–90K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 341 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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