The Lemon Index2004 Kia Sorento.
The 2004 Kia Sorento is better than average by owner complaints: 35 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 78, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about transmission & drivetrain, it has 0 recalls, and it gets 15 to 16 mpg combined. The best Kia Sorento year is 2018.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 220 owner complaints, owners reported:
Older model year: fewer owners filed complaints back then, so treat the score as rough.
Every Kia Sorento year. 2004 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 60K to 121K miles on the car (186 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- engine complaints mostly came at 60K–92K miles
- transmission & drivetrain complaints mostly came at 10K–120K miles
- suspension complaints mostly came at 85K–137K miles
Recalls 0
No safety recalls on record.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems Kia told dealers about
Kia sent dealers 22 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- Possible abnormal vibration/noise when shifting from park to drive or reverse due to…
- Intermittent mil on with no fault code stored; information about dtc p1330
- Throttle position sensor w/ 3.5l engines
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Safety
Crash stars (older test): front ★★★★☆ · side ★★★★★ · rollover —
Fuel cost and engines
About $4000–4300 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 3.5L 6-cyl.
In owners' words
Transmission overheated causing overflow of atf onto exhaust manifold igniting a fire.
2004 Kia Sorento owner · NHTSA complaint 10189393
More owner reports
2004 Kia Sorento - loss of power, brake and battery lights illuminated, vehicle stalled. Crank Bolt failure. Happened 3 times; replaced/fixed 3 times. A letter to Kia being sent at the time this was being written.
NHTSA complaint 10187855
Intermittent shifting defect that causes the gears to get locked up and the truck will not shift into first gear, or the shifter will get very tight and it is extremely difficult to shift gears.
NHTSA complaint 10182228
Quick answers
Is the 2004 Kia Sorento reliable?
Yes, better than average by government complaints. It drew 1.3× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 78; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Kia Sorento year by this measure is 2018.
What are the most common 2004 Kia Sorento problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are transmission & drivetrain (43%), engine (26%) and steering (11%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2004 Kia Sorento have?
None: NHTSA has no safety recalls on record for it.
What gas mileage does the 2004 Kia Sorento get?
15 to 16 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
At what mileage do 2004 Kia Sorento problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 60,400 and 121,500 miles. The middle report was at 86,200 miles, from 186 complaints.
Does the 2004 Kia Sorento have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 43% of its owner complaints.
How much does the 2004 Kia Sorento cost in fuel a year?
About $4000 to $4300 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2004 Kia Sorento have?
3.5L 6-cyl.
What Kia Sorento year is better than the 2004?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2018, 2020 and 2012.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works