2008 Kia Sorento Fuel System Problems
2 owner-reported fuel system complaints from NHTSA data
Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.
Owner Complaints (2)
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PUMP GAS INTO THE TANK, IT FORCEFULLY SPEWED OUT ALL UP MY ARM AND ON MY FEET BEFORE I COULD JUMP BACK OUT IF THE WAY. I TRIED AGAIN, THIS TIME VERY SLOWLY BUT IT SPEWED OUT AGAIN. HAVING ENOUGH GAS TO GET HOME, I LEFT THE CAP LOOSE. BY THE NEXT DAY, IT HELD THE GASOLINE JUST FINE. SO I CONTINUED TO LEAVE THE CAP LOOSE, WHICH WAS WORKING UNTIL YESTERDAY. I WAS OUT OF TOWN SHOPPING. THE LOW FUEL LIGHT CAME ON, SO I ATTEMPTED TO GET GAS BUT IT SPEWED OUT ALL OVER MY ARM AND FEET AGAIN. FORTUNATELY, THERE WAS A KIA DEALERSHIP NEARBY AND I HAD ENOUGH GAS TO GET THERE. AS OF TODAY, THEY TELL ME THAT TWO VALVES ARE CLOGGED AND REPAIRS WILL BE AROUND $500 ASSUMING THE CHARCOAL FILTER IS OKAY, WHICH THEY HADN'T YET CHECKED WHEN THEY CALLED ME. IN RESEARCH, I DISCOVERED THAT 2003-04 KIA SORENTOS WERE RECALLED FOR FAULTY FUEL VALVES THAT RESULTED IN THE EXACT SPEWING PROBLEMS I EXPERIENCED. MINE IS A 2008 BUT SEEMS TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS NOT DUE TO NEGLECT OF MAINTENANCE OR TO ROUTINE WEAR AND TEAR. I DON'T FEEL THAT I'M FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS. I DO FEEL VERY FORTUNATE THAT I WASN'T BURNED. I AM STILL LEERY OF DRIVING IT AFTER REPAIR THOUGH IN FEAR OF A GAS TANK EXPLOSION. *TR
THE FUEL GAUGE NEEDLE DROPS DOWN FROM FULL TO EMPTY AND THE LOW/OUT OF GAS INDICATOR LIGHT COMES ON, BUT GOES OFF AFTER NEEDLE MOVES FROM THE LOW FUEL GAUGE MARKING. THIS MALFUNCTION OF THE FUEL GAS NEEDLE HAPPENS AT NO SPECIFIC TIME INTERVAL OR SPEED RATE. *TR