Sorento, 1st Gen, Rear Axle Brkt. Rust - IMPORTANT

bogwort47
bogwort47 Forum Participant Posts: 9
edited September 2013 in Towcars & Towing #1

Hi Everyone

I tow my caravan with a '55' Sorento.  It is a cracking tow car, just like the CC said in 2005, but rust is starting to raise its head underneath.  So far I have found no mention of what follows on this CC Forum - so I thought I would share the following:

I guess that some of you will be aware that Kia started a FREE rework programme about 6 months ago in the UK for one particular aspect - the Rear Axle Trailing Arm Mounting Brackets.  In brief there is a design problem causing the brackets to rust away.
 

There is no RECALL but Kia UK Main Dealers are very helpfully either modifying the brackets, or replacing them, cleaning the axle and reprotecting the axle FREE.

I recommend that if this topic is new to you and your Sorento has not been actioned yet by Kia, that it is asap. - ideally before this Winter.

WARNING: MINE LOOKED GOOD UNDERNEATH LAST NOVEMBER - THIS SPRING IT LOOKED AWFUL – WITH FLAKY PASTRY, PAINT MISSING AND EXTENSIVE RUST - PLEASE DO NOT BE COMPLACENT.

I have had mine done without the brackets being replaced BUT, this is potentially a serious matter if left, because a current Poll is suggesting that up to 40% of 1st Generation Sorentos have had to have new metal.  This matter should not be left because
in the worst case, it has been known for the axle housing to rust right through and drop its oil.

All that needs to be done is to ring your local Kia Main Dealer armed with your VIN No.  Do not worry if your car has not been near one for a while - as far as I know, no UK owner has ever been refused the rework by Kia.

TO FIND YOUR LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP CLICK ON THIS LINK: www.kia.co.uk/find-a-dealer.aspx?gclid=CMPe84zE17kCFTMftAodaD4Awg

TO FIND OUT ABOUT THE TECHNICAL SIDE WITH PICS, CLICK ON THIS LINK: http://kiasorento.proboards.com/thread/10315/rear-axle-frame-read-important 

I hope that Members of the Caravan Club find this post useful.  For sharing, it would be very helpful if owners on this Caravan Club Forum could take part in the following Poll to better determine the true extent of the problem.

HERE IS THE VOTING LINK: kiasorento.proboards.com/thread/10853/poll-extent-rear-axle-corrosion

(Signing Up to the site to be able to Vote is FREE and there are no strings)

Any problems or questions - please post me and I will do my best to answer.

Thank you.

Comments

  • bogwort47
    bogwort47 Forum Participant Posts: 9
    edited July 2017 #2

    UK MK 1 SORENTO: UPPER TRAILING ARM BRACKET CORROSION

    IGNORING THIS COULD COST YOU UP TO £7,500

    IMPORTANT UPDATE 11/7/2017

    Hi Everyone

    Sorry I haven't been on in a while - this subject has really come alive again - any questions please post here or on my Home Forum.

    In case you do not know, in April 2017, Kia appeared to plan to stop all Free Bracket Service Campaign work from 30/4/2017.

    In reality, on 4/7/2017 my Home Forum, UKSorento.com, heard from an official source that, contrary to what had been previously reported in April 2017, the Service Campaign had been re-instated until 30/4/2019.

    It is unclear at present how well Kia Main Dealers (KMDs) are responding to this change.  Certainly, until very recently, some KMDs have been ‘very unhelpful’.

    The ‘Latest Advice’, on how to go about getting your brackets seen to, whether never ‘seen to’ or ‘Rusty Again’, has been comprehensively updated on my Home Forum to try to ensure as few problems as possible during what is likely to be a pretty confused time.

    So, if you have recently been ‘rebuffed’ by Kia or still need to get your brackets seen to, please check out the ‘Latest Advce’.  So far direct contact with a KMD is not recommended.

    Sorry, but there is far too much information, including proforma emails etc, to re-produce here so please go to my Home Forum, Register and Login and then read the ‘Latest Advice’, this link will then work and lead you to everything on the subject: http://kiasorento.proboards.com/thread/13158/announcement-upper-bracket-latest-advice.

    Another major development could well be posted there soon – so please keep in touch.

     Regards, bogwort47, Admin 1, UKSorento.com

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