Sorento Harmonic Balancer problems

Trying to find out if anyone has had this problem.

The bolt on my harmonic balancer snapped in half. I could see some rust around the break area meaning it has been cracked for a while. Was running fine, then just started to vibrate, and spun a couple of belts.

For those that don't know, the harmonic balancer is connected the main pulley off of the crankshaft that drives all of your belts. The bolt is a large grade 5 or better bolt. This thing should never break.

Unfortunlatly, I was also about 25 miles out in the backcountry offroading when it snapped. Min 4 hours just to get to the vehicle. Will have to somehow, someway, fix/replace it good enough to drive it out, as unless it runs under its own power, there is no way no how any other vehicle can pull the Sorento out of some the areas. BTW - my Sorento is not quite stock as far as the suspension and tires goes, no way a stock Sorento could even get close to where my Sorento is!

But if anybody has had this problem, has heard of someone who has, or has heard of any sort of recall related to this, please let me know.

Thanks.

Reply to
KH
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I did read in another Sorento forum that there was a problem with this bolt. And they said something about a color code. They said Kia knows about this problem with the bolt.

Reply to
chippingaway

Would you happen to remember the forum? I need to collect more info regarding this should KIA choose to try to weasle thier way out of this warranty claim. I have already found one complaint on the NHTSB website from a guy in Maine that had the bolt shear off while he was driving down the road. But I really need to 'arm' myself, as I am already on thier blacklist because I choose to use my Sorento off road.

Reply to
KH

Sadly there has been two Sorento Web sites who have shut down lately. I tried to find where I read this Info. but could not. Here is the other Sorento sites still working.

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going off road should not be a reason for Kia to try getting out of abolt failure. But we all know all Auto Mfg. will try anything to notwarranty they defected products. I would just keep pluging away at them.Good Luck.

Reply to
chippingice

I don't know how KIA Usa is handling this issue, but DPSM's in Canada have instructed their dealers to change the bolt as soon as a vehicle comes in. I guess it is kind of a proactive recall. We have had he parts on revolving order because of this for a time now. I wish you the best of luck.

Reply to
sd_service

What is a DPSM? Is there any documentation number you have?

I called KIA customer service yesterday and was basicaly told ' good luck with that' Bring it to the dealer unrepaired then we'll take a look at it. 25 miles out in the backcountry you don't bring to the dealer 'unrepaired. Then I started to research this issue. Even found one incedent loggoed on the NHTSA goverment website regarding this. I filed my own complaint there as well. I wish more people who had this failure would do so. It may cause the goverment to investigate and perhaps encourage KIA to recall this item, bring it out of the secretive 'dealer recall' world. It seems to me they know this will fail, whether you're driving down the road at 80mph or out in the middle of BFN.

Thanks all for the posts and information. My email is snipped-for-privacy@netscape.com if you run across any items that you can email to me.

Thanks

Reply to
KH

Reply to
sd_service

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