Owners have filed 16 complaints
about the 2021 KIA Sedona with NHTSA between 2021 and 2026.
The largest single group is the driver assist & collision avoidance.
Across this model's run it ranks 16 of 19 worst.
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew
an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous
ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 4
Against the median year of the KIA Sedona. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 100
31.3% of these complaints
involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of
9.7%.
Early failure — not reported
Too few complaints recorded a mileage to measure this.
Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 2021 KIA Sedona
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Driver Assist & Collision Avoidance
318.8%
Median failure at 6,800 miles
Other & Unspecified
212.5%
1 crashes, 0 fires
Tires
212.5%
Acceleration & Cruise Control
212.5%
Median failure at 6,800 miles
Electrical System
212.5%
Seat Belts
16.3%
1 crashes, 0 fires
Lights
16.3%
Body & Structure
16.3%
Airbags
16.3%
1 crashes, 0 fires
Engine & Cooling
16.3%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Apr 2021peak 3Aug 2026
Recalls on the 2021 KIA Sedona
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which
the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous
enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
Canada — Transport Canada
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not
always mirror the American ones.
Recall 2024549647,384 units in Canada
Label
Issue: On certain vehicles, the compliance label may be missing information in French. The words listed on the label for "Tires", "Rims", "Front" and "Rear" appear in English only, when they should be listed as "Tires/Pneus", "Rims/Jantes", "Front/Avant" and "Rear/Arriere". Canadian regulations require this information to be listed on the label in both English and French. Safety Risk: These small errors do not affect vehicle safety. Corrective Actions: This is not a recall. Kia has corrected the compliance label for all new vehicles.
Recall 20216809,612 units in Canada
Electrical
Issue: Certain vehicles may be equipped with an accessory trailer wiring harness that could fail. Over time, water could leak into the control module and cause a short circuit. If this happens, there could be loss of the trailer lights. Note: This recall affects trailer wiring harness kits that may have been ordered at the time of a vehicle purchase, or purchased separately from a dealer as an aftermarket accessory. Safety Risk: A loss of trailer lights could make the trailer less visible. In addition, other drivers may not recognize that the vehicle ahead is braking or intends to turn. This could increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Kia will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to inspect the trailer wiring harness. If the harness is from the lot (batch) affected by this problem, the dealer will replace it. Kia recommends that you should always check to ensure that trailer lights work properly before towing.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
Sioux City, IACrash1 injured
SEAT BELTS
I was in a car wreck and my air bags did not deploy and my seat belt did not lock. The other vehicle involved in the car accident immediately deployed its airbags. I did not ask for an ambulance because I do not know if my insurance covers it so I went personally to the emergency room after the accident.
NHTSA complaint #11662588 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sioux City, IACrash1 injured
AIR BAGS
I was in a car wreck and my air bags did not deploy and my seat belt did not lock. The other vehicle involved in the car accident immediately deployed its airbags. I did not ask for an ambulance because I do not know if my insurance covers it so I went personally to the emergency room after the accident.
NHTSA complaint #11662588 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Milwaukee, WICrash
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Vehicle is easily stolen, and is a safety risk for others. Kia's are getting stolen at an alarming rate and should be recalled! Not only are they getting stolen but they pose a major safety risk because the people stealing them are crashing them, running from police, etc. Damage to my own property as well as others (mine had mysterious damage but I have no idea who or what they hit). Something must be done!
NHTSA complaint #11422400 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Antioch, IL
STRUCTURE:BODY
the drivers side passenger sliding door will not latch or close properly. The door started opening while driving and would not close. Luckily i had no children in the car at the time. The safety of my CHILD or any passenger could have been at risk. Driving while a van door is OPENING. I am taking it to the dealer this morning. Have to figure out how to get it there since the door wont close. Has not been inspected yet. The door ajar started to go off and the door started opening.
NHTSA complaint #11755181 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Henryetta, OK
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
For starters, my lights go out every six months on queue. Cannot find a reason why. My car sputters or shutters when accelerating. I heard other Kia models have recalls due to the same thing. I have had my car in the shop multiple times and no one can figure out why it is doing it. It feels like the belts are slipping or the transmission is slipping or something, but no one can find a legit reason as to why. This has been happening since I bought the car and it has never stopped with anything I have tried to do or I’ve had inspected.
NHTSA complaint #11691853 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Henryetta, OK
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
For starters, my lights go out every six months on queue. Cannot find a reason why. My car sputters or shutters when accelerating. I heard other Kia models have recalls due to the same thing. I have had my car in the shop multiple times and no one can figure out why it is doing it. It feels like the belts are slipping or the transmission is slipping or something, but no one can find a legit reason as to why. This has been happening since I bought the car and it has never stopped with anything I have tried to do or I’ve had inspected.
NHTSA complaint #11691853 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Henryetta, OK
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
For starters, my lights go out every six months on queue. Cannot find a reason why. My car sputters or shutters when accelerating. I heard other Kia models have recalls due to the same thing. I have had my car in the shop multiple times and no one can figure out why it is doing it. It feels like the belts are slipping or the transmission is slipping or something, but no one can find a legit reason as to why. This has been happening since I bought the car and it has never stopped with anything I have tried to do or I’ve had inspected.
NHTSA complaint #11691853 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
New Braunfels, TX
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The engine started knocking while I was on [XXX] between mile marker [XXX] and [XXX]. This area is under construction with no shoulders to access and pull over. A shutdown in this situation would surely cause a multi-car accident. There were no warning lamps. Car was towed to Ancira Kia in San Antonio. Here is the RO# [XXX] for reference. Also case number from Kia [XXX]. As there is no current Recall Kia refused to take responsibility. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11683663 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
New Braunfels, TX
ENGINE
The engine started knocking while I was on [XXX] between mile marker [XXX] and [XXX]. This area is under construction with no shoulders to access and pull over. A shutdown in this situation would surely cause a multi-car accident. There were no warning lamps. Car was towed to Ancira Kia in San Antonio. Here is the RO# [XXX] for reference. Also case number from Kia [XXX]. As there is no current Recall Kia refused to take responsibility. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11683663 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Valrico, FL
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
We purchased a brand-new 2021 Kia Sedona in 2021. Since January, we’ve been experiencing an intermittent but serious issue where the vehicle refuses to accelerate or shift beyond a certain point. This issue has put us in dangerous situations multiple times. One incident occurred while crossing a fast-moving, single-lane road—our vehicle would not accelerate to the appropriate speed, placing us at serious risk. On another occasion, while merging onto a highway, the car failed to accelerate, and we feared being rear-ended due to our inability to keep up with traffic. There are no warning lights or error messages to indicate a problem when this occurs. The only temporary solution has been to pull over, turn the car off, and restart it. After doing this, the vehicle functions normally for a few days, weeks, or even months before the issue reoccurs. We have taken the vehicle to our local Kia dealership, but they were unable to replicate the problem or identify any issues. We also brought it to a second Kia dealership with the same result—no diagnosis and no resolution. We are extremely concerned for our safety and would appreciate guidance on how to escalate this issue or pursue a resolution. I also have a video of an incident.
NHTSA complaint #11667589 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Valrico, FL
LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION
We purchased a brand-new 2021 Kia Sedona in 2021. Since January, we’ve been experiencing an intermittent but serious issue where the vehicle refuses to accelerate or shift beyond a certain point. This issue has put us in dangerous situations multiple times. One incident occurred while crossing a fast-moving, single-lane road—our vehicle would not accelerate to the appropriate speed, placing us at serious risk. On another occasion, while merging onto a highway, the car failed to accelerate, and we feared being rear-ended due to our inability to keep up with traffic. There are no warning lights or error messages to indicate a problem when this occurs. The only temporary solution has been to pull over, turn the car off, and restart it. After doing this, the vehicle functions normally for a few days, weeks, or even months before the issue reoccurs. We have taken the vehicle to our local Kia dealership, but they were unable to replicate the problem or identify any issues. We also brought it to a second Kia dealership with the same result—no diagnosis and no resolution. We are extremely concerned for our safety and would appreciate guidance on how to escalate this issue or pursue a resolution. I also have a video of an incident.
NHTSA complaint #11667589 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sioux City, IACrash1 injured
SEAT BELTS
I was in a car wreck and my air bags did not deploy and my seat belt did not lock. The other vehicle involved in the car accident immediately deployed its airbags. I did not ask for an ambulance because I do not know if my insurance covers it so I went personally to the emergency room after the accident.
NHTSA complaint #11662588 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sioux City, IACrash1 injured
AIR BAGS
I was in a car wreck and my air bags did not deploy and my seat belt did not lock. The other vehicle involved in the car accident immediately deployed its airbags. I did not ask for an ambulance because I do not know if my insurance covers it so I went personally to the emergency room after the accident.
NHTSA complaint #11662588 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sandwich, IL
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
The first of four tire failures (all the same DOT Number) of the OEM tires that were on the 2021 Kia Sedona when purchased in April, 2021. The first tire belt broke when on an approximate 1000 mile drive and was replaced on an emergency basis on January 24, 2024 with 16,760 miles on the vehicle. The second tire belt broke on the trip home and was replaced on an emergency basis on March 8, 2024 with 18,927. After arriving home, the tires were inspected, found to have defective belts and were replaced with a warranty adjustment by Discount Tire in Oswego with 19,191 miles. Kumho has still not honored the warranty by sending checks for the first two defective tires. (Can't find receipt from warranty replacement by Discount Tires but will continue looking. Have many photos of defective tire if desired.)
NHTSA complaint #11591931 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Tulsa, OK
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sedona equipped with Kumho Tires, Tire Line: Crugen, Tire Size :235/65/R17, DOT Number: (N/A). The contact stated that while driving 80 MPH, there was an abnormal vibration coming from the tires. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed of tread separation to the driver’s and passenger’s side rear tires. The tires were replaced. The tires were the original tires. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
NHTSA complaint #11537443 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Milwaukee, WICrash
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Vehicle is easily stolen, and is a safety risk for others. Kia's are getting stolen at an alarming rate and should be recalled! Not only are they getting stolen but they pose a major safety risk because the people stealing them are crashing them, running from police, etc. Damage to my own property as well as others (mine had mysterious damage but I have no idea who or what they hit). Something must be done!
NHTSA complaint #11422400 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 6,800 milesIdaho Falls, ID
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
DATE OF INCIDENT: 22 APR 2021, THURSDAY DESCRIPTION OF INCIDENT: WHILE DRIVING ON CRUISE CONTROL AT 45 MPH ON A WELL-PAVED TWO-LANE ROAD WITH NO OTHER VEHICLES OR OBSTACLES PRESENT IN EITHER LANE, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY AUTOMATICALLY DECELERATED SHARPLY, CAUSING THE FRONT END TO PLUNGE. SIMULTANEOUSLY, SEVERAL ALERTS, BOTH IN WORDS AND SYMBOLS FLASHED ON THE DASH. THESE INCLUDED 'CHECK COLLISION ALERT' AND LIGHTS SHOWING A SKIDDING VEHICLE AND A SECOND SHOWING THE FRONT OF A VEHICLE IN A CRASH. ALTERNATING MY ATTENTION BETWEEN THE ALERTS/MESSAGES ON THE DASH AND DRIVING THE VEHICLE, I STEERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND STOPPED. THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF AND THEN RESTARTED. ALL ALERTS AND SYMBOLS WERE EXTINGUISHED. AN INSPECTION OF THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE SHOWED NOTHING COVERING OR OBSTRUCTING ANY PORTION OF THE VEHICLE. I ACCELERATED BACK ONTO THE ROAD AND RETURNED TO A SPEED OF 45 MPH WITHOUT USING CRUISE CONTROL. THE VEHICLE RETURNED TO NORMAL DRIVING WITH NO ALERTS OR WARNING SYMBOLS. AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATELY ANOTHER 20 MILES, WITH TWO PERIODS OF PARKING THE VEHICLE, THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS AGAIN ENGAGED AT 45 MPH ON AN OTHERWISE EMPTY ROAD. WHILE I ATTEMPTED TO EXIT THE FOLLOWING-DISTANCE CONTROL FEATURE, THE VEHICLE AGAIN BRAKED SUDDENLY WITH THE SAME SET OF ALERTS AND SYMBOLS AS DURING THE FIRST INCIDENT. AGAIN STEERING TO THE ROAD SHOULDER, THE ENGINE WAS STOPPED AND RESTARTED WITH ALL ALERTS/SYMBOLS EXTINGUISHED EXCEPT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT.
NHTSA complaint #11414324 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 6,800 milesIdaho Falls, ID
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
DATE OF INCIDENT: 22 APR 2021, THURSDAY DESCRIPTION OF INCIDENT: WHILE DRIVING ON CRUISE CONTROL AT 45 MPH ON A WELL-PAVED TWO-LANE ROAD WITH NO OTHER VEHICLES OR OBSTACLES PRESENT IN EITHER LANE, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY AUTOMATICALLY DECELERATED SHARPLY, CAUSING THE FRONT END TO PLUNGE. SIMULTANEOUSLY, SEVERAL ALERTS, BOTH IN WORDS AND SYMBOLS FLASHED ON THE DASH. THESE INCLUDED 'CHECK COLLISION ALERT' AND LIGHTS SHOWING A SKIDDING VEHICLE AND A SECOND SHOWING THE FRONT OF A VEHICLE IN A CRASH. ALTERNATING MY ATTENTION BETWEEN THE ALERTS/MESSAGES ON THE DASH AND DRIVING THE VEHICLE, I STEERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND STOPPED. THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF AND THEN RESTARTED. ALL ALERTS AND SYMBOLS WERE EXTINGUISHED. AN INSPECTION OF THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE SHOWED NOTHING COVERING OR OBSTRUCTING ANY PORTION OF THE VEHICLE. I ACCELERATED BACK ONTO THE ROAD AND RETURNED TO A SPEED OF 45 MPH WITHOUT USING CRUISE CONTROL. THE VEHICLE RETURNED TO NORMAL DRIVING WITH NO ALERTS OR WARNING SYMBOLS. AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATELY ANOTHER 20 MILES, WITH TWO PERIODS OF PARKING THE VEHICLE, THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS AGAIN ENGAGED AT 45 MPH ON AN OTHERWISE EMPTY ROAD. WHILE I ATTEMPTED TO EXIT THE FOLLOWING-DISTANCE CONTROL FEATURE, THE VEHICLE AGAIN BRAKED SUDDENLY WITH THE SAME SET OF ALERTS AND SYMBOLS AS DURING THE FIRST INCIDENT. AGAIN STEERING TO THE ROAD SHOULDER, THE ENGINE WAS STOPPED AND RESTARTED WITH ALL ALERTS/SYMBOLS EXTINGUISHED EXCEPT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT.
NHTSA complaint #11414324 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DATE OF INCIDENT: 22 APR 2021, THURSDAY DESCRIPTION OF INCIDENT: WHILE DRIVING ON CRUISE CONTROL AT 45 MPH ON A WELL-PAVED TWO-LANE ROAD WITH NO OTHER VEHICLES OR OBSTACLES PRESENT IN EITHER LANE, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY AUTOMATICALLY DECELERATED SHARPLY, CAUSING THE FRONT END TO PLUNGE. SIMULTANEOUSLY, SEVERAL ALERTS, BOTH IN WORDS AND SYMBOLS FLASHED ON THE DASH. THESE INCLUDED 'CHECK COLLISION ALERT' AND LIGHTS SHOWING A SKIDDING VEHICLE AND A SECOND SHOWING THE FRONT OF A VEHICLE IN A CRASH. ALTERNATING MY ATTENTION BETWEEN THE ALERTS/MESSAGES ON THE DASH AND DRIVING THE VEHICLE, I STEERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND STOPPED. THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF AND THEN RESTARTED. ALL ALERTS AND SYMBOLS WERE EXTINGUISHED. AN INSPECTION OF THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE SHOWED NOTHING COVERING OR OBSTRUCTING ANY PORTION OF THE VEHICLE. I ACCELERATED BACK ONTO THE ROAD AND RETURNED TO A SPEED OF 45 MPH WITHOUT USING CRUISE CONTROL. THE VEHICLE RETURNED TO NORMAL DRIVING WITH NO ALERTS OR WARNING SYMBOLS. AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATELY ANOTHER 20 MILES, WITH TWO PERIODS OF PARKING THE VEHICLE, THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS AGAIN ENGAGED AT 45 MPH ON AN OTHERWISE EMPTY ROAD. WHILE I ATTEMPTED TO EXIT THE FOLLOWING-DISTANCE CONTROL FEATURE, THE VEHICLE AGAIN BRAKED SUDDENLY WITH THE SAME SET OF ALERTS AND SYMBOLS AS DURING THE FIRST INCIDENT. AGAIN STEERING TO THE ROAD SHOULDER, THE ENGINE WAS STOPPED AND RESTARTED WITH ALL ALERTS/SYMBOLS EXTINGUISHED EXCEPT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT.
NHTSA complaint #11414324 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.