175 of the
3,406 complaints filed about the KIA Sedona
are about the throttle and cruise control —
5% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2008.
175
Complaints
5%
Share of all complaints
29
Crashes
5
Fires
Acceleration & Cruise Control complaints by model year
Our 2015 Kia Sedona VIN [XXX] developed CAN Bus fault codes U0001 U0100 U0101 rendering it completely undrivable following an incomplete warranty extension repair under WTY019 by Kia of Des Moines on [XXX] RO# [XXX]. The power sliding doors have been a persistent safety concern. The incomplete warranty extension repair left the sliding door not closing properly creating a safety hazard. The vehicle subsequently developed CAN Bus communication faults making it completely undrivable. After 28 days at Kia of Des Moines from May 4 to June 1 2026 under RO# [XXX] the CAN Bus fault was never diagnosed or addressed. The power sliding door still does not function after two warranty extension repairs. Upon retrieval June 1 2026 the vehicle continues to exhibit active CAN Bus warnings BDS warning lights flickering humming sound and rough driving. We believe the sliding door safety issues and CAN Bus failure are directly connected and represent a safety concern for other 2015-2017 Kia Sedona owners. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11741708 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that while attempting to parallel park and gear in drive, the vehicle independently accelerated violently while lightly depressing the accelerator pedal. No warning light illuminated. The contact crashed the front of the vehicle into the rear of a parked vehicle where it came to a stop. No police report was filed. No injuries were sustained. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed however the failure was unable to be replicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact's wife mentioned that the failure had occasionally occurred in the past but was able to avoid a collision. The vehicle was taken to the same dealer for the previous incidents where it was confirmed that the vehicle performed as normal. The failure mileage was approximately 213,000.
NHTSA complaint #11634335 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving, van went to half power with no warning light. Would not go above 15 MPH. It had recently had an oil change at a KIA dealership, but when we took to the shop, the oil was barely existent and foamy. It is undriveable and 3 different mechanics have said it cannot be fixed without a new engine.
NHTSA complaint #11575033 — 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.
I PURCHASED A 2017 KIA SEDONA FROM A KIA DEALER IN QUEENS, NY, IN 2017 WITH 50 MILES. I HAD AN ENGINE MALFUNCTION AT AROUND 65,000 WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY WITH A RELATIVE AND MY CHILDREN ON NEW YEAR'S EVE 12/31/20. WHEN I INITIALLY STARTED THE CAR, I HEARD A RATTLING SOUND, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS DUE TO THE COLD WEATHER; HOWEVER, AS I DROVE OFF AND DROVE FURTHER AND APPROACHED THE HIGHWAY, THE CAR STARTED TO DECELERATE. AFTER THE CAR DECELERATED, THE CAR CUT OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING. IN A PANIC, I STARTED THE CAR AGAIN AND PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE. I HAD TO REPEAT TURNING THE CAR ON, THE CAR SHUTTING OFF AND DECELERATING, TURNING THE CAR ON, AND DRIVING TEN MILES TO RETURN HOME. THE VERY NEXT DAY, 1/1/2021 THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT HANDLED MY LEASE BUYOUT. THE SERVICE MANAGER EXHIBITED PROFESSIONALISM AND OFFERED EXCEPTIONAL SERVICES TO ENSURE THAT I UNDERSTOOD THE REPAIR PROCESS. HE INFORMED OF CHARGES THAT WOULD BE INCURRED IF KIA DID NOT COVER THE WARRANTY. KIA WILL NOT HONOR THE WARRANTY. THE SERVICE MANAGER INDICATED THAT RECEIPTS WERE REQUIRED TO DOCUMENT OIL CHANGES PERFORMED ON THE 2017 KIA SEDONA. SERVICE RECEIPTS FROM KIA DEALERSHIPS WERE PROVIDED; HOWEVER, ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS WERE REQUIRED. I CONTACTED THE KIA CORPORATE CUSTOMER SERVICE, THE CUSTOMER SERVICES REPRESENTATIVE EXHIBITED PROFESSIONALISM AND ADVISED ME TO GET RECEIPTS OF OIL PURCHASES FOR ANY OIL CHANGES DONE OUTSIDE OF A SERVICE SHOP. DUE TO LIMITATIONS IN RETRIEVING RECEIPTS WITHIN A CERTAIN TIMEFRAME, I AM UNABLE TO PRODUCE ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. I AM WITHOUT MY CAR FOR ONE AND A HALF MONTHS, I AM RENTING A CAR WHILE PAYING MY MONTHLY FINANCE BILL, AND KIA WILL NOT HONOR MY WARRANTY BECAUSE OF A LACK OF RECEIPTS OF OIL CHANGES, ALTHOUGH THE CAR WAS PREVIOUSLY CAR SERVICED IN NOVEMBER 2020 AT A KIA DEALERSHIP.
NHTSA complaint #11396229 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH MY ENGINE OR TRANSMISSION WHICHEVER WHICH ONE IT IS I DO NOT KNOW I'VE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER 5 OR MORE TIMES THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM OR THE OR THEY SAY IT'S OPERATING AS ASSIGNED HOW'S THE CAR OPERATING AS DESIGNED WHEN THE VEHICLE SOON AS YOU PUSH THE ACCELERATOR AT BUCKS IT JERKS IT HESITATES TO GO AND THAT ONE THAT GOES IT TAKES OFFIT ALSO DOES THE SAME THING WHEN SLOWING DOWN IN A BUCK LITTLE JERK AND THEN DOWNSHIFT VERY HARD THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN DRIVING DURING CERTAIN CONDITIONS
NHTSA complaint #11348473 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ON MY CRUISE CONTROL WHEN I SET TO CERTAIN SPEED, IT WILL SPEED UP, I HAD IT SET TO 65 MPH AND IT SPED UP BY ITSELF TO 85 BEFORE I COULD GET IT TO GO OFF. I HAD TO SLAM ON THE BREAK TO GET IT TO GO OFF. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. NOW THE CAR WILL NOT START ALL THE LIGHTS WILL COME ON, BUT CAR WILL NOT DO ANYTHING. CHECKED FUSES ALL GOOD, GROUND WIRE WAS TAKEN LOOSE AND PAINT GRINDER OFF AND PUT BACK ON, STILL WON'T START. IT STARTED NOT STARTING EVERY NOW AND THEN AND NOW IT WON'T START AT ALL. I READ WHERE THIS IS HAPPENING TO SEVERAL KIA SPECIFICALLY 2006 .
NHTSA complaint #11307500 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE USING THE VARIABLE CRUISE CONTROL I WAS FOLLOWING A CAR WHICH WAS TRAVELING 40MPH. I HAD MY VARIABLE CRUISE CONTROL SETTING AT 75MPH AND THE MAXIMUM DISTANCE SETTING. THEREFORE I WAS TRAVELING AT 40MPH. A MOTORCYCLE PASSED ME ON MY RIGHT GOING 50MPH+. AS MY CAR RECOGNIZED THE MOTORCYCLE IN FRONT OF ME IT SLOWED INITIALLY, AND THEN ACCELERATED TO FOLLOW THE MOTORCYCLE. THE ACCELERATION CONTINUED AFTER THE MOTORCYCLE HAD PASSED THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. IT SEEMS THAT THE VARIABLE CRUISE CONTROL REMAINED FOCUSED ON THE MOTORCYCLE ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NOW A CAR BETWEEN ME AND THE MOTORCYCLE. THE ACCELERATION CONTINUED AND THE DISTANCE BETWEEN ME AND THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME DECREASED UNTIL I INTERRUPTED THE CRUISE CONTROL AND SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES. THIS SCENARIO HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THIS ALL OCCURRED ON A HIGHWAY IN THE CARPOOL LANE WHILE GOING STRAIGHT.
NHTSA complaint #11301933 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE VEHICLE IS IN DRIVE, ONCE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, IT RANDOMLY REFUSES TO MOVE INTO PARK. MUST KEEP FOOT ON BRAKE WHILE FIGHTING WITH VEHICLE TO TRY TO GET IT INTO PARK. THIS HAPPENS FREQUENTLY BUT RANDOMLY. IT WOULD BE EASY TO RUN OVER A PERSON OR OBJECT IN FRONT OF THE CAR WHILE FIGHTING THE CAR TO MOVE IT INTO PARK. THIS FAILURE ALSO HAPPENS WHILE IN PARK -- IT WILL RANDOMLY REFUSE TO MOVE INTO REVERSE. WITHOUT WARNING, FROM ONE TIME TO THE NEXT IT WORKS PROPERLY THEN LATER IN THE SAME DAY IT WILL NOT WORK PROPERLY -- SOMETIMES JUST MINUTES APART. IT HAS OCCURRED OVER THE LAST TWO DAYS AND IS ON-GOING TODAY. I NEARLY HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME TODAY AT A GAS PUMP WHILE TRYING TO GET THE TRANSMISSION TO MOVE INTO PARK.
NHTSA complaint #11192050 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SEDONA. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO COMMUNITY KIA OF BLOOMINGTON (2200 S WALNUT ST, BLOOMINGTON, IN 47401), BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 64,000. *TT CONSUMER STATED HE IS HAVING ISSUES WITH THE BRAKES AND CRUISE CONTROL IS NOT WORKING. UPDATED 12/12/18
NHTSA complaint #11139523 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
IF YOU REMOVE PRESSURE FROM THE ACCELERATOR WHEN THE TRANSMISSION WANTS TO SHIFT SOMETIMES THERE IS A LOSS OF ACCELERATION AND THE VEHICLE WILL START SLOWING DOWN WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING WITH NO ENGINE WARNING LIGHT COMING ON. THIS INTERMITTENT PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS AT APPROX. 2, 9, 19, 25, 40, 55 AND 62 MPH. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE ACCELERATOR BECOMES DISABLED, THE VEHICLE STARTS TO SLOW. TAPPING THE BRAKE WILL SLOW THE VEHICLE FASTER AND THE ACCELERATOR IS OK/ENABLED.
NHTSA complaint #11110837 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEN YOU PRESS GAS PEDAL AND CAR ACCELERATE THE GAS PEDAL GETS STUCK IT HAPPENS TO ME A COUPLE TIMES THIS MONTH I BELIEVE THE CAR NEEDS TO BE RECALL FOR THE GAS PEDAL THANK YOU
NHTSA complaint #11048054 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE PULLING INTO MY DRIVEWAY GOING BETWEEN 5-10 MPH I APPLIED THE BRAKE AND THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD INTO MY GARAGE DOOR WHICH WAS CLOSED AND DAMAGED ANOTHER CAR PARKED IN THE GARAGE. IF THE OTHER CAR WAS NOT THERE TO STOP IT I MAY HAVE BEEN KILLED. I REPORTED THIS TO KIA AND THE INVESTIGATION ONLY SHOWED A BLOWN FUSE WHEN THEY CONNECTED IT TO THE TESTER. THERE ARE TWO OTHER ACCIDENTS THAT I KNOW OF WITH SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES, PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED OR LOSES MONEY DUE TO SOMETHING THAT WAS NOT THEIR FAULT. BY THE WAY I WAS TURNING RIGHT INTO MY DRIVEWAY AND MY HUSBAND WAS BACKING OUT IN HIS CAR WHEN THIS TOOK PLACE AND HE SAW THE WHOLE THING.
NHTSA complaint #11046496 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TRANSMISSION SHIFTS SLOWLY FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR AND RPMS AT 25MPH AND 45MPH ARE AR 1000 OR LESS CAUSING CAR TO VIBRATE UNDER LOAD WHEN ACCELERATING DUE TO LOW RPM
NHTSA complaint #11033053 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.