491 of the 3,406 complaints filed about the KIA Sedona are about the electrical system — 14% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2006.
491
Complaints
14%
Share of all complaints
12
Crashes
72
Fires
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The transmission doesnt know what gear it it in. Code p0705
NHTSA complaint #11758955 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2016 Kia Sedona with power sliding doors. Both rear power sliding doors fail to completely latch upon closing. Doors make loud clicking sounds while attempting to close and require manual pushing to latch. Kia of Attleboro diagnosed and confirmed in writing that both rear door roller arm assemblies are completely missing the roller, and that this condition is contributing to the latching failure. Both power sliding door motors and rear door latches also need replacement. This is a safety hazard as the doors may appear closed but are not fully latched, posing a serious risk of doors opening while driving, particularly with children as passengers. The condition has been confirmed in writing by a Kia dealership. Kia Motors America issued Warranty Bulletin WTY019 in March 2021 specifically extending coverage for this exact latching condition on 2015-2017 Sedona vehicles to 15 years/unlimited miles. The covered components (motors and latches) have been approved for warranty replacement. However, Kia America has denied coverage for the roller arm assemblies despite their own dealer's written confirmation that these parts are directly contributing to the covered latching failure. Components are available for inspection upon request. No warning lamps appeared prior to failure. Problem developed gradually with increasing noise before doors failed to latch completely.
NHTSA complaint #11755233 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2007 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that while his son was in the driveway about to drive off, the vehicle started smoking. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V088000 (Electrical System, Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The contact would replace the parts. The contact stated that the manufacturer was delaying the repair and the buyback process. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, and the contact was informed that parts were on backorder. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was opened. The manufacturer offered a buyback. The failure mileage was approximately 210,000.
NHTSA complaint #11753707 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that the battery drained unexpectedly, and the vehicle failed to start. The battery was replaced twice, and the vehicle was temporarily repaired. The contact’s son replaced the alternator; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was no longer operable. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 200,000.
NHTSA complaint #11751498 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that the climate control panel became inoperable, failing to distribute heat and air conditioning. While the middle and third-row climate systems functioned, an abnormal burning odor was detected. The fan speed adjustment button experienced an electrical short, and upon removing the climate control panel, the wiring harness was found burnt. The contact stated that the climate control panel was previously replaced. Additionally, the power sliding door was inoperable. No warning lights illuminated. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V109000 (Electrical System); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the failure was caused by the climate control panel. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 159,259.
NHTSA complaint #11749478 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2018 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that the air bag and the check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle failed to start and was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with alternator failure; however, the battery was replaced. Additionally, the contact stated that after his wife had pulled into the driveway, the instrument panel turned blank, and the driver noticed smoke coming from under the hood. The driver turned off the vehicle, and the vehicle cooled down. The contact stated that upon attempting to restart the vehicle later in the evening, the vehicle failed to start. The contact opened the hood and noticed that unknown parts had melted. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who informed the contact that the battery terminals and an unknown control module had melted due to an electrical failure; however, the vehicle had not yet been diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
NHTSA complaint #11747931 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2019 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that the heat and A/C control knobs had melted twice, and the contact had purchased and personally replaced the entire control panel. Additionally, the contact stated that there was an abnormal strong fuel odor coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and the low-pressure fuel pump and fuel injectors were replaced on separate occasions. However, the failure recurred while leaving the dealer. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was determined that the high-pressure fuel pump needed to be replaced; however, after the repair, the vehicle started making abnormal sounds. Additionally, the contact stated that the abnormally strong fuel odor had worsened. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, who informed the contact that no diagnostic trouble code was retrieved, and the contact was advised to pick up the vehicle. The contact expressed safety concerns that the vehicle was unsafe to drive due to the persistent failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.
NHTSA complaint #11745095 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The sliding doors have a rubber piece that over time, gets stuck and causes the door to not latch and close, leaving the door to come open as you are driving. This has been a known issue with these sliding doors on my Kia Sedona. This is highly unsafe due to the ability of the door to come open as you are driving and potentially causing harm for someone to fall out and or be injured.
NHTSA complaint #11736906 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owned a 2006 Kia Sedona. The vehicle was bought used close to four years ago. The contact was unaware that the vehicle had received notifications of NHTSA campaign numbers 20V088000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC), 16V389000 (LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES), and 16V387000 (SUSPENSION). The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, an abnormal pop sound was heard coming from the vehicle. The contact noticed smoke was emitting from the front end of the vehicle. The contact stated that the heat gauge was rising. The contact pulled to the side of the road when a passerby ran up to the contact's vehicle and informed the contact that flames were visible under the vehicle. The passerby stated that he followed the contact for about a mile, honking and waving to notify the contact of the fire. The contact and child immediately exited the vehicle. The contact stated that once she exited the vehicle, the front end of the vehicle was engulfed in flames. The contact and child did not sustain any injuries. The police and fire department were called to the scene. The fire department extinguished the fire when, shortly after, there was an explosion. The vehicle was consumed by the fire and destroyed. The vehicle was towed to Wayne's towing yard. The manufacturer was notified of the fire. The contact was awaiting contact from KIA. The contact notified her insurance company. The failure mileage was approximately 189,000.
NHTSA complaint #11736057 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The sliding door located on the driver's side / left side behind the driver's seat will not close completely which causes an alert/warning to be displayed that the door is still open. The door slides on the track but will not close completely. You must apply pressure as it closes to turn of the warning light.
NHTSA complaint #11731053 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:INSTRUMENT PANEL:SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2016 Kia Sedona. The contact discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 107,000. It was later discovered upon checking a Carfax Report that the mileage was 187,000.
NHTSA complaint #11722402 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Auto dealer fraud 8/3 2024 dealership sold me a title washed lemon with major safety hazards Defective unrepairable components Discovered later after purchase P0885 limp mode Fire hazard the vehicle may catch on fire when parked Went back to the dealership that I purchased from for a P0885 on December 4 2024 Returned Back to me march 18 2025 with a blown motor I asked the tow truck driver to be a witness to me firing up the vehicle for documentation Rey Prado of Prado towing located in Delaware he can verify my account Of events will give statement Dealership breached a bonded contract from a November 2021 purchase a 2004 ford f 250 super duty pick up truck vin# [XXX] and placed the title on the loan for the 2006 Kia Sedona without my prior knowledge the vehicle was purchased August 8 2024 with the cosign on August 21 2024 the dealer and staff purposely held the the buyer’s and purchasing agreement to pack the loan , the purchase agreement was finally given to me December 13 2024 after months of delay from the owners and staff . Owner finally told me on a march 17 2025 phone call he kept my title as a vested interest after I paid it off full in our contract agreement 8 months after the contract was signed the dealership operated in a Criminal Civil Rico fashion with me and is and has been extremely uncooperative with since I have been demanding all the original contracts for both vehicles , on February 20 while reviewing documentation that I was told was my title release forms I noticed a difference in dates they had me sign and date at the bottom 12/13/24 but the top of of the document it had a date of 12/2/2024 I didn’t realize this at first because they had me so confused about the van deal the truck title it seemed very systematic and intentional like they were purposely trying to confuse me about both contracts and my title it’s been a nightmare since then Please please please some one help my my mind and body are suffering because of this INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION
NHTSA complaint #11720047 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owned a 2008 Kia Sedona. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked at a friend’s residence, the contact exited the vehicle and took the baby she was caring for inside the residence of the friend. Upon returning outside, the contact became aware that the vehicle was on fire and the vehicle was engulfed in flames. The Fire Department arrived on the scene and extinguished the fire. The Fire Marshall informed the contact that the fire had started in the engine compartment. Additionally, a Fire Report was filed; however, the information was unavailable. The fire caused damage to the friend residence. The contact stated that the fire melted the aluminum siding on the house. No injuries were sustained. The vehicle was covered under a liability insurance policy. The vehicle was a total loss. The homeowners insurance Fire Inspector tagged the vehicle and requested that the vehicle remain on the premises. The vehicle was still located at the residence, as per the Fire Inspector. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 315,465.
NHTSA complaint #11719444 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owned a 2016 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that while her nephew was driving, the nephew made a left-hand turn, and the vehicle was hit on the front right quarter panel. The contact stated that her nephew had turned on the left-hand signal and was halfway through making the left turn when the accident occurred. The other vehicle drove on the opposite side and stated that the left-hand turn signal was not on. The contact's nephew was unsure if any warning lights were illuminated. The driver-side and passenger-side air bags were deployed. The contact's nephew had minor injuries and had a bruise on the right arm and chest that did not require medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a towing yard. The contact then had the vehicle towed to the residence and no longer driven. The insurance company was contacted, and the results are pending. Upon further investigation, the contact discovered that the vehicle had an open recall pending: NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V725000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). The contact stated that there was a passenger in the vehicle. The passenger was sitting on the front passenger seat and was not injured. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 96,000.
NHTSA complaint #11709756 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2008 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that the ABS warning light was illuminated. The message "ESC OFF" was displayed. The contact stated that the headlights were inoperable. Additionally, the engine had overheated, causing an electrical short and battery failure. The battery was replaced several times; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, the vehicle shut off unexpectedly. The contact was able to pull into a parking lot. The vehicle was restarted and driven at 25 MPH; however, the failure recurred. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road. The vehicle failed to restart and remained on the side of the road. The contact stated that several mechanics had previously diagnosed the vehicle with electrical failures. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
NHTSA complaint #11698939 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The hitch lifts have went bad. When you open the back hatch it goes all the way up and then immediately goes back down about half way. It’s a huge safety concern. I have been hit in the head numerous times.
NHTSA complaint #11696371 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
While driving the vehicle and applying the brakes the vehicle shifted to one side of the road. There was an accident 03/2024 after having the brake control arm serviced. The braking system failed. There was a recall on the front control arm 2016. The vehicle was totaled and was salvaged due to damages to the vehicle. The brake inspection failed. Today the braking system has has no control even after the master cylinder was repaired. The vehicle is currently sitting at a service station without being serviced for at least 2 months. Kia needs to be responsible and refund for the arm control repair and other related part failures. The electrical system does not work for the windshield wipers or the air conditioner or sliding doors.
NHTSA complaint #11694345 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that after purchasing the vehicle from the dealer, the air bag warning light illuminated while driving, and the front passenger’s seat detection system failed to detect a passenger. The dealer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle had previously been repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V109000 (Electrical System). The contact was also informed that a diagnostic test was needed to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 300,000.
NHTSA complaint #11693362 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.