DT: CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER AROUND JUNE 13, 2005. SHE CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP, AND WAS TOLD THE PARTS WERE NOT IN. SHE CALLED BACK TODAY AND THE PARTS STILL WERE NOT AVAILABLE. SHE CALLED KIA, AND THEY TOLD HER TO CALL BACK AND HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED UNTIL THE PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. SHE HAS TO CALL BACK AGAIN TO ARRANGE FOR THAT. *AK
2004 Kia Sedona complaints
Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2004 record →
DT:CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO HAVE A RECALL TAKEN CARE OFF BUT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FROM KIA. THEY WERE ON BACK ORDER. CONTACT WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER AND BY KIA THEY WERE ON NATIONAL BACKORDER . HE HAS BEEN TOLD THAT BACK ORDER WILL TAKE APPROXIMATELY 2 WEEKS. HE WAS CONCERNED BECAUSE THE RECALL WAS FOR DAMAGED OUTER WHEEL BEARINGS. HE KNEW THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE WHEEL BEARINGS, AND THAT HE WAS DRIVING AN UNSAFE VAN, AND TRANSPORTING CHILDREN IN THE VAN.*AK
DT: TOOK KIA, SEDONA 2004 4 TIMES TO DEALER FOR BRAKE FAILURE. THE BRAKES SQUEAKED A LOT, AND THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN FIXED PROPERLY. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED. BUT, THEN AGAIN ONE COULD HEAR A SOUND ON THE BRAKES. CONSUMER WAS TAKEN BACK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR THE 5TH TIME. TO SEE WHAT COULD BE DONE. ALSO TRANSMISSION WHEN IN DRIVE AROUND 5 MPH, WANTED TO STOP, THEN JUMPED TO NORMAL. ALSO WHEN THE CAR WAS IDLING IN PARK OR STOPPING IT SHOOK. *AK
DT: CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THEY DO NOT HAVE THE PARTS FOR RECALL REPAIRS. DEALER DID RECEIVE SOME PARTS BUT NOT COMPLETE PARTS, THEN, CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, WHO FIRST SAID THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY, AND SOME WERE NOT COMPLETE. MANAGER SAID THAT CONSUMER WOULD HEAR A HUMMING 10,000 MILES PRIOR.*AK
DT: TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AT LEAST 15 TIMES, THEY SAID NOT KICKING UP ANY ERA CODES. THE THROTTLE BODY WAS CHANGED ALSO TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE (TCM ) WAS THEN CHANGED. THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THEY DID SOMETHING WITH THE GROUNDS. IN FEBRUARY 2005 THEY PUT IN A NEW TRANSMISSION. LIKE THE CAR IT WAS LOSING POWER, AND CAR WAS GEARING DOWN ON ITS OWN. AT FIRST THIS ONLY HAPPENED ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK, BUT CURRENTLY IT HAPPENED EVERY TIME CONSUMER GOT INTO THE CAR. THE LAST THIS HAPPENED CONSUMER PULLED OUT ONTO A ROAD AND CAR HAD NO POWER, AND DID NOT WANT TO ACCELERATE. IT WAS ALMOST HIT BY A TRACTOR TRAILER. DROVE TO DEALERSHIP DID NOT TURN OFF THE CAR. TECHNICIAN DROVE THE CAR, AND HE SAID THAT THE TRANSMISSION KICKED ITSELF INTO SAFE MODE, WHICH MEANT THE CAR STAYED IN SECOND GEAR WHILE DRIVING. *AK
THUMPING NOISE FROM FRONT END..WHEELS OR STRUTS. USUALLY OCCURS AT SLOW SPEEDS ON UNEVEN SURFACES. NOT AS NOTICABLE AT HIGHER SPEEDS. THIS CONCERNS ME BECAUSE SOMETHING IS APPARENTLY LOOSE AND VIBRATING YET THEY HAVE YET TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. IF YOU LOOK AT WW.KIA-FORUMS.COM AND LOOK UNDER SEDONA, YOU WILL SEE NUMEROUS PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND KIA HAS YET TO FIX IT. I GUESS THEY WON'T BE HAPPY UNTIL THE FRONT END FALLS OUT OR SOMETHING. PEOPLE HAVE HAD THEIR WHOLE FRONT END BASICALLY REPLACED AND STILL THEY HAVE THE PROBLEM.
DT: THE SPARE TIRE UNDERNEATH THE VAN SITS ON A METAL RACK. THE METAL RUBED ON THE TIRE AND MADE RIDGES ON THE TIRE. CONSUMER CONTACTED MANUFACTURER. *AK *SB *NM
DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA SADONA. THE DASH LIGHTS HAVE REPEATEDLY FAILED IN LESS THAN ONE YEAR. A COUPLE OF TIMES THE DEALER PUT FUSES IN THE VEHICLE, AND THEY CLAIMED THAT SOMETHING HAD BEEN PLUGGED INTO THE CIGARETTE LIGHTER THAT DID NOT WORK. THE MASTER TECHNICIAN PUT A NEW INSTRUMENT CLUSTER BOARD. THIS WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM FOR A WEEK UP TO A MONTH, AND THE PROBLEM WOULD COME BACK. AT NIGHTS, THEY CANNOT SEE THE SPEED OR FUEL OR ANY LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD. PREVIOUS OWNER HAD THIS VEHICLE IN THE SHOP THREE TIMES FOR ELECTRICAL REASONS. *AK
CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A BRAKE PROBLEM. THE BRAKES LOCKED UP WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS COMING TO A STOP. VEHICLE MADE A LARGE CLANKING SOUND WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. HOWEVER, THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE BRAKES HAVE NOT WORKED PROPERLY SINCE PURCHASE. *TC
WHEN THE VEHICLE IS COLD THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WILL NOT GO DOWN. VEHICLE HAS TO WARM UP BEFORE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WILL OPERATE NORMALLY. OWNER WAS INFORMED THAT THE ACCELERATOR THROTTLE CABLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. DEALER REPLACED THE CABLE, AND THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING NORMALLY. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE GAS PEDAL STUCK AND THE VEHILCE REACHED 90 MPH. *TC
WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. VEHICLE WAS STILL DRIVEABLE. DEALERSHIP INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THERE TRANSMISSION FAILED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK DEALER STATED PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY ELECTRICL HARNESS. ALSO HAVING MULTIPLE FAILURES WITH OUTPUT SPEED SENSOR; TRANSMISSION 3 TIMES; THERMOSTAT ASSEMBLY; POWER STEERING LEAKED; INPUT SPEED SENSOR; LOW GROUND VOLTAGE FAILED; FUSE BLOCK PROBLEMS; CRUISE CONTROL. CONSUMER WAS ADVISED THAT DUE TO THE DESIGN OF THE CRUISE CONTROL, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES OFTEN WHILE ON AN INCLINE AT 45 TO 55 MPH AS IF VEHICLE'S ENGINE/TRANSMISSION WAS RACING. *TT *TC
WE WERE GOING EAST ON A COUNTY ROAD(219TH), AT ABOUT 40 MPH. THE PASSENGERS FRONT TIRE CROSSED THE WHITE LINE AND SLIPPED INTO THE DITCH. VAN CONTINUED EAST INTO A TELEPHONE POLE, BREAKING IT IN 3 PIECES. THE VAN THEN SLIDE SIDEWAYS AND CAME TO REST SOUTHBOUND AFTER HITTING A TREE. AFTER VAN CAME TO REST AND THE DRIVER CHECKED FAMILY'S SAFETY, IT WAS THEN DISCOVERED THAT THE AIR BAGS ON BOTH SIDES HAD NOT DEPLOYED AND THAT THE AUTO LOCK FEATURE OF THE SEAT BELTS HAD NOT ENGAGED EITHER. WE WERE ASSISTED FROM THE VAN AND CONTACTED THE POLICE. VAN WAS TOWED TO WRECKING YARD (NOT DRIVABLE).NOTIFIED KIA SERVICE MANAGER OF FAILURES AND HE TOLD ME TO CONTACT KIA. HE GAVE US THE NUMBER AND SAID WE NEED TO CONTACT THEM ASAP AND THEY WILL CONTACT HIM. KIA TOOK OUR INFORMATION AND TOLD US TO SEND PICTURES AND A LEGIBLE COPY OF ACCIDENT TO THE MAIN OFFICE IN CA. *JB
RECENTLY PURCHASED A NEW 2004 KIA SEDONA ON 11/29/04 AND A COUPLE OF DAYS AFTER I BOUGHT IT I NOTICED EVIDENCE OF RUST AROUND THE BOLTS THAT HOLD THE FRONT SEATS TO THE CHASSIS. AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION, I FOUND NUMEROUS POINTS OF RUST ON THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. I TOOK TO VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION AND THEY STATED THAT THEY HAD NEVER SEEN THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM BEFORE. THE DEALERSHIP THEN CONTACTED THE KIA DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE TO FIND OUT WHAT TO DO ABOUT THE PROBLEMS WITH THE RUST. HE INFORMED THE DEALERSHIP TO SAND DOWN AND PRIMER THE AFFECTED AREAS. I TOLD THEM THAT WAS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE OPTION. SO, THE KIA REPRESENTATIVE THEN HAD THE DEALERSHIP REPLACE THE FRONT SEATS AND SAND DOWN THE REMAINING AFFECTED AREAS AND PRIMER THEM. WHEN THE DEALERSHIP STARTED PERFORMING THE REPAIRS THEY ACTUALLY FOUND SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF RUST UNDERNEATH THE DASH AND UNDER THE CARPET. THE DEALERSHIP HAS STATED THAT IT WOULD COST TOO MUCH TO COMPLETELY REPAIR THE VEHICLE, AND THAT I NEEDED TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH KIA CONSUMER AFFAIRS. I DID FILE A COMPLAINT AND KIA HAS STATED THAT THEY HAVE MET THEIR OBLIGATION TO VEHICLE UNDER THE WARRANTY AND OFFERED ME THREE MONTHS CAR PAYMENT FOR MY INCONVENIENCE. *NM
HIT SOME BLACK ICE AND VEHICLE STARTED TO SPIN, THEN ROLLED. NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THIS VEHICLE MODEL IS THE SORENTO LX.*AK
2004 KIA SORENTO LEAKS OIL. FOUR TIMES IN FOR SERVICE, LATEST TIME JANUARY 5, 2005. TWICE DEALER REPLACED OIL PLUG GASKET. LAST TIME IN DEALER SERVICE DEPT SAYS PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY DEFECTIVE DESIGNED OIL FILTERS. DEALER GOES ON TO SAY KIA AWARE OF PROBLEM AND GOING TO REDESIGN OIL FILTER. DEALER DOES NOT KNOW WHEN NEW FILTER IS GOING TO BE AVAILABLE. IN MEAN TIME MY 2004 SORENTO CONTINUES TO LEAK OIL. FUMES FROM OIL BURNING ON HOT ENGINE CAUSING ME HEADACHES AND NAUSEA. DON'T BELIEVE DEALER EXPLANATION. USED TO HAVE A 2003 SORENTO WHICH KIA REPLACED BECAUSE OF MAJOR ENGINE PROBLEMS. NOW THE REPLACEMENT VEHICLE (2004 SORENTO) HAS OIL LEAKING PROBLEMS THAT ARE UNRESOLVED BY DEALER. GOING TO TAKE IN AGAIN BECAUSE FUMES SO STRONG IT MAKES IT UNDRIVEABLE EXCEPT AS A LAST RESORT. BELIEVE ENGINE IN 2003 SORENTO IS SAME TYPE ENGINE IN 2004 SORENTO. OIL LEAKING IN THE 2003 WASN'T AN ISSUE. ONLY IN THIS SORENTO 2004.*AK
OIL LEAKS - 2004 KIA SORENTO. COMPLIANT FORM DOES NOT ALLOW ME TO SELECT SORENTO AS VEHICLE MODEL WHEN COMPLETING THIS FORM. DEALER REPLACED OIL PLUG GASKET TWICE. BEEN IN FOR OIL LEAK COMPLAINTS 4 TIMES. LAST TIME THERE JAN 05, 2005 DEALER SERVICE SAYS PROBLEM IS OIL FILTER LEAKING BECAUSE OF DEFECTIVE OIL FILTER DESIGN. DEALER SERVICE SAYS KIA IN PROCESS OF RE-DESIGN OF FILTER. WHEN NEW OIL FILTERS AVAILABLE DEALER SAYS UNKNOWN. FIND THIS EXPLANATION OF PROBLEM TO BE UNBELIEVABLE. DON'T BELIEVE 2004 ENGINE DIFFERENT FROM 2003 ENGINE IN THIS VEHICLE. WHEN LAST IN DEALER SERVICE ANOTHER CUSTOMER WAS IN FOR SAME TYPE OF PROBLEM; OIL LEAKS IN 2004 SORENTO. WAS IN MULTIPLE TIMES FOR A SOLUTION. USED TO HAVE SORENTO 2003 AND NEVER HAD LEAKING OIL, KIA REPLACED MY 2003 WITH A 2004 SORENTO BECAUSE OF MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH 2003. ENGINE OIL LEAKING WAS NOT ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH 2003. BELIEVE SAME ENGINE USED IN BOTH MODELS. DON'T BELIEVE PROBLEM IS OIL FILTER DESIGN.*AK
GAS MILEAGE FAR BELOW PROMISED. THE 2004 KIA SEDONA LX WAS POSTED AS 16-22 MPG. WE ARE AVERAGING 11 MPG HWY/CITY. IT HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER TWICE, THE SECOND TIME THERE WERE PARTS REPLACED LIKE AIRFLOW SENSORS. THIS DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. OUR DEALER HAS WORKED WITH US WELL, BUT WITH GAS PRICES THE WAY THEY ARE, THE COST TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE IS MUCH MORE THAN ADVERTISED. I HAVE TALKED TO OTHERS WHO OWN THE SEDONA AS WELL, SOME ARE AVERAGING OVER THE 20MPG, WHILE OTHERS ARE LIKE MYSELF, 10-11 MPG.*AK
ON 10/17/04 WHILE DRIVING TO WORK I HEARD A NOISE LIKE I HAD A FLAT, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS CHECKED THERE WAS NO FLAT. I DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE NEAREST EXIT. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO MOVE THE VEHICLE THE WHOLE TIRE FELL OFF THE VEHICLE, THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE . THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE NEW PARTS WERE ORDERED. IN MY OPINION I DONT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE IT COULD HAPPEN AGAIN AND NEXT TIME I MIGHT NOT BE LUCKEY. I COULD HAVE KILLED OR MY WHOLE IF THEY WERE WITH ME.
BLOWN MAIN ENGINE FUSE DUE TO THIS FAILURE IT SHUTS OFF ALL ENGINE AND IT DOES NOT OPERATE AT ALL. WHILE DRIVING, ENGINE SHUTS OFF AND WON'T START. AFTER IT WENT TO THE DEALER FOR SO MANY DAYS WITHOUT CALLING US TO INFORM OF WHAT'S GOING ON, THEY HAVE FIGURED THAT IT HAS A BLOWN FUSE AND THEY ( DEALER MECHANICS ) BLAME ME TO THE FACT THAT I MIGHT BE USING A LOT OF ELECTICAL ACTIVITIES IN THE VAN SUCH AS PLAYING VIDEO GAME WHILE DRIVING AND MIGHT HAVE CAUSED THE ELECTRICAL BLOW OUT. THEN 2 MONTHS LATER... SAME THING HAPPENED I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK AND IT DID THE SAME THING. NOW THAT THE CAR IS AT THE DEALER, GOD KNOWS WHAT THEY WILL COME UP WITH, TO HAVE SUCH AN EXCUSE. *AK
WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SHAKE AND THEN SHUT DOWN. THE DEALER CHANGED THE ENGINE AND THE DEFECT OCCURRED AGAIN, THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED ON THE COMPUTER AND NO DEFECTS HAVE BEEN FOUND. *JB
WHILE PARKED ON AN INCLINE EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE DID NOT ENGAGE. VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARD UNTIL IT HIT A TREE. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. *JB
WHEN DRIVING THE VAN ANY SPEED. ONCE IT WARMS UP WITH THE AC ON THERE IS A LOUD GROANING/GROWING SOUND COMING FROM THE REAR CARGO AREA OF THE VEHICLE. THE SOUND STARTS OUT INTERMITTENTLY AND THEN CONTINUES AND INCREASES IN FREQUENCY. *NM
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE DESCRIBED AS RUBBING COMING FROM THE REAR BRAKES. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP, AND TECHNICIAN INDICATED THAT VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED BY THE MANUFACTURER. *AK
WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKES AT ANY SPEED FRONT END VIBRATED. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE ROTORS FAILED. CONSUMER STATED THAT ROTORS WERE ALREADY REPLACED, BUT PROBLEM RECURRED.*AK
WINDSHIELD HAS SOME TYPE OF HAZE THAT APPEARS CLOUDY THROUGH THE DRIVER'S EYES. THE HAZE MAKES IT HARD FOR THE DRIVER TO SEE CLEARLY. *AK THE KIA REPRESENTATIVE INDICATED THAT THE HAZE WAS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE AND THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE TO CORRECT IT. *NM
Reading these
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 2004 Kia Sedona → · Every Sedona year → · How the figures are calculated →