Kia Sedona problems

wood9663 · February 2005

Grumpy,
I took it to the Dealership.
They replaced the front right shocks and again replaced the links.
It is MUCH better now, still a little bit of noise, but way better than before.

I drive my wife crazy now with all the "hear that?" So I'll be able to stop that for a while.

Good luck.

geeminator · February 2005

This is my first posting on this site...I've been lucky w/my Sedona (51k) so far..Picked her up on Jan 02 w/4k on the meter...Since it was a "Program Special" (Demo), Kia agreed to begin the warranty at that time w/0 miles...We ad a bad brake lite switch, 3 radios...Also had a fender bender with her and she still ran like new...Now I have to take her in for a leak in the Power Steering system and a weird noise around the right front tire you begin to hear it when the van is at 10-15 mph and increases w/speed though it was tire noise, but not the case...Hopefully it's still under warranty...Any ideas?

minivanfrank · February 2005

I think she had about 20K on it. The problem was a caliper sticking. The dealer put on a new caliper and new brakes under warranty.

geeminator · February 2005

Hey anyone here know if the tail lights for the 02 and 03 Sedonas are interchangeable?...Have an 02 and would love to have the 03 tails on her.

dealsmond2 · February 2005

I have the same problem. they replaced the struts and towers a few times already and the problem always comes back. the kia rep said they will not try to fix it again and my warranty is about tom run out. I think a class action suit is in order here

grumpyguycdn · February 2005

The dealer replaced the hardware from the top of the struts up. Did nothing. They will now be replacing the struts next week. I'll post the results.

grumpyguycdn · February 2005

http://www.lemonaidcars.com/ would be very interested to hear about this. I have written to them and they have acknowledged it is a known problem. I suspect they are waiting for critical mass before taking action.

wastrel · February 2005

2003 ex seats won't release, been to dealer twice, best explanation give was second floor mat had to be under rollers to act as fulcrum.tried inplace & without mat neither worked any ideas ??
going back for 3rd time when cable for 2nd row seat is to be installed.answere to followup not a happy camper

bluedevils · March 2005

The 2nd and 3rd row seats can be tough to remove. I've had this problem in our 2002 EX and my parents have had the same problem in their 2003 EX, but eventually the seats have always popped out.

Sometimes, I find that it helps to try pushing the seat down into place more, then try to pull the strap to remove the seat. It's almost like the seat is partially out but the lever can't do its job unless the seat is completely latched in. Not sure if that makes any sense.

magic · March 2005

Upon reading problems with Odyssey and Sienna, I find alot of transmission problems...Anyone having problems with their transmission and does anyone know if it would be the same trans in the 2006, that the 2005 has.

craigmri · March 2005

Magic,

Although I have heard of a rare occurance when a Sedona transmission gets replaced, It is the exception not the rule. The powertrain in the Sedona is pure Hyundai from the XG350 and its extremely reliable. They use this engine in the Hyundai Santa fe(3.5L version) as well as the Kia Amanti.

Craig
'04 Sedona EX

wastrel · March 2005

Thank you have tried that. The only way i get them to release is to tip them forward then push the back roller forward while pulling the strap with the other hand. Obviously this is very awkward & i don't want to make a habit of it

wastrel · March 2005

sorry to here you have to roll your kias past the curb to obtain roadside assistance:but we up here in the north don't.2003 warranty book states clearly; from site of breakdown: & drivesways are not in the exclusion list.matter of fact had mine towed jan 19 05 (throttle cable stuck).

wastrel · March 2005

2003 warranty booklet states that failure to comply with maintenance schedules voids agreement. i fully agree any sparkplug should get approximately twice the recommended 30k miles. anyone had any feed back or warnings ??

dave

bluedevils · March 2005

Well, the 2002-2005 Sedona transmission is already a 5-speed unit, so that aspect probably won't change. But with the new engine providign 240+ horsepower and 250+ lb-ft torque, I wonder if the current transmission can handle those numbers. Maybe it can, since those numbers are really only 10-20% higher than the current Sedona engine - it's not like we are talking about a 50% jump.

jenniofthekia · March 2005

mine was a bad catalytic converter...they kept replacing one on one side of the van (the van has two)...the mechanic figured out that the computer code guide was "backward"...it was actually the ther convertor...they replaced it and I haven't had a check engine light since...of course, they may have disconnected the light

danthonyk · March 2005

Good Evening everyone! I have a 2002 Sedona EX, we just returned home from shoppong an noticed that the passenger side sliding door will not latch. Has anyone else experienced this problem? If so, did you fix it or did the dealer repair it? I tried to do asearch on sliding door, and got hundreds of messages regarding power sliding doors, please forgive me if a similar message has been submitted before...thanks!

laydewlf · March 2005

We bought our Sedona in 2002. Loved it except for gas mileage and lack of enough storage behind last row of seats. Winter 2003 while defrosting windshield, hear a pop and see that the windshield had cracked. Great. Had surgery that week, so was unable to get it tended to for a while.

All along, the right side sliding door had a tendency to get caught and be hard to open or close. Didn't worry too much about it, though it was annoying.

This past month (feb/march)the airbag light came on, the right rear strut started knocking and the reverse gear was slipping - could not back up an incline. Ok, time to go to the dealership.

Needs new transmission (takes 1 1/2 weeks to get that in and no loaner car). sliding door needs a new part, right strut needs to be replaced on it, and driver's seatbelt has to be replaced. It wasn't showing the computer that it was engaged so the airbag light would stay on. All of this and we only have 37000 miles on it.

They are taking care of everything, though they are debating about the windshield -- havent heard anything about that yet, but everything else is on warranty. Which is great.. thats why we bought new... but I just wouldn't think that a 3 year old vehicle with 37000 miles on it should have so many problems. Kind of leary of kia now. hope others are not having as much trouble. thanks.

saabturboid · March 2005

You bought a first model year vehicle. These types of things are common on first model year vehicles no matter what the brand. The good news is Kia is standing behind the vehicle and taking care of the problems.

You are usually better buying a vehicle that is several model years old so all of the kinks have been worked out. We bought an '04 Sedona, hoping most of the early bugs are gone, but even if there is a problem I am confident Kia will take care of it which gives me peace of mind.

Chad

alamid69 · March 2005

I also have an '02 model and had 2 occurrences of windshield cracking. Both times were replaced by 2 different dealers (1st one was in Reading, PA. 2nd one in Wexford, PA) without any questions. They call it stress crack. Hope this helps.

Bino Rocha

wynne · March 2005

I had no idea how many problems there were with this minivan. I own a 2002 Ex loaded. I bought it new and within a year, replaced the battery. In 2004, my problems really started. One of the handles on the sliding doors broke off, then the alternator went out and the lumbar switch was staying on. Oh yeah, I also had to replace the tires at 29,000 miles.
I know several other people who own the exact same van and they have had no problems. I just thought I had a lemon. However it is now gone because it caught on fire at 1:00am in my garage. Insurance said it was an electrical fire that started behind the steering column. It had barely been driven that day, only to take kids to school and pick them up, and had been sitting in the garage since 4:00pm. Please if anyone has heard of this happening to anyone else let me know!!

jcrider2 · March 2005

I had the Air Bag light come on, the drivers seat belt was the problem. The dealer had a belt of different color which he installed until the proper color came in and the next time I went for a oil change he swaped it out. Then at 45000 miles the check engine light came on and checking the computer It showed plug misfiring. My van had the 20000 mile plugs so had them changed to the 60000 mile plugs At 53000 mile everything is doing ok now. My van is a 2002 also.

laydewlf · March 2005

I just had the tranny in my 2002 Sedona replaced at 37000 miles. they did the work on warranty, but i wouldn't think it should have gone out with only that many miles on it.

laydewlf · March 2005

maybe i should contact those dealerships for proof it happens. my dealership is saying that a rock must have hit it at some other time and then suddenly the crack appeared while sitting in my drive. im taking it to another dealership 2 hours away to get a second opinion.

alamid69 · March 2005

The first crack actually happened while i was driving. It actually startled me 'cause it was a loud popping sound. After a few minutes i saw a crack creeping up. At first, i thought i was hit by a rock. But there was no car in front of me.

The dealers should know that this is a Sedona problem by now. Good luck.

wastrel · March 2005

purchased July/28/03 150km - milage is posted on van milage board; not all
switched to 50% synthetic at 23,700km=17,063mi
will post milage see if different
material coming out of drivers door, installed new panel usual wait for part.
power steering line blew off -40c replaced clamp, fluid: next day service
leaking oil filter after service; replaced filter oil
throttle stuck at 4000rpms; towed in roadside from driveway; thawed out cable,lock deicer,lubed with hs 2000: same day
second row passenger seat release cable missing from day 1
3rd row seats wouldn't release; in 3 times working fine now: no explanation
annoying habit of not providing documentation of fixes ie seat cable
retired & usually can drive other van;
NOTE: inconvienances; but the throttle,oil filter, & power steering wouldn't have been: if they happen on the road.
normal complaints:milage,steering vague,heater isn't, as hot as aerostar.
would recommend so far, touch wood; only 24,700km=15438mi

buckeyes2002 · March 2005

Purchased this leftover 2004 last month (2/05). It has all the bells and whistles that Kia offers. I am overall satisfied with my purchase. I only received one remote and the dealer said that they had other remotes on order and I should receive the other one the following week. Here I am three weeks later and still no remote. (no big deal) I just recently used the rear windshield wiper and tried to clean it with wiper fluid. Well the liquid just ran down the back window like someone just poured it out of the bottle. Has anyone else had this problem or is this normal? I also hear a grinding noise from the rear around the bumper (i think) when I first start driving and it eventually goes away. Finally one night when I was driving to work, I heard a clicking noise from the passenger side. I haven't heard it since that night. I was hesitant on buying this minivan because of the gas mileage, I have been averaging 17 - 19 mpg during mixed driving. Not much better than the 12 I was getting with my Ford Excursion and worse than Betsy (1994 Mercury Villager 22 mpg) Please help me calm my buyer's remorse because I was going to buy a Honda.

Thanks,
Chris
'04 Sedona

sisu145 · March 2005

I believe the wiper fluid dribble is normal. I have a 02 Ex and it does the same thing.I think it's designed to do that. Why? No idea.... You bought a good product. Take the money you saved from not buying the Honda and go on a nice vacation.Your Kia will serve your needs just as long as the Honda would. No buyer's remorse here.

Peace

kia1 · March 2005

Hi,
My 2003 Sedona is in the dealership right now. I have been hearing noises for quiet sometime. The sounds wee a low groaning from the right rear and a thupping sfrom the front left. At times the steering wheel would start shaking. I figured it was that I needed new tires, at 32K the tires were practically bald, and I replaced all four tires. The noises stopped for a week or so. Recently the van would make very loud noises when turning to the left, like a loud grinding sound. I brought it into a local mechanic and he informed me that the noises and problems were caused by the drive train. The damage was so significant he stated that the front left wheel was at real jeporady of falling off!!!
Has anyone else had this problem?
I also had the Kia windshield crack occur. I wish I had known this was a problem with the Kia. I thought it was a rock fracture, however there weren't any other vehicles on the road. My insurance company would not pay for replacement, only cost. My left passenger door is very difficult to open from the outside and the inside.
Any one else had a drivetrain problem?
Thanks

craigmri · March 2005

Buckeyes,

Relax about your purchase buddy. Your Kia is going to serve you for years to come. People are so frightened about all the Kia Bashing that when something actually needs repair on thier Sedona they panic.

BTW, if you study the reports in the gas mileage threads you'll learn the Oddysey doesnt get better gas mileage in real world driving than the Sedona.

Craig
'04 Sedona EX

jasonmwc · March 2005

I recently purchased a 2004 KIA Sedona LX and the A/C started making a noise when it is turned on and continues when running. It sounds like a bearing or something. It doesn't get louder when I drive, just wondering any body else had this problem or not. I have had no other problems with it. I am getting ready to move to Co and will see how it handles the Mountains.

bluedevils · March 2005

Congrats on your purchase. Give it some time and you will likely find yourself enjoying and appreciating your Sedona for its overall quality.

17-19 mpg is a LOT better than 12mpg! That is roughly 40-60% better fuel economy than 12mpg. The raw difference (5-7 mpg) may not seem all that large - although it does to me - but the percentages are what matters. You will be spending a LOT less on gas with your Sedona than with your Excursion. You likely would have spent even less with an Odyssey, but not a whole lot less.

kiamauler · March 2005

I just went through the Lemon Law process to make kia buy back my sedona. They lost to me and made it one of the worst customer experiences I have ever had in 40 years. They fought me(the little guy) and after 5 months without my vehicle they were forced to buy it back but at a contrived price rather than at a fair market price(Kelly blue book). They took every legal Lemon Law time allotted possible even after they lost and made the offer. Lemon law allows them 45 days to pay the settled price and they took all of it thus keeping me from getting on with its replacement.

I also have no faith in the Lemon Laws of at least Arizona if not the country. They will side with the dealers when ever possible. Something needs to be done to revamp that law instead of allowing the dealers to ravage the consumer. Shame on the legislators.

Avoid Kia at all costs, they are less that admirable, inhumane, unreasonable and lack any customer service morals.

Good luck Kia owners.

craigmri · March 2005

KiaMauler,

Can you illustrate for us your problems that you had? I'd love to hear what you have to say aside from hating Kia.

Craig
'04 Sedona EX

marriedman · March 2005

Well, again my 02 Kia Sedona with 37K miles was towed back to dealership last night. I think it will end up being a bad alternator, but may be something else also. They picked up and towed my Kia out of my driveway so I'm glad for that but, what makes me mad is my dealer nor Kia authorize use of loaner cars for warranty work (even when they keep car overnight).
If my Kia breaks down this much under warranty, what is it going to do once it is out of warranty. Were debating about selling it and getting out.
My previous post have been netrual about the car, but now I'm having serious thoughts.

Has anyone else heard of so may problems with a brand new car?
Do other Kia dealers give loaner cars for warranty work?

We have had the coil pack cyl #6, rotors, tires, headliner, struts, battery, spare tire support have all been replaced.
Under Recall the seat belt anchors and throttle cable have been replaced.
I know things break but this is a little much.

craigmri · March 2005

Marriedman,

The dealer be bought ours at did give us a loaner XG350 when our Sedona was in for rotor replacement. Although we no longer go to this dealer because they are incompetant, they did at least try. The new dealer we use is fantastic. My wife had a check engine light come on a few weeks ago. The purchasing dealer said they couldnt fit us in for a few days....the new dealer said "Come on over" and replaced some emission component in 10 minutes.

Craig
'04 Sedona EX

marriedman · April 2005

Thanks for the quick response Craig. I asked again when I went to the dealer today about loaner cars and they said that Kia made them stop the loaner car program. They do it for GMC, Buick, Pontiac but said Kia will not allow it.
We bought the van due to a growing family and they see us cramming ourselves and carseats into our 93 Grand Am when leaving the van overnight for warranty work. Kia does have a great roadside program (twice that I have used it) but there lacking in other areas.
I really trust our dealership (there isn't other Kia dealer in town), and we have been taking our 93 Grand Am there since 1995. That is one of the reasons we bought from them due to long history.
We saved money compared to Chevy Venture, Dodge Caravan, and Ford Windstar but the money saved doesn't compare to our time and headache of running to dealership for so many repairs.
Thanks for letting me complain.... I know my wife is tired of hearing it.

navyair · April 2005

Married Man-

Your dealer probably uses the same line on the other lines of cars when someone asks for a loaner, too. It seems like the decision to provide loaners is pretty much up to the dealer and what programs he/she participate in. He could always give you a "demonstrator" car for a few days, so he really doesn't have an excuse, esp since you bought the car there.

RE your vehicle - sorry to hear you have the problems. A (minor) plus is that with a 2002 and those miles on any other van you'd be footing the bills for the repairs. Very minor plus, when the van is always in the shop. Have noticed that many of the vans with electrical complaints are 2002. Ditto struts.

I have a 2003 with same miles, and it has only been in for the a/c whine and a rear washer bolt cover besides routine maintenance. Other than a knuckeheaded mechanic overtorquing the wheels (broke my wrench getting them off), no problems with 2 different dealers maintenance in different states.

Hope your problems disappear soon!

03sedona · April 2005

I have just purchased 03 sedona ex has 26,000 miles on it. I am a service writer for chevrolet so know enough about dealer processes to basically get what I want. Just sent the sedona to Kia for my first checklist of warranty items. Transmission fluid is dark colored was told this is normal??? Also have kind of a weak shift on 3-4 and even worse on 4-5, ANYONE??????? Terrible wind noise from l/f window also this same window makes loud pop after using auto down feature. Suspension is horrible....anyone know what are the options to fixing clanking noise from front struts. Has anyones been completely fixed? Cracked paint under top coat? Also noticed the left side tires ONLY have bad wear on inside edge? Just want to find out what to keep eyes out for and what should I get fixed before warranty runs out. Also if anyone knows has any insight or tips on maintenance items and a good suggestion for replacement tires.
thnx

ramblin_mo · April 2005

I traded in a 02 Honda Odyssey LX that had to be fladbedded 90 miles to the dealer with a slipping transmission at 47K.

Problems with 04 Kia EX? Best MPG I got with the Odyssey was 28mpg and averaged about 23MPG
The Kia I get real excited when I get 20MPG which happens in the spring and fall when the ac or ac/defrost are not running.
I really miss the space the Odyssey had. Can barely fit any groceries with the back seats in the Kia. Odyssey had a lot more space behind the front seats and second row. I really miss the Odyssey ride and cornering.

I seem to have aquired the front strut thump with the Kia.

Service has been exceptional so far. They have some program where the first 20 oil changes are about $9. Pleasant, prompt and reasonable so far.

Would I buy it again? Tough call even though I haven't had hardly any problems with it. I wish the ride was smoother and it got about 20% better gas mileage and the resale values didn't hurt so bad.

03sedona · April 2005

Well I got my van back! Had to ride with technician who couldnt find wind noise and window popping noise and of course the van wouldnt do it! When I asked the tech about the trans concern he said the fluid was very dirty looking(he said it was almost brown colored on a white rag) but didnt find a trans concern. I had them do trans flush and now fluid is pink and shifting concern is gone at least for now. They are going to paint the areas that are crackling but are using a touch up paint service? The biggest shocker of all they couldnt find anything wrong with suspension and dont know anything about it being a common problem....I need someones help on this one. Is there a TSB? On top of everything my van now has floormats covered in greasy footprints and two new dings on doors!!!!!!!!!!!
This sucks.

navyair · April 2005

If you work for a dealer, then you should know how to work the greasy footprint and door ding complaints...go in and civily ask the service manager to come out to your car, ASAP after you discover it. A decent dealership will be concerned if they trashed your car.

There are only 601 complaints on this board. (599 excluding yours) Recommend you sort through and book mark the suspension ones to give you a little more ammo. Shouldn't take that much time, and you'll have a lot of back ground on what you need.

Is your window pop when the switch releases after the cycle? That is a common noise in all electric windows...I do recall one post on a pop that was resolved by a lubricant.

Here is the Edmunds link to TSB's and recalls:

http://www.edmunds.com/ownership/tires/articles/44745/article.html

No TSB's or recalls on the 2003 concerning struts. However, I recall 2 or 3 folks posting on having problems with it. Good luck in doing your research.

sadsadsad · April 2005

2003 ex - First winter passes, and we have rust under the chrome front grill. The van had 12,000 kms (7500 miles). Dealership said the problem was from stone chips (van is city driven only). They reluctantly fix by re painting the effected area. Second winter has now passed, and guess what??? Rust again, exactly in the same area.

Power steering has exploded last winter and again this winter. My driveway looks like crap now. Kia blamed poor hose clamps that break in the cold. But, if they know that, you would think they would replace them all at once. But no... one at a time. At least they are paying for the towing!

Attitude and service quality sucks at the Regina, SK dealership. Would I buy another? Never! I don't think I would accept one if I won it!!

tnye · April 2005

We have a 2003, and it has been in the shop for the A/C whine, Rattle in the backend (this turned out to be a suspension dampener), Front End alignment at 24k miles at which time they said we need new tires. We now have 29k miles and today, while my wife went into the grocery store, my son and I waited in the van with it in park, engine running, and A/C on, listening to the radio. All of a sudden, the radio crapped out, ABS light came on, and the left turn signal works intermittently. I drove home, and tried to start the van, and it won't turn over now at all, and 2 hours later, the engine is still hot.

With all the issues I've had so far, the service dept. seems open to fixing, but I am now beginning to get a little worried with all the different issues that people are experiencing - especially the fire in the garage. I'll call it in tomorrow, but if anyone has any suggestions, let me know. Thanks.

gazzyb · April 2005

i had the same problem with a grinding noise when turning full lock. if you look under the bonnet at the steering rack you will see a nuckle on the shaft if you get someone to turn the steering slowly check to see the shaft below the nuckle is not rubbing up against a powersteering pipe which is covered by a outer corrogatet pipe. if it is all that is required isto pull this pipe downover slightly. {not to hard as it is part of power steering

familyman30 · April 2005

My wife and i are very excited about our new van. But we have had it for one day and the check engine light is on already! Am trying to stay optomistic. Anyone else have any feedback about the 2005? Thanks for any help that can be offered. Would like to hear from a satisfied customer also if one exists out there.

valemon · April 2005

I don't know what state you live in, but if I were you I would open that manual and read the Lemon Law for your state. I should have. In VA if you don't contact the 1-800 number in the back of the book within the first 18 months to report your troubles, then you have no case. I have had my car since 11/02 and spent more time in the shop than you can imagine. That funny check engine light thing? Oh yeah I know that one well. The one about it not starting, been there. The tires...that was a good one. The door handles, the power windows, oh and don't forget the latest recall on my van for the freezing up and taking off on its own. Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you about the time I was driving down the highway and the car died! With my baby twins in the back. I maintained composure, didn't touch the wheel (for fear of locking up) and turned the key.. Thank God! It came back on. I am looking at Honda Elements now, hope to have one by Christmas. Lots of luck to you, but check out that law! I wouldn't have this stupid POS anymore if I didn't have to. :lemon:

jdf · April 2005

Hello, my first post.
I have 27K miles on my 2001 Kia Sedona. We have had ongoing problems not being able to shift out of park during SOME cold weather. This is an automatic and sometimes we have to wait up to 30 minutes to shift out of park. There is no set weather pattern that I can pin it down to. Usually late fall and most recently, early spring. In the deep cold of winter here in CT, I had no such problems. I took it to my dealer and let it sit out overnight for 3 days and they could not duplicate the problem. Ive recently videotaped this happening and emailed a copy to the dealer. Anyone else have such a problem or any possible solutions? Other than this, no other problems reported. Too many days late for work, however!!

navyair · April 2005

2001, or 2002? (2002 first year here in states)

Is your car parked on an incline? If so, many different vehicle shifters have problems. Try parking it on a level surface and see if that makes a difference. Also, try engaging your parking brake before putting it into park. (Keeps vehicle from rolling a little and putting pressure on the gears while in park). Sounds like some sort of brake interlock problem. (You have to step on the brake to start the vehicle. Maybe you have an intermittent short in that box ..will the vehicle start when you are having the shifting problem?)

jdf · April 2005

Sorry 2002...Perfectly level driveway. Vehicle startes no problem. Cannot even depress button on shift lever all the way. Happened about 20 times since purchase. Only after vehicle engine temp dial rises above 1/4 (from zero) does it allow you to shift out of park. Like I said, sometimes up to 30 minutes of idle time. When it was zero to 10 below, no problem. Seems like only when its warm or mild during the say then a sudden drop overnight to early am cold does it occur. Pumping brake, depressing gas for high idle doesnt speed in the process either. I hope the video of it happening helps them since it didnt happen when it was there. The nearest Kia dealer is in the next state (RI), 35-40 minutes away. Maybe they'll tow it!
John

Kia Sedona problems

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