Kia Sedona problems

boxwrench · July 2005

Hi I'm new to the Kia forum, although I've read many of the posts since buying my 04 Sedona EX off the showroom floor in Jan 04. My main concern was the fuel mileage or lack of, but have grown to accept it. (Hard to do when my old mini-van an '88 Dodge Grand Caravan gets at least 28 mpg on the hwy without overdrive! )
In observing the various problems, I feel fortunate that i've only had minor ones--Bubbled step pad on rear bumper, one ck. eng lite for a fuel sensor(of sorts), and the most anoying what appeared to be a burned out left turn signal and ended up being the wiring harness completely cut by the interior body panels. This with the van only being 14 mo. old. I was told that the lamps were not covered and it would be $12 for replacement. Heck, I can replace a $2 turn signal bulb. After nearly cutting my hand to reach in the little hole on the lleft fender, I proceded to completely take out the bulb,socket, and the cut wires!!. In all fairness, after I called and talked to the Svc Mgr, it was covered and repaired.
As everyone knows, spliced and patched wiring is never as good as the solid wire itself. And sure enough, it happened again, and I fixed it myself this time properly.

My questions are about the Transmission. To date, no problems, 14,000 miles. But from day one, it has not shifted in what I call a "crisp" manner! It just kinda slides into the next gear. My '88 Dodge with 192K on the trans, shifts ever so smartly, and it has never been repaired, or adjusted. DO I HAVE A PROBLEM IN THE MAKING?
I too have the problem with the dome/door lights not going on when you open the door. I have since just turned the switch on the dash off, and then on and it starts working again. Don't know why it happens except maybe if you leave the door open too long, it has some kinda thermal shutoff. Interior FIRE possibility comes to mind!

One last little annoyance--the radio upgrade on the EX has somesort of EL strip/light thet cannot be dimmed with all the other dash lights!! What IIDIOT thought of that? On a dark night it is very bright.

Where does one find out about all the Recalls, and Service Bulletins.

In regard to Batteries, 3-4 years doesn't seem very good to me. I have had many new cars through my company, and the OEM battery lasted at least 5 years
.
Thanks for any info, and I'll continue to watch for new problems. As a field service rep. I know how difficult intermittent problems can be to diagnose. Even more so when you have to bring the unit to a place for service and be without the use.

bluedevils · July 2005

Our 2002 Sedona EX has 53k miles. No trans issues or complaints so far. I'm not sure if it is the same thing you are describing, but the gear shifts on our Sedona do seem somewhat 'soft.' Ours typically shifts at 2500-3500 RPM (we don't drive ours with a lead foot). As the upshift is almost there, the trans seems to slide into the next gear. Actually, I like the way it works. To me, it seems smooth and not abrupt. I associate 'crisp' and 'abrupt' kinda together when discussing transmission.

jaywolf · July 2005

You made a statement, "Interior FIRE possibility comes to mind!" I was just on nhtsa and found, 6-16-05 a 03 caught on fire, on 6-21-05 another 03 caught on fire, on 7-01-05 a 02 caught on fire, and most important to you, on 7-18-05 a 04 caught on fire. As like mine, they were parked. Please go to www.nhtsa.dot.gov you can find out about recalls there, also you can find out about the open investigation that the government is doing on Kia. After watching my Sedona burn, I will not even park by a Sedona at the mall. Sure, some people will call me crazy, but I can not afford to pay out any more money than I have already.

boxwrench · July 2005

Regarding the tranny --you seem to have the same type of shifting I am refering to. When I say "crisp" I don't mean abrupt -- I mean quickly and smoothly --uh, -uh, -uh, and then- lock-up. I realize the old '88 Dodge is only a 3-speed with Lock-up Torque converter, but in climbing the hills, and peaks of I-40 in NC/TN the old Dodge hardly ever comes out of lock-up. On the last trip to Ohio from Fla.the Kia was constantly jumping in-and-out of overdrive. I don't like that, and it even has a bigger,more HP engine than the Dodge (3.0 ltr). I guess that is electronic 4-speed for you!

bluedevils · July 2005

Just an FYI, the Sedona's automatic transmission is a 5-speed. Back in 2002, Kia was one of the first to offer a 5-speed auto on a minivan. Since then, a few other manufacturers have caught up and now offer a 5-speed auto.

nazgul50 · July 2005

Replaced the battery last week. Apparently has fixed the problem. (It had been putting a drain on the system when hot, radio dies, blower slows, etc) Once after sitting for two hours, the old battery wouldn't start the van. When I went to jump it, it was HOT, I mean HOT just sitting there. I wonder if this could be a source of some fires? :confuse:
I higly recommend replacing that korean battery, even if it's not giving trouble yet.

Anyway, FYI, my repairs to date:
5k: Alternator
6k: ABS reprogram
14k: new transmission!
17K: harmonic balancer
35k: cannister solenoid
60k: accel. cable
61k: TPS

I must add that my van was rear-ended, sitting at a dead stop, teenager going 60, never hit his brakes. back end damaged about $3500, driveable, passengers fine. Other car totalled. Amazing lack of damage & injury in the kia. That weight comes in handy.

navyair · July 2005

Boxwrench,

Welcome to the forum.

I think your owners manual will probably answer your lighting question. I'm away from home, or I'd check mine.

Believe the lights turn off to avoid excessive battery drain when doors left open. You recycle the switch and it resets the lights.

You can subscribe to the Kia maintenance manual in the owners section of Kia.com and get access to all TSB's.

No problems with my tranny. We have seen a few postings on transmission problems, but not many. Having a tranny cooler seems to keep those at bay. Try doing a search on the subject, if you want to look at those with specific problems.

Chances are, your US made cars used Johnson Control batteries (Diehard, most US OEM). Remember, this is a Korean made OEM battery on an inexpensive vehicle. When you replace it with US battery, you will probably get that 5 yrs. Remember, though, the battery life depends a lot on your driving conditions (heated garage, hot weather driving, lots of accessories used all the time, etc).
We have almost 4 yrs on ours and it is doing OK.

Many drivers seem to have pretty short memories. In the 70's and 80's, flat tires were not uncommon, and batteries were replaced every 2-3 years. Now, the expectation seems to be zero maintenance, zero wear, as witnessed by several of the posts above. Doesn't make it so, but those are the expectations.

Gas mileage isn't great, but it is a heavy vehicle, and if you use it around town, it really drinks the gas. It weighs about 1k more than your old van, as I recall. Anyhow, read the post about the crash above...the crash safety is a decent trade off.

Very happy with our vehicle thus far...2003 with 43K or so. Wife never lets the wheels cool for long, so there may be more.

nazgul50 · July 2005

>"I have had plenty of A/C issues since I got the car including the A/C going out because there was no freon and that strange noise like a airplane taking off when I reached around 40 miles an hour. (that was fixed and was A/C related). "

Ah yes, I forgot. within the first year, we had an ac hose leak to the rear air, they replaced it. The rear air made the slide whistle/ motorcycle accelerating noise, they replace the read evap & updated expansion valve. Common problem, I'm told.

sofla5345 · July 2005

After so many problems with this hunk of junk (2002 Kia Sedona EX) I finally traded it in. Check Warning light comes on every 5,000 miles. Air Conditioner blows hot after 20K. Chiming sound on every right turn at 20K. Timing Belt broke after 30K miles. Bad alternator at 40K. If it wasn't for the warranty, I'd be in trouble. Not to mention numerous hassles such as headlamp and turning signal burning out before 40K. But After 66K miles I finally decided its not too reliable anymore. The service tech was adamant about me replacing the timing Belt at the last service at 65K for $1400 w/ new spark plugs. I couldn't justify the cost anymore for this car. The poor gas mileage and the burnt smell from the vents finally caught up to me. I traded it in and felt I was lucky to even get 7K from the dealer. This car reminded me of another lemon I had - 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee. I guess, you get what you pay for. I would not recommend the Sedona to anyone.

jiminarizona · July 2005

Concerning your issue #13: We took our van to some "idiots" who failed to
properly tighten the lug nuts. They used 100% impact wrench power so that when we had a flat tire someone else had to assist by holding the wrench on the lug nut while I was standing on the wrench to loosen the lug nuts. It was this same tire company that neglected to put back in the metal ring that goes on the inside of the wheel lug nut cover. If you pop off the one that is clicking with a flat head screwdriver along with popping off another one, you should be able to look on the inside and see the metal I'm talking about. We were able to have our KIA dealer replace the lug nut cover (with the ring included) at no charge.

Our issues started less then 20 hours after we took ownership of our Sedona. It had to be flat bedded back to the dealer due to the lumbar switch staying on and draining the battery. The next day, the salesmen ended up driving out to our house to jump the piece of junk so I could drive it in to the shop to have the same "repair" made.

We have had MANY issues with our A/C. We are now getting ready to take the Sedona (2002) in for the FOURTH time in as many weeks. The dealer (Avondale KIA in Avondale, AZ) has kept our car for a total of 7 days to fix our A/C problem. I am like you, "I will not purchase another Kia nor will I offer any good remarks to anyone that would ask me". I found this website while looking into Arizona's Lemon Law. I will say they have a good warranty - unfortunately, I have had to use it TOO MANY TIMES. :lemon: :lemon: :lemon:

I don't have the time or energy to list all our problems with our Sedona. Unlike you, I haven't come across a good "Kia" service rep who really cares. I've told my wife to "be nice" when she's called the 3 dealers in our area.

jiminarizona · July 2005

We own a '02. When we fill up, the tank doesn't register as full. Or, when the pump automatically turns off, we can continue to add up to 5+ gallons more. Can't seem to find out why. And of course, the dealer can NEVER find out why either. Good luck with your new purchase. Get ready for trips to the service dept and days w/out your vehicle (as has been our exp since our purchase). :lemon:

jiminarizona · July 2005

Is it just us? Days without our Sedona because they can't "fix it today". Of the 3 area dealers (Avondale Kia, Peoria Kia and Bell Road Kia all in the Phoenix, AZ metro area) we have had to leave our van overnight too many times. Avondale Kia told me they "don't have loaners" but after having to take the van back in the next week for the same problem, they "did have a loaner". Jokingly, I asked my husband if I should just schedule an appointment just in case. Guess what - we're going back in tomorrow morning for the fourth time in as many weeks for the SAME PROBLEM. I finally did ask to speak with the Service Manager and he is going to look at the problem. He promised a one hour turn around time. We will see. Lucky for them, I'm not bringing my 3 year old toddler with me

We are starting to consider looking into the Arizona :lemon: Law. I would never own another Sedona. I noticed the Service Rep has stopped saying we would be receiving a survey call to grade our level of service. We stopped getting these calls last year.

pandawheel · July 2005

Hi, I am new to the forum.

I purchased a new 2002 Sedona in March of 2002. Have not had any real issues with it except for the AC always being noisy and now in the past year the clock doesn't keep the right time nor does the fuel gauge register all the way full after filling the tank. It has 38K at the present time.

Last year when I took it in to a KIA dealer for service (to check out the noisy AC (which has gotten worse) I was told that it wasn't under warranty, the belt had to be replaced. At that time I had about 24K on the Van. Something to do with the belt being under a maintenance thing and not under warranty... I have told them this noise was there approximately 3 months after buying the van, but was not this loud. It didn't matter, they said it was not under the 60K warranty. Has anyone else had this issue?

I am now going to another KIA service center to get the clock and fuel gauge looked at, do you think I was just snow-balled and the AC/belt should be covered?

Oh and my battery just died, but I was told they don't last more than 3 years usually anyway, so I will purchase a new one this weekend. Any tips on a good battery, cold cranking amps without paying an arm and a leg (I am on a very fixed income - disabled).
I live in Florida, so I basically know that there is no such thing as a 5 yr warranty for a battery in this kind of weather

Thank you for being here in this forum,
Pandawheel
:confuse:

navyair · July 2005

I'd recommend looking at your warantee in the owner's handbook. What is/isn't covered is usually pretty clear. Belts, batteries, bulbs, & tires generally not covered after 1yr, except tires are prorated for mileage. Unfortunately, some folks believe that a bumper to bumper warantee covers everything from fluids to rolling stock. Although some folks HAVE gotten routine maintenance included by a dealer in their deal, by and large, most haven't.

My guess is that the noisy a/c won't be fixed by the belt, and they will have to replace the compressor. Most 02's and 03's have had this complaint, and the redesigned compressor hose mount fixes this. We just had our 03 changed out.

couturr · July 2005

Finally, a resolution. Want to thank everyone for their input on this issue.
Driving home from airport after a horrible flight, traffic was heavy, getting beat up by the sun and whala, car almost dies. I had to kill the A/C to keep the van running. Kia towed the van to dealership and today they finally duplicated the problem. Manager stated there was a bulletin (not mandatory) for Sedona's requiring the change of the Alternator, Belt and installation of a heat shield for the battery.
I'll be picking up the van tomorrow and we'll keep our fingers crossed :shades:

philberto · July 2005

Congrats on the fix! Most were reporting the alternator as the problem. Old batteries can be a problem too. I measured my voltage at low idle with A/C and fans/radio going (in the hot Florida sun). Looks OK. There is a little drop, but not enough to be a problem. I do realize the battery may be "floating" the rest of the van and if it were to get to the point of being worn out, that might be a problem. I can do the voltage test again to determine that.

Funny you mention the "heat shield" on the battery. I gave my 05 Sedona a full inspection yesterday and noticed the battery had an insulated box it sat in. That is the first time I have ever seen that. Let me say, this thing is built like a TANK. Very nice and clean in the engine compartment, but underneath it's "heavy metal" all the way. Tough stuff! I have not seen a car built like that in years! Thick rustproofing too. Nothing like my "stamped out" flimsy Caravan which feels like it would be blown off the road on a windy day.

As far as topping off the gas tank, I have no problem with that. Some people may try to fill the tank at the rate of a gallon a second, and that will cause the auto shutdown on the pump to trip early. Try slowing it down. After my pump stops I can only get another half gallon in at best. Any more and it starts to spill over.

I suspect the 05 model has a lot of the "bugs" worked out. Will the 06 be back to square one? Will it have a few years of problems? It is a new model, so maybe it will. Enough jibba jabba!

Philberto OUT ~

boxwrench · July 2005

I can't believe that the Korean engineers that designed the electrical system didn't take into consideration the electrical loads of all the accessories a fully loaded Sedona could be using!! A marginally adequate Alternator is looking for trouble. It is possible to be using all or most of the electrical devices at one time, and the Alternator should be able to keep up with that plus have reserve! Poor design in my opinion!
I lived on a boat for years with only 12 volts, and you lived and died with your ability to recharge batteries.
I still think a modern automobile battery is a engineering marvel, and bargin for what it does and what you have to pay for it. The problem is keeping it charged and not overcharging it. Somewhere I read in a post that you should consider the fact they are Korean batteries, and not expected to last very long! I guess so if you continually under-charge it!!

Boxwrench

philberto · July 2005

Well, it's not a "load" problem on the alternator. It's a RMP problem as I read it. Kia put a smaller wheel on the alternator to boost the voltage a little on low idle. At least they are dealing with the issue.

boxwrench · August 2005

Is there a Kia bulletin on this fix? Would like to know if my 2004 EX already had an upgraded alt. when built!
Thanx,
Boxwrench

navyair · August 2005

Believe it, or not, this is not an uncommon problem to many cars. The electrical demands can really be draining. That is why most cars are going to higher than 12v electrical systems.

Policemen often used a block of wood to hold the gas pedal down to increase RPM because the lights, radio, and a/c during a summer stop can drain their batteries. Also, if they are there for a long time, many pop the hood on their cruisers to let more air circulate around the engine.

My spouse found out about demand the hard way...she had the radio, a/c and headlights on while stopped for about 1 1/2 hrs. When she shut the van off, she couldn't get the van started w/o a jump start. I was there and knew what had happened, but it didn't matter...she was angry. (Bad day - old van died in the mountains en route to our new home, hard to find a rental car. Hot day, both other vehicles had trailers and no room filled with animals and moving stuff, old van loaded with plants and tools.) She was in no mood to hear about electrical demands, hot weather and turning off unneeded accessories. (She forgot headlights were on, and I was busy with the tranny guy and getting a rental car).

Anyhow, your demand on your battery can exceed alternator output at idle in almost any vehicle, not just the Kia. I do recall, however an earlier post saying the Kia OEM battery wouldn't last very long. I suspect one with more CCA will replace ours when we have the need.

c2rosa · August 2005

Make : KIA Model : SEDONA Year : 2005
Manufacturer : KIA MOTORS AMERICA, INC.
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number : 05V329000 Recall Date : JUL 19, 2005
Component: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES
Potential Number Of Units Affected : 118447

Water can get between a protective rubber sleeve and the throttle cable towards the rear portion of the cable. If the ambient temp goes below 32 F, the water can freeze, causing the throttle to stick and the vehicle to accelerate in a manner not intended by the driver.

kgcounts · August 2005

Update: I took my Sedona into the dealership and they replaced a pre-tensioning sensor in the seat belt. Before I got home, the light was back on...& now the windshield wipers are stopping in the middle of the windshield. I believe that I have a wire harness problem somewhere. Its probably crimped somewhere.
The only good news is that the bumper-to-bumper warranty is still good to 60,000 miles. My Sedona now has 46,xxx.
Don't think I'll buy another Kia...

boxwrench · August 2005

See my post #825 about my wiring harness problem. It was totally cut in half. All 4 wires going to the left front turn signal lamp. I'm suprised I didn't have other electrical problems while the harness was being cut in half. It had to have happened all at once, no low voltage problems or any other odd occurances. Just one day the Left turn signal wouldn't work. The Svc. Mgr. said it was a missrouting of the harness at manufacture.
Good Luck!

Boxwernch
2004 Sedona EX

bluedevils · August 2005

I know it's August...my parents' 2003 EX had some electrical gremlins during extreme cold weather last winter. The power locks and audio system would not work-- had to unlock van with key. Once the van warmed up, the power locks eventually started working. The radio presets were lost-- kinda like when the battery is dead/disconnected and then reconnected.

Any ideas?

bluedevils · August 2005

The extra power point up front (NOT the cigarette lighter, the other one in the center console area) worked for 2-3 years and now we can't get power to our cell phone charger -- which is the only thing we really ever plug in there. The cigarette lighter still works with the cell phone charger.

Had dealer look at it and they gave some confusing explanation over the phone about how that power point isn't designed for stuff like that?!

Shouldn't the power point handle things just like the cigarette lighter does?

philberto · August 2005

My 05 says on the cover of that receptacle that it can handle up to 120 Watts. Do the math (Ohm's law). I (amps) = P (watts) / E (volts). 120 / 12 = 10 AMPS. Now I seriously doubt that your cell phone charger used anywhere near 10 AMPS! That is a lot of juice. The main cigar lighter has to provide much more power to heat that coil enough to start a fire, so it will be about double the power or even more.

Call them back and tell them that. Tell them what your charger really uses (most say how much right on the label...usually around 500 mA or 0.5 Amps). Tell them they are full of crap.

That may be the only thing that scares me about the Sedona...bad wire. Thin wire gets hot when you try to pull too much power through it. Although I have not inspected any of it yet (I will), substandard wire in the harness may be the cause of many of the problems I see here...including the fires in the 03 models. Make them FIX IT.

5paytons · August 2005

We just purchased our first KIA so I am new to this forum. We bought a 2005 Sedona LX with the value package and are very happy with it so far. But our turn indicator lever "clicks" differently when you turn to the right than when you turn it to the left (no I'm not imaging things). When you push it up to turn right there is a substantial double click when you press it into place. But when you push it down to turn it to the left there is a decided difference in the click. More like a spongy single click, in fact it is not much past the momentary blinker position. I called the dealership and they said they tried others on the lot and they behaved in the same manner. We are quite a distance from the KIA dealership so I have not been able to go back and try other vehicles myself. Has anyone else noticed this behavior? Thanks in advance for your input

nhgirl · August 2005

i am frustrated with my van and the service I have been receiving and after reading this forum have discovered that my problems are not unique. I just had the 60K done, actually 2K early and not that I haven't had problems before, but now I feel I'm having major problems. The alternator has already been replaced, but last week the radio died and the van began to lose power with all the lights on the dash coming on. I have read other reviews in regards to this issue, but my service department is telling me it isn't the battery (which happens to be 3 years old). I seem to be keeping the rental car dealership in business, continue to make monthly payments and don't have use of my van. I'm very upset to say the least. Does anyone have any suggestions? Have you dealt with calling Kia's CS to complain on any issues? If so, were you successful? I'm open to any suggestions at this time. I would ditch the vehicle if it wasn't for just dumping $1,000.00 into it. Thanks for any help!

keo829 · August 2005

keo829 · August 2005

I just had my front rotors and rear drums replaced yesterday. Rear hub recall was done in june and found nothing however rear drums were replaced yesterday 8/8/05. only have 21000 mi on 2005 ex. brakes were vibrating the van when braking at 55+. I'm not sure if the rear drums is related to recall or not, dealer just told us that the rotors a drums needed to be replaced (wharped.???)

spectraman · August 2005

Too short to excerpt:

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/wheels/231463_tw208.html

Friday, July 8, 2005

Recalls loom for Chrysler, Kia

Chrysler Group and Kia Motors Corp. face U.S. safety investigations and potential recalls of about 353,000 vehicles because of engine fires.

The inquiries include about 300,000 of Chrysler's 1999 and 2000 Dodge Stratus, Chrysler Cirrus and Plymouth Breeze cars and 52,824 of Kia's 2003 Sedona minivans, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on its Web site this week.

The agency said it received 24 complaints of fires in the Chrysler cars and five in the Kia vans, with no accidents or injuries. Chrysler, the third-largest U.S. automaker, is cooperating with the agency, company spokeswoman Curtrise Garner said.

-SM

spectraman · August 2005

Also...

Feds Investigate Chrysler and Kia Engine Fires
Date Posted 07-06-2005

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=106347

"The agency reports five complaints that allege fires in Kia Sedonas that were parked with the ignition off. One fire in the Sedona occurred while driving and the Web site reports "one consumer's vehicle was totaled."

-SM

jaywolf · August 2005

nhtsa opened the "Preliminary evaluation" with 5 fires, mine being #5 and the Sedona that was totaled, since the evaluation started, "3" more '03's caught on fire while parked. And in July, a '02 and a '04 also caught on fire while parked. Because I was lucky enough to be in a public parking lot, an employee took photo's of my Sedona while on fire. Someone even tried to put the fire out with an extinguisher, (I have photos) but alas, the extinguisher didn't work and I had to wait until the firemen came. I can't post the photos yet because I need to find someone with a scanner... anyway, good luck to all of you Sedona owners.

navyair · August 2005

Had the same sponginess in my 2003. It just failed on the left side this month....quit turning itself off when after a left turn. However it was an easy fix and under warantee.

navyair · August 2005

Kiatech,

I subscribe to the Kia maintenance manual service under the customer area of Kia.com This TSB isn't listed. Are there a lot more that aren't published?

Right now on the Kia Service Info System, they list 5 recalls:

2003-5 throttle cable upgrade
Seat Belt Buckle anchor bolts
Accelorater cable assembly replacement
ABS control module reprogram
Sedona EX Rear wheel bearing

They list an evaporator canister vent under fuel system, but they don't list a service bulletin for the Engine group 10.

Do you know if you guys get service bulletins that they don't post on the KSIS? Not doubting your word at all, just wondering why I can't get a look at the bulletin when I'm paying $80/yr to get the manual and bulletins.

I have a 2003 Sedona EX and am trying to make sure I check all the stuff out before the warantee runs out in about a year. (~47k miles now)

dontbuyakia · August 2005

Funny, mine does the same thing and my dealership says it is the battery- kia sucks! :mad:

skulbalski · August 2005

Just recently, my A/C started blowing out warm air. Everytime I turn on the A/C button, I also hear a whistling sound. I took it in to my mechanic who did an evacuation of the system, refill and added freon and did a leak check. It worked for the first couple of hours and now has begun to blow the warm air and whistle again. Has anyone else had a similar problem? If so, what needs to be done? This is the only problem I have encountered with the van. I have a 2002 Sedona EX and have 70K + on the van.

nhgirl · August 2005

I am getting my van back tomorrow and so far no luck with finding the problem to having the radio fade then almost stalling while idling. The only thing I've accomplished this entire week without my van is to make the rental car establishment richer. I'm not happy. When I called Kia Customer Service I didn't get any help from them either. No one seems to be able to reproduce the problem and supposively the battery isn't the problem. Regardless I am going to purchase a new battery as soon as I get my van back. The Kia Techs have actually driven my van home on 2 occasions overnight and still can't find the problem, maybe they just needed some wheels for the night to get themselves home!!!!

In regards to your battery issue and the van having to be jump started. I had this same issue and my first dealership kept telling me I was leaving the door open, a light on, etc...etc...when in actually it was the LUMBAR SWITCH to the driver's seat that was causing the draw on the battery, something with a short in the switch. I have seen the same thing spoken about in this forum. You might want to have the looked into.

I'm a Nanny, so it's important to me to have a reliable car since my family depends on me to transport their children in something safe and dependable. I will never purchase another Kia product in the future. I'm beginning to think, I should cut my loses and get rid of this one!!! :sick:

The 60K was a disaster, another time my van was in the shop for 5 1/2 days. What's with customer service these days? Everyone wants to make the big bucks, but no one wants to work for it!!!! My concern is what will I get myself into next time.

This for your input.

nhgirl · August 2005

Oh goodie another problem to look forward to. At the 60K, I told service that I wasn't getting the cold air in the same why I did when I first purchased the 2002 Sedona, can't tell you if it's an EX or LX since I haven't seen it in so long. They said I had a leak and repaired it, but for the short time I had the van back the cool air output didn't seem any better, of course that's if I could keep the van running long enough to tell since once the radio began to fade the blower also started to shut down when the battery and check engine lights came on and the van wanted to stall out until I gave it gas or excelerated.

NOT A PLEASED KIA OWNER IN REGARDS TO SERVICE OR KIA TECH KNOWLEDGE!!!!!!

nhgirl · August 2005

KIATECH hasn't been on for awhile. I was trying to find out more information in regards to my radio fading, check engine, battery lights coming on at idle speed. I was hoping to have him give more info in regards to this issue. I had my alternator replaced prior to this issue, due to my battery just being dead from sitting in a parking lot for 2 hours without anything left on to drain the battery and even if I did leave something on I wouldn't feel 2 hours should drain the battery to the point of having to have the battery jumped. If you do hear from Kiatech please pass on other concerns.

Thanks,

5paytons · August 2005

Thanks, now I can tell my wife that I'm not imagining things. We'll have the service department take a look at it the next time we're up there. This will be my first time dealing with the KIA service department, hope they are as friendly and cooperative as the sales staff was. Anyone had any experience with either Spokane KIA or Coeur d` alene Honda/Kia service departments?

jiminarizona · August 2005

We have the same problem with the fuel gauge (2002 EX). Our clock is okay - haven't been fired for being late to work. Oh yeah, I drive my Honda to work :P . However living in the "Valley of the Sun", Phoenix, AZ who really wants to know how hot it is. Luckily, our Temp gauge is off by 7-10 degrees.

dontbuyakia · August 2005

DO NOT BUY A KIA

I have a 2002 EX loaded which is now 3 yrs old and has only 30k. Here is what
has happened:
winshield developed a stress crack and was replaced by MY ins.

rear tailgate started to rust and was replaced.

winshield developedANOTHER stress crack in EXACT same spot. Took dealer 3 days
to look at it and determine that is was astone chip. I was leaving for a road
trip in 2 days and needed it replaced so I had their rep come and replace it..
He takes 1 look at it and says"STRESS CRACK!

Rear seat broke- in shop 3 days for parts
rear tailgate rusted again needed kia rep to look at it. Rep says it is rusted
and now I have to get an estimate. I complain if it is covered, why is estimate
needed?
Car has been going dead several times over the past 3 years. Mention to service
rep and he says if it goes dead while driving- alternator if not battery.

Before I can take it for estimate for body work, car goes dead WHILE DRIVING.
Jump car, bring it home loaded with kids and as they close door, locking
mechanism breaks. Dealer looks it over and says battery needed!
Parts on order for door may take up to 2 weeks.

fyi- gas mileage is great - on need 10 for themonth--IT SPENDS MOST OF THE TIME
IN THE SHOP!
DO NOT BY THIS PIECE OF CRAP!

leftyflinter · August 2005

I am handicapped and and needed a van to haul my powerchair around ,dealer ASSURED me the Kia was the one. Boy, did they see me coming !!!!! I have had the van 4 months now, and will be going into the the shop for the 4th time on Monday !!
The van drives okay but the AC is very very loud, has had 2 recalls already and the damn thing gets only 11 MPG. The window sticker said 16-18 in the city, was "assured" this would happen also by the dealer.
WAs thinking of trading the KIa in for another van, but in 4 months has lost almost $11,000.00 in value. I feel I was a handicapped person being taken advantage of by the dealer - pushing this car off as a good deal.
DO NOT EVER BUY A KIA - HUGE PIECE OF CRAP

askthenanny · August 2005

I just stumbled onto this site looking for answers to my 2003 Sedona's power issues. Thanks to all of you I am properly armed to take on the dealer Monday morning and get things resolved once and for all-- this will be the 4th new battery in the last 15k. My concern is- Where is Wonderful KIATECH??? I certainly hope that some of the unpleasantness I have read in the last 15 pages of postings has not driven KIATECH away-- we are all better for this kind of inside information and help.
I have been very happy with my van except for this battery death situation, which I now understand. I am alarmed with the fire business of course, so I will be watching this carefully. Have a great weekend Folks! Nanny

pramos · August 2005

Welp, I own a 2002, serviced for drained battery two days after purpose, got it back, when back in for drained battery 'radio would go on and off and change stations for no reason' remedy, replaced radio and battery- 210 miles on it.
Serviced for idle problem - solution, timing was off. 12,000 miles.
Airbag light went on- 4 times and reset. A/C serviced twice for hot air. Recharged was the remedy. The last two summers.
59,000 miles, idling problem, looses power while driving, A/C not working properly- remedy over haul needed- $1800.00 in front and rear brakes, complete tune-up with belts fluids, plugs, wires.- A/C repaired again. Again A/C recharged two days after serviced total twice this summer.
65,000- 90 degrees, car sitting idle for 4 minutes, car jerked foward in park, battery light, break light went on, hazards flashed, locks locked and unlocked- BUT HERE IS THE PROBLEM I SEE FOR A DEATH- when the lock is in the unlocked position as this is happening- the DOORS ARE NOT REALLY UNLOCKED,radio went on and changed channels, wipers went on, both front and back, A/C was on and blew extremely hot air, reversed the car to pull it out of the spot I was in, drove to the KIA dealership and the alternator and battery went on fire and started filling the car with smoke. I have an 18 month old requires assistance of course undoing carseat, a 5 year old, and a handicapped 6 year old who requires help in and out of the vehicle. Two adults were in this car along with the 3 children- I called KIA and they claim no notice of ever hearing of this problem- they were only concerned how we would like OUR van taken care of, they didn't like it when I said it is a known problem and we got lucky, reminding him the locks aren't really unlocked while this is going on and the potential for the next person or us might not get out in time. The smoke is of rubber, wires and sulfur smell and over takes your lungs quickly. I pray they resolve this before ANY ONE gets killed by the smoke or worse. The potential is definately there. :sick: :lemon: Don't run your A/C in high temps. There is some kind of problem ralting to the voltage and the battery and this A/C is somehow attached to the problem. No dealer won't replace at no charge- 65,000 miles your out of warrenty. So I eat the repair and hope while its there we didn't lose anything else when they replace the battery and alternator and do a diagnostic check on Monday. We needs the A/C the handicapped 6 year old is a cancer patient, opening windows in 90 degrees or more is not the salution for us to keep him hydrated.

dontbuyakia · August 2005

I posted the one about the 2002. If I was stupid enough to buy another 2004, I would probably be posting about that one as well. Believe me or not.
Re-read mine closer and I spell out approx when each item happened including recent problems. Van is STILL in shop, now over 1 week. Will update on when it comes out.

carlv · August 2005

My A/C has been bad since last year. Actually, it never blew very cold air(ever) since the day I bought it. Unfortunately, I got the 60K service at 57K and that was in March. The first time I had to use the A/c in June it was blowing warm/hot air again. Of course that was at 61.3K miles and the dealership said I had to pay their labor but there was no charge for the parts. After the repair was done, I picked up my vehicle and turned on the air in their parking lot. It blew warmer air so I pulled it around into the service bay again. They then kept it another day and replaced something else. I finally picked it up and the A/C worked for about a month. In the meantime, I had to replace the alternator and Battery at 63K miles when I was on vacation 600 miles away. When I got back the A/c started blowing hot air again. I just took it back and they had it another day and then they said it was another part(which would not be in for a week) and it's hot in the 90's here. It is my wife's van and she is not a happy camper when she gets home from working. Anyway, I guess I will wait the week until the new part gets in. I don't know if I will be charged for that yet. I am now dealing with the service manager(the first one was fired) so I have another one and the district rep for KIA. After reading the many horror stories on this website, I'm not optimistic about a successful conclusion. I also have the 2002 sedona. If you are interested in what parts have and will be replaced, just let me know and I will get the worksheets.

skulbalski · August 2005

I would love to know what parts have been replaced if it isn't too much trouble for you. I just received a phone call from the dealership this morning and they said all of the hoses for the compressor need to be replaced. Does this sound like your problem? Like I said before, I have never had a problem with the van before and hope I am not cursing myself by saying that. Thanks for your response.

hoyahenry · August 2005

It's been awhile since I logged on and posted. Unfortunately, the reason for doing so is that the weather has been hot, and our 2002 EX developed the dreaded lower right corner windshield "stress" fracture last month. Not sure why it took 3.5 years, but it did and it's done.

There was clearly no sign of external damage in the vicinity of the crack. I dropped it off at the dealer and it is all fixed. N/C. Almost 30,000 miles... and counting slowly. We continue to love the van as much as the first day we brought it home.

Navy, Blue - good to read up on you guys.

All for now. :shades:

Kia Sedona problems

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