AS I have mentioned before I bought my Fully loaded KIA Sedona in La Crosse WI from a stand alone Kia dealer. They sell nothing else. I paid $22,750 for fully loaded, every option including ABS Sappfire Blue/beige which is high demand color. I live in Madison which is 150 miles away but these guys catered to my every whim. Kia Direct West Salem Wi Toll Free 1-866-786-4542 ask for Todd or Dan Skelton GM ****They usually have ABS!!***
My dealer that I brag so much about told me that there is no problem for me to change my own oil. And synthetic is also no problem, but I would only do that after the van is very well broken in, lets day after 15K or so. Keep reciepts and document mileage when you do your own service. I use Kia filters which are about $5 a piece, they actually say Hyundai on them. I will take it in for its 30K service. Not a problem. The dealer is the guy I work with, not corporate.
Quite often, the manufacturer will not recommend synthetic oil because they have not "tested" it. When the engine was built and tested, they did so with a specific type or range of oils in mind. While they may feel that the synthetic may be better, they will not tell you that. This information came to me from my brother who used to answer the phones for call in customer service for another automaker.
Also, while synthetic oil may provide better lubrication, the actual molecules are smaller and are not absorbed as well. This does two things. First, because the molecules are smaller, the engine may tend to leak oil. Combined with this comes gaskets that are not absorbing the oil and don't seal as well. Again causing a tendency to leak. The second absorption comes from the actual metal in the engine absorbing the oil. If this does not happen, there can actually be a loss in lubrication. Sounds nutty I know. If you do use synthetics, do so after the first 10,000 miles and don't complain about the puddle in your driveway.
BTW-years ago, manufacturers recommended changing the oil filter with every other oil change. This was done because the oil would break down quicker (30 years ago). With the advances in oil technology, the larger concern is not the quality of the oil, but the crap floating in it.
Bluedevils; They will have difficulty refusing you warranty coverage if you can prove that you used warranty-approved oil (it is stated on the container)of the correct viscosity and a proper Kia/Hyundai filter. 5W30 is commonly specified for all newer vehicles, it seems, probably to reduce rotational friction in the engine and increase fuel economy. Most people use the same oil all year round these days.
Well, I never measured a synthetic oil molecule vs a dino oil molecule, but it is definately slicker.
A well built engine shouldn't leak anything whether using synthetic, or not. Syn oil usually leaks from older engines that already have smaller leaks, or, like davemak says, have gasket problems.
As long as the oil has the correct weight and meets the standards that the car maker requires (match the seal symbol on the oil to the requirement) it will work. RE the 5-30 vs 10w30...just make sure the weight matches what the manufacturer says.
I plan on running synthetic from the first change on, Mobile One. It has run great on 5 cars/trucks...not changing now. Bluedevils nailed it regarding the logging and receipts.
BTW, I've read more horror stories about quicklube places and oil plugs left loose/out or stripped than I care to repeat. Best take it to a mech you trust, or do it yourself. I always use the time to clean up underneath the care and look for problems developing.
What I have heard and also had some experience about synthetic oils is that they do break down seals and can cause a leak quicker than petroleum oils. This is based on 2 stroke applications but I can see it being the same for automotive. Seal and gaskets "swell" from standard oil but not from synthetics and this is when the leaks happen after time. Two strokes are extremely sensitive to any sort of air leak and will seize because of this. It happened to me on a crankshaft seal of my jet ski. I still use synthetics in my 2 strokes but inspect and change seals more often. I have never used synthetics in any automobile and I have owned countless with high mileage so the 3K mile oil and filter change using standard oil works for me. In my high reving modified 2 strokes though, I strictly use Amsoil synthetic. Sorry for being a little off topic with 2 strokes, but I can fathom it applying to cars too. Anyone know for sure?
Thanks, mfbono2, that web site answered my question. Someone had mentioned some time ago in these posts that Kia had done crash testing but the Sedona hadn't been tested in this country as yet so I wasn't sure from a passing glimpse of their commercial if they were referencing test results of their own or if it had been tested here and they were using those results. Obviously it has been tested here and they were referring to the same tests all others are exposed to. Great results, too.
Also another comment in passing. I had been out of this forum for some time so when it came up I read through a lot of the posts I hadn't seen and noticed someone mentioned that in buying a used Sedona you got the same warranty. As I recall the warranty terms, unless they have been changed, a buyer of a used vehicle does get all of the warranty EXCEPT the 10 year 100,000 mile limited drivetrain warranty. And that is passed along under certain conditions, such as selling to a close family member or buying a vehicle you have been leasing. Before I would rely on getting that in a used Sedona I would go to kia.com and read the entire warranty carefully.
I take this as, Kia has not stated synthetic oil is unacceptable for use. And since the major-brand synthetics usually boast higher credentials in terms of certifications and passed tests than the petrol-based oils, I don't see how Kia could give an owner difficulty simply for using synthetic.
From what I hear on the oil-related boards at Edmunds, this is mostly a thing of the past. Only in certain cases does synthetic cause leaks. navyair and davemak identified the main ones - vehicles with engine problems (e.g. gaskets) or high-mileage vehicles.
The idea that synthetic oil will cause leaks, break down seals, etc. in well-running engines even when synthetic use is begun at low mileage is mostly an outdated theory, from what I can tell. Some of the very early synthetic oil concoctions, including Mobil 1's early stuff, did harm engines. But the manufacturers have learned a lot, and synthetic oil has come a long way in the past 10-20 years.
Leaks caused by synthetic oil is not something that concerns me. If people truly want the best protection, they really should consider synthetic oil. It would be a disservice for us to scare people off on account of increased likelihood of leaks.
This is a very lenient standard for the year 2002. The API's SD grade has been surpassed by at least 2 or 3 more stringent grades, including SJ and the current SL.
Almost any major-brand oil on the market, whether synthetic or petrol-based, will meet this very lax requirement.
I give Kia credit for not trying to scare owners into using the Kia dealer for all maintenance and repair work on their Sedonas.
True, the Sedona owners manual does encourage owners to have take their vans to the dealer; that is to be expected. But the manual clearly states that other shops that know what they are doing is fully acceptable. Many times, the manufacturer will slant this as more of a scare tactic (e.g. "don't use genuine Toyota parts and service and you might void your warranty") even though legally they cannot require you to have your service performed at the dealer.
Thanks for clarifying the synthetic oil in vehicle applications. I suspected that it is fine. What I posted is true for 2 strokes but they are a completely different animal than 4 stroke cars.
I'm confident that what I posted re: synthetic and leaks, etc. represents the majority opinion of most knowledgeable automotive enthusiasts, there are plenty of people, including a few in this thread, who have disagreed.
If you are really curious, you should review the thousands of posts in the synthetic motor oil, oil filters, and engine oil topics over in the Maintenance & Repair area. I try to keep up with things over there.
I do see a tremendous difference in my 2 strokes when I pull the heads to inspect piston wash. There is no build up using synthetic where using petrol oil, my piston tops were always black with deposit. In my cars, I change the oil every 3k and never used synthetic and I have owned numerous 150K mile plus cars with no problems. I personally will stick with regular oil but nothing worng with synthetics for those that want to use it.
Hi! folks, Does your Sedona remote key less entry work reliably when you push your lock/unlock buttons of the transmitter? I found mine working great in my home, my company's parking lot, and it is not responding reliably (a lot of retries, sometimes it works) in certain Home depot's parking lot or in certain McDonald's parking lot. I was wondering do you notice any problem with your Sedona's remote key less entry?
I personally have had no problems with the reliability of the remote entry. The only problem I run into is when "double-clicking" to unlock all the doors. If you don't leave enough time between presses, then the van doesn't pick up the second press and only the driver's door unlocks.
Regarding the power moon/sunroof, I've noticed that when I first turn the ignition on, I hear a brief "ca-click" from somewhere in the roof, forward of the sunroof opening. Just curious if other sun-roof equipped Sedona owners have noticed this noise. It's obviously a solenoid associated with the operation of the sunroof, but I'm wondering if it's supposed to operate every time the van is started.
Third row floor mats: I've mentioned this in an earlier post. My EX/leather came with a fitted third row floor mat of the same material and quality as the front and middle rows. Judging by what I've read in other posts, I think I'm the only Sedona in North America that got the third row mat! Is there ANYONE else out there that got a rear mat?
I didn't hear any noise from the sunroof when I turn it on. The solenoid associated with the operation of the sunroof should be normally in the "off" position even if you turn the ignition on, the solenoid won't be stayed in "on" position until you push the sunroof buttons. Looks like your solenoid is being energized by some reason (short!?), have the dealer take a look at it.
Hello all. Does anyone have any recommendations for bicycles racks as to what best fits the Sedona; roof compared to rear mounted, etc? I was interested in purchasing one but I don't have a receiver hitch and don't know if I want to spend that kind of money to get one installed. However, I understand that bike racks mounted with a receiver hitch do not touch the rear of the vehicle. Is this true? There are types of racks that pretty much sit on the rear bumper. Just wondering if a rack with a couple of mountain bikes would cause any damage to the bumper. Thanks for your input.
If the rear fans is already "on", I did hear a click noise somewhere from the roof behind my ears when I turned on the ignition, I believe the solenoid which is located next to the sunroof getting energized and powers the rear fans.
Hi! I've been following the board on and off for a few months, but this is the first time I've written.
First, the fax. BTW, both of us are well-paid professionals in our 50's. Price was NOT a consideration on purchase. Bought new July 27th (the second one sold in Tulsa). Fully loaded, leather, roof, etc. No defects at all out the door, except the pesky roof rack wind whistle (now fixed).
Just to break it in, took a trip to Pike's Peak the second weekend. About 2800 miles round trip in 3 days. TOTAL COMFORT! No aches, pains. A joy to drive, even at 14500 feet. Ran into a Colorado Springs Kia dealer at the top, and he couldn't take his eyes off it - first he'd seen. Took the back road to Cripple Creek (one-lane dirt and gravel). Kept changing drivers so both of us could stand up through the roof to gaze-gawk-and-glory at the beauty. Isn't God's outdoors GREAT!!!!?
This car gets driven HARD. We live WAAAY out in the boonies at the end of a gravel road. We've racked up almost 16000 miles in over 7 months with only one problem. The radio crapped out at the first month. Started "clipping" really bad above 24 or so. My wife said it was probably due to some cranked up to ear-bleed rolling stones problem, but.....naaaaaah. Phone call, a quick trip to the dealer and fixed.
Mileage is about 20 on the hiway, but my 4-cyl 5-spd Tacoma gets only 22, so what's the big deal. The back seats are pulled out and in the hall closet - LOTS of load space now. Takes about 5 minutes to reconfigure if we want to carry a gang.
Pros: A JOY to drive! ABSOLUTELY no regrets. Feels solid and looks like a Lexus. People still stare in disbelief when they see the KIA logo. Excellent overall mix of engineering and ergonomics. Strong and responsive - runs circles around the Lamestar it replaced. FIVE REAL TIRES AND WHEELS! AT LAST had a REAL tire rotation! MOST EXCELLENT dealer. Kick-[non-permissible content removed] sound system. No squeaks, no rattles, nothing falling off. And we LOVE the bin in the dash.
Cons: Road noise (but can cover that with music) and that REALLY BAD DESIGN for the back-seat heater.
Conclusions: Sorento comes, Toyota goes. Get my drift??
BTW, we also have a brand new chocolate lab named... Connie's Kia Mia.
You mentioned your roof rack "whistle" is fixed. What did you do? My dealer told me that is just part of having a roof rack. My last van didn't have a rack, so I believed the dealer. Did you do something or had it fixed by the dealer? That whistling noise is about the only thing that bothers me about our Sedona. I love the van other than that...
I have been on that road near 'Cripple Creek' also; How 'bout that 'tunnel' that looks like they just picked it out by hand. Anyway, we also love our Misty Blue EX with about 700 miles on it. bb8 We seem to have the same trouble with the keyless entry. Maybe we aren't allowing enough time between pushes like 'lagavulin' says. I will try when I get home.
Just back from a 1400 mile trip top golf in Myrtle Beach. I took out the rear most seats. Then we packed up 4 pullmans, 4 small bags, 1 large cooler, 2 small coolers and 4 standard golf bags. I still had full visibility out of the rear window. All three of the passengers (to call them golfers would be to overstate their playing ability) are "car guys." I asked them to be as critical as possible and to search fro problems along the way so that I could take it in and have them addressed. All three took turns at the wheel. All were impressed with the ride, feel, and quality of the van. Comments ranged from "man this thing is quiet for a big vehicle" to "can you believe we are going 85mph?" to "You paid what?" All of the passengers were impressed -- and these guys are not afraid to tell it like it is. We averaged 22 mph over the entire trip. The high was 25 and the low was 20. BTW, they all thought the rear heater was the best thing in the world. It heated up the Van instantly and then we turned it off and used the front system to maintain the temp. No problem. The negatives identified by my panel of "experts" are : 1. How come the radio does not also tell the time (they did not like having to switch the mode on the upper console)? 2. The rear power outlet should be live when the car is not on. 3. Should get better gas mileage. The positives are too numerous to mention (and have been stated above) but one thing that kept coming up was the solid feel of the vehicle. I have to agree with them. It just plain feels well built.
Try repositioning it, slide to different location. I have never had any noise from mine.
Seats- I am 6'1 about 235 solid build. After 2-3 hour drives my but still aches somewhat. Seats are better in my Previa, never get sore. I have leather.
Now have 4400 miles. This is the best towing van I have ever owned. Towed 2500 lb trailer this week about 400 miles with Class II weight distribution hitch. Overdrive off, low drive was a dream. The low peak RPM range is the answer, torque abounds . Kia engineered a fine tow vehicle. No body flexing whatsoever. The steel unibody frame is superb. The Kia rides as good as any Mercedes or Audi I have owned. 4709 lbs of sheer driving pleasure. Those Hankooks are impressive tires too.
Had the same problem on my Ford Keyless entry...certain silent alarm systems must work in the same frequencies...notice it at Sam's club, Home Depot, etc.
Going to a dealer today to start negotiations on the Sedona.
Good luck to all of you new and soon to be new Sedona owners. My EX has 5000plus miles and I still love it. No real problems. Unlike my Plymouth that began dropping side moldings the second month. I will be taking a vanload full of moms on a 3 hour field trip to the MO capital this Thursday, it will be interesting to hear their comments. I'm the only one who owns a Sedona, but before we go I'm taking her in to have a grinding sound when breaking checked out. It doesn't happen everytime and probably won't be detected when I need it to be. Can anyone tell me what it probably is before I go so that I can tell them to specifically check that. Is it break pads? Thanks Alot!
WAY BACK WHEN (late Aug, early Sept) KIA issued a service bulletin on the roof racks. There's a seam on the cross-pieces that whistles. The fix is to run a bead of clear silicone along the seam. Took the dealer about 5 minutes and VOILA! No whistle.
If your dealer says he doesn't know about this, he's a big fat liar liar pants on fire.
Also wanted to add another PRO to my message 1024: Love those flame-thrower high beams!
I'd like to poll the "regulars"...I am still waiting to find a fully loaded EX. One dealer has an EX ( fully loaded) that has about 250 miles on the engine and already it has had the transmission replaced. He said it "sometimes" did not go into reverse, and now it is "fixed" with a brand new transmission. Would you have any reservations about buying this Sedona or would you wait for another "new" one with an original transmission? Thanks.
So I go into school on Friday and the secretary hollers out to me "Hey did you get a new car?" "Why yes, I did. Would you like to see it?" Three office staff folks troop out to my lovely sapphire blue and proceed to crawl all about it admiring the leather, the storage bin in the dash, the nifty little between the seats foldaway tray, etc. and all the while I am talking about how nice it is to drive, the comfort, etc. None of them could believe it was a Kia but all were impressed and thought it highly stylish and nice looking.
I've got over a thousand miles on it now and am making excuses to go places. I have already saved over $50.00 in gas over my old conversion van so I am happy.
Mom23girls please post what your dealer says about your brake noise. I had something like that on my old (1985) chevy wagon when the brakes got wet.
annam: Thanks for the reply, I will post what happens. I'm pretty sure it's not wet brakes, we've had an unusually dry winter, until last night that is.
Will it still be covered for 100,000 miles? AND what price are they shooting you. If the price is good enough and the warranty is in tact would be worth considering. However I would be very conscious about the price. Some of that depreciation that occurs when you drive it out of the showroom (that sales people are so fond of reminding you when you want to trade something in)should be quite evident now.
We agreed to a price of $22,400 BEFORE either of us knew it had a transmission problem. That's for an Ex fully loaded (all 6 options). I believe the 10 year 100,000 warranty is still good because he's selling it as a "new car". The problem was discovered on a test drive (before mine) and the salesman was informed of the "maintenance issue" when we were about to sign papers. Now that the Sedona has been fixed and has returned to the sales floor, the manager tells me that the demand has increased for the loaded EX and he will honor the price he gave me but he will not give that same "low" price to another prospective buyer. I also do not believe he will go any lower beacuse of the repair (he already says that he is selling me the car at his invoice price). I wonder if the original "bad" transmission" is enough of a warning sign to stay away from that particular car. Most of my friends say to wait for another new one to come along.
After owning my 2002 Kia Sedona EX for a mere 3 days, we found an oil leak. Took it in to have a look at it, and the service guys are thinking it is the head gasket. They ordered all the parts assuming that is what the problem is, since when you lift the hood, everything is so packed tightly there is no good way to tell what the problem is exactly. They say they'll have the vehicle for 3-4 days - hoping to find the problem after tearing all apart. Has anyone else heard of such a problem right off the bat. I understand that the warranty is great, however these are the type of problems I wanted to rid myself of by trading in my previous vehicle which had 73,000 miles on it (in addition to several BIG $$$ problems with it over the last 2 years) and would start nickel and diming me when my extended warranty expires in a month.
Hi, I have been lurking here a while and have read all the posts and am finally going to post myself.
I really wish I had found this board (what a great resource) before we got our Kia, but hey, better late than never. I mainly wish we had known how to better deal with dealers... but it sounds like we had the same bad experiences some others have had. I'm in the midwest and we got our Sedona in KC.
We got a slate blue EX back in September and we have around 5k miles on it so far and no problems at all. We LOVE the van.
I have a list of small issues and maybe somebody can tell me on one of them if this is the way it is and maybe if there is a good reason? My keyless remote doesn't work when the van is running. Is this the way it is supposed to be? For example, my hubby used his key to start the van tonight to warm it up when we were visiting relatives. He locks the doors and comes back in, we visit a few minutes, say our goodbyes and head out to the van with the baby and my keyless entry won't open the doors. Why is this? I had a villager in '95 and I'm pretty sure its keyless entry worked all the time.
The price you paid $22400 should be a reasonable price for a Full option EX, I got mine at $22500 2 tone full option EX in Bayarea of California, with this kind of pricing, the dealers were calling me to come back to make a deal, too bad, I got mine in less than 2 days when I went out for Sedona shopping, the up front dealer got my business first, the crooks keep their Sedonas in the lots. You should shop for a new one, your offer is really closed, good luck.
I was thinking it probably wasn't a defect in my keyless entry unit. Can you think of a good safety or security reason why it is this way? I guess it would be easier for me to live with then.
Hi posters.. hope all is well. In my search for a "custom mat" for the 3rd row on my van I checked the Kia of Canada website and discoverd some interesting available accessories that are not on the Kia USA site. These options inlcude:
Sport visors for the front windows, a Side Step up kit, Trailer Hitch, Ski carrier for the roof rack, Wood trim for the doors, valve stem caps and touch up paint sticks for the "little scratches"... Check it for yourself.
If anyone knows where I can order the rear mat please advise. Someone posted that the amt is standard in Sedona's sold in Canada.
Looking into Sedona EX ... was wondering how folks did negotiating price with your dealers? How many did deals = $ xx./over invoice price? I am in the Northeast/South of Boston.
Any relation to Luca Brazi...?? Ohno here come the "sonny" jokes. Mike I live north of Boston and we paid $22,100 for a loaded EX ( minus the spoiler, I may order one ). Kia is still offering 0% interest for 36 months. Dealers are dealers.. check out some of the previous posts.. looks like you may do ok here in the Northeast... all invoice pricing is available here on Edmunds .. so it's all up to how generous the dealers want to be... good luck
White/two-tone silky beige ex, wasn't our choice, in color but the deal was desent. Paid 22185,plus tax/tags.I traded in a 2000 olds silhouette, 45k miles.It has Abs,leather, homelink,two-tone, could have done without the homelink, rather have spoiler, used difference toward sunroof. Overall it wasn't a bad experience. I used samsclub, i had to travel 2 1/2 hrs. for their associated dealer. It was better than the dealer who was closer who keep giving me a song and dance, that it was loaded, when i got their it only had the sunroof,and leather,homelink. How insulting to your customer when their are only 6 options, and you specifically ask about abs, or what options are on the vehicles you have in stock. I didn't waste any more time with leith kia of fayetteville nc after i drove 80 miles round trip not 1 vehicle met her criteria. Will continue in another post this one to long.
Yeah, It wasn't a defect, and it wasn't a perfect design either, I would like to see when the transmission is not in park or in neutral position then it ignores the remote entry commands. It is a safe and simple logic to disable the keyless entry with ignition key on, Kia's engineers could have done it better, but again when you consider the remote keyless entry operates most of the time, but occasionally not working due to frequency collision with some other wireless security alarm system in some parking lots, it is dangerous to implement any further decisions or responses when the Sedona is moving. Regarding the rear heater design, the Koreans love to sit on a heat seat or a heat floor in cold winter, I believed they design the rear heater with the same idea, Mmmmm! we are buying a bit of Korean culture when we buy a Sedona.
Keep up the good feedbacks, may be Kia will listen....
I would let him sell it to someone else. I would question the fact that he only discovered the transmission fix JUST before you were ready to sign papers. Sounds to car salesman-like.
in Portland, OR. Thanks to all previously who had posted information. The Oregonian newspaper once again this Saturday ran an ad for one EX with everything on it, minus the two tone paint. It was $20,995 as someone had posted the same price from last Saturdays ads. Called them up and found out the color was Green (not our favorite, but not bad for the savings...we didn't want black, white or burgandy) from the salesman who I had talked to the previous Sunday. Raced into the dealer to get it an hour away. Since we got a price which I felt was at least $800-900 less than most everyone else has been getting and about $1400 below dealer invoice, I upgraded the warranty to 10year 100Kmiles on everything. Not sure if anyone else has mentioned this but doing this also makes the full warranty transferable to any person you may sell it to. Really exited to have this rig, drives really nice. One problem found before it left the dealer, rear window on passenger side doesn't move when depressing to open. Dealer will fix when I take in to get license plates at which time they will also fill up the rig again. Very happy with the low pressure, informative salesman I had, Jerry. One clown who worked there brought over a poorly washed vehicle after I had made the deal. He also was driving kind of recklessly with it and after getting out, threw the keys back TOWARDS THE VAN for Jerry to catch and save from a scrathed paint job.....DUMB! That will be on their report card they want me to turn in! All in all, a good experience buying a car through Jerry in Portland, OR on 122nd at Ron Tonkin.
I've been scrolling the archived messages from February and I see some discussion on ABS brakes and Extended warrenties. First - I don't like ABS. True - they help you stop the vehicle in a straight line but today's cars, even if you lock up the brakes, are pretty well ballanced and don't go spinning around like cars of old. The drawback with ABS is that the stopping distances are longer - and that, according to NHTSA statistics, causes as many accidents as it prevents. So, if you have confidence in being able to modulate the brakes properly, you don't need ABS and, in fact, will probably be better off without them. Now - on to extended warranties. There are two things to remember. First, they don't come in to play until your manufacturer warranty is over - and with the Sedona, that's a long time. Second, the company you buy the extended warranty from has to still be in business lo those many years down the road. And that, my friends, is not guaranteed. Particularly in these troubled economic times.
We now know the 3rd row carpet apparently does not come in the American version Sedona. I went to my local Home Depot and found a perfect match in a very inexpensive rubber back, low pile tan colored carpet. Was the cheapest stuff they had, 27" wide. I had them cut me the appropriate length and with a razor blade "sculpted" the corners. A simple solution for less than $10.
After a long absence, it is good to be back on the Kia site. Having one of the first Kia's purchased from August, it has held up very well. The only annoyance has been the passenger sliding door has been sticking (rubbing) on the upper slide track. If you close the door slowly, the door will stick and you need to force it open and try again. It seems to get worse when the weather is colder. This was not a problem until about a month ago. I took it to the dealer and their solution was to grease the track. The door will need to taken off and adjusted for this to be corrected. I will take it back again when I have more time.
I have not regretted buying this van for a minute. When I purchased we couldn't get or find leather on the EX, but I have not been unhappy with the cloth. It starts and runs fine here in Minnesota. I am starting to seen more and more on the road. ''t
Comments
#980
If your gonna buy the portable DVD check out this site for a "suspension system" to hold it place. Stumbled across it yesterday
http://www.portabledvdstore.com/sustheatsys.html
Also, while synthetic oil may provide better lubrication, the actual molecules are smaller and are not absorbed as well. This does two things. First, because the molecules are smaller, the engine may tend to leak oil. Combined with this comes gaskets that are not absorbing the oil and don't seal as well. Again causing a tendency to leak. The second absorption comes from the actual metal in the engine absorbing the oil. If this does not happen, there can actually be a loss in lubrication. Sounds nutty I know. If you do use synthetics, do so after the first 10,000 miles and don't complain about the puddle in your driveway.
BTW-years ago, manufacturers recommended changing the oil filter with every other oil change. This was done because the oil would break down quicker (30 years ago). With the advances in oil technology, the larger concern is not the quality of the oil, but the crap floating in it.
They will have difficulty refusing you warranty coverage if you can prove that you used warranty-approved oil (it is stated on the container)of the correct viscosity and a proper Kia/Hyundai filter. 5W30 is commonly specified for all newer vehicles, it seems, probably to reduce rotational friction in the engine and increase fuel economy. Most people use the same oil all year round these days.
A well built engine shouldn't leak anything whether using synthetic, or not. Syn oil usually leaks from older engines that already have smaller leaks, or, like davemak says, have gasket problems.
As long as the oil has the correct weight and meets the standards that the car maker requires (match the seal symbol on the oil to the requirement) it will work. RE the 5-30 vs 10w30...just make sure the weight matches what the manufacturer says.
I plan on running synthetic from the first change on, Mobile One. It has run great on 5 cars/trucks...not changing now. Bluedevils nailed it regarding the logging and receipts.
BTW, I've read more horror stories about quicklube places and oil plugs left loose/out or stripped than I care to repeat. Best take it to a mech you trust, or do it yourself. I always use the time to clean up underneath the care and look for problems developing.
Also another comment in passing. I had been out of this forum for some time so when it came up I read through a lot of the posts I hadn't seen and noticed someone mentioned that in buying a used Sedona you got the same warranty. As I recall the warranty terms, unless they have been changed, a buyer of a used vehicle does get all of the warranty EXCEPT the 10 year 100,000 mile limited drivetrain warranty. And that is passed along under certain conditions, such as selling to a close family member or buying a vehicle you have been leasing. Before I would rely on getting that in a used Sedona I would go to kia.com and read the entire warranty carefully.
The idea that synthetic oil will cause leaks, break down seals, etc. in well-running engines even when synthetic use is begun at low mileage is mostly an outdated theory, from what I can tell. Some of the very early synthetic oil concoctions, including Mobil 1's early stuff, did harm engines. But the manufacturers have learned a lot, and synthetic oil has come a long way in the past 10-20 years.
Leaks caused by synthetic oil is not something that concerns me. If people truly want the best protection, they really should consider synthetic oil. It would be a disservice for us to scare people off on account of increased likelihood of leaks.
Almost any major-brand oil on the market, whether synthetic or petrol-based, will meet this very lax requirement.
True, the Sedona owners manual does encourage owners to have take their vans to the dealer; that is to be expected. But the manual clearly states that other shops that know what they are doing is fully acceptable. Many times, the manufacturer will slant this as more of a scare tactic (e.g. "don't use genuine Toyota parts and service and you might void your warranty") even though legally they cannot require you to have your service performed at the dealer.
If you are really curious, you should review the thousands of posts in the synthetic motor oil, oil filters, and engine oil topics over in the Maintenance & Repair area. I try to keep up with things over there.
Regarding the power moon/sunroof, I've noticed that when I first turn the ignition on, I hear a brief "ca-click" from somewhere in the roof, forward of the sunroof opening. Just curious if other sun-roof equipped Sedona owners have noticed this noise. It's obviously a solenoid associated with the operation of the sunroof, but I'm wondering if it's supposed to operate every time the van is started.
Third row floor mats: I've mentioned this in an earlier post. My EX/leather came with a fitted third row floor mat of the same material and quality as the front and middle rows. Judging by what I've read in other posts, I think I'm the only Sedona in North America that got the third row mat! Is there ANYONE else out there that got a rear mat?
First, the fax. BTW, both of us are well-paid professionals in our 50's. Price was NOT a consideration on purchase. Bought new July 27th (the second one sold in Tulsa). Fully loaded, leather, roof, etc. No defects at all out the door, except the pesky roof rack wind whistle (now fixed).
Just to break it in, took a trip to Pike's Peak the second weekend. About 2800 miles round trip in 3 days. TOTAL COMFORT! No aches, pains. A joy to drive, even at 14500 feet. Ran into a Colorado Springs Kia dealer at the top, and he couldn't take his eyes off it - first he'd seen.
Took the back road to Cripple Creek (one-lane dirt and gravel). Kept changing drivers so both of us could stand up through the roof to gaze-gawk-and-glory at the beauty. Isn't God's outdoors GREAT!!!!?
This car gets driven HARD. We live WAAAY out in the boonies at the end of a gravel road. We've racked up almost 16000 miles in over 7 months with only one problem. The radio crapped out at the first month. Started "clipping" really bad above 24 or so. My wife said it was probably due to some cranked up to ear-bleed rolling stones problem, but.....naaaaaah. Phone call, a quick trip to the dealer and fixed.
Mileage is about 20 on the hiway, but my 4-cyl 5-spd Tacoma gets only 22, so what's the big deal. The back seats are pulled out and in the hall closet - LOTS of load space now. Takes about 5 minutes to reconfigure if we want to carry a gang.
Pros: A JOY to drive! ABSOLUTELY no regrets. Feels solid and looks like a Lexus. People still stare in disbelief when they see the KIA logo. Excellent overall mix of engineering and ergonomics. Strong and responsive - runs circles around the Lamestar it replaced. FIVE REAL TIRES AND WHEELS! AT LAST had a REAL tire rotation! MOST EXCELLENT dealer. Kick-[non-permissible content removed] sound system. No squeaks, no rattles, nothing falling off. And we LOVE the bin in the dash.
Cons: Road noise (but can cover that with music) and that REALLY BAD DESIGN for the back-seat heater.
Conclusions: Sorento comes, Toyota goes. Get my drift??
BTW, we also have a brand new chocolate lab named...
Connie's Kia Mia.
You mentioned your roof rack "whistle" is fixed. What did you do? My dealer told me that is just part of having a roof rack. My last van didn't have a rack, so I believed the dealer. Did you do something or had it fixed by the dealer? That whistling noise is about the only thing that bothers me about our Sedona. I love the van other than that...
Seats- I am 6'1 about 235 solid build. After 2-3 hour drives my but still aches somewhat. Seats are better in my Previa, never get sore. I have leather.
Now have 4400 miles. This is the best towing van I have ever owned. Towed 2500 lb trailer this week about 400 miles with Class II weight distribution hitch. Overdrive off, low drive was a dream. The low peak RPM range is the answer, torque abounds . Kia engineered a fine tow vehicle. No body flexing whatsoever. The steel unibody frame is superb. The Kia rides as good as any Mercedes or Audi I have owned. 4709 lbs of sheer driving pleasure. Those Hankooks are impressive tires too.
Going to a dealer today to start negotiations on the Sedona.
Hi, Excellent.
If your dealer says he doesn't know about this, he's a big fat liar liar pants on fire.
Also wanted to add another PRO to my message 1024: Love those flame-thrower high beams!
Thanks.
"Why yes, I did. Would you like to see it?"
Three office staff folks troop out to my lovely sapphire blue and proceed to crawl all about it admiring the leather, the storage bin in the dash, the nifty little between the seats foldaway tray, etc. and all the while I am talking about how nice it is to drive, the comfort, etc. None of them could believe it was a Kia but all were impressed and thought it highly stylish and nice looking.
I've got over a thousand miles on it now and am making excuses to go places. I have already saved over $50.00 in gas over my old conversion van so I am happy.
Mom23girls please post what your dealer says about your brake noise. I had something like that on my old (1985) chevy wagon when the brakes got wet.
I really wish I had found this board (what a great resource) before we got our Kia, but hey, better late than never. I mainly wish we had known how to better deal with dealers... but it sounds like we had the same bad experiences some others have had. I'm in the midwest and we got our Sedona in KC.
We got a slate blue EX back in September and we have around 5k miles on it so far and no problems at all. We LOVE the van.
I have a list of small issues and maybe somebody can tell me on one of them if this is the way it is and maybe if there is a good reason? My keyless remote doesn't work when the van is running. Is this the way it is supposed to be? For example, my hubby used his key to start the van tonight to warm it up when we were visiting relatives. He locks the doors and comes back in, we visit a few minutes, say our goodbyes and head out to the van with the baby and my keyless entry won't open the doors. Why is this? I had a villager in '95 and I'm pretty sure its keyless entry worked all the time.
Glad to be here !!!
I'm assuming you can get it in the States as well.
Ask you dealer.
... Greg
In Sedona owner's manual, page 3-4.
The keyless entry system does not operate when;
- The ignition key is in the ignition switch.
Sport visors for the front windows, a Side Step up kit, Trailer Hitch, Ski carrier for the roof rack, Wood trim for the doors, valve stem caps and touch up paint sticks for the "little scratches"... Check it for yourself.
If anyone knows where I can order the rear mat please advise. Someone posted that the amt is standard in Sedona's sold in Canada.
Here's the link for the accessories... enjoy
http://www.kia.ca/english/showroom/sedonaAccessoriesEX.html
Mike
Mike I live north of Boston and we paid $22,100 for a loaded EX ( minus the spoiler, I may order one ). Kia is still offering 0% interest for 36 months. Dealers are dealers.. check out some of the previous posts.. looks like you may do ok here in the Northeast... all invoice pricing is available here on Edmunds .. so it's all up to how generous the dealers want to be... good luck
Regarding the rear heater design, the Koreans love to sit on a heat seat or a heat floor in cold winter, I believed they design the rear heater with the same idea, Mmmmm! we are buying a bit of Korean culture when we buy a Sedona.
Keep up the good feedbacks, may be Kia will listen....
anyway that is my opinion..."for what it's worth"
Now - on to extended warranties. There are two things to remember. First, they don't come in to play until your manufacturer warranty is over - and with the Sedona, that's a long time. Second, the company you buy the extended warranty from has to still be in business lo those many years down the road. And that, my friends, is not guaranteed. Particularly in these troubled economic times.
I have not regretted buying this van for a minute. When I purchased we couldn't get or find leather on the EX, but I have not been unhappy with the cloth. It starts and runs fine here in Minnesota. I am starting to seen more and more on the road.
''t