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Comments
with backing. You decide which corner of the back glass to stick it to. My wife had one on both sides. Anyway, you wet the area of installation, which is about 9 X 12. Use a spray bottle to mist it, hold it their for 1 to 3 mins. And don't disturb it for 24 hrs or it won't stay. It works great, it concentrates the full area behind the van including close to the ground, (where a child could hide or those pesky lowcut reinforcement barriers around gas pumps)into that little square
They work great and don't obstruct your view in the rear and they came in 2 sizes, the 2 i have are about 9 x 12, i have seen the smaller ones. If anyone needs some information on it, i will do my best.
http://www.astecx.com/ross.html
http://www.backingsafety.com/
In order to get a really accurate backup aid, you're going to need to spend between $100 and $200 plus installation, which to me is worth it.
-Greg
MONTH OF FEBRUARY YEAR-TO-DATE
Model 2002 2001 2002 2001
Optima 2,290 1,256 4,813 2,913
Rio 4,676 3,784 8,396 7,072
Spectra 4,705 1,367 8,986 3,099
Sedona 2,535 n/a 4,753 n/a
Sportage 3,303 2,580 7,135 5,065
Others n/a 3,678* n/a 7,029*
Total 17,509 12,665 34,083 25,178
X-band radar, configured as a homodyne transceiver
Two transmitted frequencies: 10.50 GHz and 10.55 GHz
************10.8 Watts output power**************!!!!!!!
FCC, CTAC, and e-mark certified "
10.8 watts Microwave transceiver operating in open air to emit to the poor little kids behind your car in close distance for daily driving, The output power is too high, Do you want your fleshes being cooked by the Microwave also?
The Blind spot eliminator works great for my Previa, but I couldn't find it in Pep boys or Grand Autos anymore.
Why is backing into the spot arguably better than backing out of the spot? I submit that it mostly has to do with being able to observe and clear the area in advance of executing the maneuver, something that is difficult to do when leaving, given the amount of time that lapses from entering the vehicle, starting, shifting, looking and moving backward.
And lest it be misinterpreted, this is not a recommendation specific to the Sedona. Just .02, for what it's worth....
We only got one key fob with our Sedona. Should we have gotten two?
Thank you
I am unaware of any anti-theft system, other than the key. I'd be interested in your salesman's detailed explanation, but I think he's sales yakking without adequate knowledge instilled in brain.
Who knows about Leno? The higher speed crash tests were good for safety. It was the 5 mph crash test that triggered the airbag. Look up about 40-60 messages for more extensive discussion.
http://www.highwaysafety.org/news_releases/2002/pr031302.htm
That said, the low speed air bag deployment is a problem until Kia proves to customers that it isn't.
IIHS offset crash test results for the Sedona should be released tomorrow - and featured on Dateline, NBC 8 pm. I'm optimistic, but unfortunately the Sedona's weight is more likely to hurt it than help it in that test, which is just the opposite of what would occur in a real world crash with another vehicle.
I'm on my 2nd oil change and noticed some seepage from the drain plug. It's tight and not cross-threaded. Maybe it needs another drain plug gasket?
Does anyone know what two-tone combinations are available? I haven't been able to find that info.
I have seen some posts from people in KC. Any recommendations on dealerships in the KC area? I am close to Jack Miller, anyone had experiences with them.
No oil leak here.
Two tone IS available, husker. Try:
http://www.kia.com/sedona/sedona-options.shtml
And click on "two-tone body cladding".
And as for laura's leak, THAT'S how things should be taken care of.
Here's my take on all this: The flush of initial ownership pride and excitement is fading a bit for all the people who've been posting on this site for a couple months. A few snippets of bad news have arisen. But you know what? No car's perfect, and no one vehicle meets everyone's needs. We still got a good car for a good price. We can use this site to learn more about the details of the controls and features, handling and driving it, mileage data, service experiences, and to monitor for potential common problems. They're going to happen; this is a mechanical device! Let's use this forum to share info and rally some consumer feedback when issues DO arise. I for one intend to call the Kia customer service number cited above, and register my concern about the air bag issue. Not outrage, not lawsuit threats, but concern. Enough voices can move even corporate elephants.
Oh, and I want a second remote, too.
2) As mentioned above, the bumper crash costs (minus the airbag costs) are not all that out of line for a vehicle of that weight.
3) Why are we glad we have "that weight?" FIVE STAR CRASH RATING in all 4 NHTSA tests. And I'll bet that the weight actually serves it better in the offset crash test (to be reported tomorrow apparently), rather than hurting it, as someone mentioned above, due to the truck-like frame that has contributed to some of that weight and to the good results on the NHTSA tests. (We'll see if my prediction comes true!)
4) Someone above mentioned backing into a pole with a WindStar and a Caravan, and not having too much damage. But was it at 5 mph? 5 mph is actually fairly quick. The government guidelines stipulate only 2.5 mph. I think the Kia actually fits in with its mini-van counterparts.
Just some of my humble thoughts! - Greg
I am anxious to see what the offset crash test shows. I think this test is as important as the other crash tests.
Putting aside the air bag issue, would any of you really make a different purchase based on the bumper tests?
I hate to sound like I'm overreacting and I still think the van is great, but I think we deserve some proof that this will not happen in low speed accidents, including anomolous ones.
Hopefully, the Sedona's resale value will be above the historical Kia par, because after 5 years, the vehicle will have depreciated considerably, as most vehicles will. A double airbag deployment may spell a totalled vehicle in a low speed crash, where it may be avoided if the manufacturer either fixes an issue, or proves that it was a statistical oddity. Either way, you don't want to have your van totalled for a 5mph nudge at the market after it's a few years old, imho. A number of vehicles have blown bags in low speed wrecks. I recall the Mid-90s Camaros having this problem, as did the S80 Volvo in it's IIHS low speed test. I'm sure Kia, like these other mfgrs, will step up and figure out both what happened and how to keep it from happening to their happy owners.
/j
http://www.highwaysafety.org/vehicle_ratings/low_speed_vans.htm
"CAUTION: The kinetic energy a vehicle must absorb in a crash test increases with vehicle weight, so barrier tests are more demanding of heavier vehicles. But people in heavier vehicles in real-world, 2-vehicle crashes typically fare better than people in lighter vehicles (in many single-vehicle crashes, weight offers no safety advantage). This is why test results shouldn't be compared among vehicles with large weight differences."
Hmmmmmmmmmmm...... this seems to tell me that, yes, my Kia Sedona may cost me a lot in 5 mphs bumper crashes, but in a head-on collision, I'm probably going to come out much better than a lighter van. Hmmmmmmmmmmm......
I can't wait to see the offset crash test result.
- Greg
1) The test is not a good real-world simulation and therefore the fact that the airbags deployed has no bearing on whether the airbags will deploy in a real-world, low-speed fender-bender.
2) If the test were to be run a few more times, the airbags would NOT deploy.
To me, the second statement is more consistent with the term "anomaly" than the first statement. However, I think Kia is trying to make point #1, not #2.
Personally, I would feel better if they issued some sort of statement to the effect of #2. I would feel even better if they backed it up with some sort of evidence, data, and/or logical reasoning.
This whole airbag fiasco worries me, but not a whole lot. I'm guessing that in most low-speed collisions, the Sedona's airbags will NOT go off. Still, the test results make me think that the likelihood of this happening is greater in a Sedona than in many other vehicles.
I'm guessing that in most low-speed collisions...
Exactly. Until I see some subsequent test data where somebody runs 24 Sedonas into the side of a cement Walmart building (or equivalent) at 5mph and no anomalous air bag deployments occur, my concern is that Kia is just guessing too.
There is still no press release on the Kia web site either. No doubt we'll probably have to wait for the letter.
Ak, I think it's also fair to say that the matter is blown out of proportion as others have suggested. As you said, the 5 star is more important. On the other hand, I feel it is a serious issue and the Kia response so far has been unsatisfactory. I guess we'll just have to see.
http://www.iihs.org/vehicle_ratings/ce/html/0201.htm
This should be at least somewhat encouraging for Sedona owners - it shows the vehicle's structural integrity has been engineered fairly well - light years ahead of the death trap GM vans, and not far behind the industry leaders. Hopefully side airbags (and better bumpers) will be added to future models.
When I bought my Jeep two years ago, I just told the dealer what I wanted and they ordered it for me.
I am interested in a Sedona EX with ABS. Does Kia do this as well? Any knowledge on the lead time?
I will be calling customer service too. I definitely want more tests/with results and truthful explanations/with a recall if deemed necessary to correct this.
I love this van, but passenger safety is vital, and up til now I couldn't have been more pleased. I truly hope that the one deployed airbag was a single and isolated incident. I also hope that KIA doesn't intend to use us as their trial guinea pigs.
Thank you for allowing me to vent.
I have a feeling though that Kia is probably taking the 24 vans that one poster above mentioned and are ramming them into "Wal-Mart" walls as we speak.
I believe they made an error in judgment in the way they handled the PR about the air bag deployment. But from what I have been told by a national automotive journalist here in Canada, KIA now has "state-of-the-art" R&D facilities, so I'll bet my bottom dollar that they are putting the vans through their paces. They apparently did not release the van for a full year to be sure it made the NHTSA crash ratings. So, I'm betting they are hard at work making sure that this air bag thing is indeed an anamoly.
My hope, as is yours, is that they let us know in a convincing fashion with crash data to back it up, that it WAS an anomaly.
... Greg
P.S. If you're venting about the air bags, would that make it an "air vent"? :-/
This, to me, is misleading.
I am quite pleased with the overall crash worthiness of the Sedona. It is near the top of its class, the air bag "anomaly" notwithstanding.
I await Kia's response in the future to that one.
... Greg