Front end "thumping" sound: I too have noticed a slight sensation of looseness in the front end when going over bumps at lower speeds (i.e. in town). It almost feels like some "play" in the front ball joints or tie rod ends. I felt a similar sensation (although an order of magnitude stronger) in my old Caravan after 200,000 km.
Has anyone else felt anything similar? I'll be taking the van in for its first servicing (6000 km) very soon and I will mention it to the service manager.
The C&D review is a very shallow one, I for sure don't value their opinions in the mags on the same scale as the owner folks who drive these vehicles day in and day out, who face real time issues in all dimensions, who frequently report their experiences in all aspects in the forum, I took note from the mags and verify the note with the posts in the Edmunds town hall.
I found the combined real time data from the owners are more accurate and more trust worthy than the one day tester in C&D or the CR.
Aaron Robinson from C&D, The Sedona may be too late for your party, hey, may be it is your time to pick up your garbage, life goes on! here, our party have just begun.
We picked up our Sedona on Feb. 19. No 3rd row mat. I'll call my dealer and/or email Kia about this. I don't want to pay for one; a large mat like that could easily run $100 or so from the dealer (only guessing).
Our Sedona is very quiet. No noticeable noise around the moonroof, or anywhere else. I haven't moved the cross-bars on the roof rack; I'll have to check and see where they are positioned.
I did receive a 3rd row floor mat in my LX, purchase last August.
Thanks, gentlemen, for your info about the whine noise probably being the alternator. I'll have the service department take a look next time I go for an oil change. They tend to take us female types a little more seriously if we half way know what we're talking about.
Hi all... enjoying the posts. I too did not receive a mat for the 3rd row in my Sedona EX purchased at the end of February. I emailed KIA referencing the reply that mikeymike received back from them. We definitely should not have to pay for it and everyone that didnt get one should call Kia or send a email...will post reply when I get one...fyi odometer now at 1000 .. time for oil change... thanks for the info for the interior lights.. dims with the doors. :>)
Don't I win something for having the first real world incident? I was stopped at a red light and was rear ended by a teenager putting on mascara. Fortunately, she was rolling at 5 mi. or less. Boy, was I surprised to feel the lurch! After a thorough inspection, there wasn't even a scratch. I'm relieved to know the bumpers don't crumble with every impact.
I finally saw another Sedona in the school parking lot yesterday, and about wrenched my neck looking to make sure it wasn't a Windstar. I'm not the lone eagle anymore.
We just bought our misty blue LX with grey cloth interior,ABS,roof rack and CD.Paid 19.555 had no problem getting 1000 off MSRP.For anyone in NJ/NY area we recommend DOMS Kia/Isuzu at Rt.22W North Planfield, salesman name is Robert Falk.Very profesional service. They located the van for us the same day and brought it from south NJ few days later.They claim to be the largest Kia dealer in tristate area, had about 20 Sedonas on the lot. We insisted on buying LX with ABS and grey interior which combination is really hard to find. Kia mostly put ABS on EXs and they usually loaded with leather and other options. Dealer told us they found only three of them in tristate area. The van is beatifull,very quiet and engine feels powerfull. Definetlly is not underpowered, like somebody suggested in reviews I saw. We are impressed with quality of finish and materials. Yesterday I took it to my mechanic for state inspection,he checked everything and said that it is put together very well. Good news. Also had alarm installed by my friend who does it for living and him and his wife really liked the van.Beacause we have LX there was no problem with getting two remotes,they also operate door locks. My friend said there is no way to have second remote working with EX. So far my only complaint is about seatting position, which is too high for me even with seat all the way down.I guess it takes time to get use to it.My wife has no complaints and my son loves 3rd row seats with all the cup holders and storage box.By the way, I didnt get the floormat for 3rd row.It is really strange that some vans come with it, some dont.Have to call my dealer about it.Thank you all for the usefull inormations about Sedona,it really helped us with making a choice of minivan for our family.
Mom23girls, I'm very happy to hear that neither you nor your Kia sustained any damage when you were rearendend. My wife, unfortunately was not so lucky. While driving to work last week, she came up over a hill to find traffic stopped in front of her. Fortunately she was not going very fast (you can't go fast driving to work in Northern Virginia) and she hit the rear of the car stopped in front of her and was almost sandwiched by the guy behind her. As I said, fortunately she was not going fast and was uninjured. The car she "tapped" a '94 Toyota sustain only a slight bumper scratch and scrape (not even having it repaired). Now for the Sedona: No, the airbags did not deploy so that should give an indication of the low speed she was driving at, however, I got the call from the body shop (Kia dealer also) on Friday and the estimate is over $5000! Vehicle will need, new bumper, interior bumper frame parts, new hood, body work on both fenders, radiator, AC parts (I think he said the condenser?). Anyway, when I got to the scene I was AMAZED at what the front of the Sedona looked like compared to the rear of the Toyota. Absolutely incredible! Total crunch! Again, fortunately no one was injured. This was my wife's first accident in over 25 years of driving and she's pissed that she smacked up her new car. Fortunately we have great insurance, and if this every happens to you, I hope you do too! Finally note, eta on work being done, 3+ weeks.
Sorry to hear about the recent accidents, but glad to know that no one got hurt.
I checked the oil level in our Sedona EX with 1,500 miles and it is about 3/4 full. I think someone mentioned they checked their oil in their Sedona and it too wasn't 4/4. Wonder if this coincidence or if some oil gets burned during the initial break-in period or if Kia is not shipping the Sedonas out with 4/4 oil. No leaking oil is suspected (my garage floor is dry).
Does anyone know how much the 3rd row floor mats cost?
Hey thanks for the photo. I havent installed my system yet but I do have a couple of questions. Did you use the screws to secure the sensors to the bumper or is the sticker tabs sufficient to hold em on ? How high from the grond is your sensors , is less than 16 inches ok ? One other thing Im a bit nervous about crimping the unit power wire to the reverse wire is there a special tool for this ? Had the oil changed today ... asked the sales manager to look into why I didnt get a rear floor mat after relaying message from Kia about vans bought in February, he said he would call on Monday and get back to me.. will update. Anyone had problem with getting the mid row captains seat back in after takin it out ? I was "learning" how to move them around and the back row was no problem but I had a tough time getting the captains mid row seat back into the guide. The seat kept sliding forward .. I finally got it back in but ( dont laugh too hard ) it took me about 15 minutes.. I didnt attempt to try the other one.. sorry to hear about that crash.. seems like a lot of damage for such a small "fender bender".. oh by the way I spotted another Sedona Ex in my town.. white like mine but with the tan cladding and it has a spoiler... haven't seen the driver , will say hi when I do ,find out how they like the van and tell em about this board .. peace and Happy Easter ~ .... :>)
jhan759 OUCH! I know it's very discouraging to have your new vehicle wrecked. I had an uninsured driver wreck a brand new Dodge Power Ram I just had for less than two weeks. Didn't even have it licensed yet.
It wasn't clear to me in your post, did the driver behind hit you as well, and what kind of damage did the rear of your Sedona take? If so, it sounds like they may have compounded the damage to your front by shoving you into the Toyota.
I made the costly mistake of parking a Plymouth Voyager on my husband's side of the driveway and forgot to tell him. When he pushed the garage door opener, he went to back his Toyota out as usual and CRUNCH. Sounds like we had very similar damage. Total front replaced(cause everything was made of plastic), radiator, airconditioning etc. Unbelievable damage for very little speed involved. We had to visit the salvage yard to get the hood.
What does Toyota make their bumpers out of anyway-Titanium?
Glad your wife wasn't hurt and am relieved to hear that the airbag wasn't trigger happy.
Jhan759, sorry to hear about the accident -- glad all are well. Very good news that the air bags did not deploy. As for the cost, 5K is not surprising to me. I bet when you get the bill, you will be shocked at how much of that cost is labor. Also, these new vehicles are designed to "crumple" up front so that the much of the force of the accident is not transferred to the cabin. When my Trooper was rear ended by a Rodeo, my damage was extensive (over 5K) but rather localized. The Rodeo was totaled. But, the pregnant women driving the vehicle was unharmed. If you don't mind, please keep us posted on how the repairs go. Especially any difficulties with obtaining parts.
Ouch is right. So glad your family came out unhurt, jhan759.
Well, I took my Sedona out on the first trip with the new bike rack yesterday. This is the one I attached to the Class II trailer hitch. Worked great; no problems. With Excelent3's advice (where's he been, anyway?), I got my hitch from etrailer.com
and installed it myself with hardly any damage to flesh and bone. Someone else, I forget who, got a better price from JC Whitney, I think, so if you're interested, check them, too. I know we've covered this ground before, but I thought I'd repost it, since we're up to almost 1500 messages.
On the fuel capacity issue: last week, I intentionally went past the flashing "need gas" light phase, drove until the light stayed on steadily, and on even farther until I was white-knuckled and teeth-clenched, afraid I'd be out of gas any second. The needle on the gauge was just barely touching the bottom edge of the "E" line. When I filled it up.........only fit in 17.24 galllons. According to the owner's manual, the tank's capacity is 75 liters, which is 19.8 gallons. So, despite pushing way past the comfort zone (I was driving in an area full of gas stations; I'm not a totally moronic masochist), I still had more than two gallons of gas left in the tank! Does this fit with everyone else's observations? In a way, I think too much early warning is counter-productive, because it makes me think, "Ah, I can go a long way after the needle's on E", and then suddenly end up in the "OH NO!" zone.
I still check in from time to time. I also discovered that NAPA filters are also made by WIX, which is a very good filter.
Very busy time for me hauling campers with my Sedona from and to everywhere. I have now almost 7000 miles since my Jan 13 purchase date. I still think the seats are uncomfortable. There is a steel rail about 1/4 inch thick that runs about 3-4" in from the outside edge of the seats, from front to back. It jabs me in the hamstring area and I find myself shifting from time to time. My Previa seats were far superior. Other that THAT, no complaints. Excellent towing van, great power. There is no better front wheel drive mini van for towing out there, not even close.
In the time we've owned our EX (since July 27), we've been virtually trouble free. Roof rack whine (fixed by dealer w/silicone), bum radio (cheerfully replaced) and that's it. Since ours was one of the first ones sold (the 2nd one in Oklahoma), just want to go over some of the comments. 1. Engine whine: The power steering pump whines. So does a Ford. So does a Lexus. Any noise other than that, better check with the dealer.
2. Road noise: If you're enjoying the superb music system, who can notice. For those of you who drive in silence, ok maybe there IS a bit of wind sound, but not obnoxious. The Hankook tires are REALLY loud on concrete, but have held up well. 5-tire rotated at 10K, will do again at 20.
3. Floor mats: Ours came with all 3 rows. Also the first-aid kit. Maybe the plan was to have them on EX and not LX or something. BELIEVE ME, Kia shipped them with the first ones sold. Good luck on getting them to supply you with them!
4. Just bought a Bosch oil filter at Autozone for it. About $6.
5. Heat and air control: Quirky but more than adequate.
6. Dealer service/sales/parts department: SUPERB!
7. Airbag problem: The Sedona/Carnival has been in worldwide production for about 4 years, with LOTS sold and with ONE case of an airbag deploying too soon. Look, guys, you can't be GUARANTEED that ANYTHING in life is an absolute. The bag went off in the fail-safe mode: it WORKED. If somebody had been sitting unbelted in the seat, the bag probably would have saved their head from a nasty bump. The point is that it WORKED. The REAL problem would have been if it DIDN'T. So quit whining and providing fodder for the legal leeches that are ruining the American justice system.
Frankly, we're still very impressed with the industrial revolution that South Korea has pulled off in the last 50 years, and our Kias stand in the forefront of what dedicated and talented people can do.
We purchased our loaded EX about a month ago and filled the tank about five times at different gas stations (across three states) so far. The problem I’ve been having is that I get a small amount of gas shooting out before the pump kicks off and gets on the side of the van. I run the pump as slow as I can and it still happens. Anyone else have or had this problem. Also, does heat come out of the upper ducts in the middle and 3rd row areas or is that just for AC. I only get cold air out them even with the setting on hot.
It is my understanding that the sensing device in the gas handle detects the change in air speed exhaust pressure as the tank is filling. As such, my guess is that the faster you pump, the more likely it is to shut off. Now, if there is an air leak in the filler hose/assembly on the car, the pump will not be able to detect the pressure change- should probably have it inspected by the dealer.
The heat exhausts from the right rear passenger saddle bag/wheel housing. There are slats in the housing near the floor behind the right middle row seat. When the RR heater switch is not depressed, the air exhausts through the ceiling vents. I would never leave the RR heater depressed with a fan speed of 0. The common belief here is that the rear heat is provided by an electric heater element. One would be well advised to keep air flow going over those coils when the RR switch is activated.
mom23girls: No, my wife was not also struck from the rear, she did it all by herself I agree with you, those Toyota bumpers are harder than the face on my Great Big Bertha Driver!
akwilliams: I will keep the group posted as to any delays in parts morn the Sedona repair. Will also keep everyone up to date on how she looks and drives afterwards. When our oldest got wrapped in my old Taurus a few years ago I had some body work done at the same place, Chener Lincoln/Merc/Kia and they did an outstanding job. The estimator has told me that the $5100 breaks down to about half parts, half labor and paint.
marcolius: I agree with you regarding the "early warning system" in the gas gauge/warning light/DTE. On our trip to and from FLA two weeks ago I usually filled up when the DTE said we had about 50 miles left on the tank and the gas gauge had been on E for quite a while. Only once did I put in more than 16 gallons, most of the times between 12 and 14. Again, not being that familiar w/ the vehicle I didn't feel like running out of gas on I95, however I could have gone a lot further. I too think the E reading on the gas gauge is too premature IMHO.
Ya'll out there, don't forget there are two problems when you run out of gas--- The OTHER one is burning out the fuel pump which is cooled by the gas in the tank.
icchip, in case hoyahenry's rear heat explanation was a little too technical (no offense, hoya), here's my stab at explaining it:
To get warm air from the rear of the vehicle, you must press the "RR Heat" button on the dash (it's to the right of the radio). When you do this, the word "HEATER" lights up below the fan-speed dial. The warm air comes out near where the 3rd row right-side passenger's feet would be.
The 4 vents next to the rear reading lights are intended to push cooler air.
hoyahenry, I found your comments quite interesting: "I would never leave the RR heater depressed with a fan speed of 0. The common belief here is that the rear heat is provided by an electric heater element. One would be well advised to keep air flow going over those coils when the RR switch is activated."
I'm not disagreeing with you, but I'm wondering why leaving the RR Heat button on and the fan speed set to zero is a bad idea. Sounds like great information/advice, but I must admit I don't understand the underlying reason.
Well, it's probably a little a.r., but that's a heater element encased in/surrounded by plastic that we know puts out some serious btus (I mean heat ). So, without air flow over the coils, I suspect that either something will eventually melt, or, more likely, doing so will (at the least) shorten the life of the heater element.
On a similar note, there are heat vents attached to the front passenger system, located under the driver and passenger seats, which deliver engine-based heat to the middle row. I discovered these vents quite by accident since they are rather non-descript. Not a good place to put something that does not like heat, like a diaper bag with pre-prepared milk bottles, or anything else perishable. For those of us with child seats, it is tempting to put bags of whatever between the middle seats and the front seats since there are no feet that need the space. That will cause a tendency to block heated airflow to the rear passengers in addition to possibly making that item very warm. (If I am being confusing, these vents under the front seats have nothing to do with the RR Htr button, but I thought I would throw in this information.)
I'm not complaining, but these are little anecdotes that are omitted in the owner's manual.
After hearing several comments about over inflated tires from the dealer, I checked mine today. All 4 tires were at 40 psi, and the side of the tire says a "max" of 44 psi. Is this an acceptable level or did some owners find another source for tire psi? Also, I am having a hard time getting the 2nd and 3rd row lights to come on when a sliding door is opened. Does someone remember the # of the post that explained how to use the lights? Thanks.
And.........just to complete my rigorous research, I happened to be right by a gas station yesterday when the "low fuel" light first went on, so I popped in. Gauge needle was just a hair above the "E" line. Fit in 15.98 gallons. So, as far as I can tell, when the light first comes on, I have 3.8 gallons left, and when it stays on steadily and the needle drops below "E", I still have 2.5 gallons left. Now I'll start fiddling with the DTE computer and see if it's accurate. If any of you happen to pass a Misty Blue Sedona with VA plates, stranded on the side of the highway, stop, will you? It means I pushed it too far.......... The rear lights have to be turned on AT the light, by depressing each light in a toggle fashion. After that, they can be controlled by the switch to the left of the radio, or by opening the doors. Hi Fred. Busy season, huh? You gonna come out and visit us this summer?
Are the rear heater coils really powered up when the fan speed is set to zero? Doesn't seem terribly smart to me if that is the case.
Just as an aside are you all really sure that the rear heater is electrically powered? You have to bear in mind that I do not own a Sedona so I don't necessarily know what I'm talking about but I find it hard to believe that the rear heat is electrically derived when there is a plentiful supply of waste heat available not 10 feet away (the engine). Also I find it hard to believe that Kia decided to load the van's electrical system in that way since to keep the occupants of the van warm in winter we have to be talking at least 1kW I'd have thought.
The 44psi on the tire sidewall is the maximum amount of air you should put in the tire. However, that does not mean it's the amount recommended by anyone when the tire is on a particular vehicle.
Kia recommends 35 psi for all 4 tires. My U.S. Sedona has a sticker in the driver's doorjamb with this (and some other) information.
Some folks run at higher pressure than the manufacturer's recommendation. Personally, I would be comfortable going to about 37 psi for slightly lower rolling resistance and slightly higher fuel economy (perhaps on a long highway trip), at the expense of slightly worse handling and firmer ride. I would not really want to go 5 psi above the recommendation (that would be 40 psi), though.
Hi.. Dont remember which post but to get those lights to come on when you open the door you must have the button above the radio that controls the rear lights pushed in always. When you push in the button if all the lights in the back 2 rows come on go over to them and push em in to shut em off. Then when you open the door all of the lights will come on. If you just close the door without turning on the engine the lights will fade to off just like the 2 in front. Then whenever someone is riding in the back needs to use the light all they have to do is press it in ..and then "let there be light"... when they're finished they can just press it again to shut off the light. ... :>)
I had noticed some comments about the operation of the gas gauge(seems to go down real fast at first then slows down at the midpoint), has anyone taken your van in for service regarding it?
mfbono2, are you sure? I would swear my row 2 & 3 lights come on when the door is opened, even if the master switch on the dashboard isn't depressed. Oh well, they work, anyway.
Hey, I just had a thought, and all the conspiracy theorists will love it! Read your Sedona manual, then read ody1's posts. I'll bet he wrote the manual! No wonder we're having such a hard time figuring stuff out. Man, the lengths these people will go to sabotage a poor, hard-working car buyer.........
Heater: If I remember my basic electricity theory, watts = volts x amps. Thus to get even the heat of an average hair dryer (1,000 watts) out of the rear heater the 12-volt van system would have to provide 83.3 amps. I believe that the heaviest auto fuse that I have ever seen is about 30 amps.
Lights: Our rear lights seem to come on only with the dash switch, regardless of whether or not the lights are individually "pushed" on. I'll try it again with the headlight switch on & van running.
Thanks for spelling out the consequences of a 1kW electrical heater in the rear. My training is in Electrical and Electronic Engineering and I sometimes forget that not everybody will understand the implications of trying to run a 1kW heater from a car electrical system. That is one reason that I doubt the rear of the Sedona is electrically heated the other is the fact that the engine is already producing large amounts of waste heat that may be used for heating. Another consideration is that to generate that 1kW of electricity the alternator would probably have to absorb 2-3hp from the engine which in these energy conscious days is probably unacceptable. Does anybody have a good handle on how much heat is needed to keep the interior of a Sedona (or any other mini van sized vehicle for that matter) heated when the outside temperature is say -20C, that's around -4F for those south of the border.
The simple explanation of the dome light controls of the Kia Sedona owner's manual made me confused too, it works like this:
Case 1: If the rear dome lights master control switch located on the center console is "on" (push in), if the door is open, all the rear dome lights are on with the dimmed element, if the rear dome light switch is "on", the bright and the dimmed elements inside the light are on. Case 2: If the rear dome lights master control switch located on the center console is "on" (push in), if the door is closed, all the rear dome lights are slowly dimming off, if the rear dome light switch is "on", the bright element inside the light is on. If the rear dome light switch is "off", it turns off at once. Case 3: If the rear dome lights master control switch located on the center console is "off" (normal position), all the rear dome lights are off, door status has no effect.
It may be more confused after you go through all the cases....
Hi again.. my Sedona EX has antilock brakes.. the queston is when I press the brake I hear something that sounds like a spring ( not running water ), anyone else hear this sound ?? Also noticed yesterday when I braked coming to a red light on an incline facing downhill that I heard some kind of thumping sound.. is this normal ?? Speaking of lights .. I was heading up the I-93 Sunday morning before dawn and remembered about the fog lights, turned em on and was impressed how much more of the road I was able to see.. ... :>)
The great Chieftain will take us to Washington State/British Columbia this summer for 4 weeks....ahhhh that's called a real vacation! Next year is Montreal, Quebec, Maine 2004 off to Costa Rica and 2005 Washington DC. By that time we'll probably both have new Sedonas that we can shoot the breeze over. Life is Excelent...God is Good!
OK. I stand corrected. Forget the electric heater; I made that up based upon perceptions that have been replaced by more research.
Upon further review by the replay official, there is a whole bunch of piping! from the engine compartment to a junction box located behind the right rear tire well(which probably leads to the rear heat exchanger). There is what looks to be two .75" lines which I presume to be forced hot water (coolant) lines and two smaller lines of differing diameter (low and high pressure ) for AC.
WOW!
So, the RR HTR button probably activates a coolant bypass valve which sends warm liquid to the rear heat exchanger.
As for the DTE computer, that seems to work pretty well. The analog fuel gauge is what it is, analog. It does seem that it could use to be calibrated a bit better, but concerns me too little to worry about.
I have had some interesting brake issues. In stop and go traffic Friday night into DC (go figure), I was getting a vibration from the front brakes (I think) in the last half turn of the tires when I release some brake pressure to smooth out the stop. The brakes were pretty hot. On colder mornings, I did hear a noise from the right side of the vehicle when pressing on the brakes for the first 1/2 mile or so, then it's gone. I am a bit concerned that that could be water (frozen) in the brake line.
Gas gauges dropping fast at the beginning of the tank is a common phenomena in many vehicles; the Sedona is certainly no exception. It seems that it's just plain difficult to make a gas gauge whose drop is totally linear and in proportion to the actual decrease in the amount of fuel remaining in the tank.
As long as you understand how the needle works, and it's consistent, there shouldn't be a problem.
This is not something that's important enough for me to ask my dealer to deal with it. In fact, I doubt that very much can be done, so my advice is 'don't let it bother you.'
I tried ordering the Service Repair Manual and the Electrical Trouble shooting manuals from Helm Inc who is listed in the back of the owners manual using the 800#. The lady I talked with said that Kia hadn't sent them the blueprints [ as she called them ] for the Sedona yet so there are no manuals. She hopes they can print them soon, but being a new Vehicle it usually takes a while for the manufacture to get them the material.
Thanks for the comment. My inquiry was more of a question than a complaint. I need to take my van in for service next week and was trying to develop a check list of things to run by the service manager at the dealership, in order to save time and not have to take off for another day.
Hi again.... got home last night and a slip was on my front door from Fed Ex awaiting my signature. left the signed slip today and the wife says the package from Fed EX is a new mat for the rear of my Sedona... WAY TO GO KIA. How's that for an update !!! ... :>)
What did you do to get the mat? E-mail Kia, talk to your dealer or ??? I e-mailed Kia about a week ago and have not even gotten a response. I included my vin# and this way they can verify that I'm a legitimate Sedona EX owner. Maybe I'll get a surprise from Fed-Ex too? Please provide details and contact info.
Comments
Ok, 3 days late on 4/1 joke - it isn't available online or in my local store, and no price is listed.
A few inacurracies here and there. The one that stood out the most regarded the seats, which do roll on wheels.
Front end "thumping" sound: I too have noticed a slight sensation of looseness in the front end when going over bumps at lower speeds (i.e. in town). It almost feels like some "play" in the front ball joints or tie rod ends. I felt a similar sensation (although an order of magnitude stronger) in my old Caravan after 200,000 km.
Has anyone else felt anything similar? I'll be taking the van in for its first servicing (6000 km) very soon and I will mention it to the service manager.
I found the combined real time data from the owners are more accurate and more trust worthy than the one day tester in C&D or the CR.
Aaron Robinson from C&D, The Sedona may be too late for your party, hey, may be it is your time to pick up your garbage, life goes on! here, our party have just begun.
Thanks, gentlemen, for your info about the whine noise probably being the alternator. I'll have the service department take a look next time I go for an oil change. They tend to take us female types a little more seriously if we half way know what we're talking about.
Steve
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Below is picture of what it looks like.
http://home.att.net./~ftfernandez/sedona02/sedonasensors.jpg
I used the touch up paint to paint the covers, they are clear and paint them from the inside.
Any other questions, just ask.
I finally saw another Sedona in the school parking lot yesterday, and about wrenched my neck looking to make sure it wasn't a Windstar. I'm not the lone eagle anymore.
I'm very happy to hear that neither you nor your Kia sustained any damage when you were rearendend. My wife, unfortunately was not so lucky. While driving to work last week, she came up over a hill to find traffic stopped in front of her. Fortunately she was not going very fast (you can't go fast driving to work in Northern Virginia) and she hit the rear of the car stopped in front of her and was almost sandwiched by the guy behind her. As I said, fortunately she was not going fast and was uninjured. The car she "tapped" a '94 Toyota sustain only a slight bumper scratch and scrape (not even having it repaired).
Now for the Sedona:
No, the airbags did not deploy so that should give an indication of the low speed she was driving at, however, I got the call from the body shop (Kia dealer also) on Friday and the estimate is over $5000! Vehicle will need, new bumper, interior bumper frame parts, new hood, body work on both fenders, radiator, AC parts (I think he said the condenser?). Anyway, when I got to the scene I was AMAZED at what the front of the Sedona looked like compared to the rear of the Toyota. Absolutely incredible! Total crunch!
Again, fortunately no one was injured. This was my wife's first accident in over 25 years of driving and she's pissed that she smacked up her new car.
Fortunately we have great insurance, and if this every happens to you, I hope you do too!
Finally note, eta on work being done, 3+ weeks.
I checked the oil level in our Sedona EX with 1,500 miles and it is about 3/4 full. I think someone mentioned they checked their oil in their Sedona and it too wasn't 4/4. Wonder if this coincidence or if some oil gets burned during the initial break-in period or if Kia is not shipping the Sedonas out with 4/4 oil. No leaking oil is suspected (my garage floor is dry).
Does anyone know how much the 3rd row floor mats cost?
Thanks.
Did you use the screws to secure the sensors to the bumper or is the sticker tabs sufficient to hold em on ? How high from the grond is your sensors , is less than 16 inches ok ? One other thing Im a bit nervous about crimping the unit power wire to the reverse wire is there a special tool for this ?
Had the oil changed today ... asked the sales manager to look into why I didnt get a rear floor mat after relaying message from Kia about vans bought in February, he said he would call on Monday and get back to me.. will update.
Anyone had problem with getting the mid row captains seat back in after takin it out ? I was "learning" how to move them around and the back row was no problem but I had a tough time getting the captains mid row seat back into the guide. The seat kept sliding forward .. I finally got it back in but ( dont laugh too hard ) it took me about 15 minutes.. I didnt attempt to try the other one.. sorry to hear about that crash.. seems like a lot of damage for such a small "fender bender".. oh by the way I spotted another Sedona Ex in my town.. white like mine but with the tan cladding and it has a spoiler... haven't seen the driver , will say hi when I do ,find out how they like the van and tell em about this board .. peace and Happy Easter ~ .... :>)
OUCH! I know it's very discouraging to have your new vehicle wrecked. I had an uninsured driver wreck a brand new Dodge Power Ram I just had for less than two weeks. Didn't even have it licensed yet.
It wasn't clear to me in your post, did the driver behind hit you as well, and what kind of damage did the rear of your Sedona take? If so, it sounds like they may have compounded the damage to your front by shoving you into the Toyota.
I made the costly mistake of parking a Plymouth Voyager on my husband's side of the driveway and forgot to tell him. When he pushed the garage door opener, he went to back his Toyota out as usual and CRUNCH. Sounds like we had very similar damage. Total front replaced(cause everything was made of plastic), radiator, airconditioning etc. Unbelievable damage for very little speed involved. We had to visit the salvage yard to get the hood.
What does Toyota make their bumpers out of anyway-Titanium?
Glad your wife wasn't hurt and am relieved to hear that the airbag wasn't trigger happy.
Well, I took my Sedona out on the first trip with the new bike rack yesterday. This is the one I attached to the Class II trailer hitch. Worked great; no problems. With Excelent3's advice (where's he been, anyway?), I got my hitch from etrailer.com
http://www.etrailer.com/fitguide.htm
and installed it myself with hardly any damage to flesh and bone. Someone else, I forget who, got a better price from JC Whitney, I think, so if you're interested, check them, too. I know we've covered this ground before, but I thought I'd repost it, since we're up to almost 1500 messages.
On the fuel capacity issue: last week, I intentionally went past the flashing "need gas" light phase, drove until the light stayed on steadily, and on even farther until I was white-knuckled and teeth-clenched, afraid I'd be out of gas any second. The needle on the gauge was just barely touching the bottom edge of the "E" line. When I filled it up.........only fit in 17.24 galllons. According to the owner's manual, the tank's capacity is 75 liters, which is 19.8 gallons. So, despite pushing way past the comfort zone (I was driving in an area full of gas stations; I'm not a totally moronic masochist), I still had more than two gallons of gas left in the tank! Does this fit with everyone else's observations? In a way, I think too much early warning is counter-productive, because it makes me think, "Ah, I can go a long way after the needle's on E", and then suddenly end up in the "OH NO!" zone.
Very busy time for me hauling campers with my Sedona from and to everywhere. I have now almost 7000 miles since my Jan 13 purchase date. I still think the seats are uncomfortable. There is a steel rail about 1/4 inch thick that runs about 3-4" in from the outside edge of the seats, from front to back. It jabs me in the hamstring area and I find myself shifting from time to time. My Previa seats were far superior. Other that THAT, no complaints. Excellent towing van, great power. There is no better front wheel drive mini van for towing out there, not even close.
In the time we've owned our EX (since July 27), we've been virtually trouble free. Roof rack whine (fixed by dealer w/silicone), bum radio (cheerfully replaced) and that's it. Since ours was one of the first ones sold (the 2nd one in Oklahoma), just want to go over some of the comments.
1. Engine whine: The power steering pump whines. So does a Ford. So does a Lexus. Any noise other than that, better check with the dealer.
2. Road noise: If you're enjoying the superb music system, who can notice. For those of you who drive in silence, ok maybe there IS a bit of wind sound, but not obnoxious. The Hankook tires are REALLY loud on concrete, but have held up well. 5-tire rotated at 10K, will do again at 20.
3. Floor mats: Ours came with all 3 rows. Also the first-aid kit. Maybe the plan was to have them on EX and not LX or something. BELIEVE ME, Kia shipped them with the first ones sold. Good luck on getting them to supply you with them!
4. Just bought a Bosch oil filter at Autozone for it. About $6.
5. Heat and air control: Quirky but more than adequate.
6. Dealer service/sales/parts department: SUPERB!
7. Airbag problem: The Sedona/Carnival has been in worldwide production for about 4 years, with LOTS sold and with ONE case of an airbag deploying too soon. Look, guys, you can't be GUARANTEED that ANYTHING in life is an absolute. The bag went off in the fail-safe mode: it WORKED. If somebody had been sitting unbelted in the seat, the bag probably would have saved their head from a nasty bump. The point is that it WORKED. The REAL problem would have been if it DIDN'T. So quit whining and providing fodder for the legal leeches that are ruining the American justice system.
Frankly, we're still very impressed with the industrial revolution that South Korea has pulled off in the last 50 years, and our Kias stand in the forefront of what dedicated and talented people can do.
There. Off my soapbox, now.
Thanks in advance.
The heat exhausts from the right rear passenger saddle bag/wheel housing. There are slats in the housing near the floor behind the right middle row seat. When the RR heater switch is not depressed, the air exhausts through the ceiling vents. I would never leave the RR heater depressed with a fan speed of 0. The common belief here is that the rear heat is provided by an electric heater element. One would be well advised to keep air flow going over those coils when the RR switch is activated.
akwilliams: I will keep the group posted as to any delays in parts morn the Sedona repair. Will also keep everyone up to date on how she looks and drives afterwards. When our oldest got wrapped in my old Taurus a few years ago I had some body work done at the same place, Chener Lincoln/Merc/Kia and they did an outstanding job. The estimator has told me that the $5100 breaks down to about half parts, half labor and paint.
marcolius: I agree with you regarding the "early warning system" in the gas gauge/warning light/DTE. On our trip to and from FLA two weeks ago I usually filled up when the DTE said we had about 50 miles left on the tank and the gas gauge had been on E for quite a while. Only once did I put in more than 16 gallons, most of the times between 12 and 14. Again, not being that familiar w/ the vehicle I didn't feel like running out of gas on I95, however I could have gone a lot further. I too think the E reading on the gas gauge is too premature IMHO.
To get warm air from the rear of the vehicle, you must press the "RR Heat" button on the dash (it's to the right of the radio). When you do this, the word "HEATER" lights up below the fan-speed dial. The warm air comes out near where the 3rd row right-side passenger's feet would be.
The 4 vents next to the rear reading lights are intended to push cooler air.
I'm not disagreeing with you, but I'm wondering why leaving the RR Heat button on and the fan speed set to zero is a bad idea. Sounds like great information/advice, but I must admit I don't understand the underlying reason.
On a similar note, there are heat vents attached to the front passenger system, located under the driver and passenger seats, which deliver engine-based heat to the middle row. I discovered these vents quite by accident since they are rather non-descript. Not a good place to put something that does not like heat, like a diaper bag with pre-prepared milk bottles, or anything else perishable. For those of us with child seats, it is tempting to put bags of whatever between the middle seats and the front seats since there are no feet that need the space. That will cause a tendency to block heated airflow to the rear passengers in addition to possibly making that item very warm. (If I am being confusing, these vents under the front seats have nothing to do with the RR Htr button, but I thought I would throw in this information.)
I'm not complaining, but these are little anecdotes that are omitted in the owner's manual.
The rear lights have to be turned on AT the light, by depressing each light in a toggle fashion. After that, they can be controlled by the switch to the left of the radio, or by opening the doors.
Hi Fred. Busy season, huh? You gonna come out and visit us this summer?
Just as an aside are you all really sure that the rear heater is electrically powered? You have to bear in mind that I do not own a Sedona so I don't necessarily know what I'm talking about but I find it hard to believe that the rear heat is electrically derived when there is a plentiful supply of waste heat available not 10 feet away (the engine). Also I find it hard to believe that Kia decided to load the van's electrical system in that way since to keep the occupants of the van warm in winter we have to be talking at least 1kW I'd have thought.
Kia recommends 35 psi for all 4 tires. My U.S. Sedona has a sticker in the driver's doorjamb with this (and some other) information.
Some folks run at higher pressure than the manufacturer's recommendation. Personally, I would be comfortable going to about 37 psi for slightly lower rolling resistance and slightly higher fuel economy (perhaps on a long highway trip), at the expense of slightly worse handling and firmer ride. I would not really want to go 5 psi above the recommendation (that would be 40 psi), though.
when they're finished they can just press it again to shut off the light. ... :>)
Hey, I just had a thought, and all the conspiracy theorists will love it! Read your Sedona manual, then read ody1's posts. I'll bet he wrote the manual! No wonder we're having such a hard time figuring stuff out. Man, the lengths these people will go to sabotage a poor, hard-working car buyer.........
If I remember my basic electricity theory, watts = volts x amps. Thus to get even the heat of an average hair dryer (1,000 watts) out of the rear heater the 12-volt van system would have to provide 83.3 amps. I believe that the heaviest auto fuse that I have ever seen is about 30 amps.
Lights:
Our rear lights seem to come on only with the dash switch, regardless of whether or not the lights are individually "pushed" on. I'll try it again with the headlight switch on & van running.
Thanks for spelling out the consequences of a 1kW electrical heater in the rear. My training is in Electrical and Electronic Engineering and I sometimes forget that not everybody will understand the implications of trying to run a 1kW heater from a car electrical system. That is one reason that I doubt the rear of the Sedona is electrically heated the other is the fact that the engine is already producing large amounts of waste heat that may be used for heating. Another consideration is that to generate that 1kW of electricity the alternator would probably have to absorb 2-3hp from the engine which in these energy conscious days is probably unacceptable. Does anybody have a good handle on how much heat is needed to keep the interior of a Sedona (or any other mini van sized vehicle for that matter) heated when the outside temperature is say -20C, that's around -4F for those south of the border.
The simple explanation of the dome light controls of the Kia Sedona owner's manual made me confused too, it works like this:
Case 1:
If the rear dome lights master control switch located on the center console is "on" (push in), if the door is open, all the rear dome lights are on with the dimmed element, if the rear dome light switch is "on", the bright and the dimmed elements inside the light are on.
Case 2:
If the rear dome lights master control switch located on the center console is "on" (push in), if the door is closed, all the rear dome lights are slowly dimming off, if the rear dome light switch is "on", the bright element inside the light is on. If the rear dome light switch is "off", it turns off at once.
Case 3:
If the rear dome lights master control switch located on the center console is "off" (normal position), all the rear dome lights are off, door status has no effect.
It may be more confused after you go through all the cases....
# 1421 courtesy of BB8...
I'll type these out and try to memorize them, but I'd like to be allowed to take the test open book.....
Also noticed yesterday when I braked coming to a red light on an incline facing downhill that I heard some kind of thumping sound.. is this normal ??
Speaking of lights .. I was heading up the I-93 Sunday morning before dawn and remembered about the fog lights, turned em on and was impressed how much more of the road I was able to see..
... :>)
Upon further review by the replay official, there is a whole bunch of piping! from the engine compartment to a junction box located behind the right rear tire well(which probably leads to the rear heat exchanger). There is what looks to be two .75" lines which I presume to be forced hot water (coolant) lines and two smaller lines of differing diameter (low and high pressure ) for AC.
WOW!
So, the RR HTR button probably activates a coolant bypass valve which sends warm liquid to the rear heat exchanger.
As for the DTE computer, that seems to work pretty well. The analog fuel gauge is what it is, analog. It does seem that it could use to be calibrated a bit better, but concerns me too little to worry about.
I have had some interesting brake issues. In stop and go traffic Friday night into DC (go figure), I was getting a vibration from the front brakes (I think) in the last half turn of the tires when I release some brake pressure to smooth out the stop. The brakes were pretty hot. On colder mornings, I did hear a noise from the right side of the vehicle when pressing on the brakes for the first 1/2 mile or so, then it's gone. I am a bit concerned that that could be water (frozen) in the brake line.
As long as you understand how the needle works, and it's consistent, there shouldn't be a problem.
This is not something that's important enough for me to ask my dealer to deal with it. In fact, I doubt that very much can be done, so my advice is 'don't let it bother you.'
How's that for an update !!! ... :>)