Kia Sedona (2005 and Earlier)

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Comments

  • yoloyolo Member Posts: 57
    I soluld have posted a link to the website for TSBs for those interested. Here it is.

    http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/tsb/service1.cfm?SearchTopic=Vehicle
  • marcoliusmarcolius Member Posts: 69
    OK, had my first mechanical problem. Check engine light went on while Orange-Haired Teenager was driving it. (Fred, I know I said I wouldn't let him, but I was busy and he needed to get to practice. He said.) He called and asked me what to do, and I told him, "Read the manual!" To make a long story short, we both tried re-tightening the gas cap, and the light stayed on, so I made a service appointment...and it went off. Stayed off. I asked the service guy, and said not to worry unless it came back on again.

    Soooo........while I was there, I got a couple spare keys made, and I went back in and talked to the sales manager. Told him I was a charter buyer, paid more than they seem to be going for now, have tried to refer business to them, yadayadayada; all those things we've talked about in this forum. And...could he see fit to get me a rear mat, since the Kia corporate response was kinda lame? His response? "No problem, sir; I'll order you one today, on us. Thanks for coming in!"

    So I guess it pays to be positive on those JD Power surveys.......

    Oh, and I also chose a Sedona over a T & C, despite being able to afford either. DC makes a nice van, when new; I'll admit it. Part of my hesitation was friends' bad experiences, part was bad experiences with the dealers, part was suspicion of their deceptive, fake "warranty" of 7 yrs/100 K miles, but mostly I just plain liked the Sedona. Fun to have something new, too, though mostly I'm a practical-oriented car buyer. And power doors hold no appeal to me, either.
  • mfbonomfbono Member Posts: 48
    My feeling is that most people that choose the Sedona can also afford any of the higher prices ones that are available.. I just think that the lower cost is one of the "benefits" that come with this van, not the main reason we bought em.... good posts today.... :>)
  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    You are right that you've probably "earned" that mat from your dealer. They made a pretty penny from your Sedona purchase, and you are doing them good by speaking highly of them. Glad to hear that they treated you right re: the mat.
  • claywaterfillclaywaterfill Member Posts: 534
    I said I was not starting a "Chrysler vs. Kia" thing, and I am not. I said the Sedona was a fine van. I have no problem with them at all. I owned a Sephia from 1995 until a couple of months ago and did not have any problems with it. I bought a new Voyager last May because we had to have a van ASAP and the Sedona was still a couple of weeks away from being out in any quantity. If I could have waited about another month, I'm sure I would have a Sedona myself. That being said, in the reader's poll, it's all about voting for the vehicle in each category that you would most want to own. In the mini van category, I would most want to own a T&C, so I voted for it. But, I do know the Sedona is good, so I voted for it in question 30. Good luck to all; and, remember to vote!!
  • yoloyolo Member Posts: 57
    claywaterfill, I know what you wrote and didn't take it as confrontational. I was just giving my reasons for buying a Sedona and relating it to a DC van that I have too. I like the Grand Caravan that we have but I think the Sedona is a better van for my family and I listed a few of the reasons why I favor the Sedona over the others. I'll admit that a couple were out of the ordinary but they factored heavily on our decision. Like I said, most people don't understand torque and are more swayed by higher hp figures which frankly don't mean as much as having higher torque at a lower rpm. Even with 3 kids (2,3 and 5 year old tomorrow) we liked the smaller size of the Sedona compared to some of the others that are larger. In 3 years it's paid off and with the generous warranty coupled with how relatively low mileage my wife puts on it and the attractive price, it's an excellent purchase for years to come. I have also never received such excellent cutomer service as I have with the whole purchase and ownership process with KIA. I have bought countless new cars in the past and this purchase ranks on top of all my previous experiences. I literally can't think of 1 negative in this whole KIA experience. I have never marked excellent for all the questions on the JD Powers surveys before but on the one I recently got for the Sedona I did with good reasons. I give credit where credit is due and I can also bit** with the best of them if not satisfied :)
  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    Hey, your views are welcome here! You are a good contributor to these boards and I welcome the occasional comparison of the topic vehicle vs. others.
  • mobilmacmobilmac Member Posts: 60
    still have to come back for the other problems, i brought it in for the appointment for service, i was so happy the a/c was acting up when i got their, they thought i was crazy because i was so excited, this is the first time i have ever had a car problem that showed up 10 miles before i got to the dealer, my a/c had not acted up for 2 weeks or more.

    I was screaming, i'm going to leave it running, "but you are not next sir" they keep sayig.
    i don't care how long it takes you to get to it, once i parked and turn it off and the tech restarts it, i figured it would start working properly and make a liar out of me.

    Verdict; low refrigerant, removed all of it, check for leaks, refilled it.
    The hesatation, pulling to the left, of course, they could not duplicate.
    Got to come back and leave it all day.
    Thats a hour drive for me to the dealership, but they were nice.
  • jlngwrjlngwr Member Posts: 51
    Gotta say, I like your style :)
  • austinsedonaaustinsedona Member Posts: 15
    I have to agree with the yolo on the service. The sales and service departments have been falling all over themselves trying to make sure that I'm happy. A few minor issues (cut on driver's seat, loose seat) on delivery of my Sedona forced me to return the van for an overnight stay with the dealer. They gave me a brand new Spectra as a loaner, even though I had signed a paper during my purchase that had "NO LOANER CARS" stamped on it, and they had the van washed, waxed, and ready by the next morning. They even ordered a "no-charge" replacement for the air-vent-looking cover behind the pass side rear seat that my wife broke while trying to transport a full tank of propane from the store. Add to that Mr. Stapleton's rapid response on the third row mats (sorry pre-Feb purchasers) and I can say they are definitely one of the better auto makers that I have had to deal with. I just wish they were a little more conveniently located.
  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    I just wish they were a little more conveniently located.

    My thoughts exactly! As Kia continues to grow, so will their dealer base. I look forward to having Kia dealerships more conveniently located, for service reasons.
  • claywaterfillclaywaterfill Member Posts: 534
    When replacing my 7 year old Sephia a couple of months ago, people asked me why I did not et another Kia since I was so pleased with my first one. I said the number one reason was lack of proximity of a dealer. The closest one is about a 25 minute ride from me--in the opposite direction of work no less. I wasn't going to do it. I read something interesting in the paper this morning. There are some "automotive consultant experts" predicting that due to Hyundai and Kia's big sales growth recently (Hyundai was up 40% last year when the market as a whole was down 1.3% and is up 20% so far this year), some dealers who have Oldsmobile now may look to add Hyundai and/or Kia lines when Olds disappears. That would be great for me as there is an Oldsmobile dealer about 2 miles from me!
  • mobilmacmobilmac Member Posts: 60
    Has anyone bought a bra for their sedona other than from the dealer, they want $124.00 here.
    Is that a decent price.

    I thought maybe someone knew a alternative where i could find a better deal.

    My hood is starting to look like woody woodpecker lives here, from all the rocks that take target practice at paint on my hood.

    Any info would be appreciated.
  • momonthegomomonthego Member Posts: 14
    You might try ebay for your bra, I saw this one on there:


      http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/ebayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1826617754&r=0&t=0

  • jhan759jhan759 Member Posts: 24
    I was curious from the sound4him's post on the potential of getting a second keyless entry for our Sedonas. As bluedevils noted we had been told that the "system" would only accept the use of one keyless remote. I figured I'd drop our friend Mr. Stapleton a line and see what he had to say.

    Here's his response:
    "The vehicle computer system is not equipped to handle two remote codes at one time which is why you are unable to get two remotes when you purchased your vehicle. The 2003 Model will
    include two Keyless remotes.
    Sorry if this has caused any inconveniences"

    For all of you computer programmers out there, how difficult do you think it would be for Kia to reprogram our 2002 models to accept two remote codes.
    Maybe someone on this board could figure it out and sub contract their services to Kia!
    I want my cut though, or at least a free upgrade :)
  • mobilmacmobilmac Member Posts: 60
    I'll check it out
  • momonthegomomonthego Member Posts: 14
    Ok, for $160 and about 4 hours without our van while it was at Circuit City we now have dual keyless remote as well as remote start. Woo hoo !!!! I am excited. I am tempted to fax a copy of my receipt to Kia. I wonder if their other vehicles don't come with dual keyless remote ? I could *maybe* see it if this were a sporty vehicle... but it's a MINIVAN !!!! What were they thinking??? These are usually purchased and driven by two adults and not always two adults who are together since at my house kids need to go different directions at all times for things. Hence my screen name. :) It's just that sometimes Dadonthego has the van and sometimes I have it and we didn't want to always be passing the fob back and forth. How ridiculous. Have a great weekend everyone. :)
  • sound4himsound4him Member Posts: 6
    After reading all the post about not being able to get 2 FOBs. I called my service dept. on Fri., b/c I did not want to waste my time on Sat. They assured me it could be done. I got there Sat. morning, it looks like I wasted my time. the tech said it couldn't be done. I should of just listen to the posts, I guess I'm stubborn. Oh well, I have a spare remote incase I lose my good one and the dealer is less then 5 minutes away....
  • newvan2newvan2 Member Posts: 30
    Bluedevil
    Reading your post on floor mats really burns me since I did buy my loaded EX on Jan 30th and cannot get Kia to part with a mat. They are steadfast on FEB 1 or later.

    Momonthego. I am going to do the keyfob remote start thing. I am going to do it because the 15ft keyless entry range is a joke.
    $160 for the remote start etc...is a good deal.
    I was quoted 5hrs at $60/hr at ABT in Morton Grove, IL plus $100 for the Audiovox remote.
    I may do it myself???
  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    Hey, I'm sorry you didn't get the mat. I'm sorry that anyone who has bought a 2002 Sedona was deprived of a standard 3rd row mat.

    But the cold answer is that manufacturers do this kind of mid-model-year change all the time. Usually it's on a bigger scale than a simple floor mat, so the changes are more obvious and not as subtle/minor. Subtle/minor can be more annoying, partly because you don't notice right away that you missed out on something that the other guy got.

    I'm not trying to be mean about it; all I'm trying to do is get people to understand why it is done and that many manufacturers do it from time to time.
  • mc126mc126 Member Posts: 13
    Don't mean to be a smarta** but why does it matter if the key less only works 15 ft? I would certainly have preferred two fobs but if I am getting in/out when using it why does 15 ft make a difference?

    Also I remember someone posted regarding installing a hitch that was particularly easy to install, anyone have idea what number those posts were? Also does it install under the spare tire or is it behind it? Does it interfere with raising lowering spare?
  • hj92606hj92606 Member Posts: 14
    I purchased 2002 Sedona a week ago, and got 2 keyless remote, 2 keys & 2 valet keys. (It seems like few people did get only one..)
    The remote is simple to use, but I cannot lock while a door is open. In order to 'lock', I have to push the lock button only after all doors are closed. This is little inconvenient when traveling with baby.
  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    hj92606, do both remotes function properly? Are they the Kia remotes, or an aftermarket unit?

    As for the locking feature from the remote not being available when a door is open, I think this is fairly common. Our 98 Isuzu Trooper is the same way. I'm not sure WHY it's done, though.
  • hj92606hj92606 Member Posts: 14
    Those remote came with the car and look like factory remote. Both remote works. However, I did not try to use them interchangeably. I'll test them tonight....

    I have 2001 Hyundai XG300, now it owns Kia, its keyless remote 'locks' even when door is open, as below. It is real convenient.
    (1) Open back door.
    (2) Press 'lock' button - locks all door at this time
    (3) Pick up baby, or handfull of goods, and close the door.
    (4) Then the door is (already) locked, and alarm is now set with blinking lights.
  • crkeehncrkeehn Member Posts: 513
    Why can't the Sedona come with two remotes? If they were like the remotes that came with my wife's Chrysler, they are merely programmed to the same frequency, for all intents and purposes they are the same remote. In fact additional remotes and security keys can be programmed for the Chrysler and I would think also for the Sedona.
  • mcperrmcperr Member Posts: 74
    FWW our Kia remote functions for a much greater distance than 15 ft. I have no problem unlocking the van across the street from our doorstep (approx 10m/35ft). Wife doesn't let me drive the van enough to warrant a 2nd fob.

    Hitches: just had a Hidden Hitch installed (Part No. 90995) Real clean installation, tucks up tight to bumper behind spare. No interference with spare. Funky-looking bracket to clear tailpipe. Appears to share some mounting points with the exhaust system, so you may have to support that while installing hitch.
  • sarcedsarced Member Posts: 1
    I just want to know if I should or not buy a Kia Sadonna. I read the news and it's all about key less entries for the van. But is the van really good... Sorry for my English spelling. From: Québec, Canada
  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    The dealers have given some of us a lame explanation along the lines of 'the computer can only recognize and store the info from one remote at a time.' That makes no sense to me. I'm inclined to think that keyless remotes work basically as you explained it.

    It seems strange but, sadly, true.
  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    Why don't you tell us what you are looking for.

    Most folks here think the Sedona is a very good minivan. That's no surprise, because most of us own a Sedona!

    Seriously, I think the van has many good points and not many bad ones. Powerful engine, 5-speed automatic transmission, lots of standard features, low price, great warranty, etc.

    Some things you cannot get: TV/VCR/DVD player factory-installed and power sliding rear doors.

    The Sedona is not the biggest minivan on the market. It has plenty of room for our family (me, wife, baby girl, and 75-pound dog), but if you have 4-5 people and need to carry a LOT of cargo, you may need something bigger such as the Honda Odyssey, Dodge Grand Caravan, or long versions of Olds Silhouette/Chevy Venture/Pontiac Montana. I don't know if those are all available in Canada; I'm in Michigan.

    Most people seem pleased with the service from their local dealers, which is a big plus.

    If you have more questions, just ask.
  • newvan2newvan2 Member Posts: 30
    MC126***It matters for several reasons. Double checking doors are locked.
    Unlocking the doors from inside the house while watching the kids and the spouse is unloading the car?
    Using the horn alert for security reasons in a dark lot/garage.
    Don't mean to waste space here but he asked.

    ***Bluedevil, I think that you must work for Kia. Don't get me wrong I really like my Sedona. I think it is funny how much time has been spent on the third row mat. As a matter of reality here is some perspective.
    20K car....Manuf can't kick in the third row mat?
    The car was released in August, how many and how much could it possibly cost Kia to send out a mat to those who request it, retro the initial vehicle deployment. That is in the history of the Sedona, five months of users. Kia and or the special Mr. Stapleton is fedex overnighting a mat to those that request. Do you know that shipping is possibly more costly then the mat itself. Therefore, fedex ground the mats and belly up and ship mats to the rest.
    This is hysterical, that there is more talk about a mat or a fob and not the reality of the headrests that obstruct the drivers view. I am sure that the headrest issue will resurface...
    Are there any Canadian Kia owners on this board that have the Sedona running boards. Any one know of where or how to get these in the states?

    MC126***these would be used to more easily get in and out of the vehicle.
  • mc126mc126 Member Posts: 13
    mcperr- Thanks for info. Where did you buy hidden hitch? on-line or at dealer? Curious about cost if you don't mind sharing. Found one at etrailer for 109 + shipping.

    NewVan2-Maybe I should get me some of them there running boards. I am kinda short 5'7 1/2". Seriously I wasn't trying to be funny. I just didn't/don't see the big deal regarding how far it reaches. However, I concede that it would be more convenient. I guess I don't notice the inconvenience because my wife has the fob.

    As for inconvenience, my wife constantly complains when we travel together that the door/window lock from driver's side also controls passenger side and/or that passenger side does not have its own controls to lock/unlock doors. I agree, but she has yet to take me up on my suggestion to email her complaint to KIA.
  • carsonsmomcarsonsmom Member Posts: 3
    I just picked up my new Sedona EX yesterday. I love it! Only problem I am having is when I get up to certain speeds on the highway, the back end is shaking. I can look in the rearview mirror and see the back seats shaking. I am going by the dealership today so that they can look at it. The alignment is fine, so we will see what they say. Everything else seems great. I have to get used to having a gas guzzler again...but I am sure it will be worth it.

    Thank you to everyone that posts on here. You gave me such valuable information and I have learned so much about my new Sedona from you.

    Oh....they gave me 2 key remotes. He said they usually don't do that and he was not sure why they handed me 2, but I wasn't complaining after seeing how hard they are to get from the posts on here. I also got the 3rd row mat, but I think that is standard now.
  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    No, I don't work for Kia. I hope you believe me. I'm a longtime Edmunds Town Hall participant and I don't work for any automotive concern.

    Yes, it would make sense for Kia to just give the mat to all existing owners who don't already have one. It wouldn't cost that much and it would be a good, although very minor, PR move.

    I will stop talking about the 3rd row mat as soon as people stop complaining about not getting one, or about how silly it is that some people aren't getting one. As long as people keep bringing up this issue, I will keep posting and re-posting my views on it.
  • carsonsmomcarsonsmom Member Posts: 3
    I spent 2 hours at the dealership today and they rotated and balanced my tires. Now....the shimmey is in the front of the van, which I felt after leaving the dealership. The mechanic doesn't seem to feel it, but I do. I told him I may be sensitive to it, but that I think it is one of the tires....which is what I told him when I brought it in the first time. I really do think there is a defective tire or rim. I am taking it back tomorrow. I am remaining hopeful which is hard to do since I lose patience easily when mechanics can't correct something. We will see!! The shimmey causes the steering wheel to shake.
  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    I'm no mechanic, but I can't think of much else besides a troublesome tire or wheel that would cause the shimmy to move from the rear of the vehicle to the front.

    Your theory seems logical to me.

    I presume you've verified correct and consistent tire pressure on all 4 tires and you see no visible defects on any of the wheels?
  • andrdandrd Member Posts: 13
    I`ve been reading posts on the Sedona for a while before making a decision, I previously owned 2 DC minivans since 1991, and I had nothing to complaint about, but I found there was to many of them on the road and I wanted something else.
    After test driving the Caravan, MPV, Venture, I didn`t like the blend style of the Sienna, I bought a Sedona 2 weeks ago, knowing it is a gas guzzler as I drive around 11K Kms a year; I need a mini van that can tow a tent trailer without having to stop every hour to cool down the trannie like the DC`s minivans.
    My wife didn`t wanted another Caravan and there is 2 others friends of her who had a Caravan and just recently bought something else. I don`t say the Caravan is a bad mini van; I think the Sedona just give me more for my money. When I said to the DC`salesman that I was going to buy the Sedona, he told me ``those Kias are just piece of crap that where falling apart after 2K miles``.
    Beside the high fuel consumption and a slight hesitation once in a while at a start, I have nothing to complaint and I think Kia has put together a good vehicle that will served me well for the next 5 years.
    BTW, the cruise now come as a standard feature on the LX here in Canada.
    My dealer has installed running boards on his shuttle bus, they don`t look nice, it looks more SUV style with just a round piece of pipe; I don`t known if they are Kia`s running boards or just something that`s been adapted for the Sedona.
  • mcperrmcperr Member Posts: 74
    I paid $175 Hudson Bay Pesos for the Hidden Hitch, which is about $110 USD. This was at "wholesale" rates as I used my employer's company name. The etrailer price sounds reasonable as a retail rate. (They installed my hitch for $25, which is a lot less than my skinned knuckles are worth!).
  • jhan759jhan759 Member Posts: 24
    I had the same problem with our Sedona shimmying. As bluedevils suggested, check the tire pressure. The pressure in ours was very high 42-44 psi in each tire. Once I dropped that down to the recommended level of 35psi we noticed a huge difference in shakes, shimmies, rattles, and overall riding comfort.
  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    Tires are frequently way overinflated when a customer takes delivery of the vehicle. The theory I've heard is that the vehicle will bounce around less when it's in transit (on a boat, on a truck) if the tires are pumped way up.

    The dealers will remember to shine the exterior of your vehicle, but they often forget the important things such as setting the correct tire pressure.

    Our Sedona was delivered with about 45psi in all 4 tires. That's way too much.
  • marcoliusmarcolius Member Posts: 69
    mc126:
    I got my Hidden Hitch from e-trailer for $109, and installed it in about an hour. It wasn't hard at all, though some knuckle skinning was involved. And I'm not particularly Joe Gearhead.

    The lock button on my passenger side door unlocks and locks all of the doors. When did you buy yours? If you look at earlier posts, we noticed that vans purchased earlier seemed not to have this feature.
  • hoyahenryhoyahenry Member Posts: 399
    The lockout switch on our Grand Am works the same way - the front passenger is demoted to non-window control mode. I say this only to show that it is not a Kia only "feature".

    Let us know if the passenger door lock inside lever does not toggle all of the locks. It should also do so from the exterior with a key.
  • bbailey9999bbailey9999 Member Posts: 6
    The passenger side lock button on my EX purchased the Saturday before last will also lock all doors.
  • casselmancasselman Member Posts: 8
    Kia has sent a technical bulletin to its service centers to fix the hesitation at start problem (I believe it is a software fix).

    I had this fixed this past Monday during a routine service. I was still at the Dealer's service center for only 90 minutes.
  • jcrider2jcrider2 Member Posts: 46
    To Carsonsmom: ..... Have the dealer check the tire pressure and if ok then have him take the spare tire and put it on one of the front wheels and see if that cures the probblem. If not have him move the spare to the other side and try it agin. You know its in the front end now since you had the tires rotated so switching the spare in into the rotation should help troubleshooting.
    I just finished another 2500 mile trip to Fla. and have no complaints in 11000 miles. except for a slight shudder when the transmission shifts from 3th to 4th gear. The tech at the dealer put the analyzer on the van and drove it but nothing showed up , but loged it in his computer so that in the future if it gets worse its been noted.
    I saw a mat at Advance Auto Parts yesterday for $19.95 that would fit the third row seats in both tan and gray colors.
  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    I'm not too handy either, but am interested in a trailer hitch for the Sedona. You said the job took about an hour; were you working alone, or did you have a helper?
  • newvan2newvan2 Member Posts: 30
    I only have a door lock on the driver side. Is there one on the passenger side now?
  • bbailey9999bbailey9999 Member Posts: 6
    The power lock on passenger side is not a button, but looks like a manual locking mechanism and is located with the inside door handle. However, when pushed into the lock position, all four doors and the liftgate also lock. At least this is how it works on my EX purchased 1½ weeks ago.
  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    Our passenger door lock switch functions the same as bbailey9999 described.
  • mcperrmcperr Member Posts: 74
    Has anyone discovered a seat cover that fits the leather Sedona seats well? I prefer sliding over sticking in the summer.
  • vanphanvanphan Member Posts: 41
    Has anyone looked into the $30 mud guards available from Kia? It's only a matter of time before rocks will eat up the underside paint behind the rear tires. I'd get them in an instant if I knew you could paint them to match the vehicle. Does anyone know if paint will stick to these?

    Also, my rear cargo light won't operate in the 2nd (middle) position, when the hatch is opened. It works in the 3rd position (on all the time), though, and it turns off (1st position). I guess it will be one of the few things I'll have Kia service look at when I take it in for it's first free oil change at 3000 miles.

    I had the Draw-Tite class III round tube receiver hitch installed on the van about a month ago from a local installer. I thought a long time about installing it myself, but with this hitch, two holes must be drilled into the frame. I went with the Class III because I wanted the 2" receiver so we could share accessories with our other vehicle. It looks pretty good, but it does hang down lower than I had expected. It comes real close to the exhaust pipe but I haven't seen any problems with it. I saw it also from etrailer.com for $120.
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