We now have about 1500 miles under our belts and can't say enough good things about this van. I traded in my "lemon colored" VW Passat for the Sedona and couldn't be happier (I also own a 98 Kia Sephia which, according to some publications, is hardly a car). All I know is that my 98 Sephia that I paid $8000 has been in the garage less than the $21,000 98 Passat that I unloaded recently. I had to convince my wife to even consider the Sedona--she was Toyota/Honda or nothing for quite some time. She went and took a test drive and became a believer. I will never tell anyone that they made the wrong decision buying another minivan--I just know that we made the right decision for us.
For some reason, I thought there was a third dome light in the front, separate from the driver and passenger side dome lights that are each controlled by a push-button on/off switch. There isn't. I just sat in our van (EX, U.S. model, with moonroof - I think the moonroof models get a slightly less feature-packed overhead console (e.g. no sunglass holder).
Here's how the front 2 dome lights work on our van: When the Door/Off switch is on Door, the 2 dome lights illuminate when a door is open and stay on until all doors are closed (then they slowly dim until totally off). If one of the two on/off buttons is pressed, it toggles between regular and slightly brighter light. When the switch is on 'Door' and a door is open, the only way to shut off the lights is to close the doors. I.e. you cannot totally turn off the light with the on/off switch.
When the switch is set to 'Off,' the lights do not illuminate when a door is opened. The toggle on/off pushbutton switches (one for driver-side light, one for passenger side) will turn the dome lights on or off.
I'm not sure why I bothered to type all that. I guess it's because I like our van and I like talking about it!
Okay, it happend to me, didn't i read a couple of earlier post concerning windshields cracking.
Here's the story, me and the wife stopped at wendy's to get a frosty, the temp outside was about 76 degrees, we were parked away from traffic enjoying our treat, when we heard this unusual noise,(sounded like a lid popping off a bottle).
I had no idea what or where the sound came from, got out and walked around my van to no avail.
The next morning, we noticed a linear crack that started below the black trim, bottom center of windshield. The crack is directly above where the passenger side wiper attaches.
They claimed something struck it and the heat made it crack. I told them i didn't buy that, the high for that day was 76 degrees, i was in the van when it happend, and the area they claim as the impact spot is below the wiper blades. Why should i file a claim, if its a defect. The service manager said, i could wait until the kia rep comes in mid october to make a determination.
I went by a glass shop to get their take on this dilemma, they said "stress crack" not from impact. The glass shop informed us, they handle all glass repairs for the kia dealership, how ironic.
I wanted to get that in writing, but there is always a conflict of interest.
I want your comments on this, wake up gang. I have 12.7k miles on my sedona. Who else has experienced this and refer to similar post. Thanks
There's a "pen" test a glass company could do and give you a note on their order form. I forget the details, but there's a way to tell the difference between a stress crack on a windshield from an impact crack.
A friend of mine and I bought our Sedona's at approximately the same time. He immediately set out on a trip from ND to Arizona. As he was traveling down the interstate his windshield cracked from the bottom up for no apparent reason. He drove into the nearest KIA dealer (I think it was Kansas City) and they provided him with a loaner vehicle while they replaced his windshield. That dealer told him there was something under the glass that did,indeed, cause the windshield to stess crack.
Not sure if I ever read about this on this site but I can attest to the fact that it has happened.
A few months ago I thought I was the only person in town who saw the value of the Sedona. I was on the lookout for them, but never saw any. Now they are appearing on a regular basis, went to a soccer tourney today and actually saw three of them in one parking lot. Towed a 21' Sun-Lite Travel trailer over the weekend (loaded, just under 3000 lbs with eaze. Used a Class II weight Distribution hitch on a 1.5" Hidden Hitch. Great setup. As many of you know I tow alot of trailers because of my business and the Sedona is my main tool. I have towed over 40 units since February of this year and this van has performed flawlessly. The temp gauge barely moved even in 90 degree heat. I am so impressed with the power of this van, and that's on 87 octane. I am pushing 15,000 miles now and when I hit 20K I will be switching to a blended synthetic (Valvoline) I am also very impressed with the Hankooks, as far as how well they are holding up. Even with the additional duty they are performing it appears that they will make it to the 40,000 mile mark. For those of you seriously considering the Sedona, and you need to tow consider this. The Sedona is a superb towing van because of its excellent torque generated by the 5 speed transmission, 195 hp engine, frame design, and weight. This van holds the road exceptionally well in cross winds also, believe my I know. EX3
Iam wondering if someone knows the Customer Service Rep. for KIA North America name and E-Mail address. I want to purchase the service and electrical manuals and Helms manual co. who publishes manuals for all Auto companys. I called the phone number in the back of the owners manual and Helms tells me have never recieved the blueprints for the Sedona from KIA. The Dealer has manuals so someone publishes them somewhere.
I had my van in for a small leak of one valve cover`s gasket today and one other Sedona`s owner was questionning about the cracking windshield. The service rep. told him that the problem was with the EX model coze of the rain sensor; he said that the problem was fixed with the 2003 by using a thicker glass and if any 2002 models have the problem they will fixed it with the new windshield.
"models have the problem they will fixed it with the new windshield."
Now THAT'S CUSTOMER SERVICE!
Anyway, I was wondering, under heavy load, does the Sedona instrument panel thermometer travel anyway past the halfway mark? In our Sportage, I sometimes wonder whether it even works....................
And, someone posted earlier about the MIL smell. Did that ever come out of your van?
The temp. gauge on my Sedona is working properly even if it never goes over the halfway mark; the Sedona comes with a transmission cooler. I haven`t notice any MIL smell yet, I had a 1997 Plymouth Voyager before and after 3 years this problem occured after short trips with the A/C on. I have noticed a rotten egg smell from the exhaust about a month ago after a trip of over one hour on a very hot day (over 90 F) According to Kia`s service bulletin the sulfur in the gazoline is the problem, but I am wondering if this is true because the sulfur has been reduced by about 80% since last year?
Someone in this board had mentioned it before. I was just wondering whetherthe smell ever found its way out...
Sulphur WILL make that smell coming from the exhaust. It's actually coming from the Cat. Converter. It really smells bad. To me, it's WORSE than rotten eggs. Happens on every car.
The smell is due to the refining process for the gas you use. Its cheaper to leave the sulphur in the fuel. Try gassing up at different gas station for a few weeks and the smell should disappear. In Canada, they have a higher fuel standard, and I have not noticed a sulphur smell from any vehicle. The last trip I made to the States, after one week I noticed the smell.
andrd: I was wondering if the Kia dealer ever discovered the source of the tapping sound (Cummins Turbo Diesel-like) that you reported recently. Was it related to the Valve Cover Gasket problem? Has it recurred?
The tapping sound is not related to the valve cover gasket; it happened only once and my dealer doesn`t known what is the source of the noise. He was supposed to call Kia to find out if someone else has reported the same problem; but I forgot to ask if he got an answer from Kia. Each morning when I start the van I check and it is ok.
The leak on the valve cover gasket was only a sweat, there was no oil dripping on the engine or on the ground.
I was the poor soul who had to deal with the rancid remnants of "Ceasars Woman"...the perfume my MIL wore when she unmercifully visited us last summer for 64 days...my punishment for moving her daughter 1600 miles from "home".
Yes....I believe the smell has finally dissipated...
Therein lies my delemma...it looks as if she will be visiting us again in the near future...
However, I have politely requested that she not bring any of her perfumes....she can wear her daughter's brand.
As for the Sedona....nearly 25K miles....no significant problems.
I saw three new EX's today while ours was in for service. The only other differences I saw besides what excellent3 noticed was a new gas filler door. It's locking with the unlock button under the parking brake release handle. It also has a gas cap holder on the door. The other thing I noticed was chrome on the sliding door handles and locks. Also, besides the lower cladding being standard on EX, Homelink is now too.
I saw four new Sorentos, also. Very nice! I'm anxious to take a test drive!
We went out to Outback steakhouse and saw two other sedonas tonight. I am not sure if there were o2 or o3 models. The one in red had a temp dealer tag. My neighbor few houses down finally dumped quest and got a sedona. Another family few more houses down is considering dumping their problem rigged grand caravan and buying a sedona.
We just clicked our first 10,000 miles on our sedona. So far so good. No major or minor problem to report. We know we made a great purchase despite what hondawannies say about sedona.
One more item of interest. Our local Kia dealer started out as a Kia/Suzuki but now sells nothing but Kias
I just got my Kia sedona EX and i love it. I had a problem with the radio it stopped working so I took it into the dealer and they replaced it.
my question is as follows, the new radio has a different feature, when power it on it does not go directly to the previous setting it starts at level 0 and climbs to the last volume setting you had it on, other then that it looks ad feels exactly the same as the old one. Does anybody know of any differences with the KIA radios?
My radio does the same in my'02. That's probably the way it was intended to work.
I haven't seen a Sorento yet, I'll have to check with my dealer. It's to bad Kia doesn't make a pickup truck for the American market like Toyota, I'de be looking at it.
Vanphan- My '02 Ex has chrome door handles front and rear. I don't think thats a new feature.
Excelent3 - My '02 Misty Blue/Bright Platinum EX with all options except rear spoiler was built January 17, 2002 and has interior color (gray) handles and rocker locks on both rear sliding doors. The front door handles and locks are chrome. When was yours built? Do you have gray or tan interior?
I was under the impression you were talking about the exterior handles. Yes, my interior rear handles are not chrome, they match the beige interior. Sorry for the confusion! EX3
Based on what I have seen on other boards (Dodge, Chrysler, Ford, Chevy, etc.) and the problems they face we Sedona owners really have not much to complain about. There have argueably been no major, consistent problems. I think I mentioned previously in another post that a service advisor at a Dodge dealership whom I sold an RV to told me that 1 out of 10 Dodge (and Chryler) minivan transmissions fail!!!! This is a staggering number. I know owners who are on their 3rd transmission. Yes there are some issues such as the heater controls, windshield cracking,etc. but overall the Sedona has proven in comparison virtually trouble free.. Although it is a newer entry in the US market the Sedona has proven itself overseas in Australia and Europe beyond question for many years now. Sedona is outselling everyone in Australia which of course includes Honda and Toyota. I refer to us first year buyers as being members of the "Charter Owners" club. I believe we can feel very confident we chose a solid winner. EX3
Well excelent3 you can please add my name to the club! My wife and I just yesterday picked up a 2002 dark emerald green EX with the platinum accents with all options. We just love it. I can't believe I am this excited about a minivan - WOW! We just love all of the features and are so glad that we considered looking at the Sedona. Let us all raise a glass in a toast - lol!
A wise choice indeed. Good luck with your van. In fact green was my original choice. I opted for a Sappfire Blue. Get ready to hold on....the G-force is awesome! EX3
Yes, the volume ramps up instead of just blasting away on power up. By the way, I just found out yesterday that the input selection buttons (i.e., CD, AMFM, Tape) also turn the unit on. So, you don't have to turn it on and then select media - nice.
We purchased our Sedona EX in June (We're completely happy. No Problems!) The only complaint we have is we haven't received ANYTHING from KIA yet. What should we have received in the mail by now?
We just put 1k on the van. I'm amazed at how well the van picks up speed to be so heavy. The ride is very smooth. I was wondering someone was telling me that hyundai offered bumper to bumper 10y/100k $0 deductable for 500 dollars. I was wondering has anyone heard of Kia doing the same and if so what did they pay? We plan on keeping on van for the full 100k warranty and would be very interested in getting the full thing covered especially if its that cheap. Our dealer didn't offer one that is why I was wondering.
"hyundai offered bumper to bumper 10y/100k $0 deductable for 500 dollars. I was wondering has anyone heard of Kia doing the same and if so what did they pay?"
Yes, this is definitely true, and for Kia also. I believe there is a 6 month time limit on it, so if you want it, buy it now! We were offered it, but we decided that it wasn't worth it, since we were having a great time with reliability. We were also told $800.....so something was just plain wrong........
From day one, I've had problems with the operation of the keyless remote. Sometimes it will work fine, other times it absolutely refuses to operate. Of course Murphy's Law dictates that it works fine whenever I bring it in for service. I realize that the range of this remote is very limited, but mine would often not even work when standing right beside the vehicle (the receiver is apparently right behind the glove compartment).
First I tried replacing the remote battery - no difference. Then I got the dealer to buy and program a new remote - problem still existed. Next, he got the mechanic to completely remove the receiver and check all wiring connections - again, no change. He finally placed an order for a new receiver.
A couple of weeks later, with the receiver still on back order, the service manager called and said that one of his mechanics had just returned from "Kia School" and had learned how to fix this very problem. Apparently Kia has identified that the receiver is not adequately grounded. It is mounted on a plastic plate with a ground strap to the frame of the vehicle. The fix is to replace the plastic plate with a metal one that is bolted directly to the van's frame.
I picked up my Sedona from the garage on Friday, and what a difference! Not only is the keyless remote 100% reliable, the range has at least tripled. I can now easily lock/unlock my van from at least 50 feet away.
If anyone is having intermittent problems with their keyless remote (I believe Vanphan reported a problem recently), mention this fix to your service manager. The day that I had my fix done, there was another Sedona coming in to have the same modification performed, so I don't think this is an isolated problem. It takes about an hour and is (of course) fully covered under the warranty.
I have exactly the same problem with my keyless. Compared with my ex-Windstar, it sucks. I'll have to mention that to the service Mgr. But everything else is better that Windstar. After 2000 Km here is my verdict on my Sedona Ex Lux.
Pros:
1) Fun to drive - great pickup. 2) Great handling 3) Comfortable. 4) Great factory sound system 5) Still has the "new car smell" 6) Options galore
1) Gas mileage sucks (I knew that before I bought it though). 470 km with 65 litres. 2) 12 V outlets are not always on. ACC only. 3) No fuzzy logic like Windstar. 4) Intermitant keyless entry. 5) No anti-theft. 6) Poor rear-view vision (But that is due to great big seats in the back) 7) Rattling back seats depending on seat position.
Greetings to all the other people here who gave Kia a $20k+ vote on the purchase of the 2002 Sedona. Reading the positive reviews of the owners who have experienced good luck with their Sedonas has indeed added to my own satisfaction with the vehicle. We all took an expensive leap of faith with this new auto maker Kia. So far after putting on 1700 miles the only problem I can see is the ash tray door which pops open over every hard bump in the road. Other then that "livable" problem the van has performed flawlessly. Keep sending in the reviews as time goes on. Together we can share the experience and notify each other of any concerns...
Looked at the Sorento today. Sharp truck. The interior looks high quality in leather.
While I was at the Kia dealer I also looked to see any changes on the Sedona for 03. The only thing I knoticed was a sunglass holder intergrated into the Homelink panel making the panel longer.
Hi all. I noticed that when I take the key out of the ignition that my steering wheel does not lock. Is this normal? I also wanted to check and retorque my wheels to make sure that they are set to spec - does that cap in the center of the wheels just pry out? the book appears to be silent on this. I didn't want to inadvertently damage the caps. Thanks, mvfrank
I too checked out the Sorento today. Very spartan unit to say the least, 16" wheels with Michelins, perfectly flat when rear seats fold down. They utilized a more satin finnish on the imitation wood grain finnish. Leather interior is beautious. I was told it has 9 cross members as part of the same truck-ladder frame concept the Sedona utilizes. WOW. It weighs in at almost 4000 lbs. That's what I call building on a solid foundation. I believe the Sorento will prove itself as a real value much like the Sedona. I would also venture to say it will get a 5 star crash test rating. Hats off to KIA!
We traded our 99 Ford Windstar Saturday on a 2002 Kia Sedona EX.
The 99 was our second Windstar and before that we had an 89 Aerostar. I have nearly always driven Fords. I've had few problems - except with the Windstars.
I won't bore you with the details, but I will say that the 99 seemed a much better car than the 96 it replaced. So I tried to buy a 2002 Windstar, hoping that they would be even better than the 99s. With Ford offering $4000 rebates, or 0 per cent for 60 months, I figured we would have no trouble finding a nice van at our price. Wrong!
LX models with minimal options ranged in price from $27 - 28.5K. Best deal was about $22K after rebate, plus tag, tax, title, etc. A nicely equipped SE listed at $30K was offered for $24.5K.
Almost on a whim we decided to stop in at the Kia store on the way home. My wife loved the looks of the Sedona: a little smaller than the Windstar and sportier. The pricing blew us away! (Ignoring the dealer-affixed "Additional Markup" stickers [$2249 for LX - $2495 for EX]).
We picked up our Emerald Green/Platinum 2002 EX Saturday afternoon. It has Homelink, sun roof, and two tone paint. Final price: $20,485!
I hope it's a good car. One of the main reasons we bought it was because of the warranty. We've put 200 miles on it already and love it! I want that feeling to last - it didn't with the Windstars.
My Dealer sold me a warranty extension to 10yr/100k bumper to bumper with $0 deductible ($100.00 deductible if not serviced at the dealership) for $1025.00. I intend on keeping the vehicle for at least 10 years. No mention was made of Kia Motors offering an extended warranty similar to the Hyundai 10yr/100k bumper to bumper. Can I contact Kia directly for this warranty?
These are the differences I've seen or heard about so far. They were on an EX and some apply to LX as well. Some of these have been mentioned before:
* Portion on rear hatch over the latch in now all chrome instead of chrome and body color. * There are gas struts on the hood now instead of prop-up rod * Two push button switches are missing from dash around radio: Interior lighting Wiper defroster * New face on AM/FM/Tape/CD - Is it still made by Alpine or is it a Delco like Sorento?
A salesman told a friend of mine who bought a '03 EX the following: * New stabilizers / struts at front end to quiet front end noise * Tabs holding insulation on hood melts when fire is present and drops insulation on engine to help put out the fire
Noted on earlier posts: * Different taillights * Gas door: on-dash release under parking brake release * Gas door: cap holder on inside of door * Chrome on ashtray lid * Chromed interior handles and locks on sliding doors
The rework of the front suspension interests me. I've always complained that I could always hear and feel a rumbling from the front end whenever I'd go over the slightest bumps. I hope a fix for the '02 evolves from this.
#2432 Keyless remote by lagavulin... This is very good news indeed! Thank you for the post, lagavulin! I asked the service manager if he had heard about this fix yet. He hadn't. He asked me to fax him a copy of your post. He is going to ask around to find out more. Hopefully next time in they will do this for me. We do have a new remote due to the bracket breaking off and it hasn't failed yet. But when it does, I'll be in.
Hi all. We bought a 2002 Kia Sedona LX in June and we've enjoyed it a lot. People always ask if we really think it's a good car! I know it has a bad rap but some of that seems to be opinion-based rather than fact. We did have a problem with the battery the first two months. The radio would cut out and it would die the next time I stopped it. Kia roadside assistance leaves something to be desired as does the dealer service that is close to us. It took them 5 tries and a lot of inconvienence but they finally got it right. I don't know much about cars but from what I understood, the battery was not strong enough for the alternator. They replaced it with a better one and I haven't had a problem since. I'll keep my fingers crossed!
You all can add my name to the happy sedona owner list. 10,000 free miles so far.
Incase anyone does not know I would like to share a little truth about the manufactures road side assistance. All the manufactures road side assistance program is outsource to major auto clubs such AAA.
These big auto clubs in turn sends out local towing companies who are contracted with them. This is why you tend to see same local towing companies show up for different vehicles.
Cross Country auto club Handles Hyundai, Kia, Honda, chrysler, dodge to name a few. AAA handles all Gm vehicles and porsche.
So don't be disappointed with Kia's road side service. If you are driving a mercedes or bmw and pay thousands more, you will still see same local tow companies show up for road side.
The ten year warranty info was in the manual that came with our 2002 EX. The dealer also kept constantly mentioning yet.
The standard "bumper-to-bumper" Kia warranty in the U.S. is 5 years or 60K miles. The audio system and perhaps a few other things are limited to 3 year/36K miles. The 10 year/100,000 "long haul" warranty is for the powertrain only.
Your extended warranty upgrades that to "bumper-to-bumper" I suppose. Which is what it sounds like you wanted, right?
Hyundai offers an "Advantage Plus" warranty that extends the bumper to bumper out to ten years. Since KIA & Hyundai have merged I thought that KIA would offer the same program. I have been unable to talk to KIA directly on the phone but I have sent an e-mail request.
Great, helpful post. I bookmarked it and will print out and include with the list of items to be addressed next time our Sedona is at the dealer.
Our remote shows same behavior as yours - sometimes refuses to work regardless of distance, and sometimes works okay (though with extremely limited range). It's frustrating. I was disappointed to see the thing start working in the past couple weeks! I wanted it to be totally inoperable when I bring it to the dealer, so they would have to do something. But with the explanation you provided, a fix should be feasible regardless.
Bought our Sedona on 9/4 after much research and looking at other minivan models. Definitely the best bang for your buck! About the only other van I really fell in love with was the Windstar, but it would have cost approximately $10,000 more to get comparably equipped! The only thing we couldn't get on the Sedona that we really wanted was the entertainment system for our 2 1/2 year old. So guess what?! We took the $1000 rebate and had it installed and it works and looks great! For those like myself who may have been concerned about getting the overhead monitor installed with the sunroof, DON'T WORRY IT CAN BE DONE!
We have been very pleased so far except for a few nagging items that we've been trying to get fixed. Most of these problems though I attribute to our dealer more than the van itself. They could have probably had it all fixed the first time we took it back, but it's now been 4 visits and still working on resolving problems:
1) The keyless remote issue. Thanks to Lagavulin!! I have called Kia's 800 customer service number and am waiting for them to get back to me, but I'll definitely mention your post. Personally I just think my dealer's service dept. sucks and that's the biggest problem.
2) Lid on storage compartment on rear driver's side won't stay closed. They've orderd a new latch or something for it. We'll see if it fixes it.
3) Headrests on rear seats rattle. They already replaced the headrest clip on one (since it was missing) and have ordered for the other. We'll see if it stops the rattles!
Aside from these relatively minor problems we have been thrilled with the van. For a van it has GREAT pick-up off the line! I had a Grand Prix that we traded and the acceleration on the van is almost as good when you need it! Plenty of passing power too!
Paid $22,500 fully loaded, although we were up against another buyer in a cat fight for the van! Inventory was low on the 2002's and we just had to have it! Had we not been cat fighting I think we probably could have gotten it for 22K or maybe even a little less since invoice was $21,400.
We just saw the new Sorento and fell in love!! It is an AWESOME looking mid-size SUV. I think it looks remarkably like the Lexus RX 300, but even better! When it comes time to trade in our other car I will definitely be looking at the Sorento!
Is there any kind of a Kia Sedona owner's club or newsgroup that I can subscribe to?
They offered me something from kia which was called a wrap around to cover everything for 7/100k for 800 dollars. I called Kia and they told me they didn't have the warranty that hyundai did and that that is all they had. I went ahead and bought it because some of the things on the kia are just warranted for 2/24k alot of the sensors and emissions is. With the wrap around it took care of that. I also was wanting to know from kiafan where did you get your entertainment system installed I called best buy and they said they would ge back with me becuase they haven't installed one yet on a kia just got a dealership in our kia area so I was wanting to know the brand of the system and who did it? Thanks all
Back in August, we took a 2 week trip to Pennsylvania and I had the chance to both ride in and drive my aunt's new Sedona.
First of all, let me explain what happened. About a year and a half ago, they bought a 2000 Chevy Astro AWD after retiring so they could take trips and haul more people and stuff. They really like the van, but it started getting too hard for my aunt to get in and out with the narrow, high up footwells. So, off they went looking for something lower and easier to get in and out of.
Their first stop was once again at a Chevy dealer, where they looked at and really liked a new Venture on the lot, and got a great price. But, on the way home, they decided to stop over at the Kia dealer. Needless to say, once they looked at, drove, and worked with price, they bought the Sedona.
It's a Green & Beige 2-tone EX with tan cloth interior, rear spoiler, and power sunroof. They did not want leather and didn't want black, so that ruled out a few on the lot, both a Beige and a Silver EX with leather. In looking, they really wanted bench seats in the middle and rear, but that's not available on the EX. Also, they didn't know about the sunroof, and one a test drive, the salesman opened it, eliciting a not so positive response from my uncle...
Sitting down for price, they used the sunroof factor in their favor, and my aunt's mouth equally, refusing to accept just about any offer the dealer came up with. But, once that was settled, she demanded accessories too, wanting a graphic on the side, door edge guards, a bug deflector, rain guards, and deer horns on the front. Don't ask me why, she just does this. I would not want to be a salesman if I could see her coming!
She also wanted the locks to lock when turned on, and to unlock when turned off, like the Buick's they'd always been used too. So, the dealer had to work that in too, having a local electronics shop install that for her. But, on three occasions, the van wouldn't start. They try it several times, nothing, then have to jump it and drive to the dealer an hour away. The good thing is, the dealer is extrememly customer service-oriented, and is always trying to help in any way, so after a few trips, the problem was found to be a loose power lumbar connector in the front seat. Problem solved.
But, what do I think? First of all, with the color combination and the graphic she had installed, the Sedona is very nice looking. It also drives amazingly well, nicer than most cars I've been in, from Audi's, to Subbies, to Chrysler 300M's, etc. Very smooth and velvety, and that creamy, powerful sounding and feeling 3.5 is just icing on the cake. Great ride and little, if any road noise also, from the Hankook tires.
But what impressed me most was the build quality. Never, have I been in a vehicle built this well and with such nice materials and fit and finish. Certainly no GM plastic rattle box. I'm also a detailer on the side, and they hired me to do the Sedona and their Buick, with it being a month old and them not having the time. It didn't take much work, but boy do I wish I had gotten better pics! It was beautiful after a wash, polish & seal, and tire dressing! That was also when I got to drive it, and was impressed with both the acceleration and smoothness, and the excellent (if grabby) brakes.
Most impressive? The quietest, smoothest, silky engine idle of any vehicle I've been in. I've been around too many American cars, I think! Everyone here has a great vehicle, and you all know it!
Comments
Here's how the front 2 dome lights work on our van: When the Door/Off switch is on Door, the 2 dome lights illuminate when a door is open and stay on until all doors are closed (then they slowly dim until totally off). If one of the two on/off buttons is pressed, it toggles between regular and slightly brighter light. When the switch is on 'Door' and a door is open, the only way to shut off the lights is to close the doors. I.e. you cannot totally turn off the light with the on/off switch.
When the switch is set to 'Off,' the lights do not illuminate when a door is opened. The toggle on/off pushbutton switches (one for driver-side light, one for passenger side) will turn the dome lights on or off.
I'm not sure why I bothered to type all that. I guess it's because I like our van and I like talking about it!
Here's the story, me and the wife stopped at wendy's to get a frosty, the temp outside was about 76 degrees, we were parked away from traffic enjoying our treat, when we heard this unusual noise,(sounded like a lid popping off a bottle).
I had no idea what or where the sound came from, got out and walked around my van to no avail.
The next morning, we noticed a linear crack that started below the black trim, bottom center of windshield.
The crack is directly above where the passenger side wiper attaches.
We went by the dealer. continue on next post.
The service manager said, i could wait until the kia rep comes in mid october to make a determination.
I went by a glass shop to get their take on this dilemma, they said "stress crack" not from impact.
The glass shop informed us, they handle all glass repairs for the kia dealership, how ironic.
I wanted to get that in writing, but there is always a conflict of interest.
I want your comments on this, wake up gang.
I have 12.7k miles on my sedona.
Who else has experienced this and refer to similar post.
Thanks
Here's a post about it found with the Advanced Search tool:
skater4 "Ford Focus Hatchback ZX3 - Part XII" Aug 23, 2000 1:52pm
Steve
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SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
Not sure if I ever read about this on this site but I can attest to the fact that it has happened.
Towed a 21' Sun-Lite Travel trailer over the weekend (loaded, just under 3000 lbs with eaze. Used a Class II weight Distribution hitch on a 1.5" Hidden Hitch. Great setup. As many of you know I tow alot of trailers because of my business and the Sedona is my main tool. I have towed over 40 units since February of this year and this van has performed flawlessly. The temp gauge barely moved even in 90 degree heat. I am so impressed with the power of this van, and that's on 87 octane. I am pushing 15,000 miles now and when I hit 20K I will be switching to a blended synthetic (Valvoline) I am also very impressed with the Hankooks, as far as how well they are holding up. Even with the additional duty they are performing it appears that they will make it to the 40,000 mile mark. For those of you seriously considering the Sedona, and you need to tow consider this. The Sedona is a superb towing van because of its excellent torque generated by the 5 speed transmission, 195 hp engine, frame design, and weight. This van holds the road exceptionally well in cross winds also, believe my I know. EX3
Our Sedona was manufactured in Dec. 2001, and I'm wondering if the problem might occur on our van.
Now THAT'S CUSTOMER SERVICE!
Anyway, I was wondering, under heavy load, does the Sedona instrument panel thermometer travel anyway past the halfway mark? In our Sportage, I sometimes wonder whether it even works....................
And, someone posted earlier about the MIL smell. Did that ever come out of your van?
I haven`t notice any MIL smell yet, I had a 1997 Plymouth Voyager before and after 3 years this problem occured after short trips with the A/C on.
I have noticed a rotten egg smell from the exhaust about a month ago after a trip of over one hour on a very hot day (over 90 F) According to Kia`s service bulletin the sulfur in the gazoline is the problem, but I am wondering if this is true because the sulfur has been reduced by about 80% since last year?
Sulphur WILL make that smell coming from the exhaust. It's actually coming from the Cat. Converter. It really smells bad. To me, it's WORSE than rotten eggs. Happens on every car.
The leak on the valve cover gasket was only a sweat, there was no oil dripping on the engine or on the ground.
Yes....I believe the smell has finally dissipated...
Therein lies my delemma...it looks as if she will be visiting us again in the near future...
However, I have politely requested that she not bring any of her perfumes....she can wear her daughter's brand.
As for the Sedona....nearly 25K miles....no significant problems.
RGDS to you all
Hok
I saw four new Sorentos, also. Very nice! I'm anxious to take a test drive!
We just clicked our first 10,000 miles on our sedona. So far so good. No major or minor problem to report. We know we made a great purchase despite what hondawannies say about sedona.
One more item of interest. Our local Kia dealer started out as a Kia/Suzuki but now sells nothing but Kias
my question is as follows, the new radio has a different feature, when power it on it does not go directly to the previous setting it starts at level 0 and climbs to the last volume setting you had it on, other then that it looks ad feels exactly the same as the old one. Does anybody know of any differences with the KIA radios?
This is a CD/Cassete/Radio.
Thanks
My radio does the same in my'02. That's probably the way it was intended to work.
I haven't seen a Sorento yet, I'll have to check with my dealer. It's to bad Kia doesn't make a pickup truck for the American market like Toyota, I'de be looking at it.
Vanphan- My '02 Ex has chrome door handles front and rear. I don't think thats a new feature.
Ex3
Put us on the list of happy charter owners, too!
Yes, this is definitely true, and for Kia also. I believe there is a 6 month time limit on it, so if you want it, buy it now! We were offered it, but we decided that it wasn't worth it, since we were having a great time with reliability. We were also told $800.....so something was just plain wrong........
First I tried replacing the remote battery - no difference. Then I got the dealer to buy and program a new remote - problem still existed. Next, he got the mechanic to completely remove the receiver and check all wiring connections - again, no change. He finally placed an order for a new receiver.
A couple of weeks later, with the receiver still on back order, the service manager called and said that one of his mechanics had just returned from "Kia School" and had learned how to fix this very problem. Apparently Kia has identified that the receiver is not adequately grounded. It is mounted on a plastic plate with a ground strap to the frame of the vehicle. The fix is to replace the plastic plate with a metal one that is bolted directly to the van's frame.
I picked up my Sedona from the garage on Friday, and what a difference! Not only is the keyless remote 100% reliable, the range has at least tripled. I can now easily lock/unlock my van from at least 50 feet away.
If anyone is having intermittent problems with their keyless remote (I believe Vanphan reported a problem recently), mention this fix to your service manager. The day that I had my fix done, there was another Sedona coming in to have the same modification performed, so I don't think this is an isolated problem. It takes about an hour and is (of course) fully covered under the warranty.
Cheers
Pros:
1) Fun to drive - great pickup.
2) Great handling
3) Comfortable.
4) Great factory sound system
5) Still has the "new car smell"
6) Options galore
1) Gas mileage sucks (I knew that before I bought it though). 470 km with 65 litres.
2) 12 V outlets are not always on. ACC only.
3) No fuzzy logic like Windstar.
4) Intermitant keyless entry.
5) No anti-theft.
6) Poor rear-view vision (But that is due to great big seats in the back)
7) Rattling back seats depending on seat position.
After 2 Windstars, no regrets with Kia so far.
http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/charlie_1950/lst?.dir=/Sorento&.src=ph&.view=
So far after putting on 1700 miles the only problem I can see is the ash tray door which pops open over every hard bump in the road. Other then that "livable" problem the van has performed flawlessly.
Keep sending in the reviews as time goes on. Together we can share the experience and notify each other of any concerns...
1946 Company founded.
Production of bicycle parts started.
First domestic bicycle (Samcholli-Ho) built.
1960 Labor Union organized.
1961 First C-100 motorcycle produced.
1962 K-360 (3-wheel cargo truck) introduced
2001 Sedona mini-van introduced to US market
http://www.fordfestiva.com/aboutfordfestiva/kiahistory.htm
EX3
Looked at the Sorento today. Sharp truck. The interior looks high quality in leather.
While I was at the Kia dealer I also looked to see any changes on the Sedona for 03. The only thing I knoticed was a sunglass holder intergrated into the Homelink panel making the panel longer.
I also wanted to check and retorque my wheels to make sure that they are set to spec - does that cap in the center of the wheels just pry out? the book appears to be silent on this. I didn't want to inadvertently damage the caps.
Thanks,
mvfrank
More reading on the Sorento
http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/roadtests/firstdrive/71191/article.html
MVF- Look real close at the outside edge of the center cap and you will see a slot for a phillips screwdriver to pry it off.
EX3
The 99 was our second Windstar and before that we had an 89 Aerostar. I have nearly always driven Fords. I've had few problems - except with the Windstars.
I won't bore you with the details, but I will say that the 99 seemed a much better car than the 96 it replaced. So I tried to buy a 2002 Windstar, hoping that they would be even better than the 99s. With Ford offering $4000 rebates, or 0 per cent for 60 months, I figured we would have no trouble finding a nice van at our price. Wrong!
LX models with minimal options ranged in price from $27 - 28.5K. Best deal was about $22K after rebate, plus tag, tax, title, etc. A nicely equipped SE listed at $30K was offered for $24.5K.
Almost on a whim we decided to stop in at the Kia store on the way home. My wife loved the looks of the Sedona: a little smaller than the Windstar and sportier. The pricing blew us away! (Ignoring the dealer-affixed "Additional Markup" stickers [$2249 for LX - $2495 for EX]).
We picked up our Emerald Green/Platinum 2002 EX Saturday afternoon. It has Homelink, sun roof, and two tone paint. Final price: $20,485!
I hope it's a good car. One of the main reasons we bought it was because of the warranty. We've put 200 miles on it already and love it! I want that feeling to last - it didn't with the Windstars.
* Portion on rear hatch over the latch in now all chrome instead of chrome and body color.
* There are gas struts on the hood now instead of prop-up rod
* Two push button switches are missing from dash around radio:
Interior lighting
Wiper defroster
* New face on AM/FM/Tape/CD - Is it still made by Alpine or is it a Delco like Sorento?
A salesman told a friend of mine who bought a '03 EX the following:
* New stabilizers / struts at front end to quiet front end noise
* Tabs holding insulation on hood melts when fire is present and drops insulation on engine to help put out the fire
Noted on earlier posts:
* Different taillights
* Gas door: on-dash release under parking brake release
* Gas door: cap holder on inside of door
* Chrome on ashtray lid
* Chromed interior handles and locks on sliding doors
The rework of the front suspension interests me. I've always complained that I could always hear and feel a rumbling from the front end whenever I'd go over the slightest bumps. I hope a fix for the '02 evolves from this.
#2432 Keyless remote by lagavulin...
This is very good news indeed! Thank you for the post, lagavulin! I asked the service manager if he had heard about this fix yet. He hadn't. He asked me to fax him a copy of your post. He is going to ask around to find out more. Hopefully next time in they will do this for me. We do have a new remote due to the bracket breaking off and it hasn't failed yet. But when it does, I'll be in.
Incase anyone does not know I would like to share a little truth about the manufactures road side assistance. All the manufactures road side assistance program is outsource to major auto clubs such AAA.
These big auto clubs in turn sends out local towing companies who are contracted with them. This is why you tend to see same local towing companies show up for different vehicles.
Cross Country auto club Handles Hyundai, Kia, Honda, chrysler, dodge to name a few.
AAA handles all Gm vehicles and porsche.
So don't be disappointed with Kia's road side service. If you are driving a mercedes or bmw and pay thousands more, you will still see same local tow companies show up for road side.
The ten year warranty info was in the manual that came with our 2002 EX. The dealer also kept constantly mentioning yet.
The standard "bumper-to-bumper" Kia warranty in the U.S. is 5 years or 60K miles. The audio system and perhaps a few other things are limited to 3 year/36K miles. The 10 year/100,000 "long haul" warranty is for the powertrain only.
Your extended warranty upgrades that to "bumper-to-bumper" I suppose. Which is what it sounds like you wanted, right?
Our remote shows same behavior as yours - sometimes refuses to work regardless of distance, and sometimes works okay (though with extremely limited range). It's frustrating. I was disappointed to see the thing start working in the past couple weeks! I wanted it to be totally inoperable when I bring it to the dealer, so they would have to do something. But with the explanation you provided, a fix should be feasible regardless.
We have been very pleased so far except for a few nagging items that we've been trying to get fixed. Most of these problems though I attribute to our dealer more than the van itself. They could have probably had it all fixed the first time we took it back, but it's now been 4 visits and still working on resolving problems:
1) The keyless remote issue. Thanks to Lagavulin!! I have called Kia's 800 customer service number and am waiting for them to get back to me, but I'll definitely mention your post. Personally I just think my dealer's service dept. sucks and that's the biggest problem.
2) Lid on storage compartment on rear driver's side won't stay closed. They've orderd a new latch or something for it. We'll see if it fixes it.
3) Headrests on rear seats rattle. They already replaced the headrest clip on one (since it was missing) and have ordered for the other. We'll see if it stops the rattles!
Aside from these relatively minor problems we have been thrilled with the van. For a van it has GREAT pick-up off the line! I had a Grand Prix that we traded and the acceleration on the van is almost as good when you need it! Plenty of passing power too!
Paid $22,500 fully loaded, although we were up against another buyer in a cat fight for the van! Inventory was low on the 2002's and we just had to have it! Had we not been cat fighting I think we probably could have gotten it for 22K or maybe even a little less since invoice was $21,400.
We just saw the new Sorento and fell in love!! It is an AWESOME looking mid-size SUV. I think it looks remarkably like the Lexus RX 300, but even better! When it comes time to trade in our other car I will definitely be looking at the Sorento!
Is there any kind of a Kia Sedona owner's club or newsgroup that I can subscribe to?
We have a Kia Owners Club here - feel free to jump in over there and get some talk going!
Steve
Host
SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
First of all, let me explain what happened. About a year and a half ago, they bought a 2000 Chevy Astro AWD after retiring so they could take trips and haul more people and stuff. They really like the van, but it started getting too hard for my aunt to get in and out with the narrow, high up footwells. So, off they went looking for something lower and easier to get in and out of.
Their first stop was once again at a Chevy dealer, where they looked at and really liked a new Venture on the lot, and got a great price. But, on the way home, they decided to stop over at the Kia dealer. Needless to say, once they looked at, drove, and worked with price, they bought the Sedona.
It's a Green & Beige 2-tone EX with tan cloth interior, rear spoiler, and power sunroof. They did not want leather and didn't want black, so that ruled out a few on the lot, both a Beige and a Silver EX with leather. In looking, they really wanted bench seats in the middle and rear, but that's not available on the EX. Also, they didn't know about the sunroof, and one a test drive, the salesman opened it, eliciting a not so positive response from my uncle...
Sitting down for price, they used the sunroof factor in their favor, and my aunt's mouth equally, refusing to accept just about any offer the dealer came up with. But, once that was settled, she demanded accessories too, wanting a graphic on the side, door edge guards, a bug deflector, rain guards, and deer horns on the front. Don't ask me why, she just does this. I would not want to be a salesman if I could see her coming!
She also wanted the locks to lock when turned on, and to unlock when turned off, like the Buick's they'd always been used too. So, the dealer had to work that in too, having a local electronics shop install that for her. But, on three occasions, the van wouldn't start. They try it several times, nothing, then have to jump it and drive to the dealer an hour away. The good thing is, the dealer is extrememly customer service-oriented, and is always trying to help in any way, so after a few trips, the problem was found to be a loose power lumbar connector in the front seat. Problem solved.
But, what do I think? First of all, with the color combination and the graphic she had installed, the Sedona is very nice looking. It also drives amazingly well, nicer than most cars I've been in, from Audi's, to Subbies, to Chrysler 300M's, etc. Very smooth and velvety, and that creamy, powerful sounding and feeling 3.5 is just icing on the cake. Great ride and little, if any road noise also, from the Hankook tires.
But what impressed me most was the build quality. Never, have I been in a vehicle built this well and with such nice materials and fit and finish. Certainly no GM plastic rattle box. I'm also a detailer on the side, and they hired me to do the Sedona and their Buick, with it being a month old and them not having the time. It didn't take much work, but boy do I wish I had gotten better pics! It was beautiful after a wash, polish & seal, and tire dressing! That was also when I got to drive it, and was impressed with both the acceleration and smoothness, and the excellent (if grabby) brakes.
Most impressive? The quietest, smoothest, silky engine idle of any vehicle I've been in. I've been around too many American cars, I think! Everyone here has a great vehicle, and you all know it!