By accessing this website, you acknowledge that Edmunds and its third party business partners may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information about you and your interactions with the website as described in our
Privacy Statement, and you agree that your use of the website is subject to our
Visitor Agreement.
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
Host
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!