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Comments
The owners manual for our 2002 Sedona EX (U.S. market) says that the A/C comes on automatically when the fan is set to Defrost mode. On our van, the A/C light does NOT come on when fan is in Defrost mode. I don't know if the A/C is actually running even though the light isn't on? I had been under the impression that Sedona's A/C could always be switched on or off manually by the driver. That's the design I prefer. I also assumed that if the A/C light was lit, that the A/C was actually running, and the A/C was not running if the light was not lit.
What do you think of all this? Does your Sedona behave the same way as I just described?
I read an article about Sedona and it was suggested that you step up to 16". I guesss that means tires/wheels/brakes.
Anyone have any comments??
Thx,
Opa
My reading of the TSB is that your post-11/01 A/C compressor will be running whenever you choose a defrost position with the knob but the light will not be activated. Evidently you can push the button to activate the light, but pushing the button again will not shut off the A/C.
Sounds somewhat illogical to me. Try turning the knob to defrost with your window down a bit. You should be able to hear the A/C compressor engage after a brief delay. Then try pushing the button in the knob to see if you can still shut off the A/C compressor.
Radio - I tried setting my radio and turned the van off and it maintained all of my settings. So it may be your radio - check with your dealer.
Stalling - I do not have any problems with my van stalling while in idle. Check with your dealer again.
Go Bucks - National Champions!! - Sorry I cannot say or feel the same for my Browns!
Bob
I got a load of bad gas in my 914 one time...smooth running engine with recent tune up started running rough after a refuel...cut open the fuel filter and it was solid with muck! Drained a few gallons out to make sure all out of tank (it was) and installed a new one.
Other possibilities: loose vacuum hose, fouled fuel injector (s), bad ignition chip. Not based on Sedona, but experience with other similar complaints. (Still awaiting the back ordered tech manual...you guys beat me to it, and scarfed up all of them!)
Keep the posts coming on parts #'s! I'm book marking them.
For all who like center consoles:
Have located a console that has locking storage and power outlets, but price is a little high @ $70 plus shipping (auto dept)colors match interiors of Sedona (gray and taupe). Need to measure mine to see if it fits. May buy one for middle seats, or try to find out maker to see if I can buy direct.
http://www.improvementscatalog.com/parent.asp?pf%5Fid=195683x&dept%5Fid=250&strFindSpec=&Solutions=&code=
I just finished downloading all 4 of the PDFs that were listed in the 2002 Sedona TSBs, plus the ones that pertain to our other vehicle.
This may or may not be your problem, but to make sure it isn't I'd suggest making sure you tighten the gas cap until it starts clicking, and keep turning it until it clicks about 3 more times. I think there's a warning sticker on the inside of the fuel door. It's a pretty common problem on many vehicles, not just Sedonas.
Hopefully this is your problem and there is nothing more serious wrong with your Sedona's engine.
If this is a dealer-installed option, the only benefit vs. having an aftermarket unit installed would be price (if Kia prices it below aftermarket units - not very likely) and warranty coverage - if Kia covers the system under the vehicle warranty. This is not very likely either, unless it's installed at the time the vehicle is bought new/delivered to the customer. That's the guideline many manufacturers seem to be following these days.
According to the list of 2002 Sedona TSBs on alldata.com, the TSB # is 2EN005.
Hope this helps.
Post 3000 is mine!
zues' experience has been that Kia is one of the worst in terms of taking care of customers who have lemon Kias, plus Kia has a quite high percentage of lemon vehicles vs. other brands. This is definitely a reflection of lower quality, though I don't think it's quite as definitive as zues does. Then again, I don't see all the info and details that he does on a daily basis. These sorts of issues affect the resale values of used Kias, which have historically been extremely low.
So what were the nice things zueslewis had to say about the Sedona? He gave me permission to quote his comments, so here they are:
"I've seen a handful of Sedonas with some major problems, but only a handful, and interestingly, no Sedonas with repetitive smaller problems, which is a sure sign of good overall quality. There will always be a handful of every vehicle with major problems.
I gauge the overall reliability of a vehicle, in my court opinions, not on the few with major issues, but the many with repetitive issues like electronic defects, engine management problems, water leaks, etc. I haven't seen these in a Sedona and I'm very impressed by that. I truly believe the Sedona will influence many appraisers to take a second look at Kia. I hope the Sorento will prove to be of the same mold."
Feel free to pop over to the 'your thoughts about Kia' topic but I warn you - it can be very frustrating. The previously quoted comments from zueslewis are in #2238 and #2240. The last 100 or so posts have been fairly enlightening to me - some of the folks just don't think Kia is making any progress with better vehicles and attracting higher-level buyers, and they are very skeptical that Kia/Hy will ever be a legitimate competitor in the major vehicle classes.
Ironically, I spent about an hour last night with one of the guys who wrote the article - Todd Lassa. He's the editor at the Detroit Motor Trend office. We attended the Detroit auto show supplier preview yesterday (my wife works for the company that handles Chevy's advertising business) and Mr. Lassa gave me, my wife, and another lady a guided tour of the show. It was very informative and helpful. Since we spent only an hour at the show, we were able to see and hear more having an industry expert guiding us around. Mr. Lassa definitely knows a lot about cars - how else would he be in his current position at Motor Trend. However, I think the Motor Trend minivan article left much to be desired.
When I looked at Mr. Lassa's name tag as we got off the shuttle van and walked into the show, I realized he had co-written the minivan article. But I decided not to ask him about the Sedona. In hindsight, I should have - we talked about several other show vehicles and other automotive stuff, and I don't think he would have taken offense to me telling him I think Sedona is a much better van than they gave it credit for in the article.
Be very aggressive in documenting this problem and obtaining service now. This should not be happening to a new van. Otherwise you may have a constant check engine light and possible poor performance.
Seb
I didn't particularly need a sunroof, but most EX's came either loaded, or not. Wife wanted the leather interior (although very happy with cloth last time...just wanted something different) and I wanted ABS.
I ended up with all options except hitch (I bought a class III for about 1/2 of dealer cost, but still have to find time to install it...will let me put a luggage platform on it for long trips).
We are very happy with the van. I'm getting used to having the headrests on the seats (we keep seats folded unless occupied).
Only two minor, minor complaints...would like to have had a "glove box" for second seat like the 3rd, and a compartment in the floor for jumper cables and a few tools. Right now I have them in a bag in the interior. In my old van, they fit nicely under a seat...not the Sedona.
Mileage has been over 20, but I don't have the figures right in front of me. We did get less than 20 during 1 tank where we drove around Norfolk, VA for an entire long weekend of city driving.
Switching to synthetic oil first oil change. I've run it in all my vehicles for about 15 yrs now, and seems to help gas mileage by 1-2 mpg.
It handles OK (not a sports car, but acceptable) and family likes the features. I have to use the cruise control because otherwise, my lead foot will get me in trouble. Unlike my Aerostar, this one has enough pep to rapidly accelerate and not complain when you push it on the interstate.
All in all, we would buy one again. I drove all makes/models before making the choice. Narrowed it down to the Honda and Kia...decided that $ would win out, because we don't trade cars very often. Ultimately it was Honda dealer attitude that turned me off.
Will you be changing oil yourself or paying shop/dealer to do?
I use Mobil One or Syntec.
I don't think I've paid more than a dozen times to have my oil changed, as I like to get underneath the car to have a look see...have found more than one problem that way. I'll keep the receipts and logs of purchases, etc.
Usually have the major milestone checks done by dealer if adjusting/changing timing chain, etc done. I also have my transmission fluid changed every year regardless of mileage. At 25-30 $
pop, it is cheap insurance.
Lots of horror stories from friends who have gone to quick lube places...usually the loose oil plug or no oil put back in, or wrong filter. No matter how busy, I always find time to go back under the hood, or car to check.
Have found at least 4 sets of pliers, a couple of screw drivers, and at least one cover that wasn't reinstalled under the hood. Friend also had a wheel fall off his Bronco, when they forgot to put cotter pin back on after a brake job.
Northern VA/DC area most of the year, trip back to Midwest during heat of the summer most years to visit the grandparents.
Plenty of 20 degree to 110 degree days during the year. We are low mileage drivers, though.
-----
BTW, Anyone put a Nav system in the Sedona?
I've read all the boards, not much detail there. I'm leaning towards an Alpine, as it looks like I can hook our portable DVD into its optional screen as another source, so wife can watch video along with kids on long trips, and I can get voice turns at the same time(other than wife's..."I think that might have been our exit back there" great lady, but occasionally fails to read the map right) (I want the Nav mainly for DC and city driving to get set up for exits early)
Would like to see more sharing of Sedona accessories as folks find/install them. I'm working on a back up sensor and trailer hitch install as I get time.
As for the stalling, I was told last time I had it in was the fuel filter is probably bad but they didn't have any in stock. Found out it costs $50 for the dealership to install one. I don't know anything about installing these so I see no alternative and I don't know if I trust anyone but the dealer (though I don't know if I trust this one).
Anyone had any dealings with Hatfield Kia in Columbus , Ohio?
Go to a parts house (or the dealership) and take a look at a new one.
Fuel filters usually sit between the fuel tank and the motor...many times in a clip/bracket arrangement underneath the car.
Easy to change out most set ups: Take two golf "Tees" and a screw driver. Undo (loosen) the hose clamp on one end of the filter (I usually do motor side first, since it is "higher" and fuel will drain back. Pull hose off, and put golf T into opening of hose. Do the same on the other end, removing the clamp and hose, and inserting the Tee. Pull out the filter from the bracket. Make sure you look at it to see if there is an arrow or mark pointing to direction of flow.
Reverse the procedure for install. Would wear safety goggles, and watch for gas splash.
Takes about 30 min first time you do it, then 10 min every time after that.
I'll look to see if I can find the filter on my van this weekend when I have it up in the air to install the hitch.
BTW, $50 is probably one hour labor which is the minimum many shops charge to work on your car. A good mechanic can change your oil,and oil filter rotate tires, and the gas filter in an hour, and have time for a cup of coffee, too.
If you are choosing between Syntec and Mobil 1, please please please go with Mobil 1! I follow the oil boards here and elsewhere pretty extensively, and Castrol Syntec is NOT a true synthetic but is still priced as one. The new Mobil 1 formulation (SuperSyn) is excellent and probably the best off-the-shelf synthetic available. Available for < $4/qt at Sam's Club, Costco, and sometimes for $17.88/5 qt jug at Wal-Mart, though those can be tough to find.
CHANGING OWN OIL
I emailed Kia about this and did get a response that Kia does not approve of this. My dealer said it would not be a problem, though. I, too, keep detailed records. My plan is to do most of the oil changes myself and occasionally pay to have a shop or dealer do it, just for added documentation. I used my free oil change from Kia for a change at the dealer @ 8,000 miles.
Kia, and most other automakers, include instructions in the OWNERS manual for how to change the engine oil but then claim you cannot do this work yourself and maintain warranty coverage. Seems pretty unacceptable to me.
ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEMS
Have you seen some of the earlier posts by folks who had aftermarket DVD or VCP systems installed? Also, have you read the bulletin from Kia, available on the NHTSA web site, that explains a system will be available (presumably a dealer-installed accessory) for the 2003 Sedonas?
As posted, we have a portable DVD player. It fits in most planes, trains, Sedonas, hotel rooms, play rooms, etc for less than installing something that is useless when not in the vehicle and is wearing hard with each heat and humidity change on a daily basis. I secure it to the tray table and one of the middle row seats using the CaseLogic case and strap. Power, as you know, is not a problem.
Mileage update: Most recent fill up for us was 16.5 in mixed driving with no acceleration above 2800 RPM and minus two seats.(288mi on 17.5 gallons if anyone wants to check the math). I would put it at 30% highway. Perhaps the winter effect and the winter fuel are playing a role. We'll see. I would be very happy with 18mpg since that is better than most mid to full size SUVs. Will keep an eye on it. We flew Hoya Air from VA to FL and back, so the Sedona didn't get its highway workout mileage recently.
Coincidentally, the mileage has seemed to be worse since the switch to SL oil, though that is not a scientific observation. I still don't see the cost/bene analysis for synthetic. $10/case works for me.
As for oil changes, I thought there was wording in the owners manual about owners may change the oil, but Kia recommmended dealer service because of safety, the ability to find other problems early, and implicitly check for any outstanding SBs, or some such language. I will recheck that.
Here's how I see it, no matter - similar to Navyair. I don't trust you, you don't trust me, it is more hassle and expense to get to you, and I have the Blackstone lab reports. Yes, those do add to the cost of oil changes ($18), but the whole thing is still less than taking it anywhere. I'll probably do the lab testsabout once a year based upon necessity and the oil change interval being only about 4mo/5K mi given our 8500 miles per year driving rate.
I really want to get a moonroof air deflector. JCWhitney has them for about $40. Has anyone obtained this accessory? and/or have anything to say about it?
Bnh, I think e-trailer.com has what you need. Resident trailering expert and 2002 EX Sedona owner Excellent3 has posted about those in this forum - way back before 1000 messages, as I recall.
Pizard, as far as I can tell, the amplifier settings on our radio do almost nothing. I must not be musically tuned, because I can hear very little difference between pop, rock or classic. The settings for bass and treble do not change among the selections of the equalizer types, and I just can't tell if the output reverts during ignition switch cycles because I can't really hear enough difference when the radio stays on.
The salesman at the time told me that there was going to be a $300 price increase early in the year - I thought he was trying to get me to buy before year end and ease the pain of me eating 2 lease payments.
Anyone hear of a mid-year price increase?
Thanks
I can't wait to see if he still gives me the same deal in February as he did at the end of the year. Another thing he warned me about was losing the $1,000 rebate - he was wrong about that.
fvp, what was your reason for not pulling the trigger on the deal back in December? I don't recall.
Sorry if you already know all this, or more. I suspect you are pretty well-versed on this stuff. But some folks don't seem to understand that, just because their buddy got a price of $X on a vehicle 2 weeks or 2 months ago, it does NOT automatically mean that a dealer is playing games if they cannot/will not give the same price today. I.e., many consumers do not realize that dealer pricing is fairly dynamic and not all that static.
Word has it that the $1,000 rebate is on until March 31. I don't know how the Sedonas are selling in Michigan, but here in Western PA you never see one on the road. As a matter of fact, I drive by the dealership on occasion and the Sedonas are still sitting there.
What a difference dealing with someone that's able to make decisions.
Getting the 'I have to take this offer to my boss' routine from the salesperson is one of the most annoying aspects of the car-buying experience. Fortunately, my dad's experience with Keller Kia in Grand Rapids, Michigan, was not like that at all. The salesperson was empowered to make the decisions on price, which was great. Not only that, but he didn't hem and haw or balk at hardly anything my dad offered. It was a pretty quick negotiation. Actually, I wouldn't even call it a 'negotiation' - was more of a discussion about the price and reaching mutual agreement. No haggling, no hassle.
I know that some dealers are not set up this way, and they require the salesperson to present every offer to the sales manager, but dealers often take advantage of this approach to annoy and 'break down' the customer.
Both vans have their strong points. The question is, is it worth about two grand to drive a Toyota with cloth vs. a Sedona with leather, sunroof, etc?
The wife wants the Kia but she knows nothing about resale value, fit and finish, reliability.
Any comments?
How about $1,000?
Please let me know how much you payed for a Sedona LX, since I will soon be negotiating with the dealer to buy one.
Thanks in advance!
One thing re: Sienna resale. The 2003 and earlier Siennas might worsen due to the newer, better, more in-demand 2004. So that might reduce Sienna's resale advantage vs. Sedona - hard to tell, though.
Presuming Sienna has typically high fit/finish and reliability, I still think Sedona stacks up, or will stack up, okay in these areas. Most folks, including me, are generally impressed with fit/finish on Sedona, and the brief history here and longer history overseas indicates reliability is likely to be pretty good. I was also encouraged by zueslewis' recent comments in the Kia topic, in which he indicated seeing only a few lemon-law case Sedonas and he was impressed by the rate vs. other vehicles, especially other Kias.
Resale value is important but not the deciding factor. They all lose money once it goes out the dealers door.
If you recall, the local Kia dealer gave us a Sedona EX to use for the weekend and we were very impressed with it. My untrained eye could see no difference between the Sedona and a Sienna in terms of quality, fit and finish, etc.
Another thing, the Sedona pages in Edmunds now has an "Editors Most Wanted" banner on it's pages and gives it an Honorable Mention on the most wanted minivan page after the Honda. Thought that would interest you.
If leather and moonroof are important, and value is a consideration, Sedona is tough to beat. Where else can you get a minivan with those 2 options and other good equipment, with pretty good fit/finish and a solid powertrain, for $22k or less? The answer is 'nowhere else.'
The big question is, what is the dealer's invoice price? Many Sedona shoppers report seeing a marketing fee included in the dealer invoice which the sales folks say cannot be negotiated or ignored (they may very well be telling the truth).
Value is always a consideration and the leather and sunroof are my wife's two most important options. You don't have to convice me about the Sedona and it's value. I'm sold already.
Thanks?