Kia Sedona (2005 and Earlier)

hoyahenry

Glad the service visit went well.

Has anybody learned the fix for the keyless entry range?

The range on ours can be defined as follows:

Standing outside the vehicle, take the remote and put it in the right hand. Place left hand on driver door handle. Extend both arms as far as possible away from vehicle. Depress lock/unlock button as appropriate. The remote may or may not activate the door locks.

Frankly in my view, this is the only feature on the vehicle that is of any significant annoyance. No range, and you only get one remote on our model year.

bluedevils

yes, this is really the only thing that annoys me about our Sedona.

I've heard on this board about the grounding plate replacement, but that seems to be a Canadian thing as the 2 USA dealers I've asked know nothing about it, cannot see anything in their computers mentioning it (service bulletins, etc.). I should call Kia USA and see what they know.

krazykia

Greetings all. I have an issue with oil consumption with my 2002 Sedona. It currently has 39,000 miles and loses 1 quart of oil every 1300 (yes 1300) miles. This started about 4000 miles ago. The dealer tells me this an acceptable amount of oil loss, and the factory rep from Kia customer service said he doesn't have enough info to make a comment. I have had the maintenance done on a regular basis with no problems, albeit not by Kia. The real mystery is I nor the dealer can find out where the oil is going. No smoke out the tailpipe, no leaks from seals or filters. Frankly, I find it hard to believe that this is normal/acceptable. Any thoughts or comments on this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

bluedevils

This is the first report of oil consumption I recall hearing on this board, so it seems the problem is not very common. What was the consumption rate prior to 4,000 miles ago? What happened around that time which might explain a sudden jump in oil consumption?

For most manufacturers, anything up to 1 quart per 1,000 miles is 'acceptable' and 'normal.' On Sedona, it would make me nervous since I haven't heard reports of this being a common issue. In other words, it seems something is not normal in your Sedona.

Oil consumption on our other vehicle, a 1998 Isuzu Trooper, has been significant and has gradually increased. This is a known problem on the 3.5L Isuzu engines, so I'm not that concerned about it. I know what causes it and what can help to reduce the problem. I cannot say the same for the Sedona engine.

arjay1

I'm with bluedevils, I don't recall hearing other issues with oil use either. Bluedevils is also correct, from my experience, that manufacturers consider anything up to 1 quart per thousand miles acceptable.
Usually that oil lose is from the oil getting past the rings and burning in the combustion process. This would not be enough oil burnt to cause visible smoke.
This may not help, but on the bright side, this oil blow by is getting extra lubrication to the top portion of the cylinders. I am not being a smart [non-permissible content removed] here, it really is a good thing. The downside is the extra cost of oil.
Keep us informed of what Kia does since we have not seen mention of an oil issue before.

shairkhan

We are in the market for a minivan for the wife. She currently has a Pontiac Transport. She likes that, but after Warranty Gold went bankrupt which we had a 7yr/100K warranty with, we have decided to sell this. Nothing wrong with it yet… It is just that I do not feel comfortable knowing the inherent problems with GM 3.4l engines.

Anyway, Could y’all please tell us which Minivan you chose and why? We are currently looking at Sienna, Sedona, Odyssey and Quest. Please also mention which model year you drive. While we were at Kia dealer we also drove Sorento…. Though not a Minivan but she liked it very much.

Also, regarding Odyssey… I know 3 people who have that. Two of them had transmission failure at 20K & 50K. Although covered under warranty; I would still be concerned if Honda is having problems with Transmission.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Sincerely,
Shair A. Khan

krazykia

Thank you for the input concerning my oil consumption problem. To answer your question Bluedevil, prior to 4,000 miles ago, I had no oil loss and no event to correlate it to as to why it suddenly started. If I wanted a 2 stroke, I would have bought a dirt bike......
I will certainly keep you informed about the problem when there is something to tell. Right now, I'm getting a second opinion from another dealer, but he seems to be sticking to the 1000 miles per quart story as well.

ramblin_mo

Replaced 02 Odyssey LX w/48K with an 04 Sedona Red/silver EX, Sunroof, Antilock brakes, spoiler, pinstripes. Decided I didn't want the leather, and I wish I had gotten the hitch.
 
Dealer was almost too accommodating. Good trade in on high mileage Odyssey, didn't try to slip anything in the final sale. No stupid paperwork fees. Just a $2.50 title filing fee. Decent finance rate. Must be hungry for a good rating turned in to Kia.

First week - almost no complaints. Everything works, no strange noises, no defects. Remote range seems to be 60-70 ft from front of vehicle. Doesn't pull right or left.

First tank of gas 18.7 MPG (Honda ave 23)
Heater is slow to warm up. Temps in the teens and twenties this week, heater turned all the way up. Didn't need to back heat setting off until it got into the mid thirties outside.

Van rides much better than Honda did. Soaks up the bumps and rough pavement. A little feeling of being a little too responsive in steering at highway speeds. At the same time feeling a little disconnected from feedback from the road. Hard to describe.

After running the numbers the cheaper price paid for this van will be offset by
1) Gas mileage ($900-$1000 per 100K)
2) Lower resale ($2,000 or more)compared to Honda
3) Insurance went up ($700 over 5 years)Poor bumper ratings and high cost of repair?
4) More frequent required service. Hard to put a number on this. 60k timing belt change when many other go 100K or more. 30K auto trans fluid replacement.
Just goes to show there isn't any free lunch.

Very nice van, smooth shifts, plenty of power, love the stereo, looks sharp. Almost too many cubbies to stash things in.

I will miss the huge cargo area of the the Honda. 4x8'sheets of plywood fit in the back.
I will miss the Honda fold away third row seat and easy remove second row seats. Honda also had cabin filtration that I may miss having on the Kia.

No regrets-Hope Kia stands behind the warranty.

bluedevils

Glad to hear of someone who bought a Sedona to replace an Odyssey. I don't imagine there are very many stories like this quite yet. Why did you get rid of the Odyssey? I'm a Sedona owner and glad to see you join the Kia club, but the Odyssey is an excellent minivan.

18.7 MPG on your first tank of gas is pretty decent. It wouldn't surprise me if you got less than that on some of your upcoming tanks. Give your van 2000-3000 miles before you start to evaluate its fuel economy. It needs some break-in time.

Our heater is somewhat slow to warm up too, but at 5-10F temps after 20 minutes of driving, front heater on the lowest fan setting and rear heater on lowest setting keeps the cabin warm enough for our liking.

The resale value will be a factor only if you sell the van!

I've never examined an Ody owners manual, but most manuals I've seen are very aggressive in the recommended matinenance. Sure, timing belt interval is a big one and it does differ and 60k is shorter than most. But things like 30k auto trans fluid replacement are quite commonplace. My bet would be that preventative maintenance costs for Sedona are comparable to most minivans.

Speaking of plywood, it would be great if Sedona could handle a 4x8 sheet. I was at Lowe's this week and brought home 6 sheets of 2x8' plywood and 30 2x4s. It fit easily in the van (I removed 2nd and 3rd row seats to make sure) with the rear hatch closed, but only because I laid the 2x8 plywood on its side and folded down the center tray table.

bluedevils

Value.

We bought our 2002 Sedona EX because of its value. When we buy a vehicle, we try to get the most useful vehicle at the lowest price. Reliability and build quality are important. So is safety. Sedona has good safety scores. Initial build quality is good, and it's excellent considering the vehicle's price. I was confident that long-term quality/reliability would be above average.

Sedona offered, and still offers, some features that other minivans don't. We liked the idea of getting power front passenger seat, moonroof, leather, a fairly high-tech powertrain (24V, DOHC 3.5L with 5-speed auto trans), a long warranty, and an excellent stereo for less money than a basic Honda Odyssey or Toyota Sienna.

There are some tradeoffs. Interior cargo space is noticeably less. Traction control is not available. Etc etc. But overall, we felt Sedona was a good minivan and at a very good price, and that makes it an excellent value.

Our 2002 EX has almost 31,000 miles and it has been a very enjoyable ownership experience so far. I convinced my parents to buy a Sedona, and they enjoy their 2003 EX very much.

Search some prior posts by me and other folks for more feedback on Sedona.

With the current rebates in place, it's possible to get a fully loaded EX for $21,000 or less. This is a tremendous value. I cannot think of a better minivan value in the U.S. marketplace right now.

grandtotal

My bet would be that preventative maintenance costs for Sedona are comparable to most minivans.


According to Edmunds TCO maintenance for a Sedona over a 5 year period is $3731 for an Odyssey $3609, so your correct it's pretty much the same.

Give your van 2000-3000 miles before you start to evaluate its fuel economy. It needs some break-in time.

I have kept detailed records of fuel consumption and find that at 26,000 miles our van's consumption is still improving. Presumably at some point engine wear will cause a gradual increase in fuel consumption.

I've never examined an Ody owners manual, but most manuals I've seen are very aggressive in the recommended matinenance. ... But things like 30k auto trans fluid replacement are quite commonplace.

Odyssey transmission fluid replacement is at 30,000 intervals after the first replacement which is at 30,000/45,000 miles depending on your operating conditions. Probably not something you want to skimp on in an Odyssey.

navyair

RE Oil consumption: Concur that with the sudden change, something is starting...however, have seen those come/go. Dealer response is same for 1qt/1k miles for almost any vehicle...saw same complaint on other (non-Kia) boards awhile back. You have a lot of warantee left, and by documenting it with dealer, the start of a history for a claim, if needed.

Ramblin-mo: Get a class III hitch...for the same money, you can use the full capability of the towing package. Got mine from e-hitch.com and it was a 30 min install, with a drill and socket/wrench all that was required. Ordered the light kit too. Pretty easy DIY install, even if you are a novice. Details on a previous post.

Sedona also has a filter on cabin, if I recall correctly it has to be replaced every 15k miles. Previous queries were on its location. Don't think we ever resolved that one.

My 2003 warms up fine. Will blast you right out if you let it. However, only 1 long trip in extreme cold, and had to keep defrost on high to keep ultracold windows from fogging...made for alternating too hot, too cold...probably could have balanced it better, but road conditions too rotten to play with it much. BTW, my F-159 took around 25 min to warm up the cabin after cold soaking and in single digit wx last week.

As I recall, in earlier posts there were some folks who had problems with incorrectly positioned rear flapper valves or something that inhibited rear heat flow. Perhaps yours as well?

Shairkan: Any of the vans you asked about are good. We have a 2003 Sedona EX fully loaded. It has 17K miles in 14 months. (Two long trips)Very happy with it. Yes, gas mileage could be better, but have driven in virtually all driving conditions with it and felt safe.

Regards to all.

ramblin_mo

Thanks, I'll give ehitch a look.
 
Bluedevils - I got rid of the Odyssey due to potential replacement cost of transmission. I've heard they are as much as $5,500. I should have bought the extended warranty for the Honda. A cash outlay of that magnitude made me a bit paranoid.

Kia's $2000 rebate plus 100K powertrain warranty made me sleep much better. Plus I get a van loaded to the gills that rides like a dream. Kia - Ready to tow without much fuss. Honda would have needed tranny and power steering cooler added to tow.

Trade in of the Honda with no money down and I'm paying less per month than I was. Except the money I saved is going into the gas tank.

I'm happy

hoyahenry

Honda would have needed tranny and power steering cooler added to tow.

Yep.

Trade in of the Honda with no money down and I'm paying less per month than I was. Except the money I saved is going into the gas tank.

Errr, didn't you say it's costing you an extra $1k for gas over $5k+ for a new tranny plus the extra dough for the towing kit and a similar warranty, and and and? Just checking, but my math is showing you way ahead.

The mpg on the Sedona is worst in class, but just barely. There are a number of competitors in the 16/23 and 17/23 categories. When you look at the annual fuel estimates, the same class delta from best to worst is $200. This means the Sedona car payment has to be $20 less per month to break even - easily done.

More here.
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/byEPAclass.htm

I'm not an advocate for using excess gas, but when I consider the number of SUVs on the road that score between 10 and 18 in both categories, I just don't follow.

ramblin_mo

Errr, didn't you say it's costing you an extra $1k for gas over $5k+ for a new tranny plus the extra dough for the towing kit and a similar warranty, and and and? Just checking, but my math is showing you way ahead.

I agree with you! Especially in my situtation. Just trying to make the point that just looking at the low price of the Sedona you have to take into account other factors. Resale, insurance, gas. I still think I made a good move.

bester1

I have had my 2003 ex since June and I am really beginning to appreciate it while driving in very wintery conditions. In fact, I would have to say that it drives in the snow better than any other car I have ever driven. Now, if it would just stop rusting around the grill.

spamlet

We've had the Sedona for about two months now, and I can tell you pros and cons from what I have seen after driving a Windstar last week (we'll get to that)

Pros:
1. Ride. So smooth compared to the Windstar. We got the Kia back and it felt like riding on air.

2. Storage. The compartments are numerous and deep.

3. Warranty. Really, you can't beat a factory warranty of 10/100,000

Cons:
1. Fuel mileage. We've been getting around 16 in city driving. The van has 7000 miles on it now and it hasn't improved much. We do have the EX with the bigger engine. We've gotten about 20 on flat highway road trips.

2. Heating. As mentioned before the van takes a while to heat up.

3. Insurance/Repair. We got rear-ended New Years Eve and it cost the insurance company $1,700 to replace the bumper. The van held up well, but the costs to repair are high and insurance rates will show that.

hoyahenry

We do have the EX with the bigger engine.

Ah ha! That explains it.

rctennis3811

Anyone know what to expect on the 2005 Sedona??

ramblin_mo

"We do have the EX with the bigger engine.
Ah ha! That explains it. "

LOL - that explains my gas milage woes! I should'a got the LX!

to:spamlet - Only one engine size in the Sedona

spamlet

The LX and the EX had different EPA ratings on them. The LX was 16/22 and the EX 15/20, IIRC.

The stickers were then misleading as they listed slightly different engines on them when we were shopping.

bluedevils

seems strange. I thought there was only the 1 engine (3.5L DOHC 24 valve, 195hp, 218 ft-lbs).are you sure the 15/20 EX was a 2004, not a 2003?

minivanfrank

According to the 2003 Sedona brocure there was only one engine offered for both the LX/EX which had a 15/20 EPA fuel economy...not sure about the 2004, however.

spamlet

I could have sworn. Oh,well.

shairkhan

First of all I would like to thank you all for your comments. They were quite helpful in providing different perspective and highlighting certain facts that I and my wife had overlooked. Thanks again.

Here is a short take of my impressions after driving some of the vehicles:

1. Kia Sedona: Good execution for a new entrant. Well priced. Lots of options. No flat folding seat. Above all, cramped feeling for a person of my size (6-1/2’). Poor gas mileage. Outstanding warranty. Fairly good consumer response. Reasonable power… wife says she can live with it… more would be nice, in my opinion. It is out of the race for us due to the cramped feeling!

2. Toyota Sienna: Drove very well... Really smooth ride. Nice interior… a little short on space/room for my size, but livable. Very quite. Responsive engine…. Not as powerful as Nissan though. Liked features, but will not pay the high price for all the doodads… may consider a middle of the pack model. First year teething problems is a concern!

3. Nissan Quest: Powerful engine. Liked the outside shape … different! Inside, center mounted speedo etc. requires some getting used to. The wife did NOT like the barrel style center console. Roomiest interior. The drive was noisy… seemed to have the same resonance problem that Pathfinder Armada is suffering from. The salesperson told me later that the sunroof was not closing properly and that was causing that noise. First year teething problems are certainly a big concern. I would test drive again without the sunroof to see if the problem persists.

4. Honda Odyssey: Drove several years ago… Will drive again, but from what I recall, its is… Roomy interior, bulky feeling (body roll), good powerful engine. Good resale value (don’t know why!). Inherent transmission problems.

5. Kia Sorento (Suv): Drove much better than expected. Real off road capabilities (not that wife would use it, but I certainly will. My expedition goes off-road quite a bit, but it is too big for certain places). Reasonable front seat room. Poor fuel economy. We liked it better than Sedona overall… but it certainly does not belong in this category.

After reading several consumer responses on Edmunds, I have added Chrysler T&C in our list to test drive. Apparently, there are several people who are happy to move to T&C from Odyssey… I am surprised! I am definitely going to check it out.

Sorry for a long post.

Sincerely,
Shair A. Khan

ramblin_mo

Has Consumer Reports ever had anything good to say about Kia? Latest issue Mini Van update mentioning the new Ford Freestar coming in only above the Kia Sedona.

When checking consumer reviews in numerous places I come away with a general average rating of 9 out of 10.

I don't get it....

bluedevils

Well, overall CR still seems skeptical of Kia. But they have had very kind words, I dare say 'praise,' for interior features and fit/finish of the last 2 Kias I remember them reviewing: the Optima and, before that, Sedona.

To me, their summary of the Sedona was more negative than the sum of the parts in the review.

Another strange thing seems to be the difference in opinion of Sedona's ride between owners and the press. Many folks, including me, feel Sedona rides very smoothly and several have commented on this board that Sedona rides smoother than other vans they have tested. My only in-depth comparison is having spent about 12 hours in some friends' Olds Silhouette Premier on a family trip. The van seemed to ride just fine. I didn't feel its ride was any better or worse than our Sedona's. Perhaps this is just owners justifying their purchases. But the press typically seems to claim Sedona has a rough, choppy, floaty ride. If it does, I'm not seeing it.

bluedevils

I've heard a few reports of premature brake wear or problems, but I'm more interested in hearing from folks whose brakes wore out normally and needed work - new pads, etc.

How long did the original brakes last?
What type of driving do you do - smart (proactive coasting when possible to avoid unnecessary braking), aggressive, city, highway, fast, slow, short trips, long trips, etc.
Did the fronts require work before the rears?
Did the rotors require resurfacing/turning/machining?
Did they require replacement?
Where did you have the brake work done?
How much did it cost?

Our 2002 EX is nearing 32,000 miles. The brakes seem fine and we've had a couple inspections for an annoying but not disconcerting rubbing noise (dealer could not reproduce) which has since disappeared. We'll probably get 40k miles or more from the original front brake pads. Just looking to hear experiences of other Sedona owners.

arjay1

I am with most of the reviewers, I think the Sedona ride is a little rough and choppy at times. It feels to me a little like a truck. The only other mini-van I have owned was a Chrysler Town & Country. I feel that the Chrysler was smoother and quieter when driving.
Does this mean I am unhappy? No. I got this feeling during the test drive, knew what to expect and bought the Sedona. We have had 23,000 trouble free miles and are quite satisfied. Could the van be better? Sure. We have three kids and could use more room behind the rear seat. Again, we knew this from our test drives and comparisons and bought the Kia anyway. We use a car top carrier and a rack on the trailer hitch during extended trips. This works fine for us.
Every vehicle is a compromise. We felt the Kia was the best vehicle for the price and we loved the looks and the warranty. Those are the things that sold us.
I can't even complain about the poor gas mileage, we knew that up front as well.

hoyahenry

Well, I feel and hear the difference on city/neighborhood streets which I feel is almost an attack on my senses.

OTOH, the ride on the highway is extremely good.

It seems to be a function of pavement grade, like the city streets are older and more warped/wrippled with former frost heaves. ymmv

68orion68

I might be out in left field, a day late, and a dollar short to those of you who have visited your dealerships for routine servicing, but I just found this out yesterday and wanted to share it with you. I have a '02 EX with 40K worry-free miles, and have been trying to locate the A/C air filter all this time (half-heartedly). The owner's handbook tells you to replace it periodically. I finally took the car in to get the third-row seat bolts replaced (recall)and asked them to R/R the A/C air filter. They informed me that it doesn't exist on the US version of the Sedona. Now I can rest at night.

hoyahenry

That is great info, finally! Mystery solved, but I guess I should not expect filtered air in the cabin.

bluedevils

I don't remember what term is used for this item in the owners manual. Last time I dropped our '02 EX at the dealer for a few minor things, I included this on the list. The paperwork I received upon vehicle pickup indicated 'vehicle is not equipped with a <cabin air filter, or something like that>.'

So this seems to substantiate the info 68orion68 was given.

mcperr

We rented Dodge and Ford minivans for weekend trips before we purchased our Sedona back in Aug/2001. The long wheelbase Dodge perhaps had a more compliant ride with a light load, but with all the seats full it wallowed considerably more than our Kia. The Ford handled loads better, but was just as firm as the Sedona when unloaded, in our opinion. We do find the Kia a bit firm on rough pavement when empty, but don't know if this is springs or tires or both. The van handles a load superbly, though, with a very smooth ride that soaks up anything that you can through at it. Oh, and it is still the best vehicle in a cross wind that I have ever driven.

akwilliams

I searched the messages on this page and did not see a post on this, so I thought I would see if any of you have a similar problem. First, let me say that we have 40K + problem free miles and we think the Sedona was a smart buy. Now, about those miles. I did the annual run to Myrtle Beach for golf. As usual, we have two vehicles --four in each. When we got there, the other driver asked me what my odometer read. It turns out that my odometer had 20 more miles on it than his. On the way back, the same thing happened. If you are wondering, I did not drive any further than the other vehicle. By that I mean, no detours or solo trips.

So, either his GM vehicle is not showing enough miles or the Kia is showing too many. The difference on two 650 or so mile trips was about 18 miles. Enough to make me wonder whether my warranty will be up a bit prematurely.

Anyone else experience this problem?

sedonasorento

Have either you or your GM friend replaced your tires, and have gone to a slightly different size? 18 mile discrepancy over 650 miles is less than 3 percent.

akwilliams

Good question sedonasorento. I thought about that in his case and asked. He has the original equipment. I still have the Hankooks on that came with our 2002 EX. So, the explanation lies elsewhere. I should say that on the trip back we used the mile markers to check the mileage as we went. Although the markers are not the most accurate measurement, it appeared that the Kia was picking up a tenth of mile over about 15 to 18 miles.

sedonasorento

The other idea I had was tire wear, but even if you had burned through 5/32 of tread, that only translates to about a 1 percent decrease in tire circumference - which is not enough to explain your findings. How are the Hankooks wearing? Our 02 Sedona has the Kumhos, and they are wearing rapidly.

akwilliams

I am amazed at how the Hankooks have held up. We have over 41K on them and I do not see the need to replace them until just before next winter. I looked at the price of different replacements and the Hankooks are the least expensive by far. I am sure we will use them again.

bluedevils

The model on the Sedona is H speed (130mph) rated, as are the Kumhos. I think Kia had to do this because the van tops out at 122mph. Rather than put a speed limiter on the Sedona, Kia opted to use H speed rated tires instead.

Our Sedona has over 32,000 miles and the Hankooks are wearing pretty well. I plan to replace them before the snow falls again here in Michigan - probably in November, when we'll have about 40k miles on them, although they will probably still have some useful tread.

erikklein

Is this a "documented" top speed or something you have experienced personally?

I'm not sure I would be completely comfortable going 120mph in my Sedona ... yes, it is very stable and has a smooth ride ... but that's an awful amount of momentum for such a top-heavy car.

bluedevils

I believe that was the figure quoted in the Car & Driver review of Sedona a while back. Ours has never been past 90mph. It has probably spent less than 10 minutes above 80mph.

I wouldn't feel comfortable doing 120mph in ANY vehicle. I don't consider Sedona 'top-heavy' - it seems pretty stable, and not nearly as rollover-prone as most SUVs.

sedonasorento

Has anyone had success in locating good, well-fitting rubber floor mats for their Sedona? We presently have the carpet floor mats that came with the vehicle - they are now beige with kool-aid accents. Floor mats for all three seating positions would be ideal.

cwoferg

Mine came with the Kumho tires. S-U-C-K-S is how I believe the word is spelled. 28,500 and bald as my grandpa (if he were still with us). Would replace them, but I am lemon-lawing the vehicle (go to Sedona problems for full story) BTW, I have had mine up to 105, still had more to give, but didn't want to push it. Not because I was scared of the vehicle (it was still stable), but the whole cop-catching-you-HUGE-ticket thing!

arjay1

We have the Hankooks on our 2002. We have +/-24,000 miles on them and they show very little wear. They were rotated at 15,000 for the first time and I would be surprised it we got less than 60,000 to 70,000 miles out of this set.
All else it good, still trouble free.
R. J.

bluedevils

Just saw a TV commercial tonight, advertising 3 years / 36,000 free scheduled maintenance on new Sedonas for a limited time. I was quite surprised, and somewhat impressed, by this offer from Kia. Things that crossed my mind, based on assumption that the '04 owners manual recommended maintenance schedule is the same as my '02: I wonder if Kia will cover things such as replacement of spark plugs (recommended at 25k miles), transmission fluid change, etc. since many of these fall within the first 3 yrs / 36k miles.

Upon visiting Kia's website, I saw they are offering $1,000 additional bonus cash (canNOT be combined with Kia owner loyalty bonus cash) for current owners of many competitor minivans. Customer need NOT sell or trade in the competing minivan.

Considering the current $2,000-2,500 rebate, plus the possibility of getting an extra $1,000 for competitive bonus or $1,500 for Kia loyalty, plus the free scheduled maintenance for 3 yrs / 36k miles, there has never been a better time to buy a Sedona.

If price and quality both matter to you, it is a huge mistake not to give the Sedona serious consideration. A loaded 2004 Sedona EX should be gettable for $20,000 or just a bit more. This is a tremendous value. I'm trying to figure a way to justify buying a second Sedona for our family, even though we don't need one.

alamid69

I bought our sedona back in Aug. 2001 and i believe it is one of the first productions. It is nearing 50K miles and so far no major problems. We drove it form PA to Rhode Islands, PA to D.C., PA to TX, TX to IL. Only problem was the windshield cracked twice. Dealer replaced it with no questions asked. We love this van so much that we bought a Sorento recently.

cwoferg

Glad to hear your good news. I truly believe I was just unfortunate enough to get a lemon. I have spoke to many people like you who haven't had any problems with their Sedonas, but you are the first with a first-production run. Mine was too, I bought it in November 2001, and it had been on the lot for a little while. Go to Kia Sedona Problems and you will see. But also notice that I would still recommend the vehicle again. All of the people I have talked to have had 2003 or newer and are completely in love with them. I love mine too, so do my kids. Wonderful passenger arrangements! It has never left me stranded and the engine runs like a Swiss watch, but just too many little things in my van prior to the tranny slipping. By the way, I had to have my windshield replaced once too. No impact point, just cracked one day when I was driving it. Is this a common thing?

alamid69

I believe it is common with the early production. The service manager i spoke with said that Kia had a spec problem with their supplier. My first incident was while i was driving from Philly to Pittsburgh (winter time). I just heard a loud cracking sound. At first i though a rock hit the windshield. When i came back to Philly i took the van to the dealer. They inspected it and said that it was a "stress crack" and will replace the windshield.

I'm so sorry to hear your unfortunate experience with your van. I sincerely hope that you'll have a good result with your lemon complaint.

alamid69

Question: How soon do i need to replace the timing belt of my Sedona? Again, it's nearing 50K miles.