Kia Sedona (2005 and Earlier)

phinegan

Hi, All.
We've had an '03 Sedona EX since June of last year, stock except a roof rack. We're generally happy with the van, though the gas mileage (about 17 - 18 mpg in mixed driving) is a bit disappointing. No major problems so far, though it's been to the dealer for "check-engine" twice (they replaced some gizmo - no, it wasn't the gas cap!), airbag warning light twice (first they replaced the clockspring, then a sensor in the seatbelt) and, most surprisingly, for a jammed seatbelt. Had to have the front brakes replaced at 16,000 miles - seemed pretty early, but then, we live in an urban setting and have three teenage drivers! We're at about 18,000 miles now-lots of driving for the first year! The van also got a set of nasty digs from someone in a parking lot (of course, they took off!) - I'll probably get it fixed up sometime soon.

Regards!

jcrider2

I to had the air bag light to stay on at 40000 miles. Took it to the dealer and they put their troubleshooting tool on it and it said the drivers seat buckle was the probblem.
 It was replaced and no trouble since. 42000 miles now and still original brakes on both front and rear.

stever

2004 Minivan Comparison Test

Steve, Host

kiasorentoexl

Before I had a Sorento, I had an 02 Sedona EX.

In fact, the van is the reason I stayed within the KIA family. Other than an alternator that had to be replaced NOTHING went wrong with that van - as much as we love the Sorento, my family and I find we miss the van at times.

It is good to see that it continues to be well regarded.

alamid69

A lot of people still think that KIA brand is synonymous to cheap, unreliable car. I already have 2 of them (Sedona and Sorento). Cheap? Probably. But, why pay more to get more if you can pay less and still get more? Unreliable? Personally, i don't think so. I'm nearing 50K mi with my Sedona with no major problems.

erikklein

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20040429/ts_alt_- afp/us_auto_quality_040429061311

minivanfrank

Hi,
Does anyone remember the name of the auto site that let you purchase a new vehicle and they shipped it right to you? I read about it on this town hall before,but, cannot find it with my searches. If I remember correctly, some people had bought a Sedona in this manner.
F

jondot

The comprison page surprised me in that it did not include the Chrysler mini vans--or did I miss something? Not that I want one. I am well pleased with my '02 Sedona EX with no complaints except maybe tires. Have 35K miles on it and all is going well so far. Gas mileage runs about 17 city and 21 to 23 on the highway.

stever

The comparison was aimed at new 2004 models and the new Chrysler vans are '05 models.

The Sedona was included because it was overlooked last time.

I'm still not sure why they included the 6 year old Odyssey - I guess because it was the reigning champ in the testing (I should reread it <g>).

Steve, Host

bluedevils

there are still a few sites with similar capabilities, though some of them have gone belly-up in the past few years. minivanfrank, the one you may be referring to is www.carsdirect.com.

navyair

Looking back over the air filter part numbers, I'm wondering if anyone has installed the K&N air filter? Saw Vanphan was looking at one. K&N has a good reputation.

I will probably stick with a NAPA or WIX if not the K&N...haven't found one at the local places yet and I refuse to pay $30 at the dealer for such a basic (cheap) part.

My dealer also wanted $120 to install a $15 engine block heater. I'll buy the aftermarket magnetic one and install it myself.

shooter_2000ca

Looking for a lockable gas cap for my van. Does anyone know if it's available and if so where can I get it?

TIA.

hoyahenry

Okay, where are they. I pulled the engine cover off the other day and didn't see anything I'd call familiar.

Pushing 20K miles- would be good to know which ones I have.

theolus1

The 3.5 has a hemi head..... when you pull the cover, you will see three black boxes (ignition coils) with wires running from them. If you remove the screws securing the boxes to the head and remove the wires, you can pull the boxes straight out. Under the boxes is a long plug connector. You may not be able to identify the plugs with out removing them. Being a hemi head, they sit at the bottom of a 6" hole. As far as accessing the back three, good luck. You may have to access them from the underside/back of the motor. I figure when it is time to change them, I will let the dealer take care of that.

hoyahenry

Many thanks!

99windstar

Just got back from a 2200 plus mile road trip across AL, MS, LA, and parts of TX. Our '03 Sedona EX performed wonderfully! Averaged 20 miles per gallon.

We had plenty of room for 2 adults, 3 children, and luggage for everyone for the 9 day trip. Everyone was cool and comfortable.

I'm impressed with the handling and throttle response of this fat little van. It had no trouble getting out of the way in emergency situations, kept up with 90+ mph traffic with ease, and accelerated smoothly and fairly quickly in high speed passes.

Gotta love it!

sedona03

Hi,
I am going to change my oil for the first time on my van. Does anyone know how much qts it needs with changing of a filter and without changing of a filter ? My dealer used to change my oil but $38 bucks an oil change is getting little too much so, I decided to do it myself. I notice that dealers invoice they put down as 5 qts. Is this correct ? Any other recommendation of the brand for oil or filter would be appreciated. Thanks,

bluedevils

If you are going to change the engine oil, change the oil filter too. There's no reason to change the oil and leave the filter on there. Once you get all the tools and gear out to change the oil, the extra time to change the filter is very small. And with filters running 5 bucks or less, cost shouldn't be an issue.

I believe the oil capacity is 4.6 quarts (with a filter change) but I'm not sure. The information is in your owners manual; look it up to be sure.

Too bad your dealer is so pricey. Ours charges about $20 which is very reasonable. Still, I change the oil & filter myself sometimes. I have been using Purolator PureOne filter, $4-6. Part # PL24459. This one can be hard to find and it might not be listed as an exact fit/match for the vehicle.

sedona03

Thanks bluedevils,
I talk to dealer and the cost for the kia/hyundai filter is around $5.00 and $2.00 for the plug washer ( what a rip off...).
I'll see if I can find the Purolator PureOne.

kiaparts

$7.00 for filter and crush ring!!!! They are ripping you off! $5.15 for both. Part numbers 26300-35501 and K99564-1400. Completely covered by warranty too!

bluedevils

Replaced the original Hankook RA07 tires tonight with Bridgestone Turanza LS-T in the factory size, P215-70-15. The Hankooks had 38,603 miles on them and could have lasted until 45k or maybe even 50k, but I don't like to push it with tires.

The Hankooks were H speed-rated and the Turanzas are only T-rated, but this is not really a concern for me.

Time will tell how the Turanzas perform on our Sedona, but I chose them on purpose over several Michelin due to info on tirerack.com. The overall ratings for the Turanza were better than on the Michelin models I was considering (primarily the HydroEdge). On tirerack.com, several Honda Odyssey owners had switched to Turanzas after bad experiences with Michelin Symmetry or Firestone Affinity OEM tires. Also, a couple other minivan owners reported an improvement vs. the OEM Michelin MX4. I was willing to spend more for Michelins but did not feel any of their models were better than the Turanza.

We got an excellent deal at Costco during their $80 off coupon sale - $320 installed including tax.

momonthego

I have a 2001 Sedona which we LOVE LOVE LOVE, and a while back I noticed a cut in the driver's seat cushion near the height where your right shoulder blade would be. I went over everything trying to figure out if hub or I had gotten in the van with anything sharp in our hands... couldn't think of how the seat had possibly gotten cut. Well, I have now figured it out. When I get in I press my elbow against the seat there and scoot myself over in the process of getting in. There is a sharp piece of metal in the back of the seat that has cut through the foam and now the seat fabric. Nearly cut my skin the other day when I put my elbow in that spot to scoot over. Guess I should have stuck with hanging onto the armrest. Argh! Do you all think my dealer will do anything about this or blame it on me. I would think you should be able to press your elbow into the seat over and over without any sharp metal from the back of the seat cutting through... seems like a safety hazard???

What do you all think ?

bluedevils

Sounds like your dealer will likely cover this repair/replacement under warranty. It should be clear to the dealer that an internal part of the seat caused the problem, and this shouldn't happen.

By the way, if you have a U.S.-spec Sedona, it can't be a 2001, right? I thought 2002 was the first model year for Sedona in the U.S.

momonthego

Um... we got it in September 2001, so I was thinking it was a 2001, but maybe it's 2002

grandtotal

Take a look at the 10^th character of the VIN. If it's a 2 then you have a 2002. I think bluedevils is right though it's a 2002 model year vehicle that you have.

minivanfrank

kiaparts...what did you mean by your post # 3931 stating that the oil filter and crush ring are "Completely covered by warranty too! " ?

sisu145

Bought my EX in October of 2001. It's considered a 2002. 34,000 miles and still running great. Looking to replace tires before the winter. Any thoughts on good replacemnts?

alamid69

Yup. It's 2002. I got mine in August 2001. Almost 50K miles and is still running great. I replaced the tires with Micheline. A lot better than the Hankook, IMO.

bluedevils

Last week we replaced the OEM Hankook RA07 tires on our 2002 Sedona EX. The tires had 38,603 miles on them. Still some useful tread but I was anxious for new tires. Tirerack.com customer feedback steered me toward the Bridgestone Turanza LS-T. Initially I planned to go with Michelin but I became convinced the Turanza is a better tire. So far our Turanzas have logged about 400 miles. It's hard to say much about them so soon, but they seem to be about as quiet as the Hankooks they replaced, which is to say they seem fairly quiet.

akwilliams

We have 46000+ miles on our 2002 and I ma looking at tires. BTW, we have had very few problems with the van and would by another if this one ever wears out. Back to the issue of the moment -- tires. The Hankooks have performed admirably and I am thinking of just putting another set of four on. Is there any particular reason some (most?) are going with a different brand? Were you unhappy with the Hankooks or just looking for greener grass? Any info would be appreciated. Thanks.

bluedevils

I was not at all unhappy with the Hankooks, but they are not a common brand of tire around the U.S.A. That may not be a rational reason to consider other brands instead, but for us it was a reason. There aren't too many sources of info (customer opinion, etc.) on Hankook tires. They are a very reasonably priced tires, especially for an H speed-rated tire. I'm hoping/assuming that the Bridgestone Turanza LS-T will be a better tire overall for us, in the areas that matter to me - snow/rain performance, dry performance, longevity, etc. I don't care so much for the absolutely quietest tire around.

One other thing to consider is if you have an uncommon tire and need a replacement right away, you may be in a tough spot. E.g. must wait a few days for tire to be special-ordered, or must take a different tire brand/model because you need a tire RIGHT NOW. The Bridgestone we chose isn't exactly run-of-the-mill, but it is more common than the Hankooks.

sisu145

Thanks for the info!!! While i'm at it, what mileage are you changing brake pads at? Wife was mentioning a squeal when she brakes. 34,000 miles of mostly suburban traffic.

Thanks

steve999

Ok, in the next month we will be in either the Kia or Mazda van. I would like to know how often the oil needs to be changed on the Kia? Also, how often should the air, fuel filters need changing? I read somewhere that something (timing belt?)needs to be done at 60k miles..what's the cost of that? Anything else need to be done as far as maintenance goes??

Thanks

bluedevils

with pretty much any gasoline-powered vehicle, the oil 'needs' to be changed when you feel it needs to be changed. On the Normal service schedule, Kia recommends oil changes every 7,500 miles. With conventional oil, that is probably way too long. We change ours every 3,000-4,000 miles.

Air and fuel filters - in my opinion, these require changing on a similar schedule from vehicle to vehicle, regardless of what the manufacturer says. E.g. say Kia specifies a 30,000 mile interval on fuel filter for Sedona but Mazda says the MPV can go 60,000 miles on a fuel filter. I am still going to change the fuel filter when *I* think it should be changed - I would not change the fuel filter twice as often if owning the Sedona vs. the MPV. Each owner needs to do his/her own homework to decide what maintenance intervals he/she is comfortable with.

Brakes - our 2002 Sedona has about 39,500 miles. The brakes groaned and squeaked occasionally for the first 20,000 miles or so. Our dealer said there were no problems. I agree - although I consider an annoying groan and squealing noise a minor problem. We have not heard any squaling lately, so I think our brakes are still okay. Our last inspection was around 30,000 miles and we still had a decent amount of pad remaining. I would expect a brake job will be needed before 50,000 miles on our Sedona. This is pretty decent longevity considering ours has done about 50% city driving and the vehicle's large weight.

Timing belt - off the top of my head, I think the recommended timing belt interval is 60,000 miles.

Another example of 'do what YOU are comfortable with' is spark plugs. Are you okay with leaving your spark plugs in for 100,000 miles just because the vehicle manufacturer says they will last that long? I'm not.

stever

I am (my van's plugs are 93k old right now), and I change the oil at 7,500 miles and my maintenance schedule calls for periodic fuel filter inspection, not replacement.

If you can't believe the manufacturer, who can you believe?

Check out the for Edmunds Maintenance Guide the factory maintenance schedules.

Steve, Host

hoyahenry

Just for the record, Blackstone Labs recommended that I extend the oil change interval to about 6000 miles(using dino). 7-7500 miles on SL oil in non-extreme driving conditions seems to be the new standard. Or, easier to remember might be 6 months or 6k miles, whichever comes first.

bluedevils

respectfully, sometimes (all the time?) the manufacturer does not have the long-term vehicle owner's best interests in mind when developing the recommended maintenance schedule. In many cases, the recommended maintenance seems far too excessive, and in other cases it seems too light. For example, in my 1998 Isuzu Trooper owner manual, Isuzu does not actually recommend ever replacing the transmission fluid if the vehicle falls under the "Normal" schedule. Does that mean I will never replace the trans fluid in my Trooper? Heck NO!

I do not mean to diminish the value of the Edmunds Maintenance Guide stuff, because this is valuable information and quite a helpful service for Edmunds to gather, publish, and calculate this information for vehicle owners.

stever

True, some of us would look to another manufacturer if the maintenance requirements were much more frequent than another car. 100,000 mile tune-ups sell cars.

One thing I do is keep track of my gas fill ups. I figure if the mileage starts dropping, something is amiss.

At 93k, my van mpg is still increasing a little bit every year, so I figure the computers are compensating for the worn plugs and the other stuff just fine.

btw, you inspired me to update my speadsheet:

steve_ "Nissan Quest/Mercury Villager problems" Jul 12, 2004 2:48am

Steve, Host

bluedevils

Excellent point. Tracking fuel economy is an excellent way to notice problems, or to verify that problems likely do not exist. Near 40k miles, our Sedona's fuel economy continues to improve.

To continue the topic on a slightly tangential note...

Just an example. Take 2 minivans, each having a DOHC 24-valve V6 engine. Let us say Sedona and Mazda MPV. Let's say Kia recommends changing Sedona fuel filter every 60k miles. Let's say Mazda recommends changing MPV fuel filter every 30k miles (I am making this stuff up). Maybe I am naieve or ignorant, but I do not believe the fuel filter on a Sedona will 'last' twice as long as the MPV's fuel filter. Nor do I feel that Sedona is less expensive to maintain than MPV in the fuel filter department. In other words, I doubt any specific engineering differences are at play. It is simply a case of one manufacturer being more cautious than another, or something like that.

stever

To continue that example, you'd change the fuel filter at 30k and I'd change it at 60k :-).

You'll have less risk of damage from dirty fuel but at 120k, I'll be $20 ahead (assuming I don't ruin my engine <g>).

Steve, Host

bluedevils

I would NOT automatically do the 30k interval. I would decide based on all factors what is a safe interval. In this specific situation, I think fuel filters typically last longer than 30k. I would probably lean more toward 50-60k replacement interval.

navyair

Yeah, but Steve says his car is getting better and better mileage regardless of plugs, ignition, etc, so I guess he is nearing driver nirvana, where the tank is always full, regardless of the speed/distance driven. (...or maybe his gas guage is broken!)

stever

I'm going to start selling my excess to Exxon/Mobile any day now :-)

Steve, Host

jcrider2

To Sisu145 I replaced my Khumo tires at 35000 miles with T rated Michelin Hydo Edge tires. Checking around I found there arn't many tires avaible in the P215-70-15 H rated size. Yhe Michelins ride very smooth and are as quiet or even more so as the Khumo's I now have 43000 miles on my 2002 Ex and everything is running like it should.

bluedevils

True - not many choices in 215/70/15 tire size that are also H speed-rated. But it is not necessary to have H-rated tires on Sedona. True, the OEM tires are H-rated but that is primarily because Sedona will actually do 122 mph because it does not have an electronic speed governor. Just my opinion.

I almost went with the Hydro Edge when we replaced the original tires on our 2002 Sedona recently at 38,600 miles. Are you sure they are H-rated? I didn't think they were H-rated in the 215/70/15 size.

xvrm

Bought 2004 Sedona LX (Base, no options) for $16900 incl. Dest, TTL with no trade. Dealership experience excellent at Kia of Bloomington, MN. I've driven 2500 mi. since May 17 purchase and am pleased at van's features, ride, quiet, peppy V-6 with 5spd auto.. My Sedona is Sage Green ... I like that it is not a 2-tone color scheme. Mileage averaging about 20 ... with maybe 20% in-town driving. I use my 2000 Kia Sportage 4dr., 4x4, for local errands. Sportage reliability has been outstanding. I expect the Sedona will be no different.
I'll mention that I'm single, generally drive alone and rarely haul things. Why a minivan? I'm at an age when I can no longer twist myself into a pretzel to enter/exit a regular sedan. I want safety and a quiet, composed ride and I like a taller sightline. Why a Kia? Why not? I got a bargain, I avoided dismissive attitudes I've encountered at other dealerships, and reliability has never been an issue with the Sportage. So, here I am in this forum, among others who've thought outside the Odyssey, Sienna, MPV, DCX boxes ... happy as all get out. Such a deal!

wpatterson1

We purchased an '04 Sedona last Spring. Recently we have noticed a stale "urine" odor coming from the vents when we first get in the van and turn on the A/C. We had it in to the Crain Kia in NLR, AR and they sprayed some air freshener in the vents. That lasted about two days. Now we are taking it back in and the dealer is saying they will probably have to tear it down to find out what is causing the stink. Just wanted to know if anyone else has had anything similar with theirs. Other than that my my wife loves the thing.

bnhbucks

Sorry - that has not happened to me.

darcy14

You don't happen to have some enemies do you? I heard of a joke done to a professor at my university where someone took a cup of urine and poured it down the a/c intake. When you turn the vehicle on during a warm day, the smell comes out full force.

stever

I'm thinking it may be mold, unless there's something (Wonder Bread?) that got stuffed into one of the vents.

I had some fermenting grits under the rear seat of a sedan one time that was pretty sour and hard to track down.

I'd try the spray stuff a few more times before tearing into the dash.

Steve, Host