Kia Sedona Brakes

Claires

Stop here to talk about Kia Sedona brake problems.

bluedevils

Maybe it's the luck of the draw. Our 2002 EX has 62,000 miles and still on the original brakes with no problems in the 4 years we've had the van - no funny noises, no shaking, no warping, etc. We do a pretty even mix of city / highway driving.

likelleh

Yeah, i think its the luck of the draw. I only bought my sedona after my ex and his wife both bought 2004 Sedonas and have had no problems with either one!!!!!

monty2222

In again for brake noise. I think they replaced the rotors twice now. For a while it began pulsing, I gave it a while to wear in, but now I get a clunk sound once per wheel revolution as I brake. After making that appointment, I was on the highway and started gettting the old hum from the back end, like if running with knobby tires. When I pulled off and looked, there is oil/grease coming out of the wheel hub and splattered out across the wheel cover. Looks like bearings again. I did try Kia roadside assistance, but they would tow the car only, no transportation for us (dealer closed). So I just drove it home. Oh, also when wet the belts chirp quite a bit during warmup. Rather annoying. I am not buying Kia again. :mad:

neveragain4

I have an 05 Kia Sedona. It has been into the dealership five times now for brake problems. They have replaced the rotors and pads. It is still making the grinding/groaning noise when I slow to a stop. Not all the time but too much. We have filed a report through the BBB Autoline. Kia sent a factory rep up to test drive our van. He did not hear the noise. I was also told that the noise is normal! I have had many new vehicles and none with this problem! What can I do? Should I have it inspected by someone other than Kia. I want Kia to buy it back. It is a lemon!! :lemon: :lemon: :lemon:

monty2222

2004 Kia Sedona with 23K miles. Often when I apply brakes lightly at low speed (almost stopped) I get a clunking noise about once per wheel revolution. Sounds like its coming from the back. Mostly on damp or humid days. I have had it in twice and they say the brakes look fine. The first time it was also in for a bad wheel bearing and so they replaced it and assumed it was the noise, but not. The second time I DEMONSTRATED it to the mechanic, but they said brakes looked OK and boss said to replace the rear shocks! Anybody else have/solve this issue? Sometimes there is also a groan just as I stop, I am sure it is pads sticking and letting go. Maybe I should just go to Midas. :mad:

smulvey

Monty2222- monty - please check quickly to see if your rear wheel bearings are about to fail.

I have seen where a number of people that have the Alloy Wheels have reported that the pretty metal cover over the lug nuts traps water inside the hub cap until it seeps into the wheel bearing space and rusts out the rear wheel bearings resulting in catastrophic failure. Of course before they failed they may have made a ticking sound like you describe. My car has the steel road wheels and so is not effected. Mine has 78K on it and is working great.

I wonder if you have a bad spot now on the Metal Axle shaft itself?

If you know how to remove the wheel and the hub you can investigate yourself on saturday.

monty2222

No, as I posted, they just replaced the rear bearings. The sound they make when bad is a hum like driving with knobby tires. There is also a recall on that. The clunking/ticking noise only happens when the brakes are lightly applied at low speed. I think the pads are sticking.

dishnerm21

I have a 2004 Kia Sedona with 34k miles. I am have to turn or replace rotors every 10k miles because of serious vibration when braking. The first two times the dealer turned the rotors and told me they could turn then 7-8 times. They never attempted to find what was causing the issue. The third time they told me I need a complete brake job at the cost of $330. We live in a totally flat area and my wife does not ride the brake, I have paid close attention to this. I have talked to several people at Kia corporate and they are useless. All they can say it is normal for some vehicles to do this. I am replacing the rotors and brakes with non-Kia parts in hope this resolves my issues. This is my last Kia. They advertise such a great warrenty but you might as well not even have one. Has anyone else had this issue?

smulvey

My van has 79K on it and I am on the original set of Rotors.

Never turn rotors on front wheel drive cars.

It is a total waste of money.

Buy new ones.

I put new pads on the original rotors at 35K miles.

My rotors are still good. I checked them last week.

I would say you got bad rotors and they made them worse. Also if you have a caliper that is set in or out it will cause problems on the rotors.

Most mechanics will run a flat file on the Caliper slides to clear out rust and give you a good slide back and forth.

I think you have a poor mechanic at the dealer. Also these Kia guys normally just replace everything. My wife's car had a small brake problem at 30K miles and they replaced everything.

The only time Rotors warp is a bad rotor ( it happens ) a bad grip on the rotor ( from the Caliper ) or bad driving ( the driver speeds up and slows down real fast ( my wife borrowed my car for a trip. When she came up the street she drove it like she's dives her Spectra, when she stop next to me I could FEEL the heat coming off those brakes. The kind of use will warp a rotor.)

We know that once you WARP a piece of metal it will always try to go back to that warped shape.

Your plan is sound- buy NEW third party rotors and get some life out of them for a change. When you remove the calipers use a flat file to remove the rust from the slides, and then using a tissue with a small dab of never seize on it , work that into the porosity of the metal when the rust was.

That helps the caliper to move better inboard and outboard , during braking.

notanotherkia

I have a 2005 sedona, the brakes failed/ needed replaced at 5600, then new pads at 13000, 21000, 30000, and now at 42000. I asked Kia why they were wearing down so fast. He said that either I ride my brake or that Tires Plus doesn't know how to do brakes. I then told him that my drivers side front pads wear down 2-3x faster then my passanger side and he told my that sometimes they wear a little faster on one side then the other. I know I am past the 36000 mi lemon law but if I could get any help I would appriciate it. Thanks

smulvey

your calipers are not setup correctly and need attention. they are need sitting above the rotor when the pistons press on the pads they must be either inboard or outboard.

The pads brakes should last about 30,000 miles of moderate highway driving.

City Driving- reduce that to 10,000 since City people are different from country people.

plus your car weighs 4700 pounds.

If you want to reduce the brake interval do your own front brakes and put on pads and rotors at the same time and you will have better luck.

you can also upgrade to the ceramic pads and the drilled brake rotors, i saw them for this car on sale.

If you have paid $ 80 for 5 brake jobs you already paid for the difference in price.

boxwrench

In reading all the posts about Brake problems, I'm wondering if any of the problems are occuring with ABS Brakes. Our 04 EX has the ABS option, and we have had no brake problems in 25k miles. Possibly different rotor mfg or specs?

On another subj -- Has anyone found a replacement for KIA Auto Trans fluid?

Boxwrench

notanotherkia

The caliper problem, would this not be something kia should take care of?

I am currently looking for new rotors NOT from kia. My thinking is that the rotors they are using are causing most of my/our problems with the brakes.

I am going to call R1 Concepts and find out if they have rotors for the Sedona. I think they sell pads too. I wonder if we can get SUV pads so that they don't wear as quick.

bpgungirl

My 2005 Sedona, which has been in the shop 16 times (including 2 times last week) for mostly the same reasons. Bad breaks (Kia Tech said was normal) never fixed, noise in the rear axle (Kia Tech said was normal) never fixed, excessive noisy A/C and smells VERY moldy (Kia Tech says is normal) never fixed, the over head computer system has been replaced 3 times and still doesn't work so I will be bringing it back in for the 4th new one next week.
Anyway, when I was in last week about the breaks, the service advisor heard the noise (which was there since 700 miles and complained about monthly) and said he would change the rotors and pads and everything should be corrected. THEN, he advised I would have to pay $129.99 for the break inspection and then between $500.00 and $600.00 for the correct repairs !!!!!! I asked why I had to pay and he said because the breaks are now OUT OF WARRANTY. I advised him that Kia has checked them at least 6 times in the last year and they kept telling me that everything is normal. Now,with only 7,400 miles and 90 days out of warranty they will only repair for the bucks. Sounds like a damn good scam Kia has going for themselves. This can only add support to my Lemon Law case. I feel sorry for anyone who is having problems with Kia, they are rip offs.

joanc

How many miles do you have on your '05 Sedona? That sounds crazy that Kia won't pay for your repairs since you've been bringing it to their attention for months. My brakes on my'03 were faulty as well (lots of squealing & squeaking), however, my dealership replaced the entire rear brakes (pads, drums, etc) and I've had no problem since. I had absolutely no out of pocket expenses, because of the warranty. Don't let them screw you over! :mad:

richardson

Check out valvoline max life 75000. Valvoline says it's the same as kia spec. Jim Richardson

vanner

Jim: Re: Transmission fluid...Valvoline says it's the same. But does Kia accept it as correct maintenance for this vehicle? Will your warranty hold up? IF Kia won't honor any warranty problems with the tranny will Valvoline?

There are lots of synthetic engine oils out there that can go 15,000 miles between changes with filter. Yet Kia's warranty conditions specifically demand oil changes at 3000 miles for "severe use" vehicles, and if you read the terms, you'll find every V-6 is a "severe use" vehicle. They make no allowance for synthetics.

I think the synthetics are better for the vehicle. I have no doubt you can go a long time between changes. I think there are probably better quality transmission fluids than Kia's. And Kia certainly does not refine their own transmission fluid - somebody makes it for them. But the point I'm making is that Kia is reknown for backing out of warranties any way they can, and using anything other than the specified fluid is a dandy way to let them out without even squirming. Be careful. (See my post #1178)

Same thing with "non-Kia" parts for the brakes. We had the rotors warp at under 5000 miles on our 05 Sedona. No ABS. They just are NOT designed for the weight and stresses of this vehicle. They are the same parts as on the sedans and probably marginal for them. The dealer tried ours when we took it in and agreed they were bad. Rotors were turned (perfectly acceptable repair for me - I do it all the time on all my vehicles) and pads replaced. Been fine for the last 10K and I'm happy with the service.

But if I ever have a problem with them again I will swap to after-market "performance" rotors and pads and do the work myself. Hang the warranty. I realize the warranty at least on the brakes will likely be voided. (see my post #1175)

Might add that the brake problem and the much-reported fuel pressure sensor warning code are our only problems so far. (The fuel pressure warning is due to a faulty vent valve in the EGR and is well-known.) Dealer handled both okay in my mind. I can't fault our dealer.

I also am getting to really like this van the more I live with it. It's my wife's car and I get it very seldom - driving long shifts on long trips. I think it's ALMOST as good as my very old Aerostar which was spectacular at its job. (Still have it at 174K and the 4L V-6 has never been opened!) I can drive it for ten hours and not be stressed out too much.

Two months ago the Sedona got just a shade over 20mpg from mid-west to Florida and back, around 2000 miles total, with a heavy passenger and luggage load at an average 75 mph out on I-75 and I-65. (Combined weight would be well over 5000 lbs.) 500 miles of it in Florida in mixed highway/city driving at very high daily temps. I love how well this van's air conditioner handles bringing down the huge interior to comfortable levels in a very short time.

For sure it swallows up a whole BIG pile of luggage and gear with ease. May be the most "space efficient" vehicle I've ever packed. And again - the stretch Aerostar is a tough act to follow.

For the money - even for more money if it worked out that way - this is a heck of a good vehicle for us so far.

richardson

I have an 04 Van with 33000 and I have never had a problem. I do all my own maintenance and don't go to the dealer unless necessary. I did take it back for the three recalls, but I don't think I had one of the problems. My sister has an 03 van with about 60000 miles. She tells me she hasn't had any problems either. I feel bad for anybody on this listserve thats been having a lot of problems with their vehicle. As for the warranty, I've never had to use it so I don't know what Kia's response to the problem would be.

smulvey

#1.) Generally, new cars today have thinner rotors than the 1976 Fords and Chevys we grew up with. Those old rotors were about $ 90 each back then. They were also very heavy and had the hub built into them. Todays rotors are smaller, lighter and they warp easier. If you get 35K miles on the new car rotors you are doing great. I had FAR MORE problems with my new Taurus than anyone here can imagine, with their Kias. I have 79K on my Sedona rotors and I replaced the pads once. Now I will replace the rotors and be glad to do so.

2.) I have also got a Spectra and the Kia Dealer warranted the entire rear brakes for us at 30K miles, the wheel cylinders, shoes and drums and the cables ! My other dealer warranted the parking brake cables on my van. I have not had trouble getting warranty support from Kia on either of our 2002 cars.

3.) I got a complete warranty/upgrade on my Vans electrical system at 50K miles , when they decided to improve the electrical output as the battery tended to drain. This again was free. In contrast on my new FORD TAURUS I bought 3 batteries and three alternators at my expense, and one tow job, due to a bad wiring design on the taurus. But they have a short warranty so you get hammered on that.

Brake people : Definitely buy new rotors and pads and get on living. Buy a third party brand and try them out. Pepboys sells Raybestos or Wagner and they are good brands.

Lemon Law people- push for a solution. Sadly your dealers are not helping you.

On balance I have had better results with Kia than I did with either my Ford , My chrysler , or my General Motors Fleet of 6 Chevy Luminas I bought !!

they all had major brake failure at 50K miles and GM made me pay full shot or $700 to do the brakes. AND they had a special part that only they offered and the Monro shop had to buy it from them at $ 140 per set.

So go get some Rotors and pads for $ 150 total and enjoy better braking tomorrow !

bpgungirl

Just an update on my 2005 Kia Sedona. Two weeks ago, I FINALLY convinced the dealership I had break problems !! The service advisor called after having my van for 8 hours and said my rotors are warped ---- boy, was I ever surprised !! I had been telling them for 13 months there was something wrong with them. Long story short, they said the breaks were out of warranty (hahaha) and wouldn't be covered. I told them I didn't care and that my lemon law lawyer advised me to let them try to fix it. When I picked it up the following day, they said they took care of the breaks under warranty (lucky me). The pads were never changed, the grinding/screeching noise is still there when breaks are applied and now, with car running and in park,taking the foot off the break pedal, can hear break shoe noises in the rear and can hear like a cable sliding through a shaft under the engine compartment. According to my lawyer, this could all end by mid Sept. Praying so hard this will happen. ---- :lemon: :lemon: :mad:

monty2222

Well it is still happening. Both the dealer AND now Midas failed to figure out and fix the problem. When applying light pressure at low speed I get a sharp clunking noise about once per wheel revolution. I can also get it with the emergency brake by applying it about two clicks. It is from the rear wheels. Midas found brake dust clump and lubricated the backing plate. Noise came back in a couple days. The dealer said the brakes looked fine and replaced the rear shocks. Nobody can figure this out! 2004 Sedona with 23000 miles. :mad:

notanotherkia

I have to buy new rotors for my van.

Took it to Tire Plus and they called a local Kia dealer and talked to the parts department. They told him that the sedona is too heavy for these pads/rotors, and it is a known problem but one they are unwilling to address to the public.

smulvey

Well, I just hit 85K miles so I installed a new set of Rotors and I replaced the pads. I got 35K miles on my first set of pads and now the rotors, they lasted 85K.

My old parts were still in good shape , but old.
My rotors looked great, but they were getting thin and now with new pads and rotors I have a solid pedal. I also tightened up the rear shoes a little bit.

I am very happy with my brake wear. I do not have ABS.

My van is a 2002 and perhaps I was just lucky or they had a good rotor back then. Now the new 2007 has 4 wheel disc brake. I think I like my 2002 better. I took off the rear brake drum and it looks like NEW so I am not going to replace those. My shoes pere 50 % worn down. I think I will do the shoes so I can ignore them another 80K miles.

NOTE to ALL- The front pads have a pair of stainless steel caliber slides one on top edge and one on bottom. If you do nothave these installed on the replacement pads there could be problems with ticking sounds and noises. they a clearly visibile on the bottom and top of the pads.

FYI.

nikieis

i have an 04 sedona with 23K and i took that darn thing to the shop i dont know how many times for the same thing and they said all is fine they just need to ajusted and still the same. i took it back for the same thing again about 3mos ago and they tell me my rotars are worped and that is a comon problem with the sedonas and they are comming from the factory like that, so they fixed them and now they started to sound like that again and the brakes are bad but not due to the worped rotars and they will ot fix them without me paying $299.00 for new front brakes. so my advice to you is to have the rotars checked. also they have an active recall that i was nver told about on the gas pedal that it will stick and you cant stop the car or slow down.

notanotherkia

I just bought new rotors that are drilled and brake shoes for my '05 Sedona. I will let you know how it goes. So far they seem to be doing pretty good. Only 200 miles on them right now.

05sedona

:lemon: I have an 05 Sedona and are having similar brake problems. Had front and rear brakes, drums and rotors replaced by the dealer at 9000 miles and the front were replaced again at 21000 miles. During the 21000 miles replacement they also "adjusted" the rear brakes and that has not under warranty. I returned the vehicle a few days later because the check engine light was going on and I mentioned the brakes were shaking again. Only 400 miles later and they showed me the burned rotors and said they cannot do a warranty repair. They are blaming in on living in the smoky mountains and using the brakes.

The previous service manager also talked about the 05 Sedona having many brake problems. Said they were redesigned for the 06 model. Gave us instructions on how to drive and use brakes. Also told us that they are having the same problems in cities with stop and go traffic.

I personally know 2 other people with the exact same make and model and they are BOTH going through the lemon / buyback deals from KIA.

Why won't KIA just fess upa nd admit they screwed up and fix these things the right way. Do
they not want to tarnish the new 06 reputation?

This thing is a lemon :lemon: :lemon: :lemon:

PLEASE write back if you are having similar problems... I want to compose a list of people for the attorney.....

The 05 Sedona brakes are not strong enough for the vehicle weight.

mombee

We have a 2004 Kia Sedona. When coming to a stop, the brakes bind up and squawk. I have had it in 5 times... I have been told I needed all new belts ( at 23K miles), that I needed a new battery, that I needed new front brakes ( took it elsewhere and was told I needed new rear brakes which we did). The ABS light comes on continually, sometimes staying on for days at a time. My owner's book says when that happens to get car in pronto. Funny thing.. dealer can NEVER hear the noise and says I can't describe it well enough and that there are no codes showing.Seems like they just want to sell me something.. heck with the brakes. It is terrifying when this happens.. at least 3-4 times per day. The dealer can't get it to happen there but when I'm driving out of the dealership it does it again. Duh.Any suggestions? I'm ready to write the owner of the dealership. Thanks, Mombee

smulvey

You sound frightened.
Don't be.
If your car stops when you put on the brake
don't worry.you have brakes.

As far as the squawking etc.

Go ahead and prove to your self if you have brakes.
Find a safe level spot where you can use the car jack to remove one of the front wheels.

Take off the wheel and look at the front brake rotor
yourself.

The front brakes do 80 % of your braking work.

If the rotor is shiney and smooth with no obvious ridges and grooves you have brakes.

There is a clamping device called a CALIPER riding over the
front portion of the brake rotor.

If that has some dark gray materials that are rubbing
on the shiney surface, those are your BRAKE PADS.

You can look at these parts in online car parts
websites , even see the ones that fit your car.

www.rockauto.com , pepboys etc all have sites with photos
of pads and calipers.

If your pads are working the car slows down and the pads
heat up and the rotor heats up as the motion gets turned to friction.

There is a normal about of noise from pads and it varies with the PAD , the ROTOR and the way you apply the brake.

I can create nasty noise by slowing down normally and then gently releasing the brakes just enough to get the squawk going. The kids hate it. But the brakes are fine.

The harder the pad material the better is squawks and the longer it lasts. So brakes that can squawk are often better to high speed ( interstate ) and mountain driving.

Volvos can do this really well.

If you are a city dweller and do not need the longer brake life you can generally assume that the $ 15 pads are softer than the $45 pads and buy the cheap pads and install those.

The hardest pads are the ceramics. I have not tried those yet.

I have been using the $ 30 pads and I get about 40,000 miles on those.

Personal driving style effects the life as well as where you live, mountains versus flat lands.

I live in the flat lands.

If you can learn how to put your own pads in or find an independent garage that will just change out pads you can start figuring out what pads you prefer. They are easy to install and most car buffs will try more than one brand to find one they like.

No one says you have to run them till they are metal to metal before you replace them. I found on my Sedona I can swap pads and not have to turn the rotors at all.

I just put on new rotors at 80,000 miles for the first time. My old rotors were still good but I felt it was time.

I got my parts at ADVANCED AUTO and they had a good price and a good quality part.

When you change the rotors or the rear drums there are some small phillips head screws that need to come out. I suggest buying some new ones before you start , at the KIA DEALER , they are less than a $ 1 each and they make the job easier. If the old one is rusty you can damage it when you take it out and then still have a brand new one to replace it.

Good luck.

Learn more about brakes so you can drive with less fear.

shiloravinn

We have a 2002 Sedona and have had brake and rotor problems since the beginning. We have paid for all repairs/replacements out of pocket, not really expecting it to be covered by warranty.

I have spent hours on here trying to figure out how to adjust the rear brakes. Can someone please help me?! Thanks in advance!

joanc

Hello..
..how many miles do you have on your sedona??? Please check with your dealership if you're still under warranty because you should NOT repeat NOT be paying for these brake repairs out of pocket! We have an'03 EX that has been fantastic, except for the brakes when we first bought the van. They squeaked repeatedly, and got louder. The dealership installed all new brakes---rotors, pads,etc. at no cost to us. It totally fixed the problem. What I've advised people to do is to google 'sedona brake problems' and print out some of the posts you find and take it to the dealership with you! Couldn't hurt! Good luck!

shiloravinn

Thanks for your reply! My van has 43,102 miles on it, we bought it new. We have already replaced two sets of rotors, and at least 5 sets of brakes. We have just purchased new brakes and rotors but haven't had installed yet. I know the van has a 10 yr/100,000 mile warranty but don't know the details of it. I just assumed that it was wear and tear on the brakes and didn't check to see if it would be covered, but this is ridiculous!! I would like to gather all the info I can before I call my dealership. Thanks for any help you guys can give me!

joanc

By all means, if you only have 43K on your van, go back to the dealership and tell them this has been ridiculous!! Your warranty should, as I mentioned before, absolutely be taking care of this defect! (Bumper-to-bumper is for 60K, powertrain is for the 10 yrs/100K). Again, judging by our experience with our otherwise great van, and by the posts I've seen on the internet, the brake problem you're having is NOT unique. (That's why I suggested printing out the posts and taking them with you to the dealership if you run into any resistance). Let us know what happens, and good luck!

kitcar4

OH MY GOD! I have been going through the same problems with my 2005 Sedona that you just wrote about. Down to the mildew smell coming from the A/C, which by the way all Kia did was pour vinegar into the vents. We had complained immediately to Kia about our brake problems which like every one else was told that that vibration or pulsing we feel when pressing the brake was normal. Last week we take our Kia Sedona in for its' 3 month oil change and maintenance check up which we are told is going to cost $200. Brought in at 11:00am said it should be ready by 3PM. Having no alternate transportation and a dog we are regulated to kill 4 hours around and near the car dealership. 1 hour into the wait are cell phone rings. It is Kia saying that all the belts are cracked and brake pads need to be replaced at a cost of $600. To me this is a red flag because the car only has 16,000 miles on it. After the call we walk back to the dealership and spend another 2 hours sitting in their lot watching TV which at 3pm we get another call from the service guy that now the rotors must be replaced altogether because its really worn out and they have to order the part. The service guy comes to talk to us to which I am very upset and I tell him this is not satisfactory why or since when does brake pads and rotors need to be replaced after such little use. I tell him this has to be the result caused by that pulsing problem that we brought to their attention right after buying the car. The Service guy never acknowledges what I'm saying to him he just keeps talking. He starts telling us that are pads are what they call "soft brakes" and that they use soft brakes to eliminate brake squeal and noise. So your telling me you give up quality and longevity for the sake of eliminating brake noise. Right there I knew this guy was not even listening to me. I was mad and repeatedly expressed to him that this was not satisfactory service. Why wasn't something said to us when they checked the brakes during our last oil change. Why should we have to pay for repairs that are obviously not the norm for a car only two years old. At the time this Service guy verbally says to us that he did notice that our miantenance history does show our complaints regarding the brakes and that he would have to talk to some guy named "bob" to take care of this repair at no cost or will see what he could do about giving us discounts. That day the car stayed and kia paid for a one day rental which I also asked the rental guy what he thought about having to replace rotors after 16000 miles of use in which he even said was not normal at all and said it sounded like something was stuck. Next day mechanic calls and says rotors were going to be resurfaced not replaced...but the service guy told us they were to worn to be resurfaced. Is it because I made a stink? Upon picking up the car we were billed in full. I wasn't there but my sister hit the ceiling not with the cashier she was very nice but when questioning the charges the mechanic happen to be there and had a fast answer for everything. When she asked the cashier who owned this dealership who annouces himself with "I AM" but the service guy (Lie no.1) Who also had a fast answer for everything but nothing. Again when mentioning our past complaints about the brakes and why wasn't something done earlier the mechanic states that the rotors were "blue". Like I'd know what that ment goes somewhere and comes back and says that we never said anything about having brake problems in the past (Lie no.2) When stating yes we did and that the service guy even acknowledged this information yesterday this service guy comes back and says he said no such thing (Lie no.3) To out and out lie to you is unbelievable especially when as the customer you know they are pulling your chain. To look a customer in the face and lie to them is the ultimate worst customer service and just blatant disrepect. It was my sister who had to tell them to not talkback to her and that she was the customer and as the customer she is allowed to express her dissatisfaction with their product without being talk to like she was born yesterday. We've completely lost all trust and confidence in Kia and yes this is truly a scam that is totally a dupe job. Don't know where to go from here. I feel I need to take this further up Kia's ladder. To be blatantly lied to our face by a mechanic and service writer has to be worth putting in a complaint.

kitcar4

What does Kia feel is normal wear and tear on their Sedona Van's brakes and rotors. What are your honest thoughts on having to have rotors replaced after 16000 miles of use. I feel this is unsatisfactory. I keep hearing that the type of brakes/rotors being put on these vans are not efficient enough to handle the weight of the sedona vans. We bought your product with the belief your cars were top quality. I feel we've been snowed and ask for your advice to go further. We were made to pay alot for the repair in which I feel was unfair considering we made a complaint about this problem at 9000 miles which we were told at that time was a normal feeling that the brakes gave off. Thank you for your time.

akpilot

ONLY after long trips (after about an hour or so) I get a sqeaking noise from my rear wheels or brakes at low speeds, usually when I'm approaching a stop light or sign. The noise usually goes away when I press on the brake pedal, but last night I noticed that sometimes it didn't which is making me think maybe it's not the brakes.

Has anyone else had this problem or know what it is? I had Kia look at it. They said they adjusted the pads but that didn't fix the problem.

macmasterk

Sign me up for your attorney! I too have an 05 Sedona and had my rotors first replaced at 13,000. At 30,000 I went back in with the same problem and was told I had to pay for a brake inspection. I told them I didn't want a brake inspection, I wanted their repair job reviewed. Since they have a one year warranty on KIA parts, I was still within the warranty period ( I had to show dealer the warranty). Again rotors were warped and they resurfaced and would not replace per the KIA Tech folks they told me. They stated that KIA was not hearing of any complaints about rotors and the problem was likely a result of my unusual driving habits. My unusual habits they stated were illustrated by the fact that at 30K I still had 98% of my brake pads. I primarily drive on highways. Knowing very little, but at least something of rotors, I asked how the rotors could warp if I wasn't breaking often. I was told by the woman that it was commonly seen in the Midwest (should have stayed with CHEVY!)because of wet conditions and the condensation on the rotors causes the rotors to heat up. I then informed her that my knowledge of Physics was also limited, but I would think the condensation would remove heat from the rotors. She then became nasty and informed me that I was also due for a 36K maintenance check ($400) or KIA would not cover any warranty work if I didn't have this work done on time. I told her I would review my warranty since they weren't on top of it and get back to them (they are the only KIA in the area). After review, it appears that I need an Engine Coolant flush but will do so elsewhere much cheaper. Sorry to vent on my local KIA dealer but do want to stay on top of the brake problem. O once my year warranty expires in a couple of months I can't afford new rotors every 13K, or for me, every three months.

dtate19

We are having the same problems but worse. We have taken the 2005 Van back 4 times now to have the rotors fixed they'll keep getting the ripples(hot spots). We have 9600 miles on the van and it isn't even a year and a half yet! Please let us know how you fared! :lemon: :lemon:

laura1853

We bought our vehicle last Feb. 2006. Basically ever since we got the van we get that pulsating noise when going down hills especially but at other times too, when stopping. We only have about 12,000 miles on the van and have replaced the brakes last month. I guess we'll have to get the rotors turned also but I feel that this is a problem with the rotors now that I've read several other people saying they have the same problem. Could this end up being a class action suit like many people have regarding certain years of the Jeep and their pulsating problems when braking?
Any idea on how we can all make our complaints known?
Thanks!
Laura1853

mombee

Still having the problem with our brakes too.. funny thing.. brakes have been replaced. still doing it.. sometimes 10 times or more per day. Had it in to another dealership( the 3rd one) and they couldn't find anything either. However, after talking to Kia America, I was informed that once you turn the car off, the codes are erased. DUh... now.. do you think the dealers don't know that? So.. I took the car in when it was acting up, the ABS light had been on for DAYS and they found something and then turned the car off to see if they could make it "fail" again.. which it didn't. My instruction book says if the ABS light goes on to get the car in immediately... so it's been 4 months and I'm over 50,000 miles and can't get it fixed. All they want to do is sell me something else.. new battery, new brakes, new belts etc. I don't think this problme has to do with the brakes per se.. I think the ABS is setting off and making that pulsating go off. My car now can do it all on it's own.. the brake pedal takes off when my foot isn't even near it. Strange huh? Let me know if you get anything resolved.. I need help before I'm stuck with this white elephant!! Gini

ralow

There is no ways of telling if the brakes have hot spots. It comes down to the people that manufacture the rotors not Kia. The vendor they use is putting out a bad quality which is makes Kia suffer. You must remember Kia does not know of these problems until the vehicle is in the market an at that point some vehicles are bound to have problems. I would just work with the manufacture as they are really good at assisting customer who have been pissed off by dealers. Remember auto manufactures do not own the dealers they are interdependently operated and owned. So dealers do what they want usually. Then it comes back down to us good taking pride in our work and job to get the vehicle back running the way it should

bpgungirl

I live in CA. and have had a 2005 Sedona since April 2005. I have 10,000 miles on it and has been back to the dealership several times (14 or 15 I think)and they keep saying the same thin,they "cannot reproduce the noise" and everything is normal !!!! I have the break problems along with A/C problems,Homelink problems ,gas mileage problems along with others. Under the Lemon Law Act, I will be going tocourt in March 2007 and hope to be rid of this thing once and for all. Please keep me posted on your outcome and I'll do the same. Maybe our lawyers need more ammo.
:lemon: :lemon: :lemon: :lemon:

laura1853

Thanks for the reply Gini...I hope to hear from others about this also. What can we all do if we are all experiencing similar problems? This is really frustrating!
Laura1853

shiloravinn

Well just wanted to give an update - as pathetic as it is! I made my husband call Kia, because I already knew they would treat me like a clueless female. So he spoke with the Service Manager, and of course he "has never heard of anyone else having problems with brakes/rotors"... Offered to do an "inspection (at OUR cost) and unfortunately there was nothing they could do except replace the brakes (again my cost)." My husband replaced the rear brakes himself which had been hot and glazed, and adjusted them up quite a bit and it has been a HUGE improvement! I don't have any of the braking problems I was having. I really think the rear brakes were barely working so it put all the work on the front. It actually feels kind of strange to immediately slow when I press on the brake pedal!

Their service dept can't seem to keep our phone number on file (they never return calls), but for some reason they have no problem sending several sales ads each week wanting us to buy a new Kia!!! :mad: Best of luck to you other Kia owners!

laura1853

I found out that if we would all call the toll free hotline at 1-888-327-4236 and tell the NHTSA representative what we are experiencing with all the rotors and brake problems (especially the rotor pulsating noises), if they get enough complaints, they can open an investigation and KIA might have to do a recall. So anyone with rotor or brake problems, please call the above number soon to register your complaint.
Thanks,
Laura :lemon:

mombee

Oh I'm on that right now. Thanks for that info and I'm going to call them pronto! Great work. Thanks, Gini

blazerkat

I have had the same problem with my brake rotors. It has been to the dealer 4 times. Three times in one year. At 2890,7781, and 10644(in one year). Took it in at 15325, could not duplicate the problem. Finally,at 22753, took it to dealer and replaced brake pads,plus other stuff was wrong. We are meeting with Kia and the Texas Department of Transportation in Feb. of 2007 to get them to take it back or replace it.

dtate19

Hello, We are tired of dealing with the rotor problem! Problem being the rotors and brake system are not strong enough for the weight of the van. Kia knows this that is why they fixed it on the 2006 models and are supposedly trying to find a fix for the 2005's. We live in PA and have contacted an attorney pursuing the Lemon Law :lemon: :lemon:

fishbreath

Lets hope they fixed it on the 06 because I bought one.

althesandie

Sorry but have to post this. Have literally just finished checking the rear brakes on my 2001 Sedona diesel with 100,000 miles on the clock and they are absolutely spot on. Gave them a clean and built them back up. Was sure they would be down to the metal but nowhere near. Braking is fine but have just put new front pads in. I renew them about once a year. Changed the engine mounting under the turbo and welded new exhaust flexi in at the same time.

typer_801

Two things all with brake woes should try or recommend to your mechanic:
1) Requesnt that the lugs be tightening with a torque wrench. Most mechanices use impact wrenches which tighten beyond factory specs and also uneven torque amounts. Since the rotor is sandwhiched between the wheel and hub sometimes percieved "warping" issues arise the from unequal torque amounts. You also normally noticed the pulsing after wheels are removed and reinstalled again (ie. tire rotation) since the uneven torqueing is occuring differnetly now. Lugs should ALWAYS be torqued to factory specs (for most other cars it's between 75-90 ft/lbs)

2) Put GOOD aftermarket pads on your car. If Kia isn't paying for them anyway, get some decent pads. Often times, just running the same rotors that are percieved to be warped with new pads eliminates the problem. It's a big myth that rotors warp. 99% of the time, it's the pulsing is caused by uneven pad distribution to the rotor, creating different coefficients of friction and a "pulsing" sensation is felt under braking. Getting the right pads will eliminate this problem and prevent it from coming back. I'm new the Kia world, but do a little research and find some good replacement pads and you won't have to battle your service managers on your brakes again!

fyi..Even with #2, you still need #1 because the uneven pad distribution is caused by unequal torquing.

And for you myth busters, here's a link to brake rotor warping: http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp_warped_brakedisk.shtml