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Kia Sedona problems

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Comments

  • rjohnstonrjohnston Member Posts: 1
    I bought a 2002 Kia Sedona new in Feb 02. Was afraid of quality but thought warranty would cover me. My wife has put 53k miles on van. The last week we have been having transmission trouble. Dealer says transmission needs replaced and it won't be covered if I can't prove we had tr. fluid changed at 30k. I never heard of changing transmission at 30k on a passenger car. Like some of you, I found out my normal everyday driving was "severe usage." Kia customer service tried to explain that there are places and situations in world that would not be severe duty. Baloney! I agree warranty should be hung in the bathroom. Stay away from Kia.
  • jipsterjipster Member Posts: 6,244
    "I found out my everyday driving was severe usage"

    The owners manual should define what "severe usage" is. I would think the burden of proof would be on dealer for something like this. Sue the dealer in small claims court if your driving conditions are not "severe"
    2020 Honda Accord EX-L, 2011 Hyundai Veracruz, 2010 Mercury Milan Premiere, 2007 Kia Optima
  • beyond_helpbeyond_help Member Posts: 110
    i was just at my KIA dealer a few days ago (what a wonderful experiance :( )

    i started asking the service adviser questions, i went for the biggie first

    do we live in an area considered as "severe usage" i got no answer ! he knew !

    7500 mile oil change or 3000 miles, he said something like around 3500, hum i thougth.

    i do my own oil and filter changes using KIA oil filters and keep all my reciepts does that satisfy warrenty requirments, he yes, no problem

    there were brochures on the counter one said on my wehicle that my timing belt was to be changed at 40k not 60k as stated in my owners manuel. so i ask him which is correct he said 60k was the proper milage, then i said my crankshaft pull fell off and the belt had to be replaced at appx 5300 miles. he said i would not be due till 65300 miles. would it be waranty if it broke befor then, i did not ask, but i do not think so

    3.5 engines i have been told they are non-interfearence engines so they will not bent valves or damage pistons if the belt does break

    then i ask him how much it costs to replace the timing belt (includes tensioner, only makes sence) he said 550.00 plus tax and extras, much more than Edmonds costs under 60k service indicates

    i beleive at the time of sale the dealer should be obligated to disclose that you are in a "severe service usage condition" since in reading the conditions written in the owners manuel i can not see anybody not being in "serere usage maintance"

    i have to go back i a few days, i got more questions (they do not like my questions)

    i also have to have a meeting with the area rep over two un resolved problems and the dealer was supposed to have schudeled the meeting (bet they have not)
  • jipsterjipster Member Posts: 6,244
    I see what you mean about the "severe usage" sheduled maintenence. In my Mazda MPV owners manual it states if any apply then use schedule 2(severe usage). They are 1)repeated short distance driving 2)driving in dusty conditins 3)driving with extended use of brakes 4)driving in areas where salt or other corrosivce materials are being used 5)driving on rough or muddy roads 6)driving for long periods in cold temps or extremely humid climates 7)extended periods of idling 8)towing a trailer

    I live in Louisville, Ky and would have never thought in a million years I would need to go by schedule two maintenance for severe driving conditions. Most of the above conditions are extremely vague and open to the interpretation of who it will most benefit(the dealer)
    i.e repeated short distance driving...who doesnt do this from time to time. driving in areas where salt is used??This is over half the United States!! Driving long periods with cold temps ...same thing..over half the country.

    Anyhow, it looks to be just a big loophole a dealership can use to get out of having to pay for warranty work.
    2020 Honda Accord EX-L, 2011 Hyundai Veracruz, 2010 Mercury Milan Premiere, 2007 Kia Optima
  • youthinkyouthink Member Posts: 2
    2003 Sedona purchased new, May 2003 from Jeff Wyler KIA in Fairfield, Ohio.

    Before I purchased my Sedona, I was waiting for the new Nissan Quest to become available. Even after $14,000 in accident repairs when it was a year old, the Quest had been a wonderful vehicle. When it died at 200,000+ miles people were surprised – they thought it was a new vehicle.

    I was actually scouting the Nissan lot when I decided to take a look at the Sedona. The KIA and Nissan dealerships are owned by the same entity and are located on adjoining lots. I paid the same for my KIA as I did for the Quest 10 years earlier. The vehicles were comparably equipped – considering the decade of difference. Mainly, the KIA had many more cup holders. I use to tell people that I had either made the best or worst purchase of my life – which time would tell.

    Until I started to read about the electrical problems with the Sedona, I tried not to think much of these problems. However, now I’m beginning to think that my van should be squeezed to make lemonade… and I’m hoping it doesn’t catch fire while the family is inside. Anyone else have similar problems?

    HEADLIGHT BULBS: First headlight bulb replaced Aug 2004. Since that first bulb, I have replaced both the drivers and passenger bulbs 5 times. And, NO, I'm not contaminating (touching) the bulb during installation. I first purchased a leading manufacturer's bulb. When the first bulb failed within 3 months, I contacted the manufacturer. They told me their bulbs might not work in certain vehicles. Hearing this, I switched to a different vendor. Same results. I was thinking the bulbs were inferior. When I purchased my last bulb, I mentioned the problem, specifically that I was spending a small fortune on bulbs. The guy replied that he had the same make and type of bulb in his vehicle, and the bulbs are 3 years old!

    FOG LAMP: Discovered that a fog lamp was not working when I replaced the first headlight bulb. I only use fog lamps when it’s foggy – where I learned to drive it was illegal to use fog lights when visibility was clear. (A side note – seems like everyone drives with their fog lights on – I think the glare is as bad, if not worse, than oncoming high beams. I realize that KIA is not responsible for this epidemic – but if just one driver reads this and stops using the fogs lights on a clear night, it’s a good thing. I think Martha would agree.)

    MASS AIRFLOW SENSOR & FUEL SENSOR: Was told that both parts were defective. Bill was over $800 – Mass Air was $400 and Fuel was $180. KIA must utilize a 50-year plan for recouping R&D. I kept the replaced parts. Anyone know of an independent testing source that could determine if the parts were actually bad? Both parts are electrical components.

    RADIO: Sound system will stop working. Fuse in block under the hood doesn’t blow, but must be removed and re-inserted before the system will operate again.

    MISC BULBS: These bulbs no longer illuminate:
    ‘Drive’ shift Indicator in instrument cluster.
    ‘Cruise’ indicator in instrument cluster.
    A/C blower fan speed settings.

    I find it irritating that none of these bulbs are easily accessible. KIA service tech told me he thought the entire instrument panel would need to be replaced! The only interior bulb I can remember replacing in any of the other vehicles I have owned was a dome light.

    WINDSHIELD: The front windshield developed a crack across the bottom in the very area that the defroster grid is located. Spread out and upward before I had it replaced. The shop that replaced the windshield could not find any sign of origin such as a rock chip. I now wonder if the defroster malfunctioned/overheated and hence the crack. I’m sure KIA would dismiss my thought as inane, but I’m beginning to believe anything is possible.

    Beginning to think the pendulum has swung to the opposite extreme and is unable to return. YOU THINK?

    If anyone has had a similar experience with their KIA Sedona, please post a reply. Thank-you!
  • pnkraffpnkraff Member Posts: 1
    HI just wondering if anyone has the same problem i do.. my car ran fine till today, when i go to press the Gas it has no power for a little bit then it goes but when it comes down and i hit the gas it wants to bog down. Anyone having the same problem i am? id appreciate the help.

    Thanks
  • user777user777 Member Posts: 3,341
    FWIW: not sure about this but the common thing among the headlights and the miscellaneous bulbs you indicate are blowing are that they are in use more than others. and your radio going on the blink and forcing a "master reset" by removing the fuse (all power) has got "methink"ing. ;)

    if i had to hazard a guess, i'd say your vehicle is suffering from a case of poor voltage regulation. an alternator is supposed to charge your battery and it's also the alternator's voltage regulation (zener diodes that lamp the voltage they pass to some upper limit) which should prevent your vehicle from getting voltage outside of their specified range (probably upper limit of 13.5 to 14.5 VDC).

    Why not drive over to an autoparts store that sells batteries and ask them for a battery and alternator test. perhaps they can detect the alternator putting out too high of a voltage. bulbs would be sensitive to this. your radio might be going into a safe mode (or "crashed mode" - remember it has microprocessor ckts) when the voltage deviates above some set value. your dealer should be able to do this too. did you report the bulbs going to the dealer? if yes, and they haven't helped you - find another dealer if possible.

    if you had a multi-meter, you could check the voltage across the battery as the engine is reved. you could see the "D.C." component with the multi-meter set on DC, and perhaps the ripple (or "A.C." component) with the multi-meter set on AC.

    voltage at high rev in excess of 14.5VDC would be notable. excessive ripple (AC component) would also be bothersome.

    good luck.
  • averigejoeaverigejoe Member Posts: 559
    Were all the problems considered warranty claims by the dealer so no cost to you?
  • times2times2 Member Posts: 45
    I finally got around to changing my Front Pads and Rotors on my 2002 Sedona EX (39,000 miles). I bought the Semi-Metallic Pads and Rotors (ironically - made in the USA) from NAPA. The Pads were $46.99 and the rotors were $57.97 each. So for under $170.00, you can change your own pads and rotors. Kia wanted $315.00. Only a couple of tricks. Of course, in Central NY, things were a little rusty, so I broke a cheap ratchet before I used a good 1/2" ratchet on the Caliper Bolts (21mm). Then, I found two screws holding on each rotor. These were very soft metal (maybe brass). I could not get them out without stripping them. So I drilled them out because the lugs hold on the rotor anyway. I've never seen another vehicle use screws. The only other thing was it wasn't very easy to get the pad into the clips on the caliper, but eventually, it will go in there. No other surprises. The new pads and rotors work great, and no more shaking when I hit the brakes!
  • chamroeunyouchamroeunyou Member Posts: 1
    I have rotor problems with my 05 Sedona. Took it in to Kia dealer at about 15,000 with warped rotors. They did the work under warranty. after 4 trips on the same problem at 19,800 the dealer no longer wants to help me. the factory Rep also states Kia will not repair. At about 18,000 miles the dealer put new rotors on and new pads. With only 2,000 plus miles the rotors are warped again. Service Tech states on work order that I the customer, has poor braking habits and also advise the customer not to ride the brake. The service mgr. states that they get most of their complaints on rotor problems[noise and shimmy when going down a hill or grade] from people that live in my area which is Hendersonville & Asheville NC area.Respond
  • youthinkyouthink Member Posts: 2
    Nothing has been covered by the warranty.
  • spectramanspectraman Member Posts: 255
    AJ:

    How many miles do you have on this particular Sedona? Since it is only 3 years old, I'm surprised that the 5-year, 60k miles warranty didn't at least take care of the fuel-related issues.

    The windshield crack sounds like the same inherent defect reported on this forum. Do a search and see how many occurrances you can find. I suspect that either a poorly designed and executed windshield is at fault, or that the body structure flexes in such a way that causes the crack.

    The bulbs (unfortunately) are on the customer past 1 year.

    I'm with the one writer that suggests that your voltage system is whacked. Since Sedonas have been also noted for alternator problems, it wouldn't be unthinkable!

    -SM
  • hvrhvr Member Posts: 2
    We bought a brand new 2003 Sedona which has a great warranty plan and we even puchased an extended warrenty because we planned on keeping the Sedona for quite a few years.
    On 13 Jul 05 our Sedona would not start after getting gas (At this time the Sedona only had 25,000 miles). Next day Dealership stated that the problem was that the drive belt felt off, they put it on but could not get it to adjust to specs right (off 3 points). Three weeks later they stated possible water or contaminates may have been in the fuel because they noticed rust in the engine, so under the warrenty they did not have to cover the repairs. Our Auto insurance provided an Engineers Report that stated water or contaminates were not found in the fuel, the report stated it was an internal machanical problem, and this is not cover by the auto insurance. The gas station legal firm also provided a statement, after their investigation no water was detected in the fuel, so the gas company stated they are not responsible for the problem. On 12 Jan 06, I received a fuel sample report from the car dealer which also show no water or 0.10%. But still the dealership stated that they will not cover the repairs. We have been consulting an attorney and are interested in any information that anyone have that can be useful to us.
  • averigejoeaverigejoe Member Posts: 559
    I wonder if other manufacturers deny warranty claims as often as Kia. I'm starting to worry whether the warranty on my Kia is any good at all.
    So far, in 15,000 miles, I've only had one problem I took the car in for, and it was taken care of. Very courteous, professional service so far here.
    I've had 9 assorted makes new cars and have never had a problem denied under a warranty yet.
    Just how common is it for Kia to deny service under the warranty?
  • beyond_helpbeyond_help Member Posts: 110
    i read may other posts from other mfgs and it seems that kia warranty is the worst, they seem to use any excuse to deny a claim !
  • bpgungirlbpgungirl Member Posts: 15
    The Kia warranty sucks big time. I have had my 05 Sedona for 9 months and only 4500 miles. It has been in the shop 9 times now for mostly the same problems. Front breaks shudder,shake,make a loud noise when breaking and at times, the alloy wheels get way too hottotouch with the bare hand - super loud A/C unit - noise in the rear end,, the list goes on and on. Everytime it is in the shop, the service advisor says either everything is "normal" or that in road testing, the problem couldn't be duplicated.HERE"S THE BIG PROBLEM THEY NEVER ROAD TEST THE VEHICLE !!! evey though the state that it was road tested, the mileage is always within 1/2 from when I brought it in. This was done at 2 different dealerships and they say that they can only write down what Kia Tech tells them to do. I have had various parts ordered to fix some of the problems only to find out later that KIA TECH denied the repairs forcing the service advisor to again tell me all is normal !!! Sure would like to take a KIA TECH for a 4 hour trip in my"NORMAL" vehicle. :lemon:
  • hvrhvr Member Posts: 2
    Prior to our 13 Jul 05 problem we had no problem with our 2003 Sedona. We spent months looking for the best vehicle for our family of six and was very happy with the decision with selecting the Sedona. What really hooked us was the 5 star crash rating, the price, and warranty.
    When we buy a vehicle it's for the purpose of having it for years. Our previous vehicle was an Arrowstar which we had for 8 years and a Grand Vitara for 4.5 years and ever had a problem with service during their coverage under the warranty. So when we decided to add an extended warranty to the Sedona we felt securited.
    As a customer we in trusted in the Motor Corps for their best product and services. I uphold them to their highest standards and expect nothing less. The defect is clearly under warranty and needs to be corrected by the dealership.
    We found out from the start that the 'burden of truth' falls on the customer(us)and for the last six months it has been a back and forth issue with this matter. Everything our Attorney asked for I provided. Do I feel we will end up in court, yes. Am I looking forward to this, very much so, yes.
  • jim93jim93 Member Posts: 3
    ne03sedona,
    Wow!!..Am I glad I found your post. I just got back from the dealership with the news that those lines rusted through and that is about $1000.00 to fix. The manager said that the rust "may" have contaminated the rear heater core and that it wasnt advisable to just replace the lines. I like your idea alot better. Whats your thoughts and was it difficult to replace the lines?...Thanks for any info....Jim
  • vannervanner Member Posts: 47
    Been getting a "check engine" light on an 05 Sedona, starting brand new day one right at the dealer. They said then the code came up with something to do with the EGR sensor or the fuel system pressure sensor. Said it maybe was due to a loose gas cap? Never heard of such a thing.

    Anyway, back then it didn't clear up as they said it would, so they "fixed" it somehow over three days. Said they replaced the sensor module.

    Been doing it again at 4000 through 5000 miles, as the gauge shows about 1/2 tank on the way down. When the gauge nearly bottoms out and we refill all the way, it goes out after a few restarts. But at 1/2 tank it comes back on. This last time it isn't quite down to the bottom yet for a refill, so no telling what it will do.

    Anyone else been through it?
  • ne03sedonane03sedona Member Posts: 15
    hi Jim - WOW back! Since you went to the dealer, you have more info than me perhaps. did they say it was a covered expense? after all it IS an actual rust through. it IS an engine related problem. please let me know as i have saved all the old rusted parts in case i needed them for proof. as for the repair. i still need to do a bit of work (on a warmer day, it was 22 when i did my fix!!). i am finding that 3/4 inch heater hose that the stores carry is slightly too large. in other words, the metal piping that this hose must attach to is a hair under 3/4 inch. do they have Korean pipe sizes? like mm versus inches? in any case, i have had a small leak still at the hose/clamp area ONLY on one hose. on a warmer day im going to try a double clamp. its a very small leak, about a spot 2 inches in diameter, and not every time i use the van. so i feel its better and safer than it was (i lost half my coolant due to the rust out). one poster had an issue with heater hose being 3-4 inches from the c. converter, which was a good point, so i made a small sheet metal sheild/bracket and am very pleased with that. as for the rust in the heater core. sounds like a farce to me. general people with general cars have raditator problems all the time. who has ever had a radiator go and replaced a heater core? I have completely flushed my coolant, i cant imagine rust in our case affecting ANYTHING. the rustout of the pipes is from the OUTSIDE inwards at the clamping areas!! my actual hole was probably the size of a pencil lead. it really sounds to me as though they are actually charging you, and because the hose fix is REALLY CHEAP, figured lets try to throw in a real money maker heater core fix too. i find it odd that they ONLY mentioned the rear core? not the front core? its all the same coolant!
  • jim93jim93 Member Posts: 3
    ne03sedona , Thanks for returning a post. NO its not covered under the rust through warranty according to the Kia Service Manager. I will have to say that the service department has been "Excellent" in service to me over the past few years with any problems that would come up but this one got me. My kia Sedona is a 2002 with 69000 miles I thought it would have been covered under the warranty. (I think they want to sell me a new car). I have an "outside" mechanic that I always go to and he has a plan to put a steel line next to the converter or anywhere hot and run the hose for the other. He laughed and couldn't believe that they said the heater core was contaminated. Thats what they have a coolant flushing machine for!.....I will be going to his shop this friday the 27th and I will let you know what we came up with. I lost about half of my coolant also but mine was a slow leaker and you wouldnt see anything on the ground when you parked it. The engine finally started to heat up and threw an engine light. (I thought I was mechanically inclined enough to check the coolant level when I changed the Oil) Oh Well Its on the list of things to do.
  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    At 60,500 miles, our Sedona's wipers stopped working just before a 150-mile trip. Independent shop did a temporary fix to repair the linkage or something-- I guess the motor had come loose from the physical wiper arms or something. Not good timing with the bumper-to-bumper just having expired! Hopefully the temporary fix will hold up for a while, as I wouldn't be looking forward to the dealer estimate to replace everything.
  • lieffortlieffort Member Posts: 9
    My 1500 RPM problem still hasn't been fixed...Had a Kia tech look at it a couple weeks ago but couldn't make it fail for him...Found out today about a couple other owners complaining about the same type of problem at my dealership...Their trying to have all 3 of us in at the same time with a Kia specialist....If this is a known problem no one will admit it...see some of my previous posts for the problem details...
  • natta1natta1 Member Posts: 11
    We have a 2002 EX with about 65,000 miles on it. We have had some minor issues with the van since we bought it three and a half years ago but overall we have been very pleased. About four months ago the door locks started locking on their own. Sometimes it would happen after the front passenger door handle was used to open the door from the inside then it just started happening intermittently whenever it wanted to-sometimes while driving sometimes while the van was sitting still. Has anyone else experienced this?
  • ckslescksles Member Posts: 2
    They have replaced my rotors two times in the one month and they are still bad. The manager said he was going to call Kia and would put me in another car until mine is fixed. I am getting close to Lemon Law material!!
  • tiffanymtiffanym Member Posts: 1
    we have a 2004 Kia and the fuse keeps blowing the van totally dies while in motion...the first time they said they knew something was wrong but just didnt know what and we had to wait for it to happen again...so of course it did a month later...they then said it was the crank position sensor " they think" they have no way of knowing because it is an intermittent problem..so they now have the van and want to give it back knowing that it may or may not be fixed...what make and model do you have?
  • navyairnavyair Member Posts: 202
    If you had the van serviced at 30K per the service schedule, that includes a transmission fluid change. Ditto 60k service. If you didn't, they probably won't back the warrantee, since it requires maintaining it to the service interval requirements.
  • navyairnavyair Member Posts: 202
    That is a little cheaper than our 30k service in the Twin Cities which was about $550. Includes changing brake, ps, and tranny fluid, and coolant.
  • lieffortlieffort Member Posts: 9
    After meeting again with the Kia rep and having him witness the problem ...He pronounced that this was normal tranmission operation if I had the Overdrive on in city driving...He wouldn't put that in writting... but told me to just run with the Overdrive off...It runs about 5k Rpms higher at the shift points and of course will use more fuel...
  • trichardstrichards Member Posts: 1
    The day before Christmas eve I was warming up my 2002 Kia Sedona, which I had bought brand new. I went out side to take my kids to see my family, and there was oil laying all over my drive way. We called Kia Roadside assistance they were great! They came within an hour of their scheduled time they told me..Then it gets to the dealer I still do not have this van back...they said it was because I was late on an oil change 4 changes ago and it will not be covered on my warranty..Who has ever heard of such non-sence
  • beyond_helpbeyond_help Member Posts: 110
    Kia purchasers beware of their worthless warranty !!!

    yes, i have heard of Kia doing this to other people as well
  • averigejoeaverigejoe Member Posts: 559
    5k? What do you mean by that?
    There's no way it will shift 5000 rpm higher at the shift points.
  • averigejoeaverigejoe Member Posts: 559
    Did they hold you responsible for the "severe" service schedule time/mileage intervals?
    And yes, KIA should be ashamed for even allowing a dealer to say it would not be covered, regardless of the final outcome. (I'm guessing you will get it taken care of under warranty. Let us know, ok?)
    Crap like this is a perfect reason for dismally low resale value of KIAs.
  • minivanfrankminivanfrank Member Posts: 83
    My '02 Sedona with 27,000 miles just had the "check engine light" appear. Am I correct in assuming that it should be no charge under our warranty for the dealer to analyze this? I did not want to be surprised by a diagnostic charge.
  • minivanfrankminivanfrank Member Posts: 83
    I called the dealer and the answer he gave was as follows:

    "If the diagnosis determines that a part must be replaced then the diagnostic charge will be covered...if, however, the diagnosis shows that an adjustment is required then a shop diagnostic charge of 1 hour will apply."
  • lieffortlieffort Member Posts: 9
    With the OverDrive Switch off It doesn't shift at 1500 RPMs...When it shifts with the OD off the engine is running at 2000 RPM.... The shift points are 31 and 41 MPH according to the KIA shop manual and the KIA tech showed me and demonstrated that for me... It's when it downshifts at 1500 RPMs that the vibration appears[It can't make up it's mind which gear to be in] ....I just don't agree that I should have to live with that problem by not using OD in the city...I'm sure that they could fix it with a program change of the computer , but are reluctant to do that because they would have to go thru the EPA tests and it would never conform to the MPG numbers that they have now...
  • minivanfrankminivanfrank Member Posts: 83
    I decided to go to Autozone and read/clear the code myself. It came up as: p.o. # 456...evap emmision control system leak very small. I interpreted that to be due to a gas cap that probably was not snugged up enough.

    I did, however take the van to the dealer for an oil change. While there, I could not resist looking at the '06 Sedonas...WOW!!! I want to trade in the '02 after seeing the new version!!! (although my wife now wants a Sportage instead of a van) :D
  • averigejoeaverigejoe Member Posts: 559
    If a car is being driven in overdrive, it simply means that the output shaft of the motor is turning slower than the output shaft from the transmission. Some cars have 2 overdrive gears. Most have only 1. Some have no overdrive gear at all.
    The Sedona has one overdrive, 5th gear. If you turn off overdrive, the only thing you are doing is not allowing the transmission to shift (up) into that highest gear. You have made it into a 4-speed automatic instead of a 5-speed automatic.
    The shift points are the RPM readings at which the transmission will shift up to the next gear. Opting to turn off the overdrive does not change the shift points between 1st and 2nd, 2nd and 3rd, or 3rd and 4th. But since there is no longer any 5th gear to shift up to, there is of course NO shift point for a 4th to 5th gear change.
    My Sedona, with overdrive on, will upshift from 4th to overdrive 5th gear at a little under 40 mph. Shortly thereafter, the lock-up kicks in and lowers the RPM a little bit more. At that speed, 5th gear locked-up forces the motor to turn at about 1400 or so. Once in lock-up, there is no internal slippage between the motor and the output shaft of the transmission.
    Your vibration might not be caused by the 4th to 5th gear change. It may be caused by the lock-up function of the torque converter switching off and on. Very possible.
  • viper168viper168 Member Posts: 12
    I have a 2002 sedona, car run fine so far and has less than 30000 mi. I had 3 spots on the car paint looks rough, not smooth. I went to 3 dealers and I got 3 different excuses. first, it was overpaint by owner or bodyshop, second, I didn't wax the car or it was ruin by acid rain (I lived in Los Angeles), Third, just refuse it is not Kia's fault. Just like the messages above, the rotor is warp, I got my brake replaced and resurface rotor at about 20K mi, of course dealer SUGGEST me to replace the brake and nothing wrong with the brake(Of course it will cost me $300), so I bought a set of duralast gold ceramic brake pad from autozone and replace it my self. But since I plan to keep the car for long time, I am worrying about the van, the dealer, and the warranty services, IMO, they have 10/100K warranty, but they will not admit any manufacture defective, most likely, I will need to repair most of the things by myself. I am very disappoint with the company, I will not recommend anyone to by kia at this time.
  • times2times2 Member Posts: 45
    I have a 2002 Sedona EX. The Rear Heater Lines have began to leak coolant. Although I have just over 40,000 miles, dealer said it's not under warranty. I haven't checked with Kia Head Quarters yet, but based on what I've seen here, it doesn't look like they will cover it (great warranty, huh?) They want about $550 to replace the coolant lines. I was wondering how you made out with your repair using the heater hose. Any recommendations?
  • seniortechseniortech Member Posts: 1
    The dealer should cover this under warrenty as long as you have had your 30k done if you have had it done and if they still say no ask to speak with there DPSM(district parts and service manager)
  • jim93jim93 Member Posts: 3
    I just repaired the lines going back to the rear heater on my 2002 Sedona using hose and clamps (have to watch out for the exhaust). My engine light came on right before I had a full "blowout" of all my coolant system. The dealership did not cover this so I decided to repair it myself (saw this could be done on a previous post). Try the $20.00 fix instead of the $500.00 one :).
  • spectramanspectraman Member Posts: 255
    I have a 2002 Sedona EX. The Rear Heater Lines have began to leak coolant. Although I have just over 40,000 miles, dealer said it's not under warranty. I haven't checked with Kia Head Quarters yet, but based on what I've seen here, it doesn't look like they will cover it (great warranty, huh?) They want about $550 to replace the coolant lines. I was wondering how you made out with your repair using the heater hose. Any recommendations?

    T2:

    Can you tell us anything more about *why* the dealer is denying you the repair? You car is obviously under 5 years old and has less than 60k miles. What is their rationale?

    -Is it due to a missed inspection?

    -Is it due to some loophole in the vehicle corrosion clause?

    -Are you a second or third owner of the vehicle?

    Please post the complete dealer statement on here if you would. There had better be a really sound loop-hole that KIA's crawling through to keep them from ponying up this repair. Esp. since it's appearing that their design and/or execution is at fault here. These lines are obviously looking like a(nother) weak spot in the old Sedona line, and that they should have been made out of a rust resistant or proof material such as stainless or a similar alloy.

    I recommend to any other first-gen Sedona owners with this rear heat setup to consider getting under their vehicle and coating the heater lines (and heck... maybe the brake lines too!) with marine grease. I read about this technique on another board, and it supposedly does a good job of preventing rust of under body lines in salt prone areas.

    In any case, clue us in on the specifics of this denial!

    -SM
  • beyond_helpbeyond_help Member Posts: 110
    you are just another one of KIA's victims....the list grows ever larger day by day, i too are one of their victims
  • times2times2 Member Posts: 45
    The dealer said that because the lines were rusted through from New York State salt, it wasn't covered. I asked about the 5 year rust through warranty, and he said that was only on the body. (By the way, if the body doesn't rust all the way through - it's not covered - I have the rear liftback rust under the chrome that they won't fix). He said the Kia Rep confirmed that it wasn't covered. I haven't fought it too much yet because I needed the van back. Yesterday, I got the van back. I paid for the repair plus a cooling system flush. Now - I have no rear heat. The fan blows cold air. I called them this morning and have another appointment on Monday (02/13/06). I bought the van as the second owner with 26,000 miles on it. I had the dealer who sold it to me (who was not a Kia Dealer) flush the coolant system when I bought it, but Kia is not denying it because it wasn't flushed by them, they're denying because of our use of salt during the winter.
  • times2times2 Member Posts: 45
    I have logged a case with Kia Customer Service online. We'll see if I get any response from that.
  • spectramanspectraman Member Posts: 255
    Here's the type of grease for all you Sedona owners out there to check into:

    http://www.pennzoil.com/products/marine/synth_white_grease.html

    I read about this trick on USENET (Google Groups). It sounds reasonable to me!

    -SM
  • user777user777 Member Posts: 3,341
    so by that reasoning, rusted brake lines wouldn't be covered, or are they supposed to use different materials for those? if the latter, then one would have to conclude they used materials that are inappropriate for the environment in which they are sold and used in.
  • times2times2 Member Posts: 45
    Interesting thing... I didn't get a good look at the new lines yet, but I did notice that at least one of the lines seemed to be a metal line covered with a rubber/foam rubber coating. Maybe they have figured out they have a problem and are beginning to adjust for it.
  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    I wonder if this salt loophole is spelled out in any warranty documentation? Any manufacturer selling cars in the USA knows darn well that plenty of cars will be subject to salt. It would surprise me if they could legally or as a matter of policy NOT cover this based on the salt as the factor voiding the warranty coverage.

    As a Sedona owner in Michigan, I probably should do that grease trick just mentioned...
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