Kia Sedona problems

queenuttin · July 2005

Like I stated in my earlier posting, this van has had problems since the week after I bought it. Both struts have been replaced. Input Speed Sensor replaced, twice, throttle cable, fuel tank, twice, fuel gauge, tail gate kept cracking so it was replaced, fuel pump, twice, a/c unit makes weird noise, the information center is never right, rear seats had to have bolts and seat belts replaced, the list goes on and on. Kia said they had no idea why I am having this shifting problem, they get the same codes I get, replace same parts and problem still remains, Any clues???
Erica

kiatech · July 2005

Okay,I am going to attempt to somehow fill you in on why these items were replaced,going to try at least.
1. Struts were replaced mostly because you were complaining about front suspension noise. Sure there is noise,I will be the first to admit it. One on the biggest contributing factors to this is because you are practically sitting on top of the suspension so therefore you hear alot more than you would in a different vehicle. There is nothing wrong actually,just alittle more evident in noise is all.
2. Speed sensor replacement,I am thinking you are referring to the odometer maybe not working. If so,no biggy there. Electronics,arent they great!!!
3.fuel pump,no clue why that was replaced. Personally I have never had to replace one,in what is now basically 4 model yrs.
4.AC noise,front or rear unit and if the noise is present,whatever the cause is,it surely should be repaired under warranty,if any is left.
5. Information center,I am assuming you are referring to the overhead little computer on the headliner. Hate to tell you but it will NEVER be correct because it wasnt designed to use math for acurate readings. It guess's,bottomline.
6. Rear seat bolt replacement was/is a recall. Once again,no biggy.
7. Seat belts for the rear? Never had to replace them either .Usually if a seat buckle is going to be replaced its for the front seats beause of "SRS" failures.
8. Throttle cable was replaced because its a recall item. If replaced twice maybe it was intially replaced before the recall was issued and then once the recall was activated it had to be replaced again,for paperwork reasons. We dont make the rules,we just try to follow them.
9. Shifting issues? You mention a DTC,a code. Whats the DTC? Its odvious that replacement of the parts isnt the issue if the same situation reoccures over and over. Just my two cents on that matter.
I am not trying to give you a hard time. I think of all the complaints you have listed,I have had to deal with them all,but 3. If its that big of a issue,trade it in for another vehicle of some sort. I dont know what more to tell you. But when ya do decide to get rid of it do alot of research. You may end up walking or getting a bike because there are issues with all manufactures. I am not going to give names out but I know of 4 manufactures that are putting in transmissions in their cars like there is no tomarrow. 2 are very high end models. Its all the same out there. No one is really any better than the other. Just the warrantys differ.
Sincerely
Kiatech

queenuttin · July 2005

He is not the only one with a long list of problems, My problems started after only 5 days, took the dealership 6 weeks to correct that problem, only for another to arise shortly after. First, it stalled at stops. Then the fuel gauge and low fuel light do not match, never have, and no one can tell me why, except to live with it, my low fuel light comes on at E for empty or below, never above. Then we had problems with front end noises, both struts replaced, replaced brakes and rotors, still have noise. Front wipers stopped working, took 3 attemps to get it right. The tailgate was cracking, not just the paint but the metal had cracks, took a new tailgate for that one. Air conditioner sounds like an engine knocking, but they can't find a problem. Van wouldn't pass state emissions test because no Check Engine light, found that it was removed from dash board, no one knows how that happened.( of course).. the fuel pump has been replaced twice, along with the fuel tank, the passenger side power window is extremly slow, almost like it is stuck, so we don't use that window. all 4 rear seats have had to have new belts and bolts. the throttle cable was replaced before the recall. And now, we have a shifting problem, the codes are for the Input Turbine Speed Sensor, replaced it twice now, still have same problem. Kia says they have no idea what is wrong. Take it to another dealer, and the bad thing is I have no more warranty, so now it comes out of my pocket. I was lied to when i bought this van and have been continuously lied to the entire time. It is getting old.

queenuttin · July 2005

Sorry but you are wrong. the throttle cable was replaced before the recall because of sticking gas pedal. the fuel gauge and fuel tank was replaced because the fuel gauge will not read the correct amount of gas. the information center i was referring to is the clock one, the clock is always wrong, the temp is never right, always a few degrees off at least, the a/c noise comes from the outside, motor area, and stops when a/c off. the code that is given is PO715, Input Turbine Speed Sensor, which has been replced, and yes the same thing is happening as before item was replaced. Only the speed odometer stopped working after the replacement of said sensor, so was replaced again, but we still have the same shifting problem as before.

kiatech · July 2005

As I said before,I was guessing because you just gave more info in the last reply than you did in the initial conversation,best I can tell.
If the clock isnt keeping time then have it replaced again. As far as the temp being a "few" degree's off,how much, 2-5 degree's?
AC noise,if its coming from the compressor itself then warranty will pay to have it replaced. If its the ,low side ac line coming from the compressor,if the updated hose applies to it,it to will be replaced at no charge to you.
They put a gastank and a sending unit assm in your vehicle because the gas guage wasnt reading correctly!!! Never heard of that one before. Usually nothing more than a sending unit replacement corrects that issue. But,okay.
The input turbine sensor has nothing to do with the odometer. It works off of a seperate circuit all together. They may be actually replacing the wrong sensor. Dont know for sure but I have seen that before. You have a input turbine sensor,output turbine sensor and also a speedometer sensor. If the input turbine sensor is faulty or the egi unit isnt receiving the signal,they trans will shift irratically.
I cant remember if it was you asking about the warranty of the vehicle,second owner but its 5/60.
Hope that the above info assists you in some manner. If not i dont know what more to offer you.

minivanfrank · July 2005

Great info once again provided by KIATECH. I love this guy!

couturr · July 2005

Hot outside, headlights on, radio on, stuck in traffic. Turn off lights, radio comes back on. Start moving, radio comes back on. This has happened a bunch of times. Had the car in to the dealer twice. Dealer says the cars been driven in "all kinds of conditions" over a two day period. "We can't duplicate the problem, so there's nothing to fix"
I told him he was going to have to literally put it in a paint booth to get it up to an ambient temp of better than 90 degrees. "The van was plenty warmed up and we couldn't duplicate" Evidentally I was talking to myself about the ambient temp.
I know this has been discussed, and have seen the notes regarding the pulley but I've been unable to find the resolution.
According to the dealer "the battery and alternator are operating at factory specified conditions.
The third time this happened, my tach dropped to almost zero. Any thoughts :shades:

kiatech · July 2005

Year model and production date please. Production date can be found on the door jam of the left door.

spectraman · July 2005

Put your camcorder in the van, and make sure it has a charged battery.

When the gremlins make their appearance, have someone start filming. If it's just you in the van, just be sure to keep your eye on the road while the tape's running. :-)

Take that into them and hit the |PLAY| button (just like a 20/20 expose') and then see what they have to say.

-SM

kiatech · July 2005

Thats not going to do anything but show that it is messing up,as she has explained already. We,the ones that do the repairs and the ones that write up the repair orders know that if there wasnt a issue to be addressed its mostly likely you as the car owner wouldnt be at the dealership just to waste yours and our time. The problem is that you as the owner brings in a vehicle to be repaired and we believe you in what you are telling us but we have got to be able to reproduce it. There is only so much time that is going to be spent in trying to find a intermittent failure. This is how we make a living. You can work on a car or with a car for 7 hours,that is a example but if ya cant find the issue or reproduce the issue,you arent going to be paid a dime for the time you spent on the car trying to find the issue and or trying to reproduce it. When ya have complaints that come in and are " it did it once" do you really think there is a high percentage that its going to be found? Seriously,no your not going to find it or reproduce it. Thats just being straight up perfectly honest with you. We have no magic or offer. Its either broke or it aint. Its either doing it or it aint. 99% of all driveability issues are resolved because they were able to be reproduced. Perfect example " I was driving to a relatives house,3 hr drive and after driving 2.5 hrs my AC stopped working." Now it works fine and has been working correctly ever sense. Now do you really think that issue can be found and fixed? Come on now.
I will try and give advise on what to do in certain situations and also give help on certain matters. But the above suggestion isnt going to do anything as far as getting the problem resolved.
Now,what was the yr model and production date of the vehicle again :shades:

Sincerely
KiaTech

user777 · July 2005

does Kia maintain some database where you can potentially research and report anecdotal problems with dealers in the network? even if a vehicle isn't exhibiting a certain behavior at the time it is made available to you, and even if you can't reproduce it at that moment does not mean it isn't broken.

seems without a system to share this information, you'd be quite challenged to fix a problem you could not see. such is the nature with many computer-centric or otherwise complicated systems. a reboot / power cycle might restore operation, but the problem is far from fixed.

would you recommend for people with particularly problematic and intermittent issues, they bring a video / camcorder along for their vehicle outtings, and capture on video (with sound) a problem when it occurs to document it for you? would that be helpful?

spectraman · July 2005

With all due respect KT;

I understand that as a mechanic, seeing a video of the symptoms may not be all that helpful in diagnosing the underlying issue. But after all of the strange birds you've come across in your career, you must admit that seeing on a screen something as screwy as what's described above would at least help you believe that the person describing such symptoms isn't crazy or exaggerating.

And from an owner's perspective, having such evidence on hand and previously presented to the dealership/and/or other company representatives may just be of use down the road should the spectre of arbitration raise its ugly head.

As an *owner*, I still stick by my assessment of documenting the problem via video and giving it to the dealer for whatever it's worth. I guess the manner in *how* it's presented to the dealer should be determined on a case-by-case basis.

If the dealership appears to be sincerely trying to fix the problem, provide them the video under the pretense of wanting to be helpful. If the dealership is acting apathetic or squirrelly, then use it as a hammer. In my past experiences with Ford dealers, 9 times out of 10, it would have been "Hammer-time". :-)

The van owner claims in his post that:

"Dealer says the cars been driven in "all kinds of conditions" over a two day period. "We can't duplicate the problem, so there's nothing to fix"

...which resembles all too closely the squirrelly van der Sloot claim in Aruba (regarding Natalee Holloway): "No body.... no case".

In both cases we know that there's something wrong. It just comes down to the point of how much effort is there going to be expended to find the truth.

If the dealership can't take the hit for this type of "discovery" time, the auto company (when presented with video evidence) should darn well have allocated funds to make it right.

-SM

bluedevils · July 2005

Sorry kiatech, but I feel there are MANY technicians out there who often do not believe the customer's claimed issue, actually exists.

If 99% of mechanics believed what customers were claiming about intermittent vehicle problems, then there wouldn't be people on Town Hall recommending that other owners videotape their experiences.

kiatech · July 2005

I agree with you on the documentation part of the video camera,dont get me wrong on that,but I was referring to using the video as a diagnistic tool. It wouldnt do anygood.when ppl come in with issues I do beleive them unless I suspect otherwise.

The attempt to assist in the suggestion of repair,if the owner wish's is to first have the model year and production date. I personally have ideas already that may assist in the repair but before they are posted I would like to have that info. If I give out a possible cause and it turns out not to be correct,because of production date and yr model,then all I am doing is opening a big ole can of worms.

I am a firm beleiver in dealership kindness to customers. I can do the greatest job in the world,fix every car that comes in but if the "front desk" isnt doing their part then no matter how hard I try they will think that I am no better than the ones up front. I have heard about it time and time again. Review some of my prior post. You dont think I will hang someone out to dry because of their lack of professionalism,and therefore it had a direct reflection on me even though we are completely seperate in our jobs? I will do it in a heartbeat.

Anyway,lets get the production date and then we can go from there.

Sincerley
KiaTech

user777 · July 2005

yeah, my point is that for rather extreme cases, the truely flakey / intermittent problems, they aren't likely to occur in the presence of the tech, but they will no doubt happen when you are driving. having the camcorder with you, video provides you the ability to document the date / time, what is seen and heard, and what you try to do to mitigate the problem...ie did you shift into reverse and back into drive for example, or did you shut the car off and turn it back on?

you can and probably also should use the opportunity to describe in spoken words, what you see, hear, and what you are doing to re-inforce the information being captured. you'd want to zoom in on the displays on the dash (you aren't driving at this point), maybe even get out of the car and open the hood (depending on the problem of course).

this is a good means to document your case, and it will come in handy when you seek arbitration if it comes to that. perhaps also - for insurance purposes too.

sometimes people fail to describe what they experience, and video with sight and sound can help in the diagnosis. i believe any competent shop would want and appreciate additional objective information to assist them in root cause analysis.

philberto · July 2005

As a tech with over 25 years experience at three major electronics and communications companies, the radio acting strange in hot WX is a no brainer to fix. REPLACE IT. Video evidence should be good enough to prove the case.

The bottom line is that the actual electronics, not the wiring, is the component most likely to fail. True, an inline resetable fuse, if that is a part of the circuit, could be suspect as well. If it's not "in line", just change the radio and keep the customer happy. It's a small price to pay to keep the customer coming back to buy more KIA products. You DO want people to buy more KIA products, right? Just replace the radio!

I have also been in the position of having to go against company policy to "do the right thing". It's a management problem that can get you in trouble, but almost all managers will back you up when you explain your commitment to the customer. Your manager might actually start to appreciate your level of commitment and notice how well your performance is.

nazgul50 · July 2005

Your radio is not the problem. Same thing happened to me yesterday, here in fla, stuck on the interstate. @ idle, with air on high, radio on, radio dies first, blower slows down. Rev it up, and it's fine. It either the alternator (they had a campaign replacing some) or the battery. I'm trying the battery first, as I already had the alt replaced in the campaign. It also will have too low amperage when very hot to start, needs a jump, then everything's fine, system checks normal, until VERY hot again, the same thing will happen. I'll let you know if the battery takes care of it.

kiatech · July 2005

Well,I most be one of the few cause I do beleive them. Just because I know personallY I got better things to do other than give false complaints and drop my car off and go without it for no reason at all. Just me though.
Sincerely
KiaTech

kiatech · July 2005

I have repeatedly suggested how to get this complaint fixed,even gave out the service bulliten that descibed the condition.
Sincerely
KiaTech

philberto · July 2005

The more information provided (like you did), the better the problem can be diagnosed. If that is the case, I would rule out the radio too. It's shutting down from low voltage as the blower is pointing out with lower speed.

Shared load electronic wiring? Could be, but why in heat conditions only?

Battery? That would be strange as batteries put out their highest amperage when warm to hot. COLD is where they start to have problems. If it's old or damaged, could be. I have seen batteries that were old start to heat up and gas real bad. Smells like rotten eggs. Replace it SOON! It's easy to check with a voltmeter when the engine is off.

It's normal to see a voltage drop when the car is idle, but not that much of a drop. Again, easy to check with a voltmeter. I would also check the regulator. If that ends up being the problem, it might ruin even a new battery...so have the dealer check that out for you. Give them as much information as possible to assist in the repair.

So what about all these fancy computer diagnostic utilities these days? It can't locate the problem? :confuse:

philberto · July 2005

kiatech,

So what is the service bulletin number? I did not see it in the last pew pages.

kiatech · July 2005

What yr is your van and also the production date which can be found on the the plate inside the drivers door jam? Give me that info and we can go from there.

Sincerely
Kiatech :shades:

arh · July 2005

First time on and I have a question for kiatech or anyone else that might know. I had an alternator changed under warranty due to overcharging. Everything in the van lit up dash light ,high beams and battery hot and caps blew off spilling acid on battery holder. I had alternator fixed and but later realized high beams no longer work(both) and battery holder is rusted and battery looks bad. Kia tech told me he could not link it to the faulty alternator problem. I disagree with this and how to I fight this or get things corrected. Like I told the service rep. I didn't have this problem until the alternator malfunction and why should I have it now . He said he could not replace lights and would work the battery holder and let me know.

zev · July 2005

I have a similar problem. The dealer "failed" to notice the problem. And it is true, it does not occur at all times. But when it does, it hesitates when accelerating from ~5 to ~15 mph.

To kiatech: the production date of my vehicle is 11/04

sker1 · July 2005

Kia and its Sedona, not a good choice for me. I have a Kia Sedona LX 2003 that was purchased in April of 2003. The van is 26 months old and has 93,966 miles of which 60% are highway miles. I use the van for my business in sales and some light hauling of goods.

Like many people car shopping in todays climate two key components came to mind, economics and quality. Point one was economics. Although the initial cost to purchase the Sedona was economical, as compared to other like choices and its $19,000 price tag, it has become an endless money pit to say the least and a huge headache. I think I could have purchased a Mercedes that would have cost more up front, but would cost less to drive over the long haul. Point two was quality. The quality seemed exist through Kias good advertising, good rating in crash tests and its 100,000 mile as advertised warranty. With all the issues I have incurred with the van and dealer troubles (all listed below) its fair to say quality is not the top priority. The 100,000 mile warranty is a great selling point but thats about it. If one does not read the fine print and abide by the strict guidelines, as to scheduled services, the warranty is null and void regarding those areas or parts. Don't be fooled by the bumper to bumper coverage because it does not exsist. Example, the timing belt must be changed at 60,000 miles, as told by the service man after the fact of having this problem, at Folger Kia in Charlotte, NC. If it is not changed then all related issues due to not changing the timing belt will not be covered by the warranty. Never was I informed by the dealer or Kia of such service prior to having this problem. I did have the van serviced at 61,000 for oil and tires and nothing was mentioned about the timing belt change at that point. In comparison to my Mitsubishi Montero Limited and a Chevy Silverado, I have never had any problems with warranty work, or non-work, from either of them. No questions asked "we'll fix it" and it will be covered. Both warranties were plain, simple and straight forward. Any question I had or work that needed to be done, concerning warranty work, was done without question and without cost to me.

One thing to keep in mind is regular service work. The cost of service work and other mandatory service work is outrageous. I guess they try to get the money out of you in the service fees instead of the purchase price. Im not sure if its just this area or if its the dealers that the costs seem to be high. Just a regular oil change, lubrication and tire rotation is $46.00 with the Kia. My Mitsubishi Montero Limited, the same service is only $25.00. To date I have spent $2692 on work that should have fallen under the 100,000 mile warranty which was not covered by Kia. This excludes regular oil changes, tire rotations, lubrications and such. The $2692 comes only from work, that in my opinion, should have been covered by the warranty. These costs also exclude the $3600 estimate for a new catalytic converter and related parts that the dealer says needs to be replaced. I have refused to install thses parts. I will run the lemon until it expires (blows up, which should not take too long the way its going).

Issues listed below:
1.Driver seat armrest loose, would not stay in the up position.Warranty covered. 23,541 miles.
2.Rear part of headliner came unglued. Warranty covered. 31,996 miles.
3.Defrost button did not work. Warranty covered. 31,996 miles.
4.Chiming sound when making right turns. Warranty did not cover. 75,211 miles.
5.Engine light on. Evaporation leak. Warranty did not cover. 75,211 miles.
6.Engine light on. Mass air flow sensor low input failure, replace. Warranty did not cover. Later found that part was not needed to fix problem. Also found this not to be the cause for the engine light being on. Timing belt was the issue. 80,067 miles. Warranty did not cover.
7.Vehicle cut off while driving, timing belt jumped off, starter seize, further damage may result in engine. Warranty did not cover. 82,477 miles.
8.Timing belt off again. Later found that part was not installed correctly. 82,477 miles.
9.Engine light on. Mass air flow sensor shorted. Warranty did not cover. 82,477 miles.
10.Began to idol really rough. Needs new catalytic converter and related parts, $3600 estimated. Warranty would not cover. 93,966 miles.
11.Accelerator cable replaced. Warranty covered. 93,966 miles.

12.Air condition will not turn on, have to play with switch for it to work.
13.Continuous clicking noise coming from front wheel. Dealers have not been able to figure what problem is coming from.
14.Lug nut left off during regular service. Replaced and charged for lug nut.

I have used two different dealers for the above mentioned service work. Folger Kia in Charlotte, NC and Paramount Kia in Mooresville, NC. Folger Kia was the dealer which installed the timing belt incorrectly and replaced the mass air flow sensor which did not need replacing. These problems were found by the service department at Paramount Kia and they are the ones which reinstalled the timing belt correctly and said the mass air flow sensor did not need to be replaced. Paramount has worked with me as much as possible.

When the timing belt jumped off (issue 7 above) Folger Kia did the initial work. Folger called me and stated that belt had come off and there might be further damage to the engine. But, before any more work was to be done I would have to pay for what they had done so far. Discussed by Folgers attitude I had the van toad to Paramount Kia. Paramount did charge back the wrong work done by Folger to Folger and left me to pay the balance for what Paramount had done to get the van running. Folger was the dealer where the van was purchased.

In summation the Sedona has cost me roughly an extra $104 per month just to drive the thing. This does not include the estimated $3600 for a new catalytic converter and related parts which would increase the monthly total to $242. If you include the $3600 and the $2692, total of $6292 for work done, or needed to be done to this 26 month old van, the total cost just to keep it running would come to 33% of the total cost paid to buy the Sedona in roughly two years time. All for work that should have been covered by the totally miss leading 100,000 mile warranty as it is currently advertised. These costs exclude fuel, oil changes, lubrication, tire rotations and any regular maintenance. I will not purchase another Kia nor will I offer any good remarks to anyone that would ask me about my Kia.

mcase2 · July 2005

Dear Kiatech,

Factory-new transmission means factory-new; that is from the plant all new parts. Companies often do use remans, but not always. It is indeed at their discretion for any company to use remans and they usually do. I got lucky, my dealer got me a factory- new as opposed to a reman. It can and does happen. Obviously not with Kia however.
As for the term Lemon. Oh, I've done a lot of research on this. I actually got my money back on one deal. The term "lemon" has two meanings. In common parlance it would refer to ANY car that had complete transmission failure combined with several (no less ten) shop visits in 18 months. In the legal meaning the definition varies from state to state. In many states, repeated repairs adding up to a given amount of time off the road within the first year qualifies the car as a legal lemon. So there is hope for Kia owners. If they go to their respective state consumer protection divisions they can easily down load the specific information that applies to their situation.
As for Toyota Sienna I doubt there are as many issue as Kia Sedona or Chrysler Mini vans or Ford Freestar for that matter. In fairness to Kia it is relatively new to the US market and I welcome the competition. Toyota and Honda dealers can be quite arrogant. If the price is right and they stand by their warranty, Hey, more power to you. But, come on, when some has the tranny go south and ten repairs visit in eighteen months they have every right to use the term lemon.

mcase2 · July 2005

Dear Kiatech
I need to point out that is possible to get a factory-new transmission replacement. My Grand Caravan got a Factory-new replacement not a reman. So there are manufacturers that do this. From what you say I gather Kia is not one of them. When you say "No biggy" when someone loses a transmission sounds dismissive. Consider for instance how long was the car off the road and all the inconvenience, not to mention loss of confidence. When this same individual then has to bring it in for repairs 10 more times in 18 months you should not jump on him for calling this obvious lemon a lemon. What does take for you to acknowledge a KIA lemon? And please Kiatech, speak for yourself, all car owners can't complain till the cows come home as you say. However I should point out that people with such major problems as failed transmissions and ten repair visits have a right to complain till the cows come home.

Claires · July 2005

Kiatech, please email me.

ClaireS, Host
Coupes & Convertibles | Vans & Minivans

bluedevils · July 2005

Overall, satisfied. However, communication about status of our vehicle was lacking.

Items on my paperwork:

Warranty Items:

* Dealer ordered new seat cover for driver's seat, no questions asked. Our '02 EX has 53,000 miles and driver's seat cushion was beginning to crack. I was worried they wouldn't warranty this item, but looks like they will.

* Dealer ordered new alternator. Testing revealed subpar performance. Part on order. Thanks kiatech for your recommended approach re: mentioning lights dimming at idle.

* Wheel bearing recall. Very minor moisture detected; wheel bearings are on backorder but dealer tells me that driving the van is not a safety hazard at this point

* Brand new hood and repaired rear trunklid to address rusting around grille and chrome license plate surround. Especially happy with the new hood since this means the stone chips on the old hood are a thing of the past!

* Kia badge on rear decklid was installed. Dealer forgot to install it on 2 prior visits.

* New rear wiper arm cap was installed. Must have fallen off. 2nd time this has happened.

* Repaired 2 transmission leaks that dealer noticed while inspecting the wheel bearings. Leaks occurring at rear cover and output shaft seal, according to paperwork.

Non-warranty items:

* Coolant flush. A little pricey at $100, but more thorough than a drain/fill.

.* Free oil change using accumulated points in dealer's reward points program.

* 4-wheel alignment for $54.95 using dealer's web coupon. Very good price for a 4-wheel alignment, especially considering it's a dealer.

* Cigarette lighter doesn't work. No charge to diagnose (had to ask nicely for $40 fee to be waived). Cell phone worked for 2 years in this outlet then abruptly quit working; dealer tells me the lighter outlet is not designed for this and we should use the other power point up front. Isn't the lighter a legitimate power point?

Overall, $154 for coolant flush, 4-wheel alignment, and oil & filter change isn't bad at all. Plus, all my warranty complaints are/were addressed, with the exception of the cigarette lighter. Thumbs-up to Kia for standing behind their product and structuring their warranty/reimbursement procedures in a way that makes it relatively easy for my dealer to get things fixed under warranty.

sker1 · July 2005

"Thumbs-up to Kia for standing behind their product ". I have not seen such evidence in my encounters. All I hear is this isn't covered and this is what it will cost you. They do seem to cover the "small" stuff but when it comes to the major areas they run like wild rabbits.

arjay1 · July 2005

I have to defend Kia a bit on this one. I did not buy my Sedona thinking that routine maintenance was covered by the warranty and I don't believe Kia ever hinted that it was.
You keep referring to all these costs on a van that is only 26 months old. But it is 26 months old with almost 100,000 miles on it.
The average monthly miles driven is 1,300. You are averaging over 3,600 per month. If you use 1,300 miles per month as the average driven, then your van has the wear and use of a van that is 72 months old. I would think that $2692 in maintenance an repairs over 72 months and 93,000 miles is average. When you drive a vehicle 40,000 to 50,000 miles per year, your average monthly repair cost is going to be higher than most. So far you have spent about 2.8 cents per mile on maintenance, again that does not seem to be a bad number.
It is important to look at the fact that you did not have all of these costs in only 26 months but you incurred the costs in 93,000 miles.

arjay1 · July 2005

When the transmission service is done, is the drain plug just removed and the fluid drained and refilled? I have had a truck where you needed to drop the pan and replace the filter inside as well. Is this done on the Sedona or is the fluid just drained through the drain plug?
What transmission fluid do you use? I don't have my manual with me but the type of fluid listed is not a spec that I have ever seen. It seems to me that it had a "P" in the name but I can't remember. Is the fluid special to the Kia or can you use regular transmission fluid?
R. J.

bluedevils · July 2005

Thanks for posting this. I wanted to reply to Sker1's "problems" also but didn't feel like taking the time to write up a very detailed response.

navyair · July 2005

BD -Ditto.

Also, why did they replace your hood?

Arjay, it is supposedly special fluid for Kia's. I don't know if Hyundai uses the same stuff. Anyway, Dexron and Mercon aren't supposed to be used in it.

Some dealers have a machine that sucks the fluid out, circulates a cleaner and refills the fluid. Others drop the pan and install a new pan gasket. They did this on mine at 30k service. Believe that is required at every 30k interval. Anyhow, Kiatech can probably better elaborate. Always check for 2-3 days after they do this...I've had two services (non-Kia) on other cars where the pan gasket or torque wasn't right on the bolts, and they leaked. Minor aggravation, but could be serious if fluid drains out.

All- Saw where the throttle cable recall for 03-05 Sedonas made the newspapers today.

sker1 · July 2005

I have not suggested that routine maintenance be covered by a warranty. I did buy it partly becasue of the 100,000 mile warranty knowing what a warranty would cover and not cover. If you read my first post I tried to explain the major issues I'm having that should be covered. I'm merely pointing out facts that happened to me and what SHOULD have been covered under a warranty. I keep harping on these costs, regardless of time frame and miles driven, because these issues I have should not have happened to a vehicle that was built with quality and high standards. To your point, "your van has the wear and use of a van that is 72 months old". The fact is that it is not a 72 month old car its 26 months old and these issues should not have happened. These are major repairs that I have never experienced with any other vehicle that is put through the same driving conditions. I don't care how fast you get to the 100,000 mile barrier you still should have a warranty that stands up for itself. I'll be glad to make a deal with you and trade you my Kia for yours. lol.....
Further more I'm not posting here to argue with you or anyone else. Just merely stating facts that are happening to me and to provide information to those that might be experiencing the same issues. Or, for those that are looking for information when making a decision to purchase such a vehicle.

arjay1 · July 2005

Great response. I am not here to argue either and was hoping that my response to your original post did not come across as a flame. You could have easily been offended and am glad that you were not.
I do see your point that you would hope that you get to the 100,000 mile mark without a lot of extra costs as many Honda and Toyota drivers do.
This is our first Kia and have around 45,000 miles on our 2002 without any issues to date. I am hoping it stays that way since the van is paid for and don't want to make another purchase for many years.

bluedevils · July 2005

Maybe you did this and I missed it, but I don't remember seeing a breakdown of the $2,692 in costs -- I believe that was the amount you felt should not have had to come out of your pocket if Kia had stood behind the warranty? Sorry if I am misunderstanding or misremembering (I just made a new word!) your prior post.

Also, I had a recollection that you DID say something along the lines of feeling misled about the 100k warranty and thinking that the routine maintenance should have been covered or should not have been so extensive??? A vehicle owner only needs to prove as much maintenance as his/her dealer requires to be proven. On all our cars, I pick and choose my own maintenance based on what *I* feel is appropriate. I don't do everything specifed in the owners manual because that would be way too costly and unnecessary, plus my vehicle would be in the shop and not available to me, way too often. I've *never* had a problem with a dealer telling me they could not authorize warranty coverage because of insufficient documentation of routine maintenance items on my end.

bluedevils · July 2005

Hood was getting rusty around where the chrome grille touched the paint. Supposedly it was 'rusted through' or something, so repairing the existing hood was not an option. Therefore, new hood. The rear decklid looked worse on the surface, but it was repaired rather than replaced. Second time it has been repaired and I'm not convinced they did anything to prevent the problem from occurring again. Oh well.

We paid appx $145 for trans service around 45k miles. I'll have to look up the paperwork and/or ask the dealer next time-- I don't remember if they did a flush or a drain/fill. For that price, I hope I got a flush with some cleaners plus dinner and a movie for two!

bluedevils · July 2005

Hopefully my posts don't come across as antagonistic. You should expect good service from your van and if you didn't get it, you have every right to be upset. Seems some (most?) of the blame lies with your local dealer. A decent dealer can make up for many manufacturer-caused problems.

Overall, we are satisfied with our van and expecting several more years of good service from it. Our out of pocket costs so far have been pretty reasonable considering the van is 3.5 years and 53k miles old.

sker1 · July 2005

Wait till you get to the 80,000 mile mark, its all down hill from there, j/k..lol
Thanks for the words and thoughts. Just thought I'd express mine and see what came about.

spectraman · July 2005

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/8666762/

DETROIT (Reuters) - Kia Motors Corp. is recalling 118,447 Sedona minivans in the United States because their throttle cables can get stuck, causing the vehicles to maintain speed or accelerate inadvertently, federal safety regulators said on Friday.

-SM

bluedevils · July 2005

Thanks for the heads-up. Too bad the article doesn't specify which model years are affected. With 118,000 units, it might be all Sedonas sold in the U.S. so far-- I'm not sure what the annual sales figures have been.

averigejoe · July 2005

Wow! 25 mpg? And in the first month of ownership?
I'm guessing 25 mpg is much higher than any Sedona owner is getting or should expect.
Now that you've owned it for 4 months, what is your average mpg?

lialit · July 2005

This is my first post although I have received alot of helpful information from this website before. To the point I go to the dealership tell them what's wrong and how to fix it. So thanks to all.
Here is my latest issue. It has been going on for awhile. It happens when I first start my Sedona after it has been sitting for a few hours. For about 1-2 minutes this smell I can only describe like an amonia or vinegar smell comes out of my vents. It is really obnoxious if I have the A/C on when I turn the car on. I have to roll down the windows and air out the car before I put my little ones in there.
I have had plenty of A/C issues since I got the car including the A/C going out because there was no freon and that strange noise like a airplane taking off when I reached around 40 miles an hour. (that was fixed and was A/C related).

Anyone have any idea what this smell could be. This is my 3rd time taking it in tomorrow for this problem so they haven't a clue. Thanks

philberto · July 2005

I just got my new 05 Sedona and with the $12 the dealer put in it looks like I got around 25 MPG or so with a mix of highway and around town. More highway miles though.

I test drove three of these 05 models (all new) and this one had much more of a quick engine response. The first one was sluggish and did not like to respond when pushed a little, the second one was far better but required more pedal push to get on the highway, and the one I decided on was very quick with a light touch. No hesitation at all. A very light touch has me up to speed in good time.

Since I have had it, I filled up and went driving around town. With 137 miles on this tank it looks good so far. I will track the MPG on every tank. Time will tell as it's not even broken-in yet...but what a nice smooth ride! Very quiet too. I barely have to touch the gas and it moves out. Not bad for nearly 5000 lbs. Still, I'm doing a gentle break-in as the manual states. It will get new oil at 2000 and 4000, then at 7500. Take care of it and hopefully it will take care of you.

saabturboid · July 2005

Lialit,

We get the same smell in our '04 Sedona for the first few minutes after the van is started and the the air conditioning is on. Since this did not start happening until summer was well under way and were were using the air conditioning all of the time I doubt there is a chemical in the A/C system causing this. More than likely the water that the condensor produces is getting caught somewhere in the venting system and mold is growing. I believe it is actually a mold smell we are smelling. I am not sure what to do about it, but I haven't been too concerned since it does seem to go away after a minute or two. Do you live in a humid location? My guess is those folks who live in dry places will not have this problem.

- Chad

averigejoe · July 2005

(responding to 7/8/03 post)
Pulling 8200 lbs of van and trailer at 55 to 65 mph in 50% mountains? Yeah, I think 16.8 mpg is more than pretty good. Sounds excellent!
I got 16.15 average for 1000 miles on recent trip in my 2004 Sedona with 11000 miles on it. 4 people average and not much mountains. Air pressure at 35 lbs. A/C on constantly.

lialit · July 2005

Yes I am in Florida. And it is exactly that, for about 1 minute after starting the car it smells, then it is fine. I did talk with a mechanic at a dealership far away and he told me he thinks it is mold getting into the air intake. He has had to do several washes with some sort of spray to get rid of that smell on vehicles. If that doesn't work he replaces the entire vaporator.
Thanks for lyour input.

proeske · July 2005

I am in the Air Force and stationed in Turkey. Bought my 2002 Sedona a little over 3 years ago and until this problem had no complaints about the vehicle. About a month ago my alternator went bad. The mechanics on the base did some research and found a service bulletin that basically says I need to get a new updated alternator, new belt and battery heat cover. Because the Kia warranty can only be used in the U.S. I have to pay for all the parts and pay someone here to put it in. Kia consumer assistance gave me the address for Kia Motors America and said after I pay for it all that I can try and write a letter asking for some kind of refund but they really didn't make it sound like I would get any reimbursment. My BIG problem that I am asking for any help or advice on is that along with replacing the alternator something called ECM battery compensation has to be done or the new alternator will most probably fry something. This is something that apparently the Kia dealer in Adana - closest dealer to me - can not do. What this leaves me with is a car that is 3 years old with 40k miles on it that I can't get fixed until I return to the states in 2008. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

bcavender · July 2005

We love our new 2005 Sedona . It runs perfectly after a couple months of ownership.

However, last night at 5am, the horn just kicks in and started blowing steadily like someone was inside it holding the horn down. It was not the beep-beep-beep like the panic signal....just a steady blast.

Needless to say it scared the bejesus out of my wife, kids and neighbors. I slipped my Smith&Wesson 38 out of the lockbox and did the good guy/bad guy thing out to the car for fear of some crazed druggie might be waiting. But fortunately there was no intruder and unlocking the car and tapping the horn once stopped the commotion. It didn't give any trouble the rest of the night....though my nerves were so jangled worring about someone messing with my family, I didn't sleep a wink.

Nothing else was wrong with the car and the wife drove it today with no problem.

Anybody heard of anything like this?

:surprise:

Bruce

Kia Sedona problems

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