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Kia Sedona problems

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Comments

  • imb1963imb1963 Member Posts: 1
    We just bought a 2003 a couple of months ago and all of a sudden the air bag light is on, the check engine light is on, there is a terrible smell from the exhaust, the high beams are gone, the lights get brighter and dimmer with accel/decel. Kia is still investigating what's wrong - doesn't know when they'll have an answer, but has said the headlight bulbs are blown and we'll have to pay for those because they're not covered by warranty. My husband thinks whatever is majorly wrong caused the bulbs to blow and doesn't want to pay for the replacements. Does anyone have similar issues?
  • nhgirlnhgirl Member Posts: 9
    All I can say is read the past messages in this forum for the 2002 Kia Sedona and you may find some of the answers to your questions for your 2003, but if you expect Kia to find the problem good luck!!!!! Don't call the Kia Customer Service number, because they can't help you either and if you didn't have a scheduled appt. your even in a worse state. When I first purchased my van new 3 years ago, I loved it, but with cracked windshields (which I refused to put under my insurance), lumbar switch drain, steering wheel locking up when driving to send me across the yellow line without control of my vehicle, a few other issues, to my latest issue of fading radio, blower, check engine light and battery light coming on at idle speed and then dead battery just a few days after having a 60K maint. done and the alternator replaced, I've had it with Kia. You know the worse part of the whole thing is.......can't trade, no dealership wants it and they won't give you anything for a trade in allowance. So I'm up the creek without a paddle, just have to pay it off and run it into the ground and hope that nothing more happens to it!!!!! :lemon:
  • philbertophilberto Member Posts: 46
    KIA customers? Although most of the complaints I see here are justified, and a 'few' have had more than their fair share of problems, what I notice is a really sour ( :lemon: ) and strongly negative attitude with KIA when the other van owners of the $30,000 Ody and Quest, having failures and some major issues 'just off the lot', do not. Just go read the problem threads for other vans. Do you see the owners who spent 30K calling their vans a "HUGE PIECE OF CRAP"? Do you see the posts peppered with :lemon: lemons? Do you see "Don't ever buy an Ody"? And look at the volume of complaints and issues!

    Granted, KIA may have had some issues in the beginning. They all do. I somewhat expect any new design to have bugs to be worked out. That is one reason why I opted for the 05 and not the 06 (besides, I think the 05 looks much nicer). Look at how some well-established vans have a high number of issues on late models! But other owners of other vans pay more and whine less when they encounter problems. Why is that? Could it be the KIA service? I read about Ody owners being without their vans for more than a couple of weeks and none of them react so negatively. Then I read here some problems about old batteries being obviously dead, but the owners are too cheap to replace them and bash KIA for it and make a big stink. Why is that? Or the turn signal switch is a little soft on the click for the right turn (yes...I noticed...very minor) and people go back for service, but the Ody side doors won't open , or the windows start going down BY THEMSELVES, and it's not a big deal. What gives?

    I can understand being unsatisfied with dealer service. I have been ripped off in the past by Ford service, but you do have the option to go to an independent service shop. Perhaps it's the service on warranty items that is disappointing. But again, reading the threads for the other manufacture's vans reveals a different attitude over some absurd and chronic problems on even NEW vans.

    What I have noticed is that Kia has improved. Late models don't have many (any?) complaints. The track record is getting better (not so for the Ody or Quest). Sitting in the dealer for 3 hours on a Saturday waiting for a tow hitch to be installed (nice hitch...good job) showed me a little about how the dealer service operates and what the customers are like. I did not see ANY service being done for warranty issues. Most all were maintenance. Only one woman who claimed some electrical device (forgot which) did not work and was too stupid to check fuses. The dealer was going to charge her for the check. She did not have the money. Most people were happy with their vehicles and were talking about it openly. I saw things like the service manager offering all of the customers FREE detailing. Yeah...no kidding! Only one customer took him up on it because the others were in a hurry and did not want to wait 20 more minutes. I just washed mine, so it was pointless. The job they did looked great! It takes me hours to do that myself. True...I had my problems with the sales people on getting them to deliver on the tow hitch, but I did not see those sales people around on the usual BUSY Saturday (fired?..maybe!).

    I think Kia may be getting a bad rap from a different type of customer. My 05 Sedona is a superb mini-van. It's built much better than my Caravan. It's heavy duty with a strong engine. The milaege I get (21 MPG on first tank with 30/70 mix) is about the same as the others...even the Ody with the 3 cylinder shut down thingy. Features, comfort, quiet ride, and power are real good...and that PRICE! What can you say? You could spend much more and have it worse...Just take a look at the others!
  • skulbalskiskulbalski Member Posts: 5
    Finally got my 2002 Sedona EX back after it was in the shop for a week. Thank God we bought the extended warranty -- it paid for itself with the air conditioning problem. The bill was over $700 and all of the A/C hoses needed to be replaced. Most of the charge of course was labor. The van was in the shop for a week because the parts were on back order. Shouldn't that tell us something? I love my van, but I wonder when or if a recall will be made since this seems to be a widespread problem.
  • leftyflinterleftyflinter Member Posts: 9
    Hi,
    I have had the 05 Sedona for about 5 months now. I have been back to the shop 4 times so far for different things, recalls, AC, noise in the rear end and overhead computer. Lots of parts have been replaced and a lot more are on order, I have 2039 miles on it. Also, getting 12 MPG so have to keep MORE records for the dealership (even though I have every gas reciept/miles since day one) so they can check for themselves. I THOUGHT this was going to be an ok car,but nowknow this was a very very bad choice. I wish I had paid the $30.000 for a decent van that I could have traded in in 3 years. The Kia is already worth LESS than half of what is was 4 months ago. These car have NO resale value at all. :lemon: :lemon:
  • nhgirlnhgirl Member Posts: 9
    I hate to say this but, I was told that my battery is WORKING JUST FINE by the Kia Dealership, when I asked if they thought I should replace it after 3 years after having the issues with the fading radio, blower fan dying out and the battery/check engine lights coming on, especially since they had just replaced the alternator. I might have had a dead cell in my battery, I was willing to purchase a new one. So I don't think that purchasing a new battery may be the obvious solution!!! Although I do intend to get a new one prior to winter coming. You may be correct in the fact that the newer Kia models have had the bugs worked out and are much better than what was put out in the 2002, but unfortunately for those of us who do own a 2002 we don't have any trade-in value, I already tried that route. I just don't want to invest any more money into this vehicle if it's not going to be dependable.

    What upsets me more than anything about Kia is the fact that they can't find the problems and have to keep your vehicle for an unreasonable amount of time to only return it without finding the problem while I'm making the rental car company rich. I'm not speaking about one dealership, I've been to several, but it's not worth switching since the most recent dealership knows my car the best. I've kept up with all scheduled maintenance, and oil changes because I was informed that if I didn't Kia would not honor their 10 yr./100,000 mile warranty. To be quite honest, I don't really know how Kia could work out all the bugs if they can't figure out what is wrong when we are bringing in the 2002 Sedona with problems which the dealership doesn't know what to do about them and calls KIA who hasn't heard of any such problems, but this forum says they are out there.

    I don't know how much mileage you have on your 2005, and as I said prior, I was totally satisfied with my purchase other than having the windshield crack start from the center bottom and work it's way up within a matter of a couple of weeks as a defect and the lumbar seat drain which took 2 dealerships a total of 2 1/2 years to figure out. I also agree about the strong engine as I do a lot of highway driving between MA and NH on the weekends, but as the mileage creeps up there the problems seem to begin. When I purchased my van I was told by my sales person that the Kia would out last any Toyota or Honda out there for mileage and wear and tear. So far I haven't seen that to be true. I couldn't ask for a better ride, I'm the only driver and I have to say my driver's seat feels like sitting in a comfortable chair in my livingroom which I have adjusted just for me. I also like how I sit up high in the van without a big front end sticking out. So as you can see I'm not totally against my Sedona, and the price was right, it's the after purchase I have the issues with and the tires I replaced after the 1st year, they were horrible in our New England winter weather.

    I do believe the issue in the steering column should be reported and will be by me as a driving hazard and Sedona owners need to be aware of this issue, because as one forum writer wrote his wife had an accident with their van and I was very lucky not to, the steering pulled it's self out as I crossed the yellow line into on coming traffic without my control. I drove immediately to the dealership where they kept the van for 3 days until they replaced the part and I had to rent a car even though this was a safety issue. There wasn't any previous warning and I'm the only driver as I've said of this van so I would have known if there was something going in the steering. I know my van and I know when there is something wrong, money is not the issue in having things fixed as I transport children as a Nanny and need to have a dependable, safe vehicle.

    I've been offered free detailing as well, but usually it never gets done because they've had my van for so long to fix a problem that they don't want to deal with it anymore and I just want it back. I will have to say, the last time they kept the van they did do a nice job inside and out in detailing, but I can do that myself, I just want the van to run properly and not be sitting on the lot for repairs for a week or more, while I'm driving a rental car.

    Ironically, I saw a Kia Sedona on the back of a flat bed today, couldn't tell you what year van it was, just felt sorry for the owners. I wish you all the best of luck with your 2005, come back to the forum in three years and let us know what you think then, no telling not knowing what's ahead. :)
  • philbertophilberto Member Posts: 46
    flinter,

    I saw your posts. It's hard to believe you only get 12 MPG. How do you drive? How did you break-in the van? Did you "take it easy" on it for the first 500 miles? Did you ever take it for a long drive at highway speeds? I will say that I noticed one EX that I test drove that was 'sluggish'. I did not get a good feeling about that, so I tried a couple of others. My final choice was the one that drove best. Perhaps that made the difference. Maybe they can reprogram your computer and you can get another shot on the break-in. ???

    I hope they iron out your few issues and it gives you good service. I have spoken with more than a few Kia owners and they had no issues. But really...before you buy that $30,000 van, check out some of the problems those owners are having. You might be surprised!
  • philbertophilberto Member Posts: 46
    nhgirl,

    I like New Hampshire! Nice country and nice people.

    I was not pointing towards you as the battery problem. I read way back where someone had to keep jump starting their old battery to get it to start and kept blaming Kia for the problems that resulted. If you are at 3 years with that battery, it would be a good idea to change it. One work truck I drove had an extra auxiliary battery in it that almost blew up (very bad!). I did not even know there was a problem because the main battery worked OK. The other battery was producing a smell like rotten eggs. I didn't know what it was until I checked everything under the hood and noticed it was HOT. I disconnected it and got both batteries replaced. These were 3 years old. Not uncommon at all. My original Caravan battery went for four years before I had to change it.

    As far as windshield cracks, the Ody has the same problem. I couldn't believe it when I read it. They also have a whistling noise that people dislike, but no one gets too upset over it. Really...for the amount of problems they have, no one gets too upset. I would at $30K !!!

    Maybe you are right about dealer service. I NEVER liked ANY dealer service. Every time I took a car of mine, or a work vehicle to dealer service, it came out with more problems. My Caravan came with FREE oil changes for as long as I owned the car and I never once took it to them for an oil change. I just don't trust them. The mechanics I use are through word of mouth and I develop a trust relationship with them. So far I have had good service and minimal problems. I like it that way!

    I also take what dealers say as total $#!+. When they start to hardsell, I stop them dead and tell them I did my homework, so save it. Thanks to Edmunds that is true. Thanks to all for sharing their experiences. I might have bought another Caravan, but the dealers really rubbed me the wrong way. I wanted my Caravan with the options I liked and nothing else. No point in spending on stupid features I don't need. I couldn't even get the colors I wanted! They just couldn't accommodate me, so I moved on. The Sedona was simple and perfect!

    Tires? Every factory tire I have ever had was garbage. My 82 Mustang was the worst with those Firestone 721 'blowout specials'. I did have a blowout! I expected these Hankook tires to handle bad and hydroplane in rain. I'm surprised they handle very well in both. I shocked myself when I was ripping around an entrance ramp to I-95 at 60 MPH. It didn't feel like 60 at all! Front wheel drive is so much better...especially in snow. If I were back up north I would also buy good winter tires. The Toyo Ultra 800s I have on my Caravan are such good tires. Great in rain and even got me 'over the hills' during a few 5+ inch snow storms in the Catskills of NY. I have over 100K miles on two of them. The other two were replaced after being damaged by road debris. Love em'.

    About the steering...was it just loss of power assist? It sounds like your electrical problems may have caused this. That is the one thing I will be VERY sensitive about...electrical issues. My model is an LX and does not have as much electrical stuff to go wrong. The more 'gadgets' you have, the more to go wrong. I believe in the KISS method. (keep it simple). The only features I miss are the electric vent windows and the fog lamps. I'm working on installing the fog lamps now (easy). Vent windows? Most likely not. Oh well.

    Good luck with your Sedona. I hope you get everything working again and it gives you good life. :shades:
  • ClairesClaires Member Posts: 1,222
    I do believe the issue in the steering column should be reported and will be by me as a driving hazard and Sedona owners need to be aware of this issue, because as one forum writer wrote his wife had an accident with their van and I was very lucky not to, the steering pulled it's self out as I crossed the yellow line into on coming traffic without my control.

    nhgirl, it would be a good idea for you to report the issue to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. You can file a report here:

    NHTSA: FIle a Complaint

    MODERATOR

    Need help getting around? claires@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name.

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  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    Help! Got van back from dealer yesterday. Oil light was on. Ours is a 2002 EX with 54k miles. Never had oil light come on before, so I'm assuming something they did or something that happened to the van while at the dealer, caused the light to go on. Here is what they did on this visit:

    * Replaced driver's seat cover (done by trim shop, not dealer)
    * Installed replacement alternator
    * Throttle cable recall work performed
    * Wheel bearing recall work performed
    * Cigarette lighter fixed (fuse blown due to some sort of rubbing and wires damaged-- not sure why I didn't think to check the fuse).

    Two questions:
    1) Is there any way any of the aforementioned fixes could cause the Oil light to come on? It sure doesn't seem like it.
    2) If everything seems fine with van-- driving performance, oil level and color on dipstick, etc etc -- is it safe to keep driving it? I need to make a 300-mile round trip tomorrow.


    Advisor actually noticed the light on earlier in day when pulling vehicle around dealer's lot. They did nothing (probably didn't have time to look at it before I got there-- who knows). He said oil showed on dipstick but it looked pretty dirty. He said they didn't show any oil change history at their dealer (not sure where he was looking -- probably half our oil changes have been done at their dealership). He recommended changing the oil more often. Well, when I got home I noticed: plenty of oil on dipstick. Oil looked newer in color - not even dark brown yet, still medium brown. Oil change reminder sticker on our windshield indicating we were due for an oil change 1500 miles from now!

    We had the oil changed a month ago at the dealership, and drove about 1500 miles since then.

    If we do end up having an oil- or engine-related problem, I will have no problem documenting proper oil changes. That doesn't worry me. But I don't want the hassle of a major engine problem.
  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    Our dealer is above average in friendliness and willingness to fix or attempt to fix our problems. They are the only Kia dealer we've used for service. Bought van new from their sister dealership 30 minutes further from home. We give them most of our maintenance business, with some oil changes done elsewhere and tires done elsewhere. I am always polite with them even when they have screwed something up or failed to do something they were supposed to do. Overall, we have had almost all our concerns resolved, and within 1-2 visits. Sadly, this seems to be above average dealer service-- not just Kia dealers, but USA new vehicle dealers in general.

    Well, our most recent visit has gotten me really frustrated and I'm going to complain about it. The inconvenience of having to return to the dealer is starting to get very annoying. I haven't decided yet how to approach the dealer, but I am not going to be so polite this time.

    Pick up van with family, arrived just after service dept closed. Send wife and kids on their way in other vehicle. No charge -- all warranty work today. Wish I had looked at the van before sending my wife on her merry way, because I'd have left it there. The problems:

    1. Replace seat cover-- paperwork says they did it, but they didn't! Leather was wearing and cracking on driver's seat cushion. Dealership agreed and ordered a new one. I thought this was great, since van is 3.5 years old and has 54k miles. Was half-expecting them to say it is normal amount of wear. Supposedly, van was sent to a trim shop for replacement but the seat has no new pieces that I can tell.

    2. Rear badges-- they've had the van 4-5 times and still we do not have the Kia, Sedona, and EX rear badges on the van. They repainted the rear tailgate a year or two ago. Of course, the badges were removed and they didn't think to order/install new ones (WTF?!). Badges ordered. We wait several months until we have a concern important enough to bring van in for service. Take van back for badge and other work. Oops-- badges were returned to warehouse since they had sat at dealer so long. There was another attempt in there somewhere to get the badges put on. At some point we end up with Sedona and EX badges on van but Kia badge still missing. Last month they repaint the rear liftgate a 2nd time (rust around license plate chrome strip again). Pick up van, don't look at van rear end til we get home. Kia badge is there, but the Sedona and EX badges have disappeared! How can they not get this right. Pick up van last night. Advisor already warned me on the phone they didn't get the badges put on. He thought they were at the body shop or something, but turns out they weren't. So they had to special-order them again. Are they doing this on purpose to get me to keep coming back? I don't think they are that tricky, but my wife is suspicious.

    3. Oil light came on-- nice that advisor told me he noticed the light, but it was downhill from there. He noticed the light but they didnt' do anything to troubleshoot or resolve it. Maybe they didn't have time, maybe they didn't want to bother since I hadn't mentioned it as a concern (the light has never come on for us before). He noticed the light while moving the van to a different parking spot. Was this before or after the van came back from the trim shop with the supposedly replaced driver's seat cover?! He tells me the oil looks pretty dirty and I should change it more often. Granted, this was said in a polite, non-accusatory, non-condescending manner. But the oil doesn't look dirty when I check dipstick at home. I know the difference. He tells me, politely, he doesn't see any service history for oil changes. Not sure how he could miss it, since we've been there several times for oil changes. No threats about denying warranty work or anything like that-- these guys don't try to push me around or scare me. They are nice guys, just not always on the ball. Well, we had oil changed there last month--- only 1500 miles ago. I guess he didn't notice the oil change reminder sticker in the front corner of windshield when he moved the vehicle to a different parking spot?!
  • navyairnavyair Member Posts: 202
    BD,

    If you had wires chaffed that blew a fuse on the lighter, couldn't the same chaffing have caused the oil light? Took a quick look at the manual on-line. Light is a pressure switch which either means the oil pump or switch is bad. I've heard of a filter getting clogged and that causing an oil light on other vehicles.

    Personal opinion is that this is nothing to mess with. I'd get an early oil change with new filter and make them check for additional wiring problems to the switch. I'm surprised the dealership sent you out on the street with a known oil light without offering to investigate further. JC
  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    I suppose the chafed wire could have caused the oil light. I'll have to look at the paperwork and maybe ask the advisor for more details.

    My wife just spoke politely with the service manager who was very apologetic about our frustrations. She specifically asked if he thought the vehicle was safe to drive. He said yes. He seemed to think it was probably NOT an actual oil pressure problem (oil pump etc), but some sort of a wiring or sensor (pressure switch?) issue.

    I don't want to be stranded 100 miles from home with a dead vehicle, but I'm probably gonna roll the dice and make my trip. May stop for an oil change today, but not at the dealer-- to far away.

    Not knowing how vehicles work, I have no clue if a oil pressure or oil pump problem would likely make the van not run right? It drove just fine today in spite of the oil light. Not sure if that's a false sense of security, though.
  • wonyoonwonyoon Member Posts: 1
    I also have an A/C problem with my 2003 Sedona. My dealer told me the compress was in back order. I have been waiting for three weeks so far. Every time I call the dealer, I get the same reply - "the part is in back order" This is not acceptable to wait this long for a part. Do you know what else I can do besides calling the dealer for the status?
  • beyond_helpbeyond_help Member Posts: 110
    i don't get it, if the oil pussure light came on at the dealer, the dealer should have preformed a manuel oil pussure test at once !! on a hot engine !
  • navyairnavyair Member Posts: 202
    BD, Pretty much an either, or....

    If is is a bad switch, no problem. Engine runs just fine. If it is a blocked passage, or bad pump/low pressure, you can fry your engine. That is why they should have checked it.
  • skipgskipg Member Posts: 1
    4 visits for pass. window stopping midway position (1 lube, 2motors, 1 pass. window sw.) 2 visits for bubbling paint under side windows and rust under rear logo( repainted), 1 visit for no start/slow turning over (new alternator and new battery) , 1 tow back to dealer after overheating due to loss of coolant ( upper hose came loose when clamp worked itself loose, reinstalled hose and clamp). Mooing noise cannot find in spite of referenced articles from this forum. Front seat has squeaked on and off for 2 year, forgot about that visit. All this after 2 yrs 3mos and 28,000 mis. On the positive side the roadside assist. people are much better than AAA and hopefully warranty will help for the next 3yrs 9mos.
    2003 Sedona EX is not worth it I should have gone with the Caravan for the same price. Oh well, live and learn :lemon: :lemon: :
  • philbertophilberto Member Posts: 46
    BD,

    I think you are TOO polite. You should not have accepted the vehicle in that condition and should have insisted they FIX IT on the spot. If the oil pressure is low, the engine could blow. I had it happen once when I was 17 and driving my mom's car to work one day. The light was on and the oil was clean and full. This is nothing to mess with, but how could you accept the van from them in that condition?

    With all of the work you have had done, do you inspect the van before driving it out of the service shop? If you know there is an issue with badges missing, do you call them and confirm they have the parts (make them actually touch them) BEFORE you drive it in to have the work done?

    Hey, even I had a headache with the dealer when I went in to have a tow hitch installed, so I understand the frustration. What I did to keep them "on the case" was to ask them when they could have the parts and make appointments on the nearest Saturday after that date. I drove down TWO times and was turned away. I could have called to confirm in effort to save a trip, but the "in your face" "you messed up!" routine works! Yes, they were nice, but I insisted they get their act together and kept the pressure on them. I would not let up. That is how you get results. Be relentless! Finally it was done and I inspected the job before I drove off. Sure enough, there was one good-sized grease smudge on the driver's side door. Before I even started the car I pointed it out and made them clean it (they did). I don't let them get away with anything! I'm polite but very business like and firm. (Must be the New Yorker in me...haha)

    I agree that there is some malfunction going on with Kia service, but I have seen that from other company dealer service centers' as well. Looks like a low budget outfit to me and may be more of a company management problem than anything else. I hope I never have to deal with them again. You have your oil changed right there and they tell you it's dirty after 1,500 miles? You're going to continue to give them business??? Are you crazy!? :lol:

    In my view, all dealer service centers are suspect. I always take my business to a trusted independent shop that I have received good references on. If I were getting such headaches from bringing it back repeatedly for warranty issues, I would probably pay someone else to fix the small stuff. On a major issue, I would have to "document and control" (pictures and dated notes...or video) the situation and be firm with any problems that result. They would have to provide the rental car too! Sometimes being nice can get you burned. Business is business! Stick to your guns!!!

    Good luck!

    Phil ~
  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    Yes, I *am* too polite. I guess it's the Midwesterner in me, or because I grew up watching my dad be too polite. My approach does not get results, but I have a hard time being firm with these guys. Actually, the advisor I work with seems so clueless, yet friendly, that I don't think I could really whip him into shape. It seems hopeless.

    With the oil light, I definitely should have made them look at it before I arrived or while I was there. However, I had the family with me and didn't want to take more time there. Still, it wasn't a smart choice since an oil light can indicate a serious problem.

    We have not spent a lot on maintenance yet for our van. Most of the stuff at the dealer has been warranty work. Their prices on various 'typical' maintenance things are reasonable, so we've done some oil changes and other stuff there since it was maybe 10-20% more than another shop and that's not a major difference. Plus, I've never found a good independent shop that I'm comfortable with, so I don't really have a solid non-dealer option.

    No, I don't make the advisor tell me he has physically handled the parts. That might prevent issues, but I find it to be rude or pushy or something. If they can't do the job right doing their normal thing, then I am not really interested in being their watchdog.

    In spite of my complaints, I hear a lot of things from other folks that convince me our shop still does an above-average job overall. There are so many dealers out there that are totally clueless and don't even TRY to resolve problems.

    My wife called the service manager the next day and politely told him that we will not be coming back if they do not resolve our issues on the next visit. Actually, we might not be back even if they do resolve our issues.
  • philbertophilberto Member Posts: 46
    Well I'm glad there are polite people in the world. I just came back from Nebraska where people were very nice and normal. I like it that way but sometimes people take advantage of you. At least I always try to be civil and nice until the first time they fail me. Then it's a different side of me. ;)

    When I say "touch the parts", I really mean to confirm that they are really there. Sometimes people make assumptions and things get mixed up. One good example of that is when I called the dealer and asked him if he had a Sedona in white / gray with the value package and tow hitch. He said he thought so. I made him go check. He called me back and said yes. Too bad it was a lie...or maybe they sold it two hours earlier, but I doubt it. I think he just wanted me to come in. That is yet another reason why I do not like dealers.

    I hope you get it all straightened out.

    Phil ~
  • nhgirlnhgirl Member Posts: 9
    Sorry it has taken me a few days to answer your response and request in regards to the info on the steering column. No, the issue with the steering column was not related to the loss of power from my electrical problems, that electrical issue was just recent. The steering column issue was actually back in April and until I discovered this forum and the party who indicated their wife had an accident I really hadn't thought a lot about it, with the exception of requesting a loaner vehicle of some kind while my Sedona was being worked on to find the problem due to driving the vehicle was a safety issue, but I didn't get the loaner and had to once again make the car rental company rich. At first when the issue with the steering began I though I just needed powersteering fluid.

    So to answer your question, the part that was replaced was a STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT ASSEMBLY. It was listed under warranty work.

    I'm done with the Sedona, I pick up my new 2006 camry tomorrow night.

    Good Luck,

    Lynn :)
  • nhgirlnhgirl Member Posts: 9
    What you experienced with calling looking for a particular model of vehicle and being told they have it to find when you arrive they don't is similiar to ads run in the newspaper to find the model listed and priced is not on the lot. My former employer a MA Assistant DA said that is the old "Bait and Switch" which I ran into when I purchased the 2002 Sedona. I think that should have been an omen in my purchasing the van, but I truly have enjoyed the van, it's just the related problems that can't be answered, not only by my service departments but from what I'm seeing here by many Kia Service Departments.

    Hopefully I won't run into any problems with the camry, but at least one thing is sure, they have been around for a good long time and so hasn't Toyota.

    Lynn :D
  • pepperstlcpepperstlc Member Posts: 1
    We purchased our Sedona in May 2005 and have had to take it in to the dealer for service on 5 separate occasions for brake noise. On 6/28 they determined that the front brakes needed to be replaced and they didn't have the parts. On 7/6 they replaced the front brakes. On 7/28 they were still squeeking when I applied the brakes they then "adjusted" the rear driver side brake shoes. On 8/1 the brakes were still squeeking and they could not find the source of the noise. The squeeking noise continued to persist and I took it in yet again! On 8/12 I went back to complain about the noise and was told by the Service Manager "We have never had a problem with our Sedona before this" "Our mechanic can't hear the squeeking". His tone and demeanor suggested to me that I was lying to him. Can somebody out there please give me a hint or an idea as to what this might be? Even if you have only experienced this same situation please let me know.
  • leftyflinterleftyflinter Member Posts: 9
    Hi Phi,

    Yes, the van was broken in right and the driving was the same as my last 4 new cars,the latest being a 2000 toyota tacoma prerunner that was getting fantastic milage with a V6. I knew the Kia was a bit heavier than my truck (if you can believe that) and that I might get a bit less in mileage but was not ready for 12 MPG. ONe service advisor told me that the break in period for the van was 15,000 miles,I told him that at $2.85 a gallon for gas and only 12 MPG that I would not be able to afford to put 15,000 miles on it !!
    The van drives really well I am working with another service advisor that seems to want to help me and the van !!
    The overhead clock/temp/DTE computer needs to be replaced for a start so we can monitor the mileage that it is rated for. In the meantime, I am keeping very close watch. It seems the first half tank gets about 13 MPG, after that,it seems to go down to about 10 so on an average fill up its usually around 12MPG. I have talked to other Sedona owners and they are very happy with the vanand the mileage they get, as a matter of fact, one guy having his van checked out because the last 2 tanks of gas only got 18 MPG !!!
  • carlvcarlv Member Posts: 2
    OK, no problem, I have all the repair slips home. I'll post them in a couple of days. I go up to the dealership tomorrow. Oh by the way, the stress crack in the windshield I see some others are talking about, visited me last week. It is not a errant stone it is definetly a crack starting from the bottom of the windshield frame. I really have loved this van(even with the AC not blowing cold air) but now I'm thinking of dumping it since it is costing big bucks once I passed the 60K mark
  • navyairnavyair Member Posts: 202
    I don't know if you've done any panic stops, but usually a squeek can be several things, and it CAN be hard to pinpoint. Have you take the mechanic for a ride? That is always best when they sign off something as "cannot duplicate"

    It could be several things including:

    Warped rotor (on the front discs)
    This happens once in awhile to all cars that have to brake very hard

    Corrosion - esp on cars that aren't driven much

    Sticking pads

    Brake dust

    Dragging brake shoe (generally a broken spring or sticky piston)

    Parking brake that is partially engaged

    I'm sure KIA Tech would have better words of wisdom, but some of the more aggressive of our group seem to have driven him off. Too bad, as he was very helpful in resolving problems and posting tech bulletin issues.

    Kiatech mentioned something worth mentioning again. A tech usually is given a finite amount of time to find a problem. If that problem doesn't happen to be occuring when you bring it in, they will not be able to continue troubleshooting it forever...so when you have a problem, it is best to give them an idea when it occurs (all the time...after driving for hours, after heavy braking, only when wet outside, etc). That way, they might duplicate the condition and hear it/find it.

    Good luck with your brakes! The good news is that brakes are fairly straightforward and the mechanics will eventually find your problem. Take them for that drive!
  • fanceefancee Member Posts: 3
    We have a 2005 Sedona EX, we bought it two months ago and it has been to the repair shop three times already and ready to go back on Thursday of this week. Our doors lock when we are loading something in the back, why this happens I have no idea.........must be a new feature, sure is a stupid one. If there is a good reason to lock side doors with the back hatch up please tell me??
  • fanceefancee Member Posts: 3
    We purchased our new Kia Sedona 2005 two months ago, so far it has been in the shop three times for the same thing.............rear heater/ac blower. It does not work independently when the front blower switch is in the R position. Now they are having a tech coming from the Kia company to try to fix the problem, the service dept. at Kia has no clue. We have several other small problems with the Kia, very annoying!! to say the least. We live several miles from the dealership so all the miles we are putting on the car plus the gas prices it is really frustrating. We love the van, it rides well and serves our purpose very well. Reading these forums it looks as though we have several other problems to look forward to. We traded in a Toyota 1997 4-Runner with 120,000 miles on it and it only was at the fix it shop for a normal repair. I had a strange feeling we should have kept the Toyota and not bought the Kia, now I know we should have. Sorry we bought a KIA!! :confuse:
  • leftyflinterleftyflinter Member Posts: 9
    I feel the same as you. I traded in a perfect 2000 Toyota Tacoma Prerunner with only 32,000 miles !! You see, I am handicap and need a van (which is lower to the ground) to carry my electric wheelchair. I was assured by the Kia dealer that this was the van for me. Yes, I got a great deal, but, the price I am paying now (only getting 11 MPG) and has been in the shop 5 times in 4 months and needs to go back again. I am trying to get this van declarede a lemon so I can go back to a Toyota
  • nhgirlnhgirl Member Posts: 9
    Thanks to all who would listen or read I should say and offer their advise. Out of all my problems, please be aware of the STEERING COLUMN ASSEMBLY SHAFT!!!!! If you begin to experience any problems at all related with your ability to steer your Sedona have it checked into IMMEDIATELY. I was lucky not to get into an accident, but came very close when crossing over the yellow line as I was going into a right hand turn that the steering didn't allow me to do. It was under warranty but who cares, I was just lucky not to kill someone in on coming traffic or myself. I've been advised by Claire to report this to National Safety which I intend to do, just had to get into a new car first. Best of luck to everyone especially those with a 2002 Sedona, I loved the van, just not all the problems that went with it!!!!! :shades: Kia needs to take off their rose colored glasses!!!
  • navyairnavyair Member Posts: 202
    It is in your owner's manual. If the car has been locked and you use the key fob unlock feature to open the hatch first, it relocks all the side doors (and hatch) within 20 seconds or so. This is for people who load stuff in the back and go back shopping. It keeps you from forgetting to relock the car (or a kid from doing it when he gets his ball glove from the rear hatch at the ball park) for safety reasons...keeps the car secure and also your purchases. Opening one side door slightly will prevent this from happening if you intend to drive away. We've just basically figured out that we open a slider or if multiple passengers, one gets in the car, one loads the groceries. Other option is to use the key to unlock the door.

    Agree with you that it isn't a favorite feature of many people. Most of us would rather have auto locking doors when the car reached 10-15 mph, or 30 sec after drive was engaged.
  • boxwrenchboxwrench Member Posts: 55
    Hi All,

    Haven't read the forums in a while, and had to catch up on all the chatter. Most of it isn't good! We just completed a trip from Daytona to Cincinnati, and the mileage on our 2003 EX was not the best. Just 2 of us and our luggage on board. I drove at the speed limit the entire way. (no more than 70 mph) I've come to learn the so-called trip computer is worthless. Who cares about your AVG MPH!! It's always going to vary anyway. Why didn't they have MPG average?? Like almost all other onboard computers. And I am dissapointed with the DISTANCE TO EMPTY feature also, because on 2 occasions after filling up with fuel, it never reset itself, and if I believed the computer, I would run out in 100 miles!! Couldn't find anything in the owners manual on how this thing works, or what resets it. I'm guessing it's the gas guage, or some other secondary means. It would have been better to have the driver manually reset it, such as your trip Odometer.

    All that said (I never believe those things anyway) in my own calculations of miles driven divided by gallons used (at the next fill-up) I managed to get 21.5 MPG! This is pretty accurate, as I try and fill the tank up to the neck every time so it is reasonally accurate. Also it was all Freeway driving with 2 pit stops. Not even close to the EPA estimate for Hwy driving. Couple that with the 14.5 MPG around town average, and the Sedona MPG claim of 18 and 26 is a BOLD-FACE-LIE!!
    Maybe manufacturers have changed their claims, I remember when you could expect better that EPA MPG especially after break-in and Hwy travel! I consider 14,000 miles more than enough for break-in. Besides I've had Company-owned new cars, and never went through a break-in, just started driving them for business, and hardly any improved on the MPG after the first 500 miles. How long do they expect it to take for a set of rings to seat?

    Regarding some of the other stated problems, some I find hard to believe that the DEALER cannot find the problems. I realize there are good, bad, and some marginal service departments, but parts procurement should not be one of the problems. If it is, then it is a major KIA problem nationally. I had it happen to me at Speedway/Daytona KIA. weeks for a part to come in, and then they never called to say it's here, come on in and have it installed. Maybe it's because the parts are coming all the way from KOREA!! You would think Kia would have stocked enough parts to cover ANY parts problem. I know service departments usually stock the parts that routinely wear out, or fail pre-maturely, but Corporate HQ. should have everything else. What Gives??

    I've been happy with my KIA so far, but this forum is slowly changing my way of thinking. I was in the Field service business with Xerox for 32 years before retirement, and if I treated my customers/accounts (Major ones like GE and P&G, and others) like I see on this forum, I wouldn't have lasted 1 month as an Employee. I've been through premature parts failures, but the company geared up and met the problem quickly. KIA doesn't seem to have that philosophy. I hope that changes.

    Brake problems! I had my Kia dealer say I should have my rear brakes adjusted at the 7,500 mile service. I thought all rear drum brakes had self adjusters? The service mgr. said they don't!! I can't believe that. Brake noise is a way-of-life sometimes. As long as they work!!

    Steering, on the other hand is critical. Not sure what an intermiedate shaft has to do with loss of steering, but that is a safety issue. I can't see how an electrical problem can affect steering, unless it stall's the engine and loss of Power Steering happens.

    So many problems, So little Time. It's the MPG that bugs me!!

    IMHO Boxwrench.
  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    Regarding fuel economy: I think you are mistaken about the 18 city / 26 highway MPG EPA ratings for your Sedona. The 2002 Sedona was rated 15 / 20 and off the top of my head, I think the 2003 was upgraded to 16 / 21. My guess is that Kia realized owners were actually doing better than 15 / 20 on average, and somehow convinced the EPA to boost the figures. Or something like that.

    21.5 mpg on a highway tankful seems right in line with my expectations for Sedona. You might get different readings if you track it for multiple tanks. Wouldn't surprise me to see you do better than 21.5 mpg if driving only 70 mph and with cruise on most of the time and on relatively flat ground.

    The EPA site does have historical fuel economy ratings for all U.S.-market vehicles, but I don't recall the URL off the top of my head. I'm sure somebody will jump in and provide it.
  • minivanfrankminivanfrank Member Posts: 83
    EPA Fuel Economy for 2003 LX/EX is 15/20 (as per the 2003 brocure)
  • minivanfrankminivanfrank Member Posts: 83
    I am getting some musty air blowing out of my a/c vents prior to turning on the compressor. This goes away after turning on the a/c for a few minutes. I am thinking that either mold has gotten to the a/c unit...or leak detector chemical (previously inatalled by dealer last season) is leaking out of the unit. Has anyone had this happen to them? If it turns out to be mold...is this going to be a warranty issue or not?
  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    thanks for clarifying. it must be the 2004 that had the slight increase in EPA figures to 16 / 21.
  • saabturboidsaabturboid Member Posts: 178
    It is mold. Same thing happened on our '04 Sedona this summer. The A/C system on the Sedona must be susceptible to this type of thing since I've never had it happen on any other vehicle I've owned and a couple of people reported it here.

    I took my van to the dealer where they proceeded to 'clean the A/C Ducting' at no charge. When we first got the van back it was better, but the smell was still there. Within a day or two it was as bad as it was before. I don't have any faith Kia can fix this so whether they charge or not is a moot point. Since this will only be a problem when the A/C is in use and it is humid, I expect the problem to go away as fall approaches, but I'm certain it will be back next summer if we still have the van. Based on where gas prices are headed I don't think we'll be able to drive it much anyway.
  • rightjawrightjaw Member Posts: 2
    I started having a horn problem with my 2005 Sedona yesterday. The alarm series of beeps would begin and would not stop until we pressed the lock button on the remote. It would start again exactly 60 minutes later. This continued through the day and then did not do it again after the van was driven. However, it started again this evening, the last time it has happened was at 11:18PM. I have moved it into the garage so my neighbors don't get their Smith & Wesson's and shoot me. Any suggestions about what is causing this would be appreciated.
  • rightjawrightjaw Member Posts: 2
    I'm having a similar problem. What did you find out? The check engine light will come on in my 05 Sedona sporadically when the tank hits 3/4 full. It has stayed on for one or two full tanks, and go off again at about the 3/4 full point. I have just figured I got some gas that was burning a bit dirty causing an emission sensor to trigger. Any info would be appreciated.
  • bluecar3bluecar3 Member Posts: 9
    HAS ANYONE TRIED SYNTHETIC OIL IN THE SEDONA? HAS IT INCREASED THE MPG? HOW ABOUT THE TORNADO(GOES IN THE AIR INTAKE HOSE?)ANYOTHER IDEAS HOW TO GET BETTER MPG.? :P :confuse:
  • beyond_helpbeyond_help Member Posts: 110
    i use SYNTHETIC OIL in our sorento 10w-30 as the manuel recomends, but other vehicle mfg's recomend 5w-30 one of the reasons is for better fuel economy

    from the research i have done the same weight in dino oil vs. syn oil will give the same results, thus no benifit in milage but there are other benifits to use syn oil

    the fact that the sorento owners manuel (i think the sedona manuel is the same) for the use of 5w-30 is not recomended for temps over appx 40 degrees f

    i think this is out of date or maybe in error due to the lack of knowledge by the people that wrote the manuel who may not understand motor oil ratings or maybe another consideration i am not aware of

    there would be a increase in milage if 5w-30 is used instead of 10w-30, but how much ?

    i think a modification of driving habits would help more

    i.e. my wife gets 2 to 3 mpg less than i do driving the same vehicles

    to learn more about motor oils

    go to; www.motoroilbible.com this is a big document and is very comprehensive

    the TORNADO is a complete RIP OFF don't waste your money
  • ndperrerasndperreras Member Posts: 1
    :sick: My first problem with my van was whenever I am driving between the speed of 100 to 140 kph, I felt vibration on my steering wheel everytime I apply brake gradually to lessen my speed. My dealer fixed the problem by changing my front rotors at 6000km. now my van has 10500 km and I have another issue, my rear blower wont shut off everytime I switched my ignition in an ON position, my dealer said it was an electrical problem so I have to leave my van with them for one day to fix it.

    I am getting upset with my van, for less than a year using it I got three issues already and third one is my door open warning light is always blinking eventhough the doors were properly locked. Right now, I have not yet went to my dealer to fix the third problem, Is there anyone who have the same problems as mine? need your advise and help.
  • philbertophilberto Member Posts: 46
    I went to that web site and, although it is informative, it is not complete. It left me hanging.

    I'm looking for the bottom line myself. I have been digging around for gas and oil info with some scientific test data on the Repair forum, but so far I see allot of personal opinions and not much else. Been to "topteirgas.com" and am fairly convinced Chevron is the way to go with gas, but I'm still looking for some test results with mileage results. Techron sounds great, and I plan on using it, but I still wonder why some brands of gas go further than others. My first experience with this was in my 95 Caravan after a fill-up in Saddle River, NJ. One tank of Hess 87 got me well into South Carolina! I was blown away!!! But there are other concerns like deposits. Not all additives work well. So where can I get some solid test data on gas?

    On the oil side, as I'm due for my first 2000 mile oil change soon, I'm leaning towards AMSOIL ASL 5W-30. They provide full specs and test data that shows how they rank compared to the other contenders. It looks like they totally blow away the competition! Oil filters too? I'm still investigating.

    Air filters? Very important as well. Still looking.

    This is not the right topic for this forum, so I'll stop now and post on the other forum, but I am really looking to take care of my Sedona and get the best mileage I can. I treated my last tank with Techron Concentrate because I was using Hess exclusively. This is not a "Top Tier" gas. But it is funny how I get much better mileage with Hess over Shell (a Top Tier ranked gas). There must be more to this story. I just don't know where to look...yet. Any clues?

    Phil ~

    PS...last tank was 19 MPG with 20% city and 80% hiway. I expected it to go up and not down (pre Techron treatment).
  • erikkleinerikklein Member Posts: 50
    Perhaps a sludge issue? Maybe there's a blockage with old oil/sludge near the oil pump. I've heard of such problems on Toyota V6 and VW 1.8 Turbo engines.
  • gemini1gemini1 Member Posts: 1
    hey - i've just reviewed the many messages on this wonderful exchange but i have mixed emotions... relieved i'm not alone in my problems, worried about the many more i may face. i bought my 2005 on july31. i, too, immediately noticed the turn signal oddity described in post #855, but thought i was just being anal. 2 weeks later i had to have the break pads and rotors replaced. 2 weeks after that the side door latch quit functioning - couldn't get out from inside - had it fixed. now, just this very day, my engine began making a strange "puttering" noise, almost like a go cart. that's what prompted me to hit the web and see if i am alone. apparently not. has anyone else had this problem? i guess i'll make another trip to the shop, which unfortunately is located about 45 minutes away.
    the funny thing is...we traded our grand caravan in for the sedona, trying to avoid the impending transmission problems. the sedona warranty was so attractive, we thought the product must be solid. well, isn't that funny. but i do have one good thing - the service department has been accomodating so far. :confuse:
  • rudedog181rudedog181 Member Posts: 1
    I also have an odd noise that seems to come from the passenger rear of my 2003 KIA Sedona. On my van it creates two types of noises. 1st it sounds like a crotch rocket motorcycle passing on the passenger side the a few seconds later it sounds sort of like a kids kazoo or one of those slide flutes. As you stated, no loss of performance but happens most often during air conditioner use.

    Rudedog
  • fortyfiverfortyfiver Member Posts: 6
    Brand new (less than 150 miles!) 05 Sedona we had our "check engine light" come on, too. Dealer service told us it was an emission control fuel system pressure sensor and claimed at first it was from a loose gas cap, then said it was a faulty sensor and supposedly replaced the sensor after having the van two days waiting for parts. BUT - he told my wife it was only a $10 part, but they still didn't have any. (Funny, when I checked with some garages and parts stores, the same type of sensor for other cars costs around $200!) Now, curiously, our tank was at about the 3/4 mark when that happened. Service writer also told us it might be caused by "topping up" the tank after the pump shut off. The only fill done on this car was the original full tank we got from the dealer. It would seem such a defect in part/programming would show up immediately at the pump if this was the cause? I ALWAYS top up a tank to at least round-off the charge, and I've done this with every vehicle I own and every vehicle I rent for business. I have NEVER seen this happen on another emisiion-controlled vehicle! It would be a stupid design fault and all the grounds in the world to use the "Lemon Law" if it continues.
  • boxwrenchboxwrench Member Posts: 55
    Bluedevils

    I was wrong on 2 counts! My Sedona EX is a 2004, and the window sticker in hand says 16 city and 22 hwy. The estimated annual fuel cost is $1168.00 I wonder what price per gallon that is -- surely not $2.99 a gallon!!

    Boxwrench
  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    yep - surely not $2.99 per gallon!
  • fortyfiverfortyfiver Member Posts: 6
    OEM Hankooks on our new 05 Sedona LX. Normal loads (family of four) and normal speeds (70-or-so highway). No trailer. Any suggestions on tire pressures or just go with the recommended inflation in the manual and on the tag? Anyone having any luck with better mileage with different pressures? I mean - within safe inflation range for the load and speed of course.

    These OEM 215/70's just look SMALL for this heavy a vehicle. I like the look of the tread design though. Anyone have experience with these Hankooks in bad weather - especially snow? How about hydroplaning?

    Just got this car back from the emission control fuel pressure sensor replacement at 150 miles. Seems okay for now but we're still on the full tank delivered with the car fresh from service. It'll be interesting to see what happens at 3/4 gauge or fill-up. I'll report what does happen, or doesn't.

    Sure would love to see "Kiatech" back on here - that person sure knew the right stuff!
This discussion has been closed.