Model year record

2002 Kia Sedona Ex recalls & problems

The 2002 Kia Sedona Ex has 1 safety recall and 50 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is electrical system (13 complaints).

Recalls1safety recalls

Complaints50filed by owners

Crashes · fires2 · 8reported in complaints

Injuries · deaths4 · 0reported in complaints

Safety recalls

SeatsOct 5, 2005

Seats

Recall 05V46300074,276 vehiclesopened after NHTSA action (ODI)

Problem: ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH POWER SEATS, THE WIRING UNDER THE FRONT SEATS COULD BE MISROUTED, ALLOWING CONTACT WITH METAL SEAT COMPONENTS.
Risk: THIS CONTACT COULD EVENTUALLY RESULT IN A SHORT CIRCUIT CONDITION THAT MAY RESULT IN A FIRE IN THE JUNCTION BOX AREA OF THE VEHICLE.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND RE-ROUTE THE WIRES UNDER THE POWER SEATS, IF NECESSARY, AS WELL AS INSTALL PROTECTIVE SEAMING WELTS AROUND THOSE WIRES TO BETTER INSULATE THEM. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 28, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

What owners report

Problem area	Complaints	Crashes	Fires	Injuries	Typical mileage*
Electrical systemWiring; Instrument cluster/panel	13	0	8	0	90,000 mi
SeatsFront assembly › Power adjust; Front assembly › Seat heater/cooler	8	0	4	1	114,000 mi
Air bags	7	1	0	1	84,900 mi
StructureBody › Door; Body › Door › Hinge and attachments	6	0	1	3	83,000 mi
Seat beltsRear/other; Front › Buckle assembly	5	0	0	0	91,500 mi
Fuel system, gasolineDelivery › Fuel pump; Storage › Tank assembly	5	0	0	0	81,117 mi
Engine and engine coolingEngine	5	0	1	0	73,000 mi
SteeringGear box › Shaft pitman; Rack and pinion › Rack	4	0	0	0	68,000 mi
Parking brakeConventional	3	0	0	0	48,500 mi
Service brakes, hydraulic	3	1	0	0	32,000 mi
Power trainAutomatic transmission; Driveline	3	0	0	0	12,000 mi
TiresTread/belt	2	0	0	0	—

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

Electrical system
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA SEDONA EX. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT TIGHTENED AND WOULD NOT RETRACT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 131,000.
Oct 19, 2017 · 131,000 miles
Air bagsCrash1 injury
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2002 KIA SEDONA EX. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. ALL THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE POLICE ARRIVED AT THE SCENE, BUT A REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO AN IMPOUND LOT. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE NECK, LOWER BACK, LEFT SHOULDER, AND CHEST, WHICH DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
Aug 4, 2017 · 87,000 miles
Power train
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND WHEN YOU BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN THE TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTS FASTER THEN IT SHOULD AND ON SNOW COVERED ROAD THE FRONT STARTS TO SLIDE WHEN IT DOES THIS AND WHEN IT SHIFTS BACK UP IT VIBRATES OTHER THEN THAT ITS FINE ANY IDEA WHAT THE PROBLEM COULD
Feb 15, 2016 · 120,000 miles
Electrical systemFire
THE VAN WAS ON FIRE IN MY YARD. ONLY THE FRONT DRIVERS FRONT SIDE CAUGHT FIRE. WHEN I FOUND IT IT WAS BLASING OUT OF THE DOOR AND WINDSHIELD. I GOT THE HOSE PIPE AN UNHOOKED THE BATTERY TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. IT MELTED THE WHOLE DASHBOARD ALL THE WAY TO THE RADIO STEERING WHEEL WINDSHIELD ONLY ON DRIVERS SIDE ALL DAMAGE WAS AT FRONT DRIVERS FRONT SIDE.I DIDN'T DRIVE THE VAN ALDAY THAT DAY.
Dec 30, 2015 · 180,000 miles
Electrical systemFire
TAKATA RECALL. I WAS AT HOME I HEARD SOME KIND OF NOISE OUT SIDE LIKE A HORN BLOWING SO I LOOK OUT AND MY VAN WAS ON FIRE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE AND I RAN FOR THE HOSE TO PUT IT OUT THEN I CALLED 911AN THE FIRE DEPT. CAME AN THE ARSSON DEPT AND HE SAID IT WAS IN THE SEAT TO THE FUSS BOX AND THAT'S WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE MY CAR IS TOTALED CAN YOU PLEASE LET ME KNOW THE WHOLE VAN ON DRIVERS SIDE IS TOTALED I HAVE NO WAY TO GO NOW .
Dec 30, 2015 · 180,000 miles
Air bags
THE AIRBAGS SYMBOL HAS BEEN REMAINING ON. IT WAS TAKEN TO MANY DIFFERENT SHOPS BUT THEY SAY THAT IT HAS TO DO WITH THE AIRBAGS PROBLEM. THERE IS NOTHING THAT THESE MECHANICS CAN DO. SO I WAS TOLD TO REPORT THIS ISSUE TO KIA.
Jul 14, 2015
Air bags
THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON ALL THE TIME. NO ACCIDENT, NO DAMAGE TO THE VAN. *TR
Jan 15, 2013 · 88,000 miles
Air bags
MY 2002 KIA SEDONA EX HAS A FAULT WITH THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR. IT MAKES THE AIRBAG LIGHT COME ON BUT WORST OF ALL IN A HEAD ON COLLISION THE AIRBAGS WILL MOST LIKELY NOT DEPLOY. *TR
May 24, 2012 · 67,000 miles

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.

NHTSA defect investigations

STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT BINDINGClosed
ODIS ANALYSIS OF WARRANTY DATA SHOWS THAT THE ALLEGED DEFECT HAS OCCURRED AT A RELATIVELY HIGH FREQUENCY IN SALT-BELT STATES (5.9 PERCENT).HOWEVER, THE TESTS CONDUCTED BY ODI AND KIA HAVE SHOWN THAT THE ALLEGED DEFECT HAS A MINIMAL EFFECT ON STEERING EFFORTS.IN ADDITION, ODI INTERVIEWS OF OWNERS WHO EXPERIENCED THE ALLEGED DEFECT SHOWED THAT IN MOST CASES THE PROBLEM WAS PRECEDED BY MONTHS OR YEARS OF NOISE OR A GRADUAL INCREASE IN STEERING EFFORTS AND WAS MORE OF A NUISANCE CONCERN. THERE HAS BEEN ONE ALLEGATION OF A MINOR CRASH RELATED TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT, INVOLVING A MY 2003 KIA SEDONA WITH 59,900 MILES.THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN CHECKED TWICE IN THE PREVIOUS NINE MONTHS BY A DEALER FOR COMPLAINTS OF STIFF STEERING AND THAT THE VEHICLE FELT LIKE IT WAS INTERMITTENTLY LOSING POWER ASSIST.THE CRASH OCCURRED AS THE DRIVER WAS ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY…
EA08017 · opened Aug 28, 2008 · closed Jul 1, 2009
STEERING BINDINGClosed
ON APRIL 28, 2008, THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED PRELIMINARY EVALUATION PE08-033 TO INVESTIGATE COMPLAINTS ALLEGING STEERING BINDING IN MODEL YEAR 2002 THROUGH 2004 KIA SEDONA MINIVANS.KIA'S RESPONSE TO ODI'S REQUEST FOR INFORMATION IN PE08-033 INDICATED THAT CONCERNS WITH BINDING OF THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT WERE FIRST IDENTIFIED AND INVESTIGATED IN AUGUST 2002, IN VEHICLES SOLD IN INDONESIA.THIS INVESTIGATION RESULTED IN THE ADDITION OF A STIFFENING RIB TO THE BEARING CAP SEAL.IN JUNE 2003, KIA AGAIN INVESTIGATED OWNER COMPLAINTS OF STEERING NOISE AND HIGHER THAN NORMAL STEERING RESISTANCE AND IN OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER OF 2003 DESIGN CHANGES TO THE SHAFT UNIVERSAL JOINT BEARINGS WERE MADE TO IMPROVE LUBRICANT RETENTION AND ELIMINATE WATER INTRUSION THAT COULD LEAD TO EARLY BEARING FAILURE.ACCORDING TO KIA, THE ALLEGED DEFECT RESULTS IN A PROGRESSIVE CHANGE IN…
PE08033 · opened Apr 28, 2008 · closed Aug 28, 2008