10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
4 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
8 / 1
Average Mileage:
43,955 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

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problem #12

Jan 062010

Sedona

  • 146,000 miles
The contact owns a 2002 Kia Sedona. While the contact was driving approximately 5 mph out of a parking space, the vehicle suddenly accelerated and crashed into a nearby vehicle. The contact then placed the vehicle into drive and it accelerated again causing her to crash into another vehicle for the second time. The contact was not injured; however the driver in the vehicle in the first crash suffered a knee injury. The failure has occurred on more than 2 other occasions and the vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer. A police report is available. The current and failure mileages were 146000.

- Lakeview, AR, USA

problem #11

Aug 222006

Sedona 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 32,000 miles
: the contact stated the vehicle had recently been serviced at a service dealer, for recall # 05V013000, vehicle speed control: Cables. The service report did not state the clip was added to keep the cables in place. Items were noticed hanging under the vehicle. The contact stated while driving 35 mph on dry road conditions, the vehicle accelerated uncontrollably to 75 mph. The brakes were applied but the vehicle continued the travel forward, swerved off the road, glanced a tree on the right side, then impacted a tree head on. The windshield was torn out by the impact and the vehicle caught on fire. A pedestrian saw the crash and went to help. The fire was partially extinguished then the 40 year old driver was pulled out of the vehicle. The driver suffered injuries to the head, a laceration to the right knee, cuts and burns from the fingers of the right hand, to the shoulder, the heel of the right foot was crushed and an unidentified number of ribs were broken. The front right passenger sustained injuries to the head and burns to 30% of the body, mostly on the left side, which resulted in a coma. Both arms and legs were broken as well. An 11 year old male and a 9 year old female escaped the rear of the vehicle. The 11 year old male died of head and chest injuries at the scene and the 9 year old female had a broken right arm and trauma to the right eye. A 10 year old female with head and chest injuries, died in the vehicle fire. A 12 year old male died on impact from head and chest injuries, but was not recovered until after the fire was extinguished. All occupants were wearing their seatbelts. All were taken to the hospital. A police and fire department report were taken. Pictures were available. The service dealer and manufacturer were notified.

- Nicholasville, KY, USA

problem #10

Mar 062006

Sedona 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 77,400 miles
: the contact stated the vehicle lost power intermittently on hot days while accelerating. Furthermore, when the accelerator pedal was released and again depressed the vehicle accelerated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection, but the problem could not be duplicated.

- Brooksville, FL, USA

problem #9

Aug 152005

Sedona 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 65,000 miles
Input speed sensor error began in early July. Caused random shifting while driving, car remained stuck in gears or randomly dropped out of gears. Car sent to have sensor replaced in mid August. One of four sensors showing defective on vehicle just barely out of warranty.

- Madison, AL, USA

problem #8

Apr 062005

Sedona

  • Automatic transmission
  • 37,000 miles
When the consumers foot was on the brake, the car moved(lurched) by itself and hit the car in front. The consumer took the car to the Kia dealer approximately 10 times in the prior year. They found three major things wrong with the vehicle, and repaired all of the defects except the unintended acceleration. The consumer thought the problem was taken care of and the same thing happened this morning. Called the dealer and they want to have the car towed in. It started going bad this past year when it would shake.

- Culver City, CA, USA

problem #7

Apr 092003

Sedona 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 34,000 miles
My 2002 Kia Sedona has approximately 54000 miles. At approx 34000 miles, we encountered a very serious safety problem with the vehicle surging forward at stop signs, red lights, and busy intersections. It was as if were sitting at a stop sign w/ one foot on break and a ghost was stomping on the accelarater. Kia changed out the wiring harness and this seemed to fix the problem.

- Roanoke, TX, USA

problem #6

Dec 312004

Sedona 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 57,840 miles
Problems: Unwanted acceleration; clunking/seizing brakes/lit airbag warning light. Mileage: Under 58,000 miles. Kia Sedona 2002 VIN # [xxx]. on afternoon of 12/31/04, I & passenger drive from nyc to hartford, ct. Minivan repeatedly accelerated to 70-75 mph along highway roads. I braked to reduce speed repeatedly. Unsuccessful repeatedly despite knowledge that state troopers looking for speeders on new year's eve. Returning from hartford, ct to nyc on afternoon, on highway roads, a light grinding sound from right side of car [seemed both front & rear wheels] came on whenever I steered to the left. No sound if driving straight or to right. Checked under minivan for loose anything. Saw nothing. Felt tires and steel wheels for heat, if brakes are wearing or sticking. Felt uniform temperatures on all tires and wheels. Conduct my business in hartford, ct. Drove home to bronx county, NY with passenger. Picked up family of 4 kids, 2 parents to drive to mother-in-law in queens county. Drop off passenger and proceed to route 87 South. Leaving route 87 South [major deegan highway] onto exit ramp for route 95 North [cross bronx expressway eastbound] in stop & go traffic around 7:30 pm there was a clunking sound going from right front wheel to center to left front of car. I stopped & checked under car with electric lantern for broken strut or tie-rod. Saw nothing. Drove on route 95, over whitestone bridge to queens. Parked van. On 1/1/2005 [Saturday] around 1:00 am I drive family back to home in bronx county. Two streets from home a clunk sound again, grabbing wheels. Drop off family at 1:30 a.M. drive vehicle to neighborhood gas station for check-up that Saturday morning. Unable to contact service dept of local Kia dealership due to new year's weekend. Also, note airbag light is on continuously. Will contact warranty phone numbers & personnel & Kia dealership am of Monday, 1/3/2005 prior to work commencing. Front & rear suspension complaints. Updated 07/24/2012 information redacted pursuant to the free

- Riverdale, NY, USA

problem #5

Dec 132004

Sedona 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 50,524 miles
I was traveling from one highway onto another. As I was coming off the ramp and accelerating to merge onto the other highway the car started accelerating by itself. It kept getting faster and faster. I tried to tap the pedal thinking it was just stuck ( like older cars did when you started them and they reached ideal idle & temperature) and it increased speed. It reached the maximum speed on the car of 135 mph. I can't remember much else except just trying to figure out how to stay safe and get the car to stop. The engine was screaming and there was a lot of noise coming from everywhere in the car. I tried the brakes but they only smoked and the car didn't seem to slow down much. I got to a portion of the road where there was a straight away and I got onto the shoulder and I put the car in neutral. It took a bit to slow down to a stop and then I shut the car of. I called the 800 number on my door for roadside assistance and told them what happened. They told me to sit tight and they would call me back in 5-7 minutes to tell me who was coming and where the car was going for repair. She never called back. The dealer where I bought the car was the point of service. When I got the car back it was stated on the service invoice that the breather hose had popped off of the valve cover and the bracket bent causing the hose and clamp to bind under accelerator cable and throttle linkage. They replaced the spring clamp with a worm type clamp. They also performed a light cut on the front rotors and deglazed the pads. They gave me the clamp that caused the whole problem. It was not broken it just popped off. I have returned the car because it still is not the same. I feel the car has been compromised and I don't feel safe in it.

- Latham, NY, USA

problem #4

Jan 102003

Sedona 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 17,700 miles
The vehicle would jerk back and forth or shake forcefully and uncontrollably at various speeds, including while traveling on the highway at 50 mph, the vehicle would also stall unexpectedly while in motion forcing the driver to suddenly try to steer to safety without power steering. The vehicle idled low when stopped and suddenly lunges forward on it's own while the drivers foot was on the brakes. The service dealers were unable to duplicate the problem. The valves, filters and wiring were changed.

- Manchester, NH, USA

problem #3

Aug 132004

Sedona 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Vehicle lunged or accelerated upon final parking with foot off accelerator and on brake. Car jumped over. Dealership was notified.

- Rosharon, TX, USA

problem #2

Apr 102004

Sedona 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 10,000 miles
One more time Kia Sedona 2002 failed to brake car lost control front passenger seat belt snapped out, looks like power steering failed and brakes also, not the first time brakes failed in Kia Sedona. Prior to this accident the consumer complained to the dealer about vibrations while braking. Car accelerate by itself (throttle stuck).

- Miami, FL, USA

problem #1

Jul 052002

Sedona

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
While driving and when brakes are applied vehicle will continue to accelerate.

- Lombaro, IL, USA