10.0

really awful
Typical Repair Cost:
$1,070
Average Mileage:
59,000 miles
Total Complaints:
3 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. replace alternator and belt (3 reports)
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problem #3

Sep 122012

Sedona EX 3.6L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 63,000 miles

I still have (03/27/2015) a problem where the battery would die and I would replace it over and over again (Started in 2012 or prior). I replaced the battery three times because it would be drained to the point where a charger would not bring it back. The batteries were all fine as it turned out. So I replaced the battery for no reason and kept giving away my old battery for recycling. There is NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BATTERY. I am going to fill out a separate complaint about replacing the Alternator for no reason also. Because the Alternator was fine also.

The vehicle is a lemon and that is all there is to it. I still don't have the vehicle working properly. I have to literally open the hood and completely disconnect both terminals to the battery every time I use it or risk having the battery drained to the point where you cannot jump start it. There is a not so obvious electrical "phantom draw" from an electronic component somewhere on this vehicle. I replaced the radio as one consumer said and that was not the problem. I disconnected the radio completely and that did not work either. A phantom draw is where a component has a short which closes a circuit that is supposed to be closed and it draws current at a high level while the vehicle ignition is completely turned off. The symptoms are such that you can park the car at night and the next morning the battery is dead with less than 1 volt left. If you have a charger that can actually bring back a completely dead battery, then after recharging and reinstalling into car, you can maybe go three days to three weeks before it happens again.

One time it dropped below the minimum voltage for the vehicle to operate and it did it while I was driving it. So the car sputtered without any warning in traffic and cut out completely. Wouldn't start. Then it did start. Then repeated that several times until I limped home to recharge the battery. If my wife and children would have been killed due to this lemon of a vehicle, KIA would be fighting the court battle of their lives. I am going to repost this under Battery, Alternator and Electronics and Accessories since it could be a switch or any other part in the car, including the Electronic Control Unit.

I paid a garage to electronically troubleshoot the issue and they could not find anything. Then it happened over and over after that. I have an electronic education as well and I checked a bunch of things to no avail. It needs to be checked using a particular time consuming procedure where you cannot open the door or use anything electrically for four hours prior to doing the measuring of the electronic components that you plan to check for this Phantom Draw. Even the door light will make it so the test fails to show the draw. If I ever get to do it myself and find the answer I will share it. For a price. :( I still disconnect the battery every time I drive it and then there is no problem. But that is not cool.

SCREW KIA

- Jeffrey D., Camp Hill, PA, US

problem #2

Apr 182012

Sedona EX 3.6L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 62,000 miles

I still have (03/27/2015) a problem where the battery would die and I would replace it over and over again (Started in 2012 or prior). I replaced the battery 3 times because it would be drained to the point where a charger would not bring it back. The batteries were all fine as it turned out. So I replaced the battery for no reason and kept giving away my old battery for recycling. There is NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BATTERY.

I am going to fill out a separate complaint about replacing the Alternator for no reason also. Because the Alternator was fine also. The vehicle is a lemon and that is all there is to it. I still don't have the vehicle working properly. I have to literally open the hood and completely disconnect both terminals to the battery every time I use it or risk having the battery drained to the point where you can not jump start it. There is a not so obvious electrical "phantom draw" from an electronic component somewhere on this vehicle.

I replaced the radio as one consumer said and that was not the problem. I disconnected the radio completely and that did not work either. A phantom draw is where a component has a short which closes a circuit that is supposed to be closed and it draws current at a high level while the vehicle ignition is completely turned off. The symptoms are such that you can park the car at night and the next morning the battery is dead with less than 1 volt left. If you have a charger that can actually bring back a completely dead battery, then after recharging and reinstalling into car, you can maybe go 3 days to 3 weeks before it happens again. One time it dropped below the minimum voltage for the vehicle to operate and it did it while I was driving it. So the car sputtered without any warning in traffic and cut out completely. Wouldn't start. Then it did start. Then repeated that several times until I limped home to recharge the battery.

If my wife and children would have been killed due to this lemon of a vehicle, KIA would be fighting the court battle of their lives. I am going to re-post this under Battery, Alternator and Electronics and Accessories since it could be a switch or any other part in the care including the Electronic Control Unit. I paid a garage to electronically troubleshoot the issue and they could not find anything. Then it happened over and over after that. I have an electronic education as well and I checked a bunch of things to no avail. It needs to be checked using a particular time consuming procedure where you can not open the door or use anything electrically for 4 hours prior to doing the measuring of the electronic components that you plan to check for this Phantom Draw. Even the door light will make it so the test fails to show the draw. If I ever get to do it myself and find the answer I will share it. For a price. :( I still disconnect the battery every time I drive it and then there is no problem. But that is not cool. SCREW KIA

- Jeffrey D., Camp Hill, PA, US

problem #1

Sep 072006

(reported on)

Sedona

  • 52,000 miles

Poor KIA dealers services. The alternator broke after warranty was expired 2 weeks ago. The KIA dealer nearby my work place charged $600 to replace the alternator & belt. Alright, I need the truck, so I paid and fixed it. But it is not the end of story. The truck broken down again after ran 100 miles. I needed to call tow truck to tow to nearby KIA dealer. The second dealer informed me that the first dealer installed the wrong belt. The belt got loose after running a while. ()&#@(^#&$

Then I asked the second dealer to fix the truck. After two days, they called me to pick up the truck. When I picked up the truck, there was no headlights. Unfortunately, the service department was closed when I picked up the truck. I needed to be there at 7:30 AM in the morning to drop off the truck AGAIN!

Oh, did I mention that the service engine is ON? Really Awful dealerships. One in Elmhurst IL, the other one in Joliet, IL. I will never purchase a KIA again! Bad & unreliable repair services!

- piggy, Plainfield, IL, US