Kia Sedona Complaints (2016)

297 consumer complaints on file.

#11667965June 19, 2025
ENGINE
I am writing to report an incident with my 2016 Kia Sedona, which experienced a sudden engine failure. The failure was diagnosed with engine codes P0014 and P0018, indicating camshaft timing and crankshaft correlation issues, consistent with internal engine failure and symptoms related to the known Theta II engine defect with Kia’s of that year, including metal debris and timing issues. For many of these Kia’s the warranty was extended to 120,000 miles. My incident took place at 120,600 miles. I have maintained this vehicle responsibly, and this issue occurred with little to no warning. Though I understand the mileage technically exceeds the warranty limit, the proximity to the cutoff and the nature of the failure suggest that the defect likely developed well before the warranty threshold. I contacted Kia to request goodwill coverage for an engine replacement or the associated repairs. I believe that other customers in similar situations have received assistance under goodwill policies, especially for issues tied to known manufacturer defects, unfortunately Kia declined to open a case on my behalf.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11667762June 18, 2025
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
There was a sudden loss of power while in the middle of the highway. Further inspection resulted in low oil and metal flakes in the oil filter. At the time of initial loss of power there was absolutely zero warning or indication of any issues at all.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11667138June 16, 2025
ENGINE
While driving the vehicle started making a rattling sound and the engine started to fail. There were no engine lights or warning signs. The vehicle only had around 78,000 miles on it and had regular maintenance. Total engine replacement was recommended. Repair costs totaled more than the vehicle’s value. I feel it was unsafe for this to happen while driving with no warning signs of failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11666747June 13, 2025
ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
On Tuesday June 10, 2025 at approximately 11:43 am, while heading north on 75 at mile marker 148, my 2016 Kia Sedona caught fire. I initially became aware of a problem while heading southbound on 75. While listening to an audio book, my wife and I heard a sudden noise which appeared to come from the engine. I (the driver) I noticed that this noise (rattling/ ticking) only occurred when I accelerated. We pulled off at the nearest safe exit (exit 101/102 Cordele) at a Marathon gas station. I inspected the engine to see if we were low on oil or anti-freeze. I noticed that the oil was low, however we did not have any visible leaks at our home. I added 3 quarts of oil and the vehicle began making a ticking noise. I asked Siri to locate the nearest auto repair shop (Quality Auto Repair) which was approximately .5 miles away from our location. The mechanic on duty informed me that it was the engine and that because I was under 150,000 miles I could take it to a Kia dealership to have this replaced because it was a GDI engine. Instead continuing our trip south, we decided to head back toward home to take our van to a Kia dealership near our house. Approximately 42 miles into our drive back home the vehicle began to idle and then smoke came from the engine. I pulled over to the side of the road and opened the hood to investigate the potential problem and then suddenly flames came from beneath the van near the engine. I asked my wife and 14 year old daughter to exist rapidly. My wife had no issues, however we couldn't open my daughters door. She was able to successfully climb to the front and exit out of the passenger side safely. Within 10 mins or so, 70-75% of the vehicle was engulfed in flames. Prior to pulling over, none of my indicators were illuminated so there was no warning until the vehicle completely shut down. My insurance company has assessed that this is a total loss. Pics and videos are available upon request.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11662362May 21, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:INSTRUMENT PANEL:SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2016 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was approximately 68,000 and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was approximately 104,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11661034May 14, 2025
ENGINE
The 3.3l v6 failed with no warning
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11660741May 13, 2025
ENGINE
After driving home from work, my engine just started pouring out oil. It was all over our road and driveway. Had it towed to shop, they have stated a whole new engine is needed and suggested I report it as Kia has a lot of engine problems
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11656480April 24, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Paint is chipping on my white Kia.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11654740April 15, 2025
ENGINE
Engine suddenly started knocking and shaking entire van. Engine seizing up and needs to be replaced. No prior trouble with the engine. I looked on the internet and saw that there is a petition for a recall on 2016 Sedonas. Please add me to that petition. Many van owners had engines that seized up. Since it’s a common problem for this year/make & model, there should be a recall. It’s not safe to be stuck on the side of the road with no prior warning.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11654126April 11, 2025
ENGINE
On Wednesday, April 9, the van started making a noise. Then it lost power. It slowed down and then stopped. In the middle of the road. We were able to move it out of traffic. We had it towed to a service station. We were told that it was due to engine failure. I called our local Kia dealer where we bought it. He told us there were no problems with that particular engine. I looked it up online and found that that is not true. I found that this particular engine is being investigated for the same issues that I had.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11653732April 9, 2025
POWER TRAIN, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that while attempting to park the vehicle, the brake pedal was depressed, and the vehicle failed to respond. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact had experienced the vehicle rolling while attempting to park the vehicle. On another occasion, while the contact was attempting to park the vehicle on an incline, the contact depressed the brake pedal however, the vehicle started to roll away. The contact believed that the vehicle should have been included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V612000 (POWER TRAIN). The vehicle was then taken to a dealer, but was not yet diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11653245April 7, 2025
ENGINE
On April 1st my vehicles engine started normally and upon leaving the neighborhood began to rough idle. Prior to this, no lights were on and the vehicle had just passed an inspection. The engine was shuddering and there was very little power and the vehicle had difficulty maintaining speed. The codes were read and came back with P0304, P0306, P0302, P0300 and P0019. The vehicle was towed to a shop because it was undrivable. The vehicle is currently in the shop and they are recommending an entire engine replacement.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11651208March 27, 2025
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
The taillights leak, fill with water, and the bulbs short out. When this happens, the rear lights (taillights, brake lights reverse lights, turn signals) stop functioning. This occurs on a taillight for a vehicle that has never had an accident. I went to the dealer and asked them to fix this, suggesting it should be covered for free because it is a safety hazard. I mentioned that I have noticed other Kia Sedona's with the same problem of several inches of water in the taillight assembly. The service manager said, "Yeah, that happens all the time. But it isn't covered." The price to repair was several hundred dollars. I've since had to repair it three times. Here is a link to a YouTube video showing how to remove the water. The point of the video is to illustrate that this is a common problem. [XXX] Link [XXX] complaining about water in the rear light: [XXX] [XXX] This is for a Kia Forte, but showing the problem occurs across multiple Kia models. [XXX] This is for a Kia K5 [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11650085March 24, 2025
ENGINE
The engine will not start. It has been diagnosed as an engine failure. It is available for inspection. The engine stopped working as my family was in the car, putting us at risk. Why it happened is unknown, but the internet is full of people with the same year/make/model with the engine going out at a very low mileage. Mine is 117,000. There was absolutely no warning lamps or messages prior to the engine breaking down. This is a serious problem and safety hazard.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11648820March 17, 2025
ENGINE
Engine failed with no warning lights. Oil completely gone with no signs of leaks. Coolant reservoir empty with no signs of where it went. No warning lights of any kind illuminated. Dealer claims rod bearing failure and cannot explain where the oil or coolant went. Engine shows exact issues as the other Kia 3.3 4 cylinder that have known faults that are causing fires and accidents. The Kia 3.3 V6 has the same issues and can cause serious accidents. Kia claims they are offering the same remedy as the 3.3 4 cylinder but they are not.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11643028February 16, 2025
ENGINE
My engine just stopped working while I was driving. No warning signs just stopped working. It had to replaced.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11641589February 9, 2025
ENGINE
The engine failed while driving on the interstate. Believed to have been catastrophic failure. Sudden loss of power and maneuverability could have led to a collision. Vehicle was towed to owner's residence. Prior to the failure a rapid knocking sound was heard from the engine. No warning lights were indicated.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11641245February 7, 2025
ENGINE
Our 2016 Kia Sedona was recently diagnosed with engine failure. Here's a summary: 1. The car's engine issues have twice put my family in danger: (1) on [XXX] with my [XXX] wife and 5 children when the car went into limp mode and could not accelerate on a steep road by a major forest in NJ (could have rolled back down a hill and crashed into other cars), and (2) on [XXX] with my [XXX] wife and 2 children when it again encountered an inability to accelerate. In situation (1) we towed it to our local Kia dealership and were told the issue was repaired (worn out spark plugs and low oil), but we had the same issue again 3 months later in December. In situation (2) my wife brought it to that same dealership. After multiple incorrect diagnoses - low oil and dead battery - they finally said we need a new engine. I spoke to Customer Care and, in spite of countless calls and follow-ups, did not receive a timely response and was eventually told that I would have to pay for this out of pocket. 2. We towed our car - at our expense - on 1/29/25 to another dealership in the hopes of better service. They came to the same conclusion: the engine has failed and we need a new one. Still, we have not received adequate answers on why the engine has failed and an appropriate solution to allow us to get our car back, which leads to the final point: 3. We've taken stellar care of this car since we bought it new. For 9 years, we have taken our van ONLY and exclusively to authorized Kia dealerships for service, for all needs great and small. We've spent $7,256 on service at these dealerships, taking all recommendations from service advisors to ensure our car is well-maintained. The car's issues have been misdiagnosed and put the lives of my [XXX]wife and several children in danger. Even after dealing with these dealerships and sending a letter to Kia Consumer Affairs, there has been no proper solution. Please assist us in remedying this matter promptly. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11639259January 29, 2025
ENGINE
ON OUR 2016 KIA SEDONA AT 121K MILES WE HAD A FAULTY OIL PRESSURE SENSOR REPLACED FREE UNDER WARRENTY AT THE SAME TIME WE HAD ALL OF THE VALVE COVER GASKETS REPLACED AND THEY ADDED 5 QUARTS OF OIL. ON FRIDAY AT 130K MILES THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE VAN STARTED KNOCKING AND THE MOTOR SEIZED UP ON THE HIGHWAY. WE TOWED IT TO PHIL SMITH KIA IN LIGHTHOUSE POINT ,FL THEY PERFORM THE WORK ON THE OIL PRSSSURE SENSOR AT 121K MILES AND DO ALL OF THE WORK ON THE VAN. THEY SAID THE MOTOR IS SEIZED AND IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRENTY BECAUSE WHEN THEY DID THE WORK AT 121K MILES AND THEY ADDED THE 5 COURTS OF OIL WE DIDNT REQUEST A NEW OIL FILTER. AND NOW THEY ARE CLAMING A LACK OF A PROPER OIL CHANGE CAUSE THE MOTOR TO SEIZE.. THE OIL PRESSURE LIGHT NEVER CAME ON PRIOR TO THE MOTOR SEIZING . I WAS STUCK ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY FOR 2 HOURS WHEN THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER SHOWED UP HE CHECK THE DIPSTICK AND THERE WAS NO OIL IN THE VAN
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11633769January 2, 2025
ENGINE
The engine in our 2016 3.3L GDI Sedona seized while we were driving on the freeway going approx 65MPH on 12/29/24. The vehicle was towed to the KIA dealership in our town and examined by the service dept the following morning. We were told that the engine had no oil and it had leaked into the crankshaft where it burned up. Also, the engine compartment was filled with metal shavings. The service tech told us we would need to replace the engine.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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