Kia Sedona Complaints (2017)

134 consumer complaints on file.

#11765891September 21, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY
White paint is peeling off and flaking away, far more than I would expect from normal wear.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11758955August 23, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The transmission doesnt know what gear it it in. Code p0705
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11757573August 17, 2026
ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
on 8/6/26 my wife was driving home when the Sedona Van began emitting white smoke and started making a whining noise. Little did we know the head bolts had pulled out of the engine causing the head gasket to blow and coolant to leak and total engine failure. Safety risk was engine could have seized in the middle of my wife driving home which could have caused a sudden crash. Vehicle was taken to dealership which confirmed total engine failure due to the well-documented engine failures of the 3.3L V6 Lamda - II engines. Dealership stated my VIN # was NOT included in the extended warranty that the NHTSA mandated KIA provide due to this well-documented problem. I was told the extended warranty covered vehicles through 2016 model years, my Sedona is a 2017. Therefore, there was NOTHING they could do. However, this is the SAME issue that has been documented over and over with this engine. But because mine is a 2017 I am being told it is not covered for the total engine replacement by KIA. I was told to call the KIA customer care line which I did. They confirmed my vehicle is NOT covered, but agreed it is the same engine issue that has been seen in the 2013-2016. I was told that I could file a Goodwill case that will be escalated to KIA corporate to see if there is anything they can do to help me. I am now waiting for them to get back to me. I was quoted $13,206 for the engine replacement and likely may need radiator replaced too so probably closer to $15,000 when all done. I am told this is purely mechanical failure and a manufacturer defect. I am waiting for KIA's response but want to file this complaint to see what help is available if they come back and deny covering my engine replacement. simply because it is a 2017. This vehicle has been great so far, has 157,000 well cared for miles until this issue erupted without warning. Dealership said have not seen this on a 2017 Sedona, but it happened, my van is currently dead and will there be more 2017's w/ this issu
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11743793June 12, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY
White Pearl paint is flaking/peeling of for no apparent reason.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11736979May 11, 2026
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that while driving at 55 MPH, the contact the oil light illuminated, and the vehicle decelerated independently. The contact mention he pulled over to the right side of the road, exited the vehicle and when he lifted the hood of the vehicle, he noticed flames coming from the engine. No injuries were sustained. No medical attention. There was no police report filed. The fire department did not show at the scene to extinguish the fire. The vehicle was not destroyed. The vehicle is currently still at the scene. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 146,658.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11731432April 15, 2026
ENGINE
Same defect on NHTSA (Investigation PE23-019) my vehicle is 1 month outside of the manufacturing date listed, having the same issues, but they will not cover it-even though the same engine is in it. KIA bulletin WTY039 Vehicle is overheating, coolant is bubbling
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11731053April 14, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The sliding door located on the driver's side / left side behind the driver's seat will not close completely which causes an alert/warning to be displayed that the door is still open. The door slides on the track but will not close completely. You must apply pressure as it closes to turn of the warning light.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11731057April 14, 2026
ENGINE
There was an unusual amount of oil "slug" created by the engine which caused the engine to be inoperable. Therefore, we had to replace the engine.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11730765April 13, 2026
ENGINE
My vehicle would not start, after jumping and idling for a few moments, all dash lights started flashing and vehicle wouldnt go into gear. I shut it off as it started making a hum and smelled like something wasnt right. A mobile mechanic who came to my rescue after breaking down did a diagnostic of my engine. I was told I had low to no oil. I asked how was this possible as I had only driven around 2,000 miles since my recent oil change at the KIA dealer ( Wesley Chapel, FL). He said the tech may not have put recommended oil amount or the engine is consuming the oil. I told him I would contact the dealer regarding this matter. Long story, short I broke down to needing a new battery and alternator. I don't know if this was the exact cause of the latter 2 needing to be repaired. However, since speaking to others this is common with some models. I even had 1 individual state there were recalls and engines were being replaced as the engine could potentially lock up or fail. I am not finding a recall. Is this an issue that has been reported and I am missing something. Also, there was a recall on the sliding doors at 1 point. I am still having issues with the drivers side yet tge dealerships want to charge me a diagnostic fee. How do I go about seeing if this is an ongoing issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11729795April 7, 2026
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
137,000 Miles, regular oil changes every 4,000 miles,even adding 2 quarts during the 4,000 miles it would still come up short by 1 quart. Started throwing p0018 timing code,high pressure fuel pump on front blew off the valve cover,Im assuming due to jumping out of timing,as the high pressure pump sits ontop of one of the Camshaft rollers. Engine started knocking and is now useless.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11721656March 3, 2026
ENGINE
Vehicle Information: 2017 Kia Sedona VIN: [XXX] Engine: 3.3L GDI Mileage at failure: 186,000 miles Complaint: I am filing this complaint regarding sudden engine failure in my 2017 Kia Sedona equipped with the 3.3L GDI engine. The vehicle had approximately 186,000 miles at the time of failure and had just undergone a routine oil change prior to the incident. While driving on the highway, a warning light illuminated on the dashboard. Shortly after the warning light appeared, the engine began making a loud knocking sound. The knocking rapidly worsened, indicating internal engine damage. The failure occurred while the vehicle was in motion at highway speed, creating a serious safety risk due to potential loss of power and reduced ability to accelerate or maneuver safely. The vehicle was diagnosed as requiring a full engine replacement. The estimated cost provided was $5,758.05 for the engine, plus an additional $1,800 core charge, not including labor costs. This represents a substantial financial burden. It is my understanding that Kia has prior knowledge of widespread issues involving GDI engines, including premature internal bearing failure and engine seizure in multiple models. Despite this knowledge, the 2017 Kia Sedona with the 3.3L GDI engine has not been adequately addressed. Sudden engine failure at highway speeds poses a significant safety hazard and increases the risk of collision. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate the 3.3L GDI engine used in the 2017 Kia Sedona for potential manufacturing defects related to premature engine failure and internal component damage. Thanks, [XXX] [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
#11716567February 8, 2026
ENGINE
My husband and I originally bought our White 2017 Kia Sedona LX on 9/12/18 from Hertz automotive sales. Since that time we had had no engine issues. We maintained our brakes, and standard upkeeps on the car. Eight years in and still our car had given us no issues. Our most recent oil change was on 9/13/25 and it was inspected during that oil change and no issues were noted. The car had since that time been driven as expected to school for kids and work for myself and activities on the weekend for family time. There was no weird smells, discolored smoke from the tail piper or anything. The car was running fine. At no time were any warning signals on, flashing or intermittently coming on and off. Then on Thursday, 1/22/26 evening I stopped by the gas station to get gas before turning into my neighborhood for home. Upon leaving the gas station, I noticed and felt the engine seemed off and vibrating with soft tremor like shaking and as I pressed on the gas for power it was soft power, and at that moment only did I see the check engine light on solid (not flashing). I called my husband and a few mins later we made it home, he came out to check the car, and saw now that the engine light was flashing over and over. We read up on what this meant and new we had a problem. We dropped the car off on Saturday to the mechanic and on Monday, 1/26/26 a diagnostic was made and was given the bad news that the engine had complete failure. $18,000 bill to fix all the issues. But here is a short synopsis: Multiple codes found in ECM Metal found in oil, oil is also 1 or more quarts low P0300 (Random misfire), P0302 (CYL #2 misfire), p0304, (CYL#4 misfire) p0306. (CYL#6 misfire) p0175, (bank 2 rich) p0018 (crank - cam correlation) Engine has internal failure, failing piston rings allowing oil in combustion chamber, causing misfire, rich condition and engine shaking This was a shock and we had to sell it for nothing to a salvage company.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11713242January 25, 2026
POWER TRAIN
My 2017 Kia Sedona has has regular oil changes about every 3000 miles. I was not due for an oil change quite yet and a ticking noise coming from the engine started to occur. I made an appointment at the Kia dealership right away. Just a few days before my appointment there was no warning light for the oil or engine until the engine failed, went limp and I lost power steering control, the brakes went stiff and all of the lights came on at once. It was very scary for me and my two children to lose that control of the vehicle. It can be inspected at Berlin City Kia where it currently sits and is in need of a replacement engine. After much research I have seen that this is a known issue for Kia engines and for some reason the 2017 Sedona is not included in any extended warranty's. Please investigate this. I did ask Kia for help in covering the replacement engine but was denied by the woman who I spoke to on the phone. I still put in a claim online anyway. It has been inspected by Berlin City Kia and they said there was "significant rod knocking". They are quoting me $9880 to replace the engine. After regular oil changes for the time that I have owned this vehicle and especially after I has the oil pressure sensor leak addressed as well over the last few years, it should not have died prematurely as it did. I am worried that the oil leaking so badly at that time may have pooled in the back of the engine which could have led to the rods wearing which in turn led to them knocking in the future. What else could cause this to happen? And so many other customers have complained about this exact issue. Please investigate this.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11710621January 13, 2026
ENGINE
Engine with around 107K miles has had regular maintenance done to it. Went out one morning to start my van and there was a knocking noise coming from under the hood. We then had it towed to an engine/transmission repair shop to have it looked at and was told that we needed a new/used engine and the price was thru the roof. this is a very trusted shop so took there advice. To have the engine replaced is going to cost more than what the vehicle is worth. This is a known issue with some kia engines as they with no signs of failure prior to the noise. We had not one warning light on the dash, it just went poof.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11707879December 30, 2025
ENGINE
The contact owned a 2017 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that after parking in his driveway, there was white smoke coming from the front of the vehicle. The contact is handicapped and was assisted by his wife to exit the vehicle safely. The vehicle later caught on fire, and flames were visible in the front passenger side that spread to the rear of the vehicle. No warning lights illuminated before or after the failure. The contact stated that the front of the house was damaged, as well as the garage siding, along with an older truck parked in the driveway. The fire was extinguished by the fire department with water, and a police officer was on scene and tried to extinguish the rear with an extinguisher, but was unsuccessful. There was a fire report filed. The vehicle was towed a week after the fire to the insurance tow lot. The vehicle was deemed destroyed by the insurance company. No injuries were sustained. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 106,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11705212December 15, 2025
ENGINE
Excessive oil consumption
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694305October 18, 2025
ENGINE
Oil Control valve failed and oil leaking
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11687085September 13, 2025
ENGINE
Burning through oil faster than it should, needing to feel up oil every week, has been confirmed by an auto repair shop.⁸
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11686395September 10, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SEATS
seats break easily and dont lock in place as well as control modulae harness from door to rear tail lights burn up
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11685326September 5, 2025
ENGINE
On [XXX], while driving my 2017 Kia Sedona on a road trip through Killeen, Texas, the engine suddenly began making a loud knocking noise without any prior warning, leading to catastrophic engine failure and complete loss of motive power. The vehicle became inoperable and was towed to University Kia in Waco, Texas. The day prior, on [XXX], the vehicle underwent a thorough pre-trip inspection and full synthetic oil change at Sun Auto Tire & Service (5117 Golden Triangle Blvd., Keller, TX 76244), confirming it was roadworthy with no issues detected initially, though oil was found leaking afterward (maintenance records attached). University Kia confirmed the catastrophic engine failure, likely related to the 3.3L Lambda engine's known oil pressure switch (OPS) defects, as the OPS had been previously replaced under warranty. Kia Motors America (Case [XXX]) denied liability unless I pay $3,000 for a teardown inspection to prove the failure was due to the OPS, despite the vehicle's eligibility under the WTY026 extended warranty (15 years/150,000 miles). This failure aligns with similar complaints and NHTSA investigations into 3.3L Lambda engine issues, such as oil starvation and sudden seizures. Due to the failure, we missed a prepaid hotel stay in San Antonio, incurred additional hotel stay charges as our trip had to be extended, and incurred costs for a rental vehicle to complete the trip. 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

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