Problems · NHTSA complaints
2004 Kia Sedona problems
Owners filed 213 complaints about the 2004 Kia Sedona with NHTSA between Jun 2004 and Sep 2026. The most-cited component is wheels (36).
Complaints
213
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
12
Reported by owners
Fires
17
Reported by owners
Injuries
29
People reported injured
Deaths
2
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Wheels36
- Service brakes, hydraulic34
- Steering33
- Engine and engine cooling28
- Electrical system23
- Suspension20
- Vehicle speed control12
- Air bags10
- Power train10
- Tires9
- Engine7
- Structure6
- Seats6
- Exterior lighting5
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 31, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
10
58
30
14
18
17
14
13
6
7
9
5
0
5
2
2
1
1
0
0
0
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 10 |
| 2005 | 58 |
| 2006 | 30 |
| 2007 | 14 |
| 2008 | 18 |
| 2009 | 17 |
| 2010 | 14 |
| 2011 | 13 |
| 2012 | 6 |
| 2013 | 7 |
| 2014 | 9 |
| 2015 | 5 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 5 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 | 1 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Wheels
36 reports1 fire1 related recall
“I HAVE A 2004 KIA SENDONA LX VAN AND THE WHEEL BARRINGS ARE BAD I FIXED IT ONCE ALREADY A MONTH AGO AND IT IS ALREADY BROKEN AGAIN BOTH TIMES IT COMPLETELY FELL APART IN TO LITTLE PEICES WHEN I TOOK THE WHEEL OFF.”
Service brakes, hydraulic
34 reports
“WHILE DRIVING TODAY, I NOTICED A WHINING NOISE, WITH A SLIGHT GRINDING NOISE TO IT AS WELL. INITIALLY THINKING IT WAS THE BRAKES, I LISTENED CLOSER AND REALIZED IT WAS NOT HAPPENING WHEN BRAKING BUT RATHER SEEMED TO BE HAPPENING WHEN TURNING, PRIMARILY DURING ACCELERATION. SOON AFTER THE TURN AS I STEADIED SPEED, THE NOISE WOULD DECREASE OR DISAPPEAR. AFTER THE FIRST FEW TIMES MAKING TURNS HOWEVER, IN ADDITION TO THE NOISE THE STEERING WHEEL ALSO BECAME VERY STIFF AND EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN. IT PROGRESSED SO SUDDENLY AND SEVERELY THAT I WAS WORRIED I MAY NOT MAKE IT HOME WITHOUT CRASHING. THIS ALL HAPPENED DURING A TOTAL OF APPROXIMATELY 20 MILES OF DRIVING IN TOWN. SINCE RETURNING HOME I BEGAN TO INVESTIGATE WHAT THE LIKELY CULPRIT MAY BE, AND NOW BELIEVE STRONGLY THAT IT IS THE UNIVERSAL JOINT; A PROBLEM THAT HAS CLEARLY EFFECTED ENOUGH KIA SEDONA OWNERS THAT I FIND THE LACK OF RECALL QUITE MADDENING AND A BIT CONFOUNDING. WITH TWO YOUNG CHILDREN IN THE VAN AT THE TIME, IT IS PLAIN TO SEE HOW POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS THIS PROBLEM IS, AND I AM JUST GRATEFUL THAT THERE WAS SO LITTLE TRAFFIC AT THE TIME; HAD IT BEEN A BUSIER TIME OF DAY OR MORE HEAVILY…”
Steering
33 reports1 crash
“POWER STEERING MAKES WHINING SOUND WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL, POWER STEER FLUID LOW IN CANISTER DUE TO LEAKS. HARD TO TURN TO THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN TURNING. DON'T KNOW IF BELTS AFFECTED I HEAR A HUMMING SOUND. DON'T KNOW IF THE POWER STEERING PUMP IS WORKING PROPERLY. CONSTANTLY ADDING FLUID TO THE CANISTER.”
Engine and engine cooling
28 reports
“CPSC#I1230221A. 2004 KIA SEDONA. CONSUMER STATED HE WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY IN STARTING THE VEHICLE DUE TO STALLING. THE VEHICLE WILL SHUT OFF WHILE IDLING AND WHILE DRIVING. LOSS OF POWER RESULTS IN DIFFICULTY IN STEERING THE VEHICLE. *LN THE CONSUMER STATED NONE OF THE REPAIRS, HAVE FIXED THE STALLING ISSUE.”
Electrical system
23 reports6 fires
“TAKATA RECALL..MY VAN STALLS OUT NO MATTER WHERE..STOPPED AT IDLE IT RANDOMLY SHUTS OFF..DRIVING AVERAGE SPEED IN TOWN 45MPH IT RANDOMLY SHUTS OFF..ON THE HWY. SPEEDS AVERAGE FROM 55 TO 70 MPH IT RANDOMLY SHUTS OFF ..IN HEAVY TRAFFIC THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS..I HAVE REPLACED THE FOLLOWING.. FUEL PUMP FUEL FILTER FUEL PUMP RELAYS THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR CRANK SHAFT POSITION SENSOR OXYGEN SENSOR FUEL COIL PACKS SPARK PLUGS INTAKE GASKETS INJECTORS AIR FILTER JUST LIKE THE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE ON THE FORUMEBAY ABOUT KIA SEDONA..I'VE PUT $1000'S IN THE VAN WITH NO SOLUTION TO THE DANGEROUS ISSUES..THE ONLY THING LEFT TO CHANGE IS THE INTERNAL WIRING..THIS PROBLEM IS WAY TO COMMON FOR KIA NOT TO HAVE A RECALL ON IT..ITS A HUGE SAFETY HAZARD AND NEEDS TO HAVE SOMETHING DONE ABOUT IT..NOT JUST FOR ME BUT FOR EVERYONE THAT HAS A KIA SEDONA..ITS OBVIOUSLY A SHORT IN THE WIRING AND IS A MANUFACTURER FLAW FOR SO MANY PEOPLE TO HAVE THE SAME ISSUE..BTW MY VAN ONLY HAS 100.000 MILES ON IT I'VE SEEN SOME AS LOW AS 30.000 WITH THIS SAME ISSUE..NO EXCUSES FOR THIS..ANY KIND OF ELECTRONIC SHORT OUT HAS POTENTIAL FOR FIRE NOT TO MENTION THE HAZARDS OF THE VAN…”
Suspension
20 reports1 fire
“WHILE DRIVING AT 10 MPH ,MY DAUGHTER AND I HEARD A CLUNK IN THE REAR OF OUR 2004 KIA SEDONA LX. I WAS HEADING FOR A REPAIR SHOP AS A RESULT AND HEARD A SECOND CLUNK AND PULLED OFF ON A SIDE STREET AND DROVE 200 FEET WHEN THE WHEEL BEARING ASSEMBLY CAME APART AND THE WHOLE WHEEL FLEW OFF THE VAN. *TR”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 31, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.