Problems · by component
2004 Kia Sedona engine and engine cooling problems
28 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2004 Kia Sedona cite engine and engine cooling, 13% of all 213 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
28
13% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the engine and engine cooling
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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.”
“VAN WAS MAKING A HIGH-PITCHED WHINING SOUND. TOOK IT IN AND FOUND THAT THE WATER PUMP NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THEY TESTED IT AND IT WAS STILL NOT RUNNING PROPERLY SO THEY DUG A LITTLE DEEPER AND FOUND THAT THE COILS AND WIRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. GOT THE VAN BACK IN WORKING CONDITION AND LESS THAN TWO DAYS LATER, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. TOOK IT BACK AND THEY SAID IT NEEDED A NEW CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THANKS TO LAWS IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, WE CANNOT REPLACE WITH AN AFTERMARKET ($200); INSTEAD WE WERE QUOTED $1K, AND THAT APPARENTLY IS ON THE CHEAP SIDE. THE GOV.'T HAS A WARRANTY PROGRAM TO REPLACE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS ON VEHICLES 80,000 MILES OR LESS. WE WERE JUST OUT OF THAT LIMIT. TOO BAD FOR US. WE'RE TRADING IT IN. *TR”
“I OWN A 2004 KIA SEDONA 3.5L THAT I PURCHASED ON 08-31-2010 WITH 53638 MILES ON IT. ON 01-25-2011 AS I WAS DRIVING I HEARD A RATTLING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I STOPPED TO OPEN THE HOOD AND CONFIRM THAT IT WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE, IT WAS. I DROVE TO THE NEAREST AUTO MECHANIC AND HAD IT DIAGNOSED TO BE TOLD THAT I HAD A BLOWN ENGINE AND IT WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. I HAD IT TOWED TO HE LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP TO BE LOOKED AT FURTHER. THE ENGINE WAS OPENED UP TO BE INSPECTED. I WAS TOLD THAT THE #6 CYLINDER WAS COMING APART AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. THE VAN CURRENTLY HA ONLY 59430 MILES ON IT. IT IS UNDER THE 60000 MILE WARRANTY MARK BUT OVER THE 5 YEAR PORTION. I HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE THAT THERE WAS A KIA SERVICE BULLETIN THAT MENTIONED THAT THE 2004 KIA SEDONA 3.5L ENGINE HAD SCORING ON THE #6 CYLINDER FROM THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS WHICH ALSO RESULTED IN A GASKET DEFECT OR MALFUNCTION. THIS CLEARLY SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY SERVICE. THIS IS NOT THE ONLY CASE OF THIS SPECIFIC PROBLEM WITH THE #6 CYLINDER. *TR”
“I HAVE A 2004 KIA SEDONA THE REAR COOLANT LINES HAVE FAILED AND NOW I AM LEAKING COOLANT AND IT WILL COST $1000 TO FIX. IT HAPPENED ALL OF A SUDDEN. NOW I CAN'T DRIVE MY CAR SAFELY. *TR”
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA SEDONA. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 70 MPH THE VEHICLE WOULD CONTINUOUSLY MAKE A JERKING MOTION AND STALL WITHOUT WARNING; HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM WOULD OCCUR INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURES AND RELEASED THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE OWNER. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO STALL INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER A SECOND TIME AND AGAIN THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. HE THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO ALSO COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. ON THE THIRD ATTEMPT, A SPECIALIST AT THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THE EMISSIONS SENSOR AND THE THROTTLE VALVE WERE REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THERE WERE NO ADDITIONAL REPAIRS PERFORMED AND THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 75,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 98,000.”
“I AM WRITING TO BAND TOGETHER EVERYONE WHO IS READY TO BRING ON A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT AGAINST KIA FOR THE LIES, BREECH OF WARRANTY, AND DEFECTIVE ENGINES THAT THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR. I HAVE THE EXACT SAME STORY AS EVERYONE HERE......MY ENGINE BLEW, KIA WOULDN'T HONOR THEIR WARRANTY, SAID IT WAS MY FAULT DUE TO OVERHEATING, AND THE COOLANT RESERVOIR HAD A CRACK IN IT.....SOUND FAMILIAR? I WAS OUT OVER $8000....I NEED TO RECLAIM MY LOSSES. WHO'S WITH ME? PLEASE CONTACT ME . STACI MINNICK *TR”
Showing 6 of 28 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 31, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.