2004 Kia Sedona service brakes, hydraulic problems

“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…”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA SEDONA. EVER SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT HAS HEARD A HUMMING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR BRAKES WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH. SHE HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES, BUT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY FAILURES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT SOUNDS AS IF SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE REAR BRAKING SYSTEM AND IS CONCERNED OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 45,000.”

“2004 KIA SEDONA EX. THERE IS A HYDRAULIC SYSTEM CONTAINING A RESERVOIR WHICH CONTROLS REAR BRAKE FORCE ON TURNS AND OTHER BRAKING MANEUVERS. THIS RESERVOIR IS SUBJECT TO LEAKS (LOCATION -- BETWEEN REAR WHEELS). LEAKING FROM THIS RESERVOIR AND LOW PRESSURE TRIGGERS THE 'CHECK ENGINE' AND 'BRAKE FAILURE' LIGHTS. TEMPORARY FIX IS TO REFILL THE RESERVOIR, BUT THIS LEAKAGE PROBLEM APPEARS SYSTEMIC FROM MANUFACTURE. IF LEFT UNATTENDED, CONTROL OVER THE REAR BRAKING SYSTEM IS SEVERELY DIMINISHED. *TR”

“I, LIKE OTHERS ON THIS SITE, HAVE TAKEN MY KIA TO THE DEALER FOR BRAKES ISSUES. GRINDING AND STUTTERING WHILE BRAKING. KIA HAS "CORRECTED" THE PROBLEM THREE TIMES, AND ALL THREE TIMES HAVE TOLD ME IT WAS RESOLVED. THE FOURTH TIME I WAS TOLD IT WAS NO LONGER A "PROBLEM" THAT IT WAS INDICATIVE OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM! MY SERVICE MANAGER AT THE KIA DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THAT KIA IS WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM , BUT CHOOSES TO IGNORE IT, AND THAT HE HAS HAD QUITE A FEW CUSTOMERS WITH THE SAME ISSUES. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE OUR PURCHASE OF THE CAR IN FEB 2004. *TR”

“WE PURCHASED A 2004 KIA SEDONA IN JULY OF THAT YEAR, AND WHEN WE HAD 33,000 MILES ON IT , IT WAS ON ITS THIRD SET OF FRONT BRAKE PADS AND SECOND SET OF ROTORS, THE DEALER NEVER ONCE TOLD US THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE KIA BRAKE SYSTEM, AND I CALLED KIA AND THEY TOLD ME THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF ANY BIG PROBLEM WITH THEM, AT THAT POINT I TOLD THE KIA REPRESENTATIVE THAT I WILL NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER KIA, AND I WENT AND TRADED MY 2004 SEDONA FOR A CHEVROLET,AND NEVER WILL OWN A KIA AGAIN. *TR”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA SEDONA. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE CONTACT HAD TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES AND THE ABS FAILED. THE ABS ENGAGED FOR 1 1/2 SECONDS, DISENGAGED FOR 5-6 SECONDS, AND THEN RE-ENGAGED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SLIDE 12 FEET. THE CONTACT ALMOST DROVE OFF THE ROAD BEFORE THE BRAKES FINALLY STOPPED THE VEHICLE. THE ABS FAILURE OCCURRED NINE TIMES FROM THE DATE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE HARDER SHE DEPRESSES THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE LONGER IT TAKES TO STOP THE VEHICLE. AFTER AVOIDING A CRASH, THE CONTACT DROVE STRAIGHT TO THE DEALER. DUE TO THE RAIN, THE DEALER WOULD NOT ALLOW THE TECHNICIAN TO TEST DRIVE THE VEHICLE BECAUSE A CRASH COULD RESULT DUE TO THE BRAKE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 320.”