Problems · NHTSA complaints

2016 Kia Sedona problems

Owners filed 297 complaints about the 2016 Kia Sedona with NHTSA between Apr 2016 and Oct 2026. The most-cited component is engine (148).

Complaints
297
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
10
Reported by owners
Fires
14
Reported by owners
Injuries
10
People reported injured
Deaths
2
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Engine148
  2. Electrical system46
  3. Exterior lighting37
  4. Structure25
  5. Air bags19
  6. Power train13
  7. Fuel/propulsion system9
  8. Seat belts8
  9. Service brakes7
  10. Latches/locks/linkages6
  11. Steering6
  12. Seats5
  13. Engine and engine cooling5
  14. Vehicle speed control5

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
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20169
20179
201810
201922
202023
202122
202227
202331
202464
202553
202627

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.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Engine

148 reports1 crash11 fires
“In January 2026, I brought my vehicle to a Kia dealership specifically complaining that it was "burning oil." The dealership documented this exact complaint on the invoice, but only repaired external leaks. They failed to perform an oil consumption test, failed to diagnose the internal burning issue, and failed to warn me of any ongoing risk. Approximately four months later, while 400 miles from home en route to vacation and with no warning lights appearing, the engine suffered catastrophic oil starvation and seized. Forced to pay out of pocket for towing, emergency logistics, and an immediate replacement vehicle to continue the trip. An out-of-pocket engine teardown confirmed the internal failure, and my extended warranty denied coverage due to the low oil condition.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 8, 2026EngineODI 11769783

Electrical system

46 reports3 crashes2 fires1 related recall
“2016 Kia Sedona with power sliding doors. Both rear power sliding doors fail to completely latch upon closing. Doors make loud clicking sounds while attempting to close and require manual pushing to latch. Kia of Attleboro diagnosed and confirmed in writing that both rear door roller arm assemblies are completely missing the roller, and that this condition is contributing to the latching failure. Both power sliding door motors and rear door latches also need replacement. This is a safety hazard as the doors may appear closed but are not fully latched, posing a serious risk of doors opening while driving, particularly with children as passengers. The condition has been confirmed in writing by a Kia dealership. Kia Motors America issued Warranty Bulletin WTY019 in March 2021 specifically extending coverage for this exact latching condition on 2015-2017 Sedona vehicles to 15 years/unlimited miles. The covered components (motors and latches) have been approved for warranty replacement. However, Kia America has denied coverage for the roller arm assemblies despite their own dealer's written confirmation that these parts are directly contributing to the covered…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 6, 2026Electrical system, Structure, Unknown or otherODI 11755233

Exterior lighting

37 reports3 crashes1 related recall
“The contact owned a 2016 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that while her nephew was driving, the nephew made a left-hand turn, and the vehicle was hit on the front right quarter panel. The contact stated that her nephew had turned on the left-hand signal and was halfway through making the left turn when the accident occurred. The other vehicle drove on the opposite side and stated that the left-hand turn signal was not on. The contact's nephew was unsure if any warning lights were illuminated. The driver-side and passenger-side air bags were deployed. The contact's nephew had minor injuries and had a bruise on the right arm and chest that did not require medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a towing yard. The contact then had the vehicle towed to the residence and no longer driven. The insurance company was contacted, and the results are pending. Upon further investigation, the contact discovered that the vehicle had an open recall pending: NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V725000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). The contact stated that there was a passenger in the vehicle. The passenger was sitting on the front passenger seat and…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 8, 2026Electrical system, Exterior lightingCrash reportedODI 11709756

Structure

25 reports1 fire1 related recall
“My White Kia Sedona Van's paint is flaking and peeling off all around the vehicle. This is not due to poor car of the vehicle or accident due to making contact with any other vehicles or objects. It is literally just falling off of the vehicle. It started about a year ago and is getting significantly worse.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 3, 2025StructureODI 11691312

Air bags

19 reports2 crashes
“I purchased the minivan as a used car last year and I noticed that the airbag light turned on when a passenger would sit on the front passenger seat. I tried to get a diagnosis ever since but many shops that I brought my minivan to didn’t work with airbags. So I eventually brought my minivan to a Kia dealership, Luther Bloomington Kia in Bloomington, Minnesota, and got 2 diagnostics: the first one was on 7/9/26, and the second one was on 8/26/26. Both diagnostics found and confirmed that there is an issue with the occupant seat detector or ocs mat defect, code B149000 dtc (occupant classification system). This matches the Kia recall SC175. This issue is a serious safety concern because the airbag system might not work as it should in the event of a crash. The problem is that the dealership would not repair the issue after diagnosing it without me having to pay for the repairs at my own expense, which by the way I was charged by the dealership for the initial diagnosis. The reason they gave me for that decision is that the issue was already allegedly fixed before I took ownership of the vehicle. They advised me to contact Kia America or Kia Customer Care and ask…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 3, 2026Air bags, SeatsODI 11762031

Power train

13 reports1 crash1 fire1 related recall
“The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that while attempting to park the vehicle, the brake pedal was depressed, and the gear shift lever was moved to Park(P) but failed to lock in place. The contact stated that the vehicle started to roll backwards. The contact used force to lock the gear shift lever in Park(P), and the vehicle came to a complete stop after several attempts. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a faulty automatic transmission shift lever. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The vehicle remained at the dealer unrepaired. Upon investigation, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V612000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 26, 2025Power trainODI 11701714
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.