Comments: 1-15, 16-30, 31-45, 46-60, 61-75, 76-81
I bought a 2002 Kia Sedona when it was new. The check engine light was on frequently, and I took it back three times for that. It would only stay off a short while. I finally quit taking it back for that, and it has been on constantly the last two years. For the last six months, the brake light comes on everytime I make a right turn. The air conditioner has gone out four times. It is out now and they have had it for a week and cannot figure out where the leak is coming from. I won't buy a Kia product again.
Bought a 2002 KIA Sedona New august 2001, original owner did all recommended service regular oil changes 5000km, warranty just ran out 100,000 km replaced timing belt spark plugs 102,000km. Now at 113,000 km CRANKSHAFT broke in two requiring a new engine. I will never ever buy another KIA product and I will tell anyone considering purchasing a KIA to save their money go buy used Honda or Toyota it will last longer. Also had regular problem blown headlight bulbs 6mths max, replaced two alternators, warped rotors, bad vibration at 110km\h ac doesn't work efficiently above 33c.Aside from regular recalls I have been in and out of dealer on a regular basis. Also windshield just cracked when vehicle was parked in winter. Alternators are defective, but no recalls killed battery replaced with napa battery and front rotors. Anyone with 02 Sedona nearing 11300km or 75,000 miles beware of crankshaft breaking in two requiring new motor 3-5 grand. Never again will I subject myself to a Kia Motor vehicle don't Buy-it.
We will never ever buy a KIA car again after buying the 2002 Sedona new in 2001. We have had rust spots on the front from the first year and were told it was caused by rocks on the highway and they would not fix it. But that is the least of our worries! The KIA is the only car we have had that has spent so much time in the shop. Right now the airbag light is on and has been on for over a year. On a ski trip to Colorado the front heat and defrost would not work, so in order to be able to see, we had to keep the back heat on very high, which was very uncomfortable for the kids. As soon a we were out of the mountains, the heat started working again.
After taking the van into the KIA dealership shop last year for some recall, the gas pedal has been hard to push when accelerating, so everyone always seems to be thrown forward hard as we start out. It is really annoying and scary on the highway when you try to pass a slow car.
The inside parts seem to be made of very cheap plastic! One of the back seats has broken and will not stay in an upright position.
I hate visiting the KIA dealership repair shop, which is over an hour away, and refuse to go ever again. We have a recall letter for the driver seat wiring and I just won't take it in.
I've found a good mechanic close to home who has ordered parts from the dealerships for other problems, I don't put too much faith in the so called 10 year warranty KIA spouts.
We are close to getting rid of the KIA and will let it be a lesson learned. I tell everyone I know that KIA's are lemons and are not worth the "DEAL" they spout.
I purchased my 2002 KIA Sedona EX in February 2002. The main selling point was that it was $10K less than the Honda Odyssey, which looking back on it now, I should have spent the money up front and not on all these repairs.
At 25K the passenger side sliding door jammed open. It could not be shut. I had my two very young children with me, and luckily was less than 3 miles from a dealership. I drove the car to the shop; they got the door shut for me, and a week later, made the repair. Not even a month later, the repair broke, and once again the door would not shut. The dealership did give me a loaner for the time it took to get the part in and make the repair.
Around 30K the windshield cracked, for no reason. I assumed it was from a rock and paid for the replacement.
Around 40K the engine started bucking and lurching, generally when it was wet out. I had the dealer look at it, nothing. The bucking and lurching continued, and when I took it to the dealership, they stopped selling and servicing KIAs. The only way I was notified was by a small note taped to their door. I took the van to the new dealership, stating the van was bucking and lurching, the check engine light was on, and please fix it. Their answer was, “We’re not accepting KIAs right now, come back in a month. You probably didn’t put your gas cap on tight enough.” Thanks. Speaking of gas, my gas mileage has averaged 17 miles to the gallon. Ouch. I’m putting $400 a month in gas in the van, not to mention the thousands of dollars in repairs.
For the past three years I have been trying to getting the check engine light problem fixed, along with having recalls performed, and replacing broken parts, including a dead battery at 55K. The check engine light with the bucking and lurching has been the most irritating. The mechanic puts the van on the machine, it reads a code, they fix it, I pay, I drive out, the light comes on again, they put it on the machine, it reads a code, they fix it, I pay, I drive out, the light comes on again………….. I am so tired of this van it is not funny.
I feel like I live at the dealership’s auto shop. Two weeks ago I had the check engine light problem “fixed”, again. They indicated that I needed a new mass-air-flow-valve. This repair was done (after a 6 month losing battle about the warranty) and as soon as I drove it off the lot, the check engine light came on again. I took it back last week, to have it once again diagnosed, and to replace a malfunctioning windshield wiper switch. They’ve now determined that it’s my catalytic converter. Well, let’s replace that for $1300 and who knows, it may be something after that, we’re really not sure. AARRGH!!! I picked up the van on Friday, my check engine light came on Saturday, and on Sunday my brake and battery light came on, with the door-ajar beeping noise. I spoke to my KIA rep today (Monday, July 31, 2006) and apparently, I now need a new Alternator, along with a Catalytic Converter.
Everyone at the dealership auto shop knows me by name. When I picked up the van last Friday, one of the other shop reps gave me a card to a repair shop that will fix the catalytic converter for half the price. He did this in front of the shop manager! They all know that KIA is junk, including the KIA rep. I’ll make the last repairs to the van and then I’m selling it. I’m making a wise investment this time; I’m getting a Honda Civic Hybrid.
Bought a 2002 Kia Sedona EX brand new in June 2002. Performed regular maintenance and was very pleased up until last year (2005). The alternator completely went and we had to bring it to the dealer. It was still under warranty since it had only 35K miles on it and was only 3 years old. Dropped it off at the dealer who said it would be ready in a few hours - we called them after not hearing from them and they said they had to order an alternator from CA and it would take over a week to get the part! Dealer wouldn't offer us anything for our trouble and basically told us too bad. Finally, after 8 days at the dealership, the part came in and the alternator was replaced. Now the water pump is faulty and we are told it will take us at least 4-5 days to get the part in. (We live in CT, not some distant place!) Car now has 47K miles on it and is only 4 years old.
We will never buy another Kia or any other vehicle from this dealership. They have a "service" department, but they do not offer service of any kind.
We bought our 2002 Kia sedona EX in June 2002. Since, nothing, but problems and more problems.
One day we took a short trip to New Jersey with my mother and kids- all in the van. (We live in CT) When we got there, we stopped at a hotel. Then, tried to start the van. Well, it wouldn't start. turns out there was a starter problem-Since then, we had 3 new starters put in- our money. and talk about service-Our family has two cars- one my sisters and one mine (the Kia) and they couldn't even get me a replacement car! In 2005 we moved to Florida-1200 miles, and not one problem. (Except for spending $1000 on gas for the kia-which has suckey gas mileage!!!) 2 months later, my son had to go to the hospital for his heart-lucky it was an appointment, because we had a blowout- on kia approved tires!!A surpriser? No. This car may have been built by machines, but when you need 3 starters,2 belts, 6 headlights, 16 tires,5 new windshields, and 1 new air- conditioning system, they should work when they are mechanic- put in. Overall, Kia is MY worst nightmare.
These are problems I have or have had with my 2002 Kia Sedona minivan (currently mileage: 106,000) :
Acceleration – Sometimes the vehicle runs only at idle speed regardless of how far the accelerator pedal is depressed.
Engine – The motor periodically jerks (or stalls) hard. Even though it continues to run, the Check Engine Light illuminates.
Oil consumption – The vehicle leaks or, more likely, burns about ¾ of a quart of oil every 3,000 miles.
Air bags / Passive restraint – After going through an automatic carwash, the airbag light lit up and has been glowing consistently ever since.
Interior door handles – The interior door handle on the drivers side broke into two pieces making it impossible to open the door from the inside. Additionally, it is often difficult to open the passenger door from the inside.
Sliding doors – On the left sliding door, the plastic bushings on the rear support bracket broke and fell out, causing the door to bind while being opened and closed.
Windshield wipers – For some time the front windshield wipers had a lot of slack. So, while being used, they would flop past the edge of the vehicle. Finally, they stopped working altogether.
Air conditioner – When the air conditioner worked, it did not work well. Air was not as cool as it should have been and the speed of the cabin fan was too slow to be fully effective.
Paint – The paint beneath rear window is peeling. Clear coat paint on piece above license plate is "alligatoring” or “checking.”
Body – The metal dents extremely easily.
Fuel gauge – After filling up with gas, the fuel gauge immediately moves to half but takes about five minutes to move from half to (nearly) full. It fails to read accurately. While driving, it slowly drops as would be expected). The problem here is, it shows only ½ a tank of fuel when it's really ¾ full.
Digital display – The trip computer (clock, temperature, time-to-empty, etc.) in the overhead console failed. The display for the various functions is wrong. For instance, it'll show time as 3:69 p.m. and the temp readings are preceded by a small L.
I’ve done extensive Internet searches and I also frequent two Kia-specific newsgroups/forums. Most of the problems I listed above are common. In other words, I am not just having bad luck. Poor quality Kia vehicles are the norm. If you or someone you know has a great Kia, that’s the exception.
Kia boasts about the great quality of the new (2006) Sedona minivans. They may be better than the older ones; but remember, this is the same Kia that touted how great the previous year models were. Vehicles are a huge investment. So, given Kia’s poor track record, it is advisable to look elsewhere for your transportation needs.
We purchased our 2002 Kia Sedona used in 2004. We were initially pleased with it.
6 months after purchasing it our temperature gauge went out requiring replacement of the entire instrument gauge. This meant that the odometer didn't reflect the actual mileage, but they assured us this wasn't really an issue.
We took our first trip with it 2200 miles about 10 months later. While coming back home our check engine light came on intermittently, but eventually it just stayed on. When we took it to the dealer it was diagnosed as having emission systems problems along with problems with strut mounts. This was all replaced just inside the 60,000 mile warranty you get when you purchase a used Kia.
Once those repairs were completed we decided NOW was a good time to get rid of this vehicle. We went back to the same dealership looking to buy another Kia (we were still naive) that got better gas mileage. The dealer weren't interested in dealing with us because the vehicle had to be resold as "actual mileage unknown". Since the resale value of the Kia Sedona is poor anyways, this made their offer 8000.00 below what we still owed on it.. and they said they were being generous.
We are now having alternator, AC compressor, interior light and battery problems. All these seem to be mentioned in previous posts.
I, too, will steer anyone clear of purchasing a Kia vehicle. So what if they have a 5 Star safety rating. Any vehicle can have a rating like that if they never spend any time on the road to get into a crash.
I'd like to find a way to spread the "good news" on a mass scale so nobody else gets burned.
I provided a list (two posts above) of problems I'm having with my 2002 Kia Sedona. I need to add these:
Instrument cluster warning lights -- The warning ("idiot") lights for the charging system and brake fail to illuminate even though the bulbs and fuses are good.
Charging system -- The alternator and/or other parts of the charging system have failed. The vehicle will run only until the battery is drained. Then, it stalls.
We bought a used 2002 Kia Sedona in June 2006. Everything was fine first 2 months.. then the engine started making noise. we thought it was the a/c clutch. I took it to my mechanic (not a kia dealer) and found out the belts were just weather rotted (van had 59,000 miles on it at that point) Now, we had a blizzard on 2/14/07. My alternator went, took it to the same mechanic, they fixed it, but now my airbag light is on. Not sure if its the Kia problems, or if the snow from the blizzard got into the wiring/engine. Van now has 68,000 miles on it.
Has anyone asked yourself why Kia can sell their cars so cheap, even with very good warranties (more about this later)? OK, they may have smaller profit margins than their competitors, but it more probably because they have cut absolutely every corner relating to engineering, parts and customer care. And pertaining their so called warranties, much of the needed work will fall outside the warranty. And to keep the warranties you must do all the work at the Kia dealers and using parts from their inventory at inflated prices.
It's all a scam and a cunningly calculated business model. You think you are buying a cheap car with top warranty, but you are being sucked into a system where the total cost of car ownership is higher than any competitor.
Kia dealers and the Kia organization has a zero service attitude. They hardly bother to talk to you unless you have a fistful of dollars for covering repairs. If you ever want something from them for free you are automatically met with a "this is not a Kia related problem". It's ALWAYS your fault if something breaks down. Your brakes worn out in one year? Your fault. Battery defective after three years? Your fault. Front tires badly worn after just a year? Your fault. Window lifter switch fallen off? Your fault. AC hardly works after three years? Your fault. Your transmission overheats after towing a tiny trailer? Your fault and your problem. "Sure you did not exceed the total weight allowed for this vehicle?". Yes unless towing a 500lb trailer over a flat terrain is too much for this car.
And I can go on and on.
These experiences are based on a 2002 Sedona my sister just sold with a heavy loss. But we found out that it was better to sell with a loss than to continue fighting with these money stealing pirates. Since she is a single mother she has not the time or the money to fight these con-men, so I have done her battles. I've spent hundreds of hours arguing, writing letters, bringing the car to the dealer, picking it up, getting second assessments from independent garages about paid work etc etc. I was so fed up with this car that I actually covered my sisters deficit after she sold it off.
One issue is the zero service attitude of the Kia organization, but the main problem is of course the car itself. If it was reliable it would be no problem, but Kia has been cutting corners in every way. Every aspect of this car is under-designed and under-engineered. It's a large dimension car and hence heavy even if they have used wafer thin metal sheeting in this car. Brakes are under-dimensioned and wears out quickly, alternator is under-dimensioned and hence must work at 100% all time and wears out quickly, AC is under-dimensioned and must work 100% all time and wears out faster than you can say "Kia is a crap car", transmission overheats because it is actually designed for a smaller car and cannot stand the weight of the Sedona, etc etc.
That's how they have saved those extra money. You think you are doing a great deal, but your are be fooled and being sucked into the Kia scam.
Do yourself a favour and stay away from Kia and especially the Sedona.
About 11 months ago, my wife and I purchased a 2002 Sedona from the dealer. After about 3 months with no issues, we decided to go to the local county fair. Everything was fine until we were on our way home. We were stopped at a red light. When it changed over to green, I hit the gas and it had major issues getting past 1st gear. We were close enough to home that I figured we could make it. Guess again. We got to within 2 miles of the house when at another light, it failed to get into any gear. I got out and there was transmission fluid everywhere. The tow truck came, took it away and we didn't see it again for about a week.
A few weeks later, the passenger side sliding door started having problems opening all the way when it is above freezing. When the weather is below freezing it opens just fine.
A few months later, it wouldn't start. I checked the starter and sure enough when I pulled it off, the screw coming out of the starter which connects to the wire coming from the battery, was loose. I bought another one and installed in sub-zero weather. It has been fine since.
A few weeks later, the check engine light came on. We took it back to the dealer to see what the issue was. The invoice stated that what was causing the check engine light to turn on was a shorted transmission switch, which they changed out at no charge since I am still under the 60,000 mile marker. Along with this, they recommended a "power steering flush ($109.95), tire rotation ($26.95), clean & adjust rear brakes and repack wheel bearings ($99.95) ", and that it badly needed a timing belt ($725). That is almost another $1000 and I haven't even had it for a year.
Moral of the story is, steer clear of the 2002 KIA Sedona. Don't know how the newer models are behaving so I can't say anything there.
We bought one of these new which I still unfortunately own and it's no big surprise to me that few reviewers are absolutely happy with these cars as this is my standing too. It's been an array of minor issues from day one and this car is costing us money on a regular basis. It had a OK warranty, but there are a lot of things that are service items as they call them and that are not covered by the warranty. Even under warranty it cost me 1200-1500 a year to keep it running. Service costs are high and this car go through a set of brakes about every year. It also requires service items on a very regular basis. Also why do you have to pay almost 1000$ for changing the timing belt after running just over 3 years. Why don't they make them more durable?
Out of warranty there has been even more costs, but I don't have any payments on it so it's not breaking the bank for me. Comparing the Sedona to the other family car our 93 Caprice still running strong at 253.000 miles it's been a disappointment. It just seem very more fragile and error prone and simply not very well built, not only comparing it to the Caprice, but to any of the dozen or so cars that we have owned.
I bought my 2002 Kia Sedona in Nov. 2002 from a great little dealership. The service Dept. bent over backwards to take care of me and the car. I did all the maintenance on time. Troubles began with rusting, though I had had some irritating problems with the lid of the ash tray breaking, the cigarette lighter failing, and the sliding door locking open. Those were mostly taken care of except the door, which continues to jam is often impossible to shut from inside the car. Anyway, what is dismaying is the tail gate light cover started to rust early on. They sent it out to be repaired and gave me a loaner. The repair however was done poorly, covering the gate latch mechanism, so they had to re-do it to fix the latch problems. I think this damaged the patch, which another body shop told me was a cheap repair anyway, they told me they would have replaced the whole gate. That was infuriating because when the rust reappeared, I was still under warranty, and they refused to cover it. The dealership had been taken over by a new owner who was not into honoring the warranty. Anyway, I gave up fighting about it. Now the car is rusting prematurely in many other spots, along the edge of the hood, a huge section of rocker panel. Oh and the AC tubes underneath the car totally rusted out. The original dealer had to fight with Kia to cover it partially. My second windshield has cracked again for no reason, I think my insurance company is going to drop me if I put another claim in for glass!
Yet, after reading the preceding complaints, I think I've gotten off easy! The mechanics of the car have functioned pretty satisfactorily for me. I have put a lot of miles on the car, 125,000 miles on in four years, so maybe my expectations for its longevity are lower. I feel like I got my money's worth more so than many of the other commenters, but now it needs a steering rack, a seat belt buckle, and a rear wiper motor to get a sticker; about $1200 worth of work, for now! It burns me that I have a car that runs and is not too old, but is not worth fixing! I will probably just junk it since I can't in good conscience sell it to some unsuspecting schmuck. I will never buy another Kia again.
I purchased our 2004 Sedona EX about two months ago, no major problems to this point, CV boot needed replacing, checked with my regular mechanic ($130) and called the dealership ($135), I went with the dealership, not only did they replace the axle (no charge, warranty, even though I am NOT the original owner and I did NOT buy thru dealership) but gave me a free rental car for the day. Moral of the story, not all dealerships are created equal. Kia parts are relatively cheap, and they are easy enough to order, and from my dealings with the dealership I am 100% pleased, they also programmed my remote free, car did not come with one and I got one off eBay ($10). The van itself I feel is a good value for what it is, if you do your research you know that it is not great on gas mileage, I looked at Honda's and Toyota's and I would have paid twice what I paid for my KIA, and after driving a lot of minivans I felt the best bang for my buck came from the Sedona, it drives very well, and gives me everything I could ask for. One other thing, when reading forums where people talk about their cars, more often than not you are going to see the horror stories, remember the sqeaky wheel gets the grease? I personally know at least 5 people who own KIA's, all happy.