U.S. public vehicle records

2002 Kia SEDONA problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

198 owner complaints analyzed

3 distinct recall campaigns

50,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2002 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 108 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 21 of 198 complaints (10.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	42	21.2%
Electrical and battery issues	37	18.7%
Engine operation	15	7.6%
Transmission and shifting	12	6.1%
Steering behavior	11	5.6%
Fuel system concerns	6	3.0%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Electrical System

Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator

Air Bags

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Vehicle Speed Control

Seat Belts

Visibility:Windshield

Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Electrical System	21
Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator	15
Air Bags	12
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	12
Vehicle Speed Control	12
Seat Belts	11
Visibility:Windshield	11
Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery	10

Electrical System: 21; Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator: 15; Air Bags: 12; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 12; Vehicle Speed Control: 12; Seat Belts: 11; Visibility:Windshield: 11; Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery: 10

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 31; 25,000 to 49,999: 22; 50,000 to 74,999: 27; 75,000 to 99,999: 14; 100,000 to 149,999: 8; 150,000 and above: 6

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (31). 90 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2001: 3; 2002: 38; 2003: 40; 2004: 23; 2005: 36; 2006: 11; 2007: 12; 2008: 3; 2009: 2; 2010: 6; 2011: 4; 2012: 3; 2013: 5; 2014: 5; 2015: 3; 2016: 2; 2017: 2

Pattern summary

Electrical System leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 42 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 37 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 15 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10000537 · 2003-01-05 (January 5, 2003)

BRAKE SYSTEM FAIL TO RESPOND EVERY 3000 TO 4000 MILES DEALER CLAIM IS ADJUSTMENT AND CLEANING, THE VIBRATION IS TERRIBLE WHEN BRAKING IS NOT SAFE I DONT FEEL SAFE LAST TIME WAS 2 DAYS AGO AND AGAIN CAR ONLY 16106 MILES BOUGHT IN FEB 2002 WILL GO BACK TO DEALER LETS SEE WHAT THEY DO

Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000537 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10006202 · 2003-02-03 (February 3, 2003)

THE BRAKE ROTORS ARE WEARING CAUSING VIBRATIONS AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PH

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10006202 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10003185 · 2003-01-22 (January 22, 2003)

MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH 2002 KIA SEDONA MINIVAN INCLUDING FRONT WINDOW NOT WORKING; TRUNK/BACKLATCH NOT OPENING (TWICE); CHECKENGINE LIGHT(TWICE); FRONTBLOWER FOR HEATER/AIRCONDITONING NOT FUNCTIONING (TWICE). PROBLEMS STARTED NOV. 2002 AND ARE ONGOING.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10003185 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10020923 · 2003-06-02 (June 2, 2003)

BATTERY KEEPS ON DYING, NEEDING BOOST. RECIEVED NEW ONE IN JANUARY 2003. THAT ONE DIED IN FEB. THEY REPLACED RADIO, SAYING IT HAD A SHORT. BUT BATTERY DIED AGAIN. THEN THEY SAID AN ALTERNATOR WIRE WAS LOOSE. THEY RECONNECTED IT. BUT BATTERY DIED AGAIN, THE FOLLOWING MONTH. BACK FOR SERVICE ON 6/2/03. AFRAID ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MAY FAIL WHILE VEHICLE IS BEING OPERATED. KNOW OF 2 OTHER INDIVIDUALS WITH SAME KIA SEDONA EX THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO (BATTERY FAILURE).*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 7,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10020923 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10051291 · 2003-12-29 (December 29, 2003)

WE PURCHASED THE 2002 KIA SEDONA YESTERDAY 12-28-03. WE DROVE THE CAR FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES TODAY, STOPPED FOR DINNER AT A FAST FOOD RESTAURANT AND THEN DROVE AGAIN FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES WHEN WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE BATTERY AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS FLASHED ON AND OFF A FEW TIMES, THEN STAYED ON. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE RADIO SHUT OFF AND WOULD NOT COME BACK ON. THEN THE SEATBELT WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND THE DASH LIGHTS, EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR LIGHTS DIMMED. WHILE CAR WAS STILL IN MOTION, THE SUNROOF WOULD NOT CLOSE AND THE…

Owner-reported narrative. 47,857 miles reported. Look up ODI 10051291 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10075890 · 2004-06-08 (June 8, 2004)

VEHICLE STALLED DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL COMPONENT SHORTING OUT THE BATTERY. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED 4 TIMES AND ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED ONCE. ALSO, THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE ENTIRE MOTOR. VEHICLE BURNED EXCESSIVE FUEL UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITION. THE ABOVE REPAIRS ONLY PROVIDED A TEMPORARY SOLUTION FOR THE PROBLEMS.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10075890 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10021018 · 2003-06-04 (June 4, 2003)

STRONG ANTIFREEZE SMELL WHEN USING THE AC ON HOT DAYS. TRANSMISSION SHIFTS VIOLENTLY FROM 1-2 AND OCCASIONALLY INTO REVERSE. DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT SEVERAL TIMES. *NLM SLIDING DOORS HAVE HAD ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS AND BEARING FAILURE SEVERAL TIMES ALSO. (CURRENTLY FIXED).

Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10021018 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10049067 · 2003-12-02 (December 2, 2003)

BROUGHT 2002 KIA SEDONA IN JULY 2002 AND TRANSMISSION WENT OUT IN SEPTEMBER 2002. TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AND EVER SINCE ON COLD MORNINGS TRANSMISSION JERKS VIOLENTLY SEVERAL TIMES WHILE DRIVING. HAS BEEN TO SHOP SEVERAL TIMES FOR REPAIR BUT KIA SERVICE RESPONSE TO PROBLEM IS LET CAR WARM UP FOR 15 MINUTES OR SO BEFORE YOU DRIVE OFF. THIS SOLUTION IS NOT WORKING. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10049067 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10041590 · 2003-10-10 (October 10, 2003)

2002 KIA SEDONA AT 19,604 MILES TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE FLOORBOARD BUCKLES ON THE DRIVER SIDE WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED TO A FULL ROTATION, NO PROBLEM FOUND AT THAT TIME , THEY SAID THEY COULD FEEL NOTHING. AT 25,000 MILES RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, TEST DROVE THEY COULD FEEL THE FLOORBOARD BUCKLE AND WAS TOLD IT IS NORMAL. NOW AT 41,000 MILES I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM BUT THE INSIDES OF THE FRONT TIRES WORE DOWN TO THE CORDS AND I HAD TO HAVE THE TIRES REPLACED. *LA

Owner-reported narrative. 19,604 miles reported. Look up ODI 10041590 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10065882 · 2004-04-18 (April 18, 2004)

ONE MORE TIME KIA SEDONA 2002 FAILED TO BRAKE CAR LOST CONTROL FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT SNAPPED OUT, LOOKS LIKE POWER STEERING FAILED AND BRAKES ALSO, NOT THE FIRST TIME BRAKES FAILED IN KIA SEDONA. PRIOR TO THIS ACCIDENT THE CONSUMER COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER ABOUT VIBRATIONS WHILE BRAKING. CAR ACCELERATE BY ITSELF (THROTTLE STUCK). *BF

Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10065882 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10015935 · 2003-04-15 (April 15, 2003)

AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO START THE VEHICLE IT WAS TOWED TO A MECHANICS GARAGE. THE MECHANIC STATED THE FUEL PUMP WAS DEFECTIVE. *NLM *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 23,580 miles reported. Look up ODI 10015935 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10021392 · 2003-06-11 (June 11, 2003)

FROM 2ND WEEK WE COMPLAINED OF ENGINE NOISE. EACH TIME NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND. FEW MONTHS LATER CK ENGINE CAME ON. A SPARK PLUG WAS REPLACED. 1 MONTH LATER CK ENGINE LIGHT ON AGAIN. NEW FUEL INJECTOR. 2 DAYS LATER CK ENGINE LIGHT AGAIN. NEEDED NEW MOTOR AT 3800 MILES. 1 WEEK LATER CAUGHT ON FIRE IN OUR GARAGE. KIA REGIONAL MANAGEMENT CHRIS BUTLER SAID THEY WOULD REPAIR DAMAGES FROM FIRE BUT HAD NO CONCERN THAT OUR 6 MONTH OLD VAN WITH ONLY 3800 MILES ALREADY HAD THE MOTOR REPLACE AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. HIS ADVISE DON'T PARK IN THE GARAGE ANYMORE S…

Owner-reported narrative. 3,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10021392 at NHTSA ↗