2009 Kia SEDONA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
48 owner complaints analyzed
5 distinct recall campaigns
45,712 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2009 model year. Data snapshot: . 34 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 8 of 48 complaints (16.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 12 | 25.0% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 5 | 10.4% |
| Steering behavior | 5 | 10.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 3 | 6.3% |
| Engine operation | 2 | 4.2% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 4.2% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 8 |
| Service Brakes | 8 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 7 |
| Unknown Or Other | 7 |
| Exterior Lighting | 6 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 6 |
| Suspension | 4 |
| Air Bags | 3 |
Electrical System: 8; Service Brakes: 8; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 7; Unknown Or Other: 7; Exterior Lighting: 6; Vehicle Speed Control: 6; Suspension: 4; Air Bags: 3
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 10 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 8 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 3 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 5 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 5 |
| 150,000 and above | 3 |
Under 25,000: 10; 25,000 to 49,999: 8; 50,000 to 74,999: 3; 75,000 to 99,999: 5; 100,000 to 149,999: 5; 150,000 and above: 3
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (10). 14 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 9 |
| 2011 | 5 |
| 2012 | 4 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 9 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2026 | 1 |
2009: 1; 2010: 9; 2011: 5; 2012: 4; 2013: 1; 2014: 9; 2015: 1; 2016: 3; 2017: 2; 2018: 4; 2019: 4; 2020: 2; 2021: 1; 2022: 1; 2026: 1
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 12 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 5 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 5 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 10355425 · 2010-09-13 (September 13, 2010)
THE LIGHTS HAVE TO BE SHUT OFF MANUALLY EVERY TIME WE USE THE LIGHTS AND IF WE FORGET, THE LIGHTS COME BACK ON A FEW HOURS LATER BY THEMSELVES AND SOMEONE WILL CALL TO INFORM US THE LIGHTS ARE ON. WE WENT ON A WET GRAVEL ROAD AND GRAVEL STUCK IN THE BRAKE DRUM AND MAKING A GRINDING NOISE. I BACKED UP FAST, HIT THE BRAKES HARD A COUPLE OF TIMES TO CLEAR THE GRAVEL FROM THE BRAKE DRUMS. ANOTHER PROBLEM IS THE KEY WILL NOT TURN AND THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED AND HAVE TO PLAY WITH THE STEERING WHEEL AND TRY TO WIGGLE IT UNTIL THE KEY CAN BE TU…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10355425 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10369569 · 2010-12-08 (December 8, 2010)
ANTI-LOCK BRAKES AND ENGINE STABILITY CONTROL. IN JULY AT APPROX 12,800 MILES THE ABS AND ESC LIGHTS CAME ON. WHEN PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL THUMPED AS IF BRAKING ON ICE OR SNOW. GAS PEDAL WOULD RUMBLE AND VIBRATE WHEN VAN STARTED IN MOTION. TOOK TO DEALER AND TOLD THE SENSOR WAS INOPERABLE AND IT WOULD TAKE 5 DAYS FOR THE PART BUT IT WAS OK TO DRIVE IT LIKE THAT - INCLUDING TAKING MY FAMILY ON VACATION 300 MILES AWAY! WHEN I REFUSED TO DRIVE IT OFF THE LOT THEY ENDED UP TAKING A SENSOR FROM A NEW VAN ON THE LOT AND FIXED IT. HAPPENED A…
Owner-reported narrative. 12,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10369569 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10638473 · 2014-09-23 (September 23, 2014)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA SEDONA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE RELAY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. IN ADDITION, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DECELERATED AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT …
Owner-reported narrative. 95,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10638473 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10971267 · 2017-04-08 (April 8, 2017)
GET INTO IT TO GO IT WILL NOT CRANK HAS 105,000 MILES LEFT ME STRANDED TWICE MY SON THINKS IT COULD BE STARTER SOLENOID OR THE MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD UNDER DASH IT MAKES A CLICKING NOISE UNDER HOOD VERY FAINT WHEN RUNNING THE STARTER WORKS GOOD NOT RUNNING NOW PULLED INTO YARD NEXT MORNING NOTHING GOOD BATTERY NO CORROSION WILL NOT CRANK.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10971267 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10425366 · 2011-09-14 (September 14, 2011)
I WAS TRAVELING IN THE MOUNTAINS AND I WAS RUN OFF THE ROAD. I RAN HEAD-ON INTO A TREE AND HIT MY HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL BECAUSE THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *KB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10425366 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10369023 · 2010-12-02 (December 2, 2010)
CONSTANT POOL OF OIL UNDER THE HOOD. (TO ME IT IS IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT - I'VE BEEN TOLD IT'S NEAR THE TRANSMISSION CASE AND ALSO TOLD IT'S NEAR THE INTAKE MANIFOLD). THE OIL POOL WAS FIRST NOTICED BY MY HUSBAND WHEN HE WAS CHECKING OUR FLUIDS BEFORE A TRIP. IT WAS POINTED OUT TO THE DEALER IN JULY WHEN WE WERE THERE WITH ENGINE PROBLEMS AND THEY "CLEANED OIL OFF" AS STATED ON INVOICE. WHEN QUESTIONED ABOUT IT THEY HAD NO ANSWER AS TO WHAT IT WAS FROM. THE OIL WAS THERE AGAIN AND HAS BEEN THERE CONSTANTLY SINCE JULY. THE DEALER TELL…
Owner-reported narrative. 16,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10369023 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10462152 · 2012-06-18 (June 18, 2012)
I BOUGHT THE CAR LAST YEAR AND IT WORKED FINE UNTIL THIS SPRING WHEN IT HAD SUDDEN ACCELERATION IN THE REAR GEAR, CAUSING A MINOR ACCIDENT. I WAS NOT SURE IT WAS THE UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION BUT THEN IT HAD TWO MORE CASES OF SUDDEN FORWARD ACCELERATION THAT CANNOT BE STOPPED BY STEPPING ON THE BRAKEBUT CAN BE STOPPED BY SHIFTING THE GEAR TO NEUTRAL. THEN THIS MORNING (06/18/2012) WHEN I BACKED OUT OF THE HOME DRIVEWAY AND PUT THE GEAR TO DRIVE, IT SUDDENLY STARTED THE ACCELERATION AGAIN. THIS TIME IT WOULDN'T STOP EVEN WITH THE GEAR QUICKLY SH…
Owner-reported narrative. 64,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10462152 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10369309 · 2010-12-06 (December 6, 2010)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA SEDONA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AS IT RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE FAILURE BEGAN TO RECUR INTERMITTENTLY SO THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING A DIAGNOSIS THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 23,800.
Owner-reported narrative. 23,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10369309 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10569341 · 2014-03-14 (March 14, 2014)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA SEDONA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE HESITATED AND STALLED. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER SEVERAL TIMES HOWEVER, THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE PERSISTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27800.
Owner-reported narrative. 27,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10569341 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11094040 · 2018-05-15 (May 15, 2018)
RECENTLY THE DRIVER SIDE MASTER SWITCH THAT OPENS/LOCKS ALL THE VAN DOORS OR MOVE ALL THE WINDOWS UP AND DOWN STOPPED WORKING. THE VAN ALSO CANNOT BE LOCKED FROM OUTSIDE WITH THE REMOTE. THE CAR HAS TO BE LOCKED AND OPENED MANUALLY BY THE KEY. THIS ISSUE WITH THE DRIVER SIDE MASTER SWITCH IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. TODAY WHEN WE WENT TO FILL GAS, WE FOUND THAT THE GAS TANK RELEASE BUTTON IS ALSO NOT WORKING. FORTUNATELY THE MECHANIC AT THE PUMP SHOWED US A WAY OF MANUALLY RELEASING THE CAP FROM THE TRUNK OF THE VAN WHICH ENABLED US TO FILL …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11094040 at NHTSA ↗