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U.S. public vehicle records

2009 Kia SEDONA: complaints, problems and recalls

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.

Owner-reported patterns

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.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Braking behavior1225.0%
Electrical and battery issues510.4%
Steering behavior510.4%
Transmission and shifting36.3%
Engine operation24.2%
Fuel system concerns24.2%

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.

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
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Electrical System8
Service Brakes8
Electronic Stability Control (Esc)7
Unknown Or Other7
Exterior Lighting6
Vehicle Speed Control6
Suspension4
Air Bags3

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.

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
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,00010
25,000 to 49,9998
50,000 to 74,9993
75,000 to 99,9995
100,000 to 149,9995
150,000 and above3

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.

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
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20091
20109
20115
20124
20131
20149
20151
20163
20172
20184
20194
20202
20211
20221
20261

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.

Examples from the source records

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

Owner report 10274604 · 2009-06-22 (June 22, 2009)

ERRATIC OPENING AND CLOSING OF REAR PASSENGER POWER SLIDING DOOR. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 151 miles reported. Look up ODI 10274604 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10302609 · 2010-01-27 (January 27, 2010)

HE SLIDING DOORS ON THE 2009 KIA SEDONA FREEZE SHUT. LEADING TO PULLING AND YANKING ON THE HANDLES TO GET THE DOORS TO OPEN. THIS HAPPENS ON A VERY REGULAR BASIS AND HAS SINCE THE FIRST FREEZE OF PURCHASING THE VAN IN OCTOBER OF 2009. AFTER NOTICING THAT TWO OTHER VANS IN THE AREA HAVE THE SAME ISSUE, I HAVE DECIDED TO MAKE A COMPLAINT. AT TIMES WE HAVE LOADED OUR CHILDREN THROUGH THE FRONT DOORS TO ALLOW THEM GETTING IN THE VAN. ANOTHER TIME WE HAD TO DRIVE OUR OTHER VEHICLE. IT WILL EVENTUALLY CAUSE THE HANDLES TO BREAK OFF THE VAN WITH THE…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10302609 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10330948 · 2010-05-18 (May 18, 2010)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA SEDONA. WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS OF 5 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE AND ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE FAILURE WAS COMMON IN HER MODEL VEHICLE. THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR WAS REPLACED AND THE PMC WAS UPGRADED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 21,441 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS NOT UNKNOWN. UPDATED 7/16/10 *CN UPDATED 07/22/10.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. 21,441 miles reported. Look up ODI 10330948 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10342166 · 2010-07-09 (July 9, 2010)

ON 6/23/2010 AT 3:45PM, I WAS DRIVING A 2009 KIA SEDONA VAN AND ENTERED A BANK PARKING LOT AT A VERY LOW SPEED WHEN THE VEHICLE STARTED TO ACCELERATE RAPIDLY. I WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND HIT THE WALL OF THE BANK. THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, AND I SUFFERED INJURIES TO MY RIGHT ARM FROM THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAG. I WAS THE ONLY PERSON IN THE CAR, AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO ANY OTHER PERSON. PROPERTY DAMAGE WAS ONLY INCURRED TO THE VEHICLE AND THE BANK BUILDING WALL. THERE WERE NO FIRES. THE ACCIDENT WAS REPORTED TO THE POLICE. TH…

Owner-reported narrative. 6,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10342166 at NHTSA ↗

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 10369020 · 2010-12-02 (December 2, 2010)

2009 KIA SEDONA BOUGHT NEW IN DECEMBER OF 2009. IN MARCH ENGINE STARTED TO SEEM VERY LOUD. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON IN EARLY APRIL. TAKEN TO DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND WAS IN SHOP 3 MORE TIMES BEFORE THEY UPDATED THE SOFTWARE IN AUGUST. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DOESN'T COME ON BUT THE ENGINE STILL SEEMS VERY LOUD AND VAN VIBRATES AND RUMBLES WHEN FIRST STARTED - ESPECIALLY AFTER SITTING FOR SEVERAL HOURS OR OVERNIGHT. ENGINE SOUNDS LOUD WHILE DRIVING AND SOMETIMES REVS LOUDLY WHEN ACCELER…

Owner-reported narrative. 8,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10369020 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10369022 · 2010-12-02 (December 2, 2010)

PASSENGER SLIDING DOOR ON MY 2009 KIA SEDONA IS VERY HARD TO OPEN. IT HAS BEEN SINCE WE GOT IT. SOMETIMES THE DOOR GETS STUCK AND WILL NOT OPEN AT ALL FROM THE INSIDE. SOMEONE HAS TO GET OUT ANOTHER DOOR AND OPEN IT FROM THE OUTSIDE. ON ONE OCCASION THE DEALER'S MECHANIC TOLD US TO OPEN THE DOOR SLOWER - IT STILL GOT STUCK. ON ANOTHER OCCASION THE MANAGER OF THE DEALERSHIP SAT IN THE VAN AND AFTER PLAYING WITH THE DOOR SHOWED US HOW TO OPEN IT BY PULLING ON THE HANDLE TWO TIMES AND PUSHING VERY HARD ON IT. THE DEALER WOULDN'T DO ANY …

Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10369022 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 ↗

Recall history

5 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

13V114000 · Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights:Switch

Reported: 2013-04-01 (April 1, 2013)

Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year 2007-2009 Amanti, and model year 2009 Borrego vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Kia recalled 623,658 model year 2007-2010 Rondo and Sportage, model year 2007-2011 Sorento, model year 2007 Sedona, model year 2010-2011 Soul, and model year 2011 Optima vehicles. In September 2013, Kia informed the agency that it was adding an additional 356,719 vehicles to this campaign. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 980,377. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake-transmission shift interlock feature preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.

Consequence: Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of PARK without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Kia will send an interim notification to owners in May 2013. When parts are available, owners will receive a second notification and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's recall campaign number is SC098.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
13V550000 · Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Arm

Reported: 2013-11-05 (November 5, 2013)

Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2006-2012 Kia Sedona vehicles manufactured from June 15, 2005, through August 14, 2012 originally sold in, or currently registered in Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Rhode Island, West Virginia or the District of Columbia. In the affected vehicles, the front lower control arms may break due to corrosion resulting from prolonged exposure to salty environments.

Consequence: A broken control arm can result in the loss of control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners and dealers will inspect the degree of corrosion of the front lower control arms, and will either rustproof or replace them, free of charge. The recall began on December 20, 2013. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's recall number is SC100.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
16V387000 · Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Arm

Reported: 2016-06-01 (June 1, 2016)

Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2006-2012 Kia Sedona vehicles manufactured from June 15, 2005, through August 14, 2012 and originally sold in, or currently registered in Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. In the affected vehicles, the front lower control arms may break due to corrosion from salt water exposure such as from road salt use.

Consequence: A broken control arm can result in the loss of control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners and dealers will replace the front lower control arms on 2006-2007 models. 2008-2012 models will either have their front lower control arms replaced or additional anti-corrosion coating will be applied. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on July 27, 2016. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC133.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
16V389000 · Latches/Locks/Linkages:Hood:Latch

Reported: 2016-06-01 (June 1, 2016)

Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2006-2014 Kia Sedona vehicles manufactured from June 15, 2005, through April 04, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the secondary hood latch may bind and remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed.

Consequence: If the primary latch is inadvertently released and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could unexpectedly open while driving, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners and dealers will replace the secondary hood latch or clean and lubricate the latch, depending on the vehicle's location and the condition of the latch. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on July 27, 2016. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's recall number is SC134.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
20V088000 · Electrical System | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/Module

Reported: 2020-02-14 (February 14, 2020)

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2006-2010 Sedona and 2007-2009 Sorento vehicles. Moisture may enter the Anti-lock Brake (ABS) Module and result in an electrical short.

Consequence: An electrical short within the ABS Module may cause an engine compartment fire, even when the vehicle is turned off, increasing the risk of an injury.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will install a relay in the main junction box to prevent power from being directed to the HECU when the vehicle's ignition switch is turned off, free of charge. The recall began June 5, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC186.

NHTSA campaign record ↗