Kia Sedona EX Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 121 consumer complaints across the 3 model years of the Kia Sedona EX (2002–2004) that have at least 5 complaints. 2002 has the most, with 50. Across all years, the part named most often is electrical system (26 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
Best and worst Sedona EX years →
All Sedona EX model years
Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | TSBs | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 37 | 72,000 | 1 | 3 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2003 | 34 | 60,000 | 1 | 2 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2002 | 50 | 83,000 | 1 | 2 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Electrical system26 21%
- Steering20 16%
- Brakes18 15%
- Engine cooling16 13%
- Seats12 9.8%
- Body and structure11 8.9%
- Transmission and drivetrain10 8.1%
- Air bags10 8.1%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
2002: “The van was on fire in my yard. Only the front drivers front side caught fire. When I found it it was blasing out of the door and windshield. I got the hose pipe an unhooked the battery to put the fire out. It melted the whole dashboard all the way to the radio steering wheel windshield only on drivers side all damage was at front drivers front side.I didn't drive the van alday that day.”
NHTSA complaint #10821956, filed 2016-01, 180,000 miles2003: “The icv valve clip in my 2003 Kia sedona came loose and damaged the engine. Kia recalled the same clip in all sorentos from 2003-2005. My vehicle as less than 70,000 miles. The engine made a loud noise and stalled as I was driving. Luckily I was able to pull over and not cause an accident. Kia does not believe this is a serious issue.”
NHTSA complaint #10342082, filed 2010-07, 67,000 miles2004: “We were hearing a grinding type noise when we were making a turn so we took our vehicle in to the dealership. They diagnosed it as a bad rack and pinion and are replacing it. I have been told by numerous people that this is not something that should be going out at 70,000 miles. As of right now, Kia will not replace it for us.”
NHTSA complaint #10303652, filed 2010-02, 72,000 milesOther Kia models
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About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Methodology