2002 Kia Sedona

MY 2002 KIA SEDONA HAS APPROXIMATELY 54000 MILES. AT APPROX 34000 MILES, WE ENCOUNTERED A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE SURGING FORWARD AT STOP SIGNS, RED LIGHTS, AND BUSY INTERSECTIONS. IT WAS AS IF WERE SITTING AT A STOP SIGN W/ ONE FOOT ON BREAK AND A GHOST WAS STOMPING ON THE ACCELARATER. KIA CHANGED OUT THE WIRING HARNESS AND THIS SEEMED TO FIX THE PROBLEM.*AK

RE:KIA SEDONA MINIVAN [XXX] WITH ABOUT 58,300 MILES. NO PRIOR PROBLEMS OF ANY KIND. ST COMPLAINT: ON EVENING OF FRIDAY, 12/31/04, A CLUNKING/GRINDING SOUND FROM RIGHT SIDE OF MY KIA SEDONA AT ABOUT 58,000 MILES GRABBED AND SEIZED THE RIGHT AXLE. ON 1/1/05 [SAT] I DROVE CAR TO LOCAL SRVCE CNTR. ON 1/3/05 [MONDAY] SRVC CNTR DIAGNOSED BURNT/BROKEN RIGHT AXLE WHEEL BEARINGS. ALTHO I TOLD SRVCE CNTR TO DO BRAKE SERVICE ON ALL 4 WHEELS BUT NOT WHEEL BEARINGS, AS I WANTED THAT WORK TO BE DONE BY MY KIA DEALERSHIP - MY LOCAL STATION REPLACED BRAKE PADS & RIMS AND HONED ROTORS AND REPLACED FRONT RIGHT AXLE WHEEL BEARINGS. TOW SERVICE TO KIA DEALERSHIP WAS CANCELLED BY ME AS A RESULT. 2ND COMPLAINT: ON WED, 1/5/05, I DROVE DAUGHTER AT 6:45 A.M. FROM BRONX TO HER LAGUARDIA HS IN MANHATTAN. NOTICED THAT CAR RADIO AND HEAD LIGHTS FLICKED ON & OFF WHILE DRIVING FOR MINUTES AT A TIME. LATER IN DAY, I DROVE TO BROOKLYN'S 99 STREET CLEANERS TO PICK UP MY MILITARY FIELD COAT AT 3:20 P.M. MINIVAN PARKED BUT ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OVER & START. USED AUXILIARY BATTERY PACK [ABP] TO START ENGINE AND ENTERED BQEXPRESSWAY. CROSSING BROOKLYN BRIDGE TO MANHATTAN, ENGINE DIED. USED ABP TO START ENGINE AND ENTERED FDR DRIVE UP MANHATTAN TO HOME. CAR ENGINE DIED 3 MORE TIMES. AFTER 4 STALLS AND RE-STARTS WITH ABP, I KEPT ABP CONNECTED TO VEHICLE BATTERY AND, WITH ALL LIGHTS OFF IN DARKNESS FROM 4:30 P.M.-5:45 P.M., IN SLOW RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, THE ABP KEPT CAR ALIVE TILL ARRIVAL AT LOCAL SRVCE CNTR. ALL FUSES CHECKED OKAY WHILE CAR BATTERY RECHARGED. DIAGNOSIS MADE THAT ALTERNATOR AND/OR REGULATOR NOT WORKING. HAVE PHONED KIA TOW SERVICE FOR PICK UP TO DEALERSHIP. VEHICLE HAS ABOUT 58,300 MILES ON IT. NB: I AM VERY SATISIFED WITH KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND KIA TOW SERVICE, WHOM I TELEPHONED ON 1/3/05 [AND THEN CANCELLED TOW] AND TODAY ON 1/6/05. *AK UPDATED 07/24/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

PROBLEMS: UNWANTED ACCELERATION; CLUNKING/SEIZING BRAKES/LIT AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT. MILEAGE: UNDER 58,000 MILES. KIA SEDONA 2002 VIN # [XXX]. ON AFTERNOON OF 12/31/04, I & PASSENGER DRIVE FROM NYC TO HARTFORD, CT. MINIVAN REPEATEDLY ACCELERATED TO 70-75 MPH ALONG HIGHWAY ROADS. I BRAKED TO REDUCE SPEED REPEATEDLY. UNSUCCESSFUL REPEATEDLY DESPITE KNOWLEDGE THAT STATE TROOPERS LOOKING FOR SPEEDERS ON NEW YEAR'S EVE. RETURNING FROM HARTFORD, CT TO NYC ON AFTERNOON, ON HIGHWAY ROADS, A LIGHT GRINDING SOUND FROM RIGHT SIDE OF CAR [SEEMED BOTH FRONT & REAR WHEELS] CAME ON WHENEVER I STEERED TO THE LEFT. NO SOUND IF DRIVING STRAIGHT OR TO RIGHT. CHECKED UNDER MINIVAN FOR LOOSE ANYTHING. SAW NOTHING. FELT TIRES AND STEEL WHEELS FOR HEAT, IF BRAKES ARE WEARING OR STICKING. FELT UNIFORM TEMPERATURES ON ALL TIRES AND WHEELS. CONDUCT MY BUSINESS IN HARTFORD, CT. DROVE HOME TO BRONX COUNTY, NY WITH PASSENGER. PICKED UP FAMILY OF 4 KIDS, 2 PARENTS TO DRIVE TO MOTHER-IN-LAW IN QUEENS COUNTY. DROP OFF PASSENGER AND PROCEED TO ROUTE 87 SOUTH. LEAVING ROUTE 87 SOUTH [MAJOR DEEGAN HIGHWAY] ONTO EXIT RAMP FOR ROUTE 95 NORTH [CROSS BRONX EXPRESSWAY EASTBOUND] IN STOP & GO TRAFFIC AROUND 7:30 PM THERE WAS A CLUNKING SOUND GOING FROM RIGHT FRONT WHEEL TO CENTER TO LEFT FRONT OF CAR. I STOPPED & CHECKED UNDER CAR WITH ELECTRIC LANTERN FOR BROKEN STRUT OR TIE-ROD. SAW NOTHING. DROVE ON ROUTE 95, OVER WHITESTONE BRIDGE TO QUEENS. PARKED VAN. ON 1/1/2005 [SATURDAY] AROUND 1:00 AM I DRIVE FAMILY BACK TO HOME IN BRONX COUNTY. TWO STREETS FROM HOME A CLUNK SOUND AGAIN, GRABBING WHEELS. DROP OFF FAMILY AT 1:30 A.M. DRIVE VEHICLE TO NEIGHBORHOOD GAS STATION FOR CHECK-UP THAT SATURDAY MORNING. UNABLE TO CONTACT SERVICE DEPT OF LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP DUE TO NEW YEAR'S WEEKEND. ALSO, NOTE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON CONTINUOUSLY. WILL CONTACT WARRANTY PHONE NUMBERS & PERSONNEL & KIA DEALERSHIP AM OF MONDAY, 1/3/2005 PRIOR TO WORK COMMENCING. FRONT & REAR SUSPENSION COMPLAINTS. UPDATED 07/24/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREE

WE HAVE A 2002 KIA SEDONA; WE BOUGHT IN DEC OF 2001. WITHIN THE FIRST 6 MONTHS, THE ALTERNATOR,BATTERY,IGNITION SWITCH, HAD TO BE REPLACED, ALONG WITH SLIDING DOORS FALLING OFF THE HINGE. I COMPLAINED OF A WIND NOISE FOR THE FIRST YEAR NO ONE KNEW WHAT IT WAS. IT WENT UNFIXED. WITHIN A YEAR THE SHOCKS, THE STRUTS AND SLIDING DOORS HAD TO BE REPLACED. MY AIR-CONDITION WENT OUT COMPLETELY GUESS WHAT NO MORE WIND NOISE. AND NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. MY REAR WIPER CONTROL WENT OUT. RECENTLY, WHILE ON THANKSGIVING VACATION TO OHIO WE HAD TO HAVE ROADSIDE PICK UP OUR VAN AS THE TRANSMISSION TOTALLY WENT OUT WITHOUT WARNING. WHILE IN THE SHOP WE WERE ADVISED OUR BRAKES WERE NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. WE HAD NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES. AND THE MOTOR MOUNTS WERE ALSO IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT. WAS IN THE SHOP 14 DAYS, WE HAD TO DRIVE BACK TO OHIO TO WHEN READY. THE BRAKES WENT TO THE FLOOR HAD NEVER EVER DONE THAT BEFORE. WHEN WE WERE ON OUR WAY OUT OF TOWN, THE TRANSMISSION WAS ACTING UP. WE MADE IT HOME ON DEC 7TH AND NO ONE AT KIA COULD TAKE THE VEHICLE IN UNTIL THE SERVICE MANAGER RETURNED MY CALL HE WAS OFF FOR DOCTOR VISIT. ON DEC 13, I TOOK MY VAN IN TO BE REPAIRED, THEY CALLED ME AND TOLD ME IT WOULD NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION, AND GUESS WHAT THEY ARE ALSO REPAIRING THE SLIDING DOORS 5TH TIME I THINK. THEY HAVE TO ALSO FIX THE DENT IN THE HOOD THAT WAS NOT THERE, BEFORE THE OHIO KIA TOOK IT IN TO BE FIXED. TODAY IT HAS BEEN 15 DAYS. I STILL DO NOT HAVE MY VAN. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND KIA TO MY WORST ENEMY. PLEASE ALLOW OTHERS TO KNOW THAT KIA IS A LEMON IF EVER THERE WERE ONE.*AK

I WAS TRAVELING FROM ONE HIGHWAY ONTO ANOTHER. AS I WAS COMING OFF THE RAMP AND ACCELERATING TO MERGE ONTO THE OTHER HIGHWAY THE CAR STARTED ACCELERATING BY ITSELF. IT KEPT GETTING FASTER AND FASTER. I TRIED TO TAP THE PEDAL THINKING IT WAS JUST STUCK ( LIKE OLDER CARS DID WHEN YOU STARTED THEM AND THEY REACHED IDEAL IDLE & TEMPERATURE) AND IT INCREASED SPEED. IT REACHED THE MAXIMUM SPEED ON THE CAR OF 135 MPH. I CAN'T REMEMBER MUCH ELSE EXCEPT JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO STAY SAFE AND GET THE CAR TO STOP. THE ENGINE WAS SCREAMING AND THERE WAS A LOT OF NOISE COMING FROM EVERYWHERE IN THE CAR. I TRIED THE BRAKES BUT THEY ONLY SMOKED AND THE CAR DIDN'T SEEM TO SLOW DOWN MUCH. I GOT TO A PORTION OF THE ROAD WHERE THERE WAS A STRAIGHT AWAY AND I GOT ONTO THE SHOULDER AND I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL. IT TOOK A BIT TO SLOW DOWN TO A STOP AND THEN I SHUT THE CAR OF. I CALLED THE 800 NUMBER ON MY DOOR FOR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAPPENED. THEY TOLD ME TO SIT TIGHT AND THEY WOULD CALL ME BACK IN 5-7 MINUTES TO TELL ME WHO WAS COMING AND WHERE THE CAR WAS GOING FOR REPAIR. SHE NEVER CALLED BACK. THE DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR WAS THE POINT OF SERVICE. WHEN I GOT THE CAR BACK IT WAS STATED ON THE SERVICE INVOICE THAT THE BREATHER HOSE HAD POPPED OFF OF THE VALVE COVER AND THE BRACKET BENT CAUSING THE HOSE AND CLAMP TO BIND UNDER ACCELERATOR CABLE AND THROTTLE LINKAGE. THEY REPLACED THE SPRING CLAMP WITH A WORM TYPE CLAMP. THEY ALSO PERFORMED A LIGHT CUT ON THE FRONT ROTORS AND DEGLAZED THE PADS. THEY GAVE ME THE CLAMP THAT CAUSED THE WHOLE PROBLEM. IT WAS NOT BROKEN IT JUST POPPED OFF. I HAVE RETURNED THE CAR BECAUSE IT STILL IS NOT THE SAME. I FEEL THE CAR HAS BEEN COMPROMISED AND I DON'T FEEL SAFE IN IT. *JB

THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK BACK AND FORTH OR SHAKE FORCEFULLY AND UNCONTROLLABLY AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, INCLUDING WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD ALSO STALL UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE IN MOTION FORCING THE DRIVER TO SUDDENLY TRY TO STEER TO SAFETY WITHOUT POWER STEERING. THE VEHICLE IDLED LOW WHEN STOPPED AND SUDDENLY LUNGES FORWARD ON IT'S OWN WHILE THE DRIVERS FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKES. THE SERVICE DEALERS WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE VALVES, FILTERS AND WIRING WERE CHANGED. *JB *SC

OUR KIA SEDONA'S ENGINE HAS BEEN DYING WHEN COMING TO A STOP FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS. KIA TRIED ON 8-5-04 TO FIX AND WAS TOLD IT NEEDED NEW SPARK PLUGS. REPLACED THE PLUGS. THREE WEEKS LATER ON 9-11-04 VAN ENGINE DYED AGAIN WHEN COMING TO A STOP. KEEPED A LOG OF THIS. ON 9-25-04 WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE, THE ENGINE AGAIN DYED WHILE IN THE PASSING LANE. FINALLY GOT A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. HAD TO WAIT THREE DAYS TO GET VAN INTO KIA, LIGHT WENT OUT BY THEN. KIA DEALERSHIP SAID IT HAS A TRANSMISSION ERROR CODE BUT CAN'T PINPOINT THE DEFECT TO FIX. KIA KEPT THE VAN A WEEK TRYING TO GET ENGINE LIGHT TO REAPPEAR IN VAIN. SO I NOW HAVE A VAN THAT COULD STOPPED RUNNING AT ANYTIME AND PLACE. NOT VERY REASSURING OR SAFE. WE ARE VERY UPSET AND KIA CORP REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING TO REMEDY THE SITUATION. *NM

THE POWER LOCK IN THE DRIVER'S DOOR OF OUR 2002 KIA SEDONA LOCKS UNEXPECTEDLY. IT LOCKS BY ITSELF WHEN WE CLOSE THE DOOR; IT LOCKS BY ITSELF WHEN WE OPEN THE DOOR. WORSE, WHEN THE LOCK ACTIVATES IT LOCKS ALL OF THE DOORS IN THE VAN, INCLUDING THE TAILGATE. THIS IS A RANDOM, THOUGH FREQUENT, OCCURRENCE. THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION, SINCE WE HAVE AN INFANT AND A TODDLER, AND ARE ALWAYS FEARFUL OF BEING LOCKED OUT OF THE VAN WHILE THEY ARE INSIDE. *AK