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2016 Kia Sedona

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Sedona years

Owner complaints for the 2016 Kia Sedona are substantially higher than the model-year median of 120.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

100 reports with mileage · 195 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine. Review the 146 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 46 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 37 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

10 crash reports14 fire reports9 injury reports

What owners actually said

295 reports
Mileage unknown · Jun 17, 2024
Engine

The problem started in late July of '23 and I already filed a complaint back then. But I want to file again and emphasize that this is systemic issue with all 2016 Kia Sedona vans. Last year, I was driving with five kids in the car on the way to the beach. While exiting a traffic circle (anyone who has ever driven in NJ knows ho…

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The problem started in late July of '23 and I already filed a complaint back then. But I want to file again and emphasize that this is systemic issue with all 2016 Kia Sedona vans. Last year, I was driving with five kids in the car on the way to the beach. While exiting a traffic circle (anyone who has ever driven in NJ knows how dangerous NJ traffic circles can be) when we lost power. The van would not accelerate over 35mph, and we had to drive home in limp mode on the shoulder. Thankfully it was early in the morning, and no one was on the road. Had this happened during a busy time, we would have been rear-ended or worse. I took it to my local mechanic who did $200 worth of repairs, but the vehicle still would not run at full speed and had a very rough idle. I should add prior to loss of power, there were ZERO warning lights, and the car was running fine. I was just about due for an oil change, and I change it on a regular basis according to Kia's recommendations. Then I took it to Kia, and they said they could TRY to fix it for $8000 but they couldn't promise it would work and said my other option was a complete engine replacement. Currently, I have been continuing to drive the van locally because I cannot afford another car. If I drive more than 35-40 minutes the car completely loses power and I have to pull over to the side of the road, turn the car off and wait a few minutes. When I turn it on it will run fine for another 35-40 minutes. I know it is my choice to continue to drive the vehicle, but I wanted to report that the loss of engine power happens almost daily and continues to be a danger. Thankfully, I stick to back roads and avoid highways and I have not lost power on a busy road, yet. I am concerned that there are MANY MORE complaints with the NTHSA for the EXACT same issue and there doesn't seem to be any movement with investigations or recalls. Kia continues to sell these used vans to people who have no clue. This is a life-threatening issue!!!!

NHTSA ODI #11594836

Mileage unknown · Jun 12, 2024
Power TrainSteeringFire

While parking, the power steering hose melted and power steering liquid leaked, causing the engine room and the bottom of the engine room to catch fire. There was danger to the driver and cars parked nearby. The problem was confirmed and repaired at a auto repair shop. Firefighters responded and the insurance company inspected t…

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While parking, the power steering hose melted and power steering liquid leaked, causing the engine room and the bottom of the engine room to catch fire. There was danger to the driver and cars parked nearby. The problem was confirmed and repaired at a auto repair shop. Firefighters responded and the insurance company inspected the vehicle. Before the error occurred, there were no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of a problem.

NHTSA ODI #11594052

Mileage unknown · Jun 12, 2024
Engine

While driving the check engine light came on, the radio started talking about an engine failure, and my van lost all power. I was on an interstate going at least 70 mph, my children in the vehicle and cars, trucks, and semis passing us. We were almost hit trying to get to the side of the road. I took the van to the Kia dealershi…

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While driving the check engine light came on, the radio started talking about an engine failure, and my van lost all power. I was on an interstate going at least 70 mph, my children in the vehicle and cars, trucks, and semis passing us. We were almost hit trying to get to the side of the road. I took the van to the Kia dealership where they informed me that it would need an engine replacement. Before this incident there was no warning of the failure at all.

NHTSA ODI #11593911

Mileage unknown · Jun 11, 2024
Exterior Lighting

The rear brake / turn signal light housing tends to fill with water. When this occurs the turn signal lights short out. This presents a risk when making turns or switching lanes if the driver is unaware the rear signal is out. There are numerous online articles and videos illustrating the issue. KIA is also aware of the issue,…

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The rear brake / turn signal light housing tends to fill with water. When this occurs the turn signal lights short out. This presents a risk when making turns or switching lanes if the driver is unaware the rear signal is out. There are numerous online articles and videos illustrating the issue. KIA is also aware of the issue, but do not cover it under their warranty or offer repair.

NHTSA ODI #11593699

Mileage unknown · Jun 2, 2024
Engine

Engine Control system warning came on without warning 2 days before we Took it to our local mechanic. He fixed it with a $2700 price. Told us the accutuator on bank #2 was bad. He ended up replacing several other parts including the timing chain. We got our van back, and 3 days later the ECS warning was back with a tick, & the e…

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Engine Control system warning came on without warning 2 days before we Took it to our local mechanic. He fixed it with a $2700 price. Told us the accutuator on bank #2 was bad. He ended up replacing several other parts including the timing chain. We got our van back, and 3 days later the ECS warning was back with a tick, & the engine light came on. I believe Kia has a real need to recall this issue.

NHTSA ODI #11591977

Mileage unknown · May 30, 2024
Engine

Blown head gasket, possible head bolt issue.

NHTSA ODI #11591490

Mileage unknown · May 19, 2024
Engine

I purchased my kia Sedona new and have always properly maintained it. It now has approximately 140,000 miles on it. Our sedona started to get hot so we let it cool down then took it straight to the dealership. They said we need a new engine, the head gasket is leaking because of faulty threads in the engine block. They said thi…

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I purchased my kia Sedona new and have always properly maintained it. It now has approximately 140,000 miles on it. Our sedona started to get hot so we let it cool down then took it straight to the dealership. They said we need a new engine, the head gasket is leaking because of faulty threads in the engine block. They said this is a common problem on this engine that they get a couple a week with this problem! They said sorry but kia would not help with any of the cost.

NHTSA ODI #11589501

Mileage unknown · May 17, 2024
Engine

Noticed power loss in engine, engine started knocking, on the way to the mechanic the motor seized up, oil changed per manufacturer specs every 5,000 miles

NHTSA ODI #11589350

Mileage unknown · May 17, 2024
EngineUnknown Or Other

While driving from La Crosse WI to Champlin, MN on [XXX] I noticed car was not responding as much as usual when pressing gas and might have been making some clicking type noises but lots of other noises in and around vehicle could not tell for sure. Then suddenly heard very loud clanking and banging sounds and saw smoke come out…

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While driving from La Crosse WI to Champlin, MN on [XXX] I noticed car was not responding as much as usual when pressing gas and might have been making some clicking type noises but lots of other noises in and around vehicle could not tell for sure. Then suddenly heard very loud clanking and banging sounds and saw smoke come out of engine, I pulled over. Upon pulling over I discovered a large oil leak under the vehicle and oil pouring out. This happened while on a highway about to merge onto a freeway. I was 34weeks pregnant and had 3 kids in the vehicle. We were barely able to make it to the shoulder before stopping. Cars were not slowing down passing us. Very dangerous situation. If we had not been able to get to the shoulder when we did we would have likely been hit at high speeds. Vehicle was towed to Heartland Tire Inc at 11438 Jefferson Court, Champlin MN 55316. Upon inspection on [XXX] they found a hole (around 3" diameter) in the engine block. We have reached out to Kia 5 different times only able to speak to one person who suggested we pay Kia to investigate what happened, they have no interest in exploring this issue without charging us. Therefore with a current estimate of $9316.84 we have made the decision to scrap the vehicle. There were no warning lamps on prior to pulling over. After pulling over the engine, oil and possibly a third lamp were lit up. For about 10 mins we had no power after turning off the vehicle (even to put the windows down, another safety concern) I was able to open the front passenger window until the I could get some power and roll down some windows. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #11589310

Mileage unknown · May 4, 2024
Engine

I was driving my vehicle when my car engine started making a large grinding noise and there were zero sensors going off about anything wrong. I immediately pulled over and saw oil just dumping out of the engine

NHTSA ODI #11586941

Official recalls

4

22V612000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:column Shift

Aug 10, 2022

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016 Sedona and Sorento vehicles. The vehicles may have been manufactured with faulty automatic transmission shift lever assembly components, preventing the shift lever from locking, which can allow the vehicle to rollaway.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of a crash and injury.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the automatic transmission shift lever assembly components, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 7, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC246.

21V725000 · Electrical System:software; Exterior Lighting:turn Signal

Sep 17, 2021

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Sedona vehicles. The Smart Junction Box (SJB) software logic may not properly interpret the signals received from the multifunction switch, which could cause the turn signal to activate in the opposite direction of what the driver intended.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A turn signal activating in the opposite direction of what was intended by the driver increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will update the SJB software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 12, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC217.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Electrical System:software

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Sedona vehicles. The Smart Junction Box (SJB) software logic may not properly interpret the signals received from the multifunction switch, which could cause the turn signal to activate in the opposite direction of what the driver intended.

Consequence: A turn signal activating in the opposite direction of what was intended by the driver increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will update the SJB software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 12, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC217.

Exterior Lighting:turn Signal

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Sedona vehicles. The Smart Junction Box (SJB) software logic may not properly interpret the signals received from the multifunction switch, which could cause the turn signal to activate in the opposite direction of what the driver intended.

Consequence: A turn signal activating in the opposite direction of what was intended by the driver increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will update the SJB software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 12, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC217.

19V109000 · Electrical System:wiring

Feb 19, 2019

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Sedona vehicles equipped with manually-adjusted front passenger seats. Over time, the Occupant Detection System (ODS) wiring harness located underneath the front passenger seat may break from the seat being occupied.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If a child is in a child seat in the front seat, a broken ODS wiring harness will not prevent the front passenger air bag from deploying in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury to the child.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will remove the wire harness clip to prevent the wiring harness from breaking. If the harness is found damaged, the front passenger seat cushion will be replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began March 19, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC175.

18V338000 · Electrical System:software; Structure:body:door

May 23, 2018

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Kia Sedona vehicles equipped with a power sliding door (PSD). The PSD may not auto-reverse when its closing is obstructed.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the door closes on an occupant, there is an increased risk of an injury.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the PSD module software, free of charge. The recall began on June 18, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC164.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Electrical System:software

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Kia Sedona vehicles equipped with a power sliding door (PSD). The PSD may not auto-reverse when its closing is obstructed.

Consequence: If the door closes on an occupant, there is an increased risk of an injury.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the PSD module software, free of charge. The recall began on June 18, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC164.

Structure:body:door

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Kia Sedona vehicles equipped with a power sliding door (PSD). The PSD may not auto-reverse when its closing is obstructed.

Consequence: If the door closes on an occupant, there is an increased risk of an injury.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the PSD module software, free of charge. The recall began on June 18, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC164.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

DP24002 · 3.3L Engine Loss Of Motive Power (lomp)

Opened Feb 27, 2024 · Closed Mar 5, 2024

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a petition on February 20, 2024, requesting the opening of an investigation into an alleged defect of the "engine" on the following vehicle model stated by the petitioner: 2016 Kia Sedona vehicles equipped with the 3.3L V-Shaped GDI Lambda-II engine. The petitioner raised the issue of a Loss of Motive Power. On November 13, 2023, ODI opened PE23-019 to address allegations of loss of motive power, on the 3.3L V6 Lambda-II engine for 2016-2017 Kia Sorento and included the 2016 Kia Sedona as a peer vehicle. This investigation is ongoing and addresses the potential safety-related defect raised by the petitioner.  In view of the open Investigation, PE23-019, ODI considers the petition moot and is closing this action.  The closing of the petition does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.  The Agency reserves the right to make that determination at the close of PE23-019.