2016 Kia Sedona Complaints

ENGINE — Filed 08/17/2026

The vehicle radiator exploded while driving on the freeway. Towed to mechanic radiator replaced and housing. Problem persosted. With a simple pressure test the coolant in the reservoir began to boil immediately meaning there's a cracked engine block.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — Filed 04/25/2026

While driving car gas tank blew a hole and started on fire. Car then lost power while on fire while I was in traffic, luckily I was able to cut into a parking lot and people that were in traffic with me call 911. Fire department confirmed there was a hole in gas tank which sits right underneath driver side. Fire was only contained to where the gas tank and lines are. I have pictures.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING — Filed 01/03/2026

The contact owned a 2016 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that while her nephew was driving, the nephew made a left-hand turn, and the vehicle was hit on the front right quarter panel. The contact stated that her nephew had turned on the left-hand signal and was halfway through making the left turn when the accident occurred. The other vehicle drove on the opposite side and stated that the left-hand turn signal was not on. The contact's nephew was unsure if any warning lights were illuminated. The driver-side and passenger-side air bags were deployed. The contact's nephew had minor injuries and had a bruise on the right arm and chest that did not require medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a towing yard. The contact then had the vehicle towed to the residence and no longer driven. The insurance company was contacted, and the results are pending. Upon further investigation, the contact discovered that the vehicle had an open recall pending: NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V725000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). The contact stated that there was a passenger in the vehicle. The passenger was sitting on the front passenger seat and was not injured. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 96,000.

ENGINE — Filed 10/04/2025

Complete engine failure while driving with 4 passengers along freeway. Engine began to have a knocking noise, with no warning lights. Engine failed a few miles down the road, and started a small fire in the engine bay. Vehicle is currently under inspection at the dealership. Mileage at the time of incident was about 98,200.

STEERING,AIR BAGS,ENGINE — Filed 06/25/2025

I have a 2016 kia sedona. Engines on the vehicle have been known to be bad and I already had 1 engine replaced under their extended warranty that covers to 150000 miles after a blown head gasket. I got a new engine 11/2024 however car overheats & coolant leak everywhere&bust hoses. I was told to replace radiator and all cooling/heater hoses, but video show coolant bubbling car still overheating. Replaced one loose hose under warranty. Car overheats again was told to replace relay switch for fan another. Dealer crash my car waited a month for parts and they never repaired damages to my bumper and airbag light. 2 month later car overheats again now coolant spraying into trunk and hose pop again now at heater core. There is no light notice of when car overheating tiil very hot. Or someone tells me my car is smoking by then it is followed by a loud noise and coolant leaking everywhere again. This time the overheating bust the heater core hose in my trunk and was spraying coolant all in trunk while I was getting ready to get of freeway. Very scary. I pulled over just in time for noise and coolant to leak out everything from resovoir again. This is my family car and have 5 kids under 18 and feel very unsafe now. Despite paying for everything kia suggest every 1-2 months they still fail to find cause of overheating and constant hoses breaking or coming loose after the pressure build up and I am scared this car will catch fire or stall one day with my children in car. Already noticed sometime its like car struggles to accelerate despite a supposed new engine but car been constantly overheating even after engine replacement and it also still causes sludge in hose& had 4 coolant flushes in a year and new hoses and now seems people working on car not sure what they doing because I was told I needed new heater hoses 2months later they didn't know my heater core was at back car so didn't replace so this hose burst despite kia recommendation to replace. Please help b4 it too late

UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE — Filed 06/10/2025

On Tuesday June 10, 2025 at approximately 11:43 am, while heading north on 75 at mile marker 148, my 2016 Kia Sedona caught fire. I initially became aware of a problem while heading southbound on 75. While listening to an audio book, my wife and I heard a sudden noise which appeared to come from the engine. I (the driver) I noticed that this noise (rattling/ ticking) only occurred when I accelerated. We pulled off at the nearest safe exit (exit 101/102 Cordele) at a Marathon gas station. I inspected the engine to see if we were low on oil or anti-freeze. I noticed that the oil was low, however we did not have any visible leaks at our home. I added 3 quarts of oil and the vehicle began making a ticking noise. I asked Siri to locate the nearest auto repair shop (Quality Auto Repair) which was approximately .5 miles away from our location. The mechanic on duty informed me that it was the engine and that because I was under 150,000 miles I could take it to a Kia dealership to have this replaced because it was a GDI engine. Instead continuing our trip south, we decided to head back toward home to take our van to a Kia dealership near our house. Approximately 42 miles into our drive back home the vehicle began to idle and then smoke came from the engine. I pulled over to the side of the road and opened the hood to investigate the potential problem and then suddenly flames came from beneath the van near the engine. I asked my wife and 14 year old daughter to exist rapidly. My wife had no issues, however we couldn't open my daughters door. She was able to successfully climb to the front and exit out of the passenger side safely. Within 10 mins or so, 70-75% of the vehicle was engulfed in flames. Prior to pulling over, none of my indicators were illuminated so there was no warning until the vehicle completely shut down. My insurance company has assessed that this is a total loss. Pics and videos are available upon request.

ENGINE — Filed 02/09/2025

The engine failed while driving on the interstate. Believed to have been catastrophic failure. Sudden loss of power and maneuverability could have led to a collision. Vehicle was towed to owner's residence. Prior to the failure a rapid knocking sound was heard from the engine. No warning lights were indicated.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE — Filed 08/13/2024

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The vehicle's engine and electrical system appear to have failed, resulting in a fire originating from the engine compartment. The vehicle is currently at a salvage yard and available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The fire occurred while my wife was picking up our children from school. Fortunately, they were able to exit the vehicle safely, but the incident posed a significant risk to their safety and could have resulted in severe injury or death. The vehicle was completely engulfed in flames and is now unusable. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? The specific issue leading to the fire has not yet been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or service center. However, the vehicle had been previously serviced by Gilman Honda on March 12, 2024, due to a loud grinding noise and issues with the air conditioning, for which I was charged $855. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? The vehicle has not yet been inspected by Kia or any other manufacturer representative. I have opened a case with Kia, and they are aware of the incident and have expressed interest in inspecting the vehicle. My insurance company has been informed, but they have not inspected the vehicle. The vehicle has not been inspected by the police. Were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? There were no warning lights or messages indicating a potential problem immediately before the fire. However, the vehicle had been experiencing intermittent grinding noises and air conditioning malfunctions, which were brought to the attention of the service department on March 12, 2024.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING,LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES — Filed 06/06/2024

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed at night going downhill, the headlights to the vehicle shut off inadvertently and the contact to almost struck a pedestrian. The contact stated that the vehicle struck a curb, and he became disoriented. The air bags had not deployed. A Police report was filed by the Sacramento Police Department. The contact later sought medical attention with their primary care physician. The contact also stated that the rear driver’s side sliding door failed to lock or unlock. The vehicle was taken to a dealer who was not able to diagnose the vehicle. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 68,000.

STEERING,POWER TRAIN — Filed 04/23/2024

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.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE — Filed 03/02/2024

No lights on the dash, no maintenance or check engine lights. The van began making noises under the hood and then blowing white smoke from the exhaust. The electrical connectors to the fan were melted and hot. To the cooling fan, radiator, etc. The fan connector caused the car to over heat.

SERVICE BRAKES — Filed 11/04/2023

Q: What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? A:Brake shift lock. Yes, available for inspection upon request. Q: How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? A: Rolled backwards in driveway, injured foot and brake trying to stop vehicle from passenger side; vehicle rolled into neighbor's driveway before rolling forward to complete halt in the middle of the street. Incident on video occurred Sun 11/4 @ 9:51pm CDT. Q: Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? A: No. Not as of yet on Sun 11/4 @ ~11pm CDT. Q: Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? A: No. Not as of yet on Sun 11/4 @ ~11pm CDT. Q: Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? A: No.

ENGINE — Filed 08/21/2023

The vehicle started making a rattling noise, but there were no lights on the dash at all!. My husband checked the oil and there was no oil. (It wasn't even due for an oil change yet.) Even after adding 5 quarts of oil, the engine threw a rod through the oil pan while it was being driven down the road. Then the engine caught on fire. Thankfully, my husband was able to get the car to the side of the road without causing an accident or getting burned. There were chunks of metal and oil sprayed all over the road. We had to have it towed and upon an independent mechanic's inspection, found out that the engine was completely destroyed and would have to be replaced and would probably cost about $8,500 (not including the added cost of a rental vehicle while the engine is replaced.) We had just had the oil leak recall completed in May and the local Kia dealership said everything was fine. My husband attempted to call Kia directly as well as the local Kia dealership, but no resolution has been reached.

ENGINE — Filed 03/26/2022

Engine caught fire while traveling on the highway. It was towed to the dealer. Dealer told us that engine failure and fire had been caused by oil leak, which occurred even with us bringing the car in for routine maintenance regularly and as recommended by Kia. Yes, our safety was put at risk as our engine failed and caught fire while we were traveling at high speed on a highway. There was no warning prior to this happening, and I had just brought the car into the dealer for routine maintenance within two weeks prior to the fire. With that said, I had been bringing the car to the dealer for routine maintenance regularly and bringing to their attention that the "low oil" warning light would appear intermittently, which it should not have done as I WAS bringing the car in for regular maintenance and oil changes. They did not seem to feel that that was an issue and would replenish the oil and send us on our way.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE — Filed 07/04/2023

While driving down the road, the car started sputtering and smoking. There were no warning lights on the dash, or irregular readings. My son pulled over and flames were coming from underneath the vehicle. Upon immediate inspection, there was an oil trail in the road behind the vehicle and pieces of the rod and oil pan. They said it looked like the engine threw a rod, damaging the oil pan, and causing the fire. We are still awaiting an independent inspection and solution from Kia, but they’re taking their time. Thankfully my son was able to exit the vehicle quickly and safely.

AIR BAGS — Filed 12/31/2022

1)The airbags failed at time of accident, yes is available for inspection. 2)This is a family car (KIA Sedona 2016) with kids in the car ..if the airbags not working at time of an impact, could and up in deadly/fatality accident. 3) No. 4)The vehicle has been inspected by police and insurance. 5) no warning or issues show anywhere to advise of issue, this car has not been involve in any accident before. Last time took the car to dealer was 1 month ago… November 2022

ENGINE — Filed 12/24/2021

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sedona. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH there was raddling noise and then flames. The check engine light came on. The engine immediately caught on fire. The contact was able to pull over safely and exit the vehicle quickly with her son the passenger. The police arrived on the scene first and informed the fire department that the flames had deteriorated automatically; therefore the fire department did not arrive. Unknown if a police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to several dealers; however, the last dealer diagnosed the failure to be hole blown engine. There were no major injuries or medical reports. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure was 73,000.

POWER TRAIN — Filed 09/28/2021

On September 28, 2021 we found out the hard way that our minivan's gear shift could be moved from the parked position to reverse, neutral and forward without having the car turned on and without needing to have a foot pressed on the break. While the car was parked (off) on our home's driveway, my three year old and his brother were in the car getting ready to drive to school and my wife was at the door of our house waiting for our other son to come out. In the interim our three year old son got his hands on the shifter and without much effort was able to move the shifter out if the parked position. As a result the van rolled down the driveway with two of my children in it. The vehicle ended up on the street where there was incoming traffic. If it weren't because the car hit the fence, other cars would probably not have stopped and it could have been a worse incident. I've reported incident to Kia on 9/29/21 and was referred to the corporate department. To date 10/14/21 we have yet to get a resolution from Kia and address the incident. They assigned a representative who has yet to provide any concrete guidance and support. My car is not road safe to drive and now I'm left without a family car and traumatized children from this event. I've tested moving the shift gear myself and indeed it moves without having the car on or pressing the break. There were no warning lamps in the car to alert of an issue. The car is at an autoshop pending Kia's inspection but Kia has yet to inspect the vehicle or provide any guidance other than we may need to take the car to a dealership to check something. Autoshop will not touch the car until Kia's tech inspects it. My auto insurance company's adjuster has documented shift gear issue when conducting visual inspection of damages to the car.

ENGINE,FIRERELATED — Filed 06/16/2021

The contact owned a 2016 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he felt the vehicle was bumping and thought there was a flat tire. The ESP fault and low tire pressure warning lights were illuminated. The contact pulled over and turned off the vehicle to check the rear passenger tire. While the contact was on the phone with roadside assistance, he noticed there was smoke coming from under the hood then there were flames coming from under the hood. A police report was filed. No medical attention was received. The contact was unaware if the fire department extinguished the fire since he got transported by a bystander to her residence nearby. The vehicle was towed to a towing lot. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 32,000.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING — Filed 05/12/2021

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 55 mph and while making a left turn, the vehicle made slight contact with a second vehicle. While viewing the second vehicle's video dashcam it was discovered that the driver's side rear signal light did not illuminate. Upon inspection, the contact discovered that water had leaked into the rear light housing and the bulb was submerged in water causing the bulb to become inoperable. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The local dealer was not contacted. During the crash, no injuries were reported and a police report was taken at the scene. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 104,000.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 03/20/2017

ABOUT 1917 THE POWER SLIDING DOORS STOPPED WORKING CORRECTLY. THE DOORS MAKE A LOUD SCREACHING SOUND WHEN CLOSING WHEN STOPPED. & IN MOTION. DOORS DO NOT CLOSE AND LOCK COMPLETELY AND HAVE TO BE CLOSE BY PUSHING IN THE BACK WHERE AND FRAM MEETS. GOT A RECALL ON SLIDING DOORS. WENT 3/22/21 AND ALL THAT WAS DONE WAS TO REPROGRAM THE COMPUTER. THIS DIDN T FIX THE PROBLEM AT ALL. CALL KIA AND WAS TOLD , HAVE TO FIX ON OWN. DID CALL ABOUT ISSUE IN 2017 TOLD IT WOULD COST OVER $1000.00, COULDN'T AFFORD. ALSO ASKED ABOUT WHY AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON AND THAT THE GAS DOOR BUTTON DOESN T OPEN. HAVE TO GET OUT AND HIT GAS DOOR TO OPEN. THOUGHT THAT 100000 WARRENTY WAS TO COVER ANYTHING BUMPER TO BUMPER. WHY PAY THE EXTRA FOR NOTHING.

STRUCTURE,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — Filed 06/13/2018

THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY AND BURNED TO THE GROUND. WE CONTACTED KIA MOTORS REGARDING THIS. IT TOOK THEM WEEKS BEFORE THEY SENT OUT A REPRESENTATIVE TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. UPON INCEPTION OF THE VEHICLE THEY SIMPLY DENIED THAT THE ENGINE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY FAULTY PARTS AND DECLINED RESPONSIBLY FOR THE IT!

UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — Filed 09/26/2017

I WAS DRIVING GOING WESTBOUND ON HIGHWAY 84 IN PENNSYLVANIA AND HIT A DEER GOING 65MPH. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. I WALKED OUT TO THE MILE MARKER AND WHEN I TURNED AROUND MY CAR WAS ON FULLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. EVENTUALLY MY CAR BLEW UP AND I LOST EVERYTHING.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE — Filed 08/01/2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA SEDONA. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DUTCH MILLER KIA OF CHARLESTON (335 MACCORKLE AVENUE SW, SOUTH CHARLESTON, WV 25303) TO BE SERVICED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V338000 (STRUCTURE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM), BUT THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REMEDY FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER SLIDING DOOR DID NOT AUTO-REVERSE AND CRUSHED THE CONTACT'S UPPER ARM. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND A CASE WAS OPENED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — Filed 02/15/2017

WHILE PULLING INTO MY DRIVEWAY GOING BETWEEN 5-10 MPH I APPLIED THE BRAKE AND THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD INTO MY GARAGE DOOR WHICH WAS CLOSED AND DAMAGED ANOTHER CAR PARKED IN THE GARAGE. IF THE OTHER CAR WAS NOT THERE TO STOP IT I MAY HAVE BEEN KILLED. I REPORTED THIS TO KIA AND THE INVESTIGATION ONLY SHOWED A BLOWN FUSE WHEN THEY CONNECTED IT TO THE TESTER. THERE ARE TWO OTHER ACCIDENTS THAT I KNOW OF WITH SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES, PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED OR LOSES MONEY DUE TO SOMETHING THAT WAS NOT THEIR FAULT. BY THE WAY I WAS TURNING RIGHT INTO MY DRIVEWAY AND MY HUSBAND WAS BACKING OUT IN HIS CAR WHEN THIS TOOK PLACE AND HE SAW THE WHOLE THING.