2002 Kia Sedona EX recalls and problems

The 2002 Kia Sedona EX has 1 recall and 50 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is electrical system.

How the 2002 compares

Too few model years with complaints to compare.

1recalls

50complaints

2crashes

8fires

4injuries

84,000median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.

Check your VIN →

1 recall

Seats

Oct 5, 2005 · NHTSA campaign 05V463000 · 74,276 vehicles

Problem: On certain passenger vehicles equipped with power seats, the wiring under the front seats could be misrouted, allowing contact with metal seat components.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH POWER SEATS, THE WIRING UNDER THE FRONT SEATS COULD BE MISROUTED, ALLOWING CONTACT WITH METAL SEAT COMPONENTS.

Risk: This contact could eventually result in a short circuit condition that May result in a fire in the junction box area of the vehicle.

Original NHTSA wording

THIS CONTACT COULD EVENTUALLY RESULT IN A SHORT CIRCUIT CONDITION THAT MAY RESULT IN A FIRE IN THE JUNCTION BOX AREA OF THE VEHICLE.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will inspect and re-route the wires under the power seats, if necessary, as well as install protective seaming welts around those wires to better insulate them. The recall began on November 28, 2005. Owners May contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542.

Kia recall no. Sc054.customers May contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236; (tty: 1-800-424-9153); or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

NHTSA investigations

STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT BINDING

EA08017 · opened Aug 28, 2008 · closed Jul 1, 2009

Summary

ODIS ANALYSIS OF WARRANTY DATA SHOWS THAT THE ALLEGED DEFECT HAS OCCURRED AT A RELATIVELY HIGH FREQUENCY IN SALT-BELT STATES (5.9 PERCENT).HOWEVER, THE TESTS CONDUCTED BY ODI AND KIA HAVE SHOWN THAT THE ALLEGED DEFECT HAS A MINIMAL EFFECT ON STEERING EFFORTS.IN ADDITION, ODI INTERVIEWS OF OWNERS WHO EXPERIENCED THE ALLEGED DEFECT SHOWED THAT IN MOST CASES THE PROBLEM WAS PRECEDED BY MONTHS OR YEARS OF NOISE OR A GRADUAL INCREASE IN STEERING EFFORTS AND WAS MORE OF A NUISANCE CONCERN. THERE HAS BEEN ONE ALLEGATION OF A MINOR CRASH RELATED TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT, INVOLVING A MY 2003 KIA SEDONA WITH 59,900 MILES.THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN CHECKED TWICE IN THE PREVIOUS NINE MONTHS BY A DEALER FOR COMPLAINTS OF STIFF STEERING AND THAT THE VEHICLE FELT LIKE IT WAS INTERMITTENTLY LOSING POWER ASSIST.THE CRASH OCCURRED AS THE DRIVER WAS ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MILES PER HOUR AND STRUCK A VEHICLE PARKED ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE STREET THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TURNING INTO. THE CRASH RESULTED IN MINOR INJURIES TO THE DRIVER. AFTER THE CRASH, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT WAS EXHIBITING SOME BINDING OF THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT BEARINGS.WHILE THE ABSENCE OF ADDITIONAL CRASHES OR INJURIES DOES NOT MEAN THAT THERE IS NOT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT, THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPORTED ADDITIONAL CRASHES CAUSED BY THE ALLEGED DEFECT IN THE PAST THREE YEARS. THE RELEASE OF THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN SHOULD ASSIST SERVICE PERSONAL IN DIAGNOSING T…

STEERING BINDING

PE08033 · opened Apr 28, 2008 · closed Aug 28, 2008

Summary

ON APRIL 28, 2008, THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED PRELIMINARY EVALUATION PE08-033 TO INVESTIGATE COMPLAINTS ALLEGING STEERING BINDING IN MODEL YEAR 2002 THROUGH 2004 KIA SEDONA MINIVANS.KIA'S RESPONSE TO ODI'S REQUEST FOR INFORMATION IN PE08-033 INDICATED THAT CONCERNS WITH BINDING OF THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT WERE FIRST IDENTIFIED AND INVESTIGATED IN AUGUST 2002, IN VEHICLES SOLD IN INDONESIA.THIS INVESTIGATION RESULTED IN THE ADDITION OF A STIFFENING RIB TO THE BEARING CAP SEAL.IN JUNE 2003, KIA AGAIN INVESTIGATED OWNER COMPLAINTS OF STEERING NOISE AND HIGHER THAN NORMAL STEERING RESISTANCE AND IN OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER OF 2003 DESIGN CHANGES TO THE SHAFT UNIVERSAL JOINT BEARINGS WERE MADE TO IMPROVE LUBRICANT RETENTION AND ELIMINATE WATER INTRUSION THAT COULD LEAD TO EARLY BEARING FAILURE.ACCORDING TO KIA, THE ALLEGED DEFECT RESULTS IN A PROGRESSIVE CHANGE IN STEERING EFFORT THAT SHOULD BE APPARENT TO THE DRIVER THROUGH NOISE AND GRADUAL CHANGES IN STEERING STIFFNESS LONG BEFORE THE CONDITION COULD BECOME DANGEROUS. ODI'S ANALYSES OF COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY DATA RELATING TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT SHOW THAT THE CONDITION IS OCCURRING AT SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER RATES IN SALT-BELT STATES (NOTE:FOR PURPOSES OF THIS INVESTIGATION THE SALT BELT INCLUDES CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT…

2002 vs. other Kia Sedona EX years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2002. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2002 Kia Sedona EX have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign covering the 2002 Kia Sedona EX, the latest from Oct 5, 2005 (seats). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2002 Kia Sedona EX?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention electrical system (12), seats (8), air bags (7). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.