2003 Kia Sedona Steering Problems

While driving 40 MPH, your power steering suddenly stopped working, making the steering wheel very hard to turn. At the same time, your brakes locked up, and warning lights for the check engine, brakes, and airbags came on. Even after the power steering was repaired, you're still experiencing problems with it, and your brakes continue to lock up when driving in the rain. The issue may involve the power steering pump, brake system components, and the airbag electrical system.

Your Sedana has been making a whining noise during acceleration and deceleration. While turning right, you heard a pop and the steering completely failed, putting you in a dangerous situation on the highway. A mechanic identified the problem as the rack and pinion steering assembly. The repair will likely involve replacing the rack and pinion component that controls your steering.

ON MY 2003 KIA SEDONA, I HAVE REPLACED OVER 3 WHEEL BEARINGS AND HAVE ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE STEERING HAS LOCKED UP WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. *TR

2003 KIA SEDONA - MILEAGE ON THIS VAN 48,177 1. STEERING STIFFNESS, MAKE IT HARD TO TURN ABOUT 90% OF THE TIME WHILE DRIVING. 2. ROUGH ENGINE - MISSED FIRE DUE TO THE COIL LEAKAGE AND ABOUT STARTED ABOUT 6-8 MONTHS AGO. *TR

VEHICLE WAS PERFORMING NORMALLY UNTIL A RIGHT HAND TURN WAS ATTEMPTED AT A STREET INTERSECTION AT WHICH TIME THE STEERING WHEEL JAMMED AT APPROXIMATELY THE TWO O'CLOCK POSITION. IT TOOK ALL OF MY STRENGTH TO GET THE WHEEL TO TURN PAST THIS POSITION. ONCE ACCOMPLISHED I AGAIN HAD THE SAME DIFFICULTY RETURNING TO THE TWELVE O'CLOCK POSITION. THIS SITUATION CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO DRIFT INTO THE OPPOSITE TRAFFIC LANE. FORTUNATELY THE LANE HAD NO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED BUT I WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO MY MECHANIC'S SHOP. THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A DEFECTIVE UNIVERSAL JOINT IN THE STEERING COLUMN (INTERMEDIATE SHAFT). THEY ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THEY HAD SEEN SEVERAL CASES RECENTLY INVOLVING THE SAME VEHICLE AND THAT THE DEALERSHIP HAD USED UP THE FOUR IN STOCK FOR THE SAME PROBLEM ON 02 AND 03 KIA SEDONA VEHICLES. THE PART IS CURRENTLY ON NATIONAL BACK ORDER BECAUSE OF DEMAND. MY VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP WAITING FOR PART AVAILABILITY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SEDONA EX. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTS TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL, IT WILL NOT AUTOMATICALLY RETURN TO THE PROPER POSITION. THE FAILURE OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE STEERING COUPLER ASSEMBLY WAS BEGINNING TO FREEZE. THE FAILURE IS CAUSED BY LACK OF LUBRICATION THAT CAUSES THE COUPLER ASSEMBLY TO RUST. AS A RESULT, THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKS INTO ONE POSITION. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 103,000. UPDATED 04/03/08: KIA DID NOT MAKE THE STEERING COUPLER ASSEMBLY WITH GREASE FITTINGS AND THE STEERING IS STARTING TO FREEZE UP INTERMITTENTLY MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO GUESS WHEN IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL WHILE DRIVING. IT'S VERY UNNERVING.

HARD TO STEER ON TURNING STEERING DOES NOT WANT TO RETURN ALSO HARD TO TURN AT ANY SPEED. THE U-JOINT ON THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT BINDED UP WITHOUT WARNING. THE RACK AND PINION WAS REPLACED ALSO.

I'VE HAD MANY PROBLEMS WITH MY 2003 KIA SEDONA. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE HAS NEVER BEEN RIGHT. THE BRAKES WERE REPLACED AT 13K MILES, AGAIN AT 24K MILES (FRONT & BACK) AND I'M SURE THEY NEED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN AT 40K MILES. AT 22K MILES I TOOK THE VAN TO THE SHOP FOR BRAKES ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT BOTH WHEEL BEARINGS, THE LEFT STRUT (THEY REFUSED TO REPLACE BOTH STRUTS SINCE IT WAS WARRANTY BUT IF I WAS PAYING FOR THE REPAIRS THEY WOULD RECOMEND REPLACING IN PAIRS) AND THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS GOING OUT (WHICH THE MANAGER SAID HE WAS DOING ME A FAVOR BY TELLING ME ABOUT). I HAVE ALSO COMPLAINED OF THE A/C TAKING FOREVER TO COOL DOWN, HAD A SENSOR REPLACED FOR THE GAS TANK AFTER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND SERVICE TO THE DRIVERS SEATBELT. THEN YESTERDAY DURING A STORM I WENT THROUGH A PUDDLE ABOUT 4 OR 5 INCHES DEEP WHICH SPLASHED WATER ON MY VAN FOR A COUPLE OF SECONDS AND ABOUT 50 FEET DOWN THE ROAD THE VAN DIED AND COULD NOT BE RESTARTED. UPON HAVING IT TOWED TO THE KIA DEALER I WAS TOLD THAT MY AIRFILTER HAD GOTTEN WET AND THAT THERE WAS "DISH SOAP" IN MY AIRFILTER WHICH WOULD BE CONSIDERED CUSTOMER DAMAGE AND NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. I ALSO COMPLAINED ABOUT MORE NOISES COMING FROM THE FRONT AND A GRINDING NOISE WHEN I BEGIN ACCELERATION IN LOW GEARS. THEY REQUESTED I MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR SERVICE ON THOSE ISSUES. IN ADDITION, I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE ON 4/23/03, WHEN I TRIED TO FILE A COMPLAINT ABOUT MY SERVICE ON THE WHEEL BEARING, ETC WITH KIA THEY HAD NO RECORD OF ME EVER PURCHASING THIS VAN. APPARENTLY IN THEIR MINDS MY VAN WAS SOLD TO SOMEONE ELSE ON 2/27/03. THIS MEANS IF THERE IS EVER A RECAL OR SERVICE NOTICE SENT OUT I WOULD NOT RECEIVE THEM. IN ADDITION THEY HAD MY WARRANTY EXPIRATION DATE SET AT 2/27/03. I SPOKE WITH SEVERAL PEOPLE CONCERNING THIS ISSUE AND WAS ASSURED THAT THIS WOULD IMMEDIATELY BE CORRECTED, HOWEVER YESTERDAY WHEN I CALLED FOR ASSISTANCE I WAS TOLD THAT THE VAN WAS STILL LISTED AS BEING SOLD TO ANOTHER PERSON. *AK