2008 Kia Sedona Body & Structure Problems
18 owner-reported body & structure complaints from NHTSA data
Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.
Owner Complaints (18)
While driving on the freeway, your hood suddenly flew open and struck your front windshield, severely blocking your view and making it unsafe to drive. Your rearview mirror also detached and became a projectile. The fix will likely involve inspecting and repairing the hood latch mechanism, replacing the windshield, and reattaching or replacing the rearview mirror.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Both of your van's sliding side doors stopped working because plastic clips in the door tracks broke, trapping your son inside the vehicle. The doors won't open from either the inside or outside, creating a serious safety concern—especially for passengers who need wheelchair accessibility. Fixing this will likely require replacing the broken plastic clips and track components in the sliding door mechanism.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
During a state safety inspection, a mechanic found severe corrosion on your vehicle's subframe — the metal framework that supports your car's suspension and body. You contacted Kia about a possible recall, but they determined your vehicle's VIN wasn't covered. This corrosion issue wasn't repaired and was discovered at around 96,000 miles. Addressing this may require replacing or treating the corroded subframe sections to restore structural integrity.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
SLIDING DOORS GET STUCK SHUT, AND UNABLE TO OPEN THEM EVEN UNLOCKING THEM MANUALLY DOES NOT HELP, HAVING TO PULL HANDLES SEVERAL TIMES TO GET THEM TO OPEN
THE SIDE DOORS ON MY 2008 KIA SEDONA VAN OPEN UNEXPECTEDLY AS I AM DRIVING THE VAN ON THE HIGHWAY. IT HAS DONE THIS MANY TIMES IN THE LAST 4 MONTHS. I HAVE A 2 AND 3 YEAR OLD IN THE BACKSEAT IN CHILDSEATS.
ME AND MY 2 YEAR OLD DRIVING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY WHEN THE HOOD HIT THE WINDSHIELD AND THANK GOD THE DRIVERS ON MY RIGHT SIDE HELP US GET OVER OR WE PROBABLY BE DEAD.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA SEDONA. WHILE STATIONARY AND DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, BOTH SLIDING DOORS WOULD OPEN WITHOUT BEING PROMPTED, AND WOULD NOT CLOSE WHEN SIGNIFICANT PRESSURE WAS APPLIED. THE FAILURE BECAME INCREASINGLY WORSE OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC GREASED THE INTERIOR PARTS OF BOTH SLIDING DOORS, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. A DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 144,252.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA SEDONA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR HAD NOT CLOSED AND THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR HAD NOT OPENED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DOORS NEEDED GREASE AND THE INDOOR AND EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE INSIDE THE PANEL WAS GREASED AND REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE ISSUE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.
PASSENGER SLIDING DOOR REPEATEDLY FAILED TO LATCH CLOSED AND WOULD KEEP OPENING WHEN YOU CLOSED IT. ONCE WE DID GET IT CLOSED THE DOOR OPENED WHILE DRIVING. KIA IS AWARE OF THE DANGEROUS DEFECTIVE DESIGN AND HAS ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN AND HAS A REDESIGNED PART AVAILABLE. KIA HAS NOT NOTIFIED CUSTOMERS. KIA WILL REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE LATCH UNDER WARRANTY DURING THE WARRANTY PERIOD BUT CHARGES FOR THE 'REPAIR' IF THE WARRANTY HAS RUN OUT. KIA REPLACES ONLY THE ONE LATCH THAT HAS ALREADY FAILED NOT BOTH DEFECTIVE LATCHES. *TR
I OWN A 2008 KIA SEDONA. THE SEDONA HAS/HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE AUTOMATIC OPEN/CLOSE DOOR ELECTRONICS BREAKING. THE LEFT AUTOMATIC DOOR FUNCTION STOPPED WORKING AND I RECEIVED AN ESTIMATE OF NEARLY $1000 TO REPAIR. I HAVE DONE RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT THE PROBLEM IS WELL DOCUMENTED. I DID NOT WORRY ABOUT THE PROBLEM BECAUSE I CAN STILL OPEN THE RIGHT DOOR ELECTRONICALLY. I HAVE SMALL CHILDREN AND IT IS VERY HARD FOR THEM TO OPEN THE SLIDING DOORS MANUALLY. IT'S HARD FOR ME TO OPEN THE DOORS MANUALLY. REGARDLESS, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT MY KIDS NOT BEING ABLE TO EXIT THE VAN FROM THE LEFT DOOR IF THE RIGHT DOOR, FOR WHATEVER REASON, IS NOT AN OPTION. KIA SHOULD HAVE TAKEN CARE OF THIS SAFETY ISSUE A LONG TIME AGO. *TR
WITHIN 18 MONTHS OF OWNING OUR KIA SEDONA, THE AUTOMATIC SLIDING DOORS WERE NOT OPERATING CORRECTLY. THE DOORS WOULD NOT CLOSE, AND WOULD REMAIN OPEN AT ALL TIMES. INCLUDING THE ORIGINAL INCIDENT ON JULY 22, 2010, WE HAVE BROUGHT THE SAME VAN IN A TOTAL OF 6 TIMES FOR INOPERABLE DOORS (DOORS THAT WOULD NOT REMAIN IN THE CLOSED POSITION.) THE DATES ARE AS FOLLOWS: 7/22/10, 9/1/11, 8/1/12, 3/7/13, 8/27/13 AND 6/16/14. WE HAVE HAD LATCHES REPLACED, NEW CONTROL MODULES INSTALLED, NEW DRIVE MOTOR ASSEMBLIES INSTALLED, BUT FEEL THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. I HAVE PERFORMED INTERNET SEARCHES FOR SIMILAR INSTANCES, AND I AM CLEARLY NOT ALONE IN THIS REGARD. I HAVE BEEN CHARGED FOR THESE VARIOUS REPAIRS, AND DO NOT BELIEVE THAT A POSSIBLE DEFECT IN ASSEMBLY OR PARTS, WHICH COMPROMISES MY FAMILY'S SAFETY, SHOULD BE MY RESPONSIBILITY. *TR
TL- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA SEDONA. THE CONTACT STATED THE SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT ACCURATELY LOG MILES AND SPEED. THE VEHICLE REGISTERS 3 MILES HIGHER THEN NORMAL. THE VEHICLE DOOR'S ARE ALSO NOT PROPERLY OPENING AND CLOSING. INTERMITTENTLY THE CONTACT CAN HEAR A LOUD ELECTRICAL GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM BOTH REAR DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS. THE CONTACT TOOK HIS VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO PROPERLY REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000. AZ
THE SLIDING DOORS DO NOT OPEN WHEN CAR IS UNLOCKED, EITHER FROM OUTSIDE OR INSIDE. A RECALL WAS ISSUED AND VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER. PROBLEM STILL NOT CORRECTED. *TR
THE ENGINE HOOD POPPED OPEN ON THE HIGHWAY (50MPH) CAUSING IT TO SWING BACK AND BREAK THE WINDSHIELD. DURING THIS TIME THE DRIVER'S VIEW (MY WIFE) WAS COMPLETELY OBSTRUCTED UNTIL SHE WAS ABLE TO BRING THE CAR TO A STOP ON THE MIDDLE LANE. I CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE SECONDARY SAFETY HOOK DID NOT ENGAGE PREVENTING THE HOOD FROM VIOLENTLY FLYING OPEN. THE CAR IS 5 YEARS OLD WITH 29000 MILES AND HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. JUST 2 WEEKS BEFORE THE INCIDENT, IT HAD BEEN SERVICED BY KIA FOR A MANDATORY RECALL OF THE REAR DOOR. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS HURT. ON A SIDE NOTE, IF ALL OTHER DOORS IN MOST OF TODAY'S CARS HAVE A WARNING LIGHT TO INDICATE THEY ARE OPEN, WHY NOT HAVE A SIMILAR LIGHT FOR THE HOOD? THANKS *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA SEDONA. THAT CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVERS SIDE SLIDING DOOR OPENED AND THE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DOOR WOULD NOT CLOSE AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 89,000. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA SEDONA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE SLIDING DOORS WOULD OPEN INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSE THAT THE DOOR POWER MOTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
DOORS FREEZE SHUT. CAN NOT OPEN THEM WHEN IT IS COLD OUT SIDE. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT HAS A 2008 KIA SEDONA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SLIDING DOORS CONTINUE TO CLOSE EVEN IF PERSON IS IN THE WAY OR IF THEIR HAND IS IN THE WAY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOOR CONTINUED TO CLOSE AND SMASHED THE FINGER OF ONE OF THE PASSENGERS. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT THE TIME. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE IS NO STANDARD FEATURE FOR A SENSOR ON THE SLIDING DOOR OF THE KIA VEHICLES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS38000 THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 38128. THE VIN NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE.