Kia · Sedona · 2002
3
Recalls
247
Complaints
-
Not Rated
The 2002 Kia Sedona has 3 recalls and 247 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Most reported issue: electrical system (24 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 22, 2026
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, SOME OF THE SECOND AND THIRD ROW SEAT STRIKERS INSTALLED ON THE VEHICLE FLOOR PAN HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY HEAT TREATED AND COULD BREAK IN A CRASH.
Remedy Status
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SEAT STRIKERS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN APRIL 25, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542
CERTAIN MINI VANS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 209, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES." THE SECOND AND THIRD SEAT BELT BUCKLE ANCHOR BOLTS DO NOT COMPLY WITH THE STANDARDS.
Remedy Status
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE ANCHOR BOLTS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN FEBRUARY 24, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.
ON CERTAIN MINI VANS, DURING ASSEMBLY, THE THROTTLE CABLE WOULD TWIST ITSELF OUT OF POSITION.
Remedy Status
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE THROTTLE CABLE FREE OF CHARGE. VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM MARCH 20, 2001 THROUGH NOVEMBER 7, 2001 WILL HAVE A GUIDE CLIP INSTALLED ON THE THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THE TENSION FORCE CABLE DOES NOT MOVE OUT OF POSITION. VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BEGINNING ON NOVEMBER 8, 2001, ALREADY HAVE THE EXTENDED GUIDE, WHICH ACCOMPLISHES THE SAME OBJECTIVE. THE RECALL BEGAN MARCH 21, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA SEDONA EX. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT TIGHTENED AND WOULD NOT RETRACT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 131,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2002 KIA SEDONA EX. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. ALL THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE POLICE ARRIVED AT THE SCENE, BUT A REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO AN IMPOUND LOT. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE NECK, LOWER BACK, LEFT SHOULDER, AND CHEST, WHICH DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
DRIVER DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE.
I WAS DRIVING NO LESS THEN THAN BLOCK FROM MY HOUSE - WHEN I NOTICE SMOKE FROM THE DRIVER SIDE FUSE PANEL AND NEXT THING YOU KNOW THE WHOLE PANEL BECAME ENGULF IN FLAMES. I CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND ABLE TO PUT FIRE OUT- BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THE CAR BECOME TOTAL IN THE DAMAGE.
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND WHEN YOU BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN THE TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTS FASTER THEN IT SHOULD AND ON SNOW COVERED ROAD THE FRONT STARTS TO SLIDE WHEN IT DOES THIS AND WHEN IT SHIFTS BACK UP IT VIBRATES OTHER THEN THAT ITS FINE ANY IDEA WHAT THE PROBLEM COULD
THE VAN WAS ON FIRE IN MY YARD. ONLY THE FRONT DRIVERS FRONT SIDE CAUGHT FIRE. WHEN I FOUND IT IT WAS BLASING OUT OF THE DOOR AND WINDSHIELD. I GOT THE HOSE PIPE AN UNHOOKED THE BATTERY TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. IT MELTED THE WHOLE DASHBOARD ALL THE WAY TO THE RADIO STEERING WHEEL WINDSHIELD ONLY ON DRIVERS SIDE ALL DAMAGE WAS AT FRONT DRIVERS FRONT SIDE.I DIDN'T DRIVE THE VAN ALDAY THAT DAY.
TAKATA RECALL. I WAS AT HOME I HEARD SOME KIND OF NOISE OUT SIDE LIKE A HORN BLOWING SO I LOOK OUT AND MY VAN WAS ON FIRE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE AND I RAN FOR THE HOSE TO PUT IT OUT THEN I CALLED 911AN THE FIRE DEPT. CAME AN THE ARSSON DEPT AND HE SAID IT WAS IN THE SEAT TO THE FUSS BOX AND THAT'S WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE MY CAR IS TOTALED CAN YOU PLEASE LET ME KNOW THE WHOLE VAN ON DRIVERS SIDE IS TOTALED I HAVE NO WAY TO GO NOW .
IT IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO PUMP GAS INTO THE VAN. THE PUMP KEEPS SHUTTING OFF NO MATTER HOW SLOW I PUMP OR HOW FAR I PUT THE NOZZLE INTO THE TANK.
DROVE HOME FROM WORK AT 35 MPH. THE NEXT MORNING NOTICED TIRE TREAD HAD SEPARATED FROM THE SIDEWALL AROUND MUCH OF THE PERIMETER OF THE TIRE. TIRE WAS FLAT.
BEFORE THE INCIDENT THERE WERE ISSUES WITH THE REAR CAPTAIN CHAIRS SEAT BELT LATCH WHEN TRYING TO BUCKLE THEM. I HAVE THREE SMALL CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 3 YEARS OF AGE AND IT IS VERY IMPORTANT AND CRUCIAL THAT SEAT BELTS ARE IN WORKING ORDER WITHOUT ISSUES FOR THE SAFETY OF THEIR WELL BEING. BEFORE THE INCIDENT THE SEATS THEMSELVES IN THE REAR ROWS HAD ISSUES LATCHING AS WELL WHEN BEING INSTALLED. ON AUGUST 18, 2015 MYSELF AND THREE SMALL CHILDREN WERE IN A SEVERE HIGH IMPACT ACCIDENT AND NONE OF THE AIRBAGS HAD GONE OFF LIKE THEY NEVER EXISTED. MY KIDS AND I SUFFER FROM SEAT BELT ABRASIONS AND I SUFFER FROM BRUISING IN MULTIPLE PLACES FROM MY HEAD DOWN, SHOULDER PAIN AND BACK ISSUES. POLICE, PARAMEDIC'S, COLLISION CENTER, WITNESSES, AND MY INSURANCE COMPANY WERE ALL NOTIFIED OR HAD NOTIFIED ABOUT THE AIRBAGS. APPARENTLY, MY SEAT WHICH WAS THE DRIVER SEAT WAS ALSO COMPLETELY SNAPPED OFF AS WELL. UPDATED 08/26/15*BF
THE AIRBAGS SYMBOL HAS BEEN REMAINING ON. IT WAS TAKEN TO MANY DIFFERENT SHOPS BUT THEY SAY THAT IT HAS TO DO WITH THE AIRBAGS PROBLEM. THERE IS NOTHING THAT THESE MECHANICS CAN DO. SO I WAS TOLD TO REPORT THIS ISSUE TO KIA.
I HAD MY CAMSHAFT REAR PLUG REPLACED AFTER IN CAME OUT AND LEAKED OIL EVERYWHERE IN 2014. NOW IT'S COME OUT AGAIN DOING THE SAME THING. WHAT CAN I DO TO KEEP IT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN AND AGAIN. IS IT THE PLUG OR THE CAMSHAFT THAT'S BLOWING IT OUT. I CAN'T FIND ANY SCHEMATIC TO SHOW ME WHY OR WHAT TO DO. *TR
GOING DOWN 251 AND THEY WERE BUSH HOGING AND WE SLOWED DOWN AND THE LAST ONE WE WENT BY BROKE THE PASSENGER SIDE BACK WINDOW. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA SEDONA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH AND CRASHED INTO THE REAR ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUFFERED HEAD, NECK AND BACK INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AT THE SCENE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000.
THE CAR WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE. A NEIGHBOR KNOCKED ON THE DOOR AND TOLD US THAT THE KIA WAS ON FIRE. NO ONE WAS IN THE CAR AT THAT TIME. THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS TOTALLY BURNED UP. THE CAR GAVE ME NO OTHER PROBLEMS. *TR
BOTH OF MY FRONT DOOR HANDLES ON INSIDE BROKE COMPLETELY OFF EXACTLY THE SAME WAY ONLY WAY TO GET OUT IF MY CAR IS TO ROLL WINDOW DOWN AND OPEN FROM OUTSIDE. ALSO SLIDING DOOR HANDLE SAME MATERIAL BROKE OFF I FEEL IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD IF THE WINDOWS WERE TO QUIT WORKING I WOULD HAVE NO WAY OUT. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA SEDONA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE WIRING OF THE AIR CONDITIONING AND HEATING UNITS. ADDITIONALLY, THE DASH LIGHTS WOULD NOT PROPERLY ILLUMINATE. THE POWER DOOR LOCKS AND POWER WINDOWS WOULD ALSO INTERMITTENTLY FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 127,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
DRIVING HOME AND A DEER JUMPED OUT IN FRONT OF MY VAN AND I HIT THE DEER AND TOTALED MY VAN BAD WHERE THE AIR BAGS SHOULD OF WENT OFF BUT IT DIDN'T NOW THERE'S A LIGHT ON THE DASH THAT LOOKS LIKE A GUY SITTING IN A SEAT WITH A BELT ON AND AN AIR BAG IN FRONT OF IT.
I DROVE 25 MINUTES FROM A TO B AND PARKED MY CAR. TURNED THE ENGINE OFF SAT THERE WITH THE RADIO ON FOR 1 MINUTE EXACTLY AND I HEAR A. PSHHHHH AND SMOKE RISING QUICKLY, THEN A FLAME FROM THE FUSE BOX BY MY LEFT FOOT. I GOT OUT OPENED THE DOOR LOOKED FOR THE SMOKE AND FLAME THAT WERE REFLECTING AND WAVING. I OPENED THE FUSE BOX SLIDER COVER WITH A KNIFE AND STARTED TO SQUIRT WATER OUT FROM MY BOTTLED WATER QUICKLY. THANK GOODNESS I HAD WATER. FLAME WENT OUT AND I SAW THE INSIDE OF THE FUSE COVER BURNT, AND A FUSE LOOKED LIKE IT CAUGHT ON FIRE BECAUSE THE FUSE LOOKED COMPLETELY MELTED.I HAVE A VIDEO OF THE AFTERMATH RIGHT AFTER THE FIRE WENT OUT. TOMORROW ILL BE CALLING INSURANCE, KIA, AND WHOEVER ELSE THAT CAN HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON AND WHAT I CAN DO TO ENSURE MY SAFETY. PLEASE HELP OR APPROVE A RECALL. THANK GOODNESS I DIDNT EXIT MY CAR SO QUICK OR ALOT OF THE CAR WOULD HAVE BEEN ON FIRE.
AT APPROX. 3:55 A.M ON THE ABOVE DATE MY STEP SON WOKE UP TO THE SOUND OF A HORN CONTINUOUSLY BLOWING IN OUR DRIVEWAY. HE LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW AND SAW FLAMES COMING FROM INSIDE THE CAB OF THE LISTED VEHICLE. HE RAN INTO THE BEDROOM AND WOKE ME AND HIS MOM UP. I JUMPED UP AND RAN OUTSIDE TO FIND MY FIANCES VAN ON FIRE AS I RAN BACK IN THE HOUSE TO GET THE KIDS AND HER TO GET OUT OF THE TRAILER BECAUSE THE VAN WAS PARKED WITHIN 5 FEET OF IT THE DRIVERS WINDOW BUSTED AND FLAMES BEGAN ROLLING OUT OF IT. WE CALLED 911 AND WAITED FOR THE FIRE DEPT TO GET THERE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE VAN BECAME FULLY INVOLVED AND BURNED ALMOST COMPLETELY UP. I FOUND OUT LATER THAT DAY OF A RECALL BACK IN 2005 OF POSSIBLE FIRE DANGER CAUSED BY WIRING IN ELECTRIC SEATS. I STARTED THINKING THAT MAY BE WHAT STARTED BECAUSE THE DRIVERS ELECTRIC SEAT STOPPED WORKING ABOUT 8 MONTHS AGO. WE BOUGHT THE CAR USED A COUPLE YEARS AGO AND NEVER RECEIVED ANY RECALL NOTICES ABOUT IT. WHAT DOES HER OR I NEED TO DO. IF THIS WAS IN FACT CAUSED DUE TO A RECALL WE NEED TO BE REPLACED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 25 complaints
The 2002 Kia Sedona has 3 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 247 owner-reported complaints for the 2002 Kia Sedona.
NHTSA has not published a safety rating for the 2002 Kia Sedona.
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2002 Kia Sedona are electrical system (24 reports), seat belts (18 reports), vehicle speed control (16 reports).
Yes. NHTSA has 3 recalls on record for the 2002 Kia Sedona. Scroll up to review the published recall summaries, consequences, and remedies. To check for unrepaired recalls on your specific vehicle, use your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Look up recalls and complaints for any year, make, and model.
This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.