2002 Kia Sedona Electrical System Problems

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.

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.

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 .

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

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.

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

I NOTICE THAT WHEN I UNBUCKLE MY SEATBELT, THE WARNING LIGHT DOES NOT COME ON, NOR DOES IT CHIME. IT DOES NOT MATTER IF YOU ARE IN DRIVE AND MOVING, OR PARKED. THE SEAT BELT LIGHT WON'T ILLUMINATE, NOR DOES THE CAR CHIME. THE ONLY TIME THE LIGHT ILLUMINATES IS WHEN YOU FIRST START UP THE VEHICLE. I DON'T BELIEVE IT EVER HAS IN THE ENTIRE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. I NOW HAVE OVER 102,500 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. *TR

MY 2002 KIA SEDONA CAUGHT FIRE ON NOVEMBER 7, 2012. I WAS UNAWARE OF THE EXISTENCE OF ANY RECALLS NEEDED FOR MY KIA OR THAT I WAS DRIVING A VEHICLE THAT COULD START ON FIRE AT ANY TIME?..I HAVE CHILDREN AND A GRANDCHILD THAT I TRANSPORT! I SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL. I NOTIFIED KIA THE DAY OF THE INCIDENT, PROVIDED ALL INCIDENT INFORMATION AND REPORTS FROM THE KIRKLAND FIRE DEPARTMENT, WAITED, AND CONTINUED TO DO ALL THAT WAS ASKED OF ME BY KIA. OVER 2 MONTHS LATER I WAS TOLD BY MICHELE HILLEGAS, NATIONAL CONSUMER AFFAIRS ANALYST, THAT MY VEHICLE WAS TOO OLD, WASN'T UNDER WARRANTY ANYMORE AND HADN'T BEEN FOR QUITE SOME TIME SO THEY WOULD NOT COMPENSATE ME FOR ANY LOSS. SHE ALSO STATED THAT IF I HAD FULL COVERAGE INSURANCE THIS WOULD HAVE COMPENSATED ME FOR MY LOSS. RECALLS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE DEALER WARRANTY OR MY INDIVIDUAL INSURANCE THAT I CARRY ON MY VEHICLE. SOON AFTER I BOUGHT MY KIA IN 2008 I PURCHASED AN 50,000 MILE EXTENDED VEHICLE WARRANTY FOR MY VEHICLE FROM A COMPANY KNOWN AS ENDURANCE WARRANTY WHICH HELPED ME MAINTAIN MY VEHICLE IN THE BEST WAY IT COULD BE. THIS WEB LINK TALKS ABOUT THE RECALL WHICH MY 2002 KIA SEDONA EX NEEDED??..HTTP://WWW.OHIOLEMONLAW.COM/SAFETY-RECALL-17.SHTML A FEW WEEKS PRIOR TO THE FIRE, MY ELECTRIC FRONT PASSENGER SEAT STOPPED WORKING. I BELIEVE NOW THAT A FAULTY ENGINEERING PROBLEM WELL DOCUMENTED BY KIA IS THE REASON WHY THAT SEAT QUIT WORKING AND THEN EVENTUALLY CAUSED A SHORT IN THE WIRING ULTIMATELY CAUSING THE FIRE IN THE FUSE BOX THAT DESTROYED MY VEHICLE. SINCE KIA IS REQUIRED TO PERFORM RECALLED REPAIRS TO ALL KIA VEHICLES INVOLVED IN RECALLS THAT ARE IN THEIR POSSESSION (KIA DEALERSHIPS) AND MY RIGHTS AS A KIA OWNER WERE NEGLECTED, I BELIEVE I AM LAWFULLY ENTITLED TO BE COMPENSATED FOR MY LOSS IN A FAIR AND EQUITABLE MANNER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA SEDONA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT FAILED AND WAS BLOWING WARM AIR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND AN INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED, WHICH DETERMINED THAT THE CONDENSER WAS LEAKING. THE DEALER ALSO FOUND THAT THE VEHICLE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE SUB FRAME WAS CORRODED WITH ONLY TWO INCHES OF METAL LEFT SUPPORTING THE ENGINE. THE CORROSION ALSO SPREAD TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DENIED ASSISTANCE WITH THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 62,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA SEDONA. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY AND THE WIRES FROM THE DRIVER SIDE UNDER THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CAUGHT FIRE. THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE BY ALSO CUTTING THE ELECTRICAL WIRES FROM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND STATING THAT WAS THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE. A REPORT WAS AVAILABLE IF NEEDED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CONTACT DID NOT CONTACT HER INSURANCE COMPANY, THE DEALER OR THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

2002 KIA SEDONA EX, PURCHASED 03/2008. MY SISTER IN LAW WAS DRIVING MY VAN ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. SHE PULLED OVER OFF THE HIGHWAY AND WENT TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, TO WHICH IN BEGAN TO SMOKE AND THE WHOLE FRONT END WENT UP IN FLAMES. *TR

THE AIRBAG LIGHT ON THE 2002 KIA SEDONA HAS BEEN ON AND THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN ASSESSED MANY TIMES. PER THE MECHANIC AT THE DEALERSHIP THERE IS NO WAY TO IDENTIFY IF THE AIRBAG WORKS OR NOT. THE ENTIRE SYSTEM WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED WHICH IS VERY EXPENSIVE. THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS TO THE HATCHBACK HAVE FAILED AND THE ABILITY TO OPEN THE HATCHBACK HAS CAUSED AN ISSUE WITH RELEASING THE CAGE TO DROP THE SPARE TIRE. BE PREPARED THERE IS NOT A LIGHT THAT TELLS YOU THE HATCHBACK WILL NOT OPEN WHICH COULD LEAD TO A MULTITUDE OF PROBLEMS WHILE TRAVELING AT NIGHT. ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE A TIRE FAILURE WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY DRIVING OUT OF TOWN ON A WEEKEND AND GO TO OPEN THE HATCH AND IT WILL NOT OPEN, THEREFORE THE ABILITY TO USE THE SPARE IS NOW NULL AND VOID. HOPEFULLY THE CELL PHONE YOU OWN HAS RECEPTION TO CALL A TOW TRUCK TO TOW YOUR CAR TO THE NEAREST TOWN. ONCE THERE I HOPE THE HOTEL LEFT THE LIGHT ON BECAUSE THE TIRE STORE IS NOT OPEN AT 10 PM. THE BRAKE LIGHT HARDWARE IS NOT BOLTED IN PROPERLY- WHEN I BOUGHT MY VAN SOMEONE HAD ACTUALLY USED VELCRO TO HOLD THE BRAKELIGHTS/TAILIGHT COVERS IN PLACE. WHICH ALSO CONSISTS OF A HEADLIGHT ISSUE- WHEN THERE IS A LOT OF SNOW/RAIN I MUST REPLACE THE HEADLIGHTS EVERY 6 TO 8 WEEKS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA SEDONA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO INFORMED HER THAT THERE WAS A LOOSE WIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, IT CURRENTLY WILL NOT START AND SHE NOTICED THAT THE HEATING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT ALL OF THE WIRES HAD MELTED, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AGAIN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 65,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 73,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA SEDONA. THE CONTACT HEARD AN UNFAMILIAR NOISE AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CAUGHT FIRE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS ELECTRICAL. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WAS NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY PARKED IN HIS DRIVEWAY. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 61,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA SEDONA. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR APPROXIMATELY 8-10 HOURS WHEN IT SUDDENLY CAUGHT FIRE. THE WIRING FUSE BOX CAUSED THE ENGINE, RADIO, AND WIPER/WASHER TO ACTIVATE. THE FIRE ORIGINATED IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DOUSE THE FIRE WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TOWED TO A DEALER AND THEY DID NOT PROVIDE A REASON AS TO WHY IT CAUGHT FIRE. THE CONTACT FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THE SAME TYPE OF VEHICLE WITH IDENTICAL FAILURES. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 72,000. UPDATED 03/06/08. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE RECALL WAS DONE, HOWEVER EVER SINCE THE REPAIR, THE SEATS NEVER WORKED CORRECTLY. THE CONSUMER HAD WORKED DONE ON THE AIR CONDITIONER. UPDATED

SINCE PURCHASING A SEDONA VAN IN '02 WE HAVE HAD NONE STOP ELECTRICAL ISSUES. THE BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED AT LEAST TWICE, SAME FOR THE ALTERNATOR, AND MOST RECENTLY THE CAR CAUGHT FIRE BEHIND THE PANEL NEST TO THE PARKING BRAKE PEDAL. MY WIFE DROVE THE CAR AT 1:00PM TO THE STORE AND THEN CAME HOME, PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, AND LOCKED THE DOORS. AT 10:00PM WE WERE AWAKEN BY A NEIGHBOR WHO TOLD US THAT THE CAR WAS RUNNING, THE WIPERS RUNNING, AND THE INTERIOR FILLING WITH SMOKE. I UNLOCKED THE DOORS AND USED THE EXTINGUISHER TO STOP THE FIRE. THANKFULLY SHE DID NOT PARK IN THE GARAGE OR OUR HOUSE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE CAUGHT FIRE. *TR MM

4 MONTHS AGO MY ALTERNATOR WENT, TAKING WITH IT MY ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. AFTER EVERYTHING WAS FIXED BY THE REPAIR SHOP OF MY CHOICE, THE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS STILL ON AND COULD NOT BE RESET BECAUSE KIA WILL NOT RELEASE THE CODES TO DO SO. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND $90 LATER SIMPLY RESET THE CODES TO CLEAR THE LIGHT. NOW I FIND MYSELF WITH THE LIGHT ON AGAIN, AND MY 2002 KIA SEDONA AT THE DEALERSHIP TO FIND OUT WHY. OF COURSE, IT CANNOT BE AS SIMPLE AS THE CODE NEEDING TO BE RESET, AND I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT THERE IS A FAULTY SENSOR IN THE SEATBELT MECHANISM THAT WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. THIS WILL COST $200 + TO HAVE DONE. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS A RECURRENT PROBLEM WITH KIA SEDONAS AND I CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY IT IS NOT A RECALL ITEM. MY SISTER-IN-LAW HAS HAD TO REPLACE THEIRS TWO TIMES NOW, MY FATHER-IN-LAW HAS HAD TO REPLACE HIS AT LEAST ONE TIME, AND MY SISTER-IN-LAWS MOTHER-IN-LAW HAS HAD TO REPLACE HERS AT LEAST TWICE. THESE ARE JUST FAMILY MEMBERS, AND I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM. ON THIS SITE ALONE I HAVE FOUND SEVERAL, NOT TO MENTION OTHER MESSAGE BOARDS SHOWING THE SAME COMPLAINTS. AT WHAT POINT DOES A COMPLAINT LIKE THIS GET INVESTIGATED TO BE RECALLED? THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF AND I IMPLORE YOU TO INVESTIGATE INTO THIS MALFUNCTION. THANK YOU. *TR UPDATED 09/19/07 *TR

2002 KIA SEDONA WITH ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS CUSTOMER STATES THAT THE CAR WENT DEAD WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE**CC IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ALTERNATOR WAS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM, WHICH ALSO DAMAGED OTHER COMPONETS. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT RECEIVED TWO RECALL LETTERS; ONE FOR THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS, AND THE OTHER FOR HEADLIGHTS. SHE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM BY PHONE AND WILL NOT BE ABLE TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE UNTIL JANUARY 11, 2005. THE MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDED THAT CONTACT ANOTHER DEALERSHIP. *AK