Your vehicle report
2016 Kia Sedona
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 297
- Received Apr 2016 to Oct 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Rear door latch fails to open or close33 complaints · 11% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Engine burns excessive oil between changes23 complaints · 7.7% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Engine knocking from rod or main bearings22 complaints · 7.4% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #22V612000Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016 Sedona and Sorento vehicles. The vehicles may have been manufactured with faulty automatic transmission shift lever assembly components, preventing the shift lever from locking, which can allow the vehicle to rollaway.
- Recall #21V725000Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Sedona vehicles. The Smart Junction Box (SJB) software logic may not properly interpret the signals received from the multifunction switch, which could cause the turn signal to activate in the opposite direction of what the driver intended.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
- Engine burns excessive oil between changesFirst signal: Jul 2024
- Engine knocking from rod or main bearingsFirst signal: Oct 2023
- Head gasket leaks coolant into engineFirst signal: Dec 2023
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 10 crashes, 14 fires, 10 people injured, 2 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 19 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 9 |
| 2017 | 9 |
| 2018 | 10 |
| 2019 | 22 |
| 2020 | 23 |
| 2021 | 22 |
| 2022 | 27 |
| 2023 | 31 |
| 2024 | 64 |
| 2025 | 53 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 27 |
| Total | 297 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 33 | 11% | – | |
| Engine burns excessive oil between changes | 23 | 7.7% | 8.7× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Jul 2024 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 1.2% |
| Engine knocking from rod or main bearings | 22 | 7.4% | 12.2× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Oct 2023 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 2.0% |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 22 | 7.4% | 2.7× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Dec 2023 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.4% |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 17 | 5.7% | – | |
| Turn signals work intermittently or fail | 16 | 5.4% | – | NHTSA recall #21V725000 |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 14 | 4.7% | – | |
| Engine stalls and loses power while driving | 10 | 3.4% | 2.8× | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 9 | 3.0% | 2.6× | |
| Airbag warning light stays on | 6 | 2.0% | – | NHTSA recall #19V109000 |
| Vehicle suddenly loses engine power at speed | 6 | 2.0% | – | |
| Paint peels off roof and hood | 5 | 1.7% | 7× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Aug 2026 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.2% |
| Tail light sockets melt and burn | 5 | 1.7% | – | |
| Door ajar light stays on when closed | 4 | 1.4% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 4 | 1.4% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 3 | 1.0% | – | |
| Passenger airbag sensor wrongly shows off | 3 | 1.0% | – | NHTSA recall #19V109000 |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 3 | 1.0% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 3 | 1.0% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #22V612000August 10, 202228,065 vehicles affected
power train: automatic transmission: lever and linkage: column shift
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016 Sedona and Sorento vehicles. The vehicles may have been manufactured with faulty automatic transmission shift lever assembly components, preventing the shift lever from locking, which can allow the vehicle to rollaway.
A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of a crash and injury.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the automatic transmission shift lever assembly components, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 7, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC246.
NHTSA recall #21V725000September 17, 202188,576 vehicles affected
electrical system: software; exterior lighting: turn signal
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Sedona vehicles. The Smart Junction Box (SJB) software logic may not properly interpret the signals received from the multifunction switch, which could cause the turn signal to activate in the opposite direction of what the driver intended.
A turn signal activating in the opposite direction of what was intended by the driver increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will update the SJB software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 12, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC217.
NHTSA recall #19V109000February 19, 201994,389 vehicles affected
electrical system: wiring
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Sedona vehicles equipped with manually-adjusted front passenger seats. Over time, the Occupant Detection System (ODS) wiring harness located underneath the front passenger seat may break from the seat being occupied.
If a child is in a child seat in the front seat, a broken ODS wiring harness will not prevent the front passenger air bag from deploying in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury to the child.
Remedy
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will remove the wire harness clip to prevent the wiring harness from breaking. If the harness is found damaged, the front passenger seat cushion will be replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began March 19, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC175.
NHTSA recall #18V338000May 23, 2018106,428 vehicles affected
electrical system: software; structure: body: door
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Kia Sedona vehicles equipped with a power sliding door (PSD). The PSD may not auto-reverse when its closing is obstructed.
If the door closes on an occupant, there is an increased risk of an injury.
Remedy
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the PSD module software, free of charge. The recall began on June 18, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC164.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2016 Kia Sedona.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN