2004 Kia Sedona EX Brakes Problems

WHILE DRIVING TODAY, I NOTICED A WHINING NOISE, WITH A SLIGHT GRINDING NOISE TO IT AS WELL. INITIALLY THINKING IT WAS THE BRAKES, I LISTENED CLOSER AND REALIZED IT WAS NOT HAPPENING WHEN BRAKING BUT RATHER SEEMED TO BE HAPPENING WHEN TURNING, PRIMARILY DURING ACCELERATION. SOON AFTER THE TURN AS I STEADIED SPEED, THE NOISE WOULD DECREASE OR DISAPPEAR. AFTER THE FIRST FEW TIMES MAKING TURNS HOWEVER, IN ADDITION TO THE NOISE THE STEERING WHEEL ALSO BECAME VERY STIFF AND EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN. IT PROGRESSED SO SUDDENLY AND SEVERELY THAT I WAS WORRIED I MAY NOT MAKE IT HOME WITHOUT CRASHING. THIS ALL HAPPENED DURING A TOTAL OF APPROXIMATELY 20 MILES OF DRIVING IN TOWN. SINCE RETURNING HOME I BEGAN TO INVESTIGATE WHAT THE LIKELY CULPRIT MAY BE, AND NOW BELIEVE STRONGLY THAT IT IS THE UNIVERSAL JOINT; A PROBLEM THAT HAS CLEARLY EFFECTED ENOUGH KIA SEDONA OWNERS THAT I FIND THE LACK OF RECALL QUITE MADDENING AND A BIT CONFOUNDING. WITH TWO YOUNG CHILDREN IN THE VAN AT THE TIME, IT IS PLAIN TO SEE HOW POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS THIS PROBLEM IS, AND I AM JUST GRATEFUL THAT THERE WAS SO LITTLE TRAFFIC AT THE TIME; HAD IT BEEN A BUSIER TIME OF DAY OR MORE HEAVILY POPULATED TOWN, I BELIEVE A CRASH WOULD'VE BEEN HIGHLY UNAVOIDABLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10596215

Incident

Jun 4, 2014

Mileage

96,249 mi

I HAVE BEEN GOING TO KIA FOR YEARS COMPLAINING OF A STRANGE INTERMITTENT GROANING SOUND COMING FROM THE BRAKES AT LOW SPEED STOPS. IT WOULD NEVER MAKE NOISE AT THE DEALER AND WOULD ONLY MAKE THE NOISE SOMETIMES. NEVER FOR THE SAME REASON. IT WAS VERY RANDOM. THIS TIME I WAS DRIVING FOR SEVERAL HOURS ( CITY TRAFFIC) WHERE I BEGAN TO HEAR THE SOUND. AFTER ABOUT 20 MINUTES OR SO I SMELLED RUBBER OR TAR. THOUGHT IT WAS FROM THE STREET REPAVING BUT WHEN WE PASSED THE CONSTRUCTION I COULD STILL SMELL IT. THE CAR BEGAN TO DRIVE AS THOUGH THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. AFTER ABOUT 2 MILES AT SLOW SPEED I PULLED OVER AND SAW STEAM. I LIFTED HOOD WHERE IT APPEARED TO BE COMING FROM TRANSMISSION. I CONTINUED 10 MPH OR LESS TO GET CLOSER TO HOME AND OUT OF THE WAY OF TRAFFIC. ABOUT A MILE OR 2 LATER I COULD HARDLY DRIVE EVEN AT SLOW SPEED. I PULLED OVER TO STOP AND AS I GOT OUT THE FRONT PASSENGER BRAKES WERE ON FIRE AND THE REAR DRIVER SIDE BRAKES WERE SMOKING. THE FRONT BRAKES WERE NEW AND THE BAKE ONES STILL HAD PLEA TOY OF LIFE. I HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING FOR YEARS AND KEEP GETTING TOLD THERE IS NO PROBLEM. THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10535679

Incident

Aug 15, 2013

Mileage

76,000 mi

2004 KIA SEDONA EX. THERE IS A HYDRAULIC SYSTEM CONTAINING A RESERVOIR WHICH CONTROLS REAR BRAKE FORCE ON TURNS AND OTHER BRAKING MANEUVERS. THIS RESERVOIR IS SUBJECT TO LEAKS (LOCATION -- BETWEEN REAR WHEELS). LEAKING FROM THIS RESERVOIR AND LOW PRESSURE TRIGGERS THE 'CHECK ENGINE' AND 'BRAKE FAILURE' LIGHTS. TEMPORARY FIX IS TO REFILL THE RESERVOIR, BUT THIS LEAKAGE PROBLEM APPEARS SYSTEMIC FROM MANUFACTURE. IF LEFT UNATTENDED, CONTROL OVER THE REAR BRAKING SYSTEM IS SEVERELY DIMINISHED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10241847

Incident

Sep 11, 2008

Mileage

72,000 mi

I, LIKE OTHERS ON THIS SITE, HAVE TAKEN MY KIA TO THE DEALER FOR BRAKES ISSUES. GRINDING AND STUTTERING WHILE BRAKING. KIA HAS "CORRECTED" THE PROBLEM THREE TIMES, AND ALL THREE TIMES HAVE TOLD ME IT WAS RESOLVED. THE FOURTH TIME I WAS TOLD IT WAS NO LONGER A "PROBLEM" THAT IT WAS INDICATIVE OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM! MY SERVICE MANAGER AT THE KIA DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THAT KIA IS WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM , BUT CHOOSES TO IGNORE IT, AND THAT HE HAS HAD QUITE A FEW CUSTOMERS WITH THE SAME ISSUES. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE OUR PURCHASE OF THE CAR IN FEB 2004. *TR

NHTSA ID

10240490

Incident

Jul 13, 2005

Mileage

7,264 mi

5/05 NOTICED HUMMING ON OCCASION FROM REAR WHEELS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS 6/30/05 RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE THAT REAR HUB ASSEMBLY/OR BEARINGS MAY NEED REPLACING. 7/05 BROUGHT CAR TO DEALER FOR RECALL REPAIR, DEALER ORDERED PART 8/12/15 PART IN TO DEALER, BEARING SCORED AND REPLACED BOTH OUTER WHEEL BEARINGS NOTICED LOUD HUMMING NOISE WORSE SINCE RECALL REPAIR 8/30/05 BOTH REAR HUB ASSEMBLIES NEEDING REPLACEMENT 3/22/06 AT 22,000 MILES BOTH ROTORS AND BRAKE DRUMS WARPED AND NEED REPLACING AT OWNERS EXPENSE 8/29/06 VIBRATION COMING FROM REAR OF VAN, TIRES ROTATED AND REBALANCED, VIBRATION STILL NOTED IN REAR END 8/31/06 AC COMPRESSOR AND RADIO BRAKES BOTH REPLACED 9/29/06 RADIO BREAKS AGAIN AND IS REPLACED 11/1/06 UNABLE TO REMOVE KEY FROM ENGINE, SHIFT LOCK CABLE BINDING 11/9/06 LOUD HUMMING NOISE AGAIN NOTED IN REAR OF CAR, REAR VALVE REPLACED 11/29/06 LOUD HUMMING NOISE CONTINUES REAR HUB ASSEMBLY FOUND TO BE COMING APART, RIGHT REAR HUB ASSEMBLY REPLACED, VIBRATION IN REAR CONTINUES 1/4/07 LOW SCREECHING SOUND INTERMITTENTLY WHEN APPLYING BRAKES SINCE REPLACING REAR HUB ASSEMBLY, BOLTS IN REAR DRUMS FOUND TO BE MISSING , BRAKE PAD TOO TIGHT READJUSTED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10177764

Incident

Jan 4, 2007

Mileage

17,000 mi

2004 SEDONA BRAKES MAKE A MOANING AND GRINDING NOISE. BRAKES WERE REPLACED AND NOISE STILL PERSIST. *TS THE CONSUMER STATED THE SLIDING DOOR WAS HARD TO CLOSE AT TIMES. *JB

NHTSA ID

10155193

Incident

Nov 18, 2005

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED ALL OF THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS HAVE BLOWN. BOTH THE HEADLIGHTS AND TAILLIGHTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 2 TIMES EACH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION; HOWEVER THE CAUSE OF PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN ALERTED.

NHTSA ID

10151663

Incident

Feb 22, 2006

Mileage

41,000 mi

2004 KIA BRAKES SQUEAL AND GRIND, BRAKES WERE REPLACED. *TS THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES AND EACH TIME THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10152996

Incident

Nov 18, 2005