Owner-reported complaints naming the seat belt system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Kia Sedona submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SEDONA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO BUCKLE THE SEAT BELT, THE SECOND ROW SEAT BELT ANCHOR CABLES SNAPPED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 124,000.
I BOUGHT A USED 2003 KIA SEDONA WITH 136000 MILES. THE DAY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, THE SRS INDICATOR LIGHT STARTED STAYING LIT ON THE DASH. MY MECHANIC FOUND THAT THE CODE WAS B1513, WHICH INDICATED A PROBLEM WITH THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT BUCKLE (FEMALE END). THEY ORDERED THAT PART NEW FROM KIA AND REPLACED IT (FOR A COST OF $238). THE INDICATOR LIGHT DID NOT DISPLAY FOR ABOUT THREE WEEKS WHEN IT WENT ON AGAIN. THIS TIME, THE CODES WERE B1511 AND B1513, WHICH INDICATES PROBLEMS WITH BOTH THE DIVER AND PASSENGER BUCKLES. MY MECHANIC BELIEVES IT IS A WIRING ISSUE, AND AT THIS POINT WE ARE NOT REPLACING THE SEATBELTS, BECAUSE I HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING THAT IT WOULD REALLY RESOLVE THE ISSUE. THE COST TO REPLACE THE SRS WIRING IS PROHIBITIVE (OVER $1000). I FEEL VERY UNSAFE IN THIS VEHICLE, AS NO ONE CAN SAY FOR SURE THAT MY AIRBAGS WILL STILL DEPLOY IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT. IT IS VERY DISAPPOINTING BECAUSE THE VEHICLE STILL DRIVES VERY WELL. KIA SHOULD BE MORE PROACTIVE ABOUT REPLACING/REPAIRING FAULTY SRS COMPONENTS, EVEN IN OLDER VEHICLES. *TR
I HAVE A 2003 KIA SEDONA AND MY 8 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WENT TO BUCKLE HER SEAT BELT, 2ND ROW DRIVERS SIDE, AND THE BUCKLE PART CAME OFF THE SEAT. UPON INSPECTION I FOUND THAT THE BUCKLE WAS BROKE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STEEL CABLE THAT HOLDS THE BUCKLE TO THE SEAT, THERE IS THE BUCKLE, CABLE, THEN BOLTS THAT HOLD THE BUCKLE TO THE BASE OF THE SEAT . I CONTACTED KIA AND WAS IMMEDIATELY TOLD THAT IT WOULD BE FIXED AT MY EXPENSE SINCE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS AND THERE WOULD BE NOTHING THEY COULD OR WOULD DO. I TOOK THE VAN TO MY DEALER AND THEY HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT, THEY SPOKE TO THEIR DISTRICT MANAGER AND WERE TOLD THE SAME THING, MY EXPENSE. AFTER THE DEALER VISIT I INSPECTED THE REST OF THE BUCKLES ONLY TO FIND THAT THE OTHER 2ND ROW SEAT BELT IS WEARING THROUGH THE STEEL CABLE AND THE FRONT PASSENGER BELT IS BROKE THROUGH THE WIRES AND PART OF THE STEEL CABLE. KIA CALLED THIS MORNING TO INFORM ME THAT THEY HAD SPOKE WITH THE DISTRICT MANAGER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILED DUE TO WEAR AND TEAR. THE ONLY PEOPLE TO LOOK AT THE BUCKLE WERE THE SERVICE TECH'S AND THEY JUST LOOKED AT, THE MANAGER NEVER SAW THE BUCKLE. I HAVE AN ESTIMATE OF $401.64 FOR THE REPAIRS. I AM THE ONLY OWNER AND PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW, IN NOVEMBER 2003, AFTER MY TWINS WERE 3 MONTHS OLD. I ALSO HAD A DAUGHTER AT THE TIME THAT WAS 6. THE ONLY PEOPLE TO SIT IN THOSE SEATS ARE CHILDREN, NOW 9 AND 15. THE CAR SEATS, WHEN NEEDED, WERE SECURED WITH THE TETHERS. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT I CAN DO? KIA IS BEING VERY SHORT WITH ME AND DON'T SEEM TO WANT TO HELP ME OTHER THAN TELLING ME THERE IS NO WARRANTY. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SEDONA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT ON THE PASSENGER?S SIDE THIRD ROW SEAT SEIZED AND WOULD NOT RELEASE THE PASSENGER. THE SEAT BELT HAD TO BE CUT FROM AROUND THE PASSENGER. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT FOR THE THIRD ROW SEAT ON THE DRIVER?S SIDE RECENTLY FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO REPLACED THE SEAT BELT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000. UPDATED 06/06/12 *BF THE CONSUMER HAS STATED THAT ONLY THE FIRST SEAT BELT WAS REPLACED NOT THE SECOND. THE AIR BAG LIGHT ITS ON. UPDATED 06/07/12 *JS
SEAT BELTS (FEMALE PART) THE PIECE THAT YOU SNAP THE SEAT BELT INTO, BROKE TOTALLY OFF ALL THE WAY. NOT 1 BUT 2 SEAT BELTS IN MY VAN HAS DONE THIS. AND NOT ONLY THAT THE DOOR HANDLES BROKE OFF ON THE OUTSIDE AND INSIDE. I'VE CALLED KIA TO REPORT THESE PROBLEMS AND THEY WANT ME TO PAY FOR ALL THIS. SEEMS LIKE THE LAST THING THAT SHOULD BRAKE (SHOULDN'T BRAKE AT ALL!) IS THE SEAT BELTS! THE DOOR HANDLES IS ONE THING BUT THE SEAT BELTS! *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SEDONA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE SEAT BELT CAME APART AND WAS NOT PROPERLY SECURING HER CHILD SEAT. THE CLIP THAT ENTERS THE LATCH ON THE SEAT BELT WAS THE PART THAT FAILED. SHE ALSO NOTICED THAT THE OTHER SEAT BELTS IN HER VEHICLE WERE BEGINNING TO FAIL IN THE SAME MANNER. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123,632. UPDATED 03/12/09. *LJ THE SEAT BELT CLIP THAT HELD THE SEAT BELT WHEN LATCHED, BROKE OFF. IT WAS THE PART THAT WAS ATTACHED TO THE ACTUAL SEAT. THE INSIDE WIRES WERE FRAYED. UPDATED 03/16/09. *JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SEDONA. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT HER CHILD SAFETY SEAT WOULD INAPPROPRIATELY MOVE WITHIN THE DRIVER'S SIDE MIDDLE ROW SEAT WHEN IT WAS RESTRAINED BY THE SAFETY BELT. THE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT PROPERLY, WHICH LEFT THE CHILD VULNERABLE TO SERIOUS INJURY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT SHE WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE SEAT BELT UNIT. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 64,000.
I HAVE HAD MY 2003 KIA SEDONA A LITTLE OVER 2 YEARS. I BOUGHT IT NEW FROM A DEALER. SINCE 2002, I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT SEAT BELT SENSORS, TO THE POINT BOTH HAVE HAD TO BE REPLACED. WHEN THIS SENSOR DOES NOT OPERATE PROPERLY, THE "AIRBAG NEEDS SERVICING" LIGHT COMES ON. WITH THAT LIGHT ON, THE VAN WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION (VA STATE INSPECTION). THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED, THE DEALERSHIP WAS OUT OR STOCK OF THE REPLACEMENT SEATBELT ASSEMBLY, BUT THEY GAVE ME ONE FROM ANOTHER CAR WHILE WE WAITED FOR MY PARTS TO COME IN. THEY NEVER CAME IN. NOW, THE 2ND ONE HAS GONE BAD, AND I AM STILL WAITING FOR A PART. EVIDENTLY, WHERE THE DEARLERSHIP ORDERS PARTS FROM KIA IS OUT OF STOCK OF THESE ITEMS DUE TO HIGH VOLUME OF REPLACEMENT. I AM (1) CONCERNED THAT SO MANY OF THESE ARE GOING BAD THAT THE COMPANY HAS RUN OUT OF STOCK, AND (2) WORRIED THAT FAILURE OF THIS SENSOR COULD RESULT IN MY AIRBAG NOT WORKING PROPERLY. I HAVE NOW BEEN WAITING OVER 4 MONTHS FOR THE REPLACEMENT PARTS, AND THEY ARE STILL NOT AVAILABLE FROM THE DEALER. THIS ITEM IS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY, AND IT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE A RECALL ITEM. BUT SHOULDN'T A SAFETY ITEM LIKE THAT CAUSE A RECALL SINCE IT INVOLVES PERSONAL SAFETY AND THE PASSIVE RESTRAINT OPERATION? AND IF THAT MANY ARE FAILING, DOESN'T THAT CAUSE CONCERN FROM THE NHTSB?
THIRD TIME I AM HAVING MY SEAT BELT BUCKLE REPLACED DUE TO AIRBAG LAMP BEING ON. THEY JUST KEEP REPLACING FAULTY PART WITH ANOTHER FAULTY PART, THIS THIRD TIME, ONLY TOOK TWO DAYS FOR LIGHT TO COME BACK ON. I HAVE ALSO BEEN TOLD IN THE MEANTIME MY AIRBAGS ARE INACTIVE. THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND RECALLED, NOT JUST REPLACED. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE.
DT ON JULY 12TH, 2005 THE SEAT BELT COMPLETELY BROKE, IT BROKE FROM THE TWO METAL PRONGS. LOOK LIKE A MESH OF WIRES THAT GO DOWN INTO THE SEAT. WHEN THE CONSUMER SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES, HER 5 YR HIT THE BACK OF THE SEAT WHICH WAS ON THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE. THE OTHER SEATS BELTS ARE ALL THE SAME EXCEPT FOR THE REAR CENTER. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED KIA THEY ARE REPLACING THE SEAT BELT, HOWEVER, THEY ARE NOT ALARMING THE PUBLIC. *JB
I'VE HAD MANY PROBLEMS WITH MY 2003 KIA SEDONA. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE HAS NEVER BEEN RIGHT. THE BRAKES WERE REPLACED AT 13K MILES, AGAIN AT 24K MILES (FRONT & BACK) AND I'M SURE THEY NEED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN AT 40K MILES. AT 22K MILES I TOOK THE VAN TO THE SHOP FOR BRAKES ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT BOTH WHEEL BEARINGS, THE LEFT STRUT (THEY REFUSED TO REPLACE BOTH STRUTS SINCE IT WAS WARRANTY BUT IF I WAS PAYING FOR THE REPAIRS THEY WOULD RECOMEND REPLACING IN PAIRS) AND THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS GOING OUT (WHICH THE MANAGER SAID HE WAS DOING ME A FAVOR BY TELLING ME ABOUT). I HAVE ALSO COMPLAINED OF THE A/C TAKING FOREVER TO COOL DOWN, HAD A SENSOR REPLACED FOR THE GAS TANK AFTER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND SERVICE TO THE DRIVERS SEATBELT. THEN YESTERDAY DURING A STORM I WENT THROUGH A PUDDLE ABOUT 4 OR 5 INCHES DEEP WHICH SPLASHED WATER ON MY VAN FOR A COUPLE OF SECONDS AND ABOUT 50 FEET DOWN THE ROAD THE VAN DIED AND COULD NOT BE RESTARTED. UPON HAVING IT TOWED TO THE KIA DEALER I WAS TOLD THAT MY AIRFILTER HAD GOTTEN WET AND THAT THERE WAS "DISH SOAP" IN MY AIRFILTER WHICH WOULD BE CONSIDERED CUSTOMER DAMAGE AND NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. I ALSO COMPLAINED ABOUT MORE NOISES COMING FROM THE FRONT AND A GRINDING NOISE WHEN I BEGIN ACCELERATION IN LOW GEARS. THEY REQUESTED I MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR SERVICE ON THOSE ISSUES. IN ADDITION, I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE ON 4/23/03, WHEN I TRIED TO FILE A COMPLAINT ABOUT MY SERVICE ON THE WHEEL BEARING, ETC WITH KIA THEY HAD NO RECORD OF ME EVER PURCHASING THIS VAN. APPARENTLY IN THEIR MINDS MY VAN WAS SOLD TO SOMEONE ELSE ON 2/27/03. THIS MEANS IF THERE IS EVER A RECAL OR SERVICE NOTICE SENT OUT I WOULD NOT RECEIVE THEM. IN ADDITION THEY HAD MY WARRANTY EXPIRATION DATE SET AT 2/27/03. I SPOKE WITH SEVERAL PEOPLE CONCERNING THIS ISSUE AND WAS ASSURED THAT THIS WOULD IMMEDIATELY BE CORRECTED, HOWEVER YESTERDAY WHEN I CALLED FOR ASSISTANCE I WAS TOLD THAT THE VAN WAS STILL LISTED AS BEING SOLD TO ANOTHER PERSON. *AK
I HAVE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON MY 2003 KIA SODONA. I PURCHASED THE VECHILE IN JUNE OF 2003, WE HAVE SINCE TAKEN THE VAN IN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR A VARIETY OF PROBLEMS. THE AIRCONDTIONER STOP BLOWING COLD AIR WITH IN THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF OWNING IT, THIS HAS BEEN FIXED. PAINT HAS PEELED OFF THE FRONT BUMPER, SEAT BELT RATCHETING SYSTEM STOPPED WORKING, ENGINE MOUNT NEEDED REPLACING, TANSMITION NEEDED ADJUSTING THREE TIMES, AND THE LAST PROBLEM WAS THE VECHILE WOULD LOCK WHEN EVER AND WHERE EVER IT FELT THE NEED TO. I LOCKED MY SELF OUT OF THE CAR WITH MY CHILDREN INSIDE MANY TIMES. THE DEALSHIP REPLACED A MAIN PANAL INSIDE THE DOOR. DESPITE, ALL THE TIMES I HAVE TAKEN IT IN, AT LEAST TWICE FOR EVERY PROBLEM, THE DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO GIVE ME A CAR, MIND YOU I HAVE TWO CHILDREN TO CART AROUND ALL DAY. I AM EXTRMEMLY PEEVED ABOUT THIS VAN.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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