RoadVitals

2004 Kia Sedona Electrical Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Electrical reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
17
Latest Mar 30, 2017
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
10%
of 175 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
5
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2004 Kia Sedona submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 17 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.

Owner reports naming electrical

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Electrical
Filed Mar 30, 2017

TAKATA RECALL..MY VAN STALLS OUT NO MATTER WHERE..STOPPED AT IDLE IT RANDOMLY SHUTS OFF..DRIVING AVERAGE SPEED IN TOWN 45MPH IT RANDOMLY SHUTS OFF..ON THE HWY. SPEEDS AVERAGE FROM 55 TO 70 MPH IT RANDOMLY SHUTS OFF ..IN HEAVY TRAFFIC THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS..I HAVE REPLACED THE FOLLOWING.. FUEL PUMP FUEL FILTER FUEL PUMP RELAYS THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR CRANK SHAFT POSITION SENSOR OXYGEN SENSOR FUEL COIL PACKS SPARK PLUGS INTAKE GASKETS INJECTORS AIR FILTER JUST LIKE THE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE ON THE FORUMEBAY ABOUT KIA SEDONA..I'VE PUT $1000'S IN THE VAN WITH NO SOLUTION TO THE DANGEROUS ISSUES..THE ONLY THING LEFT TO CHANGE IS THE INTERNAL WIRING..THIS PROBLEM IS WAY TO COMMON FOR KIA NOT TO HAVE A RECALL ON IT..ITS A HUGE SAFETY HAZARD AND NEEDS TO HAVE SOMETHING DONE ABOUT IT..NOT JUST FOR ME BUT FOR EVERYONE THAT HAS A KIA SEDONA..ITS OBVIOUSLY A SHORT IN THE WIRING AND IS A MANUFACTURER FLAW FOR SO MANY PEOPLE TO HAVE THE SAME ISSUE..BTW MY VAN ONLY HAS 100.000 MILES ON IT I'VE SEEN SOME AS LOW AS 30.000 WITH THIS SAME ISSUE..NO EXCUSES FOR THIS..ANY KIND OF ELECTRONIC SHORT OUT HAS POTENTIAL FOR FIRE NOT TO MENTION THE HAZARDS OF THE VAN RANDOMLY STOPPING IN TOWN AT INTERSECTION ON THE INTERSTATE .

NHTSA ID
10969516
Incident
Mar 30, 2017
Mileage
100,000 mi
Electrical
Filed May 14, 2015
Fire reported

UPON RETURNING HOME AND PARKING MY VAN AFTER RUNNING AN ERRAND OF ABOUT 5 MILES, I SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, RAN TO GET A FIRE EXTINGUISHER, THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT WITHIN 60 (SIXTY) SECONDS AFTER SEEING THE SMOKE. REMOVING THE AIR CLEANER AND OTHER COMPONENTS, -- THE WIRE HARNESS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS FOUND CHARRED BY THE FIRE. NO IMMEDIATE REASON WAS FOUND FOR THIS INCIDENT TO OCCUR.

NHTSA ID
10716372
Incident
May 13, 2015
Mileage
130,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Mar 19, 2015
Fire reported

CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE PARKED AFTER DRIVING ENGINE WAS OFF . HISTORY OF OIL LEAKS. #15003607 VAN TOTALED AND SENT TO SALVAGE YARD. *TR

NHTSA ID
10695433
Incident
Jan 27, 2015
Mileage
172,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Dec 30, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA SEDONA. WHILE OPENING THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLE, ALL FOUR DOORS ON THE VEHICLE LOCKED INDEPENDENTLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000. UPDATED 6/11/15*CN UPDATED 06/16/15*JB

NHTSA ID
10669086
Incident
Jan 15, 2014
Mileage
150,000 mi
ElectricalSteering
Filed Dec 26, 2014

WHILE DRIVING IN WET CONDITIONS THE BRAKE AND BATTERY LIGHT WILL COME ON INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THERE IS A LOSS OF POWER OF STEERING. WHEN TAKEN TO KIA DEALERSHIP TO FIX PROBLEM THEY TOLD US IT IS A COMMON COMPLAINT AMONG KIA CARS. THEY CHECKED ALL BELTS, BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR ALL TESTS CAME BACK NORMAL. WHILE DRIVING IT IS DANGEROUS TO LOSE POWER OF STEERING ESPECIALLY IN WET CONDITIONS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10668374
Incident
Oct 7, 2014
Mileage
60,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Aug 14, 2014
Fire reported

WIRING UNDER SEAT SHORTED CAUSING SMALL FIRE INSIDE..EXTINGUISHED WIRING UNDER CAR IN SAME AREA MELTED SHORTING EVERY THING OUT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10622317
Incident
Jul 30, 2014
Mileage
139,685 mi
ElectricalFuel systemInterior & seats
Filed Mar 4, 2013

VAN DOES NOT STAY STARTED. SENSOR CONTROL AND SHORT ON SEATS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10501254
Incident
Dec 26, 2011
ElectricalEngine
Filed Mar 13, 2012

CPSC#I1230221A. 2004 KIA SEDONA. CONSUMER STATED HE WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY IN STARTING THE VEHICLE DUE TO STALLING. THE VEHICLE WILL SHUT OFF WHILE IDLING AND WHILE DRIVING. LOSS OF POWER RESULTS IN DIFFICULTY IN STEERING THE VEHICLE. *LN THE CONSUMER STATED NONE OF THE REPAIRS, HAVE FIXED THE STALLING ISSUE.

NHTSA ID
10452019
Incident
Mar 5, 2012
Electrical
Filed Oct 28, 2009

KIA SEDONA 2004-VEHICLE WILL NOT SHUT OFF EVEN WHEN THE KEYS ARE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. THE CAR WILL DRIVE HOWEVER NO FUNCTIONS ON THE DASHBOARD WILL WORK, LIGHTS, WIPERS, RADIO, HEADLIGHTS ETC. THIS HAPPENED FOR ABOUT 1 WEEK IN JUNE 2009 AND HERE AND THERE THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER. I DID HAVE IT TOWED BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP BUT AT THE TIME THEY WERE UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM AS IT HAD CORRECTED ITSELF. IT HAPPENED AGAIN THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 21ST. THE BATTERY HAD TO BE DISCONNECTED TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF. THEY ARE STILL UNSURE OF WHAT IS CAUSING THE CAR TO REMAIN ON WITHOUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. *TR

NHTSA ID
10290164
Incident
Oct 23, 2009
Mileage
45,000 mi
Body & structureElectrical
Filed Aug 12, 2008

VEHICLE FLOORBOARD GOT HOT AND MELTED THE WIRING HARNESS UNDER CARPET. KIA DEALER FOUND NO CAUSE FOR THE EXCESSIVE HEAT BUT REPLACED THE WIRING AT MY EXPENSE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10237828
Incident
Jul 14, 2008
Mileage
61,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Dec 14, 2006
Fire reported

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES WHEN MY 04 KIA SEDONA LX STARTED SMOKING. AT FIRST I THOUGHT THERE WAS A FIRE IN THE LOCAL AREA. AFTER A FEW MINUTES IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT IT COULD BE MY VAN AND PULLED OVER AND POPPED THE HOOD. FLAMES JUMPED UP IN THE ENGINE AND BURNED UNTIL THEY WERE EXTINGUISHED WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. THE KIA SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT HE BELIEVED IT WAS A TOTAL LOSS. MY INSURANCE COMPANY IS NOW VERIFYING THAT. *NM

NHTSA ID
10176180
Incident
Dec 6, 2006
Mileage
19,500 mi
Electrical
Filed Nov 27, 2006

I HAVE A 2004 KIA SORENTO 4X4 (THAT CAR OPTION NOT INCLUDED IN COMPLAINT FORM) ONE MORNING CAR STARTED UP ROUGH AND WOULDN'T STOP. ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. DROPPED OFF AT DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY SAID IT WAS MY FUEL INJECTORS. THEY REPLACED THEM, BUT SAID THEY WANTED TO KEEP CAR OVERNIGHT TO MAKE SURE PROBLEM DID NOT REPEAT. IT STARTED ROUGH AGAIN WITH THEM AND ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. THEY KEPT THE CAR NEXT DAY TO DIG DEEPER TO FIND PROBLEM. THEY DISCOVERED THE WIRE HARNESS SUFFERED A SHORT AND WAS BURNT IN 3 DIFFERENT AREAS. SINCE HARNESS IS CONNECTED FROM COMPUTER TO SPARK PLUGS, FUEL INJECTOR AND OTHER ENGINE COMPONENTS THEY HAD TO REPLACE EVERYTHING...BUT THE COMPUTER. I GOT CAR BACK AFTER 5 DAYS. 2 DAYS LATER CAR STARTED ROUGH IDLING AND STARTED MISFIRING AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I ONCE AGAIN DROPPED CAR OFF AT DEALERSHIP. SAID IT FEELS LIKE THE SAME PROBLEM, OR COULD BE RELATED TO WORK DONE. THEY SAID RANDOM MISFIRES ARE COMMON AND CLEARED COMPUTER LOG AND I GOT CAR BACK. NEXT MORNING CAR RAN ROUGH AGAIN AND WAS MISFIRING AGAIN. I CALLED KIA SERVICE AND SAID THAT THIS CAR NEVER MISFIRED BEFORE OR RAN ROUGH AND HOW CAN A RANDOM MISFIRE HAPPEN SO FREQUENTLY AND ISN'T IT COINCIDENTAL THAT IT ONLY STARTED HAPPENING AFTER MY WIRE HARNESS SUFFERED FROM A SHORT THAT WAS DIRECTLY ATTACHED TO THE SPARK PLUGS. SERVICE MANAGER MENTION THAT TECHNICIAN WORKING ON CAR THOUGHT THAT COMPUTER WAS MALFUNCTIONING BUT NEGLECTED TO TELL ME. I ASKED IF THEY KNEW IT WAS MALFUNCTIONING, WHY DID THEY EVER GIVE THE CAR BACK TILL EVERYTHING WAS FIXED. HE SAID THEY NEED PROOF AND NOT JUST MAYBE'S. I TOLD THEM THAT THE CONSTANT MISFIRING WAS PROOF ENOUGH. THEY TOOK THE CAR BACK AND REPLACED THE COMPUTER. THEY SENT THE COMPUTER TO KIA HEADQUARTERS TO INVESTIGATE WHY THE COMPUTER MALFUNCTIONED. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WERE WORRIED THAT THIS MAY NOT BE A ISOLATED CASE. *JB

NHTSA ID
10174458
Incident
Nov 5, 2006
Electrical
Filed Feb 28, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS CONTINUALLY BLOWING FUSES THAT OPERATE THE HEADLIGHTS. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT IT WAS DANGEROUS BECAUSE THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS THAT THE FUSE WOULD BLOW. THE BULBS IN THE HEADLIGHT WERE REPLACED NUMEROUS TIMES TO SEE IF THE BULBS WERE THE PROBLEM. THE BULBS WOULD PASS INSPECTION WHEN TAKING OUT OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE DEALER CAN NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND NO REPAIRS WERE MADE.

NHTSA ID
10151420
Incident
Feb 27, 2006
Mileage
13,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Jul 20, 2005
Fire reported

AFTER PARKING VAN AFTER A SHORT TRIP OF APPROXIMATELY 2 TENTHS OF A MILE THE VAN WAS TURNED OFF AND THE KEY WAS OUT OF THE IGNITION AND DOORS WERE LOCKED, FOUR HOURES LATER SOMEONE NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE VAN. WHEN THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WAS OPENED FLAMES SHOT OUT OF THE VAN. AFTER A FIRE EXTINGUISHER WAS USED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE, IT WAS NOTICED BE ME THAT THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS GOING TO THE FUSE PANEL AS WELL AS THE FUSE PANEL WAS MELTED AND SMOLDERING. I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE RADIO WAS PLAYING AND THE DASH LIGHTS WERE FLASHING AND THE DOOR BUZZER WAS BUZZING, ALL WITHOUT THE BEING IN THE IGNITION. I THEN PROCEEDED TO UNHOOK THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE TO KILL POWER TO THE VAN. KIA MOTERS CAME AND GOT THE VAN AND TOOK IT TO A LOCAL DEALER. UPON INSPECTION BY THE DEALERSHIP THEY AND KIA MOTORS CONCLUDED THAT IT WAS NOT AN WARRENTY ISSUE. IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THIS WAS A WIRING FIRE AND WAS NOT CAUSED BY ANY FREAK ACT OF NATURE OR NEGLEGIENCE OF ME THE OWNER. KIA SAYS THAT IT IS NOT A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. KIA SAID TO TAKE PICTURES AND MAIL THEM TO THEM AND TURN IN A CLAIM TO MY INSURANCE COMPANY. WE HAVE READ OF NUMEROUS FIRES JUST LIKE THE ONE THAT OCCURED ON MY VAN ON THE INTERNET.

NHTSA ID
10129485
Incident
Jul 18, 2005
Mileage
15,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectricalEngine+2 more
Filed Feb 18, 2005

WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. VEHICLE WAS STILL DRIVEABLE. DEALERSHIP INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THERE TRANSMISSION FAILED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK DEALER STATED PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY ELECTRICL HARNESS. ALSO HAVING MULTIPLE FAILURES WITH OUTPUT SPEED SENSOR; TRANSMISSION 3 TIMES; THERMOSTAT ASSEMBLY; POWER STEERING LEAKED; INPUT SPEED SENSOR; LOW GROUND VOLTAGE FAILED; FUSE BLOCK PROBLEMS; CRUISE CONTROL. CONSUMER WAS ADVISED THAT DUE TO THE DESIGN OF THE CRUISE CONTROL, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES OFTEN WHILE ON AN INCLINE AT 45 TO 55 MPH AS IF VEHICLE'S ENGINE/TRANSMISSION WAS RACING. *TT *TC

NHTSA ID
10103760
Incident
Aug 18, 2004
Mileage
1,825 mi
Electrical
Filed Sep 29, 2004

BLOWN MAIN ENGINE FUSE DUE TO THIS FAILURE IT SHUTS OFF ALL ENGINE AND IT DOES NOT OPERATE AT ALL. WHILE DRIVING, ENGINE SHUTS OFF AND WON'T START. AFTER IT WENT TO THE DEALER FOR SO MANY DAYS WITHOUT CALLING US TO INFORM OF WHAT'S GOING ON, THEY HAVE FIGURED THAT IT HAS A BLOWN FUSE AND THEY ( DEALER MECHANICS ) BLAME ME TO THE FACT THAT I MIGHT BE USING A LOT OF ELECTICAL ACTIVITIES IN THE VAN SUCH AS PLAYING VIDEO GAME WHILE DRIVING AND MIGHT HAVE CAUSED THE ELECTRICAL BLOW OUT. THEN 2 MONTHS LATER... SAME THING HAPPENED I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK AND IT DID THE SAME THING. NOW THAT THE CAR IS AT THE DEALER, GOD KNOWS WHAT THEY WILL COME UP WITH, TO HAVE SUCH AN EXCUSE. *AK

NHTSA ID
10093277
Incident
Sep 28, 2004
Mileage
7,820 mi
Electrical
Filed Aug 19, 2004

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. *JB

NHTSA ID
10089263
Incident
Aug 18, 2004

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.

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