Driver's airbag deployed prematurely. What should I do?
- NHTSA ID
- 11558424
- Incident
- Sep 5, 2023
Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2006 Kia Sedona submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 80 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.
The 25 most recent of 80, in the owner's own words
Driver's airbag deployed prematurely. What should I do?
WCS ERROR . AIRBAG SYSTEM ISSUE .KIA RECALLED 2015 BUT DOESNT BOTHER ON EARLIER CARS.SOMETIMES CAR DOESNT START MANY HAVE THIS ISSUES IT HAS TO DO WITH IMMOBILIZER WIRES .AND BRAKES WITH ROTORS ARE BAD EVERY 2 YEARS BREAKS AND ROTORS GET KILLED .MY CAR HAS ONLY 56856 MLS
AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON, TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO HAVE IT RESET BUT IT WONT GO AWAY TOOK TO GET A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND THEY KEEP SAYING THAT THEY CANT PINPOINT THE PROBLEM, TRYING TO CHARGE ME $1500-2000 TO FIND AND FIX..
THE AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON AND HAS BEEN ON FOR ALMOST A WEEK. I WAS TOLD MY CAR WASN'T UNDER THE RECALL SO NOW I HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR MYSELF.
AIR BAG ALERT TRIGGERED. WAS VERIFIED BY KIA SERVICES DEPARTMENT. RECOMMENDATION TO CHANGE WOULD COST $ 2000.
JUST ON AND WANT GO OFF?
AFTER RESPONDING TO TPS CODE AND EVENTUALLY R/R TPS, BATTERY, AND ALTERNATOR, THE AIR BAGS LIGHT REMAIN ON. THE VEHICLEANING HAS NOT BEEN IN ANY ACCIDENT.
AFTER 100,000 MILES, THE AIRBAG LIGHTS TURNED ON AND HAVE REMAINED ON SINCE THEN. AROUND THE SAME TIME, THE TPMS LIGHTS ALSO TURNED ON AND HAVE REMAINED ON. MY CAR HAS NOT BEEN IN ANY ACCIDENTS WHERE THE AIRBAGS WERE DEPLOYED AND IT WAS STATIONARY BEFORE THE SENSOR TURNED ON. MY CAR WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY LIKE ANY OTHER DAY WHEN THE PROBLEM APPEARED. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD SINCE THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY IF I WERE TO GET INTO ANY ACCIDENTS DUE TO THE SENSOR BEING NONFUNCTIONAL WITH THE LIGHT REMAINING ON. I DO NOT KNOW IF THIS IS A PROBLEM DUE TO THE SENSOR BEING FAULTY, AIRBAGS BEING FAULTY OR MANUFACTURING ISSUES. I BELIEVE THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT SHOULD BE FIXED AND A RECALL SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED TO AVOID ANY SERIOUS INJURIES.
AFTER A FEW YEARS OF OWNING THE VAN MY BATTERY DIED. I REPLACED THE BATTERY BUT BECAUSE OF THE LOW BATTERY VOLTAGE IT CAUSED THE AIRBAG LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE [CODE: "B1102-UB (VB ?) LOW VOLTAGE (<8V)"]. WHEN THE IS LIGHT ON NONE OF THE AIRBAGS WILL FUNCTION IN AN ACCIDENT. EVEN THOUGH THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE SYSTEM, THE LIGHT CAN ONLY BE SHUT OFF (AND THUS MAKE THE AIRBAGS FUNCTIONAL) BY CLEARING THE CODE WITH A SPECIAL READER THAT ONLY THE DEALERSHIPS APPEAR TO HAVE. THE DEALERSHIP WILL ONLY DO THIS IF YOU PAY $280. THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS, THERE'S NO REASON THE AIRBAG SYSTEM SHOULDN'T FUNCTION AFTER THE CODE HAS BEEN RESOLVED. I FEEL LIKE THIS IS EXTORTION FROM KIA. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MANDATES THAT CARS HAVE TO HAVE AIRBAGS YOU WOULD EXPECT THAT THEY WOULD BE REQUIRED TO WORK IF THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE SYSTEM.
AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND LOOKES LIKE THE STERRING WHEEL AIRBAG ALMOST CAME OUT.
PROBLEM #1. AT APPROXIMATELY 111,000 MILES MY SEDONA'S AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON MY DASH PANEL...AND HAS STAYED ILLUMINATED EVER SINCE. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT OR INCIDENT TO PROVOKE THIS LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. KIA OF DARTMOUTH (MA) SAID IT'S A DRIVERS SIDE SEATBELT SENSOR THAT IS "BAD". COST TO REPAIR $274.80! WHY IS A "BAD" SENSOR NOT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MANUFACTURER? IT'S FAULTY. THERE WAS NO MISUSE OR ABUSE BY THE CONSUMER, IN OTHER WORDS, WHY IS THERE NO RECALL ON THIS ITEM? PROBLEM #2. AT APPROXIMATELY 108,000 MY SEDONA'S TPMS LIGHT AND ( ! ) LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON MY DASH PANEL...AND HAVE STAYED ILLUMINATED SINCE. THE TIRES ARE INFLATED TO MANUFACTURE'S SPECIFICATIONS SO THERE IS NO CHANCE THAT THE TIRES ARE UNDER OR OVER INFLATED. AGAIN, THERE IS A "BAD" SENSOR(S). WHY ISN'T THERE A RECALL ON THESE FAULTY SENSORS?
I OWN A 2006 KIA SEDONA. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND REMAINS ILLUMINATED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000.
JANUARY 2007 WE PURCHASED A KIA SEDONA BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY FEATURES FOR ALL PASSENGERS, AN IMPORTANT FEATURE BECAUSE I TRANSPORT CHILDREN. IN APRIL OF 2007 WE WERE HIT BY A MINI VAN IN THE FRONT PASSENGER QUARTER PANEL. THE ACCIDENT CAUSED THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF DAMAGE AND NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, WHICH WAS A CONCERN. 2016 WE WERE IN ANOTHER ACCIDENT WHILE TURNING A CORNER. THIS TIME WE WERE HIT IN THE REAR (3RD ROW) PASSENGER QUARTER PANEL BY A PICK UP. WE WERE HIT HARD ENOUGH TO PUSH OUR VAN INTO THE OTHER LANE, ENDING UP JUMPING A CURB & LANDING IN THE GRASS. NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, WHICH REALLY UPSET ME! THE REAR HATCH LOOKED LIKE SOMEONE HAD OPENED IT THEN SHUT IT WITH A LIGHT POLE LAYING ACROSS IT. OUR INSURANCE COMPANY TOTALED THE VAN AND ASKED US TO GO AND GET OUR THINGS OUT. I PUT TOWELS ON ALL THE SEATS TO KEEP IT CLEAN. THE 3RD ROW SEAT BACK (WHERE IT WAS HIT) WOULD NOT MOVE AT ALL AND I COULD NOT REMOVE THE TOWEL FROM IT. THE FRAME OF THE VAN HAD BEEN PUSHED INTO THE SEAT! THE CURTAIN AIR BAG HAD NOT DEPLOYED! I CALLED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHERE I PURCHASED IT AND THE MANAGER TOLD ME THERE WAS NOT A CURTAIN AIR BAG IN MY VAN! AFTER SEARCHING THE PAPERWORK I RECEIVED WITH IT, I FOUND THAT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE THE CURTAIN AIR BAG COVERING 2ND & 3RD ROW SEATS. I AM COMPLETELY CONFUSED AND VERY UPSET BECAUSE I NORMALLY TRANSPORT A 18 MONTH OLD IN THE 3RD ROW SEAT ON PASSENGER SIDE! IF SHE HAD BEEN IN HER CAR SEAT, SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN HURT BADLY. NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF AN AIR BAG FAILURE BUT GLASS SPLINTERS. I GOT AT LEAST A DOZEN PIECES OF GLASS IN MY HANDS, AND ONE TOOK 2 DAYS TO GET OUT! I RESEARCHED TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANYMORE COMPLAINTS A OUT AIRBAG FAILURE AND FOUND SEVERAL. WE REPLACED OUR VEHICLE WITH ANOTHER MAKE. I SURE WISH THAT THE KIA SEDONA WOULD HAVE DONE WHAT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO DO. AND I AM HOPING THAT KIA CORRECTED THE ISSUES.
TAKATA RECALL MY AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME.. SAW A SHOW LAST NIGHT ABOUT THE TAKATA AIR BAGS EXPLODING NOT AT ALL SURE HOW LONG IT HAS BEEN THIS WAY SO THE DATE BELOW IS NOT ACCURATE IT HAS BEEN A COUPLE YEARS I THINK. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY MILES BUT IT IS 140,000 NOW.
WENT TO AUTO PARTS STORE FOR OIL FILTER - PARKED CAR. AFTER FILTER PURCHASE LEFT STORE, TOSSED OIL FILTER (FRAM TG9999) ON PASSENGER SEAT AND STARTED CAR; AIR BAG LIGHT LIT FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER; NO AIR BAGS WERE DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE (2006 SEDONA) HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE HAS 150052 MILES ON IT AND RUNS WELL. CONTACTED KIA ABOUT ISSUE TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL FOR AIR BAG ISSUES - WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL AND TOLD THAT VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY HAVING MORE THAN 100K MILES, SO I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THIS SERVICED BY A KIA DEALER. DATE BELOW APPROX.
ON OUR SECOND AIRBAG SENSOR ISSUE FOR THIS VEHICLE. NOW STATING WEIGHT SENSOR IN FRONT PASSENGER SEAT IS DEFECTIVE RENDERING THE ENTIRE AIRBAG SYSTEM NONFUNCTIONAL. A COSTLY FIX AT $2500. AFTER SEEING THE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE I AM A BIT APPALLED THAT KIA HAS NOT OFFERED A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE. WILL BE SECOND GUESSING WHETHER OR NOT A KIA WILL BE OUR NEXT VEHICLE PURCHASE...WHEN PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A NO-BRAINER.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA SEDONA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,866.
MY 2006 KIA SEDONA AIRBAG LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND THEN GO OFF AFTER DRIVING FOR A FEW MILES OR A COUPLE DAYS AND THIS HAPPENED PERIODICALLY ON AND OFF FOR A COUPLE YEARS. IT HAS NOW STAYED ON FOR THE LAST 4 MONTHS. TURNED ON THE VAN ONE DAY AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT NEVER WENT OFF. WAS SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY ON A FLAT SURFACE. MY VAN HAD A HUNDRED AND FIFTY-ONE THOUSAND MILES ON IT WHEN THE LIGHT CAME ON AND NOW HAS A HUNDRED AND FIFTY-THREE THOUSAND MILES. I BOUGHT THIS AS A NEW VAN IN 2007. IT WAS A LEFT OVER. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE HEADLIGHT BULBS AND TURN SIGNAL BULBS ON THE FRONT OVER 10 TIMES SINCE I'VE OWNED IT. THIS ALSO SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE THAT PEOPLE HAVE STATED WITH A 2006 KIA SEDONA.
MY AIRBAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR MONTHS. NEVER HAD AN ACCIDENT OF ANY KIND. IT WON'T GO OUT. LOOKS LIKE A COMMON PROBLEM ON THESE 2006 KIA'S. READING ONLINE THAT YOUR AIRBAGS WON'T WORK IF THE LIGHT IS ON. NOT HAPPY ABOUT THAT. APPARENTLY OUR GOVERNMENT IS NOT PUTTING ANY PRESSURE ON KIA TO DO A RECALL ON THIS! CAN'T AFFORD THE HIGH PRICE TO GET IT FIXED! WILL SELL THE CAR INSTEAD IF I HAVE TO. JUST TURNED OVER 100K ON IT. FIGURES. TOO BAD. I REALLY LIKE THIS CAR.
THE ESC AND THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND KNOW THE BREAK LIGHTS DON'T WORK AND IT KEEPS BLOWING MY HEAD LIGHTS THE AIR BAG IS ON AND THEY STAY ON. THIS HAPPENS WHEN YOU PUT IT IN GEAR AND THEY STAY ON THE WHOLE TIME THE AUTO IS ON. AT FRIST IT DID EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE BUT KNOW IT STAYS ON AND MY BRAKE LIGHTS DOESN'T WORK.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA SEDONA. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE AIR BAG SENOR LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,000.
THIS COMPLAINT IS REGARDING A SINGLE-OWNER 2006 KIA SEDONA. SINCE 2006 I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS ELECTRICAL RELATED PROBLEMS. OVER HALF THE BUTTONS AND KNOBS ON THE STOCK CD PLAYER/RADIO HAVE NOT WORKED FOR APPROXIMATELY EIGHT YEARS. I AM HAVING TO REPLACE HEADLIGHT AND TURN SIGNAL BULBS EVERY FEW MONTHS. THE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED AND WILL NOT SHUT OFF. I HAVE NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN ANY ACCIDENTS (YET) AND WOULD EXPECT MY AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY IF AND WHEN NECESSARY. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT FUNCTION IF THE INDICATOR LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN, AS THIS IS A FAMILY VEHICLE AND I HAVE THREE SMALL CHILDREN, AND I TAKE FREQUENT ROAD TRIPS DUE TO MY JOB. AS FAR AS I KNOW, THERE ARE NO RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH THE AIRBAG OR ELECTRICAL/LIGHTING SYSTEM FOR THIS VEHICLE. BASED ON MY RESEARCH OF COMPLAINTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS VEHICLE YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL, RECALLS SHOULD BE ISSUED SO AFFECTED OWNERS MAY HAVE THESE PROBLEMS CORRECTED AT NO CHARGE AND TO PREVENT INJURY AND OR DEATH.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA SEDONA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED AND THE HORN STOPPED WORKING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
SHORTLY AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRED (EARLY 2012), THE AIR BAG LIGHT WENT ON OUR KIA SEDONA. I TOOK THE VAN TO OUR LOCAL KIA DEALER TO CHECK AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS THE WEIGHT CLASSIFICATION SEAT SENSOR ASSEMBLY (PART 88610 - $1399.75 AT THAT TIME) THAT HAD TO BE REPLACED. AFTER LABOR COST AND TAXES IT WOULD BE $2022!! KIA WAS HAVING SOME RECALLS AROUND THAT TIME, BUT NONE TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. THE MAIN REASON WE BOUGHT THIS VAN FOR OUR FAMILY WAS BECAUSE OF HIGH SAFETY RATINGS INVOLVING ALL THE AIRBAGS. NOW WE ARE DRIVING WITHOUT AIRBAGS AND PRAYING FOR EXTRA ANGELS AROUND THE VAN WHEN WE HAVE TO GO ON THE HIGHWAY. WE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE LONG ROAD TRIPS, BUT THAT SEEMS TOO DANGEROUS WITHOUT AIRBAGS. PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND YOU WILL FIND OUT IT IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL. KIA NEEDS TO STEP IT UP AND FIX THIS ISSUE; LIVES ARE AT STAKE. THANK YOU!
MY AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON LIKE MANY OF THE PEOPLE I HAVE SEEN COMPLAINED ABOUT. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, I HAVE READ PEOPLE SAYING IT COULD COST $2000. I DO NOT HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY LUCKILY IN THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA YOUR VEHICLE CAN STILL PASS INSPECTION OF THE LIGHT IS ON. BUT THE POINT IS I HAVE FAMILY WHO USE MY VAN FROM TIME TO TIME AND I'M AFRAID OF AN ACCIDENT HAPPENING AND NO AIRBAGS. I THINK IT'S RIDICULOUS KIA WON'T ISSUE A RECALL IT SEEMS TO BE A KNOWN PROBLEM.
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