RoadVitals

2008 Kia Sedona Engine Problems

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

Data refreshed

Engine 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.
12
Latest Feb 20, 2026
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.
7%
of 170 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.
2
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 engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2008 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.

Owner reports naming engine

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

ElectricalEngine
Filed Feb 20, 2026
Fire reported

The contact owned a 2008 Kia Sedona. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked at a friend’s residence, the contact exited the vehicle and took the baby she was caring for inside the residence of the friend. Upon returning outside, the contact became aware that the vehicle was on fire and the vehicle was engulfed in flames. The Fire Department arrived on the scene and extinguished the fire. The Fire Marshall informed the contact that the fire had started in the engine compartment. Additionally, a Fire Report was filed; however, the information was unavailable. The fire caused damage to the friend residence. The contact stated that the fire melted the aluminum siding on the house. No injuries were sustained. The vehicle was covered under a liability insurance policy. The vehicle was a total loss. The homeowners insurance Fire Inspector tagged the vehicle and requested that the vehicle remain on the premises. The vehicle was still located at the residence, as per the Fire Inspector. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 315,465.

NHTSA ID
11719444
Incident
Feb 17, 2026
Mileage
315,465 mi
ElectricalEnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Mar 12, 2024
Fire reported

Van caught fire in the engine compartment burned the firewall

NHTSA ID
11577005
Incident
Mar 12, 2024
Engine
Filed Sep 29, 2021

The contact owns a 2008 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who informed him that the catalytic converter was defective. The contact was referred to NHTSA by the independent mechanic for assistance. The dealer nor the manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The contact stated that the odometer had been rolled back. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID
11434833
Incident
Sep 13, 2021
Mileage
118,000 mi
Engine
Filed Oct 16, 2014

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND LOST ALL POWER. WE HAD TO PULL OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, TURN THE VAN OFF AND WAIT A FEW MINUTES. WHEN WE STARTED IT BACK UP IT RAN OKAY BUT THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES (DATES UNKNOWN OTHER THEN AUG 7,2014) DRIVING DOWN A BUSY ROAD AND HAVING LOSS OF POWER COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DANGEROUS. IT IS THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR THAT IS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID
10648134
Incident
Aug 7, 2011
Mileage
65,000 mi
Driver assistanceEngine
Filed Aug 13, 2013

ESC LIGHT ON. LOST ALL POWER AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. DROVE TO DEALERSHIP AT 8 MPH WITH HAZARDS ON. *TR

NHTSA ID
10535089
Incident
Aug 13, 2013
Mileage
74,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jun 19, 2012

TRAVELING AT 70 MPH, CRUISE CONTROL ON, THE CAR DECELERATED RAPIDLY AND LOST ABILITY TO ACCELERATE. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF TO SHOULDER. CAR WAS SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED, ACCELERATOR STARTED TO WORK BUT CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ON. AFTER DRIVING ANOTHER 50 MILES THE SAME THING HAPPENED. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME IT HAS OCCURRED, ON THIS OCCASION WE WERE ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OVER. ON ONE OCCASION WE WERE IN KANSAS CITY RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC IN THE CENTER LANE, CARS BEHIND US CAME TO A SCREECHING STOP TO AVOID HITTING US. VERY SCARY SITUATION! AFTER THE CAR IS SHUT OFF AND SITS FOR A FEW HOURS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNS OFF WHEN STARTED. WITH NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT THERE IS NO ERROR CODE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY KIA. I HAVE READ ARTICLES THAT STATE THIS WAS A PROBLEM ON PREVIOUS MODEL YEARS AND THEY WERE RECALLED. *JS

NHTSA ID
10462231
Incident
Jun 11, 2012
Mileage
42,300 mi
ElectricalEngine
Filed Jul 20, 2011

WHILE DRIVING FROM THE BABYSITTER TO MY HOUSE ON 07/19/2011 MY CAR SHUT DOWN WHILE I WAS TURNING IN A BUSY INTERSECTION. I WAS ALONE WITH MY KIDS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WHILE CARS TRY TO GO AROUND ME AFTER 3 MINUTES MY CAR TURNED BACK ON WHEN I GOT HOME MY STEREO SHUT DOWN AND ENGINE STARTED MAKING NOSE. I CALLED THE DEALER SPOKE TO A SALES PERSON WHO WANTED ME TO COME IN FOR A TRADE IN, SPOKE TO JEFF FROM THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND HE WILL CALL ME BACK TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO COME IN. THIS IS NOT THE FIST TIME I HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE VAN STEREO IT'S BEEN CHANGED BEFORE, DOOR HANDLES AND OTHER MISCELLANIES WORK HAVE BEEN DONE, THE GRIP FROM THE BACK DOOR IS COMING OFF. *KB

NHTSA ID
10413681
Incident
Jul 19, 2011
Driver assistanceEngine
Filed Apr 18, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA SEDONA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5-10 MPH AND EXITING A PARKING LOT WHEN THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND TO ACCELERATION ATTEMPTS. THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF. ONCE RESTARTED, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED FIVE TIMES AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,382 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 38,482.

NHTSA ID
10396702
Incident
Apr 9, 2011
Mileage
38,382 mi
Engine
Filed Sep 21, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA SEDONA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE RESTARTED AND IT HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE ENGINE REMOTE START DEVICE HAD A "BAD CONNECTION". THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER EIGHT TIMES FOR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 18. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 19,100.

NHTSA ID
10356762
Incident
Feb 18, 2009
Mileage
18 mi
Engine
Filed Aug 23, 2010

WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH DOWN FREEWAY KIA SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE HAD TO MANEUVER ACROSS 6 LANES OF TRAFFIC TO GET TO SHOULDER. ONCE I TURNED VAN OFF AND RESTARTED, I COULD ONCE AGAIN ACCELERATE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED 3 MORE TIMES WITHIN A 5 MILE STRETCH. FINALLY MADE IT TO A GAS STATION WHERE WE CALLED FOR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE, I HAD 3 BABIES IN CARSEATS IN VAN AT TIME OF FAILURE THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A HUGE TRAGEDY IF TRAFFIC WAS ANY WORSE THAN IT WAS. VAN IS AT DEALER NOW WAITING FOR SERVICE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10351210
Incident
Aug 21, 2010
Mileage
17,299 mi
Engine
Filed Dec 29, 2009

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA SEDONA. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED HE PRESSED ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, AND THEN THE PEDAL FELL COMPLETELY TO THE FLOORBOARD. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD , THE VEHICLE STALLED. HE WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. A TECHNICIAN FROM THE DEALER REPAIRED THE TBS SENSOR AND UPDATED THE ECU. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 59054.

NHTSA ID
10297422
Incident
Dec 26, 2009
Mileage
59,000 mi
BrakesEngineSuspension+1 more
Filed Apr 25, 2008

BAD MISFIRE. THIS MISFIRE STARTED AT 14,000 MILES. I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALER TO HAVE IT LOOK AT THEY COLD NOT GET IT TO MISFIRE. AS TIME WENT ON AT 20,000 THE MISFIRE BECAME WORSE, WE LEFT THE VAN FOR PM SERVICE WITH THE FIRST DEALER FOR ONE WEEK,WE WEAR ON VACATION. THEY CALLED AND SAID THAT THE VAN WAS READY,THAT WAS ON A FRIDAY,I WENT TO PICK UP THE VAN FROM THE DEALER. WHEN I STARTED IT AND PUT IT IN DRIVE IT STARTED TO MISS. I HAD THE SERVICE WRITER COME OVER AND I HAD HIM FELL THE MISS AND YOU COULD HEAR IT IN THE MOTOR COMPARTMENT,THE SERVICE WRITER HAD THE MEC LOOK AT THE VAN,THE MEC SAID AND THE SERVICE WRITER SAID THE IT WAS THE NO 2 COIL AND THAT KIA HAD A PROBLEM WITH THAT MOTOR MISFIRING,I LEFT THE VAN AND PICK IT UP ON SATURDAY. THEY REPLACED NO 2 COIL AND ONE PLUG,THEY SAID THEY DID ? THE NEXT DAY,SUNDAY WE WENT TO WEST PALM BEACH FOR A CRAFT SHOW,THE VAN SAT FOR 5HR, COMING HOME IT MISFIRE. WHEN IT MISFIRES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE CRUISE WILL GO OFF,THE TRANS SHIFTS HARD OUT OF OVER DRIVE THEN BACK INTO OVER DRIVE, WE HAVE COME CLOSE TO GETTING HIT ON 95 WHEN THIS HAPPENS. THE MISFIRE BECAME WORSE,WE TOOK IT TO A 2 DEALER OUT IN CORAL SPRINGS,THE VAN NOW HAS 53,000. THEY HAD IT FOR 8 DAYS, RESET THE ECM,AND PUT NEW PLUGS IN IT. GOT IT BACK, STILL MISFIRING. THE FRONT BRAKES WORE OUT ST 21,000. REPLACE THE BRAKE PADS,TURN ROTORS, THEY LAST ONLY 27,000. VERY BAD ON BRAKES. FIRST SET OF TIRES 24,000. REPLACE THEM WITH GOODYEAR 70,000. BE LUCKY TO GET 40,000. VERY BAD ON TIRES. FRONT END TO HEAVY,EATS BRAKES AND TIRES. HAD RIGHT FRONT CV AXLE REPLACE DO TO BEARING&SEAL DEFECT. RIGHT REAR BEARING HUB REPLACE DO TO DEFECT. WE DON'T FELL SAFE IN THIS VAN! *TR

NHTSA ID
10225762
Incident
Apr 20, 2008
Mileage
53,000 mi

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .