2012 Kia Sedona Engine Problems

The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that the engine was damaged while being repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V101000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The contact stated that while the dealer was replacing the fuel rail as per the recall remedy, pressure built up, causing a valve cover leak, which damaged the oil pressure sensor. The dealer replaced the valve cover gasket and the oil pressure sensor, but the head gaskets were damaged. The dealer determined that the engine needed to be replaced but refused to replace the engine free of charge. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 235,000.

NHTSA ID

11735079

Incident

Mar 11, 2026

Mileage

235,000 mi

Tha backup camera, windshield wipers stopped working. The car would no t go in reverse or drive forward without resistance. Oil began leaking from the engine.

NHTSA ID

11591671

Incident

May 14, 2024

Unknown. I've replaced the alternator and battery. The alternator many times and still having lights come on. Mostly the "brake and battery " lights. It's sitting till further notice. Not drive able.

NHTSA ID

11552507

Incident

Oct 21, 2023

I have replaced my Oil Pressure sensor two times due to oil leaks since I have owned the vehicle at my own expense. I say a recall for the exact problem (19V101) for 2011-2012 KIA Sedona. My engine is leaking again so I call KIA about this and thy said that even though I have a 2012 Sedona that my VIN is not covered. Since I have already replaced this two times I find it hard to believe that my VAN is not having the same issues as the vehicles covered in the recall. If that is the case. That would mean that there are other 2012 Sedona's out there that may have the same problem but never get notified about the recall.

NHTSA ID

11455241

Incident

Mar 4, 2022

The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that after driving 70 MPH, and pulling into a parking lot, he noticed smoke coming from underneath the hood of the vehicle. The contact exited the vehicle and upon opening the hood of the vehicle, he saw that the engine compartment was on fire. The contact was able to extinguish the fire with the assistance of the fire department. A fire department report and a police report were filed. There were no injuries sustained. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot, where it was totaled. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 190,102.

NHTSA ID

11445252

Incident

Dec 22, 2021

Mileage

190,102 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 KIA SEDONA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, HE NOTICED BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT PULLED OFF THE ROAD TO A PARKING LOT, WHERE FLAMES WERE SEEN COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT EXITED, STOOD A DISTANCE AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE AND CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE ENTIRE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AREA WAS BURNT AND DESTROYED BY THE FIRE. THE INSURANCE COMPANY DID NOT EVEN LOOK AT THE VEHICLE SINCE THEY SAID THEY DID NOT COVER FIRES. THERE WERE NO INJURIES SUSTAINED AND A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.

NHTSA ID

11317227

Incident

Nov 1, 2019

Mileage

170,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA SEDONA. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH THE ENGINE CEASED WITH SEVERAL WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DELAND KIA 2322 S WOODLAND BLVD, DELAND, FL 32720-2322 (386) 734-7800, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS NOT OFFERED FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

NHTSA ID

11309052

Incident

Mar 1, 2019

Mileage

150,000 mi

TWICE, THE VEHICLE HAS STALLED AND COME TO A COMPLETE, UNEXPECTED STOP WITH NO WARNING: IN OCTOBER 2019 AND JANUARY 2020. IN BOTH CASES, THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT A SPEED OF APPROX. 30-40 MPH. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE, NOR DID ANY OTHER LIGHT. WE PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. VERY DANGEROUS, BUT FORTUNATELY WE WERE ABLE TO PULL OVER SAFELY,

NHTSA ID

11302504

Incident

Jan 2, 2020

Mileage

120,000 mi

OIL PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY, TOOK IT TO MY DEALER. THEY ARE SAYING THE OIL PRESSURE SENSOR IS BAD AT ONLY 74,000 MILES. WAS QUOTED A PRICE OF $800 NOT COVERED UNDER THE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY

NHTSA ID

11231831

Incident

Jul 11, 2019

Mileage

74,000 mi

HAD PURCHASED A 2012 KIA SEDONA. WORK OUT FINE FOR THE FIRST FEW YRS OF OWNERSHIP. STARTED NOTICING WHITE SMOKE AT ENGINE START. DIDNT KNOW WHY IT WAS DOING IT CAUSE WE HAD ROUTINE OIL CHANGES DONE TO THIS CAR REGULARLY. .TOOK CAR TO DEALER TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS A RECALL ON AN EMISSIONS PART AND THAT WOULD TAKE CARE OFF THE ISSUE. SAME ISSUE CONTINUED, FINALLY VAN CAME TO A DEAD STOP WITHOUT ANY WARNING. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, OIL LIGHT OR ANY LIGHT TO GIVE US A WARNING THAT SOMETHING WAS GOING ON. WAS LUCKY THAT MY WIFE WASNT IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WHEN THIS HAPPENED.SHE WAS DRIVING HM AND ON THE FREEWAY WHEN THE ENGINE DECIDED TO QUIT WORKING. HAD IT TOWED TO DEALER AND AFTER 2 MONTHS AT THE DEALER AND THAT WAS ONLY AFTER I CALLED TO CHECK WHY IT WAS TAKING SO LONG TO GIVE ME AN ANSWER,....WAS TOLD I WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENGINE AT A COST OFF $7500 TO $9500 FOR A NEW ENGINE. NO LUCK HAVING DEALER COVER THE COST CUASE THEY SAID IT WAS OWNER NEGLECT ON MY PART. NOW IM STUCK WITH A CAR THAT IS NOT DRIVABLE AND USELESS. OH, AND WORST PART IS THAT I WAS STILL MAKING A MONTHLY PAYMENTS ON THE CAR.

NHTSA ID

11165445

Incident

Mar 15, 2016

Mileage

120,000 mi

LAST SEPTEMBER 6TH, 2018, SEDONA WAS ALMOST CAUGHT FIRE WHILE DRIVER WAS WITH HER CHILDREN. ONWER SAW A HUGE SMOKE AFTER SHE LOOKED AT DASHBOARD TEMPATURE GUAGE THAT REACHED OVERHEAT, QUICKLY PARKED, TURNED IT OFF, AND OPENED THE HOOD. SHE SMELLED STRONG BURNED. MECHANIC TOOK A LOOK AT ENGINE AND FOUND A LOT OF MOTOR OIL THAT WAS LEAKING THROUGH THE HEAD GASKET AND SPILLING OVER ONTO EXHAUST PIPE UNDER ENGINE BLOCK. OIL SPILLING ONTO EXHAUST PIPE COULD CAUSE FIRE. RESPONSE OF MECHANIC DIAGNOSIS, ORIGINAL ALTERNATOR WAS AT FAULT FOR STOPPING GENERATE POWER SUPPLY TO THE RADIATOR FAN ASSEMBLY. THEN RADIATOR FAN ASSEMBLY STOPPED OPERATING, RESULTING IN ENGINE OVERHEAT TO BREAK THE HEAD GASKET, LEAKING A LOT OF MOTOR OIL. FOLLOWING OVERHEAT ISSUE, TRANSMISSION WAS ALSO AFFECTED. MECHANIC NOTICED THAT ALARM WAS NOT BUILT IN FOR COOLANT FLUID LEVEL LOW AFTER HALF LOW IN RADIATOR FOUND. WHY WAS NOT A COOLANT FLUID LEVEL LOW ALARM BUILT IN BEFORE FIRST TIME VEHICLE WAS SOLD? WITHOUT A COOLANT FLUID LEVEL LOW ALARM COULD LEAD VEHICLE INTO FIRE.

NHTSA ID

11129972

Incident

Sep 6, 2018

Mileage

89,000 mi

ENGINE OIL SENSOR LEAKING OIL AND ENGINE OIL LIGHT GOES OFF AND ON. ANY TIME ENGINE IS RUNNING.

NHTSA ID

11100313

Incident

Jun 1, 2018

Mileage

91,000 mi

LARGE PLUMES OF WHITE SMOKE FROM EXCESSIVE ENGINE SLUDGE BUILDUP IN MOTOR, TOWED IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY CLAIM IMPROPER MAINTENANCE IS THE ISSUE. TALKED TO KIA CORPORATE AND DESPITE OTHER KNOWN SLUDGE ISSUES ON OTHER VEHICLES THE SAY THIS VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE THE ISSUE. THEY'VE NOW HAD MY VAN FOR 6 MONTHS WHILE FIGHTING TO GET THEM TO COVER UNDER WARRANTY. BOUGHT IT WITH 29K MILES IT NOW ONLY HAS 56K MILES ON THE ENGINE, I'VE OWNED IT FOR A LITTLE MORE THAN A YEAR AND A HALF. I'M STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON A VEHICLE THAT'S WORTHLESS AND UNSAFE TO DRIVE RIGHT NOW. HAD REGULAR OIL CHANGES DONE AND BOUGHT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY BECAUSE WE PLANNED ON HAVING IT FOR A LONG TIME. I WAS TOLD IT NEEDS A NEW ENGINE REPLACEMENT COSTING $8200 FOR A VEHICLE I PAID $13000 FOR. THIS S NOT EXECUTABLE AND DON'T BELIEVE THEIR STORY. I WOULD HAVE BOUGHT A NEW VEHICLE IF I HAD KNOWN I'D BE ON THE HOOK FOR ANOTHER 8 GRAND IN A LITTLE OVER A YEAR OF OWNERSHIP. SO ANGRY!!!

NHTSA ID

10971659

Incident

Nov 6, 2016

Mileage

56,000 mi

UPON SERVICE STATION OIL CHANGE ENGINE WARNING CODES P0024,P0014 SHOWED IMMEDIATLEY NEXT MORNING. WIX FILTER, MGD MGL 10082, BOUGHT BY MY MECHANIC FROM ORIELLYS AUTO PARTS HAD NO RESEMBLANCE TO ORIGINAL FILTER EVEN THOUGH ADVERTIZED AS OEM REPLACEMENT. THIS HAD PERFORATED METAL SHELL AND SOLID RUBBER TOP AND BOTTOM WHEN KIA VERSION IS FAN FOLDED PAPER ALL OVER IT DAMAGED ENGINE VVTI, CAM EXHAUST MANIFOLD WARNING SINCE THIS IS A OIL TIMED ENGINE . I DID NOT DRIVE IT UNTIL FIXED, OIL SWITCH, AND PRESSURE SENDING UNIT. 100% PERCENT OF OIL HAD BEEN FORCED OUT TOP OF ENGINE AND POOLED IN THE V6. SEVERAL TECHNICAL SITES SAY THESE FILTERS DESIGN HAVE FAILED INCLUDING REDESIGN. NOW ORIELLYS AND WIX ARE DRAGGING THIER FEET IMN FIXING THIS AND REIMBURSING ME FOR EXSPENSE. NOT EVEN THIER PRODUCT. I WAS DRIVING VEHICLE LESS THAN 20 MILES

NHTSA ID

10911076

Incident

Aug 22, 2016

Mileage

154,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA SEDONA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, ENGINE OIL LEAKED UNDERNEATH THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE AND THE ENGINE OIL WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE OIL PRESSURE SWITCH AND ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

NHTSA ID

10898461

Incident

Aug 18, 2016

Mileage

40,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA SEDONA. WHEN THE KEY WAS INSERTED INTO THE IGNITION AND TURNED TO START, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,000.

NHTSA ID

10896291

Incident

Jul 2, 2016

Mileage

46,000 mi

MY VEHICLE HAS APPROXIMATELY 68K MILES ON IT, AND BEGAN LEAKING OIL WITHIN THE PAST MONTH (AND DISPLAYING THE LOW PRESSURE ERROR LIGHT). THE LEAKS THEMSELVES VARIED BETWEEN SMALL DRIPS TO SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS LEFT IN PARKING LOTS. IT GOT TO THE POINT WHERE I WAS UNABLE TO EVEN RUN THE HEATER FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME DUE TO THE FUMES ENTERING THE CABIN FROM THE BURNING OIL. WITH 3 KIDS UNTIL 12YRS, IT WAS VERY UNSAFE. UPON BRINGING IT IN FOR SERVICE, I WAS ADVISED THAT NOT ONLY THE OIL PAN GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, BUT THE REAR MAIN SEAL AS WELL. THIS IS ALARMING SINCE THE REAR MAIN TYPICALLY DOES NOT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS OVER/NEAR 100K MILES. THANKFULLY, MY WARRANTY IS COVERING THE REPAIRS, AS THIS COULD HAVE COST ME OVER $1K TO REPLACE (DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION NEEDING TO BE REMOVED TO GET TO THE SEAL).

NHTSA ID

10840442

Incident

Feb 27, 2016

Mileage

68,000 mi

THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONERS BLEED DOWN PRESSURE AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS SET FOR A FEW HOURS CAUSING CHAIN SLAP AT START UP WHICH OVER TIME WILL DAMAGE INTERNAL ENGINE COMPONENTS UP TO AND INCLUDING TIMING ISSUES THAT COULD CAUSE ENGINE FAILURE. WHILE THERE IS A TSB FROM KIA ON THIS KNOWN ISSUE KIA CLAIMS IT IS NORMAL TO HEAR THE CHAIN SLAP AGAINST THE ENGINE WALLS UNTIL THE TENSIONERS BUILD PRESSURE OVER SEVERAL SECONDS.

NHTSA ID

10779235

Incident

May 1, 2015

Mileage

82,000 mi

WHILE TURNING ONTO ANOTHER STREET THE VAN STALLED. I PUT ON MY FLASHERS AND STOPPED, PUT THE VAN IN PARK AND STARTED IT AGAIN. IT STARTED RIGHT UP AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. IT DIDN'T HAVE ANY POWER WHEN I HIT THE GAS, SO I TURNED IT OFF AND STARTED IT AGAIN AND IT RAN NORMAL, EXCEPT FOR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BEING ON. ON THE WAY HOME IT ALMOST STALLED AGAIN. THIS HAPPENED ON A SATURDAY. WE CALLED THE DEALER RIGHT AWAY AND THEY SAID TO BRING IT IN ON MONDAY. A WEEK OR SO BEFORE THE VAN DID THIS I NOTICED THE RPM'S GOING UP AN DOWN WHEN I WOULD BE AT A STOP JUST IDLING. THE DEALER CHECKED THE CODES FOR THE THROTTLE BODY AND FOUND AN UPDATE SO THEY REPROGRAMMED IT ACCORDING TO THEIR PAPERWORK. ON FRIDAY I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET GOING ABOUT 25 MPH AND WHEN I GOT TO THE TRAFFIC LIGHT I LOST POWER. I THOUGHT IT HAD STALLED AGAIN, BUT IT DIDN'T. WHEN I PRESSED THE GAS IT DID NOT ACCELERATE , AND WOULD NOT GO OVER 10 MPH. I GOT IT OFF THE STREET AND SHUT IT OFF AND THEN RESTARTED IT. IT WOULD NOT RESPOND WHEN I STEPPED ON THE GAS. I TURNED IT OFF AGAIN AND LET IT SIT FOR A COUPLE MINUTES AND THEN WHEN I RE-STARTED IT, IT RESPONDED WHEN I ACCELERATED. ONCE AGAIN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED THE DEALER AND DROVE IT RIGHT TO THEM. ACCORDING TO THEIR PAPERWORK THEY CHECKED AND FOUND AN INTERNAL FAULT WITH THE THROTTLE BODY ACTUATOR. THEY REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY AND KEPT IT A FEW DAYS TO SEE IF IT WOULD LOSE POWER AGAIN. ACCORDING TO THEM IT DID NOT AND I PICKED IT UP. THIS IS THE FIRST DAY I HAVE HAD IT BACK AND SO FAR IT HAS RUN FINE. I AM DRIVING CHILDREN AROUND IN THIS VAN ALL THE TIME AND NOW I NEED TO BE CONCERNED THAT IT IS GOING TO STALL OR GO INTO "LIMP MODE" AS THE DEALER CALLED IT WHEN I PULL OUT ONTO THE BUSY ROADS WHERE I LIVE. I HOPE THEY FIXED IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10505825

Incident

Apr 1, 2013

Mileage

5,534 mi