Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2012 Kia Sedona, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Electrical system33
- Engine18
- Structure18
- Unknown or other16
- Air bags9
- Power train8
- Vehicle speed control7
- Fuel/propulsion system7
- Service brakes7
- Fuel system, gasoline4
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 2 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 18 2012 Sedona vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 8 people died inside them, and 1 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2012 Kia Sedona failed the safety check 3.96% of the time — 57% more often than the average 2012 passenger car (2.52%). Median odometer at inspection: 129,680 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Registered new in Europe in 2012
190 new Kia Sedona cars were registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland in 2012; the largest markets were the United Kingdom (190).
- Average mass
- 2,174 kg
- Fuel type recorded
- Diesel 100%
European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · averages weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value; fuel type as recorded at registration, where many non-plug-in hybrids appear as petrol · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
In the United Kingdom
129 cars built in 2012 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 10 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 150 of these cars first registered in 2012 took their annual MOT test. 68% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2012 the figure was 66%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2012 |
|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 13.3% | 14.3% |
| Brakes | 12.0% | 7.7% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 8.7% | 3.8% |
| Suspension | 8.7% | 12.2% |
| Visibility | 4.0% | 5.0% |
| Tyres | 2.7% | 7.0% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In New Zealand
1 2012 cars are on the New Zealand register; 100% arrived as used imports, 0% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-star results for 1 variant; not yet fully rated. Rollover risk is the estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Variant | Overall | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 Kia Sedona VAN FWD | — | 13.6 % |
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- No
- Lane departure warning
- No
- Best overall rating
- —
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), api.nhtsa.gov · US federal work, public domain
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 1 variant: combined 11.4 L/100 km (about 21 mpg US), CO₂ 262 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sedona · Minivan · Regular gasoline | 13.0 | 9.5 | 11.4 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
6 Transport Canada recalls for the 2012 Kia Sedona.
| 2024549 15 Aug 2024 | Label Issue: On certain vehicles, the compliance label may be missing information in French. The words listed on the label for "Tires", "Rims", "Front" and "Rear" a… |
| 2020075 26 Feb 2020 | Fuel System Issue: On certain vehicles, the fuel rail could develop small cracks. If this happens, there could be a fuel odour or fuel leak in the engine compartment. … |
| 2018301 8 Jun 2018 | Airbag On certain gasoline and hybrid engine vehicles, the circuits within the airbag control unit may become damaged. This could cause the airbags and seat belt prete… |
| 2016273 2 Jun 2016 | Suspension On certain vehicles, road salt can corrode the front control arms, which may ultimately lead to control arm failure. This could result in a loss of vehicle cont… |
| 2016274 2 Jun 2016 | Structure On certain vehicles, the secondary hood latch could corrode, and may result in the mechanical binding of the latch. This could cause the secondary hood latch t… |
| 2013388 6 Nov 2013 | Suspension On certain vehicles, road salt can corrode the front control arms, which may ultimately lead to control arm failure. This could result in a loss of vehicle cont… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2012 Sedona vehicles. The fuel rail may crack from exposure to heat generated within the engine compartment, resulting in a fuel leak.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Kia Forte, Forte Koup, 2011-2013 Kia Optima and 2011-2012 Kia Optima Hybrid and Sedona vehicles. In the event of a crash, the air bag control unit (ACU) may short circuit, preventing the frontal air bags and seat belt pretensioners from deploying.
Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2006-2012 Kia Sedona vehicles manufactured from June 15, 2005, through August 14, 2012 and originally sold in, or currently registered in Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. In the affected vehicles, the front lower control arms may break due to corrosion from salt water exposure such as from road salt use.
Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2006-2014 Kia Sedona vehicles manufactured from June 15, 2005, through April 04, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the secondary hood latch may bind and remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed.
Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2006-2012 Kia Sedona vehicles manufactured from June 15, 2005, through August 14, 2012 originally sold in, or currently registered in Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Rhode Island, West Virginia or the District of Columbia. In the affected vehicles, the front lower control arms may break due to corrosion resulting from prolonged exposure to salty environments.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Kia told its dealers about the 2012 Kia Sedona: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11001599 | TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: ANTI-THEFT S/W LOGIC UPGRADE & DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2308) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides the procedure to upgrade the software logic of the In-Panel Module (IPM) or Body Control Module (BCM) system on certain 2011-2014MY Sedona (VQ) vehicles produced from March 3, 2010 through April 4, 2014 and certain 2015-2021MY Sedona (YP) vehicles produced from July 29, 2014 through July 8, 2020, which may not |
| 11000787 | This bulletin provides information relating to the correct transmission fluid type and fill quantity requirement for each Kia model. A flush is required ONLY when a transmission is replaced. |
| 10251970 | TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: ANTI-THEFT S/W LOGICUPGRADE & DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2308) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides the procedure to upgrade the software logic of the In-Panel Module (IPM) or Body Control Module (BCM) system on certain 2011-2014MY Sedona (VQ) vehicles produced from March 3, 2010 through April 4, 2014 and certain 2015-2021MY Sedona (YP) vehicles produced from July 29, 2014 through July 8, 2020, which may not b |
| 10249180 | TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: ANTI-THEFT SOFTWARE LOGIC UPGRADE & DECALL INSTALLATION (CS2308) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides the procedure to upgrade the software logic of the In-Panel Module (IPM) or Body Control Module (BCM) system on certain 2011-2014MY Sedona (VQ) vehicles produced from March 3, 2010 through April 4, 2014 and certain 2015-2021MY Sedona (YP) vehicles produced from July 29, 2014 through July 8, 2020, which m |
| 10242230 | TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: ANTI-THEFT S/W LOGIC UPGRADE & DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2308) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides the procedure to upgrade the software logic of the Integrated Body Control Unit (IBU) or Body Control Module (BCM) system on certain 2011-2014MY Sedona (VQ) vehicles produced from March 3, 2010 through April 4, 2014 and certain 2015-2021MY Sedona (YP) vehicles produced from July 29, 2014 through July 8, 2020, |
| 10241175 | CUSTOMER SATISFACTION CAMPAIGN: OWNER RE-NOTIFICATION - This document is the owner re-notification advising that Kia has developed a software upgrade that can be installed on the vehicle to restrict the operation of the vehicle's ignition system should a locked vehicle be the subject of a break-in and theft attempt without the key. This software upgrade will be available to the customer free of charge for eighteen (18) months from the date of the original letter. When the software upgrade is complete, Kia will also provide the customer with window stickers that can be applied to the vehicle to |
| 10238214 | TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: ANTI-THEFT S/W LOGIC UPGRADE & DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2308) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides the procedure to upgrade the software logic of the Integrated Body Control Unit (IBU) or Body Control Module (BCM) system on certain 2011-2014MY Sedona (VQ) vehicles produced from March 3, 2010 through April 4, 2014 and certain 2015-2021MY Sedona (YP) vehicles produced from July 29, 2014 through July 8, 2020, w |
| 10237018 | CUSTOMER SATISFACTION CAMPAIGN: OWNER NOTIFICATION - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia has developed a software upgrade that can be installed on the vehicle to restrict the operation of the vehicle's ignition system should a locked vehicle be the subject of a break-in and theft attempt without the key. This software upgrade will be available to the customer free of charge for eighteen (18) months from the date of this letter. When the software upgrade is complete, Kia will also provide the customer with window stickers that can be applied to your vehicle to discourage a |
| 10236654 | TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: ANTI-THEFT S/W LOGIC UPGRADE & DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2308) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides the procedure to upgrade the software logic of the Integrated Body Control Unit (IBU) or Body Control Module (BCM) system on certain 2011-2014MY Sedona (VQ) vehicles produced from March 3, 2010 through April 4, 2014 and certain 2015-2021MY Sedona (YP) vehicles produced from July 29, 2014 through July 8, 2020, w |
| 10235095 | TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: ANTI-THEFT S/W LOGIC UPGRADE & DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2308) - This bulletin provides the procedure to upgrade the software logic of the Integrated Body Control Unit (IBU) or Body Control Module (BCM) system on certain 2011-2014MY Sedona (VQ) vehicles produced from March 3, 2010 through April 4, 2014 and certain 2015-2021MY Sedona (YP) vehicles produced from July 29, 2014 through July 8, 2020, which may not be equipped with an immobilizer. This logic upgrade will add anti-theft ignition start logic to the vehicle's system operation. Follow the p |
| 10226555 | TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: TRANSMISSION FLUID APPLICATION GUIDE - This bulletin provides information relating to the correct transmission fluid type and fill quantity requirement for each Kia model. A flush is required ONLY when a transmission is replaced, refer to applicable vehicles in the chart starting on page 2. |
| 10201529 | TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: INFORMATION FOR HEADLAMP CONDENSATION AND MOISTURE - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information relating to some Kia models that may exhibit fogging, condensation, and/or moisture inside a headlamp assembly. Generally, a fogging condition is considered normal and can be eliminated by turning on the headlamps with the engine running for up to 30 minutes or during normal driving conditions. Headlamp assembly replacement WILL |
| 10189295 | TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: POWER SLIDING DOOR (PSD) OPERATION INSPECTION AND REPAIR - This bulletin provides information regarding the replacement of certain Power Sliding Door (PSD) system parts associated with the Warranty Extension Program (WTY018) on some 2011-2014MY Sedona (VQ) vehicles produced from April 1, 2010 through April 4, 2014. The power sliding door may not completely latch upon closing in auto-mode. If this occurs, the open-door indicators such as activation of the chimes and illumination of the dashboard telltales and/or dome lights will occur. Inspect and diagnose the power |
| 10189294 | WARRANTY EXTENSION: REIMBURSEMENT FORM - This document is a Reimbursement Request form that was mailed with the customer letter advising them to submit the form if they had paid for repairs for this same matter prior to the warranty extension program launch. |
| 10189293 | WARRANTY EXTENSION: QUESTION AND ANSWER - This document is the Question and Answer Guide containing the most frequently asked questions regarding the warranty extension (WTY018). |
| 10189292 | WARRANTY EXTENSION: OWNER NOTIFICATION - Kia Motors America, Inc. takes pride in providing you with high quality and dependable vehicles. In order to maintain these standards, Kia is extending the New Vehicle Limited Warranty coverage, to all owners of 2011-2014 MY Sedona vehicles equipped with Power Sliding Doors, for Power Sliding Door difficulty latching issues from 5-years/ 60,000-miles to 15-years/unlimited-miles starting from the date the vehicle was first put into service. The power sliding door may not completely latch upon closing. |
| 10189291 | WARRANTY EXTENSION: DEALER PARTS AND SERVICE MANAGER MEMO - Kia Motors America, Inc. is extending the warranty coverage, to all owners of 2011-2014 MY Sedona vehicles equipped with Power Sliding Doors, for Power Sliding Door difficulty latching issues from 5-years/60,000-miles to 15-years/unlimited-miles starting from the date the vehicle was first put into service. The power sliding door may not completely latch upon closing. If, at any time during the extended warranty coverage, the vehicles power sliding door does not completely latch upon closing, Kia dealers are to diagnose the cause at n |
| 10189290 | WARRANTY EXTENSION: DEALER PRINCIPAL MEMO - Kia Motors America, Inc. is extending the warranty coverage, to all owners of 2011-2014 MY Sedona vehicles equipped with Power Sliding Doors, for Power Sliding Door difficulty latching issues from 5-years/60,000-miles to 15-years/unlimited-miles starting from the date the vehicle was first put into service. The power sliding door may not completely latch upon closing. If, at any time during the extended warranty coverage, the vehicles power sliding door does not completely latch upon closing, Kia dealers are to diagnose the cause at no cost to the cu |
| 10183431 | TSB - USE OF AFTERMARKET USB CHARGING CABLES IN USB/12V PORTS - This article provides information regarding the use of USB ports and 12V power outlets to connect/charge mobile phones. Customers may experience issues with their head units that may be related to the use of aftermarket USB charging cables, including; * Electrical interference and limited or no functionality when attempting to play music, or when charging a device through the USB port * Excessive static or noise when listening to the audio source * Malfunctions and screen freeze of the head unit screen * Slow down of the sys |
| 10179255 | PITSTOP - BRAKE CALIPER LEAK INSPECTION - This PITSTOP provides information related to a brake caliper fluid/oil substance found on some Kia vehicles, due to possible excess assembly oil applied during assembly. |
| 10174520 | TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: - TRANSMISSION FLUID APPLICATION GUIDE - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. This bulletin provides information relating to the correct transmission fluid type and fill quantity requirement for each Kia model. A flush is required ONLY when a transmission is replaced, refer to applicable vehicles on page 2. Refer to the shop manual on KGIS for the specific Kia model for the correct transmission fluid check/fill procedures. |
| 10170778 | TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: HALOGEN HEAD LAMP LOW BEAM BULB CONNECTOR REPLACEMENT - This bulletin provides information regarding the procedure to repair the bulb connector on some 2010MY~ vehicles listed on the table below, which may exhibit a bulb connector concern. To correct this concern, replace the connector with a new and improved part. |
| 10133170 | PITSTOP - ENGINE COMPONENT RE-USE GUIDELINES - In general, parts and components removed during engine repairs should be considered serviceable, and should be thoroughly cleaned and transferred to the new engine. |
| 10130104 | TSB - DRIVESHAFT SERVICEABILITY - This bulletin has been revised most recently to include additional information. This bulletin provides information regarding axle shaft serviceability for Kia vehicles equipped with a six-speed automatic transmission. |
| 10116109 | TSB: FRONT DOOR GLASS RUN CHANNEL REPLACEMENT - This bulletin provides information on some Sedona (VQ) vehicles, produced from June 15, 2005 through May 06, 2013, which may experience wind noise coming from the front door window/door frame area, at highway speeds, and/or glass run channel deformation caused by improper sealing of the front windows. To correct this concern, follow the procedure outlined in this bulletin to replace the left and right side front door glass run channels. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Air bags may be disabled during crash
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation