Engine And Engine Cooling Problems of Kia Motor Sedona - part 1

Engine overheating and check engine light went on. Vehicle would not start after shutting down.

See all problems of the 2016 Kia Motor Sedona 🔎.

I was driving in normal operating conditions, with no traffic when suddenly the engine seized. After contacting a towing company to get my vehicle home, I started checking for anything I could find and noticed that it had zero oil and no visual signs of a leak anywhere. There were never any warning lights or sounds until it abruptly stopped. I have not had it looked at by anyone other than myself and a neighbor whom is a mechanic.

My 2016 Sedona’s engine is not operational. At this moment it is sitting at the dealership after having a diagnostic completed in which I was informed that it will cost me $21,000+ to replace my engine. I am shocked to be informed of this! I love my car! it is our family car full of precious memories! there were no warnings that something was wrong with my engine. Not a single one came on - believe me I would have taken a picture of it to inform the mechanic for it to be serviced. I have had it serviced repeatedly for oil changes; more oil changes than what should be done for the age and milage according to the manual. It is not due to my lack of competence and poor maintenance. I've done my part. Now to find out that I can't drive it. Now to find out that I don't have anything reliable to get my children to school, is unacceptable! this is a major issue that should be covered by kia, not out of my own pocket. The engine and its ability to function properly is your responsibility as a company. Engine problems with this model have been noted by others, and resolved. Please resolve this issue as soon as possible. I look forward to hearing from you.

The engine started knocking while I was on [xxx] between mile marker [xxx] and [xxx]. This area is under construction with no shoulders to access and pull over. A shutdown in this situation would surely cause a multi-car accident. There were no warning lamps. Car was towed to ancira kia in san antonio. Here is the ro# [xxx] for reference. Also case number from kia [xxx]. As there is no current recall kia refused to take responsibility. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2021 Kia Motor Sedona 🔎.

Engine failed…driving down the road with five small children and without warning all the lights came on and started smoking, leaking fuel, power doors failed, steering, acceleration and more. We had to have the car towed to a shop. A when looking into what’s happening apparently many others are having to spend thousands to fix this issue and I’m afraid that’s where we are. An investigation needs to be opened as this is clearly an ongoing issue for many families.

See all problems of the 2018 Kia Motor Sedona 🔎.

I was driving and my engine seized and my car is now undrivable. I immediately looked up recalls and see that there were several recalls and recalls surrounding the engine as well. I am told I now need a brand new engine and was referred to file a report as the issue experienced should not have been happening.

See all problems of the 2017 Kia Motor Sedona 🔎.

Engine stared clattering at the end of a 2 hour drive home. Engine died entering a round about 1-1/2 miles from home. It restarted and limped to my home. Arranged to have it towed to mechanic shop. They informed me there is issues with rod bearings and that kia has a class action suite but kia is telling me that my VIN is not involved.

Was traveling along interstate 95 when the engine failed without any warning signs!.

While driving on the interstate, about an hour into the trip, there was a banging/tinging sound coming from the front of the van. Immediately the van was pulled off the road to assess the situation as there were no warning messages or lights that came on to alert of any problem. Immediately before hearing the noise, the van had a major loss of power going up a slight incline on the interstate. The van threw a rod and had I not noticed the sound and pulled over, this could have been potentially a deadly situation had I kept driving and the engine completely seized up in the middle of the interstate.

Engine failure.

Engine failed. Hole in bottom engine housing approx. 2x2”.

See all problems of the 2019 Kia Motor Sedona 🔎.

The contact owns a 2015 kia Sedona. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated. No warning lights were illuminated. In addition, the thermostat gauge indicated that the engine was overheating. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a cracked head gasket. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that the repair was not covered under warranty because the mileage was over the limit. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 182,000. The VIN was unavailable.

See all problems of the 2015 Kia Motor Sedona 🔎.

There was a fire under my minivan as my husband was driving it, creating smoke and flames. He lost power to the van and had to coast to the right side of the highway where he came to a stop with the flames occurring. This is the family vehicle and I have small children. We had no warning lights or any indication that there would be a fire in my vehicle as the van had been running smoothly, and I had kept up with all recommended maintenance (see carfax report). On July 31st, I was told by kia America that there was a fire in the engine compartment and that it was inconclusive and they could not determine what started the fire. On August 15th, my father and husband went to castrucci kia (where the car was) and were shown that there were holes in the engine block, and the service representative brandon stated that the engine failure had probably thrown some of the rods causing the holes in the lower engine block sparking a fire when the leaking oil hit the catalytic converter. My insurance was involved, but I was not able to obtain a settlement from them, but I kept up on all maintenance and adherence to kia guidelines and my engine unexpectedly failed and caught on fire. I was told I would need a new engine at an approximate cost ranging from 12,000 to 15,000 dollars. I believe that my 2018 kia Sedona's 3. 3 l gasoline direct injection engine was manufactured defectively resulting in catastrophic engine failure, apparently puncturing the engine block, causing engine oil to leak and ignite a fire. Our attempts to address this critical issue with kia have been met with significant resistance and delays. It appears that kia refuses to take responsibility. There has been an escalating number of safety complaints and instances directly linked to the 3. 3 l kia v6 lambda ii engine. I appreciate your assistance in resolving this issue with kia America and the local kia service center where my vehicle is located.

Timing chain failure/cam shaft failure/bank 2 failure/drastic loss of engine oil. Got home before engine seized, could have crashed if engine failed on freeway. Codes confirmed techs suspicion. No warning lights or notifications appeared on dashboard.

I have a 2016 kia Sedona. Engines on the vehicle have been known to be bad and I already had 1 engine replaced under their extended warranty that covers to 150000 miles after a blown head gasket. I got a new engine 11/2024 however car overheats & coolant leak everywhere&bust hoses. I was told to replace radiator and all cooling/heater hoses, but video show coolant bubbling car still overheating. Replaced one loose hose under warranty. Car overheats again was told to replace relay switch for fan another. Dealer crash my car waited a month for parts and they never repaired damages to my bumper and airbag light. 2 month later car overheats again now coolant spraying into trunk and hose pop again now at heater core. There is no light notice of when car overheating tiil very hot. Or someone tells me my car is smoking by then it is followed by a loud noise and coolant leaking everywhere again. This time the overheating bust the heater core hose in my trunk and was spraying coolant all in trunk while I was getting ready to get of freeway. Very scary. I pulled over just in time for noise and coolant to leak out everything from resovoir again. This is my family car and have 5 kids under 18 and feel very unsafe now. Despite paying for everything kia suggest every 1-2 months they still fail to find cause of overheating and constant hoses breaking or coming loose after the pressure build up and I am scared this car will catch fire or stall one day with my children in car. Already noticed sometime its like car struggles to accelerate despite a supposed new engine but car been constantly overheating even after engine replacement and it also still causes sludge in hose& had 4 coolant flushes in a year and new hoses and now seems people working on car not sure what they doing because I was told I needed new heater hoses 2months later they didn't know my heater core was at back car so didn't replace so this hose burst despite kia recommendation to replace. Please help b4 it too late.

I am writing to report an incident with my 2016 kia Sedona, which experienced a sudden engine failure. The failure was diagnosed with engine codes p0014 and p0018, indicating camshaft timing and crankshaft correlation issues, consistent with internal engine failure and symptoms related to the known theta ii engine defect with kia’s of that year, including metal debris and timing issues. For many of these kia’s the warranty was extended to 120,000 miles. My incident took place at 120,600 miles. I have maintained this vehicle responsibly, and this issue occurred with little to no warning. Though I understand the mileage technically exceeds the warranty limit, the proximity to the cutoff and the nature of the failure suggest that the defect likely developed well before the warranty threshold. I contacted kia to request goodwill coverage for an engine replacement or the associated repairs. I believe that other customers in similar situations have received assistance under goodwill policies, especially for issues tied to known manufacturer defects, unfortunately kia declined to open a case on my behalf.

On Tuesday June 10, 2025 at approximately 11:43 am, while heading north on 75 at mile marker 148, my 2016 kia Sedona caught fire. I initially became aware of a problem while heading southbound on 75. While listening to an audio book, my wife and I heard a sudden noise which appeared to come from the engine. I (the driver) I noticed that this noise (rattling/ ticking) only occurred when I accelerated. We pulled off at the nearest safe exit (exit 101/102 cordele) at a marathon gas station. I inspected the engine to see if we were low on oil or anti-freeze. I noticed that the oil was low, however we did not have any visible leaks at our home. I added 3 quarts of oil and the vehicle began making a ticking noise. I asked siri to locate the nearest auto repair shop (quality auto repair) which was approximately . 5 miles away from our location. The mechanic on duty informed me that it was the engine and that because I was under 150,000 miles I could take it to a kia dealership to have this replaced because it was a gdi engine. Instead continuing our trip south, we decided to head back toward home to take our van to a kia dealership near our house. Approximately 42 miles into our drive back home the vehicle began to idle and then smoke came from the engine. I pulled over to the side of the road and opened the hood to investigate the potential problem and then suddenly flames came from beneath the van near the engine. I asked my wife and 14 year old daughter to exist rapidly. My wife had no issues, however we couldn't open my daughters door. She was able to successfully climb to the front and exit out of the passenger side safely. Within 10 mins or so, 70-75% of the vehicle was engulfed in flames. Prior to pulling over, none of my indicators were illuminated so there was no warning until the vehicle completely shut down. My insurance company has assessed that this is a total loss. Pics and videos are available upon request.

In June 2026 sever engine knocking at startup and during slight acceleration lead us to have vehicle inspected. There were no warring lights on and no other indicators of issues. An independent mechanic as well as a kia dealer performed inspections and indicated a lifter bearing failure due to inadequate oil delivery. At the time the oil level was within range and within 3,500 miles since the previous oil change. Dealer indicated a complete engine replacement was needed due to the bearing failure and damage to the lifters.

On June 6, 2025, while driving my 2017 kia Sedona on a road trip through killeen, texas, the engine suddenly began making a loud knocking noise without any prior warning, leading to catastrophic engine failure and complete loss of motive power. The vehicle became inoperable and was towed to university kia in waco, texas. The day prior, on June 5, 2025, the vehicle underwent a thorough pre-trip inspection and full synthetic oil change at sun auto tire & service (5117 golden triangle blvd. , keller, TX 76244), confirming it was roadworthy with no issues detected initially, though oil was found leaking afterward (maintenance records attached). University kia confirmed the catastrophic engine failure, likely related to the 3. 3l lambda engine's known oil pressure switch (ops) defects, as the ops had been previously replaced under warranty. Kia motors America (case #25291117) denied liability unless I pay $3,000 for a teardown inspection to prove the failure was due to the ops, despite the vehicle's eligibility under the wty026 extended warranty (15 years/150,000 miles). This failure aligns with similar complaints and NHTSA investigations into 3. 3l lambda engine issues, such as oil starvation and sudden seizures. Due to the failure, we missed a prepaid hotel stay in san antonio, incurred additional hotel stay charges as our trip had to be extended, and incurred costs for a rental vehicle to complete the trip.

Burning through oil faster than it should, needing to feel up oil every week, has been confirmed by an auto repair shop. ?.

I heard a knocking sound in my car which I thought was coming from the engine towards the end of may. It was really bad on may 29, 2025, so I did not drive it again. I called my local dealership and scheduled an appointment for June 2, 2025. The vehicle had to be towed from my house to the dealership as it did not seem safe to drive. The battery had died when I tried to start it, so I called aaa for a tow. They were able to jump start the car, but I still did not feel safe driving it with the loud knocking noise. I had aaa tow my car to the dealership. This is what they found: lower engine knock, metal in the oil, lower rod bearing failure. No lights were on at the time the severe knocking occurred. How and why was my VIN not included in the recall notice on the engines? this was clearly a safety hazard. This problem should be covered by the engine recall. Now I have to get a new vehicle with extremely limited funds.

Catalytic converter system failure.

Without warning lights coming on my engine started knocking on may 15, 2025. Turns out the bearing between the top of the motor and the bottom of the motor is stripped. 5 months before this happened they replaced the 2 fuel pumps, cvvt, cam shaft sensor and assembly, timing chain and spark plugs. Again I had no warning about that work that the dealership said I needed. Now I need a new motor and they won’t do anything for me except charge over $10,000.

Engine blew a rod without warning or service light indication. The vehicle is available for inspection. My two children and I were put at risk due to the nature of the engine failure and being able to safely navigate the vehicle off of the highway. The vehicle was inspected by the mechanic of the shop that towed the vehicle. No warning lamps or symptoms of the engine failure until it happened. Low oil was suspected but made no sense since the oil had just been changed a month prior and no leaks detected.

Problem: the vehicle slows down all of a sudden on the middle of the road from around 70 miles to 10 miles, then slowly drives at 15 or 20 miles speed. Safety concern: on the interstate hwy, this has happened many time. Fortunately without any accidents. Very recently also this happened and I do not drive the vehicle out now, since it does not accelerate. Reason: the failure of the accelerator pedal. Symptoms: the "check engine" light comes one and the engine abruptly slows down. First time it occurred: I a year after the vehicle was bought -- 15000 miles -- company did a warranty replacement after almost a month (multiple visits). Second time it occurred: after 4 years-- 50000 miles -- company did a warranty replacement after a month (multiple visits). Third time it is occurring: after 5 years -- 63000 miles -- company claims it is no longer a warranty issue and also it is a different problem that is causing the same issue and charging me $5000 for repairs. Present situation: the vehicle is unusable and since it is the 3rd time this is happening, there is a serious issue with the vehicle and I am worried about my/my families safety. A replacement of the vehicle with the fully tested one (with no such safety issues)and with guarantee that the company/its dealers will service the vehicle without delay will be helpful. Available details: all the correspondence from the first time this issue happened (complete correspondence with the company of my safety and replacement of the vehicle) is available. Also my service records with the dealerships and the warranty issues are also available. The false charges by the dealers is also available. The recent visit to another authorized car shop and their report that this issue is the same old accelerator pedal issue is also available.

See all problems of the 2020 Kia Motor Sedona 🔎.

While driving the vehicle started making a rattling sound and the engine started to fail. There were no engine lights or warning signs. The vehicle only had around 78,000 miles on it and had regular maintenance. Total engine replacement was recommended. Repair costs totaled more than the vehicle’s value. I feel it was unsafe for this to happen while driving with no warning signs of failure.

On Wednesday, April 9, the van started making a noise. Then it lost power. It slowed down and then stopped. In the middle of the road. We were able to move it out of traffic. We had it towed to a service station. We were told that it was due to engine failure. I called our local kia dealer where we bought it. He told us there were no problems with that particular engine. I looked it up online and found that that is not true. I found that this particular engine is being investigated for the same issues that I had.

On [xxx] my family and I were on our way to oklahoma. Luckily we were on a highway instead of interstate when our Kia Motor blew. There were no oil warning lights illuminated, nothing. My husband luckily was able to steer the van to the side of the road safely. My vehicle had to be towed and when codes were run on it by the oil changers, no codes popped up and there were metal shaving in my oil filter. My husband contacted the dealer, they said the only issue they could find was not a recall, but an extended warranty for an oil pressure switch, but that with it not working it "would not make an engine blow. " however, another mechanic said it absolutely would. This van does have the 3. 3 engine that has been recalled in other models, but not the 2017. We had to rent a uhaul to have my van pulled by another vehicle. In the picture you can see all the oil which was lost. How was our safety at risk? we had to pull on the side of the road on a main highway (not interstate), but there wasn't much room between the road side and our vehicle, not to mention the traffic right behind us who could have parked in our trunk when the failure occurred. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Engine - blown head gasket, cracked block. Vehicle is at dealership service center in for repairs. Vehicle has been inspected by the warranty company. No engine light or warnings or messages came up on the car. Approximately 64000. 00 miles smelling antifreeze. Took it in to have it checked for leaks no apparent leaks. Took in at approximately 72000. 00 miles now has a blown head gasket and cracked block. The safety of a breakdown is obvious.

On April 1st my vehicles engine started normally and upon leaving the neighborhood began to rough idle. Prior to this, no lights were on and the vehicle had just passed an inspection. The engine was shuddering and there was very little power and the vehicle had difficulty maintaining speed. The codes were read and came back with p0304, p0306, p0302, p0300 and p0019. The vehicle was towed to a shop because it was undrivable. The vehicle is currently in the shop and they are recommending an entire engine replacement.

The engine will not start. It has been diagnosed as an engine failure. It is available for inspection. The engine stopped working as my family was in the car, putting us at risk. Why it happened is unknown, but the internet is full of people with the same year/make/model with the engine going out at a very low mileage. Mine is 117,000. There was absolutely no warning lamps or messages prior to the engine breaking down. This is a serious problem and safety hazard.

Engine failed with no warning lights. Oil completely gone with no signs of leaks. Coolant reservoir empty with no signs of where it went. No warning lights of any kind illuminated. Dealer claims rod bearing failure and cannot explain where the oil or coolant went. Engine shows exact issues as the other kia 3. 3 4 cylinder that have known faults that are causing fires and accidents. The kia 3. 3 v6 has the same issues and can cause serious accidents. Kia claims they are offering the same remedy as the 3. 3 4 cylinder but they are not.

While returning from a road trip to the phoenix arizona area I was driving my family in the kia Sedona van. We were driving on highway [xxx] going over [xxx] accelerating up hill. Without warning the car started to have high rpms and the sensor for the check oil along with the check engine light began to flash. Steering felt difficult. Safety was a concern having to try to use a dying vehicle to pull from the left lane across traffic of the busy highway on a mountain pass. I was able to pull to the right shoulder of the highway and park the van. I shut the van off and went to check the oil, the dip stick showed empty. I was trapped on the side of the highway with my wife and 5 small kids. I was uncertain that the tow truck would be able to transport my family off the highway. I was not willing walk my family along the highway so I called the local police dispatch for possible aid. The tow truck was able to get us off the highway to a place we could order a lyft. The van was towed to a mechanic shop. The van was inspected by a mechanic shop. The shop confirmed that the engine had seized and would have to be completely replaced. We had been on this road trip for the past couple with no issues prior to this event. After being told our engine had seized we started to do some research on the internet and found this is a common issue with kia and there is a current class action lawsuit. We intend to file a claim, but are uncertain if we qualify based on the dates of the suit. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Engine suddenly started knocking and shaking entire van. Engine seizing up and needs to be replaced. No prior trouble with the engine. I looked on the internet and saw that there is a petition for a recall on 2016 Sedonas. Please add me to that petition. Many van owners had engines that seized up. Since it’s a common problem for this year/make & model, there should be a recall. It’s not safe to be stuck on the side of the road with no prior warning.

We have a 2018 kia Sedona sxl that started to have a knock the beginning of the year. We noticed it was dry on oil even though we faithfully get our oil serviced. I took it in for an oil change right away and they were also surprised as I have always went there for my oil services. They informed me that my kia engine is notorious for burning through oil and maybe just try coming in more frequently than what kia recommends so we figured that was the answer, as the knock sound had gone away immediately after having oil. That was on [xxx]. A little over 3 weeks later on [xxx], my husband and kids were heading home on the interstate and the car completely shut off and died without a single light on the dashboard. No ding warning sound, check engine light, oil light, nothing. After such a scary experience the only common fix that made sense was maybe an alternator issue so we towed it home. The next day we had a licensed mobile mechanic come out to diagnosis the situation. After trying a new battery he did not think it was the alternator. He manually tried to start it by cranking the crankshaft and he sadly informed up that it was seized up around the piston and it would need a completely new engine. A new engine that not only was discontinued but also for a vehicle that only has 107k miles. Unacceptable as there are many many others out there experiencing this with their kia engine that also have the 3. 3l v6 lambda ii gdi. I’m hoping the the safety of consumers and their families that NHTSA looks seriously into this engine manufacturered in geangmyeong, korea information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).