Engine And Engine Cooling Problems of Kia Motor Sedona - part 2

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.

See all problems of the 2016 Kia Motor Sedona 🔎.

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.

See all problems of the 2017 Kia Motor Sedona 🔎.

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.

See all problems of the 2015 Kia Motor Sedona 🔎.

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.

Kia service dealer diagnosed high oil consumption on my car with heavy sounds. They recommend to replace whole engine but it's out of warranty. It has only 106k miles on it. I am afraid the car is posing safety issue as well and it has less miles on it. I filed complain with kia consumer corporate a case has been generated on their system 25759569 but no one had contacted me yet.

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.

See all problems of the 2018 Kia Motor Sedona 🔎.

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 burned up all oil. No check engine lights. No active leaks confirmed by dealership. Engine is now damaged.

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).

The engine failed while driving on the interstate. Believed to have been catastrophic failure. Sudden loss of power and maneuverability could have led to a collision. Vehicle was towed to owner's residence. Prior to the failure a rapid knocking sound was heard from the engine. No warning lights were indicated.

All of a sudden my vehicle has started consuming large amounts of oil. My wife was driving with my two small children when a check engine light went on and she pulled over and there was no oil left in the engine! I am unsure of the scale of the problem or if any significant damage has occurred. I worry that the car is at 149k that I will go over the 150k and be out of luck for a recall claim. I know that this was a complaint with other kia engines, but the 3. 3 gdi lambda seems to have the same issue. Please take care of it!.

Our 2016 kia Sedona was recently diagnosed with engine failure. Here's a summary: 1. The car's engine issues have twice put my family in danger: (1) on [xxx] with my [xxx] wife and 5 children when the car went into limp mode and could not accelerate on a steep road by a major forest in NJ (could have rolled back down a hill and crashed into other cars), and (2) on [xxx] with my [xxx] wife and 2 children when it again encountered an inability to accelerate. In situation (1) we towed it to our local kia dealership and were told the issue was repaired (worn out spark plugs and low oil), but we had the same issue again 3 months later in December. In situation (2) my wife brought it to that same dealership. After multiple incorrect diagnoses - low oil and dead battery - they finally said we need a new engine. I spoke to customer care and, in spite of countless calls and follow-ups, did not receive a timely response and was eventually told that I would have to pay for this out of pocket. 2. We towed our car - at our expense - on 1/29/25 to another dealership in the hopes of better service. They came to the same conclusion: the engine has failed and we need a new one. Still, we have not received adequate answers on why the engine has failed and an appropriate solution to allow us to get our car back, which leads to the final point: 3. We've taken stellar care of this car since we bought it new. For 9 years, we have taken our van only and exclusively to authorized kia dealerships for service, for all needs great and small. We've spent $7,256 on service at these dealerships, taking all recommendations from service advisors to ensure our car is well-maintained. The car's issues have been misdiagnosed and put the lives of my [xxx]wife and several children in danger. Even after dealing with these dealerships and sending a letter to kia consumer affairs, there has been no proper solution. Please assist us in remedying this matter promptly. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C.

A few months ago we became aware that our Sedona was burning through coolant and oil very quickly. We began to monitor closely and were adding coolant and oil frequently. We did not see any oil leaking on the engine or driveway. We brought the car into the cherry hill kia service center to get checked. We were aware of a recall involving coolant and oil and thought this could be related. I told the mechanic we were checking the coolant and oil every week because it would run low and the check engine light would come on. We would add both oil and coolant and the check engine light would go out soon after. The kia mechanic told us we needed new radiator hoses and an alternator. I pressed the mechanic because I did not understand how that would affect the oil consumption. We paid for the diagnostic and oil change and took our car to another mechanic and they replaced the entire radiator and alternator. This was in October, 24. In January of 25 we were driving on a 45 mph road with no shoulder when the lights on the dashboard lit up and we began to lose power. The vehicle stopped and we could not even get the hazard lights to function. My children were in the car. The police had to be called to stop traffic so we could safely push the car off the road until it could be towed. The vehicle is currently at burlington kia and we have been informed we need a whole new engine. We have always been diligent about maintaining our cars. I have no doubt that this is the result of poor engineering and design and puts families like ours in danger. Please help us and by holding kia accountable.

My 2016 kia Sedona had complete engine failure. I was driving home from work in January 2025 with both my young daughters and the vehicle completely died out of nowhere no warning light no check engine light no oil light I was stranded alongside the road with a four year-old and a six year-old in January temperatures for hours. I just had to have the engine completely replaced along with several other parts that needed replaced due to the engine failure. I had just gotten the oil changed less than 30 days before this incident and I’m just now getting the vehicle back after $3500 in repairs. Also, the vehicle is still being financed. I had it about six months when this happened and I currently still owe $10,000 on it! I’m being told to get rid of it as soon as possible because there was an extreme problem of even trying to locate an engine for this vehicle because there is so many problems with this model. This has been an incredible financial burden on me as a single parent. Kia is doing nothing to accommodate the situation. I will add documentation of the repair bill as soon as it is sent to me.

In 2021 we purchased the van and within hours the motor blew. The car dealer had the motor rebuilt and it has been good until recently. It seems the head gasket is blown as it’s using coolant and blowing white smoke. It’s also burning oil. This should not happen every couple years.

Using lots of oil.

The engine in our 2016 3. 3l gdi Sedona seized while we were driving on the freeway going approx 65mph on 12/29/24. The vehicle was towed to the kia dealership in our town and examined by the service dept the following morning. We were told that the engine had no oil and it had leaked into the crankshaft where it burned up. Also, the engine compartment was filled with metal shavings. The service tech told us we would need to replace the engine.

Engine died in the middle of driving. After having it towed and diagnosed, there was no engine oil at all. I still had 1500 miles before the recommended mileage for my next oil change. No warning lights. Engine is totally seized and will need to be replaced. Kia dealership stated that an indicator should have told me that my oil was low and the engine should have shut off prior to running dry. We were driving with my 4 children in the car. Thankfully we were on a side road where we could push the car to safety.

2016 kia Sedona. I was driving on the highway when the engine started knocking and smoking. I had to cut cars off on the highway to get to the shoulder. The car was towed to a local mechanic who told us there were holes blown through the engine and it would need replaced. This was after a year and a half of driving it so we still had a loan on the car that we couldn't afford to just scrap the car. We had to get a new engine put in the car. Insurance would not help since we did not hit anything and it was a manufacturer defect. Mechanic checked oil level and viscosity and did not see any issues with it. No warning lamps indicated there was anything wrong with the vehicle before the engine ripped itself apart. Thankfully none of our 3 kids were in the vehicle at the time. This was 2 months that we did not have our family van during the winter holidays and it was a very difficult time for the family.

I brought my 2016 kia Sedona into a mechanic to get checked over and get some new front tires put on on 8/19/24. I was informed that the oil needed changing. So, I changed it as I have always done for years. We took off on a ~2600 mile round trip out east. Once there, I noticed that when I would travel close to a cement divider, a noise was coming from the vehicle that got louder as I accelerated. Thought is was the muffler (sounded like I was hot rodding). There were no engine lights on the dash, so I didn't think there were any major issues. A muffler could wait till I got back. This trip was end of August. There were no other issues, so I put it off. I figured a small hole in muffler or loose. We were called to go back out to new york for 11 days the end of November, and after another 2600 miles, the noise was significantly louder, but mostly noticeable when accelerating. Still idled fairly well. Still no engine lights. On 11/27/24 we took a 600+ mile trip. As of 12/2/2024, I brought the vehicle in to get the spark pugs changed and check the noise. The mechanic said that I was 4. 5 quarts low and the noise was knocking in the motor itself. I had replaced the engine oil (synthetic) end of August and now find this Dec. 3rd after bringing it in. It has never burned oil, and there is no evidence of leakage on the floor or anywhere in the engine compartment or oil pan (mine and mechanics observations). Loss of 4. 5 quarts in just over 2 months, when never an issue before? and no low oil engine light coming on? this was just taken on 5800 miles of primarily highways. From what I have been reading, knocking prior to engine failure has been popping up, and my family and I could have had a major problem had I gone any longer without checking it out. It is a major issue not having the low oil sensor go off, and suddenly being without 4. 5 quarts in such a short time without prior issues, or warning.

The engine failed at 63,758 miles. Lancaster kia in lancaster, PA indicated the engine has metal shavings everywhere.

The engine seems to be burning oil. After my last oil change, I had to replace three quarts of oil after driving 2,500 miles. Once previously, the engine oil got dangerously low (no oil showing on dipstick) even without the vehicle giving any indication of low oil. This could lead to engine failure while operating the vehicle, which could have disastrous consequences.

See all problems of the 2019 Kia Motor Sedona 🔎.

I own a 2017 kia Sedona with approximately 120,000. It has the 3. 3l v6 engine. While driving, the vehicle lost power and would not run. The lights and the dashboard would come on, but it would not turn over to start. I took it to a mechanic, and they confirmed that the engine had seized up and would have to be replaced costing $11,000. I then had it towed to the dealership that I purchased the vehicle. They also confirmed that the engine had seized up and would have to be replaced at a significant cost. I had no warning that anything was wrong with my vehicle as the check engine light did not come on. I did hear a slight knocking the day before this happened. My husband checked the oil and added a quart of oil, which was unusual since we had not seen any oil on our driveway. I did have a warranty, but it lapsed due to being over the mileage cap by 2,000 miles.

Description of incident: what component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? the engine of my 2016 kia Sedona seized due to a lack of oil. The oil pressure warning light, which is designed to alert the driver to low oil pressure or oil-related issues, did not illuminate to indicate any problem. The engine is still available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? while the engine seizure did not occur while driving, it created a potential hazard for future operation of the vehicle. Had the issue occurred during the 20-mile drive home or on future trips, it could have led to a sudden loss of power, putting the driver, passengers, and others on the road at risk. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? the kia dealership confirmed that the engine seized due to a lack of oil. However, they have not provided a detailed diagnostic report or explanation for why the oil pressure warning light failed to illuminate. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others? the vehicle has been inspected by kia but has not been examined by third parties such as insurance representatives or law enforcement. Were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? there were no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms prior to the failure. The oil pressure warning light, which should have alerted us to the issue, did not illuminate at any point. Best assessment: my assessment is that the oil pressure warning system failed to function as designed, leading to the engine seizing without warning. This malfunction prevented us from addressing the oil issue in time to avoid catastrophic engine damage.