2006 Kia Sedona

I HAVE OWNED MY 2006 KIA SEDONA SINCE JAN 2008 AND HAVE HAD A PERSISTENT PROBLEM OF OIL LEAKING FROM THE VALVE COVERS AND THE OIL PAN GASKET. THIS OIL LEAK ISSUE HAS BEEN 'FIXED' 5 TIMES TILL NOW, ON WARRANTY COVERAGE AT THE FOLLOWING KIA DEALERSHIPS (IN DESCENDING ORDER OF DATES)' - 1) FULLERTON KIA ON 10/29/2010 2) FULLERTON KIA ON 08/21/2010 3) GLENDALE KIA ON 06/08/2009 4) GLENDALE KIA ON 12/24/2008 5) FULLERTON KIA ON 01/30/2008 DUE TO THE DESIGN AND PLACEMENT OF THE ENGINE PARTS ON THE 2006 SEDONA, OIL LEAKING FROM THE VALVE COVER ON THE TOP, FALLS DIRECTLY ON THE ALTERNATOR LOCATED JUST BELOW IT. WITH TIME, THE OIL LEAK RESIDUE CLOGS UP THE ALTERNATOR ITSELF, THEREBY LEADING TO FAILURE OF THE BATTERY CHARGING SYSTEM (WHICH HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES ALREADY ON WARRANTY COVERAGE) AND ALSO THE ALTERNATOR BREAKING DOWN ITSELF. THERE HAVE BEEN 2 OCCASIONS WHERE MY VEHICLE HAS GONE COMPLETELY DEAD AND STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY WHEN I WAS DRIVING, LEADING TO A DANGEROUS SAFETY ISSUE FOR MY FAMILY. ON BOTH OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED IN TO A DEALERSHIP AND THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED ON WARRANTY COVERAGE. FOLLOWING ARE THE DEALERSHIPS AND DATES WHEN THE BATTERY/ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED (IN DESCENDING ORDER OF DATES) - 1) FULLERTON KIA ON 05/10/2011 (ALTERNATOR) 2) FULLERTON KIA ON 10/29/2010 (BATTERY) 3) GLENDALE KIA ON 08/22/2009 (ALTERNATOR) 4) GLENDALE KIA ON 08/22/2009 (BATTERY) 5) GLENDALE KIA ON 06/08/2009 (BATTERY) I NOW HAVE THE SAME OIL LEAK PROBLEM ONCE AGAIN AND THE OIL HAS ALREADY STARTED SEEPING FROM THE VALVE COVERS INTO THE ALTERNATOR. I AM DREADING THE DAY IN THE NEAR FUTURE WHEN THE ALTERNATOR WILL STOP WORKING AND CAUSE MY VEHICLE TO STALL AGAIN ON THE ROAD WHEN MY FAMILY AND KIDS ARE DRIVING IN IT. THERE APPEARS TO BE A HUGE QUALITY/SAFETY ISSUE RELATED TO THE KIA SPARE PARTS USED TO FIX THE OIL LEAK PROBLEM. *TR

MY 2006 KIA SEDONA CONTINUES TO HAVE SHAKING IN THE FRONT WHEELS. THIS CAR HAS BEEN IN AND OUT THE DEALERSHIPS THROUGHOUT THE OWNERSHIP OF THIS VEHICLE. THE LATEST PROBLEM IS A HUMMING NOISE COMING FROM THE FUEL TANK. THE DEALER HAS STATED THAT IN HIS OPINION IT IS A DESIGN DEFECT. I CONTACTED KIA AND THEY ARE SAYING NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. HOW IS SOMETHING LIKE A FUEL LINE THAT IS INSIDE OF A FUEL TANK "NORMAL" WEAR AND TEAR? NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR WOULD APPLY TO BRAKES AND OTHER SUCH THINGS. CONSUMERS DON'T JUST GO TO THE LOCAL AUTO REPAIR PLACE TO HAVE A FUEL LINE MAKING NOISE FIXED ON A ROUTINE BASIS. THIS CAR WAS REPORTED UNDER THE VA. LEMON LAW PROCESS IN 2007. OF COURSE, KIA BEING THE BIG GUY IN THIS WON. YET, STILL TODAY THE SAME CONDITIONS EXIST AND MORE. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT I AM PAYING FOR A SERVICE AND KIA HAS FAILED AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED. SOME OF THE OTHER PROBLEMS INCLUDE: 1. SLIDING DOORS STICK 2. DRIVERS SIDE DOOR ONLY LOCKS ON OCCASION WITH REMOTE 3. THE HORN IS TERRIBLE 4. LUMBAR SUPPORT ON DRIVERS SEAT JUST BROKE ONE DAY WHILE DRIVING 5. TENSIONERS FOR TIMING BELT CHANGED SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING VEHICLE 6. FUEL TANK IS MAKING NOISE? HUMMING 7. STEERING SHAKES AT HIGH SPEEDS AND SO ON......WE (MY FAMILY) DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN WHAT WAS BEING SOLD AS THE SAFEST MINIVAN ON THE MARKET AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE! [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

YESTERDAY WE NOTICED A GASOLINE SMELL SURROUNDING OUR 2006 SEDONA VAN. TODAY, THE SMELL WAS NOTICEABLY STRONGER. THE VAN WAS TAKEN TO THE KIA DEALER WHO FOUND A HOLE IN THE FUEL TANK. THE TANK IS NOT CONSIDERED DEFECTIVE, AND WE ARE PAYING FOR A REPLACEMENT. THE DEALERS POSITION IS THAT THE TANK WAS HIT WITH SOMETHING TO CAUSE THE HOLE. I QUESTIONED HOW WE MIGHT HAVE HIT SOMETHING HARD ENOUGH TO PUNCTURE THE TANK WITHOUT NOTICING THE IMPACT. WITH THAT IN MIND, I DID AN INTERNET SEARCH AND FOUND THAT KIA HAS HAD A NUMBER OF RECALLS FOR FUEL TANK PROBLEMS ON OTHER MODELS. I BELIEVE THAT THIS MODEL SHOULD ALSO BE INSPECTED TO DETERMINE IF THERE MAY BE A FLAW IN IT AS WELL. *TR

MY KIA SEDONA IS IN THE ZIESER SERVICE CENTER AGAIN. I HAD TO TAKE IT IN FOR THE HORN AND OTHER CONCERNS. THE HORN DOES NOT ALWAYS WORK AND THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THE DEALER SAID THEY CAN NOT DUPLICATE, BUT WHEN MY HUSBAND AND I DRIVE THE VEHICLE IT DOES NOT WORK ON A CONSISTENT BASIS. THEY HAVE HAD TO REPLACE PARTS ON THIS HORN ALREADY ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. AND I HAVE HAD TO BRING IT BACK ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS SINCE THEY CAN NOT DUPLICATE AT FIRST. ON MY LAST VISIT THE SERVICE DEPT TURNED THE ROTORS FOR THE BRAKES. I TOLD THEM THAT IT IS NOW SQUEALING SINCE THEY DID THIS AND I WANTED TO KNOW WHY. WHEN THEY CALLED TO TELL ME MY CAR WAS READY, THEY SAID I OWED $25 TO LOOK AT THE BRAKES. I ASK WHY AND DAVE IN SERVICE SAID THAT THEIR TECH TOOK OVER 2 HOURS TO LOOK FOR PROBLEMS AND NO ONE WAS GOING TO PAY THEM (MEANING KIA), SO I NEEDED TO PAY. I TOLD THEM I WANTED TO KNOW WHY I DID NOT HAVE A SQUEAK BEFORE AND THEN AFTER THEY DID SOME WARRANTY WORK ON THE VAN I DID HAVE A SQUEAK. I ALSO STATED THAT I HAVE A SAFETY CONCERN ABOUT THE CAR FEELING LIKE IT IS BEING PUSHED WHEN YOU ARE SLOWING DOWN AND YOU GET TO 30-35 MPH. HE SAID THIS IS NORMAL. LASTLY, THE CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT DECELERATE WHEN GOING DOWN HILLS (EVEN A SLIGHT GRADE). IT DOES NOT DO THIS ON A CONSISTENT BASIS. THEY TOLD ME THIS IS NORMAL, BUT WHEN I DRIVE IT ACCELERATES AND IF I HAVE IT SET AT SAY 40 MPH I HAVE TO APPLY TO BRAKES BECAUSE I HAVE HAD IT ACCELERATE PAST 60 MPH. AGAIN, I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT MY VEHICLE AND THE FACT THAT THERE ARE SAFETY ISSUES THAT I FEEL NEED TO BE CORRECTED. EVEN THOUGH THEY STATE THAT THE HORN IS WORKING CORRECTLY, WHEN I WAS DRIVING THIS WEEKEND, I WAS CUT OFF BY A CAR AND WHEN I WENT TO HONK THE HORN IT DID NOT WORK. AND WHEN I TESTED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, IT DID NOT WORK. MY HUSBAND ALSO WAS CUT OFF (THERE IS IN INTERSECTION THAT IS NOTORIOUS FOR THIS BY OUR HOME) AND HE COULD NOT GET IT TO WORK.

I PURCHASED A 2006 KIA SEDONA IN AUGUST, 2006. ON 08-14-2006 IT WAS RETURNED FOR MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRBAG SYSTEM, REPAIRS WERE MADE. I ALSO STATED TO THEM THAT IT WAS PULLING TO THE LEFT, WHICH TO THIS DAY THEY HAVE NOT CORRECTED. ON 11-13-2006 AT APPROX. 3,300 MILES THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, THE VAN BEGAN TO SPUTTER AND CUT OUT. IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER( MISFIRE IN CYCLINDER)AND REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE VAN WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER AGAIN ON 01-03-2007(SCANNED SYSTEM, COULD NOT FIND CODE),01-18-2007(MULTIPLE MISFIRES),02-08-2007(RANDOM MISFIRES. ALSO REPAIRED SHORTED OUT HOT WIRE TO DRIVER'S SIDE PARKING LIGHT),04-09-2007(THEY STATED THAT THE GAS CAP WAS LOOSE, EVEN THOUGH THE VAN IS SKIPPING),04-12-2007 (RANDOM MISFIRES). AFTER SENDING A FINAL REPAIR ATTEMPT LETTER TO KIA THEY PICKED MY VEHICLE UP ON 04-23-2007 AND BROUGHT TECHS IN FROM CALIFORNIA TO ASSESS THE PROBLEM. I WAS GOING TO PICK MY VAN UP ON THURSDAY 04-26-2007 BUT KIA CALLED AND STATED THAT AFTER THEY TEST DROVE IT THE ENGINE LIGHT ONCE AGAIN CAME ON. THEY STATED THAT THEY HOPE TO HAVE IT RESOLVED ON 04-27-2007. ON 04-27-2007 THEY HOPE TO HAVE IT RESOLVED ON 04-30-2007. ON 04-30-2007 THEY HOPE TO HAVE IT RESOLVED ON 05-01-2007. ON 05-01-2007 THEY STATED THAT THEY WOULD BE PULLING OUT THE DRIVE TRAIN TO SHIP TO CALIFORNIA AND IN TURN KIA/CALIFORNIA WOULD BE SHIPPING A NEW ONE. NOW THEY HOPE TO HAVE IT RESOLVED ON FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2007. I HAVE MAJOR SAFETY CONCERNS/ISSUES REGARDING THIS VEHICLE. THERE IS OBVIOUSLY SEVERE ELECTRICAL/MECHANICAL PROBLEMS AND THIS VEHICLE IS NOT STABLE/SAFE ENOUGH TO BE ROADWORTHY. THE PEOPLE AT THE DEALERSHIP ARE WONDERFUL AND UNDERSTANDING TO MY CONCERNS, HOWEVER KIA MOTORS OF AMERICA DOES NOT SEEM TO ADDRESS THE SAFETY ISSUES AS A CONCERN. I AM STILL PURSUING THIS ISSUES BETWEEN MYSELF AND KIA, BUT THIS IS WAY TOO MUCH HASSLE TO GO THROUGH TO TRY TO KEEP MYSELF, MY FAMILY AND OTHER MOTORIST SAFE AGAINST THIS VEHICLE BEING ON THE ROAD. *TR

FUEL LINE THAT RUNS UNDER THE VEHICLE BY THE GAS TANK WAS LEAKING. NOTHING BROUGHT THIS ABOUT. DID NOT HIT ANY CURBS OR POT HOLES IN THE ROAD. JUST STARTED LEAKING. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND THEY HAVE REPLACED THE DEFECTIVE PART. NOT SURE IF THEY ARE GOING TO CHARGE ME YET. HAVE YET TO PICK THE VEHICLE UP. HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED FROM MY HOUSE TO THE DEALER. FIRST HAD TO HAVE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CHECK FOR ANY HAZARD. *JB