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2015 Kia Sedona

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2015 Kia Sedona do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 120.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

65 reports with mileage · 73 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine. Review the 50 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 37 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Structure. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports9 fire reports2 injury reports

Engine complaints

50 reports
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Mileage unknown · Apr 26, 2024
Engine

Unknown.. it’s currently in the shop and not repairable with 119k miles

NHTSA ODI #11585349

130,000 miles · Apr 9, 2024
Engine

The contact owns a 2015 Kia Sedona. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact added oil to the vehicle and the vehicle was able to be restarted, but the contact immediately observed a loud knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was …

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The contact owns a 2015 Kia Sedona. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact added oil to the vehicle and the vehicle was able to be restarted, but the contact immediately observed a loud knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

NHTSA ODI #11581866

124,943 miles · Mar 4, 2024
Engine

After driving 3 miles on 2/1, the engine fan ran after the engine was turned off- which never happens. We called Kia for service but nothing was available for 2 weeks; all Kia dealers were similar. No check engine light was illuminated. My husband popped the hood, saw the coolant cap was open and the coolant fluid level in the n…

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After driving 3 miles on 2/1, the engine fan ran after the engine was turned off- which never happens. We called Kia for service but nothing was available for 2 weeks; all Kia dealers were similar. No check engine light was illuminated. My husband popped the hood, saw the coolant cap was open and the coolant fluid level in the normal range (slightly above the minimum line). Closing the cap, he test drove the car. Although driving fine, he took the Sedona to a shop where the hood was again popped- the coolant level was showing now above the max fill line, no coolant had been added; as no fluid was seen by the mechanic and since no check engine light was lit, an appointment was made to bring the car back for a full diagnostic. On 2/2/24, after driving 3 miles and making a turn, I thought I saw smoke. But, it was a rainy day so I thought it was condensation from the concrete. After 1 mile, again while slowing to turn, I thought I saw smoke again; I pulled down the window and smelled burning. At this point I was near my home and the check engine light now turned on. Since there was nowhere to safely stop, I proceeded to the front of my home and summoned my husband. He opened the hood and noticed smoke and extreme heat from the engine, but fortunately no fire. After a couple of days, we decided to tow the car to a shop for diagnostics instead of waiting 2 weeks for Kia- we were told the engine had failed. Stunned by the rapidity of these events, we contacted Kia Customer Support and towed the car to our Kia dealer. I have been told the head bolt stripped causing coolant to mix with oil and the engine to fail; the engine itself will cost $8,148 and, and, with ancillary repairs, the total repair will be over $12000. The car has 125k miles and has been fully serviced at Kia over 9 years, lastly 4 months ago which included coolant service. No check engine light was triggered until smoke and extreme heat were emanating from a blown engine, despite progressing degradation.

NHTSA ODI #11575211

Mileage unknown · Mar 2, 2024
Engine

Vehicle is regularly maintenenced. Driving down a road it had random loss of power and lost power steering. Was able to restart and it drove fine no check engine lights nothing. Got closer to my destination and my engine light popped at the same time a horrible metal on metal sound came from my rather quiet engine. Immediately …

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Vehicle is regularly maintenenced. Driving down a road it had random loss of power and lost power steering. Was able to restart and it drove fine no check engine lights nothing. Got closer to my destination and my engine light popped at the same time a horrible metal on metal sound came from my rather quiet engine. Immediately lost power and power steering again. Able to coast off the road to safety, upon expecting the vehicle we found a hole and oil leaking out. A rod randomly blew thru the side of the block and there was no indication there was any engine problem beforehand. Cause unknown. I was advised after that these 3.3 motors are becoming know for random disintegration.

NHTSA ODI #11575011

Mileage unknown · Feb 26, 2024
Engine

I had regular oil changes performed by Jiffy Lube when I owned the van and have most receipts. In 2022 after the vehicle kept making a whining sound, we realized that it was completely out of oil. I park in our garage and there was never an oil leak of any kind and no dash lights ever came on to indicate a problem. In May 2022…

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I had regular oil changes performed by Jiffy Lube when I owned the van and have most receipts. In 2022 after the vehicle kept making a whining sound, we realized that it was completely out of oil. I park in our garage and there was never an oil leak of any kind and no dash lights ever came on to indicate a problem. In May 2022 as we were on a 3 hr interstate drive, the engine began knocking. The oil was full but it wouldn't start and had to be towed home. It had 120,000 miles on it. Sims Auto took the engine apart and said it looked like the oil had never been changed because it was caramelized on the inside. I have photos of it. They said that my vehicle at 120k miles with regular maintenance and in really good condition should not have needed a new engine. Our son had this same exact issue with his Kia Optima but it was under a "warranty/recall" and he received a new engine for free. Our local Kia dealership said they were aware of the problem but my Sedona wasn't under the "warranty/recall" so I would have to pay for it. It cost me $9640 to rebuild the engine. I filed a complaint with the BBB against Kia. Kia would not respond and the case was closed. Most of the complaints on the BBB against Kia are due to faulty engine issues.

NHTSA ODI #11573933

Mileage unknown · Feb 4, 2024
Engine

01/30/2024 while driving our 2015 Kia Sedona SXL idol went high and then it turned off suddenly with no warning at all. We have AUL warranty and had the vehicle towed to the nearest Kia dealership. After they inspected it we were informed that we need a new engine estimated cost of $8300 and that AUL would only cover $2900 and…

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01/30/2024 while driving our 2015 Kia Sedona SXL idol went high and then it turned off suddenly with no warning at all. We have AUL warranty and had the vehicle towed to the nearest Kia dealership. After they inspected it we were informed that we need a new engine estimated cost of $8300 and that AUL would only cover $2900 and we would be responsible for the remaining $5400 and they need $4000 to start the job. Our van has around145000 miles on it. We will NEVER purchase another KIA or an AUL warranty. We paid good money for the Reserve Coverage from AUL and nowhere in the contract does it state a cap on claim payouts. That should be stated and clearly. Our warranty is good for 40,000 miles and expires at 158000 miles. So, we are within the active range of the warranty. Please don't buy a Kia or a AUL warranty. I have read many complaints on this site about the 2015 engines. They should be recalled. We still owe payments on this van, so we have no choice but to fix it. Lesson learned for sure. Wish Kia would do right and recall these engines. Read through the rest of the engine complaints, you will be shocked. Hope these reviews helps to protect others.

NHTSA ODI #11569798

112,000 miles · Jan 31, 2024
EnginePower Train

The contact owns a 2015 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he heard a loud pop and the tachometer redlined, after which the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to coast to the shoulder of the roadway, where he observed that the engine block had separated from the …

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The contact owns a 2015 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he heard a loud pop and the tachometer redlined, after which the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to coast to the shoulder of the roadway, where he observed that the engine block had separated from the engine with oil covering the entire engine compartment. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but since the failure had not caused a fire or an injury, no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 112,000.

NHTSA ODI #11568991

Mileage unknown · Jan 9, 2024
Engine

Sudden engine failure (despite proper maintenance) on highway.

NHTSA ODI #11564356

Mileage unknown · Dec 1, 2023
Engine

Engine failed at 93k miles. Engine burnt off all oil, even though it had engine oil changed 1,000 miles ago. Sensors did not activate to display error engine codes on the dash. Verified by independent mechanic. Kia Dealership said it was owners failure for not keeping oil in engine. Refused to replace engine. Powertrain is not…

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Engine failed at 93k miles. Engine burnt off all oil, even though it had engine oil changed 1,000 miles ago. Sensors did not activate to display error engine codes on the dash. Verified by independent mechanic. Kia Dealership said it was owners failure for not keeping oil in engine. Refused to replace engine. Powertrain is not under warranty as second owner.

NHTSA ODI #11557807

Mileage unknown · Sep 24, 2023
EngineSteeringFire

Engine rod failed, puncturing the engine causing oil to spill, resulting in the car catching on fire while driving.

NHTSA ODI #11546251

Official recalls

3

21V725000 · Electrical System:software; Exterior Lighting:turn Signal

Sep 17, 2021

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Sedona vehicles. The Smart Junction Box (SJB) software logic may not properly interpret the signals received from the multifunction switch, which could cause the turn signal to activate in the opposite direction of what the driver intended.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A turn signal activating in the opposite direction of what was intended by the driver increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will update the SJB software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 12, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC217.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Electrical System:software

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Sedona vehicles. The Smart Junction Box (SJB) software logic may not properly interpret the signals received from the multifunction switch, which could cause the turn signal to activate in the opposite direction of what the driver intended.

Consequence: A turn signal activating in the opposite direction of what was intended by the driver increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will update the SJB software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 12, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC217.

Exterior Lighting:turn Signal

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Sedona vehicles. The Smart Junction Box (SJB) software logic may not properly interpret the signals received from the multifunction switch, which could cause the turn signal to activate in the opposite direction of what the driver intended.

Consequence: A turn signal activating in the opposite direction of what was intended by the driver increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will update the SJB software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 12, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC217.

19V109000 · Electrical System:wiring

Feb 19, 2019

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Sedona vehicles equipped with manually-adjusted front passenger seats. Over time, the Occupant Detection System (ODS) wiring harness located underneath the front passenger seat may break from the seat being occupied.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If a child is in a child seat in the front seat, a broken ODS wiring harness will not prevent the front passenger air bag from deploying in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury to the child.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will remove the wire harness clip to prevent the wiring harness from breaking. If the harness is found damaged, the front passenger seat cushion will be replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began March 19, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC175.

18V338000 · Electrical System:software; Structure:body:door

May 23, 2018

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Kia Sedona vehicles equipped with a power sliding door (PSD). The PSD may not auto-reverse when its closing is obstructed.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the door closes on an occupant, there is an increased risk of an injury.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the PSD module software, free of charge. The recall began on June 18, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC164.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Electrical System:software

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Kia Sedona vehicles equipped with a power sliding door (PSD). The PSD may not auto-reverse when its closing is obstructed.

Consequence: If the door closes on an occupant, there is an increased risk of an injury.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the PSD module software, free of charge. The recall began on June 18, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC164.

Structure:body:door

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Kia Sedona vehicles equipped with a power sliding door (PSD). The PSD may not auto-reverse when its closing is obstructed.

Consequence: If the door closes on an occupant, there is an increased risk of an injury.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the PSD module software, free of charge. The recall began on June 18, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC164.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.