Kia
Kia Sedona years to avoid
Years to avoid: 2015, 2016 and 2017. Best years: 2020.
The 2015, 2016 and 2017 Kia Sedona draw the most owner complaints for their age: 2015 has 138 complaints (12 for each year on the road), 2016 has 296 complaints (27 for each year on the road) and 2017 has 134 complaints (13 for each year on the road), against a median of 5 a year across the 7 model years old enough to judge. The most reported problem on the 2016 is engine failure (91 reports).
- 568complaints
- 5recall campaigns
- 3model years with a page
Newest report Sep 24, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
Pick your model year
Owner complaints on file for each year.
Years to avoid
2015
Most reported: engine failure (32 reports, median 93,000 miles) and stalling (20 reports, median 82,000 miles).
2016
Most reported: engine failure (91 reports, median 108,000 miles) and stalling (38 reports, median 106,000 miles).
2017
Most reported: engine failure (36 reports, median 107,000 miles) and stalling (15 reports, median 68,000 miles).
Best years
2020
Too few complaints for a page of its own.
Complaints for each year on the road
Each model year's NHTSA complaints divided by the calendar years it has been on sale, counting this one (a 2018 model has had 9). Older cars have had longer to collect complaints, so raw totals flatter the new ones. Blue bars are the years to avoid.
Within one model, sales change less from year to year than they do between models, so a jump here is mostly a jump in problems. The call: the years to avoid are the (up to three) highest at 1.5 times the model's median rate or more, and the best are the (up to three) lowest at two thirds of it or less, from 2016 on.
Guide How much should a years-to-avoid list decide? What these lists get wrong
At a glance
- Where the complaints sit
- The 2016 alone holds 296 of the 568 complaints across the 3 model years with a page here (52%).
- Problem across the years
- Engine failure is the top problem in every model year with a page, 159 reports in all. Pooled across the years, half of the 70 owners who gave a mileage for engine failure were under about 100,000 miles.
- Crash, fire and injury reports
- 9% of Kia Sedona complaints report a crash, a fire or an injury, against 6% for the typical vehicle on this site. The highest share is on the 2016, 28 of its 296 complaints.
- Recalls on the top problem
- None of the 3 model years where owners report engine failure has a recall on the same system.
- When owners filed
- Filings peaked in 2024 at 117 (full calendar years only). In 2025 there were 84. So far in 2026, 46 more have come in. Filings on record start in 2015.
Photo: Kevauto, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Model years with too few complaints for a page of their own: 2014 (37), 2018 (48), 2019 (38), 2020 (20).
Year by year
2017 Kia Sedona avoid
134 owner complaints, 13 for each year on the road (2.5 times the model median). Most reported: engine failure (36 reports, median 107,000 miles), stalling (15 reports, median 68,000 miles) and misfire (13 reports). 2 reports involved a crash and 11 people were hurt. 4 recalls, including 22V-031 on the airbags and 21V-725 on the exterior lighting.
2016 Kia Sedona avoid
296 owner complaints, 27 for each year on the road (5.0 times the model median). Most reported: engine failure (91 reports, median 108,000 miles), stalling (38 reports, median 106,000 miles) and misfire (34 reports, median 108,000 miles). 10 reports involved a crash and 10 people were hurt. 4 recalls, including 22V-612 on the transmission and drivetrain and 21V-725 on the exterior lighting.
2015 Kia Sedona avoid
138 owner complaints, 12 for each year on the road (2.2 times the model median). Most reported: engine failure (32 reports, median 93,000 miles), stalling (20 reports, median 82,000 miles) and misfire (16 reports). 2 reports involved a crash and 2 people were hurt. 3 recalls, including 21V-725 on the exterior lighting and 19V-109 on the electrical system.
Recalls that cover several model years
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.
Over time, the Occupant Detection System (ODS) wiring harness located underneath the front passenger seat may break from the seat being occupied.
The PSD may not auto-reverse when its closing is obstructed.
Questions
What Kia Sedona years should you avoid?
The 2015, 2016 and 2017 Kia Sedona draw the most owner complaints for their age: 2015 has 138 complaints (12 for each year on the road), 2016 has 296 complaints (27 for each year on the road) and 2017 has 134 complaints (13 for each year on the road), against a median of 5 a year across the 7 model years old enough to judge. The most reported problem on the 2016 is engine failure (91 reports).
What are the best years for the Kia Sedona?
The 2020 draws the fewest complaints for its age: 20, or 3 for each year on the road. Model years before 2016 aren't called best, because complaints filed before 2015 aren't in the files this site reads and their counts run short.
What is the most common problem on the Kia Sedona?
Engine failure, with 159 reports across the 3 model years that have a page here. It's the single most reported problem on the 2015, 2016 and 2017.
How many recalls does the Kia Sedona have?
5 recall campaigns cover the Kia Sedona model years 2015 to 2017 on this site. The widest, 18V-338 on the structure, covers 3 model years.
How many Kia Sedona complaints involve a crash, fire or injury?
9% of them, against 6% for the typical vehicle on this site. The 2016 has the highest share.
Is there a recall for engine failure on the Kia Sedona?
No. None of the 3 model years where owners report it has one on the same system.