Owners have filed 44 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the engine, electrical, and airbags. The 9 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.
2018Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.
0/9 checked
2018 Kia Sedona: inspection sheet
Before you go, or before you touch the car0/3
Engine off, key in hand0/1
Ask the seller not to warm the car up first0/5
These checks are specific to this model year. For tires, body panels, fluids, and the other basics every used car needs, use the general inspection guide.
Nearby years usually share most parts, so their problems are worth checking on this car too.
Worth adding to your 2018 checks
Worth adding to your 2018 checks
EPA figures for each version of the 2018 Kia Sedona. Use them to confirm you are looking at the version that was advertised, and as a yardstick on the test drive.
| Version | Drive | EPA rating |
|---|---|---|
| 3.3L 6-cyl | FWD | 21 mpg |
Owners report these failures starting around the mileages below. A car inside one of these ranges deserves a closer look at that part, or records showing it was already fixed.
Engine failure from oil loss
90,000–108,000 miles
NHTSA complaints for the 2018 Kia Sedona, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.
Sudden shutdowns at highway speed, often with no warning light, are the main pattern. Reports describe a knock or banging noise and lost power, then a stall that also takes away power steering. Several engines seized or broke after running low or dry on oil, and owners report heavy oil burning between changes. Failures cluster around 90k to 108,000 miles. Other reports cite a blown head gasket with a cracked block, or a fuel smell with white exhaust smoke. Two describe engine-compartment fires. Some owners say warranty claims were denied.
Power sliding doors are the most common electrical fault. The passenger door opens and closes on its own, and one obstruction sensor failed and trapped a person, then failed again after repair. Dealers often cannot reproduce the problem. Other reports describe intermittent no-crank starts, a dead battery after the van sits for 5-6 days, and a radio and rear camera that stop working. One report blames an airbag light on a damaged wiring harness. One engine-compartment fire and one crash with no airbag deployment are also filed here.
An airbag warning light comes on and will not stay off. Owners describe many dealer visits, software updates, and replaced parts without a lasting fix, with the light returning soon after each repair. Dealers sometimes conclude the passenger airbag unit needs replacing, and one owner was refused coverage after the warranty ran out. One report says the airbags did not deploy in a crash while the light was on. Reports range from very early ownership to about 73,000 miles.
Peeling paint and a stuck driver-side door make up the only two reports here, and they are unrelated. The door complaint describes it jammed in the closed position after its electric motor stopped working. A door that will not open is more than a cosmetic issue, since it limits how people can get in and out. With so few filings, this category shows no clear pattern.
Original Kumho Crugen tires develop tread separation or shifted steel belts at low mileage, roughly 18,870 to 21,000 miles. Symptoms include rattling, shaking, and a steady pull to one side at highway speed. One owner was told the pull came from alignment and was turned away by the dealer before a tire shop found the belt damage. Both reports involve the factory-fitted tires, so the original set deserves a close look on any van that still has it.
Excerpts from complaints Sedona owners filed with NHTSA, as written. Listen for the same symptoms on your test drive.
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.
Filed with NHTSA, April 2025
We barely use it and just for Sunday service only which our church is just 2 miles away from our home. We did the oil change last July 2022 and on December 2022, Suddenly the engine stops working (ONLY 120 MILEAGE ADDED). NO WARNING LIGHTS or INDICATION saying ENGINE OLI needs to change. My son heard a clunk noise while he's on the way home. Huntington Beach Hyundai Service center said that the ENGINE BROKE DUE TO OIL ISSUE.
Filed with NHTSA, March 2023
My Daughter was driving my Kia Sedona Van - distracted and on wet roads ran into a firehydrant and pole. During the accident, the Air Bags did not employ. The Passenger fell forward and broke the windshield with her head, leading to a Concucussion. We are thankful for two Children who are alive after this accident. We are disappointed tho that the airbags didnt protect our child more.
Filed with NHTSA, February 2023
I have the air bag indicator light and the diagnostic codes consistent with NHTSA Campaign Number 19V109, Kia Recall Number SC175. The recall mentions the wiring harness being damaged and my harness is damaged, with two wires severed. However, because my vehicle was manufactured 2 months after the recall cutoff date, Kia believes this recall does not pertain to my vehicle. I believe otherwise.
Filed with NHTSA, June 2023
Since shortly after buying the van we have been getting airbag warning lights. Just about every part of the system has been replaced, but the airbag light still comes back on. Just got the van back from the dealer today for the 9th time, and after about an hour of driving, the light is back on again.
Filed with NHTSA, July 2024
Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.
The 2018 has the most owner complaints of the 4 Sedona years we cover, about 2.2 times the average of the others. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so compare like with like.
Recall repairs are free at any Kia dealer, but the seller may never have had them done. Check each campaign number against the VIN.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Sedona, Soul, Soul EV, 2017-2018 Forte, and 2017 Forte Koup vehicles. The Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) cover may contact a memory chip on the printed circuit board and damage the electrical circuit. Circuit damage may result in deactivated air bags that will not deploy in a crash.
Risk: Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the ACU, and either update the software or replace the unit, as necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 21, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC226.
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.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
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.
Risk: If the door closes on an occupant, there is an increased risk of an injury.
Fix: 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.
Cars shoppers compare with the Kia Sedona, with their own 2018 checklists.
2018 owner complaints, side by side
