Owners have filed 19 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the body and structure, engine, and electrical. The 9 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.
2020Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.
0/9 checked
2020 Kia Sedona: inspection sheet
Before you go, or before you touch the car0/3
Engine off, key in hand0/2
Ask the seller not to warm the car up first0/3
At least 20 minutes, with some highway0/1
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 2020 checks
Worth adding to your 2020 checks
Worth adding to your 2020 checks
EPA figures for each version of the 2020 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.
Excessive oil consumption
100,000–104,500 miles
NHTSA complaints for the 2020 Kia Sedona, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.
Most reports here involve the power sliding doors. A door may keep trying to open after it is already fully open, then jam, click, and beep. Other doors fail to open when needed, or cannot hold their own weight on an incline and slam open or shut with full force. Pearl white paint also peels, flakes, and bubbles, with spots reported on the roof behind the sunroof and along the liftgate edge. One filing in this category also describes steering shake, tread separation, and bent wheels.
The most serious pattern is sudden power loss at highway speed. The van drops to a crawl, the check engine light comes on, and it will not accelerate normally. On an interstate, that creates a real crash risk. In the report describing it, the accelerator pedal was blamed, and the problem returned after a warranty replacement. Other complaints describe a check engine light with an exhaust or gas smell, traced to an O2 sensor and the exhaust gasket at the header. Hard starting in hot weather is also reported, returning every summer.
Power loss while driving is the main pattern. The van brakes on its own or shuts down at speed as the forward collision warning, check engine, or other warning lights come on, and it can end up stopped in a travel lane at night. One case was diagnosed as battery failure, and the fault returned during the dealer's test drive. Other complaints describe headlights and taillights going dark, a driver's window stuck down, and a check engine light. Stalling in traffic carries a clear risk of being rear-ended.
Heavy oil consumption shows up around 100,000 miles. The engine runs quarts low between top-offs and can stall and sound rough, sometimes along with an O2 sensor code. Severe cases move toward engine replacement. Both reports describe warranty disputes. Coverage is denied because the van is past the 100,000-mile manufacturer warranty, or because the V6 is not on the list of affected GDI engines. Running low on oil leads to stalling, which is a loss-of-power risk in traffic.
Excerpts from complaints Sedona owners filed with NHTSA, as written. Listen for the same symptoms on your test drive.
I have multiple spots of the pearl white paint peeling/flaking/bubbling off the vehicle in multiple places. 1st spot noticed was on the roof just behind the sunroof and the 2nd spot is the edge of the liftgate.
Filed with NHTSA, July 2024
Check engine light came on all of a sudden. Smell of exhaust/gas coming from car. Took car to the dealership to get the cause of the check engine light coming on. Dealership said it came back 02 sensor bank 2 and exhaust gasket to header.
Filed with NHTSA, November 2025
Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.
The 2020 ranks third for owner complaints among 4 Sedona years, well under 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 2020 Sedona vehicles. The battery positive (B+) terminal nut on the alternator may not have been tightened properly during assembly, possibly causing it to loosen over time.
Risk: If the alternator B+ terminal nut loosens, electrical arcing may result, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the alternator B+ terminal nut, tightening it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began August 14, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC192.
Cars shoppers compare with the Kia Sedona, with their own 2020 checklists.
2020 owner complaints, side by side
