NHTSA vehicle safety data

2008 Kia Sedona Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

The 2008 Kia Sedona has 5 NHTSA recall campaigns and 170 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Kia dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2008 Kia Sedona, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

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2008 Kia Sedona owner complaints

Owners have filed 170 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Kia Sedona, describing incidents dated April 20, 2008 to February 17, 2026.

Most-cited components

Electrical System 45 complaints
Vehicle Speed Control 38 complaints
Structure 25 complaints
Service Brakes 20 complaints
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) 15 complaints
Exterior Lighting 15 complaints

Of the 170 complaints on file, 4 report a crash and 10 a fire; across all 170 complaints, owners report 2 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11719444 · Filed February 20, 2026
The contact owned a 2008 Kia Sedona. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked at a friend’s residence, the contact exited the vehicle and took the baby she was caring for inside the residence of the friend. Upon returning outside, the contact became aware that the vehicle was on fire and the…
ODI #11699341 · Filed November 14, 2025
The contact owns a 2008 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that upon having a state safety inspection performed on the vehicle, the contact was informed by a mechanic that there was severe corrosion on the subframe of the vehicle. The inspector informed the contact that the vehicle might be under recall…
ODI #11698939 · Filed November 12, 2025
The contact owns a 2008 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that the ABS warning light was illuminated. The message "ESC OFF" was displayed. The contact stated that the headlights were inoperable. Additionally, the engine had overheated, causing an electrical short and battery failure. The battery was…

Read all 170 complaints

Owner-reported

2008 Kia Sedona mileage at failure

136 of the 170 complaints on file for the 2008 Kia Sedona give the vehicle's mileage when the problem happened.

Mileage at failure by component, from owners' complaints to NHTSA
Component	Median	Middle half	Based on
Electrical System	Median 75,000 miles	Middle half 35,000–110,000 miles	Based on 32 complaints
Vehicle Speed Control	Median 25,000 miles	Middle half 20,000–30,000 miles	Based on 37 complaints

A component's median is its 50th percentile, and its middle half runs from its 25th to its 75th percentile.

Owners give the mileage themselves, often as a round number, and NHTSA doesn't check it. A complaint that names several components counts under each one, and mileages that can't be right, such as 999,999, or 50 miles on a five-year-old car, are left out.

These figures describe the complaints owners filed. They don't predict when a particular vehicle will have a problem, and vehicles that never had one aren't counted.

Most complaints NHTSA received since May 17, 2021 give no mileage. So that they aren't undercounted, each one received since then that gives a mileage also stands in for those that gave none, which can put a component's median above most of the mileages it is based on.

Mileage from NHTSA's complaints file of October 31, 2026. How these figures are worked out

ABS Module May Short Circuit

NHTSA #20V088000 · Electrical System · NHTSA notice

Reported February 14, 2020 · Kia Motors America

Potentially affected: 228,829 vehicles

Repair completion: 31.61% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Kia campaign SC186 · Owners notified June 5, 2020 · Vehicles built June 15, 2005 – July 15, 2009 (per NHTSA) · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation

Recall group: Hyundai and Kia ABS module fires

Defect description

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2006-2010 Sedona and 2007-2009 Sorento vehicles. Moisture may enter the Anti-lock Brake (ABS) Module and result in an electrical short.

Safety consequence

An electrical short within the ABS Module may cause an engine compartment fire, even when the vehicle is turned off, increasing the risk of an injury.

Manufacturer remedy

Kia will notify owners, and dealers will install a relay in the main junction box to prevent power from being directed to the HECU when the vehicle's ignition switch is turned off, free of charge. The recall began June 5, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC186.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Front Lower Control Arm Corrosion

NHTSA #16V387000 · Suspension — Front — Control Arm — Lower Arm · NHTSA notice

Reported June 1, 2016 · Kia Motors America

Potentially affected: 97,884 vehicles

Repair completion: 59.63% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Kia campaign SC133 · Owners notified July 27, 2016 · Vehicles built June 15, 2005 – August 14, 2012 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2006-2012 Kia Sedona vehicles manufactured from June 15, 2005, through August 14, 2012 and originally sold in, or currently registered in Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. In the affected vehicles, the front lower control arms may break due to corrosion from salt water exposure such as from road salt use.

Safety consequence

A broken control arm can result in the loss of control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Manufacturer remedy

Kia will notify owners and dealers will replace the front lower control arms on 2006-2007 models. 2008-2012 models will either have their front lower control arms replaced or additional anti-corrosion coating will be applied. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on July 27, 2016. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC133.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Secondary Hood Latch may Bind and not Latch

NHTSA #16V389000 · Latches/Locks/Linkages — Hood — Latch · NHTSA notice

Reported June 1, 2016 · Kia Motors America

Potentially affected: 219,800 vehicles

Repair completion: 50.86% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Kia campaign SC134 · Owners notified July 27, 2016 · Vehicles built June 15, 2005 – April 4, 2014 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2006-2014 Kia Sedona vehicles manufactured from June 15, 2005, through April 04, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the secondary hood latch may bind and remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed.

Safety consequence

If the primary latch is inadvertently released and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could unexpectedly open while driving, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

Manufacturer remedy

Kia will notify owners and dealers will replace the secondary hood latch or clean and lubricate the latch, depending on the vehicle's location and the condition of the latch. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on July 27, 2016. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's recall number is SC134.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Front Lower Control Arm Corrosion

NHTSA #13V550000 · Suspension — Front — Control Arm — Lower Arm · NHTSA notice

Reported November 5, 2013 · Kia Motors Corporation

Potentially affected: 79,867 vehicles

Repair completion: 85.83% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Kia campaign SC100 · Owners notified December 20, 2013 · Vehicles built June 15, 2005 – August 14, 2012 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2006-2012 Kia Sedona vehicles manufactured from June 15, 2005, through August 14, 2012 originally sold in, or currently registered in Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Rhode Island, West Virginia or the District of Columbia. In the affected vehicles, the front lower control arms may break due to corrosion resulting from prolonged exposure to salty environments.

Safety consequence

A broken control arm can result in the loss of control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Manufacturer remedy

Kia will notify owners and dealers will inspect the degree of corrosion of the front lower control arms, and will either rustproof or replace them, free of charge. The recall began on December 20, 2013. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's recall number is SC100.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Stop Lamp Switch may Function Intermittently

NHTSA #13V114000 · Exterior Lighting — Brake Lights — Switch · NHTSA notice

Reported April 1, 2013 · Kia Motors Corporation

Potentially affected: 980,377 vehicles

Kia campaign SC098 · Owners notified April 19, 2013 · Vehicles built June 2, 2007 – December 31, 2010 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year 2007-2009 Amanti, and model year 2009 Borrego vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Kia recalled 623,658 model year 2007-2010 Rondo and Sportage, model year 2007-2011 Sorento, model year 2007 Sedona, model year 2010-2011 Soul, and model year 2011 Optima vehicles. In September 2013, Kia informed the agency that it was adding an additional 356,719 vehicles to this campaign. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 980,377. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake-transmission shift interlock feature preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.

Safety consequence

Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of PARK without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.

Manufacturer remedy

Kia will send an interim notification to owners in May 2013. When parts are available, owners will receive a second notification and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's recall campaign number is SC098.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

2008 Kia Sedona Van LWB w/SAB

—

out of 5

Overall Safety Rating

Not Rated

Frontal Crash

Not Rated

Driver: 5, Passenger: 5

Side Crash

Not Rated

Driver: 5, Passenger: 5

Side Pole

Not Rated

Rollover

Not Rated

Safety Technology

Electronic Stability Control

2008 Kia Sedona Van SWB w/SAB

—

out of 5

Overall Safety Rating

Not Rated

Frontal Crash

Not Rated

Driver: 5, Passenger: 5

Side Crash

Not Rated

Driver: 5, Passenger: 5

Side Pole

Not Rated

Rollover

Not Rated

Safety Technology

Electronic Stability Control

170 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2008 Kia Sedona.

Electrical System; Engine

ODI #11719444

Fire

Incident: February 17, 2026 · Filed: February 20, 2026

The contact owned a 2008 Kia Sedona. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked at a friend’s residence, the contact exited the vehicle and took the baby she was caring for inside the residence of the friend. Upon returning outside, the contact became aware that the vehicle was on fire and the vehicle was engulfed in flames. The Fire Department arrived on the scene and extinguished the fire. The Fire Marshall informed the contact that the fire had started in the engine compartment. Additionally, a Fire Report was filed; however, the information was unavailable. The fire caused damage to the friend residence. The contact stated that the fire melted the aluminum siding on the house. No injuries were sustained. The vehicle was covered under a liability insurance policy. The vehicle was a total loss. The homeowners insurance Fire Inspector tagged the vehicle and requested that the vehicle remain on the premises. The vehicle was still located at the residence, as per the Fire Inspector. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 315,465.

Structure

ODI #11699341

Incident: November 13, 2025 · Filed: November 14, 2025

The contact owns a 2008 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that upon having a state safety inspection performed on the vehicle, the contact was informed by a mechanic that there was severe corrosion on the subframe of the vehicle. The inspector informed the contact that the vehicle might be under recall for the issue. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 96,000.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic; Electrical System; Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

ODI #11698939

Incident: November 12, 2016 · Filed: November 12, 2025

The contact owns a 2008 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that the ABS warning light was illuminated. The message "ESC OFF" was displayed. The contact stated that the headlights were inoperable. Additionally, the engine had overheated, causing an electrical short and battery failure. The battery was replaced several times; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, the vehicle shut off unexpectedly. The contact was able to pull into a parking lot. The vehicle was restarted and driven at 25 MPH; however, the failure recurred. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road. The vehicle failed to restart and remained on the side of the road. The contact stated that several mechanics had previously diagnosed the vehicle with electrical failures. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

Suspension

ODI #11617496

Incident: June 7, 2024 · Filed: October 1, 2024

The contact owns a 2008 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that while driving 20 MPH and attempting to stop the vehicle, there was an abnormal sound coming from the steering wheel. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the control arm was damaged and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 160,000.

Power Train; Electrical System; Engine

ODI #11577005

Fire

Incident: March 12, 2024 · Filed: March 12, 2024

Van caught fire in the engine compartment burned the firewall

Suspension

ODI #11530206

Incident: July 1, 2023 · Filed: July 3, 2023

Right lower control arm broke while I was driving

Electrical System; Service Brakes

ODI #11505387

Crash

Incident: July 12, 2016 · Filed: February 3, 2023

The contact owns a 2008 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that the key fob failed to open and unlock the doors as well as to deactivate the alarm system. The contact stated that the rear driver’s and passenger’s side windows failed to open fully, and the passenger’s side front door failed to close correctly as the chime and dome light remained on while driving. The contact stated to remedy the door failure her spouse placed a piece of metal between the door and the sensor to correct the failure. The rear passenger’s side sliding door also failed to connect with the sensor correctly as the door chime and dome light remained on. The check engine warning light would illuminate while driving at various speeds. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the failure was unknown to the contact however, the contact stated that she was informed that the battery, air bag sensors, and four catalytic converters needed replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to a radiator center where the failure was diagnosed as a relay that needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that they had a SMOG test completed and was informed that only one catalytic converter had to be replaced. The catalytic converter was not replaced due to the cost. The contact stated that while her spouse was driving approximately 30 MPH, the brake was depressed, and the vehicle failed to stop as the brake started to pulsate. The contact stated that the vehicle collided with another vehicle. The contact stated that no injuries were sustained in either vehicle. The contact stated that the California Highway Patrol was contacted and was on the scene however, a report was not filed. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic for diagnoses or repairs. The contact stated that she received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V088000 (Electrical System, Service Brakes, Hydraulic) in January of 2021. The dealer was notified and stated that the parts were not available as they had to order them. The contact stated that the dealer had been contacted several times and stated that the parts were not available. The manufacturer was notified, and a case was opened. The contact stated that she has been waiting for a reply from Kia for over a month. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000. Parts distribution disconnect

Seats

ODI #11494549

Incident: November 1, 2022 · Filed: November 22, 2022

Driver seat just broke from the slide frame seat just falls back and is not safe to drive the seat is very badly designed should not have broken.also sliding door driver's side got lock were it doesn't open at all.

Electrical System

ODI #11488351

Incident: March 24, 2022 · Filed: October 7, 2022

I brought this car (owned by by son and his wife, used by me) in March 2022 re recall SC186 to the Kia dealership in Berwyn, IL and they said the new part was needed, and they'd call me when it was in for me to return to have it replaced, but they never did call to say the part was in. -- I called various times through August 2022 to check, and they gave me a runaround. I called Kia customer service on 8/25, and their records showed that the Berwyn Kia claimed they did the recall on 04/08/22 -- AND THEY LIED - THEY NEVER HAD ME COME IN TO HAVE THE PART REPLACED! And because the recall is listed as done, no other dealership can replace the part! I filed complaint #[XXX] with Kia customer service - they said they would inform Berwyn Kia of my complaint, but might or might not get an answer from the dealer. I guess I will return to Berwyn Kia to confront them on this matter -- but I wonder how often they say they do recall repairs but don't in fact do them!!!! Can you do anything to help?? Who else should I complaint to about this? INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

Unknown or Other

ODI #11446721

Incident: January 1, 2022 · Filed: January 8, 2022

Driver side sliding door will not close. Not powered. Multiple mechanic can not fix. Do not know why.

Other Kia Sedona model years

Check your 2008 Kia Sedona VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Kia Sedona at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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