AI Damage2002 KIA Sedona EX: common problems
Owners of the 2002 KIA Sedona EX filed 50 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and seats. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 50
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 24% of all complaints
- 2 Seats 16% of all complaints
- 3 Air bags 14% of all complaints
- 4 Engine and cooling 10% of all complaints
- 5 Seat belts 10% of all complaints
- 6 Structure 10% of all complaints
- 7 Fuel system 8% of all complaints
- 8 Steering 8% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 12 complaints (24% of all).
- Seats: 8 complaints (16% of all).
- Air bags: 7 complaints (14% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine and cooling: 5 complaints (10% of all).
- Seat belts: 5 complaints (10% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 50 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Parking brake | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
All the air bags failed to deploy. The police arrived at the scene, but a report was not filed. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to an impound lot. The dealer was not contacted. The contact sustained injuries to the neck, lower back, left shoulder, and chest, which did not require medical attention.
While driving 55 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The failure occurred on several occasions and the contact was unable to restart the vehicle. Additionally, the contact stated that the front passenger's seat belt tightened and would not retract. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed or repaired.
Driving down the road and when you brake to slow down the transmission down shifts faster then it should and on snow covered road the front starts to slide when it does this and when it shifts back up it vibrates other then that its fine any idea what the problem could
The van was on fire in my yard. Only the front drivers front side caught fire. When I found it it was blasing out of the door and windshield. I got the hose pipe an unhooked the battery to put the fire out.
I was at home I heard some kind of noise out side like a horn blowing so I look out and my van was on fire on the drivers side and I ran for the hose to put it out then I called 911an the fire dept.
About 30 minutes later, a colleague noticed the van enveloped by flames - burning so intensely that the windshield melted! Fire dept came, broke windows, and put out fire, which they noted originated in dashboard, but traveled throughout the car.
The contact stated the passenger side air bag lights constantly illuminates. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who inspected the air bags and stated the pretensioner wiring harness was installed incorrectly. The dealer informed her that the vehicle was not included in any recalls. The manufacturer was not notified.
I was on my way to work and I got on the highway and the van stalled and just shut down. After about 5 minutes later it restarted then shut off again about 3 miles down the highway. I had the fuel pump and camshaft replaced but it still will not start. Then the battery stopped working.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 5,345 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 15% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Sedona EX has 40 complaints (3 years in the data). This year has 50, above average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Seats. Occupant sensor, power adjustment, seat mounts.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2002 KIA Sedona EX?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, seats, air bags. Total complaints: 50. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (16%), seat belts (12%), airbag warning light (10%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2002 KIA Sedona EX?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2002 KIA Sedona EX from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2002 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.