AI Damage2017 KIA Sedona: common problems
Owners of the 2017 KIA Sedona filed 134 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and electrical system. The maker issued 75 service bulletins for this year. We found 2 repair videos on YouTube. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 134
- involving a crash
- 2
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 75
- YouTube repair videos
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Engine 45% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 17% of all complaints
- 3 Structure 11% of all complaints
- 4 Air bags 10% of all complaints
- 5 Exterior lighting 8% of all complaints
- 6 Powertrain 3% of all complaints
- 7 Visibility 3% of all complaints
- 8 Service brakes 3% of all complaints
- Engine: 60 complaints (45% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 3.
- Electrical system: 23 complaints (17% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 25.
- Structure: 15 complaints (11% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 8.
- Air bags: 13 complaints (10% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 6.
- Exterior lighting: 11 complaints (8% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 2.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3.3 L · petrol · 6 cylnamed in 6 complaints
- automatic, 6-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 134 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 60 | 0 | 3 |
| Electrical system | 23 | 0 | 25 |
| Structure | 15 | 0 | 8 |
| Air bags | 13 | 2 | 6 |
| Exterior lighting | 11 | 0 | 2 |
| Powertrain | 4 | 0 | 9 |
| Visibility | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| Service brakes | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| Steering | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 2 | 0 | 9 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| Seats | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 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.
The airbags did not deploy in the collision and the engine did not shut off. I sustained serious injuries, resulting in 4 months of missed work and a double discectomy to repair two severely herniated discs.
The frontal air bags did not deploy and the seat belt did not restrain the driver. A police report was filed and there were no injuries. The vehicle was towed to a private impound lot and was not drivable. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 7,609. Updated 02/15/2017
on 8/6/26 my wife was driving home when the Sedona Van began emitting white smoke and started making a whining noise. Little did we know the head bolts had pulled out of the engine causing the head gasket to blow and coolant to leak and total engine failure.
The contact mention he pulled over to the right side of the road, exited the vehicle and when he lifted the hood of the vehicle, he noticed flames coming from the engine. No injuries were sustained. No medical attention. There was no police report filed.
Same defect on NHTSA (Investigation PE23-019) my vehicle is 1 month outside of the manufacturing date listed, having the same issues, but they will not cover it-even though the same engine is in it. KIA bulletin WTY039 Vehicle is overheating, coolant is bubbling
The sliding door located on the driver's side / left side behind the driver's seat will not close completely which causes an alert/warning to be displayed that the door is still open. The door slides on the track but will not close completely. You must apply pressure as it closes to turn of the warning light.
I was not due for an oil change quite yet and a ticking noise coming from the engine started to occur. I made an appointment at the Kia dealership right away. Just a few days before my appointment there was no warning light for the oil or engine until the engine failed, went limp and I lost power steering control, the…
The contact stated that upon start of the vehicle, the air bag warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where a diagnostic test was performed, and the dealer discovered that the front passenger's side air bag module was defective and needed to be replaced.
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 470 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (top 22% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Sedona has 92 complaints (6 years in the data). This year has 134, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: THEFT DETERRENT IGNITION CYLINDER PROTECTOR AND DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2312) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated…
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
WARRANTY EXTENSION CAMPAIGN: OIL PRESSURE SWITCH (OPS) REPLACEMENT (WTY026 REVISION 2) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black…
- CUSTOMER SATISFACTION CAMPAIGN
OWNER NOTIFICATION (CS2312) - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia is conducting Customer Satisfaction Campaign. A software upgrade that addresses the social media theft method has been made…
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: THEFT DETERRENT IGNITION CYLINDER PROTECTOR AND DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2312) - This bulletin provides information to install a Theft Deterrent Ignition Cylinder Protector on certain 2010-2022MY…
- PITSTOP
TECHNICAL OPERATIONS: EXTERNAL DAMAGE TO ULTRASONIC SENSOR: This Pitstop provides information related to Parking Distance Warning (PDW) alerts and repairs involving ultrasonic sensors. The PDW system alerts the driver…
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
TRANSMISSION FLUID APPLICATION GUIDE - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides…
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: ANTI-THEFT S/W LOGIC UPGRADE & DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2308) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar…
- This bulletin provides information relating to the correct transmission fluid type and fill quantity…
This bulletin provides information relating to the correct transmission fluid type and fill quantity requirement for each Kia model. A flush is required ONLY when a transmission is replaced.
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: ANTI-THEFT S/W LOGICUPGRADE & DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2308) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in…
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: ANTI-THEFT SOFTWARE LOGIC UPGRADE & DECALL INSTALLATION (CS2308) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black…
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
SERVICE ACTION: INHIBITOR SWITCH REPLACEMENT (SA317B/C) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This…
- CUSTOMER SATISFACTION CAMPAIGN
OWNER RE-NOTIFICATION - This document is the owner re-notification advising that Kia has developed a software upgrade that can be installed on the vehicle to restrict the operation of the vehicle's ignition system…
NHTSA lists 75 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Repair videos
We do not copy videos: these are YouTube links credited to their authors. Amounts are as stated by the author and not verified by us.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2017 KIA Sedona?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine, electrical system, structure. Total complaints: 134. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (25%), engine failure or replacement (14%), knocking, grinding or other noise (11%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2017 KIA Sedona?
NHTSA lists 75 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 2017 KIA Sedona 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 2017 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 2026-11-04.