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.
The worst 2008 Kia Sedona problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Electrical45
- Acceleration38
- Body25
- Brakes20
- Driver assistance16
- Lights16
- Suspension15
- Engine12
- Locks11
- Airbags8
- Fuel system7
- Steering4
- Transmission4
- Visibility4
- Seats3
- Tires3
Specific symptoms reported on the 2008 Kia Sedona
Check engine light 20Door locks 13Adaptive cruise 11Fire or smoke 10Loss of power 10Ball joint 8Headlights 8Stalling 7Airbag light 6Sudden acceleration 6ABS 5
Recalls 5
Electrical system
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- 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.
- 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.
Recall number 20V088000 · Recall details
Suspension: front: control arm: lower arm
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- A broken control arm can result in the loss of control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- 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.
Recall number 16V387000 · Recall details
Latches/locks/linkages: hood: latch
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- 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.
- 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.
Recall number 16V389000 · Recall details
Suspension: front: control arm: lower arm
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- A broken control arm can result in the loss of control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- 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.
Recall number 13V550000 · Recall details
Exterior lighting: brake lights: switch
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- 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.
- 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.
Recall number 13V114000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2008 Kia Sedona 34
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Information for headlamp condensation and moisture
- Technical service bulletin closed
- These SKUs are Exhaust Manifolds with Catalytic Converters
- - Transmission fluid application guide
- Pitstop - engine component re-use guidelines
- Front door glass run channel replacement
- Mandatory replacement of locking/security hardware
- Mandatory replacement of locking/security hardware
- Pitstop: HVAC receiver/dryer - desiccant replacement - in the event of a HVAC system concern in which...
- TSB - use of aftermarket USB charging cables in USB/12V ports
2008 Kia Sedona fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.8L 6‑cyl | FWD | 16 | 23 | 18 |
What 2008 Kia Sedona owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
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.
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.
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.
Van caught fire in the engine compartment burned the firewall
Right lower control arm broke while I was driving
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 the federal safety agency 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
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.
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).
Driver side sliding door will not close. Not powered. Multiple mechanic can not fix. Do not know why.
Compare the 2008 Kia Sedona
Sedona vs Chrysler Town and CountrySedona vs Dodge Grand CaravanSedona vs Honda OdysseySedona vs Toyota SiennaSedona vs Chrysler Pacifica
Other model years
2002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220142015201620172018201920202021
Questions about the 2008 Kia Sedona
Is the 2008 Kia Sedona reliable?
Owners have filed 170 complaints about the 2008 Kia Sedona, 1.3 times a typical Sedona model year.
What is the 2008 Kia Sedona year score?
The 2008 Kia Sedona scores 63 out of 100 (average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Kia Sedona: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2008 Kia Sedona?
Electrical system, with 45 complaints, typically around 75,000 miles. Next is acceleration (38).
How many recalls does the 2008 Kia Sedona have?
5 recalls, covering electrical system, suspension and latches/locks/linkages.
Was there a recall on the 2008 Kia Sedona electrical?
Yes, 1 recall: 20V088000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Kia Sedona have the most electrical problems?
The Kia Sedona model years with the most electrical complaints are 2006 (79 complaints), 2002 (50 complaints) and 2016 (46 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2008 Kia Sedona get?
Official estimates for the 2008 Kia Sedona range from 18 mpg combined. The most efficient version (3.8L 6-cyl, FWD) gets 16 city and 23 highway.
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 2008 Kia Sedona?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history