My 2009 Kia Sedona is under Safety Recall SC133 (NHSTA 16V‑387) for front lower control arms that can corrode and break. The dealership has had the vehicle at ANDY MOHR KIA in [XXX] for two weeks and states the frame is too heavily rusted to safely mount the new control arms. They will not perfom the recall repair. The vehicle is currently undriveable due to the structural condition related to the salt-belt corrosion issue covered by the recall. I have an open Kia Consumer Affairs case (XXX) but have not received a resolution. The dealership escalated this, but there has been no timely response or resolution. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The worst 2009 Kia Sedona problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Brakes9
- Electrical8
- Engine8
- Acceleration7
- Driver assistance7
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Brakes9
- Electrical8
- Engine8
- Acceleration7
- Driver assistance7
- Lights7
- Suspension4
- Airbags3
- Locks3
- Steering3
- Body2
- Transmission2
- Fuel system1
- Seat belts1
- Seats1
- Wheels1
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 2009 Kia Sedona 41
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
- Voluntary emissions service campaign: evaporative canister inspection and/or replacement (SC135)
- Pitstop: HVAC receiver/dryer - desiccant replacement - in the event of a HVAC system concern in which...
2009 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 2009 Kia Sedona owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The door locks on passenger sliding doors,do not keep doors shut,they remain open on both sides and have to use a screw driver to rotate the mechanism.
An L shape plastic part broke off under the brake pedal that is causing the brake lights to remain on, intermittently, when I am not using them. It has drained my battery causing me to be late to work.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 kia sedona. The contact stated that while driving and coming to a stop, he heard an abnormal sound coming from the front of the vehicle. The contact exited the vehicle and inspected under the hood of the vehicle but found no issue with the vehicle. The contact then drove to a nearby parking lot and had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic. The contact was informed that the lower control arm needed to be replaced due to severe rusting. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure however, no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 161,000.
The vehicle was stationary and a fire started somewhere in the engine and the whole car burned.
The brake lights turned on and cannot be turned off except for disconnecting the battery. They are on all of the time while driving and drivers cannot tell when I apply my brakes. They are on after I power off the vehicle and park and lock the sedona. The ESC off light was also illuminated when I started the car. The vehicle has 25,000 miles and is kept in naples, florida.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 kia sedona. While the vehicle was undergoing an inspection, the technician stated that the control arm was rusted and that the vehicle would barely pass the inspection. In 2017, the contact stated that the vehicle was taken to sunbury motors kia (570‑286‑7746, located at 2030 n susquehanna trail, selinsgrove, pa 17870) where it was diagnosed that there was rust on the control arm, but not enough for a replacement. The technician applied an undercoating. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the dealer did what was needed at the time. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown. *tt consumer stated kia refuses to replace the control arm because they say the undercoating is all they are required to do.
The front brake caliper mounting brackets bolts loosen and fall out causing caliper failure. This also cause the caliper to become loose and scrub the inside of the rim which in turn damages both the caliper and the rim. This happens while in motion both on highways and city streets.
Abs and ESC off light came on last week and since I have had no ABS or stability control. Caused me to spin out on icy interstate
Air bag warning light intermittently comes on and goes off bought new kia sedona less than 10 years ago
Compare the 2009 Kia Sedona
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Other model years
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Questions about the 2009 Kia Sedona
Is the 2009 Kia Sedona reliable?
Owners have filed 48 complaints about the 2009 Kia Sedona, fewer than a typical Sedona model year.
What is the 2009 Kia Sedona year score?
The 2009 Kia Sedona scores 85 out of 100 (good). 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 2009 Kia Sedona?
Brakes, with 9 complaints, typically around 85,000 miles. Next is electrical (8).
How many recalls does the 2009 Kia Sedona have?
5 recalls, covering electrical system, suspension and latches/locks/linkages.
What year does the Kia Sedona have bad brakes?
The Kia Sedona model years with the most brakes complaints are 2005 (81 complaints), 2006 (45 complaints) and 2004 (32 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2009 Kia Sedona get?
Official estimates for the 2009 Kia Sedona range from 18 mpg combined. The most efficient version (3.8L 6-cyl, FWD) gets 16 city and 23 highway.
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