2016 Kia Sedona airbags problems

Filed Sep 3, 2026 · Airbags, Seats · MN

I purchased the minivan as a used car last year and I noticed that the airbag light turned on when a passenger would sit on the front passenger seat. I tried to get a diagnosis ever since but many shops that I brought my minivan to didn’t work with airbags. So I eventually brought my minivan to a Kia dealership, Luther Bloomington Kia in Bloomington, Minnesota, and got 2 diagnostics: the first one was on 7/9/26, and the second one was on 8/26/26. Both diagnostics found and confirmed that there is an issue with the occupant seat detector or ocs mat defect, code B149000 dtc (occupant classification system). This matches the Kia recall SC175. This issue is a serious safety concern because the airbag system might not work as it should in the event of a crash. The problem is that the dealership would not repair the issue after diagnosing it without me having to pay for the repairs at my own expense, which by the way I was charged by the dealership for the initial diagnosis. The reason they gave me for that decision is that the issue was already allegedly fixed before I took ownership of the vehicle. They advised me to contact Kia America or Kia Customer Care and ask them to consider authorizing the repair. When I contacted Kia Customer Care, they said that they would not authorize the repairs because my vehicle is out of warranty and that the cost of repairs would be on myself. I asked to speak with a supervisor and they said that there was another way to request a consideration. I later learned that the consideration is called something goodwill. After Kia’s review, I was recently informed that they denied me assistance through goodwill. I requested a denial letter from both the dealership and Kia Customer Care. I have not heard from the dealership at this moment and Kia Customer Care answered my request with an email that said that I would need to get the letter through the dealer, that they don’t give out denial letters. So I decided to escalate this issue to the federal safety agency.

Filed Apr 21, 2026 · Airbags · GA

This concerns an unresolved airbag safety issue that went undetected due to a negligent recall inspection at a Kia dealership. On March 16, 2026, I brought my vehicle to Ed Voyles Kia of Chamblee, GA for a recall inspection to determine whether damaged wiring under the passenger seat was causing my airbag warning light to remain on. I dealt with the service advisor throughout the process. After the appointment, I was told the inspection was complete and no wiring damage was found. Upon leaving the dealership, I immediately noticed that my exterior and interior lights, radio, seatbelt indicators, and numerous other systems had stopped working, none of which were issues before my appointment. I contacted the dealership the same day and returned on March 17, 2026. The service advisor relayed the technician's position that these failures were pre-existing and unrelated to the service. After I pushed back, the manager became involved and pointed to a separate BCM recall to explain the replacement, rather than acknowledging that the BCM had failed immediately after their service. My BCM had been functioning normally before the appointment. The service advisor and manager continued to deny any wiring damage. On April 20, 2026, I personally inspected the area under the passenger seat while cleaning my vehicle I immediately found visibly damaged wires, the exact area the technician had examined during the recall. I found this damage within minutes. The damaged wiring under the passenger seat is the very issue this recall was designed to identify. The technician failed to find it, leaving a known safety hazard unresolved. My airbag warning light has been on since before the appointment and remains on today. I have been driving my family in this vehicle with a compromised airbag system. I have photo evidence of the damaged wires and request that the federal safety agency log this as a formal safety complaint and investigate if this reflects a broader pattern of incomplete recall inspections

Filed Nov 30, 2025 · Airbags · FL

My 2016 Kia Sedona is affected by Safety Recall SC175 (Front Passenger Seat Occupant Detection System Wiring Harness), documented here: [XXX] . Kia and the servicing dealer, Rick Case Kia, report to the federal safety agency that this recall was completed in 2019. However, the defect described in SC175 is still present and easily reproducible. The dealer continues to insist the repair was completed, but the symptoms match the recall description exactly and the issue now poses a clear safety risk to the front passenger. I have repeatedly informed Rick Case Kia that the recall was not performed correctly or was never performed at all. Despite this, the dealer refuses to inspect or correct the issue and Kia Corporate refuses further action based solely on the dealer’s claim. This has made it impossible for me to obtain the required recall remedy. The vehicle was taken to the same dealer multiple times between 2019 and before the vehicle reached 10 years of age for other safety recalls. If SC175 had truly been completed, the issue should not be present. If it had NOT been completed, the dealer should have been notified in their system during those visits. This suggests that misrepresentation or incorrect reporting may have occurred. Because Kia Corporate relies entirely on the dealer’s incorrect reporting, I cannot obtain the required repair from any Kia dealer, and the safety defect remains unresolved. I am requesting the federal safety agency review this case as a potential recall-completion misrepresentation that is preventing me from receiving the mandated safety repair. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Oct 14, 2025 · Airbags, Electrical · 300,000 miles · IL

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that after purchasing the vehicle from the dealer, the air bag warning light illuminated while driving, and the front passenger’s seat detection system failed to detect a passenger. The dealer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle had previously been repaired under the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 19V109000 (Electrical System). The contact was also informed that a diagnostic test was needed to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 300,000.

Filed Sep 15, 2025 · Airbags · FL

I am filing a formal complaint against Kia regarding Recall SC175 affecting this vehicle Kia has refused to perform this recall on my vehicle, claiming that the work was already completed. However, after reviewing the official campaign documentation (the federal safety agency Campaign Documentation – SC175), it is evident that the corrective work specified by the recall was not performed on my vehicle. My vehicle continues to exhibit the issue addressed by Recall SC175, confirming that either the recall was not carried out or was performed incorrectly. Despite this, Kia maintains that no further action is necessary because their records indicate completion. At this time, Kia is refusing to address a known safety recall. I am documenting this with the federal safety agency so that it is formally recorded that Kia is declining to remedy a required recall on one of their vehicles. Please advise on what steps I may take next to ensure compliance and resolution.

Filed Aug 2, 2025 · Airbags · FL

My vehicle has a recall 19V109000. The description of the issue is "Over time, the Occupant Detection System (ODS) wiring harness located underneath the front passenger seat may break from the seat being occupied." This issue has been diagnosed as having this very specific problem, Kia claims that this problem was previously fixed in my car, however it has not been fixed. I have been trying for sometime to get Kia and my local Kia Dealer to fix it but they just keep responding that this was already fixed. A closer look and its obvious this was never done. I don't have the exact date of when I first noticed it, the harness is damaged and the issue goes away from time to time, and my attempts to fix it have gone back a couple of years, and have gotten nowhere when trying to work with Kia.

Filed Jul 15, 2025 · Airbags, Engine · CA · 1 injury

I have a 2016 kia sedona. Engines on the vehicle have been known to be bad and I already had 1 engine replaced under their extended warranty that covers to 150000 miles after a blown head gasket. I got a new engine 11/2024 however car overheats & coolant leak everywhere&bust hoses. I was told to replace radiator and all cooling/heater hoses, but video show coolant bubbling car still overheating. Replaced one loose hose under warranty. Car overheats again was told to replace relay switch for fan another. Dealer crash my car waited a month for parts and they never repaired damages to my bumper and airbag light. 2 month later car overheats again now coolant spraying into trunk and hose pop again now at heater core. There is no light notice of when car overheating tiil very hot. Or someone tells me my car is smoking by then it is followed by a loud noise and coolant leaking everywhere again. This time the overheating bust the heater core hose in my trunk and was spraying coolant all in trunk while I was getting ready to get of freeway. Very scary. I pulled over just in time for noise and coolant to leak out everything from resovoir again. This is my family car and have 5 kids under 18 and feel very unsafe now. Despite paying for everything kia suggest every 1-2 months they still fail to find cause of overheating and constant hoses breaking or coming loose after the pressure build up and I am scared this car will catch fire or stall one day with my children in car. Already noticed sometime its like car struggles to accelerate despite a supposed new engine but car been constantly overheating even after engine replacement and it also still causes sludge in hose& had 4 coolant flushes in a year and new hoses and now seems people working on car not sure what they doing because I was told I needed new heater hoses 2months later they didn't know my heater core was at back car so didn't replace so this hose burst despite kia recommendation to replace. Please help b4 it too late

Filed Feb 6, 2024 · Airbags · CA

Airbag warning light repeatedly coming on. First time told harness under seat problem paid then reimbursed as recall. Year later on again dealer took care unknown fix. During May of this year same airbag light on when took in for oil change and asked if could fix seat thing again. I'm very short rest of drivers tall so seat moved positions farthest forward to farthest back. Told must make diagnostic appointment earliest February. Today told front passenger side air bag needs to be replaced. Our minivan carries whole family and never in accident but needs new airbag would of replaced sooner if realized not harness but airbag not working! Van has 76,121miles think component should last longer and still work! Paying as told no recall! Dangerous to have light for other than airbag. Reported Kia Manufacturing. Use Dealer Valley KIA, 16272 S. Highland, Fontana, ca Today invoice #6174973/1. Awaiting part to fix.

Filed Jun 21, 2023 · Airbags · WI

Hello the federal safety agency representative, The dealership Lupient KIA in Glendale, WI closed the recall campaign SC175 and the action required was not performed. The KIA customer care closed the case 15510583 without explanation and when contacted opening a different one 15502908 mentioned that the car is out of warranty and they do not care any more. I am looking for your support to get KIA reviewed this anomaly in this dealership and obviously leave a precedent ahead of repairing the vehicle as the diagnosis of the failure cost 295usd plus the repair. According to the safety recall campaign under number SC175 (REV 1 03/20/2019) for KIA SEdona, that can be consulted in the clip should have been cut during the recall but the clip is still present and there is an error and a broken harness in my vehicle. See picture as evidence that the clip was not removed according to the instructions at the KIA dealership. The safety recall states on step 3 to "Carefully detach the ODS connector retaining clip (B) closest to the ODS connector." and on step 4 to "Carefully cut the retaining clip between the wiring harness and the clip head (C) using side-cutter pliers and discard the clip head. Allow the wiring harness to move freely. Do not replace the retaining clip or secure the harness." as you can see in the attached picture the clip is uncut. In case during the previous safety recall the seat was changed, the statement for the clip is equivalent that it should not be present per the same safety recall. Regards,

Filed May 20, 2023 · Airbags · IL

* The red airbag dash light comes on only when there is a passenger in the front passenger seat. The "OFF" light by the passenger air bag sign goes off like it should, symbolizing the airbag is turned in. However, the light on the dash coming on has me worried it is defective. *If the passenger airbag does not deploy if needed, that could risk serious injury or death. *This van was sold to us two day ago by a Kia dealership who said it passed all safety inspections. However, since the light only comes on when there is a front passenger, I'm sure it was overlooked. *I am in contact with the dealership we purchased it from. I have not heard back yet. *The warning light came on the first time I had a passenger in the vehicle after purchasing it.