2016 Kia Sedona: airbag warning light

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 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 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 Jan 31, 2022 · Airbags · TX

The Airbag seat sensor has malfunctioned. Took the vehicle to the Kia Dealer and they advised it was a 1200.00 part plus 300 plus for labor. This started months ago and the dealer stated it was covered and they "ordered" the part. They then stated my extended warranty would cover it only to be told it doesn't cover these items. When I took the vehicle back to the dealer they said it was not covered. The airbag light is intermittent when it comes on. I am afraid this will cause a problem if I am involved in an accident. This started around 70k miles.

Filed Dec 6, 2021 · Airbags, Seat belts · GA

The airbag light would come on and go off randomly while driving. We took it to the dealer several times. I believe repairs were made twice and within days it happened again. The other times it was taken into the dealer, the problem could not be replicated as the light would randomly come on/blink. The airbag light stays on all the time now. I've been told it is dangerous to drive the vehicle while the light is on because the airbags will not deploy should the vehicle get in an accident. The passenger side seatbelt like blinks constantly now whether there is a passenger in the front seat or not. I've been told by Kia that the warranty has expired and any cost associated with the repair of the airbag and seatbelt sensor will be our responsibility. This was an ongoing problem well before the warranty expired.

Filed Mar 24, 2021 · Electrical · 54,000 miles · KY · crash

About 1917 the power sliding doors stopped working correctly. The doors make a loud screaching sound when closing when stopped. & in motion. Doors do not close and lock completely and have to be close by pushing in the back where and fram meets. Got a recall on sliding doors. Went 3/22/21 and all that was done was to reprogram the computer. This didn t fix the problem at all. Call kia and was told , have to fix on own. Did call about issue in 2017 told it would cost over $1000.00, couldn't afford. Also asked about why air bag light comes on and stays on and that the gas door button doesn t open. Have to get out and hit gas door to open. Thought that 100000 warrenty was to cover anything bumper to bumper. Why pay the extra for nothing.

Filed Dec 22, 2020 · Airbags, Lights · 50,000 miles · MS

About 2 years ago, I began experiencing occasional times when I would turn on the left turn signal and the right turn signal would come on. The first few times it happened, I thought I must've turned on the wrong signal as it happened infrequently. Now it occurs often, where engaging the left turn signal is very unpredictable, with it sometimes turning on the left signal, sometimes the right signal, switching back and forth between the signals, or no signal engaging. When engaging the left turn signal and completing a left turn, when the signal disengages, the right signal will turn on and flash several times without turning on the right signal. This makes for dangerous lane changing and turning as it is difficult to make sure the right signal turns on. Additionally, the passenger air bag light comes on frequently when an adult is seated in the passenger seat, as if the vehicle thinks a child is seated in the passenger seat and the air bag would not deploy in a crash. I brought the vehicle to kia to have them fix this, but they said the vehicle was out of warranty even though it was 3 years old, and wanted hundreds of dollars to even look at it, not including fixing the problem. I have seen several other complaints regarding the turn signals in this make/model and year, particularly with the left turn signal. Here is a link to a youtube video of another kia with the same problem: https://youtu.be/idxlnmxmhqy here is a link to a page where others have complained of the same problem: https://www.carproblemzoo.com/kiamotor/sedona/turn-signal-problems.php this is an ongoing problem.

Filed Mar 24, 2020 · Electrical · 40,000 miles · MS

The left turn signal malfunctions. When turning on the left turn signal, it intermittently turns on the right turn signal, turns on the right turn signal, then switches to the left turn signal, or does not turn on any turn signal. Also, when someone weighing around 175 or less sits in the passenger seat, the airbag light turns on, as if the person is a child and the airbags won't deploy in case of an accident.

Filed Mar 1, 2019 · Airbags, Seats · 48,000 miles · WA

We purchased brand new a 2016 kia sedona from the dealership. Within the 2 years we owned it we had to take it into the dealership four times because the airbag light would come on and stay on, or would flicker off and one as I was driving down the road. They found it to be an issue with the passenger airbag. They repaired it the first three times and the light would stay off for a while. The fourth time we took it in they said they were going to try replacing the whole seat to see if that helped. We decided that we didn't want to risk it happening again as the van was less than 2,000 miles from being out of warranty. So, we traded it in for a 2018 kia sedona which now, at 1400 miles, has the same issue! We have already taken it in twice to the have issue repaired. What are the odds of having the exact same issue?

Filed Oct 18, 2017 · Airbags, Seat belts · 28,500 miles · MD

Air bag light comes on and off frequently with no explanation as to why. The passenger seat belt light blinks on and off with no passenger and nothing in the seat. This happens while driving the vehicle or at start up of the vehicle the lights may stay on. I fear that if needed my airbags may not deploy properly.