2016 Kia Sedona: sudden loss of power

Filed May 2, 2026 · Fuel system · WI · fire

While driving car gas tank blew a hole and started on fire. Car then lost power while on fire while I was in traffic, luckily I was able to cut into a parking lot and people that were in traffic with me call 911. Fire department confirmed there was a hole in gas tank which sits right underneath driver side. Fire was only contained to where the gas tank and lines are. I have pictures.

Filed Jul 7, 2025 · Engine · 88,500 miles · MD

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that while her husband was driving 50 MPH, the contact heard a knocking sound coming from the engine and the vehicle lost power. The contact was able to pull over to the right side of the road, turned off the vehicle for several minutes, restart the vehicle, and the vehicle worked as intended. There were no warning lights illuminated. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and opened a case; however, the case number was not available. The contact was referred to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 88,500.

Filed Jun 18, 2025 · Engine, Fuel system · TX

There was a sudden loss of power while in the middle of the highway. Further inspection resulted in low oil and metal flakes in the oil filter. At the time of initial loss of power there was absolutely zero warning or indication of any issues at all.

Filed Apr 11, 2025 · Engine · WV

On Wednesday, April 9, the van started making a noise. Then it lost power. It slowed down and then stopped. In the middle of the road. We were able to move it out of traffic. We had it towed to a service station. We were told that it was due to engine failure. I called our local Kia dealer where we bought it. He told us there were no problems with that particular engine. I looked it up online and found that that is not true. I found that this particular engine is being investigated for the same issues that I had.

Filed Feb 9, 2025 · Engine · IA · fire

The engine failed while driving on the interstate. Believed to have been catastrophic failure. Sudden loss of power and maneuverability could have led to a collision. Vehicle was towed to owner's residence. Prior to the failure a rapid knocking sound was heard from the engine. No warning lights were indicated.

Filed Nov 25, 2024 · Engine · IL

Regularly serviced vehicle (2016 Kia Sedona SXL 3.3L) within recommended intervals; most recently on 9/10/2024 at ~117k miles. Invoice indicates dealer put in full capacity of oil (6qt). Vehicle also received multipoint inspection including checking all fluids; non were reported low or in need of flush/replacement. Vehicle had begun to make extra engine noise (rattle/growl) on startup, not sure precisely when; I estimate just in the last few months, maybe September or October. Took 220 (one way, ~440 total) mile trip on 11/5-11/7/2024; vehicle performed well other than aforementioned startup noise. [XXX], vehicle noise had increased significantly and "engine control system" message with CEL was present on the dashboard which was later extinguished after an engine restart. No other warning/error indications were present before or since. Onboard vehicle diagnostics run by the owner (Kia "eServices" app) on 11/12 did not indicate any issues. It was decided we better not drive it and service was scheduled for 11/22. On the same day (11/12) we found the oil to be low by 4.5 qts. Filling the oil to "full" removed a significant amount of the engine noise but (layman's) inspection did not reveal any oil leakage and no other signs of oil burning had been noted previously. One additional trip of ~16 miles made on 11/19 and 6 miles to service on 11/22 (now at 121k miles). Dealer upon inspection stated rod bearings were bad and engine needed replaced. Retrieving the vehicle from service and driving home, it catastrophically failed losing all power in highway traffic and could not be restarted. I'm reporting this because I saw DP24-001 and PE23-019 which seem to be very similar to my issue. I see no reason why a regularly serviced engine could fail so quickly other than a possible manufacturing defect. The engine/components have not been touched since the dealer appointment on 11/22. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Nov 24, 2024 · Engine · KS

Description of Incident: What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The engine of my 2016 Kia Sedona seized due to a lack of oil. The oil pressure warning light, which is designed to alert the driver to low oil pressure or oil-related issues, did not illuminate to indicate any problem. The engine is still available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? While the engine seizure did not occur while driving, it created a potential hazard for future operation of the vehicle. Had the issue occurred during the 20-mile drive home or on future trips, it could have led to a sudden loss of power, putting the driver, passengers, and others on the road at risk. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? The Kia dealership confirmed that the engine seized due to a lack of oil. However, they have not provided a detailed diagnostic report or explanation for why the oil pressure warning light failed to illuminate. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others? The vehicle has been inspected by Kia but has not been examined by third parties such as insurance representatives or law enforcement. Were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? There were no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms prior to the failure. The oil pressure warning light, which should have alerted us to the issue, did not illuminate at any point. Best assessment: My assessment is that the oil pressure warning system failed to function as designed, leading to the engine seizing without warning. This malfunction prevented us from addressing the oil issue in time to avoid catastrophic engine damage.

Filed Jun 17, 2024 · Engine · NJ

The problem started in late July of '23 and I already filed a complaint back then. But I want to file again and emphasize that this is systemic issue with all 2016 Kia Sedona vans. Last year, I was driving with five kids in the car on the way to the beach. While exiting a traffic circle (anyone who has ever driven in NJ knows how dangerous NJ traffic circles can be) when we lost power. The van would not accelerate over 35mph, and we had to drive home in limp mode on the shoulder. Thankfully it was early in the morning, and no one was on the road. Had this happened during a busy time, we would have been rear-ended or worse. I took it to my local mechanic who did $200 worth of repairs, but the vehicle still would not run at full speed and had a very rough idle. I should add prior to loss of power, there were ZERO warning lights, and the car was running fine. I was just about due for an oil change, and I change it on a regular basis according to Kia's recommendations. Then I took it to Kia, and they said they could TRY to fix it for $8000 but they couldn't promise it would work and said my other option was a complete engine replacement. Currently, I have been continuing to drive the van locally because I cannot afford another car. If I drive more than 35-40 minutes the car completely loses power and I have to pull over to the side of the road, turn the car off and wait a few minutes. When I turn it on it will run fine for another 35-40 minutes. I know it is my choice to continue to drive the vehicle, but I wanted to report that the loss of engine power happens almost daily and continues to be a danger. Thankfully, I stick to back roads and avoid highways and I have not lost power on a busy road, yet. I am concerned that there are MANY MORE complaints with the NTHSA for the EXACT same issue and there doesn't seem to be any movement with investigations or recalls. Kia continues to sell these used vans to people who have no clue. This is a life-threatening issue!!!!

Filed Jun 17, 2024 · Engine, Fuel system · VA

On June 6th 2024 My 2016 Kia Sedona experienced sudden power loss accompanied by thick smoke out of the exhaust and a loud ticking while on a busy main intersection. Kia's Gross negligence to recall its known troubled engines is causing needless highway incidents. From stolen cars, engine failures and now fires, this is the second Kia I have had fail.

Filed Jun 12, 2024 · Engine · IN

While driving the check engine light came on, the radio started talking about an engine failure, and my van lost all power. I was on an interstate going at least 70 mph, my children in the vehicle and cars, trucks, and semis passing us. We were almost hit trying to get to the side of the road. I took the van to the Kia dealership where they informed me that it would need an engine replacement. Before this incident there was no warning of the failure at all.

Filed May 17, 2024 · Engine · FL

Noticed power loss in engine, engine started knocking, on the way to the mechanic the motor seized up, oil changed per manufacturer specs every 5,000 miles

Filed Apr 29, 2024 · Engine · IN

The vehicle suddenly and without warning lost all power on an interstate. Could not accelerate past 20mph, with my wife and kids in the car. We were stuck on the side of the road, going only 20mph in a 65mph area. The check engine light came on. Upon further investigation, the vehicle suddenly burned up all oil inside the engine. We put 5.5 quarts in, and it took every bit of it. There was barely any in the engine. We were about due for an oil change, but not grossly overdue. This is an extreme safety risk as there is no warning and no explanation for why the engine suddenly is without oil. We could have EASILY killed the engine if we had driven it any further.