YearToAvoid

2012 Kia Sedona Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Caution The 2012 Kia Sedona has a Complaint Index of 56 and ranks 8th worst out of 17 model years, earning a Caution verdict. NHTSA lists 107 complaints, 5 recalls, and 5 reported fires, with Electrical System issues the top problem area at 32% of complaints.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
56/100
#8 of 17 Sedona years
Verdict
Caution
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
107
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
5
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
5
reported in complaints
Fires
5
Injuries
2
Top issue
Electrical System
Best nearby year
2014
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
21
18 city / 24 hwy
Injuries / deaths
2 / 0

Top 2012 Kia Sedona problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Electrical System34 (32%)
  2. Engine26 (24%)
  3. Structure & Body21 (20%)
  4. Other18 (17%)
  5. Fuel System11 (10%)
  6. Airbags9 (8%)
  7. Brakes8 (7%)
  8. Transmission & Powertrain7 (7%)
  9. Steering4 (4%)
  10. Suspension, Wheels & Tires3 (3%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Airbags fail to deploy during moderate to severe crashes, including rollovers and rear-end collisions.
  • Smoke or fire starts near the blower motor wiring under the dash, sometimes tied to a blown fuse or overloaded circuit.
  • Engine compartment fires occur while driving, with owners reporting black smoke and flames from under the hood.
  • Doors reported to open on their own while driving, accompanied by smoke inside the cabin.
  • Engine oil leaks through the head gasket and spills onto hot engine components, producing smoke and burning smell.
  • Sudden unintended acceleration reported while parking, resulting in a low-speed collision.
2012 Kia Sedona complaints: complaints filed per quarter62011 Q42014 Q12015 Q32017 Q22018 Q42020 Q22022 Q12024 Q2
107 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2011 Q4 to 2026 Q3; peak 2019 Q3 (6).

2012 Kia Sedona recalls

5 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 20V101000Feb 21, 2020Fuel System51,465 vehicles

    Fuel system, gasoline:fuel injection system:fuel rail

    Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2012 Sedona vehicles. The fuel rail may crack from exposure to heat generated within the engine compartment, resulting in a fuel leak.

    Risk: A fuel leak increases the risk of fire.

    Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel rail, free of charge. The recall began June 16, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC188.

  2. NHTSA 18V363000Jun 1, 2018Airbags507,587 vehicles

    Air bags: air bag/restraint control module

    Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Kia Forte, Forte Koup, 2011-2013 Kia Optima and 2011-2012 Kia Optima Hybrid and Sedona vehicles. In the event of a crash, the air bag control unit (ACU) may short circuit, preventing the frontal air bags and seat belt pretensioners from deploying.

    Risk: If the frontal air bags and seat belt pretensioners are disabled, there is an increased risk of injury to the vehicle occupants in the event of a vehicle crash that necessitates deployment of these safety systems.

    Remedy: Kia will notify owners. For model year 2011 Sedona vehicles, Kia will instruct dealers to verify the ACU part number and, if necessary, install an extension wire harness kit between the ACU Connector and the Vehicle Harness Connector. For all other affected vehicles, Kia will instruct dealers to install the extension wire harness kit. The recall began September 28, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC165.

  3. NHTSA 16V387000Jun 1, 2016Suspension, Wheels & Tires97,884 vehicles

    Suspension:front:control arm:lower arm

    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.

See all 5 recalls for the 2012 Kia Sedona →

2012 Kia Sedona fuel economy and fuel cost

City
18 MPG
Highway
24 MPG
Combined
21 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,100
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2012 compared with other Sedona years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2010Good2532519
2011Good3865621
2012Caution56107521
2013No verdict001—
2014Best1939120

All Kia Sedona years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2012 Kia Sedona reliable?
NHTSA data shows a Complaint Index of 56 for the 2012 Sedona, ranking 8th worst among 17 model years, which places it in the Caution category relative to other Sedona years.
What problems does the 2012 Kia Sedona have?
Owners most often reported Electrical System issues (32% of complaints, including fires), followed by Engine problems (24%) and Structure & Body concerns (20%), with a median mileage at failure of 70,000 for the model year overall.
Does the 2012 Kia Sedona have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2012 Sedona covering the fuel system, airbags, suspension control arms, and the hood latch; none are do-not-drive recalls.
How does the 2012 Sedona compare to other Sedona years?
The 2012 model's Complaint Index of 56 is better than 2005, 2006, 2007, 2016, and 2017, all rated Avoid, but worse than 2010, 2011, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021, which rate Good or Best.
Were there fires reported in the 2012 Kia Sedona?
NHTSA lists 5 reported fires for the 2012 Sedona, most tied to electrical wiring near the blower motor or engine compartment issues.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.