2016 Kia Sedona Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
AvoidComplaint Index
100/100
#1 most-complained of 12 Sedona years
The 2016 Kia Sedona has 296 NHTSA complaints, a Complaint Index of 100 — the worst among 12 model years — and ranks 1st worst overall. Engine problems account for 51% of complaints, with a median failure mileage of 81,950 miles, and the model carries 4 recalls.
- Complaints
- 296
- Recalls
- 4
- Crashes / fires
- 10 / 14
- Injuries / deaths
- 10 / 2
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 20
- 18 city / 24 hwy
Top 2016 Kia Sedona problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Engine152 (51%)
- Electrical System74 (25%)
- Structure & Body36 (12%)
- Other34 (11%)
- Airbags19 (6%)
- Transmission & Powertrain13 (4%)
- Fuel System10 (3%)
- Brakes8 (3%)
- Seat Belts8 (3%)
- Steering6 (2%)
What owners report
- Some owners describe sudden unintended acceleration or lunging forward at low speeds, even with a foot on the brake, sometimes triggering airbag deployment.
- Several complaints describe engine fires starting with a rattling or sputtering noise, smoke, and flames coming from underneath the vehicle, in some cases tied to a thrown rod and oil pan damage.
- Owners report the power sliding doors making loud screeching noises, failing to close or lock properly, and not being fixed by the software reprogramming recall.
- One owner reported a fuel system fire after a highway collision with a deer that fully engulfed the vehicle.
- A brake complaint describes the vehicle lunging forward while parking at low speed, with the dealer only finding a blown fuse.
- An airbag complaint states the airbags failed to deploy during a crash despite no prior warning of a fault.
2016 Kia Sedona recalls
4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 22V612000Aug 10, 2022Transmission & Powertrain28,065 vehicles
Power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:column shift
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016 Sedona and Sorento vehicles. The vehicles may have been manufactured with faulty automatic transmission shift lever assembly components, preventing the shift lever from locking, which can allow the vehicle to rollaway.
Risk: A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of a crash and injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the automatic transmission shift lever assembly components, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 7, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC246.
- NHTSA 21V725000Sep 17, 2021Electrical System88,576 vehicles
Electrical system:software
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Sedona vehicles. The Smart Junction Box (SJB) software logic may not properly interpret the signals received from the multifunction switch, which could cause the turn signal to activate in the opposite direction of what the driver intended.
Risk: A turn signal activating in the opposite direction of what was intended by the driver increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the SJB software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 12, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC217.
- NHTSA 19V109000Feb 19, 2019Electrical System94,389 vehicles
Electrical system:wiring
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Sedona vehicles equipped with manually-adjusted front passenger seats. Over time, the Occupant Detection System (ODS) wiring harness located underneath the front passenger seat may break from the seat being occupied.
Risk: If a child is in a child seat in the front seat, a broken ODS wiring harness will not prevent the front passenger air bag from deploying in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury to the child.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will remove the wire harness clip to prevent the wiring harness from breaking. If the harness is found damaged, the front passenger seat cushion will be replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began March 19, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC175.
2016 Kia Sedona fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 18 MPG
- Highway
- 24 MPG
- Combined
- 20 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $3,250
- 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.
2016 compared with other Sedona years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2016 Kia Sedona reliable?
- Compared to other Sedona model years, the 2016 ranks worst, with a Complaint Index of 100 and 296 complaints filed with NHTSA. It carries an Avoid verdict relative to the other 11 model years in the dataset.
- What is the biggest problem with the 2016 Kia Sedona?
- Engine problems dominate, making up 51% of all complaints (152 of 296), with a median failure mileage of 81,950 miles and 11 reported fires.
- Does the 2016 Kia Sedona have recalls?
- Yes, NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2016 Sedona, covering the transmission shift lever assembly, Smart Junction Box software affecting turn signals, an Occupant Detection System wiring harness, and the power sliding door auto-reverse function.
- How does the 2016 Sedona compare to other years?
- The 2016 Sedona has the highest Complaint Index (100) among the 12 model years with data, worse than 2015 (82) and 2017 (91), which are also rated Avoid, while 2020 and 2021 are rated Best.
- What is the fuel economy of the 2016 Kia Sedona?
- The 2016 Sedona is EPA-rated at 20 mpg combined (18 city / 24 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,250.