2018 Kia Sedona Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
GoodComplaint Index
45/100
#7 most-complained of 12 Sedona years
The 2018 Kia Sedona has 48 NHTSA complaints, a complaint index of 45, and ranks 7th worst of 12 model years, earning a "Good" verdict relative to other Sedona years. Engine complaints, including 4 fire reports, are the top problem area.
- Complaints
- 48
- Recalls
- 3
- Crashes / fires
- 1 / 4
- Injuries / deaths
- 1 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 20
- 18 city / 24 hwy
Top 2018 Kia Sedona problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Engine22 (46%)
- Electrical System12 (25%)
- Airbags6 (13%)
- Structure & Body6 (13%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires4 (8%)
- Other3 (6%)
- Brakes2 (4%)
- Fuel System2 (4%)
- Transmission & Powertrain2 (4%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras1 (2%)
What owners report
- Engine compartment fires reported while driving or idling, with smoke and flames sometimes engulfing the vehicle within minutes.
- Airbags failed to deploy in a crash, leading to a passenger injury from head impact with the windshield.
- Transmission intermittently loses acceleration during shifts at various speeds, including 2, 9, 19, 25, 40, 55, and 62 mph, without an engine warning light.
- Power sliding door sensors fail intermittently, causing the door to open or close on its own or trap an occupant.
- Wiper motor stopped working during a snowstorm after a short ownership period.
- Tire tread separation caused violent steering wheel shaking at 60 mph.
2018 Kia Sedona recalls
3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 22V031000Jan 25, 2022Airbags410,619 vehicles
Air bags
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Sedona, Soul, Soul EV, 2017-2018 Forte, and 2017 Forte Koup vehicles. The Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) cover may contact a memory chip on the printed circuit board and damage the electrical circuit. Circuit damage may result in deactivated air bags that will not deploy in a crash.
Risk: Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the ACU, and either update the software or replace the unit, as necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 21, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC226.
- 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.
- NHTSA 18V338000May 23, 2018Structure & Body106,428 vehicles
Structure:body:door
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Kia Sedona vehicles equipped with a power sliding door (PSD). The PSD may not auto-reverse when its closing is obstructed.
Risk: If the door closes on an occupant, there is an increased risk of an injury.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the PSD module software, free of charge. The recall began on June 18, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC164.
2018 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.
2018 compared with other Sedona years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2018 Kia Sedona reliable?
- Compared to other Sedona model years, the 2018 has a complaint index of 45 and ranks 7th worst out of 12 years tracked, giving it a "Good" verdict relative to other years.
- What problems does the 2018 Kia Sedona have?
- NHTSA lists 48 complaints for the 2018 Sedona, with Engine issues making up 46% of them, including 4 fire reports. Electrical System complaints, largely tied to sliding doors, account for another 25%.
- Does the 2018 Kia Sedona have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 3 recalls affecting the 2018 Sedona: an airbag control unit issue, an occupant detection system wiring harness problem, and a power sliding door that may not auto-reverse when obstructed.
- How does the 2018 Sedona compare to other Sedona years?
- The 2018 Sedona's complaint index of 45 is lower than the 2015, 2016, and 2017 model years, which are rated "Avoid" with indexes of 82, 100, and 91. The 2020 and 2021 Sedonas score even lower, at 9 and 18.