Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2005 Kia Sedona owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2005 Kia Sedona. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, she noticed that the vehicle was overheating. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated she attempted to open the hood of the vehicle to determine the cause of the failure, but the hood would not open. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The dealer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 88,000.
Tl* the contact owned a 2005 Kia Sedona. While driving 35 MPH, the vehicle suddenly shut off and the brakes and power steering no longer functioned. The contact ran off the road into a ditch. The vehicle caught fire and exploded. A fire report was filed and the fire department extinguished the fire. There were no injuries and a police report was not filed. The vehicle was destroyed and towed. The origin of the fire was undetermined. The approximate failure mileage was 240,000.
My 2005 Kia Sedona was parked in my garage and it caught fire in the dash in front of the steering wheel. That is where the fire department said it started. It was a total loss, only had 115,000 miles, no issues. Thank god it was at 8 am and we were awake, earlier my whole family and our home May have been gone as well.
July 2006 I noticed a smell of burning brakes or something similar. But after I turned the vehicle off for an hour the smell disappeared. Then on July 4th 2006 we were 10 miles from home and noticed the radio turned off, then a few more miles the gauges all turned off, then by the time we got off the freeway, the car turned off. We then turned it back on, the radio and gauges all worked until we drove to the dealer which was closed so we drove one more mile to a safe place to park. At this time the car was completely dead. We looked in the engine, the fuse box was smoking and when opened, all the fuses were melted down and all the wires were melted too. We then got it towed to the dealer the next day 7/5/06. The car has now been at the dealer for over a week and half, and will not be ready until next week. I am hoping the new wiring they put in doesn't burn again. …
Tl contact owns a 2005 Kia Sedona. Three hours after routine maintenance was completed, the vehicle caught fire. The fire started in the drivers side door and underneath the drivers seat. No one was injured. The vehicle was destroyed. The fire department extinguished the fire and stated that it was electrical. A report was filed. The insurance company was called. The manufacturer informed her that they needed to see pictures and the fire report before they could investigate. The failure mileage was 76,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Kia Sedona. The contact stated while driving 5 MPH, the steering wheel turned in a full circle several times independently. The air bag warning light illuminated and the horn sounded prior to the engine shutting off. The vehicle was merged to the side of the road. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failures. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
My wife went to start our 2005 Kia, she heard the starter clicking. She then turned off the van. Tried a second time, heard the starter clicking and took out the key, the clicking noise continued, then smoke came from under the hood, her father had to put the fire out with a garden hose.
Started the vehicle and smelled something burning. Black smoke was coming from the passenger rear by the window. The entire passenger rear side of van burnt and melted. Caught seat on fire too. Fire department said it was electrical maybe started in the rear ac unit. Van was totaled.
I bought a new Kia Sedona on 2-27-06 had problems with the radio. The first time I had it in to be checked, they were going to put in a new radio but it was damaged in shipping. They ordered one put it in on the 10th of March 06, that night the van started caught fire and was totaled.
Dt: the consumer owns a 2005 Kia Sedona. She purchased the vehicle on 6-20-05, and twenty minutes after she drove the car off the lot, the radio quit working along with the ignition light illuminating. The consumer took the vehicle back to the dealership, and they could not service the car that day but made an appointment to come back on 6-22-05. The dealership kept the vehicle for three days. On 7-26-05 the brake went all the way to the floor and made a loud ticking noise while turning. The consumer took the vehicle to another dealership for repairs, and they resurfaced the brakes and the ignition. On 7-31-05 the brakes failed. The consumer tried to pump the brakes and they would not catch. To keep from hitting the vehicle in front, she veered to the left and ran onto the median, causing two blow outs on the driver's front and rear. …
Electrical complaints in other Sedona years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2005 Kia Sedona?
NHTSA has 22 complaints about the electrical system of the 2005 Kia Sedona, 12% of the model year's 185 complaints. The component named most often is ignition (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Kia Sedona electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2005 Kia Sedona, though it has 2 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2005 Kia Sedona electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 12,000 miles, and 53% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 8 fires and 0 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.