Most common 2006 Kia Sedona problems
Share of the 385 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Kia Sedona complaints by model year
Best Sedona years: 2010, 2021, 2014. Years to avoid: 2006, 2016, 2002, 2004. Compare all years →
2006 Kia Sedona recalls (7)
Electrical system
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2006-2010 Sedona and 2007-2009 Sorento vehicles. Moisture may enter the Anti-lock Brake (ABS) Module and result in an electrical short.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will install a relay in the main junction box to prevent power from being directed to the HECU when the vehicle's ignition switch is turned off, free of charge.
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,…
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…
Latches/locks/linkages › Hood › Latch
Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2006-2014 Kia Sedona vehicles manufactured from June 15, 2005, through April 04, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the secondary hood latch may bind and remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners and dealers will replace the secondary hood latch or clean and lubricate the latch, depending on the vehicle's location and the condition of the latch.
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 originally sold in, or currently registered in Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois,…
Remedy: Kia will notify owners and dealers will inspect the degree of corrosion of the front lower control arms, and will either rustproof or replace them, free of charge. The recall began on December 20, 2013.
Exterior lighting › Brake lights › Switch
Huyndai-Kia is recalling 139,844 my 2006-2007- sedona, sportage, sorento and my rondo and amanti vehicles. The stop lamp switch in the affected vehicles May malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch May cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or May cause the brake lights to remain…
Remedy: Dealers will replace the stop lamp switch free of charge. The recall began on June 17, 2009. Owners May contact Kia's consumer assistance center at 1-800-333-4542.
Electrical system › Wiring
On certain passenger vehicles equipped with adjustable brake pedals, the stop lamp switch wiring harness May be out of position. An improperly positioned stop lamp switch wiring harness could make contact with the u-joint assembly of the steering column.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the wiring harness for chafing and, repair if necessary. In addition, the dealer will secure the wiring harness to prevent contact with the u-joint assembly. The recall began on September 29, 2006.
Show 1 more recall
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
On certain passenger vehicles, the rear caliper brake hoses May be out of position. An improperly positioned rear caliper brake hose May contact rear suspension components and over time breach the integrity of the hose.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the positioning of the rear caliper brake hoses and adjust or replace them free of charge. The recall began on September 15, 2006. Owners May contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542.
What 2006 Kia Sedona owners say
Suspension all 84 →
Driving slowly out of parking lot a loud bang was heard. Scraping noise was heard from under van, drove about 25 yards then stopped at side of road. Left rear wheel was crooked and under van the left rear lower control arm was broken in half and was dragging on ground, left rear wheel was off ground. No one was injured, no other damage to this vehicle or others. This vehicle was previously serviced on Kia Service Campaign SC102, unknown date. Would have been serious accident if this occurred at highway speeds. Both lower control arms have been replaced, parts saved for inspection. Pictures attached. Kia was notified of this, case #[redacted]. Vehicle has one owner since new.
Front driver side control arm covered under recall but not replaced broke while driving, causing the axle and other front suspension parts to break, causing the front wheel to point outwards in opposite directions, and the vehicle to come to a screeching stop, from 30 MPH. Vehicle was taken to Kia dealer in 2013 after receiving real notice about front control arm and was told the part was fine and did not need replacing.
Air bags all 80 →
New 2006, a few months after he bought the van, someone hit me in the rear on the stop light and the airbags never activated, the repair shop said it had no rear air bags, that is why do not active system. 2014 light "airbag" is lit and remains so since then, the dealer charges a fortune only to diagnose, 2014 I had an freeway accident, to prevent a truck hit me flywheel onto the shoulder, hitting the fence right boundedness and ending with the wall head-on collision in central divider ... Of course "airbags" never worked
This vehicle's "airbag" light sensor came on upon starting my vehicle routinely. I was not involved in any accident prior to the light illuminating. I received an estimate of $968.71 to repair two airbag sensors at the dealership. I then learned that the airbag light once illuminated shuts down the entire airbag system in the vehicle and that there are over 44 registered NHTSA complaints on the 2006 Kia Sedona models. I called Kia consumer assistance center and was issued a case number. I have allied the assistance center and Kia consumer affairs department of the western regional office over two dozen times beginning December 18, 2014 asking why there has not been a service campaign for this vehicle and they said one time that they would not pay for the repair and suggested I call the western regional office which I call daily with no return call from Kia's [redacted] . …
Electrical system all 79 →
The contact owned a 2006 Kia Sedona. The vehicle was bought used close to four years ago. The contact was unaware that the vehicle had received notifications of NHTSA campaign numbers 20V088000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC), 16V389000 (LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES), and 16V387000 (SUSPENSION). The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, an abnormal pop sound was heard coming from the vehicle. The contact noticed smoke was emitting from the front end of the vehicle. The contact stated that the heat gauge was rising. The contact pulled to the side of the road when a passerby ran up to the contact's vehicle and informed the contact that flames were visible under the vehicle. The passerby stated that he followed the contact for about a mile, honking and waving to notify the contact of the fire. The contact and child immediately exited the vehicle. …
The contact owns a 2006 Kia Sedona LX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V088000 (Electrical System, Service Brakes, Hydraulic) and stated that while powered off, he observed smoke emanating from the engine compartment. The contact stated that when the hood was opened, fire erupted from the engine compartment. The contact extinguished the fire. No police report or fire report was made available. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that an unknown part needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 88,000.
2006 Kia Sedona engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.8L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 16 / 23 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: Minivan.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2006 Kia Sedona a good car?
Based on 385 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2006 Sedona rates avoid: 2.0× as many complaints as a typical year of the Sedona at the same age. It is one of the Sedona years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2006 Kia Sedona?
The suspension — 84 complaints, 22% of all complaints for this model year, most often about front › control arm. Next are the air bags (80) and electrical system (79).
How many recalls does the 2006 Kia Sedona have?
There are 7 recalls for the 2006 Kia Sedona, the most recent from February 14, 2020 (electrical system). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Kia Sedona?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2010, 2021 and 2014. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2006, 2016, 2002 and 2004. See the full Kia Sedona years comparison.
At what mileage do 2006 Kia Sedona problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 84,000 miles; 31% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.