Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2008 Kia Sedona owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2008 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that upon having a state safety inspection performed on the vehicle, the contact was informed by a mechanic that there was severe corrosion on the subframe of the vehicle. The inspector informed the contact that the vehicle might be under recall for the issue. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 96,000.
The van's sliding side doors no longer open due to plastic clips in the tracks breaking. The doors cannot be opened from the inside or the outside. Both doors broke the same day. My son is in a wheelchair and we use the side sliding door with a ramp to get him in his wheelchair into the vehicle. He is five and was trapped in the vehicle. We had to open the back hatch and fold down the rear seats in order to get him in his wheelchair out. This is not a safe situation. I can no longer ride him or any passengers in the rear of the vehicle because it's an entrapment issue if I was to be in an accident. I note that this same issue has been addressed with a recall on later year models than mine, but has yet to be recalled on the 2008.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that the rear passenger door had not closed and the driver side door had not opened. The vehicle was driven to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the doors needed grease and the indoor and exterior door handles needed to be replaced. The interior door handle inside the panel was greased and replaced; however, the issue recurred. The manufacturer was notified. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 30,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Kia Sedona. While stationary and driving various speeds, both sliding doors would open without being prompted, and would not close when significant pressure was applied. The failure became increasingly worse over the past two years. An independent mechanic greased the interior parts of both sliding doors, but the failure recurred. A dealer and manufacturer were not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 144,252.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that the driver side sliding door did not open electronically or manually. The vehicle was taken to the dealer numerous times. The dealer replaced the door motor and the sliding mechanism; however, the failure was not corrected. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 20,800. Updated 09/28/16 updated 10/12/2017
The passenger rear door will not open with the key fob, only with strength. Have been told the motor is wore out for that particular door. It was just parked, with this trouble to this date. As stated, I have been told that the motor to this door is wore out.
The side doors on my 2008 Kia Sedona van open unexpectedly as I am driving the van on the highway. It has done this many times in the last 4 months. I have a 2 and 3 year old in the backseat in childseats.
I was driving on the freeway and my hood blew up and smashed my front windshield blocking out light. I could not see to drive and the rearview mirror flew off like a projectile
This Mini-van has manual sliding doors. Since newly bought, the sliding doors have been difficult to open and close. One problem corrected under warranty eliminated the warning ding when under speed indicating a sliding door was ajar. Another corrected problem was the loose door handles caused in part b the amount of force passengers had to use to open the sliding door when not locked, like it was stuck shut. The current problem is the right (driver) side sliding door will not unlock at all, either through the key fob or by manually operating the inside lever to unlock the door. As it will not open, it is a serious safety flaw in that no one inside during a crash can exit through the door, and no one outside the minivan can open the door to free a trap child are infant. Kia has replaced one part which did not fix the problem, and now is replacing an electrical control box.
Within 18 months of owning our Kia Sedona, the automatic sliding doors were not operating correctly. The doors would not close, and would remain open at all times. Including the original incident on July 22, 2010, we have brought the same van in a total of 6 times for inoperable doors (doors that would not remain in the closed position.) the dates are as follows: 7/22/10, 9/1/11, 8/1/12, 3/7/13, 8/27/13 and 6/16/14. We have had latches replaced, new control modules installed, new drive motor assemblies installed, but feel this is a very serious safety hazard. I have performed internet searches for similar instances, and I am clearly not alone in this regard. I have been charged for these various repairs, and do not believe that a possible defect in assembly or parts, which compromises my family's safety, should be my responsibility.
Body complaints in other Sedona years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2008 Kia Sedona?
NHTSA has 25 complaints about the body & structure of the 2008 Kia Sedona, 15% of the model year's 170 complaints. The component named most often is body › door (12 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2008 Kia Sedona body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2008 Kia Sedona, though it has 5 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 2008 Kia Sedona body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 55,000 miles, and 23% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 0 fires and 2 injuries to body & structure 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.