Most common 2009 Kia Sedona problems
Share of the 48 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 →
2009 Kia Sedona recalls (5)
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
Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year 2007-2009 Amanti, and model year 2009 Borrego vehicles.
Remedy: Kia will send an interim notification to owners in May 2013. When parts are available, owners will receive a second notification and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge.
What 2009 Kia Sedona owners say
Brakes
An older Chevy s10 decided to do a u-turn as I was entering an intersection. I slammed on the brakes and prior to impact the front airbags deployed resulting in my 84 year old passenger hitting the windshield when the actual impact took place and as the truck spun from the broadside hit in the front of my van, it hit us in the front right corner and along the passenger side of my vehicle. My face was badly chaffed and my left arm and hand were badly bruised and cut. But the bouncing around after the airbag rapidly shredded caused me to end up with severe cervical damage.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that the headlights and tail lights failed to illuminate. The dealer stated that the relay needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure persisted. In addition, while driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle suddenly decelerated and would not accelerate. The contact also stated that the brakes failed to respond and the steering wheel seized. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer who diagnosed that the fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. On another occasion, smoke appeared under the hood when the vehicle was started. The dealer stated that the electrical harness needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was notified of the failures. The failure mileage was 95,000.
Engine & cooling
This is the second time the alternator is being replaced since 09/19/17. Engine oil leaks from the front cylinder bank's valve cover gasket. Oil drips onto the alternator, the alternator is then oil soaked & damaged resulting in the charging system becoming inoperative. The charging system warning lamp in the cluster will then illuminate. The vehicle will run on battery power until the battery voltage drops below the engine control module's minimum operational voltage. The engine shuts off and not restart, increasing the risk of a crash. This engine is manufactured by Hyundai & is the same engine design as the 2007-2012 Hyundai veracruz, which has a recall campaign #121 for this exact issue. Kia needs to implement a recall for this!
Constant pool of oil under the hood. (to me it is in the engine compartment - I've been told it's near the transmission case and also told it's near the intake manifold). The oil pool was first noticed by my husband when he was checking our fluids before a trip. It was pointed out to the dealer in July when we were there with engine problems and they "cleaned oil off" as stated on invoice. When questioned about it they had no answer as to what it was from. The oil was there again and has been there constantly since July. The dealer tells us it's oil that's been spilled from oil changes but everytime they clean it off it appears again. The oil was cleaned off twice in October but it's still there. Engine is also very loud and vibrates. Manufacturer was notified in July - no work performed other than wiping it off and no diagnostics to figure out where it's coming from.
Electrical system
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that the headlights and tail lights failed to illuminate. The dealer stated that the relay needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure persisted. In addition, while driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle suddenly decelerated and would not accelerate. The contact also stated that the brakes failed to respond and the steering wheel seized. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer who diagnosed that the fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. On another occasion, smoke appeared under the hood when the vehicle was started. The dealer stated that the electrical harness needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was notified of the failures. The failure mileage was 95,000.
This is the second time the alternator is being replaced since 09/19/17. Engine oil leaks from the front cylinder bank's valve cover gasket. Oil drips onto the alternator, the alternator is then oil soaked & damaged resulting in the charging system becoming inoperative. The charging system warning lamp in the cluster will then illuminate. The vehicle will run on battery power until the battery voltage drops below the engine control module's minimum operational voltage. The engine shuts off and not restart, increasing the risk of a crash. This engine is manufactured by Hyundai & is the same engine design as the 2007-2012 Hyundai veracruz, which has a recall campaign #121 for this exact issue. Kia needs to implement a recall for this!
2009 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 2009 Kia Sedona a good car?
Based on 48 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2009 Sedona rates better than average: 70% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Sedona at the same age. 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 2009 Kia Sedona?
The brakes — 9 complaints, 19% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the engine & cooling (8) and electrical system (8).
How many recalls does the 2009 Kia Sedona have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2009 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 2009 Kia Sedona problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 46,000 miles; 53% 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.