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 2015 Kia Sedona owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Sedona. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, it would not start. The contact was able to change the battery and the vehicle was able to restart. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and while the vehicle was at the dealer, it caught on fire. The dealer stated that the vehicle had a short circuit that caused the vehicle to catch on fire. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was 80,000.
The car odometer was about 120,000 highway miles. After run with the cruise control for about a 386 miles I stop the car in Angola service station and been there for about 12 minutes with the car off the car got on fire. The electric system shut down immediately and the hood didn't open at all, rear doors didn't open electrical way just manually and the back door get completely sealed.
Complete engine failure, knocking like crazy, fuel smell in the oil, The shop said the fuel in the oil broke it down and allowed the motor to fail. We were driving down the highway when it happened with family and kids which was not safe at all. No warning message at all, no check engine light, the shop has inspected and said it's failed. The kia dealership has said many of the Kia's have been recalled for engine failure but not ours? But others with the same motor have been.
The brake lights went out. The bulbs were replaced. The fuse was replace and there still no lights. The top led brake light works, but lower lights on each side are out. I don't know if the brake switch is the problem when the upper led works. I have researched the issue and discovered that this is a xommon kia issue with many models. When a Google search is conducted for "kia no brake lights it comes up with other people that have the same issue with multiple models."
Car engine overheated without any warning indicating that it was overheating. It just started smoking. Car is available for inspection upon request. Our safety was put at risk because in 95-degree weather, warm air was coming from AC when car sat idle. The root of the problem has not been confirmed by the dealer. Vehicle pictures were sent to insurance. No warning appeared before failure.
July 2021 family of 6 driving on vacation. 3 hours from home car started losing power. Dash lights were coming on and no lights were on at anytime before this. Vehicle had 68,000 miles at the time. Lost power would not accelerate for several minutes and car started smoking under the hood. Coolant was spraying everywhere. Family stuck on side of highway in middle of Pennsylvania and no exit for 15 miles. Had to walk to an unknown home to ask them to fill several bottles of water. Put water in the car. It would run about 5 minutes and overheat again. Finally got to a rest stop. Took to O'Reilly auto parts where we had new thermostat, coolant and fluid and other minor parts installed spending about $700. Drove 15 minutes car broke down again overheating. Trucker mechanic stopped to help but no luck. This was on a Sunday where everything was closed. We could not get a ride or a rental. …
Had turned on the air in the seat and smelled a plastic burning smell when I parked my car and went in my house to get my swimsuit and towel and returned outside smoke was rolling out of the car. The car was on fire at the drivers side seat.
Battery dead for three different times in past five days. Worked after jump start (with a stanley 450/900 amp jump start system), but during last two occassions (on 07/27/16 and 07/28/16 it got hot too fast specially when car was stationary (engine running) for few minutes. It went hot to boiling (almost to the point of fire explotion), and evaporating acid from both sides's top (huge amount of white toxic smoke). Definitely the battery is damaged. Dealer is willing to replace; but I believe this is a safety critical issue that should be carefully investigated to find the root cause, which May not be the battery alone or itself, but a more serious and complex electro-mechanical design failure. Stats are backing-up my thoughts: the main topics of complaints for this car (so far) are electrical/battery related. I have a video of the smoke from the battery. …
Our 2015 Kia Sedona VIN [redacted] developed CAN Bus fault codes U0001 U0100 U0101 rendering it completely undrivable following an incomplete warranty extension repair under WTY019 by Kia of Des Moines on [redacted] RO# [redacted]. The power sliding doors have been a persistent safety concern. The incomplete warranty extension repair left the sliding door not closing properly creating a safety hazard. The vehicle subsequently developed CAN Bus communication faults making it completely undrivable. After 28 days at Kia of Des Moines from May 4 to June 1 2026 under RO# [redacted] the CAN Bus fault was never diagnosed or addressed. The power sliding door still does not function after two warranty extension repairs. Upon retrieval June 1 2026 the vehicle continues to exhibit active CAN Bus warnings BDS warning lights flickering humming sound and rough driving. …
The uvo system intermittently malfunctions. When it does, the phone ringer volume is extremely loud. As a result , an incoming phone call startles and temporarily distracts the driver. After repeated attempts to reset the volume to a very low level, it continues to happen. As it happens randomly, the dealer has not been able to reproduce it. As a result, they have refused to reprogram the system. However, there is a service action/TSB 222 which addresses this, but "if they can not reproduce the symptom, they will not reprogram the system." I have been told this same story at the dealership and from the corporate headquarters. It has happened multiple time since I have owned the vehicle. There are not any upgrades available for the consumer to upload, nor is it possible without specialized equipment. Thank you
Related recalls
Electrical system › Software
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Sedona vehicles. The Smart Junction Box (SJB) software logic may not properly interpret the signals received from the multifunction switch, which could cause the turn signal to activate in the opposite direction of what the driver intended.
Remedy: Dealers will update the SJB software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 12, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC217.
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.
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.
Electrical complaints in other Sedona years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2015 Kia Sedona?
NHTSA has 37 complaints about the electrical system of the 2015 Kia Sedona, 27% of the model year's 139 complaints. The component named most often is 12v/24v/48v battery (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2015 Kia Sedona electrical problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 21V-725 (software, Sep 17, 2021); NHTSA recall 19V-109 (wiring, Feb 19, 2019). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2015 Kia Sedona electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 55,000 miles, and 26% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 3 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.