Seat Belt complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1 | 10% | — |
| 2019 | 1 | 3% | — |
| 2018 | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2017 | 2 | 1% | 60,000 miles |
| 2016 | 8 | 3% | 36,000 miles |
| 2015 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2011 | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2010 | 1 | 3% | 45,000 miles |
| 2009 | 1 | 2% | 96,000 miles |
| 2007 | 1 | 1% | 37,000 miles |
| 2006 | 8 | 2% | 98,000 miles |
| 2005 | 3 | 2% | 60,000 miles |
| 2004 | 2 | 1% | 35,000 miles |
| 2003 | 13 | 7% | 124,000 miles |
| 2002 | 33 | 13% | 70,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (buckles, retractors, anchors and pretensioners).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
In Feb of 2023, my van had no known issues and out of nowhere it started making a terrible noise, every light in the dash came on, my power steering stopped working and then my engine shut off. I had it towed to a mechanic shop, they said it needed an engine. I had it towed to our local KIA dealership. They said it did not need an engine, it only needed a timing chain. That was $8000. We decided to get it done. 4 weeks later exactly from when we picked it up, I was on the interstate and the exact thing happened. I had it towed back to our local KIA. They stated it now needed an engine and it would be a used engine because they do not manufacture the engine anymore. It had over 60K miles on it and it would be $13K not including shipping or labor. We decided not to do this. …
The airbag light would come on and go off randomly while driving. We took it to the dealer several times. I believe repairs were made twice and within days it happened again. The other times it was taken into the dealer, the problem could not be replicated as the light would randomly come on/blink. The airbag light stays on all the time now. I've been told it is dangerous to drive the vehicle while the light is on because the airbags will not deploy should the vehicle get in an accident. The passenger side seatbelt like blinks constantly now whether there is a passenger in the front seat or not. I've been told by Kia that the warranty has expired and any cost associated with the repair of the airbag and seatbelt sensor will be our responsibility. This was an ongoing problem well before the warranty expired.
Problem #1. At approximately 111,000 miles my Sedona's airbag light illuminated on my dash panel...and has stayed illuminated ever since. There was no accident or incident to provoke this light to illuminate. Kia of dartmouth (ma) said it's a drivers side seatbelt sensor that is "bad". Cost to repair $274.80! Why is a "bad" sensor not the responsibility of the manufacturer? It's faulty. There was no misuse or abuse by the consumer, in other words, why is there no recall on this item? Problem #2. At approximately 108,000 my Sedona's TPMS light and ( ! ) lights illuminated on my dash panel...and have stayed illuminated since. The tires are inflated to manufacture's specifications so there is no chance that the tires are under or over inflated. Again, there is a "bad" sensor(s). Why isn't there a recall on these faulty sensors?
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that the seatbelt warning lamp flashed and remained illuminated. The vehicle was not inspected and diagnosed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 98,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, she applied the brakes and another vehicle crashed into the rear of her vehicle. The contact's head was thrown into the steering wheel as both the seat belt and the air bags failed. The contact sustained injuries to the eye, shoulders, wrists, and her right calf. The contact also suffered from intervals of dizziness as a result. The vehicle was towed to a dealer and the contact was awaiting diagnosis of the seat belt and air bag failure. The failure and current mileage was 47,500. The consumer was still having eye problem and was transported to the emergency room twice. The consumer was still being treated for the eye, head, and lumbar vertebrae injury. The consumer has seen psychologist and psychiatrist for fear of driving and severe depression due to the accident. The consumer has constant headaches. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that while attempting to buckle the seat belt, the second row seat belt anchor cables snapped off. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The technician was unable to diagnose the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 124,000.
I bought a used 2003 Kia Sedona with 136000 miles. The day after purchasing the vehicle, the SRS indicator light started staying lit on the dash. My mechanic found that the code was b1513, which indicated a problem with the passenger seat belt buckle (female end). They ordered that part new from Kia and replaced it (for a cost of $238). The indicator light did not display for about three weeks when it went on again. This time, the codes were b1511 and b1513, which indicates problems with both the diver and passenger buckles. My mechanic believes it is a wiring issue, and at this point we are not replacing the seatbelts, because I have no way of knowing that it would really resolve the issue. The cost to replace the SRS wiring is prohibitive (over $1000). I feel very unsafe in this vehicle, as no one can say for sure that my airbags will still deploy in case of an accident. …
Before the incident there were issues with the rear captain chairs seat belt latch when trying to buckle them. I have three small children under the age of 3 years of age and it is very important and crucial that seat belts are in working order without issues for the safety of their well being. Before the incident the seats themselves in the rear rows had issues latching as well when being installed. On August 18, 2015 myself and three small children were in a severe high impact accident and none of the airbags had gone off like they never existed. My kids and I suffer from seat belt abrasions and I suffer from bruising in multiple places from my head down, shoulder pain and back issues. Police, paramedic's, collision center, witnesses, and my insurance company were all notified or had notified about the airbags. …
Related recalls (2)
Seat belts › Rear/other › Buckle assembly
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2019 Sedona vehicles equipped with an 8-passenger seat arrangement. The seat belt buckle for the second-row middle seat may have been improperly installed on the wrong side of the seat, preventing the proper use of the 3-point seat belt.
Remedy: Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the seat belt installation, and reinstall the seat belt buckle to the correct side if necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 8, 2019.
Seat belts › Rear/other
Certain Mini vans fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 209, "seat belt assemblies." the second and third seat belt buckle anchor bolts do not comply with the standards.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat belt buckle anchor bolts. Owner notification began February 24, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free…
Frequently asked questions
Which Kia Sedona years have seat belt problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2002 (33), 2003 (13), 2006 (8) and 2016 (8) model years. Seat Belt complaints make up 13% of all complaints for the 2002.
Is there a recall for Kia Sedona seat belt problems?
Yes — 2 recalls, including 19V-207 (buckle assembly, Mar 18, 2019); 03V-017 (rear/other, Jan 22, 2003). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Kia Sedona seat belt problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 79,000 miles; 43% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the front › buckle assembly (12 mentions), followed by the rear/other (9).
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.