2002 Kia Sedona Recalls

Recalls on record Updated July 2026

The 2002 Kia Sedona has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 114,762 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 328 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the electrical system. Last updated July 5, 2026.

Recall campaigns

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 05V013000 2005-01-19 89,238 affected
Defect

ON CERTAIN MINI VANS, DURING ASSEMBLY, THE THROTTLE CABLE WOULD TWIST ITSELF OUT OF POSITION.

Consequence

THIS CAN PERMIT THE CABLE TO BE HUNG UP, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE THROTTLE CABLE FREE OF CHARGE. VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM MARCH 20, 2001 THROUGH NOVEMBER 7, 2001 WILL HAVE A GUIDE CLIP INSTALLED ON THE THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THE TENSION FORCE CABLE DOES NOT MOVE OUT OF POSITION. VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BEGINNING ON NOVEMBER 8, 2001,…

SEATS 03V135000 2003-04-03 4,276 affected
Defect

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, SOME OF THE SECOND AND THIRD ROW SEAT STRIKERS INSTALLED ON THE VEHICLE FLOOR PAN HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY HEAT TREATED AND COULD BREAK IN A CRASH.

Consequence

THIS COULD RESULT IN INJURIES TO OCCUPANTS OF THESE SEATS.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SEAT STRIKERS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN APRIL 25, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542

SEAT BELTS 03V017000 2003-01-22 21,248 affected
Defect

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.

Consequence

IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED.

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 REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.

Complaints by component

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
21
6fires
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
15
2fires1injuries
AIR BAGS
12
4crashes5injuries
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
12
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
12
4crashes1fires8injuries1deaths
SEAT BELTS
11
2crashes5injuries
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
11
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
10
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
9
2fires
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
8
1fires
Total complaints328

What owners report

Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.

“Driver door will not open from the inside or outside.”

STRUCTURE:BODY · reported 2017-03-16

“I was driving no less then than block from my house - when I notice smoke from the driver side fuse panel and next thing you know the whole panel became engulf in flames. I called the fire department and able to put fire out- but unfortunately, the car become total in the damage.”

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · reported 2016-05-02

“I was driving no less then than block from my house - when I notice smoke from the driver side fuse panel and next thing you know the whole panel became engulf in flames. I called the fire department and able to put fire out- but unfortunately, the car become total in the damage.”

ENGINE · reported 2016-05-02

“I was driving no less then than block from my house - when I notice smoke from the driver side fuse panel and next thing you know the whole panel became engulf in flames. I called the fire department and able to put fire out- but unfortunately, the car become total in the damage.”

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM · reported 2016-05-02

“It is nearly impossible to pump gas into the van. The pump keeps shutting off no matter how slow I pump or how far I put the nozzle into the tank.”

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM · reported 2015-12-01

“Drove home from work at 35 mph. The next morning noticed tire tread had separated from the sidewall around much of the perimeter of the tire. Tire was flat.”

TIRES · reported 2015-09-15

“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.…”

AIR BAGS · reported 2015-08-18

“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.…”

SEAT BELTS · reported 2015-08-18

Defect investigations

Investigation EA08017 Opened 2008-08-28 · closed 2009-07-01

STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT BINDING

ODIS ANALYSIS OF WARRANTY DATA SHOWS THAT THE ALLEGED DEFECT HAS OCCURRED AT A RELATIVELY HIGH FREQUENCY IN SALT-BELT STATES (5.9 PERCENT).HOWEVER, THE TESTS CONDUCTED BY ODI AND KIA HAVE SHOWN THAT THE ALLEGED DEFECT HAS A MINIMAL EFFECT ON STEERING EFFORTS.IN ADDITION, ODI INTERVIEWS OF OWNERS WHO EXPERIENCED THE…

Investigation PE04067 Opened 2004-09-24 · closed 2005-01-27

THROTTLE CABLE BINDING

KIA PROVIDED INFORMATION DESCRIBING A WATER ENTRY POINT AT THE RUBBER SEALING BOOT LOCATED AT THE THROTTLE BODY END OF THE THROTTLE CABLE, ADVISING THAT WATER COULD ENTER THE CABLE SHEATH DURING NORMAL VEHICLE OPERATION.IN LOW TEMPERATURES, THE WATER FREEZES AND MAY IMPEDE THE MOVEMENT OF THE THROTTLE CABLE THEREBY…

Investigation PE04067 Opened 2004-09-24 · closed 2005-01-27

THROTTLE CABLE BINDING

KIA PROVIDED INFORMATION DESCRIBING A WATER ENTRY POINT AT THE RUBBER SEALING BOOT LOCATED AT THE THROTTLE BODY END OF THE THROTTLE CABLE, ADVISING THAT WATER COULD ENTER THE CABLE SHEATH DURING NORMAL VEHICLE OPERATION.IN LOW TEMPERATURES, THE WATER FREEZES AND MAY IMPEDE THE MOVEMENT OF THE THROTTLE CABLE THEREBY…

Investigation PE04067 Opened 2004-09-24 · closed 2005-01-27

THROTTLE CABLE BINDING

KIA PROVIDED INFORMATION DESCRIBING A WATER ENTRY POINT AT THE RUBBER SEALING BOOT LOCATED AT THE THROTTLE BODY END OF THE THROTTLE CABLE, ADVISING THAT WATER COULD ENTER THE CABLE SHEATH DURING NORMAL VEHICLE OPERATION.IN LOW TEMPERATURES, THE WATER FREEZES AND MAY IMPEDE THE MOVEMENT OF THE THROTTLE CABLE THEREBY…

Investigation PE04067 Opened 2004-09-24 · closed 2005-01-27

THROTTLE CABLE BINDING

KIA PROVIDED INFORMATION DESCRIBING A WATER ENTRY POINT AT THE RUBBER SEALING BOOT LOCATED AT THE THROTTLE BODY END OF THE THROTTLE CABLE, ADVISING THAT WATER COULD ENTER THE CABLE SHEATH DURING NORMAL VEHICLE OPERATION.IN LOW TEMPERATURES, THE WATER FREEZES AND MAY IMPEDE THE MOVEMENT OF THE THROTTLE CABLE THEREBY…

Investigation PE04067 Opened 2004-09-24 · closed 2005-01-27

THROTTLE CABLE BINDING

KIA PROVIDED INFORMATION DESCRIBING A WATER ENTRY POINT AT THE RUBBER SEALING BOOT LOCATED AT THE THROTTLE BODY END OF THE THROTTLE CABLE, ADVISING THAT WATER COULD ENTER THE CABLE SHEATH DURING NORMAL VEHICLE OPERATION.IN LOW TEMPERATURES, THE WATER FREEZES AND MAY IMPEDE THE MOVEMENT OF THE THROTTLE CABLE THEREBY…

Investigation PE04067 Opened 2004-09-24 · closed 2005-01-27

THROTTLE CABLE BINDING

KIA PROVIDED INFORMATION DESCRIBING A WATER ENTRY POINT AT THE RUBBER SEALING BOOT LOCATED AT THE THROTTLE BODY END OF THE THROTTLE CABLE, ADVISING THAT WATER COULD ENTER THE CABLE SHEATH DURING NORMAL VEHICLE OPERATION.IN LOW TEMPERATURES, THE WATER FREEZES AND MAY IMPEDE THE MOVEMENT OF THE THROTTLE CABLE THEREBY…

Investigation PE08033 Opened 2008-04-28 · closed 2008-08-28

STEERING BINDING

ON APRIL 28, 2008, THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED PRELIMINARY EVALUATION PE08-033 TO INVESTIGATE COMPLAINTS ALLEGING STEERING BINDING IN MODEL YEAR 2002 THROUGH 2004 KIA SEDONA MINIVANS.KIA'S RESPONSE TO ODI'S REQUEST FOR INFORMATION IN PE08-033 INDICATED THAT CONCERNS WITH BINDING OF THE STEERING…

Sources & methodology

Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2002 Kia Sedona as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.