RecallRepo

2003 Kia Sedona Recalls

Recalls on record Updated July 2026

The 2003 Kia Sedona has 4 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 248,418 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 214 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the air bags. Last updated July 5, 2026.

Recall campaigns

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 05V329000 2005-07-20 118,447 affected
Defect

ON CERTAIN MINI VANS, FREEZING CONDITIONS CAN CAUSE WATER ON THE THROTTLE CABLE TO FREEZE DURING NORMAL OPERATION. RESISTANCE TO MOVEMENT OF THE THROTTLE CABLE CAN OCCUR WHEN THE DRIVER LIFTS THEIR FOOT OFF OF THE GAS PEDAL.

Consequence

THIS CAN CAUSE THE CABLE TO STICK, THUS PREVENTING THE ENGINE FROM RETURNING TO IDLE AND CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO MAINTAIN SPEED OR ACCELERATE. SUCH AN EVENT CAN OCCUR WITHOUT WARNING AND COULD CAUSE A CRASH.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL MODIFY A PROTECTIVE SLEEVE AROUND THE THROTTLE CABLE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 15, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.

WHEELS 05V232000 2005-05-19 37,358 affected
Defect

ON CERTAIN MINI VANS EQUIPPED WITH ALLOY WHEELS, MOISTURE CAN ACCUMULATE AROUND THE REAR HUB CAPS CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE OUTER WHEEL BEARING.

Consequence

WHEEL BEARING FAILURE MAY OCCUR WITHOUT WARNING WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REAR HUB CAPS FREE OF CHARGE. UPON INSPECTION, SOME VEHICLES WILL ALSO REQUIRE REPLACEMENT OF THE REAR OUTER BEARINGS AND/OR HUB ASSEMBLY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 13, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.

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,…

SERVICE BRAKES, AIR 03V158000 2003-04-25 3,375 affected
Defect

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THERE WAS A PROGRAMMING ERROR IN THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS) ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE LOGIC. THE PROGRAMMING ERROR COULD CAUSE REDUCED BRAKING FORCE AT SPEEDS BELOW 25 MPH, WHICH COULD RESULT IN INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCES.

Consequence

SUCH INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCES COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE CONTROL MODULE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 19, 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

AIR BAGS
20
7crashes17injuries
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
20
12fires
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
9
1fires
TIRES
9
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
8
SEAT BELTS
7
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
6
1fires
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
6
1crashes1injuries
WHEELS
6
1fires
ENGINE
5
3fires
Total complaints214

What owners report

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

“My sedona keeps catching on fire not sure why but now if I get it up to temperature it automatically catches on fire I'm going into my second fire extinguishe”

ENGINE · reported 2022-11-11

“My sedona keeps catching on fire not sure why but now if I get it up to temperature it automatically catches on fire I'm going into my second fire extinguishe”

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · reported 2022-11-11

“My sedona keeps catching on fire not sure why but now if I get it up to temperature it automatically catches on fire I'm going into my second fire extinguishe”

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM · reported 2022-11-11

“The contact owns a 2003 kia sedona. The contact stated while driving 40 mph, the steering wheel became difficult to steer. The contact pulled over and left the vehicle. The contact returned 2 days later and drove the vehicle home. The contact stated that the check engine, brakes and air bag…”

STEERING · reported 2021-06-01

“Tl* the contact owned a 2003 kia sedona. The contact stated while driving at 25 mph the vehicle hesitated and failed to shift into the desired gear with smoke coming from under the hood. The contact managed to drive the vehicle home, parked the vehicle, and upon opening the hood saw flames. The…”

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · reported 2020-05-07

“Tl* the contact owned a 2003 kia sedona. The contact stated while driving at 25 mph the vehicle hesitated and failed to shift into the desired gear with smoke coming from under the hood. The contact managed to drive the vehicle home, parked the vehicle, and upon opening the hood saw flames. The…”

ENGINE · reported 2020-05-07

“Tl* the contact owns a 2003 kia sedona. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and shut off the front passenger side seat had experienced a fire and melted. The contact discovered smoke and soot present inside the vehicle and a burn hole in the passenger seat. No police report was…”

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER · reported 2019-12-29

“Tl* the contact owns a 2003 kia sedona. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and shut off the front passenger side seat had experienced a fire and melted. The contact discovered smoke and soot present inside the vehicle and a burn hole in the passenger seat. No police report was…”

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · reported 2019-12-29

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 PE05035 Opened 2005-06-28 · closed 2005-10-19

ELECTRICAL FIRE

BY LETTER DATED OCTOBER 4, 2005, KIA NOTIFIED THE AGENCY THAT IT IS CONDUCTING A SAFETY RECALL (NHTSA RECALL NO. 05V463) INVOLVING ALL MODEL YEAR (MY) 2002, 2003 KIA SEDONA EX VEHICLES AND CERTAIN MY 2004 KIA SEDONA EX VEHICLES.KIA?S RECALL COVERS 74,276 VEHICLES.KIA REPORTS THAT FIRES WERE CAUSED BY WIRING UNDER…

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 2003 Kia Sedona as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.