2012 Kia Sedona Problems, Recalls & Reliability
147 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2012 Kia Sedona, alongside 5 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 28/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 78,000 miles.
Typical
Where 2012 sits among all Sedona years
What owners report
“Side door flies open while driving, electronic door latch no longer works properly allowing the door to open completely while driving exposing second row passenger.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Sedona
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 108 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 72,218 miles. Half of those reports fall between 42,000 and 120,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (5)
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2012 Sedona vehicles. The fuel rail may crack from exposure to heat generated within the engine compartment, resulting in a fuel leak.
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel rail, free of charge. The recall began June 16, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this…
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Kia Forte, Forte Koup, 2011-2013 Kia Optima and 2011-2012 Kia Optima Hybrid and Sedona vehicles. In the event of a crash, the air bag control unit (ACU) may short circuit, preventing the frontal air…
Fix: Kia will notify owners. For model year 2011 Sedona vehicles, Kia will instruct dealers to verify the ACU part number and, if necessary, install an extension wire harness kit between the ACU…
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,…
Fix: 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…
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…
Fix: 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. These repairs will be…
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,…
Fix: 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,…
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 18E043000.
Technical service bulletins
85 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2012 Kia Sedona. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2012 Sedona TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2012 Kia Sedona reliable?
The 2012 Kia Sedona drew 147 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 28/100, scored against the model's worst year (2006).
What are the most common 2012 Kia Sedona problems?
The top reported problems for the 2012 Kia Sedona are electrical (36 complaints), engine (19), and body & structure (18).
At what mileage do 2012 Kia Sedona problems show up?
Owners most often report 2012 Kia Sedona problems around 72,218 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 42,000 and 120,000 miles.
Does the 2012 Kia Sedona have recalls?
5 recall campaigns apply to the 2012 Kia Sedona. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.