2016 Kia Sedona Problems, Recalls & Reliability
375 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2016 Kia Sedona, alongside 4 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 81/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Engine leads the reports, typically around 83,000 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 2016 Kia Sedona sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 2009–2011, 2014, 2018–2019.
Avoid
Where 2016 sits among all Sedona years
What owners report
“My engine just stopped working while I was driving. No warning signs just stopped working. It had to replaced.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Sedona
“Headlights will shut off while driving. This sometimes will occur on its own, other times, it appears to be caused when using the turn signal lever. The lights will come back on by touching/moving the lever. This is dangerous and could lead to an accident.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Sedona
“Side sliding doors do not shut completely, the doors malfunction and will not open correctly as well.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Sedona
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 142 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 66,500 miles. Half of those reports fall between 36,500 and 100,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (4)
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016 Sedona and Sorento vehicles. The vehicles may have been manufactured with faulty automatic transmission shift lever assembly components, preventing the shift lever from locking, which can allow the vehicle to…
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the automatic transmission shift lever assembly components, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 7, 2022. Owners may contact…
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…
Fix: 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…
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…
Fix: 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.…
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Kia Sedona vehicles equipped with a power sliding door (PSD). The PSD may not auto-reverse when its closing is obstructed.
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the PSD module software, free of charge. The recall began on June 18, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's…
Federal defect investigations
Technical service bulletins
112 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2016 Kia Sedona. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2016 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 2016 Kia Sedona reliable?
The 2016 Kia Sedona drew 375 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 81/100, scored against the model's worst year (2006).
What are the most common 2016 Kia Sedona problems?
The top reported problems for the 2016 Kia Sedona are engine (150 complaints), electrical (82), and other (35).
At what mileage do 2016 Kia Sedona problems show up?
Owners most often report 2016 Kia Sedona problems around 66,500 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 36,500 and 100,000 miles.
Does the 2016 Kia Sedona have recalls?
4 recall campaigns apply to the 2016 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.