The Lemon Index2004 Kia Sedona.
The 2004 Kia Sedona is one of the worst years by owner complaints: 112 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 215, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about brakes, it has 3 recalls, and it gets 16 mpg combined. The best Kia Sedona year is 2010.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 213 owner complaints, owners reported:
Older model year: fewer owners filed complaints back then, so treat the score as rough.
Every Kia Sedona year. 2004 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 15K to 88K miles on the car (162 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- wheels complaints mostly came at 16K–78K miles
- brakes complaints mostly came at 5K–30K miles
- steering complaints mostly came at 60K–101K miles
Recalls 3
- seats 2005
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH POWER SEATS, THE WIRING UNDER THE FRONT SEATS COULD BE MISROUTED, ALLOWING CONTACT WITH METAL SEAT COMPONENTS.
- speed control 2005
ON CERTAIN MINI VANS, FREEZING CONDITIONS CAN CAUSE WATER ON THE THROTTLE CABLE TO FREEZE DURING NORMAL OPERATION.
- wheels 2005
ON CERTAIN MINI VANS EQUIPPED WITH ALLOY WHEELS, MOISTURE CAN ACCUMULATE AROUND THE REAR HUB CAPS CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE OUTER WHEEL BEARING.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems Kia told dealers about
Kia sent dealers 19 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- Intermittent mil on with no fault code stored; information about dtc p1330
- Throttle position sensor w/ 3.5l engines
- Ecm upgrade with tp sensor replacement-mil on with dtc p2135/p0638
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Government investigations
- ClosedSteering intermediate shaft binding2008–2009
- ClosedSteering binding2008
- ClosedThrottle cable binding2004–2005
NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.
Safety
Crash stars (older test): front ★★★★★ · side ★★★★★ · rollover —
Fuel cost and engines
About $4000 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 3.5L 6-cyl.
In owners' words
Dt: received recall letter from Kia on june 13, 2005 for the hub assembley. Contacted the dealer, they do not have the parts. Contacted the manufacturer they were short on parts.
2004 Kia Sedona owner · NHTSA complaint 10131386
More owner reports
While driving at any speed consumer heard a loud noise described as rubbing coming from the rear brakes. Vehicle was taken to dealership, and technician indicated that vehicle was operating as designed by the manufacturer.
NHTSA complaint 10080193
The rear of the vehicle began to produce a humming noise and it gradually got louder until the passenger side rear brake assembly and tire came out of the 2004 Kia Sedona.
NHTSA complaint 10148495
Quick answers
Is the 2004 Kia Sedona reliable?
No, it is one of the worst by government complaints. It drew 2.1× the average car's complaints filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 215; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Kia Sedona year by this measure is 2010.
What are the most common 2004 Kia Sedona problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are brakes (26%), wheels (24%) and engine (17%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2004 Kia Sedona have?
3 safety recalls (latest: seats). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2004 Kia Sedona get?
16 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
At what mileage do 2004 Kia Sedona problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 15,700 and 88,000 miles. The middle report was at 58,700 miles, from 162 complaints.
Does the 2004 Kia Sedona have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues aren't among its top 5 complaint areas.
How much does the 2004 Kia Sedona cost in fuel a year?
About $4000 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2004 Kia Sedona have?
3.5L 6-cyl.
What Kia Sedona year is better than the 2004?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2010, 2014 and 2011.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works