Reliable Auto DB

2019 Kia Sedona reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2019 Kia Sedona has 38 complaints with NHTSA after 8 years, or 3 per year. That is about even with the other Sedona years here. Their median is 3 complaints per year. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Air bags and Buckle.

2012 Kia Sedona
Photo by DoulosBen, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY 4.0
Complaints

38

Per year

3

Recalls

2

Years on the road

8

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (11 of 38), then Structure (9) and Electrical system (4). Those filings include 2 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, and 4 that report an injury.

Next to 2018 and 2020

The 2018 Sedona has 48 complaints, 3 per year, and the 2020 has 20 complaints, 1 per year. The 2019 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2018. The 2019 has more complaints per year than the 2020.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2019 Kia Sedona. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (2)

Recall Air bags 2022-01-25 · NHTSA campaign 22V031000
Summary Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Sedona, Soul, Soul EV, 2017-2018 Forte, and 2017 Forte Koup vehicles. The Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) cover may contact a memory chip on the printed circuit board and damage the electrical circuit. Circuit damage may result in deactivated air bags that will not deploy in a crash.
Remedy Dealers will inspect the ACU, and either update the software or replace the unit, as necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 21, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC226.
Recall seat belts, rear or other, buckle 2019-03-18 · NHTSA campaign 19V207000
Summary Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2019 Sedona vehicles equipped with an 8-passenger seat arrangement. The seat belt buckle for the second-row middle seat may have been improperly installed on the wrong side of the seat, preventing the proper use of the 3-point seat belt. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Remedy Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the seat belt installation, and reinstall the seat belt buckle to the correct side if necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 8, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia 's number for this recall is SC177.

Complaints by component (38 total)

Engine
11
Structure
9
Electrical system
4
Powertrain
4
Fuel system, gasoline
3
Service brakes
3
Air bags
2
Exterior lighting
2
Steering
2
Tires
2
Seat belts
1
Speed control
1
Wheels
1
Show 5 more Show less
Crash-flagged

2

Fire-flagged

1

Injury reports

4

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

3201942020220214202232023820246202582026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "In 2025 I had my camshaft replaced by Fox Valley VW of [XXX]. They completed work on my camshaft with a misfire notification of cylinders 2, 4 and 6. Most recently, our sedona had a head gasket blow resulting in it…"
    Engine · filed 2026-09-23
  • "Dear NHTSA Customer Service Representative, I am writing to file a safety complaint regarding the sliding side doors of a 2019 Kia Sedona operated by our church. Currently, neither side door closes properly, creating a…"
    Structure · filed 2026-09-08
  • "The contact owns a 2019 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the engine overheated. The vehicle was driven to the local dealer, who diagnosed…"
    Engine · filed 2026-08-06
  • "The contact owns a 2019 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that the heat and A/C control knobs had melted twice, and the contact had purchased and personally replaced the entire control panel. Additionally, the contact…"
    Fuel system, gasoline, Electrical system · filed 2026-06-18
  • "Both sliding doors will not open using door buttons. Both doors stopped latching on their own before this occurred. Needed to push doors manually for the door to latch."
    Structure · filed 2026-04-28

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2019 Kia Sedona VAN FWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Sedona 3.3L, 6-cyl Automatic (8-speed) Front-wheel drive 18 24 21 MPG $3100

Specs and fitment

3rd generation (YP), 2015–2021
Body styles Minivan
Oil 5W-30 (all temps); 10W-30 above -18°C (3.3L) , 6 qt capacity
Tire size 235/65R17, 235/60R18, 235/55R19 (trim dependent)

Known issues for this generation

Recall 18V-338 covers certain 2015-2018 Kia Sedona vehicles equipped with a power sliding door (PSD): the PSD may not auto-reverse when its closing is obstructed. Dealers reprogram the PSD module software. Recall 19V-109 covers certain 2015-2018 Sedona vehicles with manually-adjusted front passenger seats where the Occupant Detection System wiring harness under the seat may break over time. Recall 21V-725 covers certain 2015-2017 Sedona vehicles where Smart Junction Box software may interpret multifunction switch signals incorrectly so the turn signal activates in the opposite direction.

Compare

Previous year 2018 Kia Sedona Next year 2020 Kia Sedona See every Kia Sedona model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2019 Kia Sedona reliable?

The 2019 Kia Sedona has 38 complaints with NHTSA after 8 years, or 3 per year. That is about even with the other Sedona years here. Their median is 3 complaints per year. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Air bags and Buckle.

What are common problems with a 2019 Kia Sedona?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (11 of 38), then Structure (9) and Electrical system (4). Those filings include 2 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, and 4 that report an injury.

Is the 2019 Kia Sedona more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2018 Sedona has 48 complaints, 3 per year, and the 2020 has 20 complaints, 1 per year. The 2019 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2018. The 2019 has more complaints per year than the 2020.

Has the 2019 Kia Sedona been recalled?

The 2019 Kia Sedona has 2 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2019 Kia Sedona?

Owners have filed 38 complaints about the 2019 Kia Sedona with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2019 Kia Sedona get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2019 Kia Sedona is 21 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does a Kia Sedona take?

Viscosity and capacity depend on engine and model year; use the generation specs here and confirm in the owner's manual.

What generation is the 2018 Kia Sedona?

3rd generation / YP (2015-2021).

What tire sizes does a Kia Sedona use?

Common US sizes include 235/65R17, 235/60R18, and 235/55R19 depending on trim.