2003 Kia Sedona: recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2003 Kia Sedona. The newest campaign is 05V329000. NHTSA received the report on 20 Jul 2005. The NHTSA record gives the component Vehicle Speed Control / Cables. NHTSA has 129 complaints on file for this model year. 4 NHTSA investigations name this model year.

The NHTSA recall file shows no do-not-drive advisory and no park-outside advisory on these campaigns.

This page cannot show if a recall applies to one vehicle. The NHTSA VIN lookup shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle.

Remedy of the newest campaign, 05V329000, in the NHTSA record

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.

NHTSA VIN lookup

Complaint information entered into NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation vehicle owner's complaint database is used with other data sources to identify safety issues that warrant investigation and to determine if a safety-related defect trend exists.
NHTSA publishes these words. Source: NHTSA Datasets and APIs, section Complaints, read on 1 Oct 2026. Complaint file through 29 Mar 2018. Recall file through 29 Sep 2026.

Since the last update

No tracked figure of this page changed in a data update. What the log tracks

All updates to the register

Recall campaigns

4 campaigns, newest first. 248,418 units in total.

05V32900020 Jul 2005Vehicle Speed Control / Cables
05V23200019 May 2005Wheels
05V01300019 Jan 2005Vehicle Speed Control / Cables
03V15800025 Apr 2003Service Brakes, Air / Antilock / Control Unit/Module

05V329000Received 20 Jul 2005. 118,447 units.
Vehicle Speed Control / Cables
Defect, in the NHTSA record
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, in the NHTSA record
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, in the NHTSA record
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.
Report filed by KIA MOTORS AMERICA, INC.. Manufacturer campaign number SC-051. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 15 Aug 2005.
05V232000Received 19 May 2005. 37,358 units.
Wheels
Defect, in the NHTSA record
On certain mini vans equipped with alloy wheels, moisture can accumulate around the rear hub caps causing damage to the outer wheel bearing.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
Wheel bearing failure may occur without warning which could result in a crash.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
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.
Report filed by KIA MOTORS AMERICA, INC.. Manufacturer campaign number SC-049. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 13 Jun 2005.
05V013000Received 19 Jan 2005. 89,238 units.
Vehicle Speed Control / Cables
Defect, in the NHTSA record
On certain mini vans, during assembly, the throttle cable would twist itself out of position.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
This can permit the cable to be hung up, which could result in a crash.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
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, already have the extended guide, which accomplishes the same objective. The recall began march 21, 2005. Owners may contact kia at 1-800-333-4542.
Report filed by KIA MOTORS AMERICA, INC.. Manufacturer campaign number SC042. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 21 Mar 2005.
03V158000Received 25 Apr 2003. 3,375 units.
Service Brakes, Air / Antilock / Control Unit/Module
Defect, in the NHTSA record
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, in the NHTSA record
Such increased stopping distances could result in a crash.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
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.
Report filed by KIA MOTORS AMERICA, INC.. Manufacturer campaign number SC032. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 19 May 2003.

The campaign number opens the NHTSA record. Each quotation is the text of the NHTSA recall file.

Recall campaign: One recall in the NHTSA recall file, with one campaign number. A campaign can name many makes, models and model years.

Units: The number of vehicles or products that a recall can include. The manufacturer or the firm reports the number to the agency.

Complaints by component

129 complaints, 170 component mentions.

A complaint can name more than one component. Each component that a complaint names is one component mention. The figure per 1,000 component mentions shows how many of each 1,000 mentions name the component.

2003 Kia Sedona
All 2003 vehicles

2003 Kia Sedona: complaints by component, per 1,000 component mentions
Component	2003 Sedona	All 2003 vehicles	Sedona, all years	Mentions
Electrical System	129.4	122.3	111.7	22
Engine and Engine Cooling	117.6	108.8	89	20
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	105.9	83.2	160.8	18
Air Bags	94.1	45.8	46.3	16
Suspension	82.4	62.1	63.6	14
Vehicle Speed Control	76.5	45.3	83.6	13
Seats	47.1	17	28.2	8
Tires	41.2	29.3	32.7	7
Seat Belts	41.2	14.1	33.6	7
Service Brakes, Air	35.3	4.6	10.9	6

The table shows the 10 components with the most mentions, of 22.

Complaints that report a crash: 12
Complaints that report a fire: 14
Injuries in the complaints: 17
Deaths in the complaints: 0
Date of the newest complaint: 1 Oct 2010

These figures are the entries of the persons who sent the complaints.

Complaint: A report about a possible safety problem that a person sends to NHTSA. This site shows the number of complaints and not their text.

Complaints about the 2003 Kia Sedona, by the year NHTSA received them. The largest year is 2005, with 31 complaints.

Investigations

NHTSA investigations that name the 2003 Kia Sedona
Number	Type	Subject	Component	Opened	Closed	Campaign
EA08017	Engineering analysis	STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT BINDING	Steering	28 Aug 2008	1 Jul 2009
PE08033	Preliminary evaluation	STEERING BINDING	Steering	28 Apr 2008	28 Aug 2008
PE05035	Preliminary evaluation	ELECTRICAL FIRE	Electrical System / Wiring / Interior/Under Dash	28 Jun 2005	19 Oct 2005	05V463000
PE04067	Preliminary evaluation	THROTTLE CABLE BINDING	Vehicle Speed Control / Cables	24 Sep 2004	27 Jan 2005	05V013000

Investigation: A study of a possible safety defect by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation with no closing date in the NHTSA file is open.

Other model years

The number under each year is the number of recall campaigns.

A year without a link has fewer than 2 campaigns and fewer than 25 complaints. It has no page.

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Official channels

NHTSA VIN lookupNHTSA shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle from its VIN or its license plate.
NHTSA: report a safety problemThe NHTSA form for a complaint about a vehicle, a tire, a child seat or equipment.
NHTSA page of the 2003 Kia SedonaThe recalls, the complaints and the investigations that NHTSA shows for this model year.

Cite this page

Recall Register. 2003 Kia Sedona: recalls and complaints. https://recallregister.com/vehicle/kia/sedona/2003/. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, recall, complaint and investigation files. Data through 29 Sep 2026.

Sources

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Licence: US government work, public domain
Recall file through: 29 Sep 2026
Complaint file through: 29 Mar 2018
First complaint in the file: 1 Jan 1995
Manufacturer in the recall file: KIA MOTORS AMERICA, INC.

The NHTSA record is the authority. A complaint count is the number of different complaint numbers for the make, the model and the model year. How the register is made. Report an error.

Questions

How many units are in the recall campaigns for the 2003 Kia Sedona?: 248,418 units in 4 campaigns. A campaign can name other models and model years, and its units include them.
How many recall campaigns does the Kia Sedona have for all model years?: NHTSA lists 23 recall campaigns for the Kia Sedona, model years 2002 to 2020. 4 of them name the 2003 model year.
Which component do the complaints about the 2003 Kia Sedona name most often?: Electrical System: 22 of 170 component mentions, or 129.4 per 1,000. For all 2003 vehicles the figure is 122.3 per 1,000.
Is an NHTSA investigation of the 2003 Kia Sedona open?: No. Each of the 4 investigations that name this model year has a closing date in the NHTSA file.