2012 Kia Sedona: engine and transmission complaints
ELEVATED COMPLAINT SIGNAL
33%
32 of 96 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system
33% of relevant owner complaints on the 2012 Kia Sedona are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is elevated. Worth an independent inspection before you commit to one.
Better than 65% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 11 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 30%).
The percentage is each model year's drivetrain complaint share. No elevated signal describes the model year, not any one car; a well-kept example of a flagged model can still be the right buy, and any of these still needs an inspection.
What owners reported
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,ENGINE05/01/2026
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that the engine was damaged while being repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V101000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The contact stated that while the dealer was replacing the fuel rail as per the recall remedy, pressure built up, causing a valve cover leak, which dama…
There is a continuous leakage of oil from my van even after the dealer replaced valve cover gasket . When I complained they said it was the leftover oil. After a month again I complained . Then they re-checked and said it is my car's timing cover reseal leaking . Again after few days I had to complain as there was a …
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE05/31/2024
Tha backup camera, windshield wipers stopped working. The car would no t go in reverse or drive forward without resistance. Oil began leaking from the engine.
Three of 32 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
Recall campaigns on this model year (5)
AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE
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 …
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…
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM
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…
This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.
Before you buy a 2012 Kia Sedona
Ask the seller whether the engine has ever been repaired or replaced, and whether the car has shown stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light.
Drive it from a cold start and long enough to warm up. Many engine faults hide once the car is warm.
Get an independent pre-purchase inspection from a mechanic you choose, and tell them to focus on the engine.
5 recall campaigns on this model year. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on the VIN; the report checks that.
Ask for service records. A engine already replaced under warranty is a different car from one that was not.
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history
report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition
of any individual vehicle.
