2017 Kia Sedona: engine and transmission complaints
HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
58%
63 of 109 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system
58% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2017 Kia Sedona are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.
Worse than 76% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 24 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 47%).
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
ENGINE11/22/2023FIRE4 INJURED
While driving on the highway, the engine stopped working; smoke, metal fragments and oil came out of the front of the car leading to zero visibility. We were extremely lucky that we were able to quickly navigate out of traffic, stop the car on the side of the highway and get all kids out safely. The police and fire dep…
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE08/17/2026
on 8/6/26 my wife was driving home when the Sedona Van began emitting white smoke and started making a whining noise. Little did we know the head bolts had pulled out of the engine causing the head gasket to blow and coolant to leak and total engine failure. Safety risk was engine could have seized in the middle of my…
ENGINE05/11/2026FIRE
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that while driving at 55 MPH, the contact the oil light illuminated, and the vehicle decelerated independently. The contact mention he pulled over to the right side of the road, exited the vehicle and when he lifted the hood of the vehicle, he noticed flames coming…
Three of 63 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 (4)
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
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 ob…
AIR BAGS
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 co…
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL
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…
This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.
Before you buy a 2017 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.
4 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.
