2012 Kia Sedona: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
107 NHTSA owner complaints · 5 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Owner complaints: 107 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 7.64
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that the battery drained unexpectedly, and the vehicle failed to start. The battery was replaced twice, and the vehicle was temporarily repaired. The contact’s son replaced the alternator; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was no longer operable. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of …
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 damaged the oil pressure sensor. The dealer replaced the valve cover gasket and the oil pressure sensor,…
While driving the vehicle and applying the brakes the vehicle shifted to one side of the road. There was an accident 03/2024 after having the brake control arm serviced. The braking system failed. There was a recall on the front control arm 2016. The vehicle was totaled and was salvaged due to damages to the vehicle. The brake inspection failed. Today the braking system has has no control even after the master cylin…
Recalls: 5 campaigns (2 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 16V387000 | 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, or currently registered in Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New… |
| 16V389000 | Latches/Locks/Linkages:Hood:Latch | Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2006-2014 Kia Sedona vehicles manufactured from June 15, 2005, through April 04, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the secondary hood latch may bind and remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed. |
| 18V363000 | 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 a crash, the air bag control unit (ACU) may short circuit, preventing the frontal air bags and seat belt pretensioners from deploying. |
| 13V550000 | 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 originally sold in, or currently registered in Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Minnesota,… |
| 20V101000 | Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System:Fuel Rail | 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 in a fuel leak. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a minivan of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 21 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $3,100
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Electrical System33 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Engine18 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Structure18 complaints · typical job: Body, subframe or corrosion repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,070–$2,920
- Unknown Or Other16 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Air Bags9 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
- Service Brakes8 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
Other Kia Sedona years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Kia Sedona?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Electrical System (33 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2012 Kia Sedona a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 78/100, computed from 107 NHTSA complaints and 5 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2012 Kia Sedona's most common problem?
33 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2012 Kia Sedona sit in the Electrical System group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement: about 3.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $540–$1,310 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2012 Kia Sedona cost to run per year?
About $5,664 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $28,322 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2012 Kia Sedona have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for the 2012 Kia Sedona, 2 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 01/06/2016. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other minivans of about the same age.
What will a 2012 Kia Sedona really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Moderate evidence — 107 complaints, 5 recalls on record
- 107 NHTSA complaints on record (7.6/yr of exposure) — in line with a typical year of this model (7.6/yr)
- 5 recall campaigns, 2 touching safety-critical systems