2016 Kia Sedona: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
292 NHTSA owner complaints · 4 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Owner complaints: 292 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 29.2
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The vehicle radiator exploded while driving on the freeway. Towed to mechanic radiator replaced and housing. Problem persosted. With a simple pressure test the coolant in the reservoir began to boil immediately meaning there's a cracked engine block.
Pearl white paint peeling, there is an extension for a warranty through Hyundai for the same paint but not through Kia. Please advise what to do.
Engine experienced mass, sudden oil consumption with no warning of any sort, resulting in significant engine damage. Oil had been changed apx 800 miles prior to incident, and vehicle showed no signs of leaks or oil consumption following the oil change. No oil leaks or wetness were found around oil filter or drain plug. Vehicle drove perfectly fine one day, and when started to leave a store it began horrendously knock…
Recalls: 4 campaigns (1 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 22V612000 | Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Lever And Linkage:Column Shift | Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016 Sedona and Sorento vehicles. |
| 21V725000 | 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 the multifunction switch, which could cause the turn signal to activate in the opposite direction of what the driver intended. |
| 19V109000 | Electrical System:Wiring | Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Sedona vehicles equipped with manually-adjusted front passenger seats. Over time, the Occupant Detection System (ODS) wiring harness located underneath the front passenger seat may break from the seat being occupied. |
| 18V338000 | 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 obstructed. |
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 20 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.
- Engine145 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Electrical System45 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Exterior Lighting37 complaints · typical job: Headlamp assembly or lighting-module replacement (1.5 h labour + parts)$360–$1,380
- Unknown Or Other31 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Structure24 complaints · typical job: Body, subframe or corrosion repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,070–$2,920
- Air Bags18 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
Other Kia Sedona years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2016 Kia Sedona?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Engine (145 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2016 Kia Sedona a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is AVOID with a reliability score of 42/100, computed from 292 NHTSA complaints and 4 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2016 Kia Sedona's most common problem?
145 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2016 Kia Sedona sit in the Engine group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is cooling-system or timing-drive repair: about 6.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,040–$2,220 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 2016 Kia Sedona cost to run per year?
About $5,724 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $28,622 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 2016 Kia Sedona have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for the 2016 Kia Sedona, 1 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 10/08/2022. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other minivans of about the same age.
What will a 2016 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.
Strong evidence — 292 complaints, 4 recalls on record
- 292 NHTSA complaints on record (29.2/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (7.6/yr)
- 4 recall campaigns, 1 touching safety-critical systems