2003 Kia Sedona

The 2003 Kia Sedona has 5 recalls, the most serious being a rear wheel bearing that can fail without warning on alloy-wheel models and a throttle cable that can freeze in cold weather and cause the van to accelerate without driver input.

On vehicles with alloy wheels, moisture collects around the rear hub caps and corrodes the outer wheel bearing over time. When the bearing fails, the rear wheel can lose its secure connection to the hub, raising the risk of a crash with no advance warning. The throttle cable issue, which Recalls 2 and 3 both describe, involves water getting into a gap between the cable and its protective rubber sleeve. In below-freezing temperatures, that trapped water turns to ice and can lock the cable in place so that lifting your foot off the gas pedal does not slow the engine. The van may hold its speed or continue accelerating until conditions change or the cable frees itself. Both of these issues are at their worst in cold climates during winter driving. There is also a braking concern: a programming error in the anti-lock brake control module causes reduced braking force at speeds below 25 mph. During low-speed stops, such as in parking lots or in traffic, the van takes longer to come to a full stop than the driver would expect, raising the risk of a collision.