TSB_BOD051_CLOSED: TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN CLOSED
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2009 Kia Sedona electrical problems
moderate Owners of the 2009 Kia Sedona have filed 6 NHTSA complaints about the electrical at roughly $850 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See electrical across all vehicles →
Complaints
6
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$850
| Model year | electrical complaints |
|---|---|
| 2005 Sedona | 14 |
| 2006 Sedona | 59 |
| 2007 Sedona | 35 |
| 2008 Sedona | 37 |
| 2009 Sedona (this page) | 6 |
| 2010 Sedona | 3 |
| 2011 Sedona | 8 |
| 2012 Sedona | 32 |
When does it fail?
Of the 6 electrical complaints filed for the 2009 Kia Sedona, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 25,000-50,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA electrical complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 9 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering electrical on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
TSB - USE OF AFTERMARKET USB CHARGING CABLES IN USB/12V PORTS - This article provides information regarding the use of USB ports and 12V power outlets to connect/charge mobile phones. Customers may experience issues with their head units that may be related to the use of aftermarket USB charging cables, including; * Electrical interference and limited or no functionality when attempting to play music, or when charging a device through the USB port * Excessive static or noise when listening to the audio source * Malfunctions and screen freeze of the head unit screen * Slow down of the system response while device is plugged in * Music will not play from iPhone 5 or 6 with Kia iPod cable and a
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗PITSTOP: STOP LAMP SWITCH IDENTIFICATION MATRIX (SC098) - KMA HAS RECEIVED A NUMBER OF INCORRECT WARRANTY RETURN PARTS RELATED TO CAMPAIGN SC098 AND HAS DETERMINED THAT AT TIMES DEALER STAFF MAY HAVE DIFFICULTY IN QUICKLY AND EASILY IDENTIFYING THE CORRECT SWITCHES WHILE ORDERING PARTS, PREPARING TO PERFORM THE STOP LAMP REPLACEMENT OR WHILE PREPARING TO RETURN REPLACED SWITCHES TO KMA (IN CASE OF AN EXISTING MANDATORY PART RETURN (MPR) REQUEST). TO FACILITATE FASTER AND EASIER IDENTIFICATION OF THE CORRECT PARTS, A PICTURE GUIDE AS SHOWN ON PAGE 2 IS PROVIDED. THE GUIDES CONTENT WAS PURPOSELY FORMATTED TO FIT ON ONE PAGE SO IT CAN BE EASILY PRINTED AND KEPT ON OR NEAR A WORKSTATION, PARTS
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗PITSTOP: AUDIBLE TONE FROM BACK-UP ASSIST ALWAYS ON - IF YOU ENCOUNTER A CUSTOMER COMPLAINT RELATING TO THE AUDIBLE TONE FROM THE BACK-UP ASSIST FEATURE REMAINING ON AT ALL TIMES, INSPECT THE SENSORS IN THE REAR BUMPER FOR POSSIBLE COLLISION DAMAGE CAUSING A SHORT IN THE SENSOR. ALSO, MAKE SURE TO CHECK THE HARNESSES FEEDING THE SENSORS FOR CONTINUITY TO GROUND.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗KIA: PROVIDES INFORMATION RELATED TO THE ECM SOFTWARE UPGRADE OF SOME VEHICLES WITH 3.8L AND 2.7L ENGINES WHICH MAY EXPERIENCE A MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ILLUMINATED WITH THE PCM (POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE) SYSTEM RELATED DTC(S).
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
What owners are reporting 4 most recent
Vehicle was repaired in 2013 but by 2014 was acting up again. Same problem as initial repair. A recall repair that goes bad in within 20,000 miles is not a good repair. When asked to repair it again Kia put in the wrong part I had to take it back a 3rd time to get it fixed. The total cost to my repair was $679.45. The problem was that the car would not shift from park into drive and the ESC light…
This is the second time the alternator is being replaced since 09/19/17. Engine oil leaks from the front cylinder bank's valve cover gasket. Oil drips onto the alternator, the alternator is then oil soaked & damaged resulting in the charging system becoming inoperative. The charging system warning lamp in the cluster will then illuminate. The vehicle will run on battery power until the battery…
My vehicle suddenly stopped to react to the gas pedal, motor RPM fell down to ~1000 RPM - usually its idle value. The problem happened as I was trying to speed up while entering the traffic on a highway, and it created a dangerous situation. It looks like a common problem with Kia sedona vehicles, I was able to find quite a few references on the internet, for example see this:…
The lights have to be shut off manually every time we use the lights and if we forget, the lights come back on a few hours later by themselves and someone will call to inform us the lights are on. We went on a wet gravel road and gravel stuck in the brake drum and making a grinding noise. I backed up fast, hit the brakes hard a couple of times to clear the gravel from the brake drums. Another…
Had electrical trouble with your 2009 Kia Sedona?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the electrical problem on the 2009 Kia Sedona?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 6 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $850 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Based on the 6 complaints filed, electrical issues most often appear around 88,940 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $850 for electrical repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to electrical?
No active recalls currently cover electrical issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2009/Kia/Sedona.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.