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The 2012 Kia Sedona has 107 NHTSA owner complaints and 5 active recall campaigns on file. Here's the breakdown — what's serious, what's noise, and what a working mechanic would actually do about it.
The 2012 Kia Sedona has 107 NHTSA owner complaints and 5 recalls on file (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). The most-reported system is electrical at 32 complaints, typically surfacing around 88,985 miles (~$850 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 Sedona | 47 | 5 |
| 2010 Sedona | 32 | 5 |
| 2011 Sedona | 65 | 6 |
| 2012 Sedona (this page) | 107 | 5 |
| 2013 Sedona | 0 | 1 |
| 2014 Sedona | 38 | 1 |
| 2015 Sedona | 136 | 3 |
Average for the segment. Some recurring trouble spots worth knowing about.
Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Driver-assist features on the tested model: Electronic stability control: Standard · Forward collision warning: No · Lane departure warning: No
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program — tested configuration: 2012 Kia Sedona VAN FWD. Stars rate crash protection in NHTSA's tests, not overall reliability — see the owner-complaint data below for what actually goes wrong.
Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.
⚠ The one to take seriously: electrical is flagged severe on this model , showing up around 88,985 mi. Inspect it closely on a test drive.
Run the VIN from the listing — 5 active recalls on this model. Recall repairs are always free.
Verdict for buyers: 6.8/10 model. The priciest documented failure is engine (~$3,100) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.
We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.
See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →A noise, a warning light, a repair quote, "should I buy this?" — get an answer grounded in this vehicle's actual NHTSA record, not generic advice.
Answers use this vehicle's NHTSA complaint & recall record — owner-reported and unverified, not a diagnosis. Verify anything safety-critical with a mechanic.
When owners report each system failing, in actual miles — so you can see what's likely behind you, what's due around now, and what to budget for next. Enter your mileage to mark where you are.
"Typical" = median owner-reported failure mileage from the NHTSA complaint record for this exact year and model. Not a maintenance schedule — a heads-up on where this model's failures cluster.
Rear driver side sliding door will not always close completely and sometimes opens while driving. My three year old granddaughter sits in that seat and I'm worried that the door is actually going to come open while we're driving the car. I've read of previous years for this same…
Side door flies open while driving, electronic door latch no longer works properly allowing the door to open completely while driving exposing second row passenger.
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that after driving 70 MPH, and pulling into a parking lot, he noticed smoke coming from underneath the hood of the vehicle. The contact exited the vehicle and upon opening the hood of the vehicle, he saw that the engine…
Let me begin by prefacing that this is our 2nd sedona, and we purchased both brand new. We have had this vehicle for 4 months, and it only has appx. 6000 miles on the odometer. I was driving down a residential side street I approached the a stop sign, I began depressing the…
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
A fuel leak increases the risk of fire.
If the frontal air bags and seat belt pretensioners are disabled, there is an increased risk of injury to the vehicle occupants in the event of a vehicle crash that necessitates deployment of these safety systems.
A broken control arm can result in the loss of control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
It's got known weak points. With a reliability score of 6.8 out of 10 based on 107 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2012 Kia Sedona has a higher-than-average rate of reported issues. The areas to watch are listed above. Whether it's worth owning depends on price, condition, and how much repair exposure you can absorb.
The 2012 Kia Sedona is acceptable, with specific caveats. Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy. The record behind that call: Electrical system: 32 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 63,926–120,000 mi; Reliability score 6.8/10 — around the segment average; 5 recall campaigns on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Inspect the electrical first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 32 owner complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 88,985 miles. Average repair cost runs about $850 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.
It scores 6.8 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 107 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is electrical. Typical failure occurs around 88,985 miles. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is electrical, with 32 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 88,985 miles. Average repair cost runs about $850 at an independent shop.
The electrical is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $850 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 88,985 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 107 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $850, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.