VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: OWNER NOTIFICATION (SC365) - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia is conducting an important Voluntary Emissions Service Campaign to improve the emissions software logic in the Electronic Control Module (ECM) to ensure compliance with emissions regulations on the 2019-2020 MY Sorento vehicles manufactured from January 24, 2018 through October 26, 2020 and 2019-2021 MY Sedona vehicles manufactured from February 13, 2018 through July 8, 2020 equipped with 3.3L GDI engines.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2020 Kia Sedona engine problems
moderate Owners of the 2020 Kia Sedona have filed 3 NHTSA complaints about the engine at roughly $3,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of October 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See engine across all vehicles →
Complaints
3
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$3,100
| Model year | engine complaints |
|---|---|
| 2016 Sedona | 129 |
| 2017 Sedona | 50 |
| 2018 Sedona | 18 |
| 2019 Sedona | 9 |
| 2020 Sedona (this page) | 3 |
When does it fail?
Of the 3 engine complaints filed for the 2020 Kia Sedona, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 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
Of the 14 model years of Kia Sedona we track for engine problems, this one has the fewest owner complaints on file (3).
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering engine 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.
VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: DEALER PRINCIPAL MEMO (SC365) - This document is the announcement to the dealer principals advising that Kia is conducting an important Voluntary Emissions Service Campaign to improve the emissions software logic in the Electronic Control Module (ECM) to ensure compliance with emissions regulations on the 2019-2020 MY Sorento vehicles manufactured from January 24, 2018 through October 26, 2020 and 2019-2021 MY Sedona vehicles manufactured from February 13, 2018 through July 8, 2020 equipped with 3.3L GDI engines.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: DEALER PARTS AND SERVICE MANAGER MEMO (SC365) - This document is the announcement to dealer Parts and Service managers advising that Kia is conducting an important Voluntary Emissions Service Campaign to improve the emissions software logic in the Electronic Control Module (ECM) to ensure compliance with emissions regulations on the 2019-2020 MY Sorento vehicles manufactured from January 24, 2018 through October 26, 2020 and 2019-2021 MY Sedona vehicles manufactured from February 13, 2018 through July 8, 2020 equipped with 3.3L GDI engines.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: QUESTION AND ANSWER (SC365) – This document is the Question and Answer Guide containing the most frequently asked questions regarding Voluntary Emissions Service Campaign SC365.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗SC365_POC: PROOF OF CORRECTION CARD
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
What owners are reporting 3 most recent
Check engine light came on all of a sudden. Smell of exhaust/gas coming from car. Took car to the dealership to get the cause of the check engine light coming on. Dealership said it came back 02 sensor bank 2 and exhaust gasket to header.
Problem: The Vehicle Slows down all of a sudden on the middle of the road from around 70 miles to 10 miles, then slowly drives at 15 or 20 miles speed. Safety Concern: On the Interstate Hwy, this has happened many time. Fortunately without any accidents. Very recently also this happened and I do not drive the vehicle out now, since it does not accelerate. Reason: The failure of the accelerator…
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Sedona. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle in hot temperatures, the vehicle failed to start immediately. After several attempts, the vehicle was able to be started and seemed to return to normal functionality. The contact stated that the failure had become a regular occurrence during the summer months. No warning lights were illuminated. The…
Had engine trouble with your 2020 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 engine problem on the 2020 Kia Sedona?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 3 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $3,100 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the engine typically fail?
Based on the 3 complaints filed, engine issues most often appear around 22,000 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 $3,100 for engine 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 engine?
No active recalls currently cover engine 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/2020/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.