2016 KIA Sedona Engine Problems
Owners have filed 148 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2016 KIA Sedona, 50% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 88,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “engine failed” (9% of reports).
- 148engine complaints
- 88,000median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 3mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $6,350typical repair cost reported by owners
- 45%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Engine failed: mentioned in 13 of 148 complaints (9%)
- Head gasket: mentioned in 12 of 148 complaints (8%)
- Checked oil: mentioned in 11 of 148 complaints (7%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine repair on the 2016 KIA Sedona at $6,350, and half of them between $3,200 and $10,000.
Based on 13 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2021–2026), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 21 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 148 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 11 a fire, 3 an injury.
KIA Sedona engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 Sedona | 1 | 11% | — |
| 2020 Sedona | 5 | 25% | 50,500 |
| 2019 Sedona | 11 | 29% | 7,400 |
| 2018 Sedona | 21 | 44% | — |
| 2017 Sedona | 60 | 45% | 106,000 |
| 2016 Sedona | 148 | 50% | 88,000 |
| 2015 Sedona | 50 | 36% | 82,000 |
| 2014 Sedona | 9 | 23% | 61,780 |
| 2012 Sedona | 18 | 17% | 89,000 |
| 2011 Sedona | 11 | 17% | 99,000 |
| 2010 Sedona | 1 | 3% | 106,000 |
| 2009 Sedona | 3 | 6% | 45,423 |
| 2008 Sedona | 6 | 4% | 74,000 |
| 2007 Sedona | 10 | 6% | 80,000 |
| 2006 Sedona | 16 | 4% | 102,288 |
| 2005 Sedona | 11 | 6% | 129,000 |
| 2004 Sedona | 6 | 3% | 100,100 |
| 2003 Sedona | 5 | 3% | 130,000 |
| 2002 Sedona | 4 | 2% | 117,750 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine for the 2016 KIA Sedona. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
In January 2026, I brought my vehicle to a Kia dealership specifically complaining that it was "burning oil." The dealership documented this exact complaint on the invoice, but only repaired external leaks. They failed to perform an oil consumption test, failed to diagnose the internal burning…
While driving my van I had stopped to put car in reverse to park and as I was putting van back into drive to finish parking the engine quit, I was unable to restart the vehicle, just a click sound. All the lights doors everything electric worked, still purchased a new battery in case that was the…
Total engine failure at 120k miles, no warning signs.
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2016 KIA Sedonas have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 148 owner complaints about engine for the 2016 KIA Sedona (50% of the 297 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2016 KIA Sedona engine?
No recall currently lists engine for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 88,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix engine problems on the 2016 KIA Sedona?
Owners report a typical cost of $6,350 (half paid between $3,200 and $10,000), from 13 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2016 KIA Sedona?
The most frequent phrase is “engine failed”, in 13 of 148 complaints, followed by “head gasket” (12).
See all 2016 KIA Sedona problems or engine problems across all Sedona years.