There are 33 owner-reported steering complaints for the 2004 Kia Sedonain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
POWER STEERING MAKES WHINING SOUND WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL, POWER STEER FLUID LOW IN CANISTER DUE TO LEAKS. HARD TO TURN TO THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN TURNING. DON'T KNOW IF BELTS AFFECTED I HEAR A HUMMING SOUND. DON'T KNOW IF THE POWER STEERING PUMP IS WORKING PROPERLY. CONSTANTLY ADDING FLUID TO THE CANISTER.
MY STEERING IN MY 2004 KIA SEDONA LX IS TENDING TO BIND AND NEARLY LOCK UP AROUND TURNS. THIS PROBLEM COMES AND GOES.
MY VAN WONT STEER. IT IS TIGHT AND WONT LET ME GO LEFT OR RIGHT.
WHILE DRIVING IN WET CONDITIONS THE BRAKE AND BATTERY LIGHT WILL COME ON INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THERE IS A LOSS OF POWER OF STEERING. WHEN TAKEN TO KIA DEALERSHIP TO FIX PROBLEM THEY TOLD US IT IS A COMMON COMPLAINT AMONG KIA CARS. THEY CHECKED ALL BELTS, BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR ALL TESTS CAME BACK NORMAL. WHILE DRIVING IT IS DANGEROUS TO LOSE POWER OF STEERING ESPECIALLY IN WET CONDITIONS. *TR
WHILE MAKING RIGHT AND LEFT TURNS THE STEERING BECOMES VERY TIGHT. THE POWER STEERING FLUID WAS FINE. NO OTHER WARNINGS. THIS MADE ME VERY SCARED TO MAKE TURNS. I DID MY BEST TO AVOID TURNS ONLY IF ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY FOR TWO DAYS. IN MY 32 YEARS OF DRIVING I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN TO ME. WHEN I TOOK IT TO TIRE CHOICE AND TOTAL CAR CARE THEY SAID IT WAS MY INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT NEED TO BE REPLACED. I HAD IT REPLACED THAT DAY 9/20/14. *TR
WHILE DRIVING TODAY, I NOTICED A WHINING NOISE, WITH A SLIGHT GRINDING NOISE TO IT AS WELL. INITIALLY THINKING IT WAS THE BRAKES, I LISTENED CLOSER AND REALIZED IT WAS NOT HAPPENING WHEN BRAKING BUT RATHER SEEMED TO BE HAPPENING WHEN TURNING, PRIMARILY DURING ACCELERATION. SOON AFTER THE TURN AS I STEADIED SPEED, THE NOISE WOULD DECREASE OR DISAPPEAR. AFTER THE FIRST FEW TIMES MAKING TURNS HOWEVER, IN ADDITION TO THE NOISE THE STEERING WHEEL ALSO BECAME VERY STIFF AND EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN. IT PROGRESSED SO SUDDENLY AND SEVERELY THAT I WAS WORRIED I MAY NOT MAKE IT HOME WITHOUT CRASHING. THIS ALL HAPPENED DURING A TOTAL OF APPROXIMATELY 20 MILES OF DRIVING IN TOWN. SINCE RETURNING HOME I BEGAN TO INVESTIGATE WHAT THE LIKELY CULPRIT MAY BE, AND NOW BELIEVE STRONGLY THAT IT IS THE UNIVERSAL JOINT; A PROBLEM THAT HAS CLEARLY EFFECTED ENOUGH KIA SEDONA OWNERS THAT I FIND THE LACK OF RECALL QUITE MADDENING AND A BIT CONFOUNDING. WITH TWO YOUNG CHILDREN IN THE VAN AT THE TIME, IT IS PLAIN TO SEE HOW POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS THIS PROBLEM IS, AND I AM JUST GRATEFUL THAT THERE WAS SO LITTLE TRAFFIC AT THE TIME; HAD IT BEEN A BUSIER TIME OF DAY OR MORE HEAVILY POPULATED TOWN, I BELIEVE A CRASH WOULD'VE BEEN HIGHLY UNAVOIDABLE. *TR
STEERING NOISE AND HIGHER THAN NORMAL STEERING RESISTANCE REFERENCE BULLETIN TSB-019 THIS IS RIDICULOUS THAT THERE HASN'T BEEN A RECALL! ARE WE JUST WAITING FOR A WRECK THAT ACTUALLY KILLS SOME ONE? WE WERE TURNING ONTO THE HIGHWAY AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND HAD TO BE TURNED BACK TO STRAIGHT OR ELSE IT WOULD HAVE JUST KEPT TURNING US INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA SEDONA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 2 MPH AND ATTEMPTING A RIGHT TURN WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND A PRIVATE MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE RACK AND PINION FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,325 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 85,000.
INCREASED STEERING EFFORT NOTED. RESEARCHED AND FOUND NHTSA ACTION # 10027724, AND FOUND IT WAS OPENED AND CLOSED TWICE. THE ACTION APPEARED TO BE RELATED THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT AND ASSOCIATED UNIVERSAL JOINT. LUBRICATING THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT UNIVERSAL JOINT APPEARED TO SLIGHTLY LESSEN STEERING EFFORT. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA SEDONA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING A LEFT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR THE CONTACT TO TURN THE WHEEL. THE CONTACT TAPPED ON THE BRAKES AND THEN THE ACCELERATOR IN ORDER FOR THE STEERING WHEEL TO UNLOCK. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 61,000. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE VEHICLE JERKS AND THE POWER STEERING PROBLEM HAS WORSENED SIGNIFICANTLY. UPDATED 07/19/11
THE STEERING STARTED TO BECOME DIFFICULT WHILE DRIVING ,INTERMITTENTLY DANGEROUS WHEN YOU NEVER KNEW IT WAS GONNA HAPPEN. EVENTUALLY JUST STOPPED WORKING ALL TOGETHER ,I DID ALOT OF ONLINE RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ,WITH THE STEERING KNUCKLE BINDING BECAUSE OF CORROSION . ALL AND ALL THINK THE VEHICLE WAS VERY WELL THOUGHT OUT AND ALOT OF AMENITIES ARE AWESOME IN THIS VEHICLE ,WHY DOESN'T KIA JUST OFFER A RECALL ,SINCE THEY HAVE ALREADY POSTED A BULLETIN FOR THIS? CALL THE DEALERSHIP AND REALIZE THIS PART IS ALWAYS ON BACK ORDER COME ON KIA MAN UP. *TR
STEERING BINDING. WAS TOLD AT THE KIA DEALERSHIP THAT THEY HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH STEERING IN SEDONAS NOW I AM PAYING A HIGH PRICE TO GET VEHICLE FIXED. I ASKED WHY ISNT IT ON RECALL LIST THEY SAID THEY DONT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT. I AM LEASING A 2004 KIASEDONA. I HAVE HAD PROBLEM WITH TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT AS FOUND IN OTHER COMPLAINTS AND WAS TOLD THE RACK AND PINION STEERING NEEDED TO BE FIXED. *TR
THE STEERING IN MY 2004 KIA SEDONA IS MALFUCTIONING. WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL IT NOW TAKES A GREAT AMOUNT OF EFFORT SOME OF THE TIME. IT COMES AND GOES. AS YOU TURN THE WHEEL IT GOES FROM EASY TO VERY DIFFICULT AND YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN. AFTER A TURN YOU MUST TURN THE WHEEL BACK TO GO STRAIGHT OR IT WILL CONTINUE TO TURN. THESE 2 PROBLEMS ARE VERY DANGEROUS AS I COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT JUST BY MAKING A TURN. *TR
POWER STEERING SEEMS TO FADE IN AND OUT INTERMITTENTLY. I LOOKED ONLINE AND SEE THAT THERE AREA A LOT OF KIA SADONA OWNER THAT ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE HOWEVER THERE IS NO RECALL. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN AND THIS SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF NOW BEFORE SOME ONE GETS KILLED. *TR
2004 KIA SEDONA. STEERING THIS VEHICLE BECAME EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WHEN EXECUTING TURNS, ESPECIALLY EXITING FROM HIGHWAYS. STEERING FEELS AS IF IT IS BINDING AND ABOUT TO SEIZE. STEERING WHEEL WILL NOT RETURN TO CENTER WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT DRIVER EFFORT. THE PROBLEM IS MORE NOTICEABLE WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES. KIA SIMPLY ADVISED ME THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THE STEERING MECHANISM IS NOT PART OF THE DRIVE TRAIN. THE REPAIR SHOP INDICATES THE STEERING SYSTEM NEEDS REPLACEMENT OF THE RACK AND PINION MECHANISM. THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW IN NJ AND IT HAS BEEN USED PRIMARILY IN NJ AND THE NORTHEAST; THE VEHICLE IS USED AS THE FAMILY CAR WITH MOST DRIVING DONE LOCALLY WITHIN TOWN. MILEAGE IS APPROX 63,000. THE PROBLEM IS NOT RELATED TO THE POWER STEERING FLUID OR PUMP. THE STEERING MECHANISM IS ABOUT THE MOST BASIC AND CRITICAL SAFETY SYSTEM ON A CAR NEXT TO THE BRAKES. PRIOR INVESTIGATIONS LISTED ON THE NHTSA SITE MENTION A PROBLEM RATE 11 TIMES HIGHER IN SALT BELT STATES (MY VEHICLE HAD TO HAVE THE REAR WHEEL BEARINGS REPLACED FOR THIS ISSUE VIA A SAFETY RECALL). IT SEEMS THIS IS SOMETHING THE CAR MANUFACTURER NEEDS TO RECONSIDER. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA SEDONA. WHILE TRYING TO MAKE A TURN THE RACK A PINION STEERING MADE A CLANGING NOISE IN STAGES, JERKS BACK AND FORTH AND BECAME VERY HARD TO TURN. THE DEALER WAS CALLED AND INFORMED HIM THAT THE WARRANTY EXPIRED AND HE HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CALLED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.
MY 2004 KIA SEDONA STEERING COLUMN DISINTEGRATED CAUSING STEERING FAILURE. IT HAD TO BE COMPLETELY REPLACED AT MY COST. *TR
POWER STEERING SEEMS TO FADE IN AND OUT INTERMITTENTLY. *TR
WE WERE HEARING A GRINDING TYPE NOISE WHEN WE WERE MAKING A TURN SO WE TOOK OUR VEHICLE IN TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY DIAGNOSED IT AS A BAD RACK AND PINION AND ARE REPLACING IT. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY NUMEROUS PEOPLE THAT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE GOING OUT AT 70,000 MILES. AS OF RIGHT NOW, KIA WILL NOT REPLACE IT FOR US. *TR
I HAVE A 2004 KIA SEDONA MINI-VAN. ON THE EVENING OF NOVEMBER 6, 2009 THE STEERING COLUMN ESSENTIALLY SEIZED ON ME. THE VAN BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL ALMOST TO THE POINT WHERE IT WAS UNDRIVEABLE. THERE WAS NO WARNING OR PREVIOUS INDICATIONS. I WAS BARELY ABLE TO GET THE VAN TO A SHOP ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2009 WHERE THE MECHANIC FOUND THAT KIA HAD ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FOR STEERING DIFFICULTIES DUE TO MALFUNCTIONING INTERMEDIATE STEERING COLUMN. GIVEN THE SEVERE SAFETY IMPLICATIONS OF THIS SITUATION, I BELIEVE THAT KIA SHOULD HAVE ISSUED A RECALL NOTICE AND SHOULD REIMBURSE OWNERS THAT HAVE HAD THE PART REPLACED. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 33 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026