Independent · Not affiliated with NHTSA or any automaker MethodologyData sourcesData refreshed Oct 6, 2026

2018 Kia Sedona: Problems, Recalls and MPG

What this means

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2018 Kia Sedona, most recently filed January 2022. Owners have filed 48 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine. In NHTSA crash tests it earned 5 stars overall.

Data summary generated from official records. Methodology Data: NHTSA, DOT, EPA · Refreshed Oct 6, 2026
Caution Fewer than 50 complaints filed. With this few reports, patterns may not be meaningful.
Compare

Recalls (3)

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2018 Kia Sedona. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗

Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.

Check on NHTSA ↗
Listed for 2018 Kia Sedona. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 22V031000 Filed Jan 25, 2022

Air Bags May Not Deploy

Air bags
Official NHTSA text
Summary
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Sedona, Soul, Soul EV, 2017-2018 Forte, and 2017 Forte Koup vehicles. The Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) cover may contact a memory chip on the printed circuit board and damage the electrical circuit. Circuit damage may result in deactivated air bags that will not deploy in a crash.
Consequence
Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the ACU, and either update the software or replace the unit, as necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 21, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC226.
66% repairedof 410,619 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 22V031000
Listed for 2018 Kia Sedona. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 19V109000 Filed Feb 19, 2019

Occupant Detection System Wire Harness May Break

Electrical system · wiring
Official NHTSA text
Summary
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Sedona vehicles equipped with manually-adjusted front passenger seats. Over time, the Occupant Detection System (ODS) wiring harness located underneath the front passenger seat may break from the seat being occupied.
Consequence
If a child is in a child seat in the front seat, a broken ODS wiring harness will not prevent the front passenger air bag from deploying in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury to the child.
Remedy
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will remove the wire harness clip to prevent the wiring harness from breaking. If the harness is found damaged, the front passenger seat cushion will be replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began March 19, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC175.
59.3% repairedof 94,389 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 19V109000
Listed for 2018 Kia Sedona. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 18V338000 Filed May 23, 2018

Power Sliding Door may not Auto-Reverse

Electrical system · software
Official NHTSA text
Summary
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Kia Sedona vehicles equipped with a power sliding door (PSD). The PSD may not auto-reverse when its closing is obstructed.
Consequence
If the door closes on an occupant, there is an increased risk of an injury.
Remedy
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the PSD module software, free of charge. The recall began on June 18, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC164.
75.1% repairedof 106,428 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 18V338000

PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.

Owner complaints (48)

48 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The engine is mentioned most often.

1involved a crash
4involved a fire
1injuries reported
0deaths reported

As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.

Most-reported components

Complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Kia Sedona, by component (top 10). One complaint can list several components, so these add up to more than 48.Source: NHTSA ODI owner complaints · Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 · Report a data error

How 2018 compares with other Sedona years

Best and worst Sedona years →
2011201220142015201620172018201920202021
This year (2018)Other yearsStill collecting reports

Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.

Crash tests: 5 stars overall

Overall★★★★★
Frontal crashDriver 5★ · Passenger 5★★★★★★
Side crashDriver 5★ · Passenger 5★★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
RolloverRollover risk 13%★★★★☆
Front seat of a modern car with the seat belt buckled across the passenger seat
Compare fairly. Compare stars only between vehicles of similar size and weight. Ratings apply to the tested configuration.

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), 2018 Kia Sedona van fwd, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.

Fuel economy: up to 21 mpg combined

21
mpg combined
18
city
25
highway
EPA annual fuel cost
$3,200
CO₂ tailpipe
433 g/mi
EPA class
Minivan -

What it costs you to run

$3,110per year
$259per month
714gallons a year

Miles ÷ 21 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.

EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.

Specs by configuration

2018 Kia Sedona configurations with EPA data
Engine · transmissionDriveCity / Hwy / CombEPA $/yrCO₂ g/mi
3.3 L 6-cyl · 6-speed automaticFront-Wheel Drive18 / 25 / 21$3,200433
3.3 L 6-cyl · 6-speed automaticFront-Wheel Drive18 / 24 / 20$3,350443
3.3 L 6-cyl · 6-speed automaticFront-Wheel Drive17 / 22 / 19$3,550476

Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.

Used blue SUV on a sunny dealer lot with its hood open and a clipboard on the fender

Looking at a 2018 Sedona for sale?

Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.

All Sedona years

Where to next

2018 Kia Sedona FAQ

How many recalls does the 2018 Kia Sedona have?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns: 22V031000 (air bag), 19V109000 (electrical), 18V338000 (electrical). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.

What are the most common 2018 Kia Sedona problems?

Owners filed 48 complaints with NHTSA. Engine (21), Electrical system (11), Air bags (6) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.

What mpg does the 2018 Kia Sedona get?

EPA rates the 3.3 L 6-cyl · 6-speed automatic version at 18 city, 25 highway and 21 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.

What safety rating did the 2018 Kia Sedona get?

NHTSA rated the 2018 Kia Sedona van fwd 5 stars overall, with 5 stars frontal, 5 stars side and 4 stars rollover (13% rollover risk).

How does the 2018 Sedona compare with other years?

Among the 2011–2021 Kia Sedona model years at least five years old, the 2021 drew the fewest complaints (9) and the 2016 the most (296). The 2018 drew 48. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.

How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes

Processing

  • Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
  • Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.

Limitations

  • Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
  • Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
  • Recent model years are still collecting reports.

Review

Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.

Changelog

  • 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.
Was this report useful?Report a data error
My Garage
Save this car and we'll flag new recall campaigns next time you visit.