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2019 Kia Sedona problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

ELEVATED COMPLAINT SIGNAL
39%
13 of 33 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

39% of relevant owner complaints on the 2019 Kia Sedona are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is elevated. Worth an independent inspection before you commit to one.

Better than 54% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 5 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 34%).

NHTSA data checked October 3, 2026

The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2019 Kia Sedona have engine problems?

More than most. The pattern is elevated rather than severe. 13 of 33 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2019 Kia Sedona concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (39%), and the largest group is filed under engine (11). For comparison, the 2018 scores 56%. On a test drive, check for stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
13
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
38
this model year
Fires reported
1
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
2
2 crashes · 5 injuries

Complaints by component

ENGINE11 · 29%
STRUCTURE9 · 24%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM4 · 11%
POWER TRAIN4 · 11%
FUEL SYSTEM3 · 8%
GASOLINE3 · 8%

The years either side

2010
27%
7 of 32
2011
44%
27 of 65
2012
33%
32 of 107
2013
no data
2014
29%
10 of 39
2015
50%
55 of 139
2016
67%
160 of 296
2017
57%
63 of 134
2018
56%
22 of 48
2019
39%
13 of 38
2020
too few complaints
2021
too few complaints
2022
no data
2023
no data

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

How the 2019 compares with other Kia Sedona years

Of the 9 Kia Sedona years with enough complaints to score, the 2019 is the 4th-best on engine and transmission share (39%). The worst is the 2016 (67%), the best the 2010 (27%). By volume, the 2019 drew 38 complaints (13 drivetrain), against 48 for the 2018 and 20 for the 2020.

Kia Sedona years to avoid and best years →

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2019 Kia Sedona

  • What the repair costs. Typical engine repair ranges, to price into your offer.
  • Cleaner alternatives. Similar cars and nearby years with a better record.
  • Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
  • What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
  • Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.

What one owner reported

ENGINE02/18/2022FIRE1 INJURED
The contact owned a 2019 Kia Sedona. The contact stated while driving 70 mph up a hill, he heard an abnormal noise, and then the vehicle was seized. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to park on the size of the vehicle and when exiting the vehicle felt heat exiting under the vehic…

One of 13 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

2019 Kia Sedona engine and transmission recalls

No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2019 Kia Sedona, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

2 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
air bags22V031000 · Jan 2022
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…
seat belts: rear/other: buckle assembly19V207000 · Mar 2019
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2019 Sedona vehicles equipped with an 8-passenger seat arrangement. The seat belt buckle for the second-row middle seat may have been improperly…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.

Checking one particular 2019 Kia Sedona? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

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Questions people ask about the 2019 Kia Sedona

Does the 2019 Kia Sedona have engine problems?

More than most; the pattern is elevated rather than severe. 13 of 33 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2019 Kia Sedona concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (39%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the engine and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.

What is the most common problem with the 2019 Kia Sedona?

Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2019 Kia Sedona is engine: 11 of 38 complaints (29%) name it, followed by structure (9) and electrical system (4). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap.

Is the 2019 Kia Sedona reliable?

On the engine and transmission, owner complaints point to a weak spot: 39% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain (elevated signal). That is better than 54% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 9 Kia Sedona years we score, it ranks 4th-best. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2019 Kia Sedona?

No. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2019 Kia Sedona, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.

Which Kia Sedona years are better?

Among the Kia Sedona years we track, the 2010 (27%), the 2014 (29%) and the 2012 (33%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2019 (39%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/kia-sedona

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.