Kia Recalls 100,000 Sedona Minivans for Sliding-Door Defect, Injuries Reported
Kia has issued a recall for more than 100,000 Sedona minivans following reports that power-sliding doors are not stopping when they hit an obstruction while closing. Customers have reported injuries from the power-sliding doors.
Details of the Sedona Sliding-Door Defect
According to CNET, Kia first began investigating the problem in September 2017, following a series of complaints from consumers.
Generally, the power-sliding doors will auto-reverse when hitting an obstruction – this feature is especially popular among families with small children. However, an investigation by Kia revealed that while the auto-reverse system in the vehicles was working, the threshold for the system to activate was set too high for some situations.
Kia noted that it has received 14 complaints in which a customer reported injuries, but the automaker has only confirmed two of those injury reports.
Kia has worked with a supplier to reprogram the power-door control module with a lower threshold for detecting an obstruction.
The recall is limited to 2015-2018 model-year Sedonas.
Toyota Recalls Minivans for Similar Defect
In 2016, Toyota recalled more than 700,000 Sienna minivans for a sliding door defect that could allow the doors to open while the vehicle is in motion.
That recall affected 2011 to 2016 Sienna’s and occurred when the sliding door is “impeded” while opening automatically. The impediment could cause the circuit to overload, preventing the doors from latching shut properly.
Contact an Experienced Vehicle Defect Attorney
Drivers have enough to worry about while traversing the roadways on a daily basis. When a person gets behind the wheel of a car, there is a reasonable expectation that the car is going to perform in a matter that would not put the operator’s life in jeopardy. Unfortunately there are hundreds of vehicle recalls each year due to manufacturer defects, from the tires to the ignition switches, that can cause catastrophic injuries and in some cases death. If you or a loved one have been injured due to a defective part in a vehicle, contact Thomas J. Henry.
Our experienced defective vehicle lawyers have handled a multitude of injury claims caused by recalled vehicles. We continue to handle cases involving faulty and dangerous GM ignition switches and Takata airbags. Our firm has offices in Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Austin, and Houston, serving clients across Texas and nationwide. Call us today for a free legal consultation — our attorneys are available 24/7, nights and weekends.
