KiaSedona2008Overview/kia/sedona/2008/base/

2008 Kia Sedona

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2008 Sedona.

Body VANTransmission Automatic 5-spd

The 2008 Kia Sedona is a van that pairs a 5-speed automatic transmission with an engine requiring 5.5 quarts of 5W-20 or 5W-30 oil, returning an EPA-estimated 18 mpg combined. With 170 owner complaints and 5 recalls, this model year lands in the middle of the Sedona’s reliability history—a notable improvement over the troubled 2006 peak of 385 complaints, yet still far from the low-complaint later years.

Model year202120202019201820172016201520142008

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity5.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-20 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque65-80 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy16/23/18 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 124R · 600 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 124R · 600 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnLAMPOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 5-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length202 in
Overall width78.3 in
Overall height72 in
Wheelbase118.9 in
Curb weight4645 lb
Track (front / rear)66.1 / 65.7 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)57/43

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined16 / 23 / 18 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Sedona of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

7.4–9.8 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.40 sec — 2015 SXL
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2006LX 3.8L V68.00 sec16.10 sec244 hpFWD
2006EX 3.8L V68.20 sec16.20 sec244 hpFWD
2006EX 3.8L V68.30 sec16.50 sec244 hpFWD
2002EX 3.5L V69.60 sec17.40 sec195 hpFWD
2002EX 3.5L V69.80 sec17.40 sec195 hpFWD
2015SXL 3.3L V67.40 sec15.80 sec276 hpFWD
2015SXL 3.3L V67.80 sec16.10 sec276 hpFWD
2015SXL 3.3L V67.80 sec16.00 sec276 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 5.5 qt of 5W-20 / 5W-30 API engine oil. Torque lug nuts to 65-80 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 29.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity11.5
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil5W-20 · 5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity5.5 qt

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs7-9 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts209-224 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts53-56 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug29.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs14-17 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts65-80 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub177-199 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub145-188 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance.56-.68 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance5,950-8,050 ohms
Ignition Timing10, Not adjustable degrees
Ignition Timing Acceptable Variance5 degrees
Ignition Timing Reference RPMIdle rpm

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.92-2.04 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity6.75-7.43 oz
Standard BCI Group Number124R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance600 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test14-18 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief14-19 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature177 °F
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)54.0-56.0 psi
Injector Primary Resistance11.4-12.6 @ 68 degreesF ohms
Engine Oil Pressure18.77 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPM1000 rpm

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket16-23 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle61-68 ft-lbs / 36-43 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness0.079 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0002 in / 0.0004 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.0012 in / 0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.102 in / 0.472 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.102 in / 0.472 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
114 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9014 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill)
Every 10,000 miCabin Air Filter (replace)
At 15,000 miFuel Evaporative Canister Filter (inspect)
Every 15,000 miBattery (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Brake Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Driveshaft (inspect) · Parking Brake System (inspect)
Every 30,000 miBody Fasteners (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Evaporative Canister Filter (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Canister Filter (replace) · PCV Hose (inspect) · Suspension Ball Joint (inspect)
Every 37,500 miFuel Filter (replace)
At 60,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miEngine Valves (inspect valve lash)
Every 100,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2008 Kia Sedona recorded 170 complaints and 5 recalls, positioning it as a transitional year following the 2006 peak of 385 complaints and 7 recalls. While complaint volume decreased from the 2006 high, the 2008 figures remain above the generation's eventual floor seen in 2009-2010 (32-47 complaints). The recall frequency of 5 matches the elevated pattern established in 2006-2007, suggesting ongoing manufacturing or design corrections. Notably, 2008 had zero federal investigations, a relief compared to the 3-4 recorded in 2002-2004. Vehicle Speed Control emerged as the leading complaint category (29 instances), with fire-related complaints (10) warranting attention among the 4 crash-related filings. The 2008 Sedona represents a marginal improvement over the problematic 2006 model but maintains higher recall activity than the 2009-2010 period, making it a less ideal but potentially workable option if thoroughly inspected and all recall work verified.

5
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
34
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
170
Owner complaints
4 involved a crash · 10 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 170 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Vehicle Speed Control29
Structure17
Electrical System13
Suspension10
Latches/Locks/Linkages8
Unknown Or Other7
Electrical System,Structure7
Electrical System,Exterior Lighting4

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 5 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

20V088000Electrical SystemReported 14/02/2020

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2006-2010 Sedona and 2007-2009 Sorento vehicles. Moisture may enter the Anti-lock Brake (ABS) Module and result in an electrical short. Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will install a relay in the main junction box to prevent power from being directed to the HECU when the vehicle's ignition switch is turned…

16V387000Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower ArmReported 01/06/2016

Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2006-2012 Kia Sedona vehicles manufactured from June 15, 2005, through August 14, 2012 and originally sold in, or currently registered in Alaska, Connecticut… Remedy: Kia will notify owners and dealers will replace the front lower control arms on 2006-2007 models. 2008-2012 models will either have their front lower control arms replaced or…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 34 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
TSB_BOD055_R12021-09-13StructureTECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: INFORMATION FOR HEADLAMP CONDENSATION AND MOISTURE - This…
TSB_BOD051_CLSD2021-05-07Electrical SystemTSB_BOD051_CLOSED: TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN CLOSED
DOR-M9J4S-072020-06-03Engine And Engine CoolingThese SKUs are Exhaust Manifolds with Catalytic Converters. The customer communication…
DOR-M3J3F-072020-06-03Engine And Engine CoolingThese SKUs are Exhaust Manifolds with Catalytic Converters. The customer communication…
TSB_TRA046_R12020-04-24Power TrainTECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: - TRANSMISSION FLUID APPLICATION GUIDE - This bulletin has…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Sedona. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2008 Sedona take?

5.5 qt of 5W-20 OR 5W-30 API SM, per the factory manual.

Does the 2008 Sedona have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Sedona get?

EPA figures are 16 city / 23 highway / 18 combined mpg.