NHTSA Complaint #10238121 — 2006 KIA SEDONA

I HAVE OWNED MY 2006 KIA SEDONA SINCE AUGUST 2006. DURING THAT TIME, THE POWER SLIDING DOORS HAVE PROVED TO BE EXTREMELY UNRELIABLE AND POTENTIALLY UNSAFE. MOST OF THE TIME, THE PASSENGER SIDE SLIDING DOOR WILL NOT CLOSE PROPERLY. IT WILL POWER TO THE CLOSED POSITION, CONTINUE TRYING TO CLOSE (MAKING A GRINDING NOISE) AND THEN EITHER POP OPEN A COUPLE OF INCHES OR POWER OPEN AGAIN COMPLETELY. IT WILL THEN BEEP THREE TIMES. THIS HAPPENS ON FLAT SURFACES AND EVEN SLIGHT INCLINES. THE DOOR HAS OPENED WHILST DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. I HAVE BEEN TO TWO DEALERS (MANY TIMES) WHO ARE UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM OR HAVE TRIED MAKING "ADJUSTMENTS" TO THEM. I KEEP ON BEING TOLD THAT THE DOOR IS OPERATING AS PER DESIGN. WE AVOID USING THE PASSENGER SIDE POWER SLIDING DOOR WHEN WE CAN. THIS PROBLEM HAS RECENTLY STARTED HAPPENING ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR AS WELL. JUDGING BY THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ON BOTH THE 2006 (AND LATER) KIA SEDONA AND HYUNDAI ENTOURAGE (EXACTLY THE SAME VEHICLE) ON THE ODI WEBSITE, AND NUMEROUS INTERNET NEWSGROUPS, THIS IS AFFECTING A LOT OF PEOPLE. I LOVE THE VAN, BUT AM COMPLETELY FED UP WITH THE POWER SLIDING DOORS AND WANT THEM FIXED. *TR