1997 KIA Sephia

These are unverified consumer reports filed with NHTSA, shown as submitted.

• 12/23/1999· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  EXCESSIVE WEAR OF THE FRONT BRAKE PADS AND DRUMS. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, AND THE FRONT BRAKES WERE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

• 12/23/1999· STEERING,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,SEAT BELTS,UNKNOWN OR OTHERCrash

  ENGINE CHECK LIGHT IS ON/LEAKING MOTOR OIL/ POWER STEERING BINDING, AND FRONT AND REAR SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT.*AK

• 12/22/2000· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  BRAKES ROTORS ARE PREMATURELY WEARING, CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK ENGINE SURGES WHEN STOPPING AND SOME TIME SHUT DOWN WHEN STARTING. *YH

• 12/18/1998· AIR BAGSCrash

  ON 12-10-98, CAR WAS HIT AND CONSUMER RAN WITH HER BABY INSIDE. THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, BUT ONE WEEK LATER THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *AK

• 12/18/1998· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT NEXT TO A LARGE TRUCK WITH A CB RADIO, THE RADIO EXPERIENCED STATIC AND THE VEHICLE CUT OFF.

• 12/17/2001· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,POWER TRAIN

  WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUTSDOWN WITHOUT WARNING, DEALER HAS YET TO BE CONTATCED. *AK CONSUMER SAID WHEN HE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON AND ENGINE SHUTS OFF WHENEVER STOPPING, TOOK BACK TO DEALER MANY TIMES FOR REPAIR, VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE SPEEDOMETER IS ACTING ERRACTICALLY, THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT HAS ILLUMINATED. *YD

• 12/17/1997· STEERING

  AT LOW SPEEDS THE PUMP DOES NOT PUT OUT ENOUGH PRESSURE FOR SHARP TURNS, CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO STICK. THE DEALER INFORMED THE OWNER THAT THIS WAS A NORMAL CONDITION. *AK

• 12/16/1998· TIRES

  TIRES IN THE FRONT OF VEHICLE WERE WORN OUT.

• 12/14/1999· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  BRAKES GAVE WAY WHILE PARALLEL PARKING. HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE BRAKES MADE NOISES WHEN APPLIED. THEN WOULD FADE OUT. TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER & WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC THE BRAKES WERE FINE & DID NOT NEED REPAIRING. *AK

• 12/14/1999· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  I HAVE HAD THE BRAKE ROTORS REPLACED 3 TIMES DUE TO WARPAGE, THIS CAUSES VIBRATION. *AK

• 12/13/2002· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE

  IS LEAKING CAUSING ELECTRICAL LIGHTS DAMAGE, THE HAZARDS OR SIGNALS AREN'T WORKING AND THE TRUCK SMELLS LIKE MILDEW. TS

• 12/10/2002· POWER TRAIN

  CONSUMER STATES THAT WITHOUT WARNING TRANSMISSION SHIFTS INTO OVERDRIVE, DOWNSHIFTS AND LURCHES FORWARD EXCESSIVELY. CONSUMER HAD TRANSMISSION AND COMPUTER COMMAND CHIP REPLACED AT 18K MILES. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. TS

• 12/09/2000· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLINGCrash

  THIS VEHICLE IS A DEATH TRAP..FORD DEALER NOT VERY HELPFUL.LAST INCIDENT ALMOST CAUSED SERIOUS ACCIDENT. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED IN SUMMARY. *AK

• 12/04/2003· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE LOOSES POWER. DEALER INDICATED AND PERFORMED A TUNE UP ON THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER STATES THE PROBLEM IS RECURRING. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *PH

• 12/03/2002· STEERING,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  AT RANDOM THE VEHICLE REFUSED TO START, ALSO THE STEERING WHEEL DID NOT LOCK WITH THE KEY REMOVED.*JB

• 12/03/2002· POWER TRAIN

  CONSUMER HAD PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION. WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL SWITCH GEAR ON ITS OWN, PUTTING IT INTO NEUTRAL. DEALER WAS CONTACTED, AND STATED THAT THEY WANTED TO SELL THEM SOMETHING ELSE.*AK

• 12/02/2002· POWER TRAIN

  DURING THE PAST WEEK, I HAVE HAD TO HAVE BOTH DRIVE AXLES REPLACED ON MY 1997 KIA SEPHIA (AT A COST OF OVER $400) DUE TO A VIBRATION WHEN THE VEHICLE IS MOVING. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS HASN'T COMPLETELY RESOLVED MY PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED OF A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I THINK SHOULD POINT TO THE NEED FOR A RECALL: (1) THIS PROBLEM IS UNIQUE TO THE 1997 MODEL YEAR; (2) MID-WAY THROUGH THE 1997 MODEL YEAR, THE DESIGN FOR THE DRIVE AXELS WAS CHANGED AND MY VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED PRIOR TO THIS CHANGE. SURELY A CHANGE DURING THE MANUFACTURING YEAR WOULD INDICATE A DESIGN FLAW. DT

• 12/02/2000· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  I HAVE REPORTED THIS INTERMITTENT PROBLEM EVER SINCE I FIRST PURCHASED THIS CAR; HOWEVER, THE DEALER INSISTS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR SINCE THEY CAN'T DETECT THE PROBLEM WHILE IT IS IN THEIR POSSESSION. I HAVE REPORTED THE PROBLEM AT LEAST A DOZEN TIMES OVER THE PAST 3 YEARS, YET IT HAS SHOWN UP ON MY MAINTENANCE SLIP ONLY ONCE OR TWICE THAT I HAVE REPORTED IT. QUITE OFTEN, WHEN I START THE ENGINE (REGARDLESS OF WEATHER CONDITIONS OR WHETHER THE ENGINE IS COLD OR WARM) AND I TURN THE KEY, THE STARTER SOUNDS AS IF THE ENGINE IS ALREADY RUNNING AND I HEAR THAT GOD AWFUL GRINDING SOUND IN THE SELENOID. IT SOUNDS JUST LIKE THE ENGINE IS ALREADY RUNNING AND I TURN THE KEY AGAIN. I AM EXTREMELY FRUSTRATED WITH THE DEALER AND AM TIRED OF REPORTING THE PROBLEM, ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY DON'T SEEM TO WANT TO REPLACE IT. OF COURSE NOW, AFTER 3 YEARS, THE WARRANTY HAS RUN OUT AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR ANY REPLACEMENT. AT ONE TIME, ONE SALESMAN TOLD ME TO CONTINUE REPORTING THE PROBLEM BECAUSE KIA HAS RECEIVED COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND IF IT'S EVER RECALLED, IT WILL BE DOCUMENTED. HOWEVER, AS I STATED PREVIOUSLY, THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT BEEN RECORDING MY COMPLAINTS ON THE MAINTENANCE PAPERS SO IT STILL ISN'T DOCUMENTED. I JUST KEEP WONDERING WHERE I WILL BE AND HOW MUCH LONGER IT WILL BE BEFORE IT LETS ME SETTING SOMEWHERE. I REALIZE THE 800 # WILL COVER TOWING, ETC. BUT THAT'S NOT MUCH COMFORT WHEN YOU'RE A WOMAN ALONE AND STRANDED SOMEWHERE AND HAVE TRIED NUMEROUS TIMES TO CORREC THE PROBLEM BEFORE IT DOES LET ME STRANDED --- HOPEFULLY NOT IN A RURAL OR DESERTED AREA WHERE THERE ARE NO PHONES OR AT NIGHT WHEN I AM ALONE. WHAT MORE CAN I DO?! NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONE DIN SUMMARY. *AK

• 11/29/1999· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  I CONTACT KIA REP. SEVERAL TIMES THEY EVEN TOLD ME THEY WAS SENDING SOMEONE TO LOOK AT MY CAR. I PROMISED THIS FIVE TO SIX TIMES. BEFORE PURCHASING THIS KIA I THE SALESMAN IF THIS CAR WAS VERY SAFE HE SAID, YES. BUT, WHEN I STARTED ALL OF THE BRAKES AND BELTS SQUEELING NOISE. NO ONE WOULD TALK TO ME ABOUT TAKING THIS CAR BACK. KIA EVEN TOLD ME NO. PALMETTO TOLD ME I NEED AT LEAST $3 TO $4 THOUSAND MORE TO PUT DOWN TOWARDS ANOTHER CAR. I AM VERY STRESS OUT OVER THIS CAR. I AM GOING IN FOR ANOTHER BRAKES REPLACEMENT SOON ITS HARD FOR ME TO NOT TO BE SAFE IN THIS CAR. WE HAVE HAD VERY CLOSE CALLS. PLEASE HELP. I EVEN THE CONSUMER BOARD AND A LAWYER GOT NO RESPONSES. THEY REPLACE MY DASH , BUT MY DEFORST DOESN'T WORK. LAST PROMISED THAT SOMEONE FROM KIA WILL BE IN TO TALK TO ME IN JUNE,1999 BUT IT NEVER HAPPEN. I MET SEVERAL CUSTOMER THERE WITH THE SAME PROLEMS. IF YOU CAN, JUST ASKED TO SEE ALL REPAIR THAT WERE DONE ON KIA'S FROM THEM YOU WOULD SEE A LOT OF BRAKES, ROTOR'S AND EVEN SOME DASHIES REPAIR DONE. SOME PEOPLE WHOM WORK THERE TOLD ME THAT THEY CHANGE BRAKES AND ROTORS EVERY DAY ON KIA'S SOME MORE TIMES YOU CAN'T BELEIVE. I CAN GIVE YOU THESE PERSON NAME IF WANTED. I WANT THEM TO TAKE THIS CAR BACK OR GIVE ME SOME MONEY OFF ON THIS CAR. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I DIDN'T HAVE ACESS TO THE INTERNET BEFORE NOW.

• 11/27/2001· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  WHILE TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUTSDOWN WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, BUT IS UNABLE TO LOCATE SOURCE OF PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

• 11/26/1999· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWO TIMES WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY, THE BRAKES ARE AGAIN SHAKING AND THE DEALER HAS ODVIOUSLY NOT SOLVED THE PROBLEM .*ET

• 11/25/1997· AIR BAGS

  WVIOENT DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS RESULTED IN INJURIES. OWNER INDICATED THAT SHE DIDN'T HIT ANYTHING OR RUN OVER ANYTHING AS WELL. *AK

• 11/24/2000· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  SINCE CONSUMER OWNED CAR BRAKES HAD TO BE CHANGED FIVE TIMES. 3 BATTERIES HAD TO BE PUT IN. ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON ON INSTRUMENT PANEL, ANTI-FREEZE IS LEAKING AND THE ENGINE IS RUNNING ROUGH. *AK *SLC

• 11/24/1997· AIR BAGSCrash

  CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION, SPEED UNDETERMINED, IN WHICH THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. ALSO THERE IS MAJOR FRONT END DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

• 11/19/1999· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  DASHBOARD IS TURNIN SLIVER TO DARK BROWN. MANUFACTURERHAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATON. *AK

• 11/17/1997· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  ENGINE STALLED OUT WHILE DRIVING. ENGINE WAS REPLACED AND THE CYLINDER HEAD HAD TO BE REPLACED SHORTLY AFTER. *AK

• 11/15/1998· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULICCrash

  NO SUMMARY PROVIDED FROM CONSUMER

• 11/07/2001· AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTSCrash

  MY DOUGHTER REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 40-45 MPH. THE DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT LOCK UP, ALLOWING THE DRIVER'S AND A PASSENGERS HEAD TO HIT THE WINDSHIELD. DRIVER AND ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED A CONCUSSION, FACE LACERATIONS, HEAD NECK AND BACK INJURIES. THE DRIVER ALSO RECEIVED A HAND AND PELVIC INJURY. THE 2ND PASSENGER SUSTAINED NECK BACK AND LEG INJURIES. THE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT WAS SO BAD IT PUSHED THE DASH BACK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED!*AK

• 11/05/1997· SEAT BELTS

  REAR PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT DETACHED FROM WALL MOUNT UPON SUDDENLY STOPPING VEHICLE, INJURING CHILD'S HEAD. UPON INSPECTING THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE BELT, DISCOVERED THE SAME CONNECTOR PIECE WAS COMING UNATTACHED.

• 11/04/1998· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  WITHIN 6,000 MILES THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS HAVE BEEN CUT DOWN ON TWO OCCASIONS, AND CURRENTLY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *AKFRONT ROTORS CUT DOWN 2 TIMES WITHIN 6500 MILES, THEN REPLACED THE THIRD TIME AT 6500, ROTORS WERE REPLACED WITH NEW SLIGHLY THICKER ROTORS. *NLM

• 11/02/1998· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  BRAKES MAKE NOISE. TOOK VEHICLE TO ANOTHER CITY FOR REPAIRS. BRAKE SYSTEM NEEDED REPLACING IN SEP. 98. GRABBING & NOISE FROM BRAKES HAS REAPPEARED. *AK

• 11/01/1999· EQUIPMENT

  AIR CONDITIONER FAILED. *ET

• 10/31/2000· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  3RD TIME PROBLEM WITH ROTORS.TURNED 1X,REPLACED 1X.CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THEY'RE CLAIMING THAT THE WIRING IS CORRODED ALL OVER THE CAR.ADMITS KIA HAS PROBLEM WITH ROTORS,BUT WON'T FIX IT BECAUSE I HAVEN'T USED DEALERSHIP FOR ROUTINE AND MAINTENANCE (TOO EXPENSIVE AND BAD HOURS...THEY CHARGED $200 MORE THAN ANY OTHER PLACE FOR 30K SERVICE!SAME WORK INVOLVED!

• 10/30/2000· POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  AT VARIOUS SPEEDS OVERDRIVE LIGHT FLASHES OFF AND LOSES POWER. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES, AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM.*AK AFTER THE 7TH TIME DEALER REPLACED THE THROTTLE SENSOR AND THE CAR IS RUNNING FINE. *YH

• 10/29/1999· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  BRAKE SYSTEM CONTINUALLY MAKES NOISE, SEVERAL REPLACEMENTS AND REPAIRS HOWEVER CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE NOISE, UNABLE TO RECTIFY. MJS

• 10/27/2000· TIRES

  FIRESTONE FIREHAWK GTA TIRE (P185 60 R14) EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION. *SLC

• 10/26/1999· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULICCrash

  WHILE DRIVING CAR ON TO A HIGHWAY APPLIED BRAKES AND HAD LT FRONT WHEEL LOCK UP AND LOST CONTROLL OF STEERING AND HIT CURB DOING DAMAGE TO LT CONTROL ARM AND RIM HAD TO HAVE VEHICLE TOWED HOME CAR WAS DIABLED FOR 2WKS

• 10/26/1999· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  WHILE DRIVING AND APPLYING THE BRAKES ENGINE STALLS COMPLETELY OUT. HAS TO BE TURNED OFF AND STARTED BACK UP. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE, AND CANT FIND SOLUTION.

• 10/26/1999· POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I HAD TRANSAXLE PROBLEMS GETTING THE CAR IN GEAR . I ALSO HAD PROBLEMS GETTING KEYS FROM IGNITION SWITCH PART TOOK TWO WEEKS AND WAS RELACED AT DEALERSHIP

• 10/14/1998· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  WARPED FRONT AND REAR ROTORS/ INTERMITTENT STALLING. REPLACED STARTER/BATTERY/THROTTLE BODY/STARTER MOTOR AND ADJUSTED TIMING GEAR AND CHAIN. *AK

• 10/13/2000· STEERING

  POWER STEERING PUMPS REPLACED, STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY REPLACED. *SLC

• 10/13/1999· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  DASH WARPED AND FADED CAUSING POOR FIT. MJS

• 10/06/1997· AIR BAGSCrash

  AIR BAG: DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35MPH CAR PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF THE FIRST VEHICLE AND THE FRONT OF HER CAR HIT THE OTHER VEHICLE IN THE SIDE. THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK

• 10/05/1999· TIRES

  TIRE DEVELOPED A BLISTER, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO JUMP AND VIBRATE WHILE DRIVING. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

• 10/05/1999· AIR BAGSCrash

  WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH DRIVER WAS HIT ON RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE ,8 INCHES AWAY OFF CENTER. UPON IMPACT, , DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED BACK AND NECK INJURIES, AND PASSENGER SUFFERED SKULL LACERATIONS AND CONCUSSION. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. NO INDICTATION OF DUAL AIRBAGS BEING DEFECTIVE OR INOPERATIVE. *AK

• 10/02/2006· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM.

• 10/02/1998· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUALLY ILLUMINATING.

• 10/01/2001· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  CONSUMER STATES BRAKES HAVE BEEN WORKED ON 5 OR 6 TIMES IN LESS THAN THE FIRST 18 MONTHS, DEALER STATES THIS WAS NORMAL BECAUSE BRAKES WERE NEW. *SLC

• 10/01/1998· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  REQUESTED REPURCHASE MANAFACTURE REP JACK JOHNSON INSPECTED VEHICLE SAID NO PROBLEM EXISTED INDEPENDANT INSP FROM BBB INSPECTED VEHICLI CONFIRMED ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM PROBLEM

• 10/01/1998· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  REAR MOTOR MOUNT BOLTS FAILED.