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1996 Kia Sephia Airbags Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Airbags reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
11
Latest Jan 7, 2003
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
9%
of 118 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
4
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
5

What this page shows

Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Kia Sephia submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 11 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming airbag

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Airbags
Filed Jan 7, 2003

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING GOING 30MPH THE VEHICLE WAS IN A HEAD ON ACCIDENT WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. CONSUMER STATES THE SEAT BELT NEVER LOCKED AND BOTH AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. TS

NHTSA ID
10002254
Incident
Oct 7, 2002
Airbags
Filed Sep 15, 2000

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINS ILLUMINATED, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE SYSTEM, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID
870645
AirbagsTires & wheels
Filed Jan 27, 2000

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. DID NOT HIT ANYTHING. THIS CAUSED SMOKE TO FILL THE INSIDE OF VEHICLE. ALSO HAD JERKED WHEN THIS HAPPENED. EVERYTHING LOCKED UP WHICH MADE IT HARD TO ESCAPE VEHICLE/ TIRE BLEW OUT. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. WAS INFORMED IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY & TO CONTACT MANUFACTURER. *AK

NHTSA ID
855642
Incident
Dec 30, 1999
Airbags
Filed Oct 12, 1999

AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHIN SECONDS AFTER STARTING VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND REFUSED TO REPAIR UNLESS COST GOES TO CONSUMER. ASKING NHTSA HELP IN THIS MATTER. *AK

NHTSA ID
850525
Incident
Oct 5, 1999
Airbags
Filed Jul 7, 1999
Crash reported1 injury reported

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN 35-40 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING THE OCCUPANT TO SUSTAIN INJURIES. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
841813
Airbags
Filed Jun 22, 1999

NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVERS AND PASSENGER AIR BAG DURING FRONTAL COLLISION CAUSING FACE TO HIT STEERING WHEEL. NLM

NHTSA ID
546275
Incident
May 6, 1999
Airbags
Filed Apr 12, 1999
Crash reported2 injuries reported

CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

NHTSA ID
836699
Incident
Apr 8, 1999
Airbags
Filed Dec 22, 1998
Crash reported1 injury reported

WHILE TRAVELING 15MPH WAS BROADSIDED IN FRONT, ON DRIVER'S SIDE. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. SKID MARKS SHOWED OTHER VEHICLE TRAVELED 25MPH. DRIVER SUSTAINED BACK/HAND AND ABDOMEN INJURIES. *AK

NHTSA ID
832558
Incident
Nov 30, 1998
AirbagsBody & structureExterior lighting+2 more
Filed Jan 13, 1998

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUOUSLY MALFUNCTIONS.

NHTSA ID
528126
Airbags
Filed Nov 13, 1997
Crash reported1 injury reported

OWNER HIT A GUARD RAIL FROM THE FRONT AND THEN THE SIDE AND AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK

NHTSA ID
819002
Incident
Oct 24, 1997
Airbags
Filed Apr 9, 1997

OTHER: REQUEST FOR AIRBAG REMOVAL.

NHTSA ID
516313
Incident
Mar 30, 1997

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Brakes39Engine17Seat belts15Electrical13Body & structure13Transmission11Interior & seats10

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .