1996 Kia Sephia Owner Complaints

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THAT ON DECEMBER 1, 2003 THE DASHBOARD LIFTED UP IN THE FRONT WHEN TURNING ON THE DEFROSTER . IT DID NOT DEFOG THE WINDOW, IT WILL WORK SOMEWHAT BUT NOT LIKE IT SHOULD. CAN SEE THE INSIDE DASHBOARD WHERE WIRING AND FOAM WAS. IT HAS PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE SINCE DECEMBER 2003. CONSUMER HAD TRIED TO PUSH THE DASHBOARD DOWN WITH HER HANDS, BUT THE DASHBOARD WILL NOT MOVE. CONSUMER HAS NOT HAD A DEALER LOOK AT VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10139038

Incident

Dec 1, 2003

I PURCHASED A 1996 KIA SEPHIA AND HAVE THE SAME PROBLAM AS ALOT OF OTHER OWNERS. THE DASHBOARD IS LIFTING AND PEELING AWAY FROM THE FRAME.*AK

NHTSA ID

10102903

Incident

Nov 4, 1996

Mileage

56,000 mi

ABS BRAKING LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. CONSUMER NOTICED WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER DROVE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10099333

Incident

Nov 3, 2004

IT IS UNBELIEVEABLE THAT THERE IS NO RECALL ON THE DASHBOARDS FOR KIA VEHICLES. I OWN A KIA SEPHIA AND IT SEEMS LIKE THE DASHBOARD CRACKS AND PEELS OFF. I HAVE SEEN OTHER MODELS AND IT FACES THE SAME PROBLEMS. MATTER OF FACT I VISITED KIA DEALERSHIPS AND THERE IS NO WARRANTY ON THIS ITEMS. THE DEALERSHIPS ALSO MENTIONED THAT THEY HAVE ALOT OF COMPLAINTS ON THAT SAME ISSUE. I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT THERE MUST BE A RECALL ON THIS ISSUES. *AK

NHTSA ID

10067593

Incident

Dec 10, 2002

Mileage

66,000 mi

DASHBOARD IS SEPARATING FROM THE FRAME OF THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. DEALER HAS EXAMINED THE VEHICLE ON FOUR OCCASIONS, AND WAS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10067482

Incident

Apr 13, 1999

Mileage

20,000 mi

THE DASHBOARD IS RISING AND THE DEFROSTER DOESN'T WORK, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY TO THE DRIVER. *AK *MR

NHTSA ID

10053627

Mileage

17,000 mi

WHEN VEHICLE HAS BEEN STARTED ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND REMAIN ILLUMINATED. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC FAILED TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

10038262

Incident

Aug 12, 2003

Mileage

72,864 mi

CONSUMER STATES THAT DASHBOARD IS PEELING OFF FROM THE CAR'S FOUNDATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

10026909

CONSUMER STATES THAT BODY MOUNTS SEPARATED FROM THE FRAME, RESULTING IN LOSS OF STEERING FUNCTION WHILE DRIVING. RELATED RECALL 98V323000, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *AK

NHTSA ID

10026908

Incident

Jul 8, 2003

Mileage

150,000 mi

THE DASH BOARD BUCKLED TO THE POINT WHERE THE CONSUMER HAD TO CUT OFF PORTIONS OF IT. THE CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED IT MAY AFFECT THE PERFORMANCE OF THE AIR BAG. *JB

NHTSA ID

10020431

"CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT HAS BEEN ON SINCE I BAUGHT THE CAR. I HAVE TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO HAVE IT FIXED BUT THE LIGHT STILL COMES ON. MY CAR WILL NOT PASS CALIFORNIA SMOG WITH THE LIGHT ON WHICH MEANS THAT I CANNOT RENEW MY REGISTRATION THE NEXT TIME THE DMV REQUIRES A SMOG CHECK.

NHTSA ID

10007909

Incident

Jun 1, 1996

Mileage

3 mi

DASHBOARD HAS CURLED UP IN FRONT (AGAINST WINDSHIELD). BECAUSE OF THIS THE DEFROSTER WILL NOT DEFROST THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. AS A RESULT I AM UNABLE TO SEE ADEQUATELY TO DRIVE ANYTIME MY WINDSHIELD IS FOGGY. THIS MAY ALSO CAUSE PROBLEMS WITH AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT BUT I'M NOT SURE.

NHTSA ID

10005770

Incident

Feb 12, 2003

Mileage

40,000 mi

THE CENTER OF THE DASHBOARD NEAR THE WINDSHIELD VENTS HAS PEELED AWAY OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO FROM THE DASH FRAME. RIGHT NOW IT IS STANDING AROUND 3" FROM THE FRAME AND I AM AFRAID THAT IT WILL CONTINUE TO TRANSGRESS INTO MY LINE OF SIGHT. I HAVE ALSO NOTICED THAT THE DEFROST/DEFOGGER ON THE CAR DOES NOT WORK WELL ANYMORE SINCE THE PEELING HAS OCCURRED. THE DASH IS ALSO LIFTING AWAY FROM THE FRAME JUST ABOVE AND TO THE RIGHT OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. MY CAR IS EQUIPPED WITH DUAL FRONT AIR BAGS AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS WARPING OF THE DASH MAY IN SOME WAY EITHER CAUSE A PREMATURE RELEASE OF THE PASSENGER AIR BAG OR PREVENT THE RELEASE OF THE BAG WHEN IT MAY BE NEEDED. I HAVE NOTED THIS SAME PHENOMENON ON OTHER KIA SEPHIAS IN THE CITY WHERE I LIVE.

NHTSA ID

10004998

Incident

Jan 31, 2002

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE WHEN THE WHOLE DASH BOARD CAME OFF. DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED AT THE TIME OF THIS. TS

NHTSA ID

10003960

Incident

Nov 30, 2002

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

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLES WILL NOT LOCK PROPERLY CAUSING THE CONSUMER NOT TO HAVE A SEAT BELT ON WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

NHTSA ID

10001566

Incident

Dec 8, 2002

THE FIRST WIRING HARNESS THAT WAS ORDERED FOR THIS CAR ON 10/29/02 WAS DEFECTIVE. THEY ORDERED A SECOND ONE. I WENT TO PICK UP MY CAR THEY SAY WAS READY AND EVERYTHING IS WORKING. BEFORE I DROVE OFF THE LOT I NOTICED MY DOOR AJAR LIGHT ON. HOWEVER ALL OF THE DOORS WERE CLOSED INCLUDING THE TRUNK. SO TOMORROW I AM TAKING MORE TIME OFF FROM WORK SO THEY CAN INSTALL A THIRD WIRING HARNESS. I HAVE TAKEN OFF 2 DAYS 3 HOURS SO FAR. THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP IS ABOUT 45 MILES AWAY. I ONLY HAVE THAT ONE CAR. THE CAR WAS TOWED OVER THERE THE LAST TIME BECAUSE THE GEAR SHIFT WOULD NOT MOVE. WITH ALL THE COMPLAINTS THAT I HAVE SEEN TONIGHT ON THIS WEB SITE YOU WOULD THINK THEY WOULD CALL A RECALL. I WILL NOT REST UNTIL SOMEONE TAKES RESPONSIBLITY FOR THE CAR THAT HAS BEEN IN AND OUT THE SHOP EVERY SINCE I HAD IT. DT

NHTSA ID

769631

Incident

Oct 14, 2002

THIS IS THE THIRD WIRING HARNESS THEY ARE ORDERING. DT

NHTSA ID

769352

Incident

Oct 28, 2002

SEAT BELTS ARE UNTREADING WITHOUT BEING USED EXCESSIVELY.*AK

NHTSA ID

8013813

Incident

Jun 11, 2002

THE SEAMS THAT JOIN THE BODY IN THE REAR HAVE SEPARATED, THIS CAUSED A LEAK IN THE TRUNK OF THE VEHICLE. SEPARATION IS SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO CAUSE FREE FLOWING WATER TO BE SEEN ENTERING THE TRUNK COMPARTMENT. SOME OF THE SEPARATION OF THE SEAM IS NOT VISIBLE DUE TO BEING LOCATED UNDERNEATH THE REAR BUMPER.

NHTSA ID

755347

Incident

Jan 1, 2001

DASHBOARD WAS WARPING. DASHBOARD BEGAN DISCOLORING A YEAR 1/2 AGO, AND CURRENTLY WAS FALLING APART. DEALER ADVISED THAT IT WAS SIMPLY WEAR AND TEAR. CONSUMER FEELS THAT PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAG MAY DEPLOY. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ID

891330

Incident

Jan 1, 2001

ONLY 9 MONTH OLD BREAK, ROTORS HAS BECOME TOO THIN, NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID

743580

Incident

Apr 3, 2001

THE DASHBOARD ON MY KIA IS FOLDING AND BUCKLING PREVENTING THE DEFROST SYSTEM TO BLOW CORRECTLY. THUS, MAKE IT A HAZARDOUS CONDITION WHEN IT IS RAINING AND THE WINDSHIELD FOGS UP. THE BLOWER CANNOT REACH THE WINDSHIELD DUE TO THE BUCKLING OF THE DASH.

NHTSA ID

742533

WHILE DRIVING IN DARK IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE DUE TO HEADLIGHTS LAMPS, WHERE COVER IS TURNING YELLOW, AND ISN'T ILUMINATING LIKE BEFORE.*AK

NHTSA ID

881770

Incident

Feb 28, 2001

BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS NEED TO BE REPLACED EVERY 8000 MILES. *AK

NHTSA ID

739060

Incident

Jan 6, 2001