Interior & seats
Filed Jan 15, 2003
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
1996 Kia Sephia Interior & seats Problems
Owner-reported complaints naming the interior system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Interior & seats 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.
10
Latest Jan 15, 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.
8%
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.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0
What this page shows
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings. 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. 10 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 interior
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
Interior & seats
Filed Oct 28, 2000
THE TOP OF THE DASH ACTUALLY HAS A LARGE BURN SCORCH MARK ABOUT THE SIZE OF A GRAPEFRUIT AND THE FOAM LIKE MATERIAL IS BULGING OUT, THIS IS IN THE MIDDLE OF FLORIDA'S SUMMER HEAT AND VEHICLE HAS BEEN PARKED OUTSIDE OF MY WORK BUT A CAR ONLY 3 YEARS OLD SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS TYPE OF DAMAGE, OVER YEARS HAVE OWNED OLD CARS OVER TEN YEARS OLD BEFORE EVER SAW DASH PROBLEMS AND NOTHING LIKE THIS, DONT KNOW IF THIS COULD HAVE SOMEHOW IGNITED A FIRE OR IF DASH IS NOW LOOSE COMPROMISING OTHER EQUIPMENT IN THE DASH. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO KNOW OF ANY OTHER PROBLEMS OR RECALLS WITH THIS MODEL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE.
- NHTSA ID
- 735334
- Incident
- Jul 1, 2000
Interior & seats
Filed Sep 21, 1999
DASHBOARD GETS HOT AND IS DETERIORATING ABOVE INSTRUMENT PANEL
- NHTSA ID
- 711742
- Incident
- Aug 8, 1998
Interior & seats
Filed Jun 27, 1999
Fire reported
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 707941
- Incident
- Apr 25, 1999
ElectricalInterior & seatsPowertrain (other)
Filed Jun 3, 1999
THE FIRST MONTH I HAD CAR THE IGNITION/STEERING LOCKED AND NEEDED TOWING BY KIA-NOTHING CHARGED TO ME. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN COMING ON AND STAYING ON SHORTLY AFTER 'REPAIR' EVER SINCE I BOUGHT CAR 3-28-1998. I JUST GOT "RUN-AROUND' FROM WESTERN DIVERSIFIED/KIA AND INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP OVER AXLES. KIA TOLD ME NOTHING COVERED AFTER 36,000 MI.. AFTER I THOUGHT I COULD SEND IN BILL FOR AXLES TO EXTENDED WARRANTY INSTEAD OF CALLING AT THE TIME (MALE CHAUVINIST MECHANIC) AND AFTER WESTERN DIVERSIFIED SEEMINLY INDICATED AXLES PART OF ROUTINE MAINTENANCE (CV BOOT-DIDN'T KNOW WERE GOING BAD) AND I COULDN'T AFFORD $200-300 FOR DEALER TO CHECK CAR EARLIER-- DEALERS AND KIA THEN SAY I HAVE 5/60 WARRANTY ON ENGINE/TRANS AND NOW WON'T COVER AXLES BECAUSE OF INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TOUCHING CAR AND HE WON'T BACK UP HIS 'WARRANTY'. I JUST STARTED FULL-TIME WORK NOT AS A TEMP (BUT TERM) WITH CO I WORKED 5 1/2 YRS BEFORE. ALL MY MONEY IS GOING ALTERNATELY TO CAR REPAIRS THEN CATCH UP ON CAR PMTS AND INS AND I STILL NEED TO MOVE AND CAN'T AFFORD TO AND REALLY STEAMED AND WRITING TO ATTY GENERAL ABOUT KIA--Y2K MEANS YUCK TO KIA. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 707178
- Incident
- Feb 15, 1999
Interior & seats
Filed May 25, 1999
DASHBOARD IS BUSTING AND BURNING TO PIECES INTO THE AIRBAG. MANUACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 838406
EngineInterior & seatsSeat belts
Filed Jan 5, 1999
SEAT BELTS FAILED.
- NHTSA ID
- 543202
Interior & seats
Filed Dec 11, 1997
BRAKE AND ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUOUSLY COME ON, LIGHT SWITCH BROKE OFF.
- NHTSA ID
- 526079
BrakesInterior & seatsTransmission
Filed Apr 6, 1997
BRAKES SQUEAL.
- NHTSA ID
- 516221
Body & structureBrakesDriver assistance+6 more
Filed Mar 31, 1997
BRAKES FAILED.
- NHTSA ID
- 603332
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
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .