Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Kia Sephia submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 30 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.
The 25 most recent of 30, in the owner's own words
DASHBOARD WARPED AND COMING UP AND TOUCHING WINDSHIELD. IT IS BREAKING OR BLOCKING THE VENT/DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER SYSTEM. THEREFORE THE WINDOWS BARELY DEFROST AND THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. I KNOW OF TWO OTHER PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE DASHBOARD. ALSO "DOOR OPEN" LIGHT REMAINS ON AND DRAINS BATTERY. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 KIA SEPHIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL REMAINS ILLUMINATED. HE DOES NOT KNOW IF THE AIR BAGS ARE WORKING PROPERLY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO, ESPECIALLY SINCE HIS VEHICLE IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THE COST WOULD BE $750 TO HAVE THE SENSOR REPAIRED. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THE NUMEROUS AMOUNTS OF COMPLAINTS, BUT IT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 18,355 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 300. UPDATED 09/05/07. *JB
AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY DURING A FRONT END CRASH. INJURIES INCLUDED HEAD,NECK AND BACK .THE CAR WAS TOTALED.*AK
DT: CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS HIT BY ANOTHER CAR ON AUGUST 15, 2005, AND THE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. WERE STILL UNSURE OF THE EXTEND OF THE INJURIES TO THE CONSUMER. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS UNHELPFUL TO THE CONSUMER. THEY TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT THE AIRBAGS SHOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES. ALTHOUGH OTHER INFORMATION THEY SENT HER SAID THAT THE AIR BAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. *AK
DT: THE CONTACT OWNED A 1997 KIA SEPHIA. CONTACT'S VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 35 MPH . UPON IMPACT, THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.THERE WERE THREE OCCUPANTS IN THE CAR ALL WEARING SEAT BELTS. THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT BROKE . THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT HAD NOT BEEN ON IN THIS VEHICLE NOR WAS IT ON AFTER THE CRASH. ONE PERSON SUSTAINED INJURIES BECAUSE OF THE SEAT BELT. SHE BROKE TWO RIBS. *AK
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION HEAD ON . SEAT BELT BROKE, THROWING THE CONSUMER THREW THE DRIVER'S WINDSHIELD. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK CONSUMER IS IN A COMA. *NM
THE DASHBOARD LIFTED UP FROM THE CHASSIS OF THE VEHICLE. ALSO, THERE WAS A HOLE THAT BURNED INTO THE TOP OF THE DASHBOARD. THE CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED WITH THE AIR BAGS NOT DEPLOYING OR DEPLOYING PREMATURELY. *AK *SC *JB
THE DASHBOARD ON THIS YEAR VEHICLE STARTS TO CURL AND IS HEADING TOWARDS THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WHICH MAY POP AND CAUSE INJURIES OR FATALITIES. THE DASHBOARD ALSO BREAKS THE PLASTIC VENTS WHICH THEN DOES NOT DISTRIBUTE THE AIR ON THE DEFROSTER PROPERLY WHICH THEN COULD ALSO CAUSE FATALITIES OR INJURIES.
WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMERS' VEHICLE HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE IN THE REAR END AT APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH. NEITHER THE DRIVER NOR PASSENGER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. *NLM
DRIVER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN A COLLISION. AK
INTERIOR SYSTEMS:PASSIVE RESTRAINT:AIR BAG:SIDE DOOR:PASSENGER SUMMARY: DASHBOARD HAS COME APART. ALSO, SEALS AROUND AIRBAG ON PASSENGER'S SIDE HAS LIFTED UP, EXPOSING PARTS UNDERNEATH. HEATER VENT ON DASH HAS CRACKED
WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT ON 3/25/02. A WOMAN HIT ME IN THE REAR END OF MY CAR AND MY SEAT RELEASED AND THE BACK OF THE SEAT WENT COMPLETELY BACK. I HAD TO STURGGLE TO SIT UP AFTER THE IMPACT AND REALIZED SHE HAD PUSHED ME INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. A SCHOOL BUS WAS COMING HEAD ON INTO ME. I HAD TO PULL MYSELF FORWARD WITHOUT THE BACK OF MY SEAT FOR SUPPORT AND STEER BEST I COULD OUT OF THE PATH OF THE BUS. MY SEAT SHOULD NEVER HAVE RELEASED LIKE IT DID. MY AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. AND LUCKILY I WAS COHERANT ENOUGH TO MISS GETTING HIT HEAD ON AND INJURING CHILDREN. THE WOMAN WHO HIT ME DID NOT SEE MY TURN SIGNAL AND WAS GOING TOO FAST FOR CONDITIONS. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AN AWFUL ACCIDENT HAD I NOT BEEN ABLE TO PULL MYSELF UPRIGHT FROM THE BACK OF MY SEAT FALLING DOWN. MY SHOES FLEW OFF AND I WAS LAYING DOWN INTO THE BACK SEAT LOOSING MY STEERING AND COULD NOT REACH THE PEDDLES SINCE I WAS THROWN SO FAR BACK. I DID HAVE MY SEAT BELT ON WHICH I AM SURE DID SAVE ME FROM HITTING THE WINDSHIELD. HOWEVER, IT DID NOT WORK LIKE IT SHOULD SINCE I WAS SO FAR BACK. HAD I BEEN HIT BY THE BUS A THAT MOMENT, I MIGHT HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. NLM
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
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
DASHBOARD HAS COME APART. ALSO, SEALS AROUND AIRBAG ON PASSENGER'S SIDE HAS LIFTED UP, EXPOSING PARTS UNDERNEATH. HEATER VENT ON DASH HAS CRACKED, CAUSING HEATER TO BECOME INOPERATIVE.*AK
CONSUMER INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE SHE REAR-ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK
DURING VEHICLE ACCIDENT NO DEPLOYMENT OF BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS, INJURIES DUE TO DEFECTIVE AIR BAGS. *MJS
DRIVER-SIDE AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY DURING HEAD-ON COLLISION. *AK
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
THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT HAS COME ON. INDICATING AIRBAGS ARE INOPERATIVE.THEY WERE FIXED ONE AT THE TIME, BUT PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED. *AK
INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL IMPACT AT ABOUT 30 MPH, AND DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, WHICH DID NOT PROTECT THE OCCUPANT IN THIS ACCIDENT. NO PRIOR PROBLEM OR WARNING. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED; WARPED FRONT BRAKE ROTORS, CAUSING EXTENTED STOPPING DISTANCE, RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL/CRASH. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
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
AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY DURING CRASH WHICH THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD WAS SMASHED INTO THE FRON SEAT AND THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. DRIVER INJURIES INCLUDED TWO HERNIATED DISCS IN HIS NECK AND ONE IN HIS BACK.
NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DURING REAR END COLLISION. *AK
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .