Owner-reported complaints naming the body or structure system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim. 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. 19 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
THE DASHBOARD IS WARPED/COMING UP AND HAS BENT/RUINED THE DEFROST/DEFOGGER SYSTEM. IT HAPPENED ALL ON IT'S OWN, WE DID NOTHING TO PROVOKE THIS. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN A WRECK. I AM CONCERNED IF IT HAS CAUSED AIRBAG DAMAGE. IT IS A HAZARD NOT TO BE ABLE TO DEFROST/DEFOG WINDOWS. ALSO THE TAILPIPE KEEPS GETTING HOLES IN IT AND WE HAVE TO KEEP GETTING WELDING DONE ON IT. *JB
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
DT: CONSUMER OWNS 1997 KIA SEPHIA. SHE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE DASHBOARD. THE VENTS FOR THE DEFROSTER FELL OFF, AND THE DASHBOARD WAS BROWN, WHICH BEGAN AS A SMALL SPOT AND GREW TO COVER THE WHOLE DASHBOARD. SHE WAS CONCERNED THAT THE DASHBOARD FALLING APART MIGHT SOMEHOW AFFECT THE AIRBAGS. SHE SAYS THAT THERE IS A BURNING SMELL COMING FROM DASH, SMELL HAS BEEN THERE SINCE SHE PURCHASED VEHICLE. SHE DID PURCHASE VEHICLE NEW.*AK
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
PROBLEMS WITH SEAT BELTS AND DASHBOARD. *MR *SC *JB
THE PASSENGER SIDE DASHBOARD IS LIFTING UP, CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS MAY CAUSE THE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
THE DASHBOARD IS PULLING APART AND THIS IS UNSAFE AND I WORRY ABOUT THE AIR BAGS BLASTING OFF AND OTHER DAMAGE. I KNOW THIS PROBLEM IS PREVELANT TO THIS CAR ALSO THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE BREAKS THEY SQUEAK HORRIBLY, BUT THE BREAK PEOPLE SAY THEY DON'T NEED TO BE REPLACED, UNSURE OF THE CAUSE.*AK
THE DASHBOARD CAME LOOSE AND LIFTED FROM THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE.*MR. THE MOLDING STRIP AROUND THE REAR WINDOW WAS LOOSE.*TS *JB
THE DASHBOARD AREA, IN FRONT OF DRIVER'S SEAT DEVELOPED "BURN" SPOTS AND SINCE THEN POPPED OUT, NEAR THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. AS A RESULT, THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS AND BLURRED VISION WHEN DRIVING FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE SUN CONTACTED THE DASH AND HAD GIVEN OFF SOME TYPE OF CHEMICAL. *AK THE BURN SPOT WAS APPROXIMATELY 12 INCHES IN DIAMETER. EVERY THREE TO FOUR DAYS IT CREATED A FILM ON THE INSIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD(THE SIZE OF THE BURN AREA) AND ALSO HAD GIVEN OFF AN ODOR. THE ODOR MADE THE CONSUMER'S HUSBAND SICK AND HER SISTER'S EYES BURN. *SCC *JB
THE DASH BOARD STARTED TO LIFT/ EXPAND, WHICH MAY CAUSE THE AIR BAG TO DEPLOY. *JB
IS LEAKING CAUSING ELECTRICAL LIGHTS DAMAGE, THE HAZARDS OR SIGNALS AREN'T WORKING AND THE TRUCK SMELLS LIKE MILDEW. TS
I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THIS. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME ON, THE ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE AND THEY STILL MADE NOISE BUT THE DEALER SAID THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE THEY COULD DO, THE HINGE ON THE BACK DOOR FAILED, THE LEFT STRUT HAD TO BE REPLACED. THIS TIME THE ENTIRE BOTTOM OF THE CAR WAS DAMAGED THE CAR SKIPPED WHEN IN DRIVE TO REVERSE AND THE BREAKS WOULD NOT ALLOW THE CAR TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. KIA NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS THESE CARS HAVE TOO MANY DEFECTS AND I'M SURE THEY HAVE MANY MOR PEOPLE JUST DON'T REPORT THEM ALL THE TIME
DOOR SEAL FAILED.*ET
DASH WARPED AND FADED CAUSING POOR FIT. MJS
VEHICLE CONTINUALLY EXPERIENCES BRAKE ROTOR AND PAD REPLACEMENT DUE TO VIBRATION/PULSATION. MJS
DASHBOARD REPLACED TWO TIMES DUE TO SEPARATING PROBLEMS.
EXTREMELY LOUD WIND NOISE CAUSED BY DRIVER SIDE MIRROR WHEN DRIVING 55 MPH OR OVER.
WHILE DRVING THE VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING. ALSO, THE BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE , AND OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLES BROKE OFF. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK
BRAKES FAILED CAUSING PULSATING AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES, BRAKES REPLACED HOWEVER STILL EXPERIENCE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES.
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
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