Owner-reported complaints naming the fuel system system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Fuel system 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.
12
Latest Sep 28, 2001
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.
6%
of 205 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.
3
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1
What this page shows
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks. 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. 12 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 fuel system
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
Fuel system
Filed Sep 28, 2001
THE CAR WAS ACTING UP, WE THOUGHT IT WAS OVERHEATING,BECAUSE WHEN THE CAR COOLED OFF IT WOULD START. ON 7/04/2001 WE WERE GOING DOWN THE ROAD AT 55 MPH WHEN IT SHUT OFF. IT WOULD NOT START AGAIN. TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC .HE SAID THE FUEL PUMP WAS BAD. REPLACED IT. TOOK A TRIP TO MASS. CAR DIED AGAIN. TOLD FUEL RELAY WAS BAD,REPLACED,08/10/2001. COMING HOME FIRST TIME CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON.TOOK IT TO DEALER.EGR VALVE REPLACED ABOUT 08/21/2001. 09/25/2001 CAR DIES TAKE IT TO A MECHANIC,CHECKS,FUEL PUMP BAD AGAIN. VERY DISTURBING, I DON'T WANT DEALERS TO WORK ON IT. SAY I NEED AN INVOICE# FOR WORK ORDER BEFORE I CAN GET FUEL PUMP. MECHANIC IS FRIEND KIA CERTIFIED I TRUST HIM TO FIX THE PROBLEM LONG TERM, NOT THE DEALER. IF YOU WEREN'T AWARE I MOVED TO VA.5 MNTHS AGO.*AK
NHTSA ID
752704
Incident
Jul 4, 2001
EngineFuel system
Filed Jan 19, 2001
ENGINE & ENGINE CHECK LIGHT & POWER/FUEL INJECTION SWITCH. BEEN IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR CHECKUPS AND REPAIRS 5 TIMES FOR THE SAME THING. CAR IS DEAD, TIMING CHAIN BROKE AND THE BLOCK FROZED UP.
NHTSA ID
739629
Fuel system
Filed Sep 26, 2000
Fire reported
CONSUMER'S VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE TOWARDS THE END AND ABOVE THE MUFFLER AND ABOVE FUEL TANK. DEALER HAS RECOGNIZED THE ACTUAL CAUSE OR REMEDY, BUT WAS READY TO HAVE CONSUMER PICK UP THE VEHICLE. PRIOR TO FIRE, VEHICLE WAS LOSING POWER AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. PLEASE FILLE ADDTIONAL INFORMATION. *AK
NHTSA ID
871556
Incident
Sep 15, 2000
Fuel system
Filed Sep 19, 2000
Fire reported
FUEL TANK CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING. *AK
NHTSA ID
870947
Incident
Sep 15, 2000
ElectricalEngineFuel system+3 more
Filed Jun 7, 2000
ONGOING PROBLEM WITH BATTERY FAILURE; DEALER NOTIFIED, AND REPLACED FAULTY BATTERY ON TWO OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM REOCCURRED. ALSO, AND PROBLEM ENGINE HESITATION. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK THE CONSUMER FOUND OUT RIGHT AFTER LEASING THE VEHICLE, THAT THE RADIO WAS INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE BEGAN SQUEEKING IN THE REAR END WHEN TURNING. THE HEATER MALFUNCTIONED. THE LEFT REAR STRUT ASSEMBLY FAILED CAUSING KNOCKING NOISE AT RIGHT REAR. THE O-RING FAILED CAUSEING THE DISTRIBUTOR LEAK AND THERE WAS LOSS OF POWER WHILE DRIVING. *YH
NHTSA ID
863221
Incident
Sep 15, 1998
Body & structureEngineFuel system+1 more
Filed Oct 13, 1999
DASH WARPED AND FADED CAUSING POOR FIT. MJS
NHTSA ID
548983
Incident
Sep 29, 1999
Fuel system
Filed Jun 4, 1999
Fire reported1 injury reported
CONSUMER WAS PUMPING GAS AT AN AMICO STATION---2216 PLANK RD. FREDRICKSBURG, VA. WHEN A FIRE BALL SHOT OUT OF GAS TANK AND IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO BURN. CONSUMER FOUND A FIRE EXSTINGUSHER AND MANAGED TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. AK
NHTSA ID
835219
Incident
Feb 19, 1999
Fuel system
Filed Jan 18, 1999
I HAD THE VEHICLE REPAIRED FOR AN EMMISSIONS PROBLEM (SEE DEFECT INFO. #1)...7 DAYS LATER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER AND IT WAS BASICALLY THE SAME PROBLEM, EXCEPT I WAS TOLD IT WAS DUE TO THE GAS TANK BEING OVERFILLED. I DON'T SEE HOW THIS IS POSSIBLE SINCE I'VE BEEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR ONLY A YEAR AND THE PROBLEM HAS JUST STARTED. THE PROBLEM CONCERNS ME BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF FUMES ARE BUILDING UP WHICH MAY CAUSE A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD.
NHTSA ID
702326
Incident
Jan 9, 1999
Fuel system
Filed Aug 28, 1998
FUEL PUMP/GAS TANK MALFUNCTIONL.
NHTSA ID
540364
Incident
May 27, 1998
EngineFuel system
Filed Jul 23, 1998
FUEL INJECTION WIRING HARNESS, IDLE SET TOO LOW, COULD NO FIX IT THE LAST TIME, ENGINE STALLS
NHTSA ID
538715
Fuel system
Filed Jun 29, 1998
VERY DISAPPOINTED IN VEHICLE... PROBLEMS ARE LOCALIZED IN FUEL SYSTEM AREA FUEL INJECTOR #3 JUST RECENTLY REPLACED. HAVE PAPERWORK FOR EVERY VISIT TO DEALER. WROTE LETTERS TO KIA ASSISTANCE CENTER AND BBB AUTOLING VIA CERTIFIED LTR WHICH I HAVE COPY OF. ANY HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
NHTSA ID
537621
Incident
May 1, 1997
Fuel systemTires & wheels
Filed Apr 28, 1998
GENERAL TIRE FAILURE.
NHTSA ID
534846
Incident
Jan 6, 1998
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