Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Kia Sephia submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 257 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 257, in the owner's own words
MY 1998 KIA SEPHIA REAR BRAKE PAD FELL OFF FELL OFF THE SHOE. APPARENTLY THEY ARE HELD ON BY GLUE. IT WAS REPLACED BUT I STILL HAVE PROBLEMS WHEN IT RAINS A LOT , THEY LOCK UP WHEN PARKED. I DON'T DARE USE MY EMERGENCY BRAKE BECAUSE THE BRAKES LOCK UP. *TR
I BROUGHT A NEW KIA SEPHIA IN 1998, AND HAD NOTHING BUT TROUBLE WITH IT! TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED 2 TIMES BY THE MECHANIC FOR KIA MOTORS, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN ON 7/2007. ALSO , THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED 4 TIMES AND NEED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. NOW THE HEADLIGHTS KEEP TURNING OFF WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, BUT NO MECHANIC CAN LOCATE THE ELECTRICAL SHORT PROBLEM. *AK
1-LEAKING BRAKE FLUID INSIDE FIREWALL 2-DASHBOARD DISFIGURING 3-EXAUST MANIFOLD GASKETS NOT LASTING
THE CONSUMER STATES THE FRONT BRAKES ARE WEARING PREMATURELY. THE PART HAVE BEEN REPLACED FIVE TIMES HOWEVER PROBLEM STILL EXIST. THE CAUSE HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM
THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND DROVE TO THE DEALER. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE CONSUMER INFORMED THE MECHANIC THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED MORE THAN ONCE AND THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB
REAR DRUM BRAKES SQUEALED LOUDLY, AND IT DID NOT FEEL AS IF THEY WERE WORKING IN MOIST CONDITIONS. ALSO, A STEERING GEAR BRACKET WELD CRACKED, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO STEER VEHICLE. AT LOW SPEEDS CONSUMER HAD DIFFICULT MAINTAINING CONTROL. STEERING WHEEL WAS FLOPPING AROUND. *AK
REAR BRAKE SHOES CAME APART AND LODGED IN THE DRUM, LOCKING THE STEERING WHEEL. *PH THE DEALER REPLACED THE REAR BRAKE SHOES AND LEFT REAR BRAKE DRUM. THEY ALSO RESURFACED THE RIGHT REAR BRAKE DRUM. THE CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPAIR BECAUSE HE FEELS THIS FAILURE WAS NOT DUE TO NORMAL WEAR. *NM (NAR)
I PURCHASED A KIA IN MARCH 02' I USED THE CAR FOR LONG TRIPS THE FIRST YEAR I HAD OWNED THE CAR AND I HAD NO FAULTS IN JAN.- FEB 03' THE CAR BEGAN TO SHIFT IN TO NUMEROUS GEARS AND THEN STALL. I WAS THEN DEPLOYED TO IRAQ. I LEFT THE CAR WITH A GOOD FRIEND. WHEN I CAME BACK HE INFORMED ME THAT THE CAR WOULDN'T START. DEALER SAID IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP. FRIEND REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP.FRIEND THEN REPLACED FUEL PUMP AGAIN WHEN CAR WOULDN'T START. FRIEND LEFT THE CAR ALONE,WHEN IT DIDN'T START, UNTIL I HAD RETURNED FROM IRAQ. I CAME BACK AND TOOK THE CAR TO MIDAS, DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE DEALER DIDN'T HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT WAS GOING ON. MIDAS THEN SAID IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP. I HAD IT REPLACED FOR A THIRD TIME. CAR RAN FOR A DAY THEN DIED. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO MIDAS THEY SAID IT WAS THE WIRING HARNESS. I HAD THAT REPLACED. CAR STILL DIDN'T START. SO MIDAS SAID THREE WEEKS LATER THEY SAID IT WAS THE FUEL MODULE. THE CAR THEN WORKED FOR ABOUT A MONTH THEN WOULDN'T START. TOOK CAR TO SEVERAL SHOPS ALL SAID IT WAS THE PUMP. I THEN HAD A MECHANIC FROM MY UNIT CHECK IT OUT. HE SAID IT WAS WITHIN THE WIRING TO THE FUEL PUMP STILL HASN'T FIGURED IT OUT. SINCE THEN I HAVE FOUND THAT IT HAS A FAULTY CONNECTION WITH THE CONNECTING CABLES NEAR THE FUEL PUMP UNDER THE BACK SEAT. THE CONNECTORS HAVE BEEN MISS FIRING AND HAS BURNT A HOLE IN MY BACK SEAT. I'VE TRIED TO GO TO THE DEALER BUT THEY INSIST ON DOING A DIANOSTIC AND CHARGE ME $60.00 JUST TO TELL ME THE SAME THING THAT I ALREADY KNOW. THEY ALSO SAID THEY CAN'T ORDER THE PART UNTIL A DIANOSTIC WAS DONE. I'VE ALSO HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THE FUEL TANK OVER FILLING AND NOT READING FULL ON THE GAUGE. I HAVE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKES FOUR TIMES IN 18 MONTHS.THE POWER STEERING ALSO GOES OUT QUITE FREQUENTLY. I HAVE ALSO HAD A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE ALIGNMENT OF THE CAR. I UNDERSTAND THAT WEAR AND TEAR OCCURS ON A VEHICLE BUT THE PROBLEMS THAT I HAVE HAD WITH THIS CAR IS NOT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. IAM DISSAPONTED IN KIA
THE VEHICLE'S REAR BRAKE LIGHT FAILED. THE PART HAS BEEN REPLACED FIVE TIMES WITHIN ONE YEAR. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THERE IS A SHORT IN CIRCUIT. *NLM
THE CONSUMER REAR ENDED ANOTHER MOTORIST AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY*AK THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE BRAKES FAILED. *JB
ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM WAS REPLACED WITHIN 30,000 MILES DUE TO EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, NECESSARY FOR BRAKE EFFICIENCY. *AK
VEHICLE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. *MR WHEN THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO COME TO STOP THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE BRAKES FAILED. CONSUMER HAD TO DRIVE ON THE LAWN IN ORDER TO GET THE VEHICLE TO STOP. AND THEN THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. *TT *JB
CONSUMER STATES THE FRONT ROTORS OVERHEAT AND WARP, AFFECTING THE BRAKING ABILITY. WHEN BRAKING AT ANY SPEED THERE IS PULSATION AND VIBRATING. DEALER HAS TURNED THE FRONT ROTORS THREE TIMES. TS
CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKES WERE WEARING QUICKLY, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO EXPERIENCE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE.*JB
THE BRAKES ON THIS CAR ARE TERRIBLE! I HAVE BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE SHOP SINCE THIS CAR WAS BOUGHT. I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PAD AND ROTOR REPLACEMENTS. I EVEN GOT INTO A REAR-END ACCIDENT 1 1/2 YEARS AGO THAT I COULD HAVE AVOIDED WITH COMPETENT BRAKES. I NOW HAVE TO REPLACE THE DRUMS AND REAR SHOES BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING OVERTIME TO COMPENSATE FOR THE POOR FRONT BRAKES. THANKS A BUNCH KIA! WORST CAR I'VE EVER DRIVEN.
BRAKE LINING SHATTERED AND SEPARATED FROM BRAKE SHOE, CAUSING REAR WHEEL TO LOCK UP. UPON INSPECTION AND REPAIR, THE BRAKE LINING WAS OTHERWISE NOT WORN ENOUGH TO WARRANT TOTAL FAILURE OF THE PART AND APPEARS INSTEAD TO BE THE RESULT OF A DEFECT. DT
CONSUMER STATES OF HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKE PAD AND SHOE ARE GLUE TOGETHER. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. MR
BOTH RIGHT BRAKE SHOE LININGS CAME OFF OF THE BACKING PLATES AND BROKE APART INTO PIECES THAT JAMMED THE WHEEL. THE LEFT SHOES WERE BEGINNING TO COME APART IN THE SAME MANNER. THE LININGS HAD VERY LITTLE WEAR, AND WERE THE ORIGINAL FACTORY PIECES. THE PARTIAL LOSS OF REAR BRAKES AND JAMMED WHEEL WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY DANGEROUS AT HIGHER SPEEDS. DT
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE EITHER BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED WHILE DRIVING , HAVE VEHICLE SERVICED 5 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. NLM
CONSUMER HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT ROTORS WHICH CAUSE BRAKES TO WEAR DOWN, AND STEERING COLUMN TO VIBRATE.*AK
WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY BRAKES LIGHT WILL NOT SHOW WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE, WENT TO STOP & HAD NO BRAKES. PULLED UP ON THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, LOOKED IN REARVIEW MIRROR AND NOTICED SMOKE ALL OVER. PULLED OVER & GOT OUT QUICKLY. OPENED PASEINGER DOOR TO GET BELONGINGS & NOTICED FLAMES COMING FROM UNDERNEATH. CALLED 911. CAR WAS BURNING TREMENDOUSLY. A TOTAL LOSS. MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING, AND GOT OUT SAFELY. THIS HAPPENED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. WHAT A TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE, ESPECIALLY FOR A 17 YR. OLD.*AK
MY CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP TEN TIMES! I CANNOT SPECIFY A PART, MOST PARTS HAVE BEEN REPAIRED. WHEN I SAY TEN TIMES, IT IS IN THE SHOP FOR THE 10TH TIME NOW BUT NEEDS 8 DIFFERENT REPAIRS. (NOT TEN TOTAL REPAIRS) AS FAR AS SAFETY, THE TIRES (DIFFERENT BRANDS) HAVE TO BE REPLACED EVERY SEASON... 2 SETS A YEAR! THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE. THEY CHECKED OUT OKAY LAST TIME IT WAS IN, BUT THEY CONSTANTY SHUDDER AND GRIND, AND HAVE COMPLETELY GONE OUT. THEY ALSO SQUEAL VERY LOUD AT ABOUT 60 MPH WHILE DRIVING. NOT SURE IF IT IS THE BRAKES OR TIRES. I JUST FEEL UNSAFE IN MY VEHICLE. IT HAS BEEN TOWED THREE TIMES, LEAVING ME STRANDED. MY HEATER ALSO QUIT WORKING AND I LIVE IN ALASKA. I DON'T KNOW IF THESE ARE COMMON PROBLEMS, BUT I HAVE NEVER OWNED A VEHICLE THAT I FELT SO UNSAFE IN. I ALSO GOT INTO A CAR ACCIDENT IN 200, IN WHICH I WAS HIT HEAD ON BY AN EXPLORER. I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 25 MPH AND SHE WAS DRIVING ABOUT 10 MPH. IT BROKE OUT MY HEADLIGHT, DENTED THE HOOD UP AND PUT A HOLE IN THE BUMPER.... THIS MUCH DAMAGE AND THE AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED! THIS WAS NOT CALLED IN TO THE POLICE, I JUST LET HER GO (IT WAS HER FAULT). I WISH I HAD REPORTED IT.*AK
I DON'T HAVE ONE PARTICULAR PROBLEM, THE VEHICLE HAS A LOT OF DEFECTS. ESPECIALLY BRAKES. *AK
WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, HOOD RELEASED AND SMASHED INTO WINDSHIELD WHICH BLOCKED VISION OF DRIVER, CONSUMER FELT PROBLEM WAS DUE TO BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS THAT CAUSE SEVERE VIBRATION AND HAD TO BE REPLACED FREQUENTLY, THERE WAS NO CRASH OR INJURY TO REPORT WHEN THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED.*AK BRAKES WOULD VIBRATE AND WERE NOISY, REQUESTED REAR BRAKES BE CLEANED LUBED, DEALER FOUND ROTORS WARPED AND PADS WORN AND EXCESSIVE DUST IN REAR BRAKES, NUMEROUS ENGINE PROBLEMS SUCH AS COOLING FAN RUMBLE, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON, ENGINE STALL, BURNING SMELL, BELT SQUEAKS, ELECTRIC COOLING FAN INOPERATIVE, FAN BLADE, PLUG WIRES AND COIL BOOTS, VALVE COVER GASKET WERE REPLACED, EVAPORATOR WAS REPLACED AND RECHARGED, MANY ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS INCLUDING IGNITION SWITCH, STARTER, ALTERNATOR, MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH, BATTERY TERMINAL, AND BULB FAILURE, DEALER HAS ALSO FOUND CORROSION, POOR CONNECTIONS AND LOW VOLTAGE, CONSUMER STATES NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH SHIFTER, HARSH SHIFTS AND CLUNKS, DEALER REPLACED OLD STYLE FLEX PLATE, BINDING SHIFTER WHICH WAS CLEANED AND LUBED, FLUID LEAKS, DEALER REPLACED LEAKING POWER STEERING HOSE, MULTIPLE STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS SUCH AS MISSING WIPER ARM CAP, KEY WILL NOT OPEN TRUNK, TRUNK LEVER DOES NOT RELEASE, BROKEN TRUNK RELEASE HANDLE, LEFT REAR DOOR MOLDING COMING OFF, DEALER REPLACED TRUNK RELEASE, REINSTALLED DOOR WEATHERSTRIP, FOUND OIL LEAKS, AND UNDERCARRIAGE SHOWING SIGNS OF DAMAGE, BUBBLES IN DASH PAD, SUNVISOR COMING LOOSE, DEALER REPLACED DASH PAD, DEALER FOUND TAIL PIPE DAMAGED, BOTH FRONT AFTERMARKET TIRES (NO TIRE INFORMATION) WORN, LEFT REAR RIM BENT, REAR TIRES (NO TIRE INFORMATION) CUPPED AND FEATHERED DUE TO LACK OF ROTATION AND ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS, CONSUMER ALSO REQUESTED DEALER TO CHECK CV BOOTS FOR GREASE LEAK, DEALER FOUND NO PROBLEM. *TT
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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