Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. 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. 105 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 105, in the owner's own words
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
TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN TRYING TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC WITH THE 1998 KIA SOPHIA IT STALLED. WHEN THIS HAPPENED INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS TURNED ON. THE VEHICLE STALLED IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, AND SHE HAD TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND RESTART IT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,000 MILES. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED HER THAT SHE NEEDED A NEW VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALERSHIP FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY. AT TIMES WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED, AND SHE TRIES TO RESTART IT, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART. *AK
OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, APPROXIMATELY 70,00 MILES ON MY CAR, THE AC/HEATER FAN MOTOR WILL BLOW AIR INTERMITTENTLY, REGARDLESS OF THE FAN'S SPEED SETTING. EVENTUALLY, THE FAN STOPS BLOWING ALL TOGETHER. THIS SAME THING HAS HAPPENED WITH MY 1999 KIA SEPHIA. *JB
DT: VEHICLE ENGINE STALLS. KIA 1998 HAD BEEN RECALLED. PROBLEM WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FIXED, HOWEVER, VEHICLE CONTINUES TO HAVE PROBLEM. *TT
WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONSUMER TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. THE CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO REPORT. HOWEVER, VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THERE WAS A HARD START THAT WOULD NOT HOLD FUEL PRESSURE. *SC *JB
BATTERY WASN'T HOLDING CHARGE, NEEDED CONTINUOUS REFILL WITH DISTILLED WATER, OVERHEATING, OVERFLOWING AND SPILLING ACID CORRODING OTHER PARTS. (NAR) *PH *CB
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
I BOUGHT A 1998 KIA SEPHIA IN FEB OF 2000 I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE 3 GEAR SHIFTERS AND THREE TRANSMISSIONS AND THE CAR HAS ONLY BEEN DRIVEN 2/3 OF THE TIME THAT I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR. MY SIGNAL LIGHT ON ONE SIDE HAS NEVER REALLY WORKED PROPERLY AND THE THE HEADLIGHT CONSTANTLY SHORTS OUT. OF COURSE NOW I'M OUT OF WARRANTY AND STILL EXPERIENCING THESE PROBLEMS AND MANY MORE I DONT KNOW WHERE ELSE TO TURN BECAUSE ALL I'M EVER TOLD IS THAT'S A KIA FOR YOU. I STILL HAVE A LOAN OF THIS CAR AND DONT THINK IT'S RIGHT THAT ALMOST EVERY YEAR THE GEAR SHIFTER AND TRANS NEED TO BE REPLACED. I WOULD GREAT APPRECIATE ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE ME BECAUSE I HAVENT BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR FOR THE LAST 2 MONTHS BECAUSE THE GEAR SHIFTER WONT COME OUT OF PARK AND WHEN IT DID THE TRANS RACED WHEN REACHING 2 GEAR. THERE IS NO WAY ANYONE SHOULD EXPERIENCE THIS MUCH TROUBLE WHETHER BEING A USED CAR OR NOT. PLEASE HELP ME. *AK
I OWN A 1998 KIA SEPHIA AND EVER SINCE I HAVE HAD THIS CAR IT SOMETIMES WILL NOT START EVEN THE BATTERY IS WORKING FINE. THE DEALER REMEDY FOR THIS IS JUST REPLACE THE STARTER. I HAVE REPLACED THE STARTER SEVERAL TIMES AND THIS SEEMS TO PROVIDE A CURE TEMPORARILY. JUST RECENTLY I HAD THIS HAPPEN AGAIN... I HAD IT TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC THAT HAD JUST AGAIN REPLACED THE STARTER FOR ME...THIS TIME HE TOOK THE STARTER BACK TO THE REBUILDER AND THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE STARTER...THE MECHANIC DID SOME MORE SEARCHING AND FOUND THE THE SOLENOID THAT WAS DESIGNED TO NEED A MINIMUM OF 11 VOLTS TO START WAS ONLY RECEIVING 7 VOLTS....THE MECHANIC FELT THE THIS WAS A DESIGN FAULT WITH THE CAR. THE STARTER REBUILDER RECOMMENDED THE USE OF AN ALTERNATE SOLENOID FROM AN EARLY MODEL FORD THAT ONLY REQUIRED 6 VOLTS....WITH THIS FIX THE CAR HAS BEEN STARTING VERY WELL... THE PROBLEM THAT I AM HAVING IS THAT WITH ALL OF THE KIA HIGH PAID ENGINEERS WHY COULDN'T THE FIGURE THIS OUT.... *LA
PURCHASED THE CAR IN 1999. HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS STARTING IT. REPLACED THE STARTER 3 TIMES. STILL HAVE PRBLEMS STARTING IT. 2002 DIDN'T PASS INSPECTION BECAUSE OF EXAUST, KIA DEALERSHIP WAS SUPPOSE TO FIX PROBLEM STILL HAVING PROBLEMS STARTING AND EXAUST INSPECTION FAILED AGAIN. *AK
THE SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES HAD TO BE REPLACED FOR THE SECOND TIME IN TWO YEARS. I FEEL THIS SHOULDNOT HAPPEN SO CLOSE TOGETHER AND THERE MAY BE A PROBLEM THAT IS CAUSING IT IN THE MANUFACTURING.*JB
THERE WAS A SHORT PRESENT IN THE WIRING TO THE DOME LIGHT, RADIO AND CLOCK. THE DOOR SWITCHS ALSO BURNED OUT. *NLM
THE BATTERY HAD BLOWN UP AND SPEWED LIQUID/ACID. THE CONSUMER HAD RECEIVED TWO RECALLS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT, ONE IN RE: GAS VALVE AND THE OTHER WAS ELECTRICAL. THE DEALER CONTINUES TO POSTPONE THE DATES FOR REPAIR. (RECALL# 102944) SCC
CONSUMER STATES THAT SHORTAGE IN THE WIRING THAT BURNS THE FUSE, CAUSING THE RADIO, THE DOME LIGHT, DOOR AJAR LIGHT AND OTHER COMPONENTS NOT TO WORK. HAD FUSE REPLACE 5-6TIMES. PROMBLEM STILL ACCURS. TS
CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE WILL STALL W/O WARNING WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE CHECKED BY DLR WHO HAS REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH AND STARTER(3X). PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURING. MR
WHILE DRIVING 10MPH A FIRE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD.*AK
CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A VERY LOUD EXPLOSION AND SMOKE UNDER THE HOOD, WHEN CONSUMER STARTED THE VEHICLE, WHEN CONSUMER OPENED THE HOOD, THE ENTIRE TOP OF THE BATTERY HAD BLOWN OFF.*AK *JB
A FIRE STARTED FROM MAIN WIRING HARNESS UNDER DASH WHICH LED TO FUSE RECPTICLE UNDER HOOD. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK WHEN THE WIRING HARNESS BURNED, THE AIR BAG, THE RADIO, DASHBOARD LIGHTS, THE COOLING FAN AND THE A/C FAILED. THIS PROBLEM REOCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES. TAIL LIGHT, TURN SIGNAL, HEAD LIGHTS, STARTER AND THE ALTERNATOR ALSO FAILED AS THE RESULT OF THE WIRING HARNESS. *YH
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
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
VEHICLE WILL INTERMITTENTLY STALL WHILE DRIVING. IT HAPPENS AT ANY SPEED. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER STATED THAT STARTER'S FUSE BURNED OUT. *AK
THE ELECTRICAL WIRES HAVE BURNED UP ON THE CAR, CURRENTLY THE BLOWER WIRE HARNESS AND SPEED SELECT SWITCH HAVE MELTED AND BURNED. *YD
CONSUMER STATES HE IS EXPERIENCING MUFFLER PROBLEMS. *YH
THE VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT, THE DEALER PERFORMED 4 WHELL ALIGMNENT AND ROTATED THE TIRES. NLM
INTERIOR IS FALLING APART DASH COMING UNDONE, DOOR PANEL CRACKED, CONTROL KNOBS BROKE, DEFECTIVE ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS AT FUSE BOX FAILURE WITH RELAYS CAUSING NO START, NO DEFROSTER, NO HORN, STALLING OF VECHICLE. CONCERNED OF POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL FIRE
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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