Owner-reported complaints naming the body or structure system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1999 Kia Sephia submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 17 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
WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 75 MPH THE TOP LAYER OF THE HOOD (SKIN) SEPARATED FROM THE HOOD AND FLEW UPWARD INTO THE WINDSHIELD AND DETACHED ITSELF FROM THE VEHICLE CAUSING THE DRIVERS VISION OF ROADWAY TO BE BLOCKED. ONCE IT DETACHED ITSELF CAUSING HIGH RISK OF SAFETY FOR OTHER DRIVERS BEHIND THE KIA SEPHIA.
1) AIR CONDITIONER HOSES DEFECTIVE AND WILL NOT HOLD CHARGE 2) CAR RATTLES AND MAKES NOISE COMING FROM TRUNK AREA, TAKEN TO DEALER REPEATEDLY WITHOUT ANY IDEA OF HOW TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM 3) CAR WOULD LOOSE POWER WITHOUT WARNING AND AT DANGEROUS TIMES, TOOK TO DEALER 3 TIMES BEFORE THE CAR FAILED COMPLETELY AND THEY WERE FINALLY ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM 4) REAR DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW STICKS AND RATTLES, TAKEN TO DEALER UN-REPAIRABLE 5) REAR DOOR LOOK DOES NOT WORK, TAKEN TO DEALER REPAIRED BUT NOW IT DOESN'T WORK YET AGAIN 6) ENGINE LIGHT ON, TOLD BY DEALER THE GAS CAP WASN'T TIGHT ENOUGH 7) POWER LOCKS OPEN AND CLOSE AT INTERVALS WHILE DRIVING THE CAR 8) ENGINE LIGHT BLINKING, NO IDEA WHAT PROBLEM IS THIS TIME CONTACTED KIA AND ASKED TO SPEAK TO FIELD REPRESENTATIVE AND WAS TOLD THAT KIA COULD DO NOTHING TO ASSIST OWNER IN FIXING OWNER. THIS CAR IS A MONEY PIT AND DO NOT RECOMMEND TO ANYONE TO BUY A KIA UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. *JB
1999 KIA SEPHIA DASHBOARD HAS BECOME DETACHED FROM WHERE THE WINDSHIELD MEETS. *MR THIS PROBLEM HAD CONTINUED TO GET WORST. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, A MOTORIZED NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. THE CONSUMER WAS AWARE OF OTHER KIA VEHICLES EXPERIENCING THIS SAME PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT HER VEHICLE WOULD NOT BE REPAIRED BECAUSE THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. *SC
THE DASHBOARD IS SEPARATING FROM THE WINDSHIELD, PREVENTING THE DEFROSTER FROM CIRCULATING TO THE WINDSHIELD. MANUFACTURER STATES THEY CAN NOT ASSIST THE CONSUMER.*AK *TC
WHEN BELOW FREEZING, DOORS AND LOCKS CONSISTENTLY FREEZE, AND WILL NOT ALLOW ENTRY OR WILL NOT CLOSE PROPERLY (DOORS WILL NOT CLOSE). THIS HAS HAPPENED EVERY YEAR I HAVE OWNED THE CAR. THIS PAST YEAR, THE KIA DEALER TRIED TO FIX, AND ONLY IMPROVED FOR A FEW DAYS (LUBRICATE/OIL ETC). USUALLY HAD TO "WARM UP" CAR FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES TO DEFROST LOCK JUST TO BE ABLE TO CLOSE DOORS (I TRIED TO NOT LOCK CAR ONCE WINTER BEGINS). THE LOCKS ARE FROZEN DAILY AND CANNOT LOCK OR UNLOCK UNTIL INTERIOR IS WARMED UP. NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO WINTER AGAIN.*AK
CONSUMER STATES DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLE POPPED PREVENTING OCCUPANT FROM EXISTING . DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
THE BRAKES PULSATE WHILE BRAKING, THE BRAKES AND ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES. NLM
WE HAVE HAD MANY PRBLEMS WITH THIS CAR. FIRST THE ORVR VALVE FOR THE GAS TANK WEAD, THEN WE HAVE HAD PRBLEMS WITH THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS NOT OPENING OR CLOSING THE OTHER DOORS FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR, THEN THE AUTOMATIC WINDOWS ON THE PASSANGER SIDE BOTH THE FRONT AND BACK DOORS HAVE GONE UP VERY SLOWLY ALMOST TO THE POINT OF HAVING TO PUSH THEM UP BY HAND. THEN A DASH WAS REPLACED, DO TO IT BUBLING UP. WE HAVE A BATTERY REPLACED ONCE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT TURN OVER AT ALL. ALSO JUST RECENTLY WE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM, AFTER ONLY TWO WEEKS OF THE DEALERSHIP THAT WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DID A ELECTRICAL CHECK ON THE CAR AND SAID THAT IT WAS OK (TEMPE DODGE KIA) LOCATED IN TEMMPE, AZ. THE REASON WE HAD THEM CHECK THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM OUT WAS BECAUSE AFTER THE REPLACED THE DASH WE NOTICED THAT THE INDICATOR LIGHTS FOR THE FAN AND THE AIR FLOW SELACTOR WERE DIMMING OUT AND THE A/C WAS RUNNING REALLY SLOW AT IDLE SPEED. ALL IN ALL THIS CAR HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE AND WE HAVED COTACTED KIA MOTTORS CORP. SEVERAL TIMES WITH NO REAL ANSWERS TO ARE PROBLEMS AND NO COMPENSATION OR UPGRADE OF A WARRANTY ON THE EXISTING WARRANTY. IF YOU COULD PLEASE HELP US OUT IN ANY WAY AT ALL OR NOT PLEASE E-MAIL US AT [email protected] OR CONTACT US AT 480-481-0351 OR 602-625-8079. WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION IN THESE MATTERS. JESSICA JUNE BRADY & KEIL WILLIAM CONLEY.*AK
COMPLETE LEMON. NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS. REPLACED BRAKES, TRANSMISSION, 2 AXLES, WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR, FLYWHEEL, FAULTY WIRING IN DOOR, BATTERY, STARTING PROBLEMS, BLINKER SWITCH REPLACED, SEAT TORE UPON CAR PICK-UP, TOO MANY THINGS GONE WRONG TO LIST
THE PROBLEMS I AM HAVING OR HAVE HAD WITH THIS CAR ARE AS FOLLOWS, COOLING SYSTEM HAS COMPLETLY FROZE UP, WATER LEAK INTO THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE UNDER DASH, MOLDING AROUND THE DOORS REPLACED, 4 TRANSMISSIONS REPLACED, WARPED ROTORS WHICH HAVE ALSO WORN THE BRAKE PADS. AND I JUST RECIEVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE ON BOARD REFUELING VAPOR RECOVERY VALVES, WHICH I AM HOPING WILL STOP THE GAS FROM POURING OUT OF THE CAR ONTO ME WHEN I AM REFUELING. THIS CAR IS NOT ROAD WORTHY. I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER THEY BOTH JUST POINT THE FINGER AT ONE ANOTHER, WHEN I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE I EXPECTED IT TO RUN. *AK
BATTERY FAILED. *SLC
BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 4 TIMES IN LESS THAN 1YEAR AND AT 30,335 MILES RIGHT NOW, SERVICE DEPARTMENT FIGHTS WITH US EACH TIME WE BRING CAR IN. CAR DOES NOT START UP RIGHT AWAY, IT TURNS A FEW TIMES BEFORE IT FINALLY DOES, TOOK TO SERVICE DEPARTMENT 2 TIMES, THEY ARE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE PROBLEM. WHEN DRIVING AT TIMES WHEN YOU STEP ON GAS CAR HESITATES TO GO, ALMOST LIKE IT IS OUT OF GAS, BUT IT IS NOT. AFTER 2MTHS. OF USING AIRCONDITIONER THIS SUMMER, IT COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING, TOOK TO SERVICE DEPARTMENT, DIAGNOSED WITH LEAKY "O" RINGS, THEY REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. REAR DOORS WHEN OPENING HIT THE EDGE OF CLOSED FRONT DOORS, SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID THEY NEEDED NEW DOOR STOPPERS, HAVEN'T GOT THEM YET.*AK
DEALER REPLACED 4 BRAKES/FLEX PLATE/ SPEAKERS3/POWSTEERPUMP/ 2X GEAR SHIFT ASSEMBLEY/ ELECTRIC SYSTEM AND TRANSMISSION. *AK
ARMREST FAILED. YH
CONSUMER FEELS THE VEHICLE IS CONTRUCTED OF CHEAP/WEAK METAL AND UNSAFE. *MJS
CONSUMER STATED VECHICLE WAS DEFECTED WHEN SHE PURCHASED IT ON SEP 11 1999 . CONSUMER TOOK IT BACK ON SEP 13 1999 BECAUSE SHE HAS BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS, SUCH AS TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKING OUT FROM UNDERNEATH HER VECHICLE. ALSO, BRAKES NOT WORKING PROPERLY WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. PEDALS WENT ALLTHE DOWN TO THE FLOOR. ALSO VECHICLE OVERHEATED. ALSO, FRONT GRILL /WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND GAS GAUGE HAD TO B EREPLACED, AND I STILL DON'T WORK . AT THIS TIME THE CONSUMER HAS REGISTERED A COMPLAINT WITH THE LEMON LAW. HER CAR IS AT THE DEALERSHIP WAITING FOR A PART. *AK
DURING THE RAIN THE VEHICLE LEAKS. YH
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 .