Owner-reported complaints naming the heating or air-conditioning system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system. 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. 8 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
WOULD BE DRIVING AND VEHICLE STALLED OUT. THEN, WOULD RESTART ON ITS OWN. CRUISE CONTROL REMAINED UNRELIABLE. BRAKES WOULD NOT RELEASE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN IT WAS ON. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP & MECHANIC REPLACED ELECTRICAL WIRES. ALSO, EXHAUST SYSTEM HAD HOLES IN IT & WAS LEAKING, AND AIR CONDITIONER WAS REPLACED DUE TO COMPRESSOR SEIZING UP. *AK
BRAKES ARE WEARING OUT EXCESSIVELY & DETERIORATING. WHENEVER BRAKES ARE APPLIED, THEY CAUSE VEHICLE TO SHAKE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & MECHANIC CHANGED PADS & WARPED ROTORS. ALSO ROTATED & CLEANED THE BRAKES.*AK REAR SEAT BELT LOCK IS TOO HIGH. AIR CONDITIONER DRAINING ON FLOOR, DEALER CLEANED A/C DRAIN. CONSUMER FEELS A HARD SHOCK WHEN SHIFTING INTO GEAR. ENGINE HARD TO START, DEALER REPLACED THE FLYWHEEL. BINDING LEVER FAILED ON THE PARKING BRAKE. *SLC
THE FIRST TIME I DRIVE MY CAR FOR THE DAY AND I TURN ON MY AIR, IT MAKES A VERY LOUD "KNOCKING" NOISE. MY HUSBAND SAYS IT'S METAL TO METAL. THE DEALER SAYS IT IS NORMAL THAT ALL KIA'S DO THIS. I KNOW OTHERS WHO HAVE NO PROBLEM W/ THEIR A/C. NOW DEALER SAYS SOME KIA'S DO THIS & THEY DON'T KNOW WHY SO IT IS NORMAL. DEALER SAYS KIA ENGINEERS KNOW ABOUT PROBLEM BUT DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. THREE PEOPLE I TALKED TO AT KIA'S CONSUMER LINE HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROMBLEM. THEY REPLACED MY COMPRESSOR WHICH WAS USELESS & THE DEALER TOLD ME IT WOULD BE. NOW THE DEALER TOLD ME TO CALL KIA'S CONSUMER LINE TO TELL THEM THE DEALER SAYS THEY CAN'T FIX IT. DEALER TELLS ME EVERYONE W/ THE PROBLEM TAKES HIS WORD THAT THE NOISE IS OKAY. DEALER SAYS I AM THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS PRESSED THE ISSUE. ALSO MY ROTARS HAD TO BE REPLACED AT A LOW MILEAGE. I'VE ALSO HAD A SHORT IN MY DOME LIGHT. AFTER READING OTHER COMPLAINTS I WONDER ABOUT SAFETY OF THE CARS.*AK
ENGINE WAS REPLACED AT 3062 BRAKES HAVE BEEN CHECKED BY A KIA REP AND I WAS TOLD "BREAKS ARE NOT MENT TO STOP THE CAR ONLY SLOW IT DOWN "
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
WHENEVER THE BRAKES (ABS) ARE APPLIED, STEERING WHEEL WOULD SHAKE. AFTER GOING 65MPH OR BETTER, THE ENTIRE VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE/VIBRATE. THE ABS BRAKE SYSTEM WAS REPAIRED TWICE. THE AIR CONDITIONER MAKES LOUD NOISES WHEN TURNED ON. SOMETIMES THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START OR CATCH RIGHT AWAY. NEEDS TO JIGGLE KEY TO GET IT STARTED. *AK
CAR VIBRATES WHILE DRIVING AND BRAKING, VENTILATION/ AIR CONDITION DOES NOT WORK RIGHT. THE CAR HAS NO DEFROSTOR
NEW PROBLEMS ARISE WITH A BLACK, OILY, AND GREASY SOOT ALL OVER MY FRONT TIRES AND ALL OVER MY ENGINE. CAR PURCHASED BRAND NEW. HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT A HEADACHE. DON'T BUY A KIA!
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 .