Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Our database holds 428 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1999 Kia Sephia. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Showing 1–25 of 428 · page 1 of 18
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.
SEAT BELTS WORK IMPROPERLY, WINDSHIELD WIPERS DON'T WORK, FUEL PUMP IS WORKING INEFFICIENTLY.
SEAT BELT PATCH CLICKS BUT WILL COME LOOSE WITH TENSION. THIS IS THE SECOND RECALL NOTICE THAT HASN'T BEEN REPAIRED OR REPORTED BY KIA AFTER 17 YEARS.
FILLED TANK & HAD OVERFLOWING SPILLAGE DOWN SIDE OF CAR (INDICATED VERY FULL TANK) FINISHED CLEANING UP EXCESS FUEL & TURN CAR ON BUT THE FUEL GAUGE WOULD ONLY READ 2/3 FULL, THEN NEEDLE ROSE TO 3/4- I JUST GOT THE CAR ON MONDAY 11/7/16 & THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE NOW, ONCE WHEN LEAVING LA AFTER BUYING/TRANSFERRING TITLE & AGAIN TODAY. DECIDED TO GOOGLE THE 'SYMPTOM' & I'M SHOCKED THAT A 17-YEAR-OLD CAR FROM 1999 HAD RECALL RECORDS BUT WAS NEVER FIXED!!! PREVIOUS OWNER(S) WAS OLDER COUPLE THAT HAD BOUGHT IT FROM A DEALERSHIP & OWNED IT SINCE 2004. THE 17-YEAR-OLD '99 SEPHIA HAS ONLY 75K MILES ON ODOMETER AS OF NOVEMBER 2016 HOWEVER WAS NEVER REPAIRED UNDER RECALL ORDER.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1990 KIA SEPHIA. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED TO MOVE. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNAVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 KIA SEPHIA. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVEN TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 162,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 KIA SEPHIA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 99V317000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP). HE WAS NOT EXPERIENCING ANY FAILURES AT THE TIME, BUT HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP CONNECTORS. IN 2003 (THREE YEARS LATER), THE ENGINE SERVICE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE VEHICLE WOULD SPORADICALLY STALL AT ANY SPEED. THE VEHICLE ALSO EXPERIENCED A NO START CONDITION. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP CONNECTOR WAS CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED IN 2006. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP CONNECTOR WAS CORRODED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AGAIN; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT THE RECALL REPAIR IS NOT THE CORRECT REMEDY BECAUSE THE CORROSION OCCURS EVERY THREE YEARS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 54,000. UPDATED 08/06/09.*JB
WHEN IT GETS COLD, ABOUT 20 DEGREES, THE FRONT DOORS WILL FREEZE OPEN. FOR INSTANCE, IN THE MORNING I WILL HAVE TO PULL ON THE DOOR HARD TO GET IT TO OPEN BECAUSE IT'S FROZEN AND THEN THE DOOR WILL STAY OPEN (THE LATCH WILL FREEZE) UNTIL IT GETS ABOVE 35 DEGREES. EVEN WITH THE HEAT GOING FOR OVER AN HOUR IT WILL NOT UNFREEZE. I HAVE TO HOLD THE DOOR CLOSED AS I DRIVE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 KIA SEPHIA. THE CONTACT EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE DASHBOARD WAS COMING APART FROM THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE AIR GUARDS WERE BEGINNING TO CRACK. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 63,030 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 KIA SEPHIA LS. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE AFTER IT WAS STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE STEERING WHEEL FLEW OFF AND THE REARVIEW MIRROR STRUCK HIM IN THE HEAD. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A CONCUSSION, A FRACTURED STERNUM AND RIBS, AND A BROKEN LEFT ELBOW IN TWO PLACES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND POLICE AND FIRE REPORTS WERE FILED. THE CONTACT HAS PICTURES. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS 00V175000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL), 99V317000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP), AND 99V318000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP) WERE REFERENCED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 KIA SEPHIA. SHORTLY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, IT FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND REPAIRED. ONE MONTH LATER, WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SPUTTER AND EVENTUALLY SHUT OFF. PRIOR TO SHUTTING OFF, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING ABILITY AND THE CONTACT STRUCK A CURB. THE CV AXLE JOINT WAS DAMAGED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 147,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
HAVE REPLACED PADS AND TURNED ROTORS MULTIPLE TIMES SINCE MAY 07. IN MAY 08 MY ABS SYSTEM FAILED CAUSING A WRECK! HAD PADS REPLACED IN JANUARY 08. *TR
FAX ON BEHALF OF, RE AN ACCIDENT WITH HIS 1999 KIA SEPHIA THE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THE BACK BRAKES DID NOT FUNCTION CORRECTLY SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE. *KB *JB
TRANSMISSION FAILURE 3 TIMES/ REPLACED 2 TIMES. *JB
I OWN A 1999 KIA SEPHIA AND MY DAUGHTER USES IT AT SCHOOL. THE PROBLEM IS THAT KIA WILL NOT HONOR THE WARRANTY FOR THE REPAIR OF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE CASE REF NBR IS K1085742. MANY REASON WERE GIVEN, ALL RELATING TO A MANUAL ENGINE FLUSH, COOLANT FLUSH,ETC. MY RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THERE IS NO CORRELATION BETWEEN THE DEFECTIVE PART AND THE SELECTED MAINTENANCE ITEM. MY DAUGHTER SHOULD NOT HAVE PAID FOR THE CONVERTER. (ALSO THEY ARE ABOUT 50% OF THEIR COST ON THE OPEN MARKET). *NM
1999 SEPHIA BRAKES, TRANSMISSION WERE REPLACED. CONSUMER FEELS THAT THE EXHAUST SHOULD BE RECALLED. *TS THE TECHNICIAN DETERMINE THAT THERE WAS A SPLIT IN THE CENTERPIPE OF THE EXHAUST WHICH CAUSED IT TO BE LOUD. THE PART IS A PIECE OF FLEXIBLE HOUSING. THE PART COULD NOT BE PURCHASED SEPARATELY BUT THE CONSUMER HAD TO PURCHASE THE ENTIRE PIPE. THE PART WAS REPLACED BUT SPLIT AGAIN THREE MORE TIMES. *NM SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED, THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED AND GAS LEAKAGE PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPAIRED.
THE HIGH BEAMS ARE NOT AIMED CORRECTLY. WHEN YOU TURN THE HIGH BEAMS ON THEY SHINE TO THE LEFT INTO THE ONCOMING LANE OF TRAFFIC. WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING AND HAVE THEM ON THE RIGHT HALF OF THE LANE YOU ARE IN THE DARK BECAUSE THE AIM OF THE HIGH BEAMS ARE OFF. IT IS VERY HARD TO SEE IF ANYTHING OR ANYONE IS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND IT MAKES IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THE LANE WHEN YOU GO AROUND A RIGHT CORNER OR CURVE. I HAVE TOLD THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THAT THERE IS NO WAY TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM DUE TO HOW THE HEADLAMPS WERE DESIGNED AND INSTALLED. *JB
THERE IS SEVERE VIBRATION WHEN DRIVEN OVER 55 MPH. THERE IS ALSO LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL OVER 55 MPH, WHEN OVER 55 MPH AND YOU TRY TO GO AROUND A CURVE OR CORNER THE FRONT END FLOATS LIKE IT IS ON ICE AND THEN SUDDENLY GRABS ALLOWING YOU TO STEER THE VEHICLE. HAD THE FRONT TIRES CHECKED AND THEY ARE FINE. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE NEW WITH ONLY 7 MILES ON IT IN 1999. THE PROBLEM HAS GOTTEN WORSE AND IS TO THE POINT THAT I FEEL IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE THE CAR. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE 45MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE REAR ENDED THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THIS RESULTED IN A COLLISION, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. ALSO THE DRIVER'S SEAT FELL BACKWARD DURING THE COLLISION. INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED; THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN HOME. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED , NO REPAIRS MADE.
THE DRIVER'S DOOR LATCH /FREEZES UP IN WINTER, AND THE DOOR CANNOT BE CLOSED. ONCE THE WEATHER WARMS UP, THE DOOR CLOSES.*AK
THIS CAR HAS BEEN A CONSTANT REPAIR AND FINANCIAL PROBLEM FOR THE LAST 4 YEARS STARTING TWO WEEKS AFTER I PURCHASED THE CAR. IT IS AN UNSAFE VEHICLE AND CAN NOT BE KEPT MAINTAINED FOR SAFETY OR RELIABILITY IT WAS PURCHASED WITH 21000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE AND A MAJORITY OF REPAIRS HAS HAD TO BE FIXED. 4 STARTERS, IGNITION SWITCH, IGNITION SWITCH WIRING HARNESS (IGNITION STILL DOESN'T WORK), AIR BAG SENSOR, AIR BAG WIRING (AIR BAGS STILL DOES NOT WORK), ALTERNATOR, FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DRIVE AXEL BROKE WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR, RIGHT PASSENGER BALL JOINT FELL OFF THE CAR WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR, MASTER CYLINDER AND REAR BRAKE CYLINDER WENT OUT AT THE SAME TIME WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR, HEATER/AIR CONDITIONING MOTOR. THE CAR HAS BEEN TOWED 3 TIMES, AND HAS LEFT ME AND MY CHILDREN STRANDED TOO MANY TIMES TO COUNT. THE CAR IS STILL IN NEED OF MAJOR REPAIR. THE DRIVER REAR STABILIZER BUSHINGS NEED REPLACED, THE DRIVER'S SIDE DRIVE AXEL NEEDS REPLACED, THE AIR BAGS STILL DO NOT WORK, THE IGNITION SWITCH STILL GETS STUCK AND WON'T TURN OVER, AND TWO WEEKS AGO A PISTON WAS THROWN THROUGH THE ENGINE AND CAUGHT THE CAR ON FIRE. THE CAR IS NOW PARKED IN MY DRIVE WAY LEAVING ME STUCK WITH A CAR PAYMENT AND A CAR THAT IS NOT WORTH FIXING. *NM
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
LIGHTS ARE BLINKING OFF AND ON CONSTANTLY WHEN I DRIVING AT NIGHT. I WENT TO KIA DEALERSHIP IN WILLIAMSBURG. THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. THAT IT WILL TAKE THEM A COUPLE OF DAYS. THAT I WOULD BE CHARGE BY THE HOUR. I WAS SO UPSET I LEFT THE DEALERSHIPS AND THEY CHARGE ME 350 DOLLARS AND MY CAR WAS NOT FIX. I WAS TOTALLY RIP OFF BY THEM. I ALSO TOLD THEM THAT SAME DAY TO FIX MY AIR CONDITIONER DUE TO IT WAS SHUTTING OFF AND ON WHEN I HIT THE BRAKES. WHEN I USING THE GAS PEDAL MY AIR CONDITIONER WORKS AND THEN WHEN I HIT THE BRAKES THAT AIR CONDITIONER SHUT OFF. THE KIA DEALER DID NOT HAVE CLUE WHAT TO DO>>>>HELP!!IT ALSO DOING THIS WITH THE HEAT ALSO.....I NOT SURE ON THE EXACT DATE OF SERVICE. I WILL FIND RECEIPT AND BANK STATEMENTS TO GO ALONG WITH THIS. *NM
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 PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED ON MY 1998 KIA SEPHIA AS WELL. *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
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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