Fuel systemSeat beltsVisibility
Filed Dec 1, 2016
SEAT BELTS WORK IMPROPERLY, WINDSHIELD WIPERS DON'T WORK, FUEL PUMP IS WORKING INEFFICIENTLY.
- NHTSA ID
- 10929466
- Incident
- Nov 1, 2016
1999 Kia Sephia Seat belts Problems
Owner-reported complaints naming the seat belt system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Seat belts reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
13
Latest Dec 1, 2016
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
3%
of 428 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1
What this page shows
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners. 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. 13 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.
Owner reports naming seat belt
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
Seat belts
Filed Nov 9, 2016
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.
- NHTSA ID
- 10925281
- Incident
- Nov 9, 2016
- Mileage
- 75,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Apr 20, 2004
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT SOUNDED AS IF IT WAS LOCKED/STUCK IN THE RETRACTOR WHEN IT REALLY WAS NOT. *AK THE PROBLEM WAS SIMILAR TO A RECALL ON 1998 KIA SEPHIA (RECALL NO. 02V-216), WHICH IS ALSO EXPERIENCED BY CONSUMER ON HIS 1999 KIA SEPHIA. *LA
- NHTSA ID
- 10064634
- Mileage
- 42,000 mi
BrakesSeat belts
Filed Aug 12, 2003
Crash reported1 injury reported
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION IN WHICH SEAT BELT BUCKLE RELEASED FROM LATCH PLATE. SUBSEQUENTLY THE BUCKLE HIT THE DRIVER SHOULD AND HIT HER IN THE HEAD. THE STRAP BRUISED HER SHOULDER. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THAT THE BRAKE DID NOT WORK PROPERLY. *AK *SLC *PH *NLM*EA04007*
- NHTSA ID
- 876215
- Incident
- Nov 21, 2000
Seat belts
Filed Jun 17, 2003
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT DOES NOT LOCK.*AK*EA04007*
- NHTSA ID
- 10024205
- Incident
- Jun 3, 2003
Seat belts
Filed Dec 26, 2002
THIS IS A COMPLAINT REGARDING EQUIPMENT ON THE 1999 KIA SEPHIA LS, MANUFACTURED BY KIA IN KOREA ON 08/25/98, AND TARGETS AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT SAFETY ITEM, SPECIFICALLY THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WHICH HAS A DEFECTIVELY DESIGNED LATCH, SINCE WHEN THE TAB IS INSERTED SECURELY SEATED INTO THE LATCH, IT PULLS OUT WHEN PULLED, OR WHEN ONE LEANS FORWARD SLIGHTLY STRESSING THE SEAT BELT. IT IS VERY , VERY DANGEROUS, AND I INFORMED THE CLOSEST DEALER TO MY LOCATION, BAY RIDGE KIA WHEN I BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR CORRECTION OF RECALL ITEMS, BUT THE BELT WAS NOT ON THE LIST. I AM INFORMING DOT IN THE HOPE OF PREVENTING ANYONE FROM BEING INJURED BY THIS DEFECT. I WENT BACK TO THE DEALER AND AT MY EXPENSE IMMEDIATELY ORDERED A NEW LATCH SECTION OF THE BELT, PART NO. 0K2AB-57-680-96. OF COURSE I ASKED, IF THAT PART HAD BEEN MODIFIED? THE ANSWER WAS, NO SURPRISE, YES. I ALSO HAD SENT A LETTER TO KIA SERVICE HEADQUARTERS IN SAN DIEGO , CALIFORNIA . DO NOT HESITATE TO RECALL THIS ITEM, AS THE BELT SEEMS LOCKED, BUT IT ISN'T.*EA04007*
- NHTSA ID
- 10000385
- Incident
- Dec 26, 2002
Seat belts
Filed Sep 4, 2001
SEAT BELT TANGLED UP AROUND CHILDS CHEST AND STOMACH. BELT KEPT GETTING TIGHTER AND TIGHTER.CHILD WAS COMPLAINING OF NOT BEING ABLE TO BREATH. CONSUMER TOOK A PAIR OF SCISSORS AND CUT THE BELT. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY REFUSED TO FIX BECAUSE CONSUMER CUT SEAT BELT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
- NHTSA ID
- 895690
- Incident
- Sep 1, 2001
Seat belts
Filed May 23, 2001
DRIVER'S SIDE BUCKLE WILL NOT STAY FASTENED. AT TIMES CONSUMER MUST PUNCH BUCKLE TO MAKE IT FIT IN. ALSO, HAS BEEN SOME INCIDENTS OF WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED QUICKLY, THE SEATBELT WOULD JERK AND POP OFF.*AK*EA04007*
- NHTSA ID
- 889016
- Incident
- Mar 1, 2000
BrakesHeating & air conditioningEngine+2 more
Filed Nov 13, 2000
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
- NHTSA ID
- 874863
- Incident
- Nov 12, 1999
BrakesDriver assistanceSeat belts
Filed Jul 6, 2000
Crash reported
WHEN DRIVING AND UPON PROCEEDING TO STOP APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL, CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END. ALSO, VIBRATION IN THE FRONT END AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP, THE VEHICLE LUGGED FORWARD. ALSO, FRONTAL SAFETY BELTS DO NOT RETRACT, CAUSING THE BELT TO BE VERY LOOSE . CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
- NHTSA ID
- 864875
Seat belts
Filed Jun 27, 2000
CERTIFIED CHILD SAFETY SEAT INSPECTORS WORKING FOR THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT INFORMED US THAT THE LENGTH OF THE FEMALE PORTION OF THE SEAT BELTS IN THE BACK SEAT OF OUR KIA SEPHIA ARE TOO LONG TO ALLOW AN INFANT CHILD SAFETY SEAT TO BE INSTALLED PROPERLY. THE FEMALE END OF THE SEAT BELT COMES UP INTO THE PLASTIC PORTION OF THE CAR SEAT (THEY TRIED 4 DIFFERENT MODELS OF CAR SEATS) WHICH DOES NOT ALLOW THE BELT TO BE TIGHTENED ENOUGH TO HOLD THE CAR SEAT SECURELY IN PLACE. THIS INABILITY TO INSTALL AN INFANT CAR SEAT PROPERLY IN A REAR FACING POSITION WOULD APPEAR TO BE A SAFETY DEFECT SINCE ALL THE FEMALE ENDS ARE TOO LONG TO ALLOW FOR PROPER INSTALLATION. I FEAR THAT THIS CAUSES A GRAVE SAFETY ISSUE FOR ANY FAMILY WHO HAS AN INFANT RIDING IN A CAR SEAT IN A KIA SEPHIA. WE CONTACTED KIA AND WERE TOLD THAT THE DEALERSHIP NEVER SHOULD HAVE TOLD US WE WOULD BE ABLE TO INSTALL TWO CAR SEATS IN THE BACK SEAT, ALTHOUGH THE OWNERS MANUAL STATES THAT TWO CAR SEATS CAN BE INSTALLED. WE GOT NO FURTHER HELP FROM THEM IN SOLVING THIS PROBLEM, BECAUSE THEY STATED IT WAS A DEALERSHIP ISSUE NOT A PROBLEM THAT CONCERNED THEM.*AK
- NHTSA ID
- 724607
Seat belts
Filed Apr 4, 2000
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 35MPH AND DIDN'T COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. SHE APPLIED BRAKES,AND THE SEATBELT BROKE LOOSE FROM THE RETRACTOR. CONSUMER HURT HER LEG. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 859688
- Incident
- Apr 1, 2000
Seat belts
Filed Jan 11, 2000
WHILE TRYING TO INSTALL A CHILD SAFETY SEAT THE RIGHT REAR LAP/SHOULDER BELT FAILED TO STAY SWITCHED INTO THE AUTOMATIC LOCKING RETRACTOR MODE A THE OWNER MANUAL STATES, LEAVING THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT LOOSE AND NOT SECURED PROPERLY. *MJS
- NHTSA ID
- 550364
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.
Other components reported on this vehicle
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .