Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. 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. 23 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
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. 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.
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
WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN , THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND ALMOST HIT A CURVE. *AK THE CONSUMER THEN PLACED THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE 2-3 TIMES. (IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC & BUSY INTERSECTION) THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE INCIDENT RECURRED WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING TO THE DEALER. THERE HAD BEEN NO ACCIDENTS WITH THIS VEHICLE, BUT THE SUB FRAME RACK & PINION HAD BROKEN APART. ONE SIDE HAD BEEN BROKEN FOR A WHILE AND STARTED TO RUST. (LOOKED LIKE POOR WELDING/MANUFACTURER DEFECT) *SCC *JB
CONSUMER HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS AS RECALL#02V286000 RACK AND PINION. DEALER WILL NOT REPAIR BECAUSE VIN NUMBER IS NOT INCLUDED. TS
CONSUMER STATES. THE STEERING LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING AT 55MPH, VEHICLE WENT INTO A 120 FF RAVINE AND WAS TOTALED LOST. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
STEERING LOCKED UP WHILE GOING 55MPH ON A 2 LANE HIGHWAY. CONSUMER HEARD A CLICK IN THE STEERING AS IT TURNED SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT, AND THE ABS WAS THUMPING. STEERING IMMEDIATELY LOCKED UP, CAUSING VEHICLE TO ROLL INTO A RIVERINE. ALSO, CONSUMER COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER ABOUT STEERING WHEN VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED IN FEBRUARY AFTER BEING SIDE SWIPED. DEALER THEN DIDN'T FIND A CAUSE OF PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK
STEERING HAS BECOME REAL DIFFICULT TO CONTROL.CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER CANNOT FIND THE CAUSE. *AK
WHILE THE INSURED WAS DRIVING, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE, INSURED STATED THAT THE HOSE FOR THE POWER STEERING SEPARATED CAUSING FLUID TO LEAK ON TO HOT SURFACES. CLAIM NUMBER 22-V332-608. *YH
I HAD TO GET NEW BRAKES PUT ON WITHIN ONE WEEK OF OWNING THE CAR 632 MILES, AND I'VE HAD A CRACKED BRAKE LINE, FUSE PROBLEMS WHICH THEY BLAME ON THE ALARM, BUT ANOTHER WOMEN HAD THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM WITH NO ALARM ATTACHED, I'VE BROUGHT MY CAR IN NUMEROUS TIMES REGARDING THE BRAKES, AND I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS NOTHING. I JUST BROUGHT MY CAR IN WITH 23580 MILES ON IT, AND I WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED NEW BRAKES AND ROTORS, BUT THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR. I HAVE FELT THE SAME KIND OF BRAKE PROBLEMS EVER SINCE I BOUGHT THIS CAR, EVEN WHEN THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. THE CAR DRAGS FEELING LIKE IT'S NEVER GOING TO STOP, AND THEN THE BRAKES PUMP ALL THE TIME. I'VE CALLED KIA REGARDING THIS AND THE FUSE PROBLEM EXPLAINING, WHAT IF THIS CAUSES A FUSE TO BLOW WITH MY BRAKES, HEADLIGHTS, ETC....AND THEY DID NOTHING. I ALSO HAVE BUZZING COMING FROM MY ENGINE WITH THE IGNITION JUST SWITCHED TO ON. IT SOUNDS LIKE A WIRING PROBLEM, WHICH I'M AFRAID COULD CAUSE AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. YOU NAME IT, THIS CAR HAS HAD NUMEROUS SAFETY PROBLEMS.*AK
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT I AM VERY UPSET THAT THE PROBLEMS I HAVE SEEM TO BE REPETITIVE. THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN DONE 4 MAYBE 5 TIMES AND KIA WILL NO LONGER REPLACE THEM. THE POWER STEERING HAS BEEN MALFUNCTIONED TWICE. I HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU AND HAVE WORKED OUT THE FIRST 3 TIMES THE BRAKES WENT BAD BUT I HAVE SINCE BEEN BACK TWICE AND HAD A POWER STEERING LEAK AND NOW MY CAR IS IN THE SHOP AGAIN. AS FOR THE BRAKES EACH TIME THEY WENT BACK THERE WAS SEVERE PULSATION WHEN BREAKING AND SHAKING IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKED AND WAS FIXED AND NOW LEAKED AGAIN AND IS BEING FIXED CURRENTLY.*AK
TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER BECAUSE BRAKES WERE SQUEALING WHEN BRAKING AT ANY SPEEP. AFTER REPAIRS STILL DOING SAME THING. CONSUMER HAD BRAKES REPAIRED AT HER EXPENSE AFTER THAT. ALSO POWER STEERING WENT OUT. TOOK TO DEALER FOR REPAIR. ONE DAY LATER, NOTICED THAT PUMP WAS LAYING UBDER HOOD, NOT CONNECTED. CALLED KIA AND RECEIVED NO HELP. *AK
WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE DUE TO A HOSE FOR THE POWER STEERING HAD SEPARATED, CAUSING FLUID TO LEAK ON HOT SURFACE, 2 PEOPLE WERE INJURED IN ACCIDENT, CLAIM 22-V332-608. *SLC
THIS CAR HAS BEEN, NONSTOP, 1 MECH PROBLEM AFTER ANOTHER WITH KIA CO & MANUF CLAIMING 'NORMAL WEAR/TEAR OR FIRST HEARD OF PROBLEMS.' YOUR SITE SHOWS THAT OTHER CONSUMERS OF SAME VEHICLE HAVE ALL EXPERIENCED SAME PROBLEMS (ESP BRAKES, BATTERY, TIRES, STEERING COLUMN, FUEL ASSEMBLY). KIA & DEALERSHIP UNRESPONSIVE AND UNACCOUNTABLE FOR PRODUCTS SOLD AND REPRESENTED- ESP. HIGHLY DANGEROUS VEHICLE PROBLEMS/DEFECTS. (DOT NUMBER: 96737 TIRESIZE: P185/65R14)
CONSUMER WAS AT INTERSECTION WAITING TO MAKE A TURN, WENT TO APPLY BRAKES AND THERE WERE NO BRAKES OR STEERING. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC COULDN'T DUPLICATE PROBLEM. CONSUMER PICKED VEHICLE UP, AND A FEW MINUTES LATER, VEHICLE DID THE SAME THING.*AK
DEALER REPLACED 4 BRAKES/FLEX PLATE/ SPEAKERS3/POWSTEERPUMP/ 2X GEAR SHIFT ASSEMBLEY/ ELECTRIC SYSTEM AND TRANSMISSION. *AK
DRIVING ON HIGHWAY TRAVELLING 75MPH FROM FT LAUDERDALE TO BROOKSVILLE, HAD PROBLEMS WITH STEERING AND KEEPING VEHICLE ON THE ROAD. LOST CONTROL OF STEERING AND SWERVED OFF OF THE ROAD. WAS ABLE TO GET BACK ON THE ROAD AND CONTINUE. GOT VEHICLE BACK FROM DEALERSHIP FOR AN ALIGNMENT AND 4 NEW TIRES AND STILL THE VEHICLE WAS SHAKING. WILL TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
POWER STEERING PROBLEM IS CAUSING A LOUD SCRAPPING NOISE. *AK
CAR HAD PROBLEMS STARTING IN THE MORNING. STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP WHEN CONSUMER WAS TRYING TO TURN. VEHICLE WENT INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. CONSUMER HAD 2 KIDS IN THE CAR. CONSUMER FORCED THE WHEEL TO TURN SO THAT HE WOULD NOT CRASH INTO THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC. HOWEVER, STERRING COLUMN CAME APART. TOOK TO DEALER AND DEALER SAID THAT IT WAS THE CONSUMER'S PROBLEM ,AND IF HE WANTED IT FIXED, HE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR REPAIRS. *AK
THE BRAKES SQUEAK AND THE PADS WERE REPLACED AT 1200 MILES, THE BRAKES FAILED AGAIN AT 6600 MILES THE ROTORS WERE WARPED AND THE PADS WERE WORN AND I RETURNED THE CAR TO NORTHWESTERN DODGE AND KIA AND THEY REPLACED THE PADS AND MACHINED THE ROTORS, HOWEVER THE STERING WHEEL SHAKES AND VIBRATES WHEN I DRIVE ON THE EXPRESSWAY AND THE BRAKES ARE STILL GRINDING. THE STERING WHEEL AND COLUMN VIBRATES AND SHAKES WHEN I DRIVE AT 50+ MPH. AT 6600 MILES THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THERE IS A BURNING SMELL. THE CAR DIES OUT WHEN I AM AT A STAND STILL FOR NO REASON AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING. I HAVE TO START THE CAR AT LEAST 3 TIMES BEFORE IT TURNS OVER. OVERALL I WOULD SAY THAT I AM DISAPPOINTED WITH THE CAR AND THE MOMENT THAT I CAN TRADE IT IN I PLAN TO DO SO AND I WILL ADVISE ANYONE WHO IS THINKING ABOUT PURCHASING THIS CAR TO NOT EVEN CONSIDER A KIA (ANY MODEL) BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT WELL MADE CARS.
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 25 MPH SOMETHING IN THE STEERING COLUMN BROKE, CAUSING A LOT OF PLAY IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE WHEEL IS ABLE TO TURN IN A COMPLETE CIRCLE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THIS TIME. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
THE RACK AND PINION STEERING WAS REPLACED, AFTER THE REPLACEMENT THE STEERING MADE A GRINDING SOUND AND VIBRATED WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED, ALSO THE STEERING HAS A LOT OF PLAY IN THE WHEEL. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
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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