2000 Kia Sephia Body & structure Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 KIA SEPHIA. WHEN THE TEMPERATURE DROPPED BELOW 25 DEGREES NONE OF THE DOORS LATCHES FUNCTION PROPERLY AND ITS DIFFICULT TO CLOSE THE DOOR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 41000. UPDATED 03/01/10 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN TEMPERATURE DROPPED, THE DOOR LOCKS DID NOT LATCH. THE CONSUMER STATED SHE HAS TO HOLD DOOR WHILE DRIVING. ALSO, THE DASH BOARD WAS FALLING APART. UPDATED 08/20/10.*JB

NHTSA ID

10300338

Incident

Jan 12, 2006

Mileage

25,000 mi

I HAVE A 2000 KIA SEPHIA AND THE VENTS STARTED TO CRACK. NOW THE WHOLE DASHBOARD IS CURLING UP TO WHERE THE VENTS WON'T EVEN WORK. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE DEFROSTER WILL NOT WORK BECAUSE OF THE DEFORMATION OF THE DASH. AND WITH THIS CAR JUST BEING 6 YEARS OLD WHEN IT HAPPENED I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE RECALLED. IT MAY CAUSE ME TO WRECK FROM NOT BEING ABLE TO CLEAR THE FOG OFF OF THE WINDOW. EVERY KIA SEPHIA THAT I HAVE SEEN HAS THIS PROBLEM NOW. WHICH IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH A CAR THAT IS NOT EVEN 10 YEARS OLD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10209279

Incident

Mar 20, 2006

Mileage

130,000 mi

RIGHT FRONT (PASSENGER) DOOR WILL NOT OPEN. DOOR LATCH WILL NOT UNLOCK. FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED, I HAD TO CUT A HOLE IN THE INSIDE DOOR PANEL TO ACCESS THE INTERIOR OF THE DOOR. THE LOCK MECHANISM WAS RUSTED DUE TO A POORLY DESIGNED WINDOW SEAL THAT DRAINS INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE DOOR--RIGHT ONTO THE LOCK. THIS IS DANGEROUS-- MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ON BULLETIN BOARDS ALL OVER THE NET. THERE IS A TSB (625894) THAT DEALS WITH LATCHES, BUT I HAVE NOT CHECKED IT YET WITH THE DEALER. I UNDERSTAND KIA HAS SOME COVER OR SOMETHING THAT SHIELDS THE LOCK. PERHAPS THE TSB IS FOR THE SHIELD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10208734

Incident

Oct 21, 2006

TL*- THE CONTACT CALLED REGARDING A 2000 KIA SPECTRUM. THE CONTACT OWNED THE VEHICLE SINCE 2002 AND ALL FOUR DOORS WILL NOT SHUT WHEN IT WAS COLD OUTSIDE. THE CONTACT DID NOT KNOW IF THIS FAILURE OCCURRED DURING A SPECIFIC TEMPERATURE. THE CONTACTDID NOT REMEMBER WHAT THE DEALER SAID OR DONE TO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOORS EVENTUALLY SHUT. SHE HAD TIED THE DOORS SHUT TO KEEP THEM FROM OPENING.*AK

NHTSA ID

10181191

Incident

Jan 31, 2007

MY KIA SEPHIA WAS PURCHASED IN 2000 AND AT APPROXIMATED 32,000 MILES THE PAINT ON THE CAR IS PEELING AND FADED AS WELL AS THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD HAS LIFTED AND IS RAISED. I SEE THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH OTHER SEPHIA'S WHEN I AM IN PARKING LOTS OR ON THE ROAD. I CALLED CORAL SPRINGS KIA SEVERAL TIMES AND I AM BEING TOLD THAT BECAUSE I LIVE IN FLORIDA THE PROBLEM IS TO BE EXPECTED. THIS IS A BLATANT LIE. ON MONDAY 9/25 I CALLED KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SPOKE TO JOHN AT EXTENSION 4635. HE TOLD ME HE WOULD CONTACT THE DEALERSHIP AND SOMEONE WOULD CALL ME. I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THEY OFFERED TO SUPPLY THE PARTS BUT NOT THE LABOR TO FIX THE PROBLEMS. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. IF THEY AGREE TO SUPPLY THE PARTS THEN THEY KNEW OR KNOW THIS MAKE A MODEL IS HAVING PROBLEMS. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU CAN ADVISE MY NEXT COURSE OF ACTION. *JB

NHTSA ID

10169419

Incident

Feb 28, 2002

Mileage

5,000 mi

SEPHIA KIA DASH BOARD ....WARRANTY,IS ONLY 36,000 MILES THE SEAMS ARE TORN OUT ON THE DASH BOARD IN FRONT OF THE MILEAGE ODOMETER AND MAKING ME SICK,THE DASHBOARD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE IS BUFFED UP WITH THE AIR VENT BUFFERED UP TOWARD THE WINDOW, KEEPING ME FROM GETTING ANY AIR. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TOO DR.VINLYN.. THE ONLY PERSON THAT FIXES DASH BOARDS IN MY STATE, AND TO AN UPHOLSTERY SHOP, NEITHER ONE WOULD FIX IT..THEY STATE, KIA MANUFACTURER IS NOT MAKING THE DASHBOARDS THE SAME AND THERE ONLY MADE OUT OF PLASTIC NOW, NO USE IN FIXING IT, MIGHT AS WELL BUY A NEW DASHBOARD, CAUSE KIA DOESN'T MAKE GREAT DASHBOARDS FOR CARS ANY LONGER, AND THE DASHBOARDS ARE ONLY PLASTIC.. I WAS ALSO TOLD, A LOT OF KIA'S CARS HAVE BEEN BUFFERED UP, AND NOTHING BUT PLASTIC. I WAS TOLD I WOULD BE BETTER OFF, IF I COULD FIND A BETTER DASHBOARD THAN WHAT I HAVE NOW,CAUSE IT WOULD JUST COME A LOOSE AGAIN BY THE HEAT,IF IT IS STILL PLASTIC.. KIA CARS OF AMERICA...CLAIMS MY WARRANTY IS ONLY 36,000 MILES WARRANTY,BUT I NEED MY CAR FIXED BY KIA CARS OF AMERICA,MY DASH BOARD IS MADE OUT OF PLASTIC,AND I FAULT KIA MOTORS FOR BUILDING THIS CAR LIKE THIS, I HAVE BREATHING PROBLEMS, AND UNLESS KIA WANTS TO GIVE ME ANOTHER CAR, I WANT THEM TO FIX THIS CAR,THIS IS NOT THE WAY I BROUGHT THIS CAR AND IT IS TORN UP INSIDE, BUSTED UP BY HEAT. THANK YOU FOR E-MAILING ME BACK, AT MY EMAIL ABOVE. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN KIA CARS, I WANTED TO STICK WITH KIA CARS, BUT AFTER THIS ,I DON'T KNOW, I JUST KNOW, I NEED KIA CARS OF AMERICA TO FIX THIS CAR. THE SMELL IN THIS CAR WITH THE SEAMS BUSTED IS MAKING ME SICK. *JB

NHTSA ID

10164428

Incident

May 21, 2006

Mileage

78,000 mi

TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10043881

Incident

Jan 1, 2001

Mileage

30,738 mi

NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS SINCE PURCHASE. WINDSHIELD SEPARATED FROM FRAME, MOLDING FELL OFF 4 TIMES DURING FIRST 4 MONTHS OF PURCHASE ALTERNATOR REPLACED TWICE. BATTERY REPLACED AFTER ONLY HAVING VEHICLE 2 MONTHS. AIR CONDITION (A/C) FUSE BLEW TWICE FAN FUSE BLEW ONCE CAUSING VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. BACK DOORS STICK SHUT. BACK DOORS HINGES RUSTED AND BENT CAUSING SQUEAKING AND NOT COMPLETELY TO SHUT. TRANS SHIFTS HARD AND SOMETIMES STICKS. ENGINE LIGHT AND OVERDRIVE LIGHT BLINKED TRANS WAS SHIFTED BY ITSELF. HAD TRANS FLUSHED SEEMS TO BE OK. CAR SHAKES AT HIGH SPEEDS. TAPE PLAYER MAKES FUNNY NOISES IF USED FOR LONG TIME.GAS MILEAGE HAS BEEN POOR SINCE CAR WAS PURCHASED. MOLDING TURNED WHITE. CAR HAS HAD FUEL FILTER REPLACED TWICE. FUEL SENSOR IN TANK REPLACED THREE TIMES. *LA

NHTSA ID

10042942

Incident

May 9, 2003

OUR KIA SEPHIA 2000 IS A LEMON. WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKES FOUR TIMES BECAUSE OF PREMATURE WARE AND SHAKING DUE TO POOR DESIGN. WE RECEIVED THE CAR WITH A DEAD BATTERY. WE ARE ON OUR THIRD BATTERY. WE WERE ON OUR THIRD SET OF TIRES BEFORE 30,000 MILES. THE GEAR SHIFT WILL STICK SO THAT YOU CAN NOT TAKE IT OUT OF PARK. THE WEATHER MOLDING IS FALLING OFF. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GOES ON AND THEY COULD NOT KEEP IT FROM COMING ON. *JB

NHTSA ID

10018598

Incident

Mar 5, 2000

Mileage

549 mi

DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR CAME OPEN AND WILL NOT CLOSE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10008176

Incident

Feb 26, 2003

Mileage

73,000 mi

MASTER CYLINDER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED DUE TO LEAKING BRAKE FLUID. CONSUMER IS ADDING A PINT OF BRAKE FLUID DAILY. BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATES ON DASHBOARD, WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, THERE IS EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE.*AK. CONSUMER STATED THE MASTER CYLINDER HAS BEEN REPLACED PREVIOUSLY, THIS WILL BE THE 3RD MASTER CYLINDER, THE VEHICLE ALSO VIBRATES AND THE DEALER STATED IT WAS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT, HOWEVER THE VIBRATION CONTINUED AFTER THE ALIGNMENT, THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AT 17,000 MILES.*JB

NHTSA ID

8012985

Incident

Jun 1, 2002

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FIRE THAT APPEARED TO HAVE STARTED BY SPARKS IN THE WIRING UNDER THE HOOD, THE FIRE SPREAD TO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, CLAIM 38-J818-276. *SLC

NHTSA ID

6900592

Incident

Nov 13, 2001

THE MOLDING CAME OFF AROUND THE WINDSHIELD.*JB

NHTSA ID

563225

THE FRONT WINDSHIELD IS WEATHERING. NLM

NHTSA ID

785013

Incident

Mar 1, 2000

IN THE FIRST 12 MONTHS OF OWNING THE CAR THAT I PURCHASED BRAND NEW, I HAVE BLOWN AN ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TIRE(NO PUNCTURES - BELT EXPOSED); HAD THE DOOR LOCKS AND COMPARTMENT LID REPLACED BY (NO CHARGE).*AK (TIRESIZE: P185/65R14)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P185/65R14 )

NHTSA ID

741314

Incident

Jun 11, 2000

ANTENNA BROKE ONE MONTH AFTER PURCHASE. NLM

NHTSA ID

559795

VEHICLE OVERHEATED. ALSO, REAR DOORS WERE STUCK.*AK

NHTSA ID

863453

Incident

Nov 26, 1999

WEATHER STRIPPING IS PEELING OFF ON THE SIDE OF VEHICLE. ALSO, WHEN CONSUMER APPLIES BRAKES, VEHICLE VIBRATES.

NHTSA ID

861450