2000 Kia Sephia Engine Problems

The contact owns a 2000 Kia Sephia. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH and approaching a traffic light, the brake pedal was depressed and the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was unable to veer to the side of the road. The vehicle was able to restart after being jumpstarted. The contact continued to drive; however, the failure recurred 5 times while driving and depressing the brake pedal or the accelerator pedal. After each failure, the vehicle was able to be restarted when jumpstarted. The vehicle was taken to a local Pep Boys and diagnosed; however, no fault code was retrieved. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

NHTSA ID

11459275

Incident

Mar 31, 2022

Mileage

130,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 KIA SEPHIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHE DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE ENGINE WOULD RACE FIRST AND THEN THE VEHICLE WOULD MOVE FORWARD. THE OVER DRIVE LIGHT STAYED ON AND THE ENGINE LIGHT WOULD BLINK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP WHERE THE DEALER CHANGED THE SENSORS FOR THE LIGHTS. HOWEVER, THE OVER DRIVE AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS WERE CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 162,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 162,384. UPDATED 11/03/10. *LJ

NHTSA ID

10332295

Incident

May 10, 2010

Mileage

162,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING A CLANKING NOISE WAS HEARD IN THE ENGINE. THEN, WITH NO WARNING LIGHTS, THE ENGINE SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHO DETERMINED THERE WAS SLUDGE IN THE OIL AND THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK UPDATED 03/03/06.*JB

NHTSA ID

10147616

Incident

Nov 24, 2005

Mileage

81,000 mi

DT: WHILE DRIVING, THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN HOT. THE COOLING SYSTEM ROCKETED TO HIGH AFTER THE BATTERY LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE ENGINE WENT DEAD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO CHECK THE VEHICLE UNTIL AFTER JULY 11TH. THE CONSUMER DID NOT KNOW WHAT EXACTLY THE DEALERSHIPS DIAGNOSIS WAS BECAUSE THEY HAVE YET TO CHECK VEHICLE. CONSUMER SUSPECTED THIS WAS A COOLING SYSTEM ISSUE WITH BATTERY PROBLEMS AS WELL. *AK

NHTSA ID

10128140

Incident

Jul 6, 2005

Mileage

59,000 mi

CONSUMER COMPLAINED THAT INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. ABS LIGHT, AIR BAG LIGHT AND THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. CONSUMER STATED, THIS PROBLEM STARTED AFTER A "SERVICE CAMPAIGN " WAS DONE TO THE BATTERY CABLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10103336

Incident

Sep 15, 2004

Mileage

59,000 mi

I'VE HAD MANY PROBLEMS WITH THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS DISINTEGRATING FROM WITHIN. I'VE HAD THEM REPLACED MANY TIMES AT LEAST 3 OR 4 TIMES IN THE LAST 2 YRS THE MOST RECENT WAS THIS SUMMER ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO. I AM HAVING THIS PROBLEM AGAIN IT BEGINS TO ACT LIKE IT'S GOING TO STALL, THEN STARTS VIGOUROUSLY SHAKING, AND IT ALSO LOSES ACCELERATION SPEED. I'LL BE DRIVING AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT STARTS ACTING UP AND LOSING SPEED AND IT WONT GO ANY HIGHER THAN 20 MPH OR SO. THIS IS A CONTINUOUS PROBLEM AND ONE THAT I CONSIDER VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE I COULD BE DRIVING ON A BUSY STREET OR A HWY AND I LOSE ACCELERATION SPEED AND IT SHAKES. THIS POSES A PROBLEM TO MY OWN SAFETY AND THAT OF OTHERS DRIVING WHILE THESE EFFECTS OCCUR. I'M SCARED IT WILL BLOW UP, BURN UP, OR FALL APART WITH ALL THE SHAKING OR EVEN STALL AND CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT. PLEASE HELP!!! I'VE TAKEN IT NUMEROUS TIMES TO THE DEALERSHIP TO GET THIS FIXED AND I'VE ONLY GOTTEN A TEMPORARY FIX AS YOU CAN SEE. IF ITS NOT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, ITS THE FUEL INJECTORS, OR THE FUEL GAUGE, IT'S ALWAYS ONE THING OR ANTHER. THIS CAR IS A LEMON!!! *AK

NHTSA ID

10090609

Incident

Sep 7, 2004

Mileage

62,325 mi

I HAVE <45000 MILES ON MY CAR (2000 KIA SEPHIA) AND HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE FRONT BRAKES REPLACED 3X AND THE BACK BRAKES REPLACED 1X. ALSO, WHEN I TURN ON THE AC, THERE IS A LOUD NOISE FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR. THE CAR HESITATES WHEN TRYING TO GET UP TO SPEED. THE CAR ALSO FEELS LIKE IT IS TRYING TO PULL SOMETHING OF GREAT WEIGHT WHEN DRIVING AT 55 MPH. THE BACK SEATBELTS DO NOT ALWAYS LOCK. THE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THE SEAT BELTS ARE ONLY TO LOCK WHEN THE BRAKES ARE SLAMMED OR THE VEHICLE IS HIT (SO HOW IS A CHILD BOOSTER SEAT SUPPOSED TO STAY PUT WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION?) *JB

NHTSA ID

10064556

Incident

Oct 1, 2000

Mileage

18,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON TWICE PRIOR TO VEHICLE STALLING. DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO INDICATE THE REASON WHY THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. *AK

NHTSA ID

10062857

Incident

Mar 8, 2004

Mileage

78,000 mi

I BOUGHT A 2000 KIA SEPHIA ON NOVEMBER 27, 2003. THIS CAR HAS THE BALANCE OF A 100,000 MILE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY AND ONLY HAD 15,000 MILES ON IT WHEN I BOUGHT IT. I NOTICED THAT IT WAS USING A QUART OF OIL EVERY 1,000 MILES AND AFTER I CHANGED THE OIL IT WAS USING A QUART EVERY 500 MILES. I HAD ALREADY TAKEN IT IN TO THE DEALER FOR 15,000 MILE SERVICING AND TOOK IT BACK ABOUT THIS OIL PROBLEM. THE FIRST THING THEY ASKED WAS PERMISSION TO PULL THE HEADS, AFTER WHICH THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE TOP OF THE MOTOR WAS BURNT AND THE ONLY CAUSE FOR THIS WAS FAILURE TO PERFORM MAINTENANCE. I WAS ASKED TO PRODUCE MAINTENANCE RECORDS FOR THE LIFE OF THE CAR, WHICH I DID. AFTER PRODUCING THESE RECORDS, THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE DEALERSHIP NOW WANTED PERMISSION TO DROP THE OIL PAN. I GAVE IT AS I THOUGHT MY CAR WOULD FINALLY BE FIXED. I CALLED THE SERVICE MANAGER AND WAS INFORMED THAT SINCE THERE WAS SLUDGE IN MY OIL PAN THEY WOULD NOT FIX MY CAR, EVEN THOUGH I HAD PROVEN IT HAD BEEN SERVICED, AND IT WAS STILL UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY. I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GO FOR HELP, SO AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT HOPING YOUR AGENCY CAN IN SOME WAY HELP ME.*AK

NHTSA ID

10054629

Incident

Dec 22, 2003

Mileage

19,000 mi

THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. PH *CB *JB

NHTSA ID

10029693

WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN AND TO RESTARTED TEN TO TWENTY MINUTES LATER. *NLM BY THE TIME THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER TO THE SLOW LANE, THE ACCELERATION STARTED AGAIN. (AFTER A MINUTE OR TWO WITH NO POWER) IT SPUTTERED BEFORE, WHILE CRUISING. A CARB CLEANSER WAS PLACED IN. AS THE VEHICLE APPROACHED 35 MPH OR 45 MPH, THE ACCELERATION RESTARTED AND THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL BACK ONTO THE ROAD. *SCC *JB

NHTSA ID

10018098

Incident

May 2, 2003

Mileage

24,650 mi

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

THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD, AND THEN THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. *JB

NHTSA ID

10019579

Incident

May 9, 2003

THE SENSOR/GAS LEVEL IN THE GAS TANK WENT OUT WHEN THE CAR HAD 53000 + OR - ON IT AND IT COST US $300 TO FIX IT. THE DRIVER'S DOOR DOESN'T SEAL. AND NOW, AS WE LEFT A STORE TONIGHT, THE FLASHING (YES FLASHING) CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND THE CAR IS SPUTTERING AND CLANGING FROM UNDER THE BONNET. IT IS IN THE EVENING AND A FRIDAY NIGHT. I OPENED THE HOOD AND IT SMELLED FUNKY/BURNT. IT WAS SPUTTERING. THE CAR CURRENTLY HAS 72000 MILES ON IT. I'LL TRY TO GET IT LOOKED AT IN THE MORROW.

NHTSA ID

10003360

Incident

Jan 24, 2003

Mileage

72,000 mi

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE LOOSES POWER IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. TOOK TO MECHANIC AND HE STATES THE COILS ARE DEFECTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

NHTSA ID

8024127

Incident

Oct 1, 2002

THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. TS *JB

NHTSA ID

8022175

Incident

Oct 8, 2002

CONSUMER STATED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER SEPARATED, WHICH EMITTED FUMES AND CAUSED A RATTLE NOISE.MR *JB

NHTSA ID

8021311

Incident

Oct 19, 2002

VEHICLE STALLS WHILE DRIVING, ENGINE LIGHT INTERMITTENLY FLASH OFF AND ON, ALSO DEALER CHANGE ODOMETER TO CERO MILES, DELAER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED SEVERAL TIMES PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. MR

NHTSA ID

8020882

Incident

Oct 10, 2002

THE BRAKES HAVE NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR SINCE PURCAHSED. RESULTING IN FREQUENT REPAIR, INCONVENIENCE, SAFETY CONCERNS AND OTHER PROBLEMS. WAS TOLD TODAY BY A BRAKE SPECIALIST THAT THE REASON WHY THE FRONT BRAKES KEEP WEARING FAST IS THAT THE REAR BRAKES DO NOT WORK. NLM

NHTSA ID

767613

WHEN VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN IT CUTS OFF WITHOUT WARNING. ALSO, WILL NOT START BACK UP. CONSUMER HAS TO GET IT TOWED EVERY TIME. THEN, IT IS TOWED BACK TO DEALER, YET, DEALER CANNOT FIND OUT THE PROBLEM. CONSUMER STATES HE IS AFRAID THAT HE OR HIS DAUGHTER IS GOING TO GET HURT.*AK CONSUMER ADDS THERE IS SUDDEN ACCELERATION THEN SLOWING DOWN OF THE VEHICLE WITHOUT BRAKES BEING APPLIED. EXPERIENCING FUEL RELATIONS PROBLEMS POSSIBLY RELATED TO THE FUEL BOX. IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE THAT THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY FAILED. *TT

NHTSA ID

8011543

Incident

Jun 5, 2002

DAUGHTER DRIVE CAR IN HOSPITAL 05/12/02 AND 06/06/02 FROM FUEL LEAK BACK INTO CAR, CAUSING HER TO PASSOUT, DIZZINESS,/ NAUSEA/ VOMTING AND DIFFCULT IN BREATHING AND HEADACHE. *AK

NHTSA ID

762815

Incident

May 14, 2002

THE MOLD IN THE CAR HAS CAUSED TWO PEOPLE TO GET SICK . WE HAVE TOLD KIA OF THE PROBLEM AND THEY HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING FOR US. THE CAR HAS BEEN TEST FOR TOXICITY MOLD. I HAVE CONTACTED THE BBB AUTO LINE AND NOTHING AS BEEN RESOLVED IN THIS MATTER. WE ARE SEEING A DOCTOR FOR THE MOLD AND ARE UNABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE ON DOCTOR'S ORDER AND DO TO THE LEVEL OF MOLD IN THE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

762571

OBD-2 MALFUNCTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING. EMISSION WAS INSPECTED AND NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8009491

Incident

May 4, 2002

CONSUMER STATED THE SILENCER NEXT TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER IS RUSTING OUT. TOOK TO DEALER AND HAD REPAIRED BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. NLM BRAKES, ROTORS AND PADS FAILED AND WERE REPLACED THREE TIMES. *YH

NHTSA ID

8007808

ENGINE WILL CONTINUEOUSLY OVERHEAT WHEN TRAVELING LONG DISTANCES. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER CANNOT FIND CAUSE.*AK *MJ

NHTSA ID

8007081

Incident

Mar 12, 2001