Owner-reported complaints naming the body or structure system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2001 Kia Sephia submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 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
DT: DASHBOARD SEPARATED FROM WINDSHIELD WITHOUT WARNING. DRIVER'S SIDE CAME LOOSE, AND NOW THE OTHER SIDE WAS LOOSE. MANUFACTURER WAS CALLED, AND THEY SAID THEY HAD A RECALL ON THAT PROBLEM. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET.*AK
AT COLD TEMPERATURES DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR HAD TROUBLE OPENING AND CLOSING. WHEN TAKEN TO DEALER FOR SERVICE THE SAME PROBLEM CONTINUED. THERE WAS AN INCIDENT WHERE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND SUDDENLY THE DOOR OPENED. CONSUMER HAD TO HOLD THE DOOR SHUT UNTIL SHE ARRIVED AT HER DESTINATION.*AK
BEFORE 40,000 MILES, HAD FUEL PUMP CHANGED 2 TIMES, STARTER CHANGED 2 TIMES, NEW TRANSMISSION, IGNITION CONTROL MODULE ONCE, DOORS REPLACED DUE TO DEFECT, NEW PAINT JOB DUE TO TRASH UNDER ORIGINAL PAINT JOB, ALL HUB CAPS AND TRIM WERE REPLACED DUE TO FADING AT 10,000 MILES (WHICH FADED AGAIN A FEW THOUSAND MILES LATER), AC BLOWER RESISTOR MOTOR REPLACED, ALL MIRRORS WERE REPLACED, ELECTRICAL SHORT IN DOME LIGHT, & IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED. I BOUGHT MY CAR IN OCT 2001, AND WAS PUT IN SHOP FOR THE FIRST TIME IN JAN. 2002 AND HAS BEEN THERE 55 DAYS SINCE. I HAVE KEPT UP WITH ALL REQUIRED MAINTENANCE. SORRY, BUT THIS CAR IS JUNK. AND I HATE TO HAVE HAD A BAD EXPERIENCE BUYING MY FIRST NEW VEHICLE. *JB
WATER IS LEAKING INTO THE VEHICLE ONTO THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR. WHEN THIS OCCURS IN COOLER TEMPERATURES AND THE DEFROSTER IS ENGAGED THE WATER IS EVAPORATED. THIS CAUSES MOISTURE TO DEVELOP ONTO THE WINDOW. THIS REDUCES THE DRIVER'S VISIBILITY. THIS IS AN ON GOING PROBLEM, BUT THE DEALERSHIP IS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE SOURCE OF THE WATER LEAK. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *PH 2001 KIA SEPHIA EXPERIENCING A PROBLEM WHERE WATER LEAKS INTO THE VEHICLE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR. THERE IS ALSO A PROBLEM WITH MOISTURE DEVELOPING ON THE WINDSHIELD WHICH IS IMPAIRING THE DRIVER'S VISIBILITY. CONSUMER ALSO CONCERNED OF A MOLD THAT IS GROWING ON THE VEHICLE'S CARPET.*MR
ENGINE AND LOTS OF OTHERS. *NLM
BOUGHT NEW CAR. SEVERAL ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONS. INSIDE DOOR LOCKS (REPAIRED 2 TIMES). HORN MALFUNCTION (REPAIRED 2 TIMES). SPARK PLUGS, WIRES, AND COIL (REPLACED 1 TIME). REAR DEFROST MALFUNCTION (REPAIRED 1 TIME.) AIR FILTER COVER SCREWS AND HOLES STRIPPED OUT (REPLACED 1 TIME). AIR CONDITIONER FAN-SCRAPING NOISE (NEVER REPAIRED). OUTSIDE DOOR LOCKS MALFUNCTION (CURRENTLY BEING LOOKED AT). STICK SHIFT WAS "JUMPING AROUND"-REAR MOTOR MOUNT WAS BAD (REPLACED 1 TIME). KNOCK SENSOR MALFUNCTION (REPLACED 1 TIME). DASH DIALS NOT WORKING (REPLACED FUSE 1 TIME). PROBLEMS STARTED DAY AFTER I PURCHASED CAR-SHOULD HAVE HEEDED THE OBVIOUS WARNING! DO NOT BUY KIA!
A PEBBLE GOT INTO THE TIRE, FROM THERE IT GOT LODGED BETWEEN THE ROTOR AND THE BRAKE PAD AND WAS CAUSING A SCREECHING SOUND, KIA STATED THAT THIS IS NOT A SERIOUS PROBLEM. *SLC
GOT OUT OF VEHICLE TO CHECK MY MAIL W/2 KIDS, 22 MONTHS & 6 MONTHS IN CAR. IGNITION & EMERGENCY BRAKE LEFT ON. CAME BACK TO CAR, PULLED DOOR HANDLE TO OPEN DOORS, AND AUTOMATIC POWER LOCKS CLICKED AND LOCKED DOORS WHEN I LIFTED THE HANDLE TO OPEN DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. KIDS WERE LOCKED IN UNHEATED RUNNING CAR FOR OVER 1 HOUR. POLICE CALLED, TOW SERVICE GOT CAR OPEN. DOORS SHOULD 1) NOT LOCK WHEN SIMPLY PULLING ON DOOR HANDLE TO OPEN DOOR & 2) SHOULD NOT LOCK WITH KEY IN IGNITION. YOUNGER CHILD SLEPT THROUGH INCIDENT, BUT OLDER CHILD WAS VERY SCARED AND DISTRAUGHT. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER HAD THE CAR BEEN IN A GARAGE (I.E. CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING).*AK
WEATHER STRIPPING ON THE DOOR(RIGHT REAR) KEEPS COMING OFF AND DOESN'T ALLOW THE DOOR TO CLOSE PROPERLY. SERVICE 4 TIMES AND REPLACED TWICE.
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
Data on this page last refreshed .