IllustrationTHE BRAKES AND ROTORS WERE EXCESSIVELY WORN OUTAND REPLACED TWICE. TANSMISSION FAILD CAUSING, LOUD KNOCKING NOISE AND NEW TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. LEFT AXLE FAILED AND REPLACED. THE BATTERY WENT OUT. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START.*AK
1997 Kia Sephia
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Kia Sephia do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 107.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sephia years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 15 of 205 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 72 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 44 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
30 crash reports5 fire reports20 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
31 reportsVEHICLE STALLED AND DIED DUE TO FAULTY WIRING--FIRE RESULTED. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE WIRING SYSTEM. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK *ML
INTERMITTENTLY THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. ALSO, DEALER HAS REPLACED TRANSMISSION AND BRAKE SYSTEM. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
ON MARCH 18 1999 MY CAR WOULD NOT START UP INSTANTLY I HAD TO TRY A FEW TIMES TO START MY CAR AND AFTER THREE TRIES IT FINALLY STARTED I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THATS WHEN I FOUND OUT I NEEDED A NEW STARTER, FLYWHEEL,FUEL TRIM MALFUNCTION, NEW DTC GROUNG IMPROVEMENTS PROCEDURES.
NO SUMMARY INCLUDED.
WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT NEXT TO A LARGE TRUCK WITH A CB RADIO, THE RADIO EXPERIENCED STATIC AND THE VEHICLE CUT OFF.
WARPED FRONT AND REAR ROTORS/ INTERMITTENT STALLING. REPLACED STARTER/BATTERY/THROTTLE BODY/STARTER MOTOR AND ADJUSTED TIMING GEAR AND CHAIN. *AK
BRAKES MAKING NOISE.
BRAKES FAILED CAUSING PULSATING AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES, BRAKES REPLACED HOWEVER STILL EXPERIENCE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES.
SYNCHRONIZER FOR TRANSMISSION FAILED. ALSO, WIRING HARNESS/VAPOR HOSE/AIR BAG LIGHT MALFUNCTIONED.
Official recalls
102V216000 · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly
Aug 16, 2002
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE SAFETY BELT BUCKLE MAY "FALSE LATCH" AND EXPOSE THE DRIVER TO UNRESTRAINED MOVEMENT DURING A CRASH.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
Remedy: OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN DECEMBER 20, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1PE02051 · Safety Belt Buckle Malfunction
Opened Jun 17, 2002 · Closed Sep 20, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly
BY LETTER DATED AUGUST 25, 2002, KIA ADVISED NHTSA THAT THE SUBJECT VEHICLES WILL BE RECALLED.SPECIFIC CORRECTIVE ACTION TO BE TAKEN BY KIA HAS NOT BEEN REPORTED TO NHTSA AT THIS TIME.THE SAFETY RECALL PROGRAM HAS BEEN ASSIGNED CAMPAIGN NO. 02V-216.