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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 →

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

What owners actually said

205 reports
Mileage unknown · May 3, 2000
Electrical SystemTires

WHILE STOPPING AT A RED LIGHT SAW/SMELLED SMOKE. AFTER INVESTIGATING WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM, CONSUMER RAISED THE HOOD AND FOUND SMOKE COMING FROM THE CONJUCTION BOX. TIRES HAD TO BE REPLACED AFTER 27,667 MILES. *AK *ML

NHTSA ODI #861357

Mileage unknown · May 3, 2000
Engine And Engine CoolingPower TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic

TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED TWICE/ THE ENGINE SEIZED AT 30000 MILES/ THE BRAKES WARPED THREE TIMES AND WERE REPLACED 3 TIMES/ THE WINDOWS ARE HARD TO OPEN AND CLOSE/ THE BRAKE PEDAL IS EXTREMELY LOW. *AK

NHTSA ODI #722229

Mileage unknown · Apr 25, 2000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND APPLYING BRAKES VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. COULD HEAR NOISE FROM BRAKES. ALSO, VEHICLE VIBRATED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #860899

Mileage unknown · Apr 13, 2000
Electrical SystemService Brakes, Hydraulic

I STARTED HAVING BRAKE FAILURE AND GRINDING FROM THE REAR AFTER 5 DAYS OF PURCHASING THE CAR.I WAS COMING UP TO A STOP SIGN AND THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP AFTER APPLYING THE BRAKES.WHEN BACKING UP OR COMING TO A STOP I HAD A GRINDING SOUND AND SOUNDED LIKE A LIQUID WAS SPLASHING AROUND AT THE SAME TIME.I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO SOUTHLA…

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I STARTED HAVING BRAKE FAILURE AND GRINDING FROM THE REAR AFTER 5 DAYS OF PURCHASING THE CAR.I WAS COMING UP TO A STOP SIGN AND THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP AFTER APPLYING THE BRAKES.WHEN BACKING UP OR COMING TO A STOP I HAD A GRINDING SOUND AND SOUNDED LIKE A LIQUID WAS SPLASHING AROUND AT THE SAME TIME.I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO SOUTHLAKE KIA AND TOLD THE SERVICE REP ABOUT THE PROBLEMS.BEFORE THAT I WAS CHECKING THE SPARK PLUGS AND WHEN THEY WERE PULLED OUT ONE BY ONE THEY WERE BURNED OUT AND THE AIR FILTER WAS ALMOST AS BLACK AS TAR.I TOLD THE SERVICE REP ABOUT PLUGS AND AIR FILTER.THE SPARK PLUGS WAS CHANGED BUT I WAS TOLD THAT THE FILTER WAS NOT GOING TO BE REPLACED.I TALKED TO DARRYL HARRIS/SEALER/AND HE HAD TO TALK TO HIS BOSS IN ORDER TO GET THE FILTER REPLACED.DARRYL'S BOSS TOLD ME THAT AIR FILTERS WAS NOT GOING TO BE REPLACED,SO I SPOKE WITH DARRYL AGAIN AND HE FINALLY GOT THEM TO CHANGE THE AIR FILTER AS WELL.AFTER TELLING DARRYL WHY I WAS BACK SO SOON HE CALLED WHERE THE CARS ARE TAKEN TO BE SERVICED AND WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR HAD NEVER BEEN SERVICED,AND THAT'S WHEN THE AIR FILTER WAS REPLACED.AFTER EXPLAINING ABOUT MY BRAKES AND ADVISING THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT IT WAS MY BACK BRAKES THAT FAILING THE MOST I WAS TOLD BY TOM AND THE MECHANIC/I BELIEVE HIS NAME IS GEORGE,I NOT REALLY SURE/THAT CARS DO NOT HAVE BACK BRAKES.I WAS TOLD BY TOM IN SO MANY WORDS THAT A CAR DOES NOT HAVE TO BE SERVICED AND THAT A CAR CAN BE SOLD EVEN IF IT IS KNOW THAT IT HAS BRAKE OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF PROBLEMS.I SPOKE WITH TONY AT 800 333 4542 EXT 35014 WHO SAID THAT HE WOULD GET SOMEONE FROM DPS WHO COULD AUTHORIZE THE REPAIRS.TO DATE I STILL HAVE NOT HEARD FROM ANYONE WHO CAN ASSIST ME WITH MY PROBLEMS.ON 7/26/99 TOM HAD THE MECHANIC TO REPLACE FRONT PADS AND ROTORS WITH UPDATED PARS,CLEANED AND ADJUSTED REAR BARKES.THE FRONT PADS HAD UNEVEN WEAR AS WELL.AFTER THE REPAIRS TOM TOLD ME THAT HE HAD THE FRONT AND BACK BRAKES REPLACED AND REPLACED THE PADS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #721421

Mileage unknown · Mar 24, 2000
Power TrainSteering

VEHICLE STALLS WHILE CHANGING GEARS. ALSO, STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP, CAUSING CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL. *AK

NHTSA ODI #859173

Mileage unknown · Mar 13, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE DRIVING AND SLOWING DOWN OR TURNING VEHICLE WOULD STALL. CONSUMER FELT THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY WERE NOT HELPING. CONSUMER ALSO REPORTS SMELLING AGS FUMES INSIDE VEHICLE, AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FREQUENTLY FLASHING. *AK *ML

NHTSA ODI #858395

Mileage unknown · Mar 13, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLS UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH MAY CAUSE A CRASH. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #858365

Mileage unknown · Mar 10, 2000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

FRONT BRAKE ROTORS MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING UNEVEN WEAR AND TEAR WHICH RESULTED IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, AND COULD CAUSE A CRASH. DEALER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #858278

Mileage unknown · Feb 25, 2000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

AT APPROXIMATELY EVERY 3,000 MILES BRAKE ROTORS ARE PREMATURELY WARPING, CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS WHICH DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #857536

Mileage unknown · Feb 2, 2000
Power TrainService Brakes, AirService Brakes, Hydraulic

SEEMS LIKE EVERY 3-4 MONTHS BRAKES START TO PULSATE, 3 TIMES SO FAR, EACH TIME REPLACED, BEING TOLD THAT WRONG STYLE BEING USED, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT JUST STARTED ACTING UP FOR THE 6TH TIME, EACH TIME BEING TOLD IT IS SENSORS OR GROUND CONNECTIONS. JUST NOTICED THE CLUTCH PROBLEM OF GOING TOO LOW TO FLOOR FOR THE 6TH TIME, EACH T…

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SEEMS LIKE EVERY 3-4 MONTHS BRAKES START TO PULSATE, 3 TIMES SO FAR, EACH TIME REPLACED, BEING TOLD THAT WRONG STYLE BEING USED, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT JUST STARTED ACTING UP FOR THE 6TH TIME, EACH TIME BEING TOLD IT IS SENSORS OR GROUND CONNECTIONS. JUST NOTICED THE CLUTCH PROBLEM OF GOING TOO LOW TO FLOOR FOR THE 6TH TIME, EACH TIME BEING TOLD SOMETHING DIFFERENT. THIS IS GETTING OLD. WENT TO OPEN DRIVERS DOOR ONE DAY AN HANDLE WOULD NOT WORK. WAS LEAKING FLUID FROM RIGHT FRONT SIDE OF VEHICLE ANOTHER TIME TO FIND IT WAS THE AXLE SEAL, WHICH WAS REPLACED 2 TIMES. GETTING READY TO TELL DEALER THEY CAN HAVE THIS CAR. FOR ONLY HAVING LESS THAN 14,000 MILES, TOO MUCH IS HAPPENING TOO OFTEN. *AK

NHTSA ODI #718227

Official recalls

1

02V216000 · 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

1

PE02051 · 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.