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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 →
205Owner complaints

Model-year median: 107

1Recall campaigns

View recall details →

1Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
16
199464
1995118
1996205
1997491
1998428
1999266
2000
Compare all Sephia years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
72Engine And Engine Cooling
44Electrical System
31Air Bags
30Power Train
30
All reported categories
Seat Belts
20Unknown Or Other
20Structure
19Visibility
14Fuel System, Gasoline
11Vehicle Speed Control
8Steering
7Tires
7Equipment
5Service Brakes, Air
4Suspension
4Exterior Lighting
2Interior Lighting
2Fuel System, Other
1Latches/locks/linkages
1Seats
1Wheels
1

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

What owners actually said

205 reports
Mileage unknown · Jan 31, 2000
Wheels

WHEN CHANGING FRONT TIRE ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE, TWO OF THE STUDS BROKE. A STUD ALSO BROKE WHEN CHANGING THE REAR TIRE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP. DEALER STATED THAT THE STUDS BROKE BECAUSE THEY WERE SCREWED TOO TIGHT. *AK *ML

NHTSA ODI #855788

Mileage unknown · Jan 31, 2000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

BRAKE DISC WARPAGE WAS REPORTED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #718122

Mileage unknown · Jan 30, 2000
Air BagsCrashInjury

DRIVER-SIDE AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY DURING HEAD-ON COLLISION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #718078

Mileage unknown · Jan 27, 2000
Seat Belts

DRIVER'S SID E SEAT BELT INTERMITTENTLY WOULD LOOSEN BY ITSELF, LEAVING DRIVER WITHOUT PROPER RESTRAINT. DEALER NOTIFIED AND REFUSED TO REPAIR DUE TO VEHICLE BEING OUT OF WARRANTY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #855665

Mileage unknown · Jan 27, 2000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

KIA MOTORS NEEDS TO RECALL THE BRAKE SYSTEM ON THE SEPHIA. THERE ARE WAY TOO MANY PEOPLE HAVEING PROBLEMS WITH THIER BRAKES. MY ROTORS SHOULD NOT BE WORN OUT AT 29,000 MILES, NONE THE LESS HAVE TO BE REPLACED AGIAN AT 36,000. PLEASE CONTACT KIA ABOUT THIS ANNOYING AND DANGEROUS PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ODI #717970

Mileage unknown · Jan 11, 2000
Electrical SystemExterior LightingService Brakes, Hydraulic

ENGINE STALLING CONSTANTLY, SEVERAL REPAIR ATTEMPTS, HOWEVER FINAL REPAIR OF THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS CORRECTED PROBLEMS. *MJS

NHTSA ODI #550376

Mileage unknown · Dec 23, 1999
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

EXCESSIVE WEAR OF THE FRONT BRAKE PADS AND DRUMS. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, AND THE FRONT BRAKES WERE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #854360

Mileage unknown · Dec 23, 1999
Engine And Engine CoolingSeat BeltsSteeringCrashInjury

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT IS ON/LEAKING MOTOR OIL/ POWER STEERING BINDING, AND FRONT AND REAR SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT.*AK

NHTSA ODI #716365

Mileage unknown · Dec 14, 1999
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

BRAKES GAVE WAY WHILE PARALLEL PARKING. HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE BRAKES MADE NOISES WHEN APPLIED. THEN WOULD FADE OUT. TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER & WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC THE BRAKES WERE FINE & DID NOT NEED REPAIRING. *AK

NHTSA ODI #854041

Mileage unknown · Dec 14, 1999
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

I HAVE HAD THE BRAKE ROTORS REPLACED 3 TIMES DUE TO WARPAGE, THIS CAUSES VIBRATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #716048

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.