IllustrationFRONT TIRE EXPOLDED, CAUSING MODERATE DAMAGE, LOSS OF CONTROL, OTHER TIRE SEPARATING.( DOT NUMBER: YOR8 YPRI TIRE SIZE: P185 60R 1 )
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
What owners actually said
205 reportsDRIVER'S SEAT BELT BUCKLE DOES NOT LATCH ON PROPERLY,AND UNBUCKLES UNEXPECTEDLY WHEN MOVING AROUND, WHICH WONT PROTECT THE OCCUPANT IN EVENT OF A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN#. *AK
BRAKE ROTORS REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES DUE TO EXTREME PULSATION AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES. MJS
INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL IMPACT AT ABOUT 30 MPH, AND DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, WHICH DID NOT PROTECT THE OCCUPANT IN THIS ACCIDENT. NO PRIOR PROBLEM OR WARNING. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS REPLACED TWICE. ROTORS WARPED AND PADS GLAZING. COMPLAINED THATS BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING RIGHT, AND NOT STOPPING RIGHT. STARTED TO FILE LEMON LAW, AND WENT TO INFORMAL ARBITRATION. KIA MOTORS REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING. WAS GOING TO FILE WITH THE STATE WHEN THE BRAKES FAILED AND RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE …
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ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS REPLACED TWICE. ROTORS WARPED AND PADS GLAZING. COMPLAINED THATS BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING RIGHT, AND NOT STOPPING RIGHT. STARTED TO FILE LEMON LAW, AND WENT TO INFORMAL ARBITRATION. KIA MOTORS REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING. WAS GOING TO FILE WITH THE STATE WHEN THE BRAKES FAILED AND RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE NOTICED MANY OF THE SAME COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE BRAKES WITH KIA MOTORS, ON NHTSA WEB SITE. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO GET HURT OR DIE IN A CAR CRASH BEFORE KIA WILL ADDRESS THE PROBLEM WITH THEIR BRAKE SYSTEMS BEING PLACED ON THESE CARS, WHICH HAS A MAJOR DEFECT IN THEM, CAUSING ACCIDENTS. THANK GOD MY DAUGHTER WAS WEARING HER SEAT BELT WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURED. THE INSURANCE COMPANY HAS TOTALED THE CAR!!!!!! I WILL PROCIDE TO SUE KIA MOTORS FOR THEIR FAILURE TO ADDRESS SUCH A SERIOUS PROBLEM
VEHICLE CONTINUALLY EXPERIENCES BRAKE ROTOR AND PAD REPLACEMENT DUE TO VIBRATION/PULSATION. MJS
THE ACCIDENT IN WHICH THE SEAT BELT FAILED DID NOT RESULT IN ANY DAMAGE TO THE REAR BUMPER. HOWEVER, EVEN AT THIS LOW SPEED THE BELT LATCH FAILED TO HOLD MY WIFE IN PLACE, RESULTING IN HER WHIPLASH. AT MANY TIMES THE LATCH SEEMS TO BE PROPERLY LATCHED, BUT WITH ONLY SLIGHT PRESSURE SUCH AS ADJUSTING YOUR SEATING POSITION THE BE…
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THE ACCIDENT IN WHICH THE SEAT BELT FAILED DID NOT RESULT IN ANY DAMAGE TO THE REAR BUMPER. HOWEVER, EVEN AT THIS LOW SPEED THE BELT LATCH FAILED TO HOLD MY WIFE IN PLACE, RESULTING IN HER WHIPLASH. AT MANY TIMES THE LATCH SEEMS TO BE PROPERLY LATCHED, BUT WITH ONLY SLIGHT PRESSURE SUCH AS ADJUSTING YOUR SEATING POSITION THE BELT WILL UNEXPECTEDLY COME UNDONE. *AK
I AM NO LONGER GOING TO MAKE PAYMENTS ON THIS LEMON! *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
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.