IllustrationTHE DASHBOARD CAME LOOSE AND LIFTED FROM THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE.*MR. THE MOLDING STRIP AROUND THE REAR WINDOW WAS LOOSE.*TS *JB
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 reportsTHE DASHBOARD AREA, IN FRONT OF DRIVER'S SEAT DEVELOPED "BURN" SPOTS AND SINCE THEN POPPED OUT, NEAR THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. AS A RESULT, THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS AND BLURRED VISION WHEN DRIVING FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE SUN CONTACTED THE DASH AND HAD GIVEN OFF SOME TYPE OF C…
Read full complaint
THE DASHBOARD AREA, IN FRONT OF DRIVER'S SEAT DEVELOPED "BURN" SPOTS AND SINCE THEN POPPED OUT, NEAR THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. AS A RESULT, THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS AND BLURRED VISION WHEN DRIVING FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE SUN CONTACTED THE DASH AND HAD GIVEN OFF SOME TYPE OF CHEMICAL. *AK THE BURN SPOT WAS APPROXIMATELY 12 INCHES IN DIAMETER. EVERY THREE TO FOUR DAYS IT CREATED A FILM ON THE INSIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD(THE SIZE OF THE BURN AREA) AND ALSO HAD GIVEN OFF AN ODOR. THE ODOR MADE THE CONSUMER'S HUSBAND SICK AND HER SISTER'S EYES BURN. *SCC *JB
WHEN THE CONSUMER PULLED OFF FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED IN TRAFFIC WHICH MADE IT A DANGEROUS SITUATION. *NLM PH *JB
TOOK CAR INTO DEALER BECAUSE BRAKES WERE PULSING. SERVICE CONSULTANT SHOWED ME A SERVICE BULLETIN INDICATING THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ORIGINAL ROTORS AND THAT THEY NEEDED TO REPLACE THEM WITH A NEWER DESIGN THAT WAS NOT SUBJECT TO HEAT WARPING. THE EXTRA COST TO ME FOR REPLACEMENT ROTORS $110 ABOVE THE COST OF REPLACI…
Read full complaint
TOOK CAR INTO DEALER BECAUSE BRAKES WERE PULSING. SERVICE CONSULTANT SHOWED ME A SERVICE BULLETIN INDICATING THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ORIGINAL ROTORS AND THAT THEY NEEDED TO REPLACE THEM WITH A NEWER DESIGN THAT WAS NOT SUBJECT TO HEAT WARPING. THE EXTRA COST TO ME FOR REPLACEMENT ROTORS $110 ABOVE THE COST OF REPLACING THE PADS AND CALIPHERS, WHICH INCREASED THE TOTAL COST OF THE BRAKE JOB TO $307.
THE DASH BOARD STARTED TO LIFT/ EXPAND, WHICH MAY CAUSE THE AIR BAG TO DEPLOY. *JB
WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMERS' VEHICLE HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE IN THE REAR END AT APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH. NEITHER THE DRIVER NOR PASSENGER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. *NLM
THE ENGINE WIRE HARNESS MALFUNCTIONED, WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO STALL. *JB
DASH HAS LARGE BROWN BURN SPOT ON DRIVERS SIDE. THIS SPOT STARTED AS JUST A SMALL SPOT AND HAS OVER 6 MONTHS TIME CONTINUED TO GROW LARGER AND LARGER. NOW THE ENTIRE DASH IS STARTING TO LIFT UP AND CURL UP AWAY FROM THE WINDSHIELD AND THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL.
THE VEHICLES DASHBOARD SEEMS TO BE BREAKING AWAY FROM THE WINDSHIELD. CONSUMER IS CONCERNED THE AIRBAG MAY DEPLOY UNEXPECTEDLY. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.TS
DRIVER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN A COLLISION. AK
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.