IllustrationDRIVER'S SEAT BELT FAILED TO PROTECT DRIVER IN AN ACCIDENT, CAUSING INJURY.
1995 Kia Sephia
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1995 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: 2 of 64 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 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
12 crash reports1 fire reports8 injury reports
What owners actually said
64 reportsSTEERING FAILURE, HIT SMALL POTHOLE, VEHICLE VEERED ACROSS THE HIGHWAY AND LOST CONTROL, VEHICLE FLIPPED SIDEWAYS AND HIT A POLE, DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT DOESN'T LOCK IN PLACE . *AK
EXPERIENCING EXCESSIVE WEAR OF ROTORS AND PADS, DEALER REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES, PROBLEM PERSISTS. *AK
VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED (5) TIMES FOR THE BRAKES BECAUSE THE FRONT ROTORS WARPED AND (3) TIMES FOR THE EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE BECAUSE THE RACHET WAS BROKEN. *AK
AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY DURING FRONT END ACCIDENT; VEHICLE HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE AT STANDSTILL, NO WARNING LIGHT ON DASHBOARD; VEHICLE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. *AK
THERE IS RUST STARTING FOAM IN THE FILLER TUBE . PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN APPYLING THE BRAKES THEY MAKE LOUD NOISE, AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE IN FIVE TIMES TO BE CHECKED, CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE NEEDED PADS AND ROTORS . *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL WHEN IN INTERMITTENT MODE WILL NOT VARY SPEED.
ABS: EXPERIENCED 3 TIMES WITHIN 8 MONTH PERIOD, BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELING TO FLOOR WITH NO BRAKING EFFECT; ALSO, O2 SENSOR FAILED, CAUSING CAR TO STALL ON RAILROAD. AIR FLOW SENSOR CAUSED VEHICLE TO STALL ON FREEWAY RAMP FOUR WEEKS LATER O2 SENSOR HAD BEEN REPLACED, FOUR WEEKS AFTER BRAKE INSPECTION, NEW ROTORS AND PADS WERE INSTAL…
Read full complaint
ABS: EXPERIENCED 3 TIMES WITHIN 8 MONTH PERIOD, BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELING TO FLOOR WITH NO BRAKING EFFECT; ALSO, O2 SENSOR FAILED, CAUSING CAR TO STALL ON RAILROAD. AIR FLOW SENSOR CAUSED VEHICLE TO STALL ON FREEWAY RAMP FOUR WEEKS LATER O2 SENSOR HAD BEEN REPLACED, FOUR WEEKS AFTER BRAKE INSPECTION, NEW ROTORS AND PADS WERE INSTALLED AFTER THE DEALER STATED NO BRAKE MALFUNCTION OR SAFETY DEFECTS COULD BE DETECTED.*JB
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.