IllustrationABS BRAKING LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. CONSUMER NOTICED WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER DROVE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. *AK
1996 Kia Sephia
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1996 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: 8 of 118 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 38 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports4 fire reports8 injury reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
38 reportsONLY 9 MONTH OLD BREAK, ROTORS HAS BECOME TOO THIN, NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *AK
BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS NEED TO BE REPLACED EVERY 8000 MILES. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
EVERY TIME TAKEN IN FOR REG.CHECKUP,HAD NEW BRAKES PUT ON,PUTTING 99 BRAKES ON 96 CAR. *AK
EVERY 5000 MILES NEEDS BRAKES/ ROTORS, CONSUMER FEELS ROTORS ARE WARPING FAST, AND THIS IS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT.*AK
CONSUMER HAD THE BRAKE REPAIRED AND THEY FAILED AGAIN 6299 MILES LATER, THEY HAD THE BRAKES REMOVED AND TAKEN TO A SPECIALIST WHO INFORMED THEM THAT THE ROTORS WERE THE ORINGINALLY INSTALLED ROTORS AT THE TIME OF MANUFACTURING. CONSUMER FEELS THE THE BRAKE JOB DONE PRIOR WAS NEVER DONE OR THE NEW BRAKES INSTALLED WERE DEFECTIVE…
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CONSUMER HAD THE BRAKE REPAIRED AND THEY FAILED AGAIN 6299 MILES LATER, THEY HAD THE BRAKES REMOVED AND TAKEN TO A SPECIALIST WHO INFORMED THEM THAT THE ROTORS WERE THE ORINGINALLY INSTALLED ROTORS AT THE TIME OF MANUFACTURING. CONSUMER FEELS THE THE BRAKE JOB DONE PRIOR WAS NEVER DONE OR THE NEW BRAKES INSTALLED WERE DEFECTIVE. NLM
I HAVE HAD THE BRAKES REPAIRED AT LEAST 10-12 TIMES AND THE PROBLEM STILL IS NOT FIXED. THE BRAKE PEDAL BECOMES HARD AND DOESNT DEPRESS, MAKING STOPPING SLOW. THE FRONT WHEELS OF THE CAR BECOME BLACK,COVERED WITH THE DUST FROM THE BRAKE PADS.. AND AT TIMES THE BRAKES STICK AND RESISTANCE IS FELT FROM THE VEHICLE AND THE FRONT TI…
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I HAVE HAD THE BRAKES REPAIRED AT LEAST 10-12 TIMES AND THE PROBLEM STILL IS NOT FIXED. THE BRAKE PEDAL BECOMES HARD AND DOESNT DEPRESS, MAKING STOPPING SLOW. THE FRONT WHEELS OF THE CAR BECOME BLACK,COVERED WITH THE DUST FROM THE BRAKE PADS.. AND AT TIMES THE BRAKES STICK AND RESISTANCE IS FELT FROM THE VEHICLE AND THE FRONT TIRES BEGIN TO GIVE OFF SMOKE.*AK
BECAUSE OF THE MALFUNCTION OF BRAKE SYSTEM, I HAD AN ACCIDENT. BRAKE INSPECTION BY KIA AUTHORIZED MECHANIC REVEALED, THAT THE CAR HAD FACTORY DEFECT IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM. *AK
IN MARCH 24, 1998 BECAUSE OF THE MALFUNCTION OF BRAKE SYSTEM , I HAD AN ACCIDENT. THE BRAKE INSPECTION BY KIA AUTHOIZED MECHANIC REVEALED, THAT THE CAR HAD FACTORY DEFECT IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM. UNTIL NOW THERE HAS BEEN DONE A NUMEROUS AMOUNT OF REPAIRS AND ADJUSTMENTS FOR THE BRAKE SYSTEM, BUT WITHOUT ANY SUCCESFUL RESULTS.CAR HAV…
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IN MARCH 24, 1998 BECAUSE OF THE MALFUNCTION OF BRAKE SYSTEM , I HAD AN ACCIDENT. THE BRAKE INSPECTION BY KIA AUTHOIZED MECHANIC REVEALED, THAT THE CAR HAD FACTORY DEFECT IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM. UNTIL NOW THERE HAS BEEN DONE A NUMEROUS AMOUNT OF REPAIRS AND ADJUSTMENTS FOR THE BRAKE SYSTEM, BUT WITHOUT ANY SUCCESFUL RESULTS.CAR HAVE LOTS OF DEFERENT PROBLEMS AND FACTORY DEFECTS. IT IS A LEMON. *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.