IllustrationINVOLVED 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
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
Air Bags complaints
30 reportsBRAKES MALFUNCTIONED; WARPED FRONT BRAKE ROTORS, CAUSING EXTENTED STOPPING DISTANCE, RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL/CRASH. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
ON 12-10-98, CAR WAS HIT AND CONSUMER RAN WITH HER BABY INSIDE. THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, BUT ONE WEEK LATER THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *AK
AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY DURING CRASH WHICH THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD WAS SMASHED INTO THE FRON SEAT AND THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. DRIVER INJURIES INCLUDED TWO HERNIATED DISCS IN HIS NECK AND ONE IN HIS BACK.
NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DURING REAR END COLLISION. *AK
WVIOENT DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS RESULTED IN INJURIES. OWNER INDICATED THAT SHE DIDN'T HIT ANYTHING OR RUN OVER ANYTHING AS WELL. *AK
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION, SPEED UNDETERMINED, IN WHICH THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. ALSO THERE IS MAJOR FRONT END DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
DURING FRONTAL IMPACT AT SPEEDS OF 46MPH, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *DUP OF 813636, ADDED 0N 25-FEB-98. *AK
DUAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND FRONT AND REAR PASSNGER'S SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY DID NOT RESTRAIN, ALLOWING DRIVER'S CHEST TO IMPACT STEERING AND CSS TO BE THROWN FORWARD. INJURIES: BACK, NECK.HEAD AND CONCUSSIONS FROM CSS STRAPS.
SYNCHRONIZER FOR TRANSMISSION FAILED. ALSO, WIRING HARNESS/VAPOR HOSE/AIR BAG LIGHT MALFUNCTIONED.
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.