IllustrationDT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM.
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
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
44 reportsINTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE LOOSES POWER. DEALER INDICATED AND PERFORMED A TUNE UP ON THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER STATES THE PROBLEM IS RECURRING. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *PH
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
IS LEAKING CAUSING ELECTRICAL LIGHTS DAMAGE, THE HAZARDS OR SIGNALS AREN'T WORKING AND THE TRUCK SMELLS LIKE MILDEW. TS
AT RANDOM THE VEHICLE REFUSED TO START, ALSO THE STEERING WHEEL DID NOT LOCK WITH THE KEY REMOVED.*JB
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUTSDOWN WITHOUT WARNING, DEALER HAS YET TO BE CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUTSDOWN WITHOUT WARNING, DEALER HAS YET TO BE CONTATCED. *AK CONSUMER SAID WHEN HE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON AND ENGINE SHUTS OFF WHENEVER STOPPING, TOOK BACK TO DEALER MANY TIMES FOR REPAIR, VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE SPEE…
Read full complaint
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUTSDOWN WITHOUT WARNING, DEALER HAS YET TO BE CONTATCED. *AK CONSUMER SAID WHEN HE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON AND ENGINE SHUTS OFF WHENEVER STOPPING, TOOK BACK TO DEALER MANY TIMES FOR REPAIR, VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE SPEEDOMETER IS ACTING ERRACTICALLY, THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT HAS ILLUMINATED. *YD
WHILE TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUTSDOWN WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, BUT IS UNABLE TO LOCATE SOURCE OF PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
PERSISTANT OIL LEAK FROM AROUND OIL FILTER. MECHANICS UNABLE TO FIND ANY OTHER REASON FOR LEAK OTHER THAN MANUFACTURER DEFECT IN PLACE WHERE OIL FILTER SCREWS INTO ENGINE. MULTIPLE MECHANICS HAVE ATTESTED TO THIS BEING AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH KIA VEHICLES. *AK
CAR STILL DOES NOT START RIGHT A WAY/ENGINE LGTS STILL ON/RGT SIG DOES NOT WRK/CARS A LEMON/FUSE BLOWS EVERTIME I TURN ON RGT SIGNAL. *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.