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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 →
205Owner complaints

Model-year median: 107

1Recall campaigns

View recall details →

1Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
16
199464
1995118
1996205
1997491
1998428
1999266
2000
Compare all Sephia years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
72Engine And Engine Cooling
44Electrical System
31Air Bags
30Power Train
30
All reported categories
Seat Belts
20Unknown Or Other
20Structure
19Visibility
14Fuel System, Gasoline
11Vehicle Speed Control
8Steering
7Tires
7Equipment
5Service Brakes, Air
4Suspension
4Exterior Lighting
2Interior Lighting
2Fuel System, Other
1Latches/locks/linkages
1Seats
1Wheels
1

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

Power Train complaints

30 reports
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49,900 miles · Feb 2, 2006
Power Train

I NOTICED A CLUNKING SOUND IN MY FRONT END OF MY 1997 KIA SEPHIA. THIS CAR ONLY HAS 49,000 MILES ON IT. I TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD I NEEDED NEW AXLE SHAFTS ON BOTH SIDES. THE DEALER INFORMED ME HE WOULD HAVE TO ORDER THE PARTS OVERNIGHT AND THAT HE DID NOT WANT ME TO PICK UP THE VEHICLE UNTIL IT WAS FIXED BECAUSE IT…

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I NOTICED A CLUNKING SOUND IN MY FRONT END OF MY 1997 KIA SEPHIA. THIS CAR ONLY HAS 49,000 MILES ON IT. I TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD I NEEDED NEW AXLE SHAFTS ON BOTH SIDES. THE DEALER INFORMED ME HE WOULD HAVE TO ORDER THE PARTS OVERNIGHT AND THAT HE DID NOT WANT ME TO PICK UP THE VEHICLE UNTIL IT WAS FIXED BECAUSE IT WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. THE AXLE SHAFTS ARE CRUMBLING AND HE HAS NO EXPLANATION AS TO WHY. HE SAID YOU DON'T SEE THAT IN KIA VEHICLES. THANKFULLY THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT BUT HAD I WAITED THE CONSEQUENCES COULD HAVE BEEN DEVASTATING. MY CAR IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS, AND I HAVE ASKED THEM TO HOLD ON TO THE AXLE SHAFTS WHEN THEY ARE REMOVED. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10149273

63,000 miles · Jan 15, 2004
Power TrainService Brakes, HydraulicUnknown Or Other

WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR THE BRAKES FELT BAD BECAUSE I HAD TO PUSH THE BRAKE ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. AFTER HAVING IT FOR 2 WEEKS OTHER THING STARTED TO GO WRONG. I HAD TO BUY A CAP AND ROTOR AND GET SPARK PLUG AND WIRES. NOW THE TRANSMISSION IS MESSING UP. THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO PUT ME IN SOMETHING BETTER. THEY WANT ME TO PAY O…

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WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR THE BRAKES FELT BAD BECAUSE I HAD TO PUSH THE BRAKE ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. AFTER HAVING IT FOR 2 WEEKS OTHER THING STARTED TO GO WRONG. I HAD TO BUY A CAP AND ROTOR AND GET SPARK PLUG AND WIRES. NOW THE TRANSMISSION IS MESSING UP. THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO PUT ME IN SOMETHING BETTER. THEY WANT ME TO PAY ON A JUNK CAR THAT I WILL ALWAYS HAVE TO BE FIXING DAY AFTER DAY.

NHTSA ODI #10070151

Mileage unknown · Dec 10, 2002
Power Train

CONSUMER STATES THAT WITHOUT WARNING TRANSMISSION SHIFTS INTO OVERDRIVE, DOWNSHIFTS AND LURCHES FORWARD EXCESSIVELY. CONSUMER HAD TRANSMISSION AND COMPUTER COMMAND CHIP REPLACED AT 18K MILES. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. TS

NHTSA ODI #8024106

Mileage unknown · Dec 3, 2002
Power Train

CONSUMER HAD PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION. WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL SWITCH GEAR ON ITS OWN, PUTTING IT INTO NEUTRAL. DEALER WAS CONTACTED, AND STATED THAT THEY WANTED TO SELL THEM SOMETHING ELSE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #8023620

Mileage unknown · Dec 2, 2002
Power Train

DURING THE PAST WEEK, I HAVE HAD TO HAVE BOTH DRIVE AXLES REPLACED ON MY 1997 KIA SEPHIA (AT A COST OF OVER $400) DUE TO A VIBRATION WHEN THE VEHICLE IS MOVING. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS HASN'T COMPLETELY RESOLVED MY PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED OF A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I THINK SHOULD POINT TO THE NEED FOR A RECALL: (1) THIS PR…

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DURING THE PAST WEEK, I HAVE HAD TO HAVE BOTH DRIVE AXLES REPLACED ON MY 1997 KIA SEPHIA (AT A COST OF OVER $400) DUE TO A VIBRATION WHEN THE VEHICLE IS MOVING. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS HASN'T COMPLETELY RESOLVED MY PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED OF A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I THINK SHOULD POINT TO THE NEED FOR A RECALL: (1) THIS PROBLEM IS UNIQUE TO THE 1997 MODEL YEAR; (2) MID-WAY THROUGH THE 1997 MODEL YEAR, THE DESIGN FOR THE DRIVE AXELS WAS CHANGED AND MY VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED PRIOR TO THIS CHANGE. SURELY A CHANGE DURING THE MANUFACTURING YEAR WOULD INDICATE A DESIGN FLAW. DT

NHTSA ODI #770337

Mileage unknown · Dec 17, 2001
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

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…

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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

NHTSA ODI #8000812

Mileage unknown · Aug 29, 2001
Power Train

TRANSMISSION- DROVE CAR TO DEALER BECAUSE OF SUSPECTED AXEL PROBLEM(REACURRING), WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE IT OUT OF DEALERSHIP, THEY REPLACED AXEL (3RD TIME) THEN SAID IT WAS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. I TOLD THEM NOT TO DO TRANSMISSION WORK, THEY REMOVED NEW AXEL( SAID IT WASN'T DEFECTIVE AFTER ALL) HAD CAR TOWED AT MY EXPENSE FROM DEA…

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TRANSMISSION- DROVE CAR TO DEALER BECAUSE OF SUSPECTED AXEL PROBLEM(REACURRING), WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE IT OUT OF DEALERSHIP, THEY REPLACED AXEL (3RD TIME) THEN SAID IT WAS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. I TOLD THEM NOT TO DO TRANSMISSION WORK, THEY REMOVED NEW AXEL( SAID IT WASN'T DEFECTIVE AFTER ALL) HAD CAR TOWED AT MY EXPENSE FROM DEALERSHIP. AXEL WAS REPLACED 1ST TIME, BROKE WITHIN 30 DAYS, REPAIRED AGAIN. 11 MONTHS LATER STARTED HAVING SAME PROBLEM. BRAKES REPLACED 3 TIMES. TIRES REPLACED 3 TIMES IN 3 YEARS.*AK

NHTSA ODI #751327

Mileage unknown · Feb 28, 2001
Power Train

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE HAD A LEAKING PROBLEM FROM REAR. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC INDICATED THAT BRAKES HAD ONLY DUST ON THEM, AND IT WAS OKAY TO DRIVE. DROVE VEHICLE ON FREEWAY AND RIGHT REAR AXLE BROKE, CAUSING TIRE TO ROLL DOWN INTERSTATE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO DEALERSHIP.*AK

NHTSA ODI #881716

Mileage unknown · Feb 6, 2001
Power TrainService Brakes, HydraulicVehicle Speed Control

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT ANY MPH VEHICLE WILL SUDDENLY ACCELERATE WITHOUT A PRIOR WARNING.CONSUMER WILL STEP ON BRAKES PEDAL TO STOP ACCELERATION, BUT VEHICLE WILL NOT STOP, AND CONCERNED ABOUT FACT OF AN ACCIDENT.*AK TRANSMISSION FAILED. BRAKES MAKE NOISE DUE TO ROTOR FAILURE. WIPER BLADES FAILED. BATTERY FAILED. *YH

NHTSA ODI #879923

Mileage unknown · Oct 30, 2000
Power TrainVehicle Speed Control

AT VARIOUS SPEEDS OVERDRIVE LIGHT FLASHES OFF AND LOSES POWER. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES, AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM.*AK AFTER THE 7TH TIME DEALER REPLACED THE THROTTLE SENSOR AND THE CAR IS RUNNING FINE. *YH

NHTSA ODI #874173

Official recalls

1

02V216000 · 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

1

PE02051 · 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.