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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.

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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

Seat Belts complaints

20 reports
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Mileage unknown · Aug 2, 2005
Air BagsSeat BeltsCrashInjury

DT: THE CONTACT OWNED A 1997 KIA SEPHIA. CONTACT'S VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 35 MPH . UPON IMPACT, THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.THERE WERE THREE OCCUPANTS IN THE CAR ALL WEARING SEAT BELTS. THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT BROKE . THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT HAD NOT BEEN ON IN THIS VEHICLE NOR WAS IT ON AFTE…

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DT: THE CONTACT OWNED A 1997 KIA SEPHIA. CONTACT'S VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 35 MPH . UPON IMPACT, THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.THERE WERE THREE OCCUPANTS IN THE CAR ALL WEARING SEAT BELTS. THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT BROKE . THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT HAD NOT BEEN ON IN THIS VEHICLE NOR WAS IT ON AFTER THE CRASH. ONE PERSON SUSTAINED INJURIES BECAUSE OF THE SEAT BELT. SHE BROKE TWO RIBS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10131172

Mileage unknown · Mar 25, 2005
Seat Belts

BOTH OF THE REAR SEAT BELTS WILL NOT REATRACT BACK TO NORMAL POSITION, WHICH IS PREVENTING THE REAR PASSENGERS FROM BEING SAFE IF THE VEHICLE WERE TO BE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED BY CONSUMER.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10115860

Mileage unknown · Sep 28, 2004
Air BagsSeat BeltsCrashInjury

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION HEAD ON . SEAT BELT BROKE, THROWING THE CONSUMER THREW THE DRIVER'S WINDSHIELD. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK CONSUMER IS IN A COMA. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10087858

Mileage unknown · Jun 22, 2004
Seat BeltsStructure

PROBLEMS WITH SEAT BELTS AND DASHBOARD. *MR *SC *JB

NHTSA ODI #10079704

Mileage unknown · Jul 8, 2002
Seat Belts

DRIVER'S SAFETY BELT DOES NOT STAY BUCKLED. BELT WILL RELEASE FROM BUCKLE WITHOUT PULLING. CONSUMER IS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT BEING PROPERLY RESTRAINED WHILE DRIVING. *AK

NHTSA ODI #8013461

Mileage unknown · Jan 17, 2002
Seat Belts

SEAT BELT ON DRIVERS SIDE WILL COME UNBUCKLED WHILE DRIVING. SEAT BELT WILL NOT LOCK INTO ANCHOR. *AK

NHTSA ODI #757001

Mileage unknown · Nov 7, 2001
Air BagsSeat BeltsCrashInjury

MY DOUGHTER REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 40-45 MPH. THE DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT LOCK UP, ALLOWING THE DRIVER'S AND A PASSENGERS HEAD TO HIT THE WINDSHIELD. DRIVER AND ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED A CONCUSSION, FACE LACERATIONS, HEAD NECK AND BACK INJURIES. THE DRIVER ALSO RECEIVED A HAND AND PELVIC…

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MY DOUGHTER REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 40-45 MPH. THE DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT LOCK UP, ALLOWING THE DRIVER'S AND A PASSENGERS HEAD TO HIT THE WINDSHIELD. DRIVER AND ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED A CONCUSSION, FACE LACERATIONS, HEAD NECK AND BACK INJURIES. THE DRIVER ALSO RECEIVED A HAND AND PELVIC INJURY. THE 2ND PASSENGER SUSTAINED NECK BACK AND LEG INJURIES. THE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT WAS SO BAD IT PUSHED THE DASH BACK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED!*AK

NHTSA ODI #754210

Mileage unknown · Oct 1, 2001
Air BagsSeat BeltsService Brakes, Hydraulic

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WITH A SPEED OF 40 MPH, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT LOCK, THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED, THE POLICE REPORT STATES THAT THERE WERE NO INJURIES, CONSUMER STATES THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR HAD BEEN REPLACED THE DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #563540

Mileage unknown · Aug 16, 2001
Seat BeltsCrashInjury

A PASSENGER'S SIDE IMPACT, THE SEATBELT LOCK BROKE APART ON WHILE I WAS WEARING IT. IT WASN'T SMASHED APART, IT JUST BROKE THE ENTIRE LOCK IN ABOUT 4 PIECES. PREVIOUSLY I HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE SEATBELT STAYING LOCKED AND THE ONE BACKSEAT LOCK WOULDN'T WORK, SINCE THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THOSE, THEY WOULDN'T FIX IT.…

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A PASSENGER'S SIDE IMPACT, THE SEATBELT LOCK BROKE APART ON WHILE I WAS WEARING IT. IT WASN'T SMASHED APART, IT JUST BROKE THE ENTIRE LOCK IN ABOUT 4 PIECES. PREVIOUSLY I HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE SEATBELT STAYING LOCKED AND THE ONE BACKSEAT LOCK WOULDN'T WORK, SINCE THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THOSE, THEY WOULDN'T FIX IT. I RECIEVED MULTIPLE CUTS AND BRUISES, A FEW STITCHES AND A BROKEN KNECK IN TWO PLACES IN MY CERVICAL SPINE. YOU ALWAYS WANT TO WEAR YOUR SEATBELT IN CASE AN ACCIDENT HAPPENS. MINE HAPPENED ON MY WAY TO WORK, BUT WHAT GOOD DID IT DO WEARING IT, SINCE THE SEATBELT LOCK CAME APART?*AK

NHTSA ODI #750603

Mileage unknown · Jul 12, 2000
Seat Belts

REAR SHOULDER RESTRAINT BEGAN TO TIGHTEN UP ON A 5-YEAR OLD CHILD, TO THE POINT THE CHILD WAS BEING CHOKED. BELT HAD TO BE CUT TO REMOVE. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #865276

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.