IllustrationFRONT BRAKE ROTORS MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING UNEVEN WEAR AND TEAR WHICH RESULTED IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, AND COULD CAUSE A CRASH. DEALER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. 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
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
72 reportsAT APPROXIMATELY EVERY 3,000 MILES BRAKE ROTORS ARE PREMATURELY WARPING, CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS WHICH DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
SEEMS LIKE EVERY 3-4 MONTHS BRAKES START TO PULSATE, 3 TIMES SO FAR, EACH TIME REPLACED, BEING TOLD THAT WRONG STYLE BEING USED, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT JUST STARTED ACTING UP FOR THE 6TH TIME, EACH TIME BEING TOLD IT IS SENSORS OR GROUND CONNECTIONS. JUST NOTICED THE CLUTCH PROBLEM OF GOING TOO LOW TO FLOOR FOR THE 6TH TIME, EACH T…
Read full complaint
SEEMS LIKE EVERY 3-4 MONTHS BRAKES START TO PULSATE, 3 TIMES SO FAR, EACH TIME REPLACED, BEING TOLD THAT WRONG STYLE BEING USED, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT JUST STARTED ACTING UP FOR THE 6TH TIME, EACH TIME BEING TOLD IT IS SENSORS OR GROUND CONNECTIONS. JUST NOTICED THE CLUTCH PROBLEM OF GOING TOO LOW TO FLOOR FOR THE 6TH TIME, EACH TIME BEING TOLD SOMETHING DIFFERENT. THIS IS GETTING OLD. WENT TO OPEN DRIVERS DOOR ONE DAY AN HANDLE WOULD NOT WORK. WAS LEAKING FLUID FROM RIGHT FRONT SIDE OF VEHICLE ANOTHER TIME TO FIND IT WAS THE AXLE SEAL, WHICH WAS REPLACED 2 TIMES. GETTING READY TO TELL DEALER THEY CAN HAVE THIS CAR. FOR ONLY HAVING LESS THAN 14,000 MILES, TOO MUCH IS HAPPENING TOO OFTEN. *AK
BRAKE DISC WARPAGE WAS REPORTED. *AK
KIA MOTORS NEEDS TO RECALL THE BRAKE SYSTEM ON THE SEPHIA. THERE ARE WAY TOO MANY PEOPLE HAVEING PROBLEMS WITH THIER BRAKES. MY ROTORS SHOULD NOT BE WORN OUT AT 29,000 MILES, NONE THE LESS HAVE TO BE REPLACED AGIAN AT 36,000. PLEASE CONTACT KIA ABOUT THIS ANNOYING AND DANGEROUS PROBLEM. *AK
ENGINE STALLING CONSTANTLY, SEVERAL REPAIR ATTEMPTS, HOWEVER FINAL REPAIR OF THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS CORRECTED PROBLEMS. *MJS
EXCESSIVE WEAR OF THE FRONT BRAKE PADS AND DRUMS. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, AND THE FRONT BRAKES WERE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
BRAKES GAVE WAY WHILE PARALLEL PARKING. HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE BRAKES MADE NOISES WHEN APPLIED. THEN WOULD FADE OUT. TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER & WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC THE BRAKES WERE FINE & DID NOT NEED REPAIRING. *AK
I HAVE HAD THE BRAKE ROTORS REPLACED 3 TIMES DUE TO WARPAGE, THIS CAUSES VIBRATION. *AK
I CONTACT KIA REP. SEVERAL TIMES THEY EVEN TOLD ME THEY WAS SENDING SOMEONE TO LOOK AT MY CAR. I PROMISED THIS FIVE TO SIX TIMES. BEFORE PURCHASING THIS KIA I THE SALESMAN IF THIS CAR WAS VERY SAFE HE SAID, YES. BUT, WHEN I STARTED ALL OF THE BRAKES AND BELTS SQUEELING NOISE. NO ONE WOULD TALK TO ME ABOUT TAKING THIS CAR BACK. …
Read full complaint
I CONTACT KIA REP. SEVERAL TIMES THEY EVEN TOLD ME THEY WAS SENDING SOMEONE TO LOOK AT MY CAR. I PROMISED THIS FIVE TO SIX TIMES. BEFORE PURCHASING THIS KIA I THE SALESMAN IF THIS CAR WAS VERY SAFE HE SAID, YES. BUT, WHEN I STARTED ALL OF THE BRAKES AND BELTS SQUEELING NOISE. NO ONE WOULD TALK TO ME ABOUT TAKING THIS CAR BACK. KIA EVEN TOLD ME NO. PALMETTO TOLD ME I NEED AT LEAST $3 TO $4 THOUSAND MORE TO PUT DOWN TOWARDS ANOTHER CAR. I AM VERY STRESS OUT OVER THIS CAR. I AM GOING IN FOR ANOTHER BRAKES REPLACEMENT SOON ITS HARD FOR ME TO NOT TO BE SAFE IN THIS CAR. WE HAVE HAD VERY CLOSE CALLS. PLEASE HELP. I EVEN THE CONSUMER BOARD AND A LAWYER GOT NO RESPONSES. THEY REPLACE MY DASH , BUT MY DEFORST DOESN'T WORK. LAST PROMISED THAT SOMEONE FROM KIA WILL BE IN TO TALK TO ME IN JUNE,1999 BUT IT NEVER HAPPEN. I MET SEVERAL CUSTOMER THERE WITH THE SAME PROLEMS. IF YOU CAN, JUST ASKED TO SEE ALL REPAIR THAT WERE DONE ON KIA'S FROM THEM YOU WOULD SEE A LOT OF BRAKES, ROTOR'S AND EVEN SOME DASHIES REPAIR DONE. SOME PEOPLE WHOM WORK THERE TOLD ME THAT THEY CHANGE BRAKES AND ROTORS EVERY DAY ON KIA'S SOME MORE TIMES YOU CAN'T BELEIVE. I CAN GIVE YOU THESE PERSON NAME IF WANTED. I WANT THEM TO TAKE THIS CAR BACK OR GIVE ME SOME MONEY OFF ON THIS CAR. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I DIDN'T HAVE ACESS TO THE INTERNET BEFORE NOW.
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.