IllustrationTHE BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWO TIMES WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY, THE BRAKES ARE AGAIN SHAKING AND THE DEALER HAS ODVIOUSLY NOT SOLVED THE PROBLEM .*ET
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 reportsDOOR SEAL FAILED.*ET
BRAKE SYSTEM CONTINUALLY MAKES NOISE, SEVERAL REPLACEMENTS AND REPAIRS HOWEVER CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE NOISE, UNABLE TO RECTIFY. MJS
WHILE DRIVING CAR ON TO A HIGHWAY APPLIED BRAKES AND HAD LT FRONT WHEEL LOCK UP AND LOST CONTROLL OF STEERING AND HIT CURB DOING DAMAGE TO LT CONTROL ARM AND RIM HAD TO HAVE VEHICLE TOWED HOME CAR WAS DIABLED FOR 2WKS
WHENEVER BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THEY WOULD FEEL MUSHY & MAKE LOUD NOISES. BEEN TO DEALER & INFORMED BY MECHANIC THE ROTORS NEEDED CHANGING. HAD ROTORS CHANGED 6 TIMES & STILL PROBLEM EXISTS. *AK
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES HEARD A LOUD NOISE, PEDAL FELT SPONGY, AND VEHICLE EXPERIENCED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK
THE BRAKES AND ROTORS WERE EXCESSIVELY WORN OUTAND REPLACED TWICE. TANSMISSION FAILD CAUSING, LOUD KNOCKING NOISE AND NEW TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. LEFT AXLE FAILED AND REPLACED. THE BATTERY WENT OUT. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START.*AK
FRONT BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE BECAUSE OF PREMATURE WARPING. THE FIRST TIME WITH 14, 000 MILES AND THE SECOND TIME WITH 24,000 MILES.*AK
MANUAL WINDOW REGULATOR OUT OF ADJUSTMENT CAUSING DIFFICULTY IN ROLLING UP. MJS
VEHICLE HAS BEEN EXPEIENCING ON-GOING PROBLEM WITH BRAKE SYSTEM; BEEN IN DEALER SHOP ON THREE OCCASIONS BEFORE CORRECTION WAS MADE. AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WAS INTERMITTENTLY COMING ON UNTIL CORRECTION WAS MADE CONCERNING THE CLUTCH.. CAN NHTSA PROVIDE FURTHER DETAIL IN THIS MATTER. *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.