IllustrationWHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND APPLYING BRAKES, BRAKES ARE SOFT AND GO HALF WAY TO THE FLOORBOARD. ALSO, THERE IS A SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE BRAKES. *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 reportsBRAKE PADS FAILED RESULTING IN UNCONTROLABLE SHAKING OF VEHICLE, REPLACED ON TWO OCCASIONS. MJS
BRAKE ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS WARPED AND WORE OUT. THIS CAUSED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, AND COULD RESULTIN A CRASH. FRONT BRAKING SYSTEM HAS BEEN REPLACED 4 TIMES. DELAER CANNOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR AND THE FRONT END SHIMMIES. DEALER REPLACED THE BRAKES SEVERAL TIMES AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
INTERMITTENTLY THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. ALSO, DEALER HAS REPLACED TRANSMISSION AND BRAKE SYSTEM. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
BRAKE ROTORS REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES DUE TO EXTREME PULSATION AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES. MJS
ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS REPLACED TWICE. ROTORS WARPED AND PADS GLAZING. COMPLAINED THATS BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING RIGHT, AND NOT STOPPING RIGHT. STARTED TO FILE LEMON LAW, AND WENT TO INFORMAL ARBITRATION. KIA MOTORS REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING. WAS GOING TO FILE WITH THE STATE WHEN THE BRAKES FAILED AND RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE …
Read full complaint
ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS REPLACED TWICE. ROTORS WARPED AND PADS GLAZING. COMPLAINED THATS BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING RIGHT, AND NOT STOPPING RIGHT. STARTED TO FILE LEMON LAW, AND WENT TO INFORMAL ARBITRATION. KIA MOTORS REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING. WAS GOING TO FILE WITH THE STATE WHEN THE BRAKES FAILED AND RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE NOTICED MANY OF THE SAME COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE BRAKES WITH KIA MOTORS, ON NHTSA WEB SITE. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO GET HURT OR DIE IN A CAR CRASH BEFORE KIA WILL ADDRESS THE PROBLEM WITH THEIR BRAKE SYSTEMS BEING PLACED ON THESE CARS, WHICH HAS A MAJOR DEFECT IN THEM, CAUSING ACCIDENTS. THANK GOD MY DAUGHTER WAS WEARING HER SEAT BELT WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURED. THE INSURANCE COMPANY HAS TOTALED THE CAR!!!!!! I WILL PROCIDE TO SUE KIA MOTORS FOR THEIR FAILURE TO ADDRESS SUCH A SERIOUS PROBLEM
VEHICLE CONTINUALLY EXPERIENCES BRAKE ROTOR AND PAD REPLACEMENT DUE TO VIBRATION/PULSATION. MJS
NO SUMMARY
AT 22,000 MILES THE BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS ARE PREMATURELY WEARING. THE BRAKE ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO CORROSION. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *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.