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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

Unknown Or Other complaints

20 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Aug 24, 2000
Electrical SystemEquipmentExterior Lighting

WHILE DRIVING DIFFERENTIAL WENT OUT/ DIGITAL LASER FAILED TO WORK ON CD PANEL/ POWER WINDOW ELECTRICAL SWITCH STOPPED WORKING, AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON & DID NOT GO OFF. DASHBOARD COVERING WAS SEPARATING FROM WINDOW. THERE WAS WATER IN THE HEADLIGHTS, AND BATTERY WOULD GO DEAD. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER. VEHICLE NEEDED ALI…

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WHILE DRIVING DIFFERENTIAL WENT OUT/ DIGITAL LASER FAILED TO WORK ON CD PANEL/ POWER WINDOW ELECTRICAL SWITCH STOPPED WORKING, AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON & DID NOT GO OFF. DASHBOARD COVERING WAS SEPARATING FROM WINDOW. THERE WAS WATER IN THE HEADLIGHTS, AND BATTERY WOULD GO DEAD. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER. VEHICLE NEEDED ALIGNMENT DUE TO PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION & THE BRAKE ASSEMBLY NEEDED REPLACING DUE TO EXCESSIVE WEAR.*AK

NHTSA ODI #868570

Mileage unknown · Feb 2, 2000
Power TrainService Brakes, AirService Brakes, Hydraulic

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…

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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

NHTSA ODI #718227

Mileage unknown · Dec 23, 1999
Engine And Engine CoolingSeat BeltsSteeringCrashInjury

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT IS ON/LEAKING MOTOR OIL/ POWER STEERING BINDING, AND FRONT AND REAR SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT.*AK

NHTSA ODI #716365

Mileage unknown · Nov 19, 1999
Unknown Or Other

DASHBOARD IS TURNIN SLIVER TO DARK BROWN. MANUFACTURERHAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATON. *AK

NHTSA ODI #853162

Mileage unknown · Oct 13, 1999
Engine And Engine CoolingFuel System, GasolinePower Train

OXYGEN SENSOR FAILED CAUSING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. MJS

NHTSA ODI #548983

Mileage unknown · Apr 4, 1999
Engine And Engine CoolingUnknown Or OtherVisibilityCrash

I AM NO LONGER GOING TO MAKE PAYMENTS ON THIS LEMON! *AK

NHTSA ODI #705263

Mileage unknown · Oct 2, 1998
StructureUnknown Or OtherVisibility

DASHBOARD REPLACED TWO TIMES DUE TO SEPARATING PROBLEMS.

NHTSA ODI #541807

Mileage unknown · Aug 27, 1998
Latches/locks/linkagesUnknown Or Other

DASHBOARD, DOOR LOCKS, GAS DOOR LATCH, INTERIOR CLOTH FABRIC

NHTSA ODI #540521

Mileage unknown · Aug 20, 1998
Unknown Or Other

NO SUMMARY

NHTSA ODI #540184

Mileage unknown · Aug 17, 1998
TiresUnknown Or OtherVisibility

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON; INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FAILS TO WORK. INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. HEATER MAKES NOISES WHEN TURNED ON. ALSO, AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. NEW TIRES WORE UNEVEN & WORE OUT BEFORE 12,000 MILES. WILL BE TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ODI #826821

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.