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1996 Kia SephiaProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 118 owner complaints about the 1996 Kia Sephia, most often about the service brakes, hydraulic. It is covered by 1 safety recall.

66
CarFlaw IndexSolid year50% below the Sephia median · #6 of 8 years by complaints
Safety recalls1Free fix at dealersOwner complaints11821 with a crash, fire or injuryTop problem38Service brakes, hydraulic

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 7, 2005. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1996 Kia Sephia has problems

118 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Service brakes, hydraulic384
Electrical system193
Engine and engine cooling171
Seat belts151
Power train131
Structure120
Air bags114
Visibility70
Vehicle speed control51
10 other systems261

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

1 recall

1996 Kia Sephia recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Front: buckle assembly

Recall 02V-216 · Aug 16, 2002 · 189,706 vehicles

Risk. IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Kia.

Best & worst years

1996 vs. every other Sephia year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Sephia median. How we score

'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1996 Kia Sephia, and the recalls they led to.

  1. SAFETY BELT BUCKLE MALFUNCTIONPE02051 · closed Sep 20, 2002
    Led to recall 02V-216
In owners' words

What Sephia owners report

Recent service brakes, hydraulic complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

ABS BRAKING LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. CONSUMER NOTICED WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER DROVE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. *AK
Complaint 10099333 · Nov 3, 2004
VEHICLE'S ABS BRAKES FAILED THREE TIMES, MAKE GRONDING NOISE/DIMMER SWITCH OVERHEATED/REPLACED RUSTED MUFFLER/GAS ACCELERATOR TOO CLOSE TO BRAKE PEDAL/ VEHICLE BUCKS AND HESITATES AT LOW SPEED/NOISY LIFTERS. *AK
Complaint 984857 · Jun 20, 1996
WHEN VEHICLE IS COLD THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD NOT DEPRESS TO THE FLOORBOARD, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO PUMP THE BRAKES TO GET OUT OF PARK. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED OF PROBLEM, BUT CANNOT FIND ITS CAUSE. KIA HAS FAILED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. *AK *ML
Complaint 852693 · Nov 9, 1999

Own a 1996 Sephia?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.