no report yet
Front: buckle assembly
Risk. IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
1997 Kia SephiaProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 205 owner complaints about the 1997 Kia Sephia, most often about the service brakes, hydraulic. It is covered by 1 safety recall.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through September 16, 2007. Updated daily.
Complaints by system
Where the 1997 Kia Sephia has problems
205 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
72Service brakes, hydraulic5 crash/fire/injury
44Engine and engine cooling7 crash/fire/injury
31Electrical system1 crash/fire/injury
30Power train
30Air bags20 crash/fire/injury
20Seat belts8 crash/fire/injury
19Structure2 crash/fire/injury
14Visibility
11Fuel system, gasoline
4312 other systems4 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 72 | 5 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 44 | 7 |
| Electrical system | 31 | 1 |
| Power train | 30 | 0 |
| Air bags | 30 | 20 |
| Seat belts | 20 | 8 |
| Structure | 19 | 2 |
| Visibility | 14 | 1 |
| Fuel system, gasoline | 11 | 3 |
| 12 other systems | 43 | 4 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
1 recall
1997 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.
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
1997 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
NHTSA crash tests
1997 Kia Sephia safety ratings
1997 Kia Sephia 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
- Stability control: No
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
1 investigation
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 1997 Kia Sephia, and the recalls they led to.
- SAFETY BELT BUCKLE MALFUNCTIONLed to recall 02V-216
In owners' words
What Sephia owners report
Recent service brakes, hydraulic complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR THE BRAKES FELT BAD BECAUSE I HAD TO PUSH THE BRAKE ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. AFTER HAVING IT FOR 2 WEEKS OTHER THING STARTED TO GO WRONG. I HAD TO BUY A CAP AND ROTOR AND GET SPARK PLUG AND WIRES. NOW THE TRANSMISSION IS MESSING UP. THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO PUT ME IN SOMETHING…
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT ANY MPH VEHICLE WILL SUDDENLY ACCELERATE WITHOUT A PRIOR WARNING.CONSUMER WILL STEP ON BRAKES PEDAL TO STOP ACCELERATION, BUT VEHICLE WILL NOT STOP, AND CONCERNED ABOUT FACT OF AN ACCIDENT.*AK TRANSMISSION FAILED. BRAKES MAKE NOISE DUE TO ROTOR FAILURE. WIPER BLADES FAILED.…
BRAKES ROTORS ARE PREMATURELY WEARING, CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK ENGINE SURGES WHEN STOPPING AND SOME TIME SHUT DOWN WHEN STARTING. *YH
Own a 1997 Sephia?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.