1996 Kia Sephia

Defect. ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE SAFETY BELT BUCKLE MAY "FALSE LATCH" AND EXPOSE THE DRIVER TO UNRESTRAINED MOVEMENT DURING A CRASH.

Risk. 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.

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THAT ON DECEMBER 1, 2003 THE DASHBOARD LIFTED UP IN THE FRONT WHEN TURNING ON THE DEFROSTER . IT DID NOT DEFOG THE WINDOW, IT WILL WORK SOMEWHAT BUT NOT LIKE IT SHOULD. CAN SEE THE INSIDE DASHBOARD WHERE WIRING AND FOAM WAS. IT HAS PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE SINCE DECEMBER 2003. CONSUMER HAD TRIED TO PUSH THE DASHBOARD DOWN WITH HER HANDS, BUT THE DASHBOARD WILL NOT MOVE. CONSUMER HAS NOT HAD A DEALER LOOK AT VEHICLE. *AK

I PURCHASED A 1996 KIA SEPHIA AND HAVE THE SAME PROBLAM AS ALOT OF OTHER OWNERS. THE DASHBOARD IS LIFTING AND PEELING AWAY FROM THE FRAME.*AK

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

IT IS UNBELIEVEABLE THAT THERE IS NO RECALL ON THE DASHBOARDS FOR KIA VEHICLES. I OWN A KIA SEPHIA AND IT SEEMS LIKE THE DASHBOARD CRACKS AND PEELS OFF. I HAVE SEEN OTHER MODELS AND IT FACES THE SAME PROBLEMS. MATTER OF FACT I VISITED KIA DEALERSHIPS AND THERE IS NO WARRANTY ON THIS ITEMS. THE DEALERSHIPS ALSO MENTIONED THAT THEY HAVE ALOT OF COMPLAINTS ON THAT SAME ISSUE. I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT THERE MUST BE A RECALL ON THIS ISSUES. *AK

DASHBOARD IS SEPARATING FROM THE FRAME OF THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. DEALER HAS EXAMINED THE VEHICLE ON FOUR OCCASIONS, AND WAS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

THE DASHBOARD IS RISING AND THE DEFROSTER DOESN'T WORK, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY TO THE DRIVER. *AK *MR

WHEN VEHICLE HAS BEEN STARTED ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND REMAIN ILLUMINATED. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC FAILED TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.*AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT BODY MOUNTS SEPARATED FROM THE FRAME, RESULTING IN LOSS OF STEERING FUNCTION WHILE DRIVING. RELATED RECALL 98V323000, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT DASHBOARD IS PEELING OFF FROM THE CAR'S FOUNDATION.*AK

THE DASH BOARD BUCKLED TO THE POINT WHERE THE CONSUMER HAD TO CUT OFF PORTIONS OF IT. THE CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED IT MAY AFFECT THE PERFORMANCE OF THE AIR BAG. *JB

"CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT HAS BEEN ON SINCE I BAUGHT THE CAR. I HAVE TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO HAVE IT FIXED BUT THE LIGHT STILL COMES ON. MY CAR WILL NOT PASS CALIFORNIA SMOG WITH THE LIGHT ON WHICH MEANS THAT I CANNOT RENEW MY REGISTRATION THE NEXT TIME THE DMV REQUIRES A SMOG CHECK.

DASHBOARD HAS CURLED UP IN FRONT (AGAINST WINDSHIELD). BECAUSE OF THIS THE DEFROSTER WILL NOT DEFROST THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. AS A RESULT I AM UNABLE TO SEE ADEQUATELY TO DRIVE ANYTIME MY WINDSHIELD IS FOGGY. THIS MAY ALSO CAUSE PROBLEMS WITH AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT BUT I'M NOT SURE.

THE CENTER OF THE DASHBOARD NEAR THE WINDSHIELD VENTS HAS PEELED AWAY OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO FROM THE DASH FRAME. RIGHT NOW IT IS STANDING AROUND 3" FROM THE FRAME AND I AM AFRAID THAT IT WILL CONTINUE TO TRANSGRESS INTO MY LINE OF SIGHT. I HAVE ALSO NOTICED THAT THE DEFROST/DEFOGGER ON THE CAR DOES NOT WORK WELL ANYMORE SINCE THE PEELING HAS OCCURRED. THE DASH IS ALSO LIFTING AWAY FROM THE FRAME JUST ABOVE AND TO THE RIGHT OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. MY CAR IS EQUIPPED WITH DUAL FRONT AIR BAGS AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS WARPING OF THE DASH MAY IN SOME WAY EITHER CAUSE A PREMATURE RELEASE OF THE PASSENGER AIR BAG OR PREVENT THE RELEASE OF THE BAG WHEN IT MAY BE NEEDED. I HAVE NOTED THIS SAME PHENOMENON ON OTHER KIA SEPHIAS IN THE CITY WHERE I LIVE.

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE WHEN THE WHOLE DASH BOARD CAME OFF. DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED AT THE TIME OF THIS. TS

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING GOING 30MPH THE VEHICLE WAS IN A HEAD ON ACCIDENT WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. CONSUMER STATES THE SEAT BELT NEVER LOCKED AND BOTH AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. TS

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLES WILL NOT LOCK PROPERLY CAUSING THE CONSUMER NOT TO HAVE A SEAT BELT ON WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

THE FIRST WIRING HARNESS THAT WAS ORDERED FOR THIS CAR ON 10/29/02 WAS DEFECTIVE. THEY ORDERED A SECOND ONE. I WENT TO PICK UP MY CAR THEY SAY WAS READY AND EVERYTHING IS WORKING. BEFORE I DROVE OFF THE LOT I NOTICED MY DOOR AJAR LIGHT ON. HOWEVER ALL OF THE DOORS WERE CLOSED INCLUDING THE TRUNK. SO TOMORROW I AM TAKING MORE TIME OFF FROM WORK SO THEY CAN INSTALL A THIRD WIRING HARNESS. I HAVE TAKEN OFF 2 DAYS 3 HOURS SO FAR. THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP IS ABOUT 45 MILES AWAY. I ONLY HAVE THAT ONE CAR. THE CAR WAS TOWED OVER THERE THE LAST TIME BECAUSE THE GEAR SHIFT WOULD NOT MOVE. WITH ALL THE COMPLAINTS THAT I HAVE SEEN TONIGHT ON THIS WEB SITE YOU WOULD THINK THEY WOULD CALL A RECALL. I WILL NOT REST UNTIL SOMEONE TAKES RESPONSIBLITY FOR THE CAR THAT HAS BEEN IN AND OUT THE SHOP EVERY SINCE I HAD IT. DT

THIS IS THE THIRD WIRING HARNESS THEY ARE ORDERING. DT

SEAT BELTS ARE UNTREADING WITHOUT BEING USED EXCESSIVELY.*AK

THE SEAMS THAT JOIN THE BODY IN THE REAR HAVE SEPARATED, THIS CAUSED A LEAK IN THE TRUNK OF THE VEHICLE. SEPARATION IS SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO CAUSE FREE FLOWING WATER TO BE SEEN ENTERING THE TRUNK COMPARTMENT. SOME OF THE SEPARATION OF THE SEAM IS NOT VISIBLE DUE TO BEING LOCATED UNDERNEATH THE REAR BUMPER.