1997 Kia Sephia complaints

DASH BOARD IS SEPAZRATING FROM THE CAR FRAME. WAS TOLD BY DEALERSHIP THAT IF IT SEPARATED ANYMORE IT WOULD DEPLOY PASSENGER AIRBAG. IS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. SAID THAT IT WOULD COST $1000.00 JUST FOR PARTS, AND $400.00 AND HOUR FOR LABOR. SAID THAT I COULD TRY TO LOCATE RECALLS OR FIND A REPLACEMENT TO FIX IT. SAID THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR ALL COST. I WAS TOLD BY ANOTHER DEALERSHIP THAT KIA INCORP. SHOULD HAVE TO REPLACE IT AT NO COST SINCE IT WAS AFFECTING THE AIRBAG. IT WAS APPEARENT THAT THE DASH WAS NOT SEPERATING DUE TO SOMETHING I DID. IT WAS A DEFECTIVE ITEM. THEY ALSO SAID THAT THERE WERE SCREWS MISSING FROM PART THAT HOLD IT DOWN.*AK

PERSISTANT OIL LEAK FROM AROUND OIL FILTER. MECHANICS UNABLE TO FIND ANY OTHER REASON FOR LEAK OTHER THAN MANUFACTURER DEFECT IN PLACE WHERE OIL FILTER SCREWS INTO ENGINE. MULTIPLE MECHANICS HAVE ATTESTED TO THIS BEING AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH KIA VEHICLES. *AK

BRAKES HAVE TO BE REPLACED FOR 3RD TIME IN 3 YEARS. *AK

THE LAST TIME MY ROTORS WARPED FOR THE FIFTH TIME, MY DEALER WASN'T GOING TO REPLACED THEM UNTIL I HAD A LENGTHY DISCUSSION WITH HIM AND HE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER. HE DID NOT REPLACE THE BRAKE PADS THIS TIME BECAUSE KIA WOULD NOT AUTHORIZE THAT EXPENSE. THEY ARE WARPING AGAIN FOR THE SIXTH TIME. I HAVE NEVER HAD A CAR WITH AS MANY PROBLEMS AS THIS CAR(SOME ARE NOT LISTED). I DON'T FEEL SAFE IN IT AT ALL.

CAR STILL DOES NOT START RIGHT A WAY/ENGINE LGTS STILL ON/RGT SIG DOES NOT WRK/CARS A LEMON/FUSE BLOWS EVERTIME I TURN ON RGT SIGNAL. *AK

ON DRIVER SIDE DASHBOARD IS SEPARATING...AND BUBBLING. *AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON FOR THINGS NOT RELATED TO THE ENGINE AND ITS COMPONENTS. *AK

CONSUMER INSTALLED NEW RADIO, WIRES WERE CROSSED CAUSING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE, IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL IT STATES THAT NON-STOCK ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT WILL CAUSE ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE, OWNER'S MANUAL NEGLECTS TO MENTION THAT ENGINE LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE IF THE GAS CAP IS NOT ON TIGHT ENOUGH, VEHICLE ALSO EXPERIENCED DASHBOARD FAILURE. *SLC

ON MAR 10 2001 CONSUMER WAS READY TO PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC WITH FOOT ON BRAKE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. VEHICLE ACCELERATED ONCE BEFORE IN 1999, BUT THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT.

DASHBOARD HAS COME APART. ALSO, SEALS AROUND AIRBAG ON PASSENGER'S SIDE HAS LIFTED UP, EXPOSING PARTS UNDERNEATH. HEATER VENT ON DASH HAS CRACKED, CAUSING HEATER TO BECOME INOPERATIVE.*AK

CONSUMER INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE SHE REAR-ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE HAD A LEAKING PROBLEM FROM REAR. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC INDICATED THAT BRAKES HAD ONLY DUST ON THEM, AND IT WAS OKAY TO DRIVE. DROVE VEHICLE ON FREEWAY AND RIGHT REAR AXLE BROKE, CAUSING TIRE TO ROLL DOWN INTERSTATE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO DEALERSHIP.*AK

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. BATTERY FAILED. *YH

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, HOLDS SLOWLY AND PEDAL GOES ALL WAY DOWN TO FLOOR . DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

ENGINE & ENGINE CHECK LIGHT & POWER/FUEL INJECTION SWITCH. BEEN IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR CHECKUPS AND REPAIRS 5 TIMES FOR THE SAME THING. CAR IS DEAD, TIMING CHAIN BROKE AND THE BLOCK FROZED UP.

WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE WOULD STALL FOR NO REASON. HAVE TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP AT LEAST 6 DIFFERENT TIMES FOR REPAIRS. MECHANIC COULD NOT LOCATE CAUSE OF PROBLEM.*AK

VEHICLE STALLS AT ANY SPEED. CONSUMER HAD BRAKES/ROTORS AND IDLE CONTROL VALVE REPLACED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 15 MPH NGINE WILL DIE WITHOUT A PRIOR WARNING. PROBLEM JUST LIKE RECALL FOR ENGINE STALLING .*AK

BRAKES ROTORS ARE PREMATURELY WEARING, CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK ENGINE SURGES WHEN STOPPING AND SOME TIME SHUT DOWN WHEN STARTING. *YH

THIS VEHICLE IS A DEATH TRAP..FORD DEALER NOT VERY HELPFUL.LAST INCIDENT ALMOST CAUSED SERIOUS ACCIDENT. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED IN SUMMARY. *AK

I HAVE REPORTED THIS INTERMITTENT PROBLEM EVER SINCE I FIRST PURCHASED THIS CAR; HOWEVER, THE DEALER INSISTS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR SINCE THEY CAN'T DETECT THE PROBLEM WHILE IT IS IN THEIR POSSESSION. I HAVE REPORTED THE PROBLEM AT LEAST A DOZEN TIMES OVER THE PAST 3 YEARS, YET IT HAS SHOWN UP ON MY MAINTENANCE SLIP ONLY ONCE OR TWICE THAT I HAVE REPORTED IT. QUITE OFTEN, WHEN I START THE ENGINE (REGARDLESS OF WEATHER CONDITIONS OR WHETHER THE ENGINE IS COLD OR WARM) AND I TURN THE KEY, THE STARTER SOUNDS AS IF THE ENGINE IS ALREADY RUNNING AND I HEAR THAT GOD AWFUL GRINDING SOUND IN THE SELENOID. IT SOUNDS JUST LIKE THE ENGINE IS ALREADY RUNNING AND I TURN THE KEY AGAIN. I AM EXTREMELY FRUSTRATED WITH THE DEALER AND AM TIRED OF REPORTING THE PROBLEM, ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY DON'T SEEM TO WANT TO REPLACE IT. OF COURSE NOW, AFTER 3 YEARS, THE WARRANTY HAS RUN OUT AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR ANY REPLACEMENT. AT ONE TIME, ONE SALESMAN TOLD ME TO CONTINUE REPORTING THE PROBLEM BECAUSE KIA HAS RECEIVED COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND IF IT'S EVER RECALLED, IT WILL BE DOCUMENTED. HOWEVER, AS I STATED PREVIOUSLY, THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT BEEN RECORDING MY COMPLAINTS ON THE MAINTENANCE PAPERS SO IT STILL ISN'T DOCUMENTED. I JUST KEEP WONDERING WHERE I WILL BE AND HOW MUCH LONGER IT WILL BE BEFORE IT LETS ME SETTING SOMEWHERE. I REALIZE THE 800 # WILL COVER TOWING, ETC. BUT THAT'S NOT MUCH COMFORT WHEN YOU'RE A WOMAN ALONE AND STRANDED SOMEWHERE AND HAV

SINCE CONSUMER OWNED CAR BRAKES HAD TO BE CHANGED FIVE TIMES. 3 BATTERIES HAD TO BE PUT IN. ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON ON INSTRUMENT PANEL, ANTI-FREEZE IS LEAKING AND THE ENGINE IS RUNNING ROUGH. *AK *SLC

3RD TIME PROBLEM WITH ROTORS.TURNED 1X,REPLACED 1X.CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THEY'RE CLAIMING THAT THE WIRING IS CORRODED ALL OVER THE CAR.ADMITS KIA HAS PROBLEM WITH ROTORS,BUT WON'T FIX IT BECAUSE I HAVEN'T USED DEALERSHIP FOR ROUTINE AND MAINTENANCE (TOO EXPENSIVE AND BAD HOURS...THEY CHARGED $200 MORE THAN ANY OTHER PLACE FOR 30K SERVICE!SAME WORK INVOLVED!

AT VARIOUS SPEEDS OVERDRIVE LIGHT FLASHES OFF AND LOSES POWER. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES, AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM.*AK AFTER THE 7TH TIME DEALER REPLACED THE THROTTLE SENSOR AND THE CAR IS RUNNING FINE. *YH

FIRESTONE FIREHAWK GTA TIRE (P185 60 R14) EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION. *SLC

TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *SLC

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE TOWARDS THE END AND ABOVE THE MUFFLER AND ABOVE FUEL TANK. DEALER HAS RECOGNIZED THE ACTUAL CAUSE OR REMEDY, BUT WAS READY TO HAVE CONSUMER PICK UP THE VEHICLE. PRIOR TO FIRE, VEHICLE WAS LOSING POWER AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. PLEASE FILLE ADDTIONAL INFORMATION. *AK

FUEL TANK CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING. *AK

I HAVE ONLY HAD THIS CAR FOR 1 MONTH. IT HAD BEEN IN THE SHOP 3 TIMES. IT HAS NEVER BEEN FIXED TO MY SATISFACTION. THE BATTERY DIED THE DAY AFTER I BROUGHT IT HOME. THE BRAKES HAD TO BE COMPLETELY REPLACED. THAT COST ~$200. I HAVE A SMALL INFANT AND BOUGHT THIS CAR FOR SAFETY (DUAL AIRBAGS) THE DEALER WON'T BUY THE CAR BACK AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT CAN'T SEEM TO FIX THE CAR. HELP!!!

I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THIS. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME ON, THE ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE AND THEY STILL MADE NOISE BUT THE DEALER SAID THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE THEY COULD DO, THE HINGE ON THE BACK DOOR FAILED, THE LEFT STRUT HAD TO BE REPLACED. THIS TIME THE ENTIRE BOTTOM OF THE CAR WAS DAMAGED THE CAR SKIPPED WHEN IN DRIVE TO REVERSE AND THE BREAKS WOULD NOT ALLOW THE CAR TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. KIA NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS THESE CARS HAVE TOO MANY DEFECTS AND I'M SURE THEY HAVE MANY MOR PEOPLE JUST DON'T REPORT THEM ALL THE TIME

BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED FOUR TIMES WITHIN A 28,000 MILE PERIOD DUE TO PREMATURE WEARING, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

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

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY OR EXITING A RAMP VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITH ANY PRIOR WARNING OR REASON. HAVE TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP AT LEAST 8 TIMES FOR THE STALLING PROBLEM. PROBLEM WOULD BE ADJUSTED, BUT IT WOULD ALWAYS REAPPEAR. STALLING IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. *AK

DASHBOARD STARTED TO FOLD AND BEND OUT OF SHAPE. DASHBOARD IS SEPARATING FROM AROUND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. ALSO TURNED THE COLOR BROWN ON TOP OF THE DASHBOARD *AK

REAR SHOULDER RESTRAINT BEGAN TO TIGHTEN UP ON A 5-YEAR OLD CHILD, TO THE POINT THE CHILD WAS BEING CHOKED. BELT HAD TO BE CUT TO REMOVE. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IN ONE YEAR PERIOD THAT I HAVE TO HAVE THE ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS REPLACED. THIS IS A DEFINITE DEFECT IN KIA SEPHIA'S FROM THE FACTORY, AND THE REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE JUST AS BAD. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED AND DIED, CAUSING A COLLISION WHICH RESULTED IN MINOR INJURIES. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. STALLING HAS BEEN A REOCCURRING PROBLEM, DESPITE MANY REPAIRS DONE BY DEALER. *AK *ML

EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. *AK

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH BATTERY FAILURE; DEALER NOTIFIED, AND REPLACED FAULTY BATTERY ON TWO OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM REOCCURRED. ALSO, AND PROBLEM ENGINE HESITATION. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK THE CONSUMER FOUND OUT RIGHT AFTER LEASING THE VEHICLE, THAT THE RADIO WAS INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE BEGAN SQUEEKING IN THE REAR END WHEN TURNING. THE HEATER MALFUNCTIONED. THE LEFT REAR STRUT ASSEMBLY FAILED CAUSING KNOCKING NOISE AT RIGHT REAR. THE O-RING FAILED CAUSEING THE DISTRIBUTOR LEAK AND THERE WAS LOSS OF POWER WHILE DRIVING. *YH

DURING VEHICLE ACCIDENT NO DEPLOYMENT OF BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS, INJURIES DUE TO DEFECTIVE AIR BAGS. *MJS

BRAKE VIBRATION, REPLACE BOTH FRONT BRAKE DISK AND ROTORS, DUE TO BRAKE DISK OUT OF ROUND

WHILE STOPPING AT A RED LIGHT SAW/SMELLED SMOKE. AFTER INVESTIGATING WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM, CONSUMER RAISED THE HOOD AND FOUND SMOKE COMING FROM THE CONJUCTION BOX. TIRES HAD TO BE REPLACED AFTER 27,667 MILES. *AK *ML

TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED TWICE/ THE ENGINE SEIZED AT 30000 MILES/ THE BRAKES WARPED THREE TIMES AND WERE REPLACED 3 TIMES/ THE WINDOWS ARE HARD TO OPEN AND CLOSE/ THE BRAKE PEDAL IS EXTREMELY LOW. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND APPLYING BRAKES VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. COULD HEAR NOISE FROM BRAKES. ALSO, VEHICLE VIBRATED. *AK

I STARTED HAVING BRAKE FAILURE AND GRINDING FROM THE REAR AFTER 5 DAYS OF PURCHASING THE CAR.I WAS COMING UP TO A STOP SIGN AND THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP AFTER APPLYING THE BRAKES.WHEN BACKING UP OR COMING TO A STOP I HAD A GRINDING SOUND AND SOUNDED LIKE A LIQUID WAS SPLASHING AROUND AT THE SAME TIME.I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO SOUTHLAKE KIA AND TOLD THE SERVICE REP ABOUT THE PROBLEMS.BEFORE THAT I WAS CHECKING THE SPARK PLUGS AND WHEN THEY WERE PULLED OUT ONE BY ONE THEY WERE BURNED OUT AND THE AIR FILTER WAS ALMOST AS BLACK AS TAR.I TOLD THE SERVICE REP ABOUT PLUGS AND AIR FILTER.THE SPARK PLUGS WAS CHANGED BUT I WAS TOLD THAT THE FILTER WAS NOT GOING TO BE REPLACED.I TALKED TO DARRYL HARRIS/SEALER/AND HE HAD TO TALK TO HIS BOSS IN ORDER TO GET THE FILTER REPLACED.DARRYL'S BOSS TOLD ME THAT AIR FILTERS WAS NOT GOING TO BE REPLACED,SO I SPOKE WITH DARRYL AGAIN AND HE FINALLY GOT THEM TO CHANGE THE AIR FILTER AS WELL.AFTER TELLING DARRYL WHY I WAS BACK SO SOON HE CALLED WHERE THE CARS ARE TAKEN TO BE SERVICED AND WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR HAD NEVER BEEN SERVICED,AND THAT'S WHEN THE AIR FILTER WAS REPLACED.AFTER EXPLAINING ABOUT MY BRAKES AND ADVISING THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT IT WAS MY BACK BRAKES THAT FAILING THE MOST I WAS TOLD BY TOM AND THE MECHANIC/I BELIEVE HIS NAME IS GEORGE,I NOT REALLY SURE/THAT CARS DO NOT HAVE BACK BRAKES.I WAS TOLD BY TOM IN SO MANY WORDS THAT A CAR DOES NOT HAVE TO BE SERVICED AND THAT A CAR CAN BE SOLD EVEN IF IT IS KNOW THAT IT HAS BRAKE OR ANY OTHER TY

VEHICLE STALLS WHILE CHANGING GEARS. ALSO, STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP, CAUSING CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLS UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH MAY CAUSE A CRASH. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AND SLOWING DOWN OR TURNING VEHICLE WOULD STALL. CONSUMER FELT THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY WERE NOT HELPING. CONSUMER ALSO REPORTS SMELLING AGS FUMES INSIDE VEHICLE, AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FREQUENTLY FLASHING. *AK *ML

FRONT BRAKE ROTORS MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING UNEVEN WEAR AND TEAR WHICH RESULTED IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, AND COULD CAUSE A CRASH. DEALER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

AT APPROXIMATELY EVERY 3,000 MILES BRAKE ROTORS ARE PREMATURELY WARPING, CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS WHICH DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK