Page 5 of 5 · complaints 201–205 of 205

1997 Kia Sephia complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1997 record →

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine

Filed Nov 5, 1997FL

NOISE IN THE ENGINE DUE TO FAILURE OF THE LIFTERS.

Power Train › Automatic Transmission

Filed Aug 11, 1997FL

THE STICK ROD BROKE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO NOT ENGAGE IN GEARS. CONSUMER STATED WHEN TRAVELING ABOUT 30 TO 35 MPH THE CV JOINTS BROKE, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK

Air BagsCrash1 injured

Filed Jul 1, 1997NC

DURING FRONTAL IMPACT AT SPEEDS OF 46MPH, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *DUP OF 813636, ADDED 0N 25-FEB-98. *AK

Air Bags › FrontalCrash2 injured

Filed Jun 30, 1997NC

DUAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND FRONT AND REAR PASSNGER'S SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY DID NOT RESTRAIN, ALLOWING DRIVER'S CHEST TO IMPACT STEERING AND CSS TO BE THROWN FORWARD. INJURIES: BACK, NECK.HEAD AND CONCUSSIONS FROM CSS STRAPS.

Air Bags › Frontal › Sensor/Control Module

Filed Apr 23, 1996VA

SYNCHRONIZER FOR TRANSMISSION FAILED. ALSO, WIRING HARNESS/VAPOR HOSE/AIR BAG LIGHT MALFUNCTIONED.

Reading these

NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Full record for the 1997 Kia Sephia → · Every Sephia year → · How the figures are calculated →