1998 Kia Sephia complaints

CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, AND WAS INFORMED THAT A NEW TRANSMISSION WAS NEEDED, HOWEVER THREE DAYS LATED CONSUMER BEGAN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS AGAIN.*YH

BRAKES ARE DEFECTIVE. WHEN APPLYING BRAKES PEDAL GOES ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOOR. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

I BOUGHT MY KIA NEW. SINCE THEN, I HAVE HAD 4 COMPLETE BRAKE JOBS DONE. DEALER SAYS IT'S "NORMAL" WEAR AND TEAR, SAID THEY REPLACED MY ROTORS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, YET THE LAST TIME (6/01), THEY SAID MY WARRANTY RAN OUT, AND I HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE INSPECTED FROM THEM. WHEN TOLD OF PREVIOUS PROB'S WITH THESE BRAKES, THEY CLAIM THAT KIA BRAKE PADS WERE BAD, THUS CHANGING TO THE NEW VERSION. THOSE FAILED ALSO. THEY WOULD NOT DO JOB WITHOUT ME PAYING, SO I HAD ANOTHER PRIVATE MECHANIC DO THE JOB. I HAD TO HAVE, THE REAR BRAKE SHOES, AND LEFT REAR DRUM. THIS IS AFTER HAVING MY BRAKES DONE 3 X BY THE DEALER. THESE CARS GIVE NO WARNING AT ALL, THEN WHAM, I HAVE NO BRAKES. I WANT A REPLACEMENT CAR EQUIVILANT TO MINE BUT ONE THAT DOESN'T MAKE ME CRAZY WONDERING IF MY LIFE AS WELL AS OTHERS ARE IN DANGER DUE TO CRAPPY BRAKES KIA MADE! THIS IS CRAZY..THE DEALER ARE ALL NICE AND STUFF UNTIL MY WARRANTEE RUNS OUT, THEN I'M STUCK. I'LL HAVE TO WORK OVERTIME IN ODER TO KEEP HAVING ROTORS REPLACED IF THIS KEEPS UP! THE DEALER SAID THAT "NORMAL WEAR" FOR ROTORS IS BELOW 10K???? MY LAST CAR HAD ONE BRAKE JOB DONE, AND TRADED IT FOR THE KIA AT 155K, WITH BRAKES!!! WHY ISN'T ANYONE DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THESE BRAKES ON THESE CARS? TONS OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD PROBLEMS (SEE CONSUMER COMPLAINT LISTINGS), YET KIA SAYS THEIR CARS ARE GREAT? ALSO, I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE PROB'S WITH TRUNK NOT OPENING WITH KEY, DOOR HANDLES FALLING OFF, WATER RETENTION IN HEADLAMP (REPLACED), DORM LIGHT NOT WORKING (FIXED), CAR

WHILE TRAVELING AT 60 MPH CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. CONSUMER PULLED VEHICLE OVER, AND DISCOVERED THAT VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. VEHICLE WAS SERVICED, AND TECHNICIAN STATED THAT MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR HAD AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCATION. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

THE ROTORS ON THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN CHANGED FOUR TIMES AND EACH TIME THEY HAVE FAILED OVER A SHORT TIME. *AK

VEHICLE HAS BEEN EXAMINED BY THE DEALERSHIP APPROXIMATELY 9 TO 10 TIMES FOR BRAKE PROBLEMS, AND REPLACEMENT OF THE BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS. DEALERSHIP CONTINUES TO REPLACE COMPONENTS, BUT HAS FAILED TO REMEDY PROBLEM. *AK CONSUMER REPLACED LAST SET OF BRAKES AROUND 7-10-01 AND NOW HAS APPROXIMATELY 375 MILES AND THEY ARE STARTING TO WARP AGAIN, DEALER CAN NOT REMEDY PROBLEM. *SLC

THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 4 TIMES FOR VARIOUS BRAKE PROBLEMS AND ALTHOUGH REPAIRS WERE MADE I DO NOT HAVE ANY CONFIDENCE IN THE RELIABILITY OF THIS CAR. AND, NOW THAT TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED, WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE, I DON'T WANT TO DRIVE THE CAR. I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT KIA IS NOT AWARE OF ALL THE PROBLEMS WITH THEIR VEHICLES! THANK YOU FOR LOOKING OUT FOR OUR SAFETY.

WHEN DRIVING STEERING WILL SHAKES AND VIBRATE. ALSO, BRAKES PULSATE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER APPROXIMATELY FIVE TIMES. DEALER HAS REPLACED BRAKE PADS/DRUMS AND ROTORS, PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. *AK

SINCE PURCHASING VEHICLE CONSUMER HAS HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS, VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF REPAIR SHOP 10-12 TIMES,CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO REPAIR SHOP AND WAS TOLD THAT A NEW TRANSMISSION WAS NEEDED.*JB

INTERIOR IS FALLING APART DASH COMING UNDONE, DOOR PANEL CRACKED, CONTROL KNOBS BROKE, DEFECTIVE ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS AT FUSE BOX FAILURE WITH RELAYS CAUSING NO START, NO DEFROSTER, NO HORN, STALLING OF VECHICLE. CONCERNED OF POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL FIRE

IN 2 YEARS I HAD TO GET A NEW TRANSMISSION, REPLACE MY BRAKES 6 TIMES, SERVICE ENGINE PROBLEMS 7 TIMES, FUEL PUMP, 8 RECALLS, WIPERS, NEW TIRES, AND MANY OTHER PROBLEMS... COPIES OF REPAIRS ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. I HAVE ALSO BEEN DISCRIMINATED AGAINST BY THE DEALER MANY TIMES.

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 00V175000, AND HAD IT REPAIRED IN DECEMBER 2000. PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED AS THOUGH IT WAS NEVER FIXED. WHEN TANK IS FULL GAS SPITS OUT. DEALER ISN'T RESPONDING TO RECALL.*AK TANK MAKES A THUMPING SOUND WHEN GAS IS PUT IN VEHICLE, AND BEGIN TO START VEHICLE, CONSUMER STATES SHE IS SCARED TO DRIVE VEHICLE THAT IT MAY EXPLODE.*JB REFERENCED IN RQ03-006

WHEN CONSUMERATTEMPTS TO APPLY BRAKES BRAKE PEDAL WILL GO TO THE FLOOR, AND MUST BE PUMPED IN ORDER TO BRING VEHICLE TO A STOP. DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED ROTORS/ PADS, AND OTHER COMPONENTS. DEFECT IS STILL PRESENT IN VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT AND OVERDRIVE LIGHT WOULD FLASH, SECOND TIME VEHICLE JUST QUIT, THIS WAS SECOND TRANSMISSION VEHICLE HAS HAD. *AK

11 MAJOR FAILURES WITH MY VEHICLE. NOT ALL ARE LISTED IN THIS COMPLAINT. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

I HAVE HAD THIS CAR IN SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE BRAKING SYSTEM, AND HAVE BEEN TOLD VARIABLE THINGS, SUCH AS THE PROBLEM IS FIXED WE NOW HAVE HONDA BRAKES ON THIS VEHICLE, TO IT'S NOT COVERED BECAUSE IT THE WAY YOU DRIVE AFTER JUST HAVING THE ROTORS AND PADS REPLACED 2000 MILES AGO 2 TIMES IN A ROW.*AK

MANY TIMES THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN IN TO BE REPLACED AND I STILL HAVE TO FIGHT TO GET THEM TO FIX THEM BECAUSE OF A APPARENT DEFECT. *AK

I HOPE THEY WILL INVESTIGATE BRAKE PROBLEMS WITH THESE VEHICLES, THIS IS MY SECOND KIA NOT BY CHOICE (2ND TIME) AND ALL THE PROBLEMS ARE THE SAME. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY COULD SEE SMOKE COMING FROM ENGINE. STOPPED VEHICLE AND FOUND OUT THAT VEHICLE CAUGHT UNDERHOOD FIRE, AND WAS TOTALLED. *AK *JB

I BOUGHT MY KIA SEPHIA IN 1998. SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD THE BRAKES FIXED 2 TIMES AND TAY REPLACED ONCE. I HAVE HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED ALSO. RECENTLY MY CAR HAS BEEN RIDING VERY SLUGGISH. WHEN I PRESS ON THE GAS IT MAKES A VERY LOUD SOUND. WHEN I TR TO ACCELERATE THE CAR DOES NOT SEEM TO WANT TO CHANGE INTO GEARS. IT ALSO CONSTANTLY MAKES A LOUD HUMMING SOUND WHEN I AM AT ABOUT 40-50MPH. THIS CAR HAS GIVEN ME NOTHING BUT TROUBLE AND $$$. I AM TRYIN TO FIGURE OUT IF THERE HAS BEEN A WHOLE BUNCH OF RECALLS I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT OR IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT I MAY BE ABLE TO DO HERE TO SAVE MONEY. I STILL OWE 9,000 AND FEEL LIKE I AM CONSTANTLY INCONVININCED BRINGING THE CAR IN FOR CONSTANT REPAIR. HELP!*AK

I ALSO HAD TO BRING THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE 5 TIMES FOR THE SME PROBLEM. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WOULD COME ON 02/06/99 TOOK CAR IN BECAUSE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON THEY FOUND CODE PO 440 FOR EVAP EMISSIONS SYSTEM MALFUNCTION THEY FOUND HOSE THAT RUBBED AGAINST BRACKET CREATED LEAK 02/27/99 CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON AGAIN AND SMELL GAS FUMES FOUND ENGINE SURGES AND HARD TO START PERFORMED G300 GROUND WIRE REPAIR UNDER DRIVERS SEAT TO CORRECT PROBLEM 03/15/99 CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON AGAIN CODE PO172 REPLACED DEFECTIVE MASS AIR FLOW METER SOLENOID VALVE DURING ROAD TEST ENGINE MISFIRE #3 SPARK PLUG FOULED REPLACED PLUGS 03/10/99 CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON AGAIN CODES PO270,P1505,PO0300 INJECTOR CIRCUIT TO LOW , RANDOM MISFIRE THEY FOUND EGIHARNESS WAS CUT AND PINCED GOING THROUGH FIREWALL REPLACED ECI HARNESS & CONTROL UNIT CAR WOULD NOT START AFTER CHECK OVER FOUND NO POWER TO STARTER SOLENOID. FOUND NEW HARNESS MISSING A WIRE REPLACED WIRE. THE CAR WAS A LEMON, KIA REFUSED TO TAKE CAR BACK.

NUMBEROUS PROBLEMS - NOT STARTING/ BRAKES NEED TO BE REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES/ SHIMMIES BETWEEN 15-45 MPH, I HAD TO HAVE MY TIRES REPLACED PREMATURLY/ HAS HORRIBLE RATTLE/GAS TANK SPILLING GAS AND GAS NEVER SHOWING FULL/DEALER NEVER COOPERATIVE CAN NEVER FIND PROBLEM UNTIL A RECALL OR CAR HAS TO BE TOWED. THEY HAD MY CAR FOR 6 WEEKS AND COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS CAUSING SHIMMY PROBLEM IT HAS BEEN ALMOST A YEAR. I AM ABOUT TO CONTACT ATTORNEY TO SUE DEALER AND MANUFACTURE. PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THESE CARS THEY ARE A HAZARD TO THE CONSUMER!!!!*AK

ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. DEALER SAID ENGINE WAS SLUDGED UP DUE TO NO REGULAR OIL CHANGES. CONSUMER HAS HAD REGULAR OIL CHANGES DONE AT VERY SAME DEALERSHIP, CONSUMER DOES NOT BELIEVE THAT IS THE REASON ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. KIA IS OF NO HELP. *AK

TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN WORKED ON OVER PAST YEAR. *AK ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON DUE TO CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILURE. WHEEL BEARING FAILED AND WAS REPLACED. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAD NO ENGAGEMENT DUE TO HALF SHAFT FAILURE. ENGINE STALLED AT A STOP DUE TO TRANSMISSION ASSEMBLY FAILURE. BRAKES WERE NOISY AND WERE REPLACED, INCLUDING THE ROTORS. ENGINE WILL NOT START DUE TO BATTERY AND STARTER FAILURE. *YH

THE VEHICLES FRONT BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED DUE TO WEAR FIVE TIMES WITH ONLY 13K MILES ON THE VEHICLE. NLM

THE COMPLAINT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE IS THAT, I HAD TO REPLACE MY FRONT BRAKES AND ROTERS SHORTLY AFTER GETTING MY 98 KIA SEPHIA. I HAD SHAKING IN THE STEERING WHEEL BECAUSE THE FACTORY ROTARS AND PADS WERE WORN OUT . I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT BEFORE THEY WERE FIXED. I ATTEMPTED TO STOP BEHIND SOMEONE AND MY CAR SLID INTO THEIRS. I ALSO JUST RECENTLY HAD TO HAVE MY FRONT BRAKES DONE AGAIN AND I HAVE ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR ABOUT 2.5 YEARS.*AK

THE IGNITION SYSTEM IS HARD STARTING AT TIMES, EVEN RIGHT AFTER I GOT A TUNE UP FROM THE DEALER. GLOVEBOX HAS BEEN REPLACED ONCE BEFORE BECAUSE THE CLOSING MECHANISM JAMS AND WILL NOT OPEN. TRANSMISSION HAS SLIPPED, SHIFTS ROUGHLY SINCE NEW. THE BRAKES GRIND CONSTANTLY, DEALER HAS REPLACED ROTORS, THEN REPLACED BRAKE PADS AFTER THAT, NOW GRINDING AGAIN. *AK

TRANSMISSION SLIPPED AND VEHICLE STALLED/ MALFUNCTIONED. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER REPLACED TRANSMISSION, BUT PROBLEM STILL OCCURS.*AK

THERE IS CONSTANT WARPAGE ROTORS. ALSO, SOME GRINIDING ON BRAKES. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER REPLACED ROTORS.*AK

MY VEHICLE STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION FAILING IN THIRD GEAR. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKES FAILED AS WELL. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THESE ISSUES FOUR TIMES TO DATE. I HAD TO HAVE A TOTAL BRAKE REPLACEMENT IN THE PAST TWO YEARS AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT AT 6800 MILES. SINCE THE TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILTED, I HAVE RETURNED IT FOUR TIMES FOR ADDITIONAL FAILURE. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. THIS VEHICLE IS DEFECTIVE AND UNSAFE TO OPERATE..*AK

WHILE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN ENGINE WILL COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING ,CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

SINCE SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE OF VEHICLE CONSUMER HAS HAD BRAKE PROBLEMS, PEDAL FELT HARD AND BRAKING DISTANCE WAS LONGER THAN NECESSARY. DEALER CUT FRONT ROTORS, BUT COULD NOT REMEDY PROBLEM.TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER 6 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. *AK

BUTTON ON GEAR BOX STOPPED WORKING, HAPPENED A YEAR AGO, BUT THEN DEALER COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM. CURRENTLY, VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. *AK

BRAKE PADS WORE OUT EVERY 5000 TO 7000 MILES. TOOK TO DEALER, AND THEY COULDN'T FIND PROBLEM. *AK

BRAKES NEED TO BE REPLACED EVERY 5 TO 8 K MILES. *AK

THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY LOOSE POWER UPON ACCELERATION, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT NO CAUSE WAS FOUND. NLM

I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED W/42K MILES. I HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE TPS SINCE 2MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT IT. I HAVE HAD IT IN THE KIA REPAIR SHOP 8 TIMES AND HAVE SPENT OVER $1500.00 IN REPAIRS, TOWING AND RENTAL CARS. I HAVE HAD IT TOWED 3 TIMES. IT HAS HAD A NEW COMPUTER, NEW SENSORS, NEW DISTRIBUTION CENTER AND NEW CIRCUIT CONNECTORS INSTALLED, IN ADDITION TO ALL OF THE FUEL RELATED SAFETY RECALL PARTS. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS CAR TO MY WORST ENEMY. KIA CONSUMER ASSISTANCE IS CLUELESS---THIS MAKE AND MODEL SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED COMPLETELY! I AM IN THE PROCESS OF FILING LEMON LAW AND AM COMPLETELY DISGUSTED WITH THIS CAR, AS WELL AS THE COMPANY.

FRONT OF DASHBOARD HAS WARPED, AND DEFROST VENTS ARE CRAKCED CAUSING DEFROST ON FRONT WINDSHIELD TO NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. *AK

WHEN STOPPING DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WILL UNBUCKLE WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. CONSUMER CRASHED INTO A TREE, AND THE SEAT BELT DID NOT HOLD DUE TO ACCIDENT. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK

I BOUGHT THE CAR WITH 7000 MILES ON IT, IT HAS NEEDED 4 BRAKE JOBS (EVERY 7K -FRONT THEN REAR THEN FRONT THEN REAR) IN THE 28K THAT I'VE OWNED IT. THE REAR BRAKES DO NOT ENGAGE SO THE FRONT BRAKES WEAR OUT. I HAD IT PUT ON A RACK AND SOMEONE STEP ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE REAR TIRES COULD BE TURNED EASILY. WITH STRONG PRESSURE ON THE PEDAL, THE REAR TIRES WERE HARD TO MOVE, BUT STILL COULD BE MOVED BY HAND. THE 2X THE REAR BRAKES WERE SERVICED, THE CYLINDERS HAD CRACKED AND LEAKED. A FRIEND HAS SUGGESTED THIS MEANS THE HYDRAULIC PRESSURE IS GOING INTO THE CYLINDERS BUT THEY WERE A 'BAD CASTING' AND THE PRESSURE ISN'T PUSHING THE PISTONS OUT, BUT EVENTUALLY CAUSES THEM TO CRACK. 09/18/00 A FLEXPLATE IN THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. LESS THAN 6 WEEKS LATER, THE CAR WENT OUT OF GEAR AS I PULLED INTO AN INTERSECTION. IT COULD NOT BE DRIVEN. IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION, DRIVE SHAFT, AND FRONT AXLE ON THE CAR. *AK

WHILE DRIVING IN THE SNOW MADE A TURN THAT LEFT VEHICLE LOOKING TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC, AND HAD HEAD-ON COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING INJURIES TO CONSUMER AND CHILD IN VEHICLE.*AK

WHILE CROSSING AN INTERSECTION ABOUT 20 MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE RAN HEAD- ON INTO CONSUMER'S VEHICLE AND AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.*AK

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER EXPERIENCED ENGINE STICKING AND REVVING TO A HIGH RPM OR BEHAVES AS IF IT GOING TO STALL. *AK

VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER 4-5 TIMES FOR DRIVER'S DOOR REPAIRS. DOOR WILL NOT STAY SHUT. WHILE DRIVING DOOR WILL FLY OPEN. OTHER TIMES CONSUMER IS NOT ABLE TO OPEN DOOR AT ALL. DEALER HAS REPLACED SEAL + LUBRICATED SEAL.*AK

BRAKE ROTORS ARE PREMATURLY WEARING OUT, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SHAKE. CONSUMER HAS REPLACED ROTORS 3 TIMES WITHIN 19,000 MILES. *AK *SLC

WHILE DRIVING AND WOULD STEP ON BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP OR REDUCE SPEED, SOMETIMES VEHICLE WOULD STOP. BUT CALIPER WILL LOCK UP, CAUSING NOISE AND BRAKES LOCKING UP. DEALER SAID THAT VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. *AK

CONSUMER HAD BEEN HAVING PROBLEM WITH ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; HEADLIGHTS WILL GO OUT WHITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, AND SOMETIME HAD TO BE REPLACED. DEALER HAD BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

CONSUMER HAD TRIED TO START VEHICLE, BUT SOMETIMES IT WILL NOT START. WHEN IT IS ON COULD TURN IT OFF WHITOUT PRIOR WARNING. AT TIME WHEN CONSUMER RESTARTED, ENGINE WILL NOT RESTART. *AK

CONSUMER HAD FOUND OUT THAT DASHBOARD WAS LIFTING UP AND OUT VEHICLE. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER WHERE THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAAS CAUSING LIFTING, AND THEY REFUSED TO REPAIR VEHICLE. *AK

I HAD THE CAR FOR LESS THAN 10 HOURS WHEN IT DIED ON THE ROAD, FUEL PUMP REPLACED, ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM REPAIR SHOP