1998 Kia Sephia complaints

POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE CAUSED CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. NLM

VEHICLE WONT START. NLM

BRAKES VIBRATE. NLM

POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE RESULTED IN ENGINE NOISE AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO BE ILLUMINATED. NLM

A/C NOT COOLING VEHICLE PROPERLY. NLM

VEHICLE EXPERIENCING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. NLM

VEHICLE WON'T START. NLM

VEHICLE WON'T START. NLM

VEHICLE WON'T START. NLM

POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE CAUSED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO BE ILLUMINATED. NLM

POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE CAUSED CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. NLM

VEHICLE WON'T START. NLM

WAS STARTING TO SLOW DOWN & HAD PRESSED BRAKE PEDAL. HEARD A GRINDING NOISE. PRESSED HARDER & VEHICLE WAS NOT SLOWING DOWN.AGAIN PRESSED LIGHTLY & VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO STOP. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & MECHANIC INFORMED DRIVER OWNER ENTIRE BRAKING SYSTEM NEEDED REPLACING. THIS WAS THE 5TH TIME IT HAPPENED. ALSO, VEHICLE WOULD NOT TURN OVER WHEN STARTING. HEARD CLICKING NOISE. NEEDED 4 TRIES TO START. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON & STAYED ON. *AK

HAS BEEN IN 17 TIMES AND STILL NEED BRAKES AND EVERYTHING ELSE. WHAT A PIECE OF JUNK !!MANUFACTOR REFUSES TO HONOR WARRANTY.

NO SUMMARY

ABS BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO WANDER AND VIBRATE WHENEVER BRAKE WERE APPLIED. ALSO, EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND A SECOND ATTEMPT IS BEING MADE. *AK

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH EXCESSIVE WEAR OF BRAKE PARTS. ON FIVE OCCASIONS BRAKE PADS/ROTORS, AND CALIPERS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. CAN NHTSA HELP TO PROVIDE INFORMATION CONCERNING DEFECTIVE PARTS OR ERRATIC PROBLEM WITH BRAKE SYSTEM. *AK

SINCE PURCHASE DATE I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS SUCH AS VEHICLE STALLING IN MIDDLE OF HIGHWAY, ENGINE LIGHT STAYING ON, RADIO, AIR CONDITIONER AND MOST IMPORTANTLY THE BRAKES. THE ORIGINAL BRAKES FAILED AT 5560 MILES, REPLACEMTS AT 7520 MILES, AGAIN AT 10750 MILES. THIS IS A MAJOR INCONVENIENCE AND I AM AFRAID AN ACCIDENT WILL OCCUR.

FUEL WILL SPIT OUT WHILE REFUELING TANK. TANK NOT NECESSARILY FULL WHEN THIS OCCURS

WHEN CHANGING GEARS FROM PARK TO REVERSE THE SHIFT LEVER BECOMES STUCK BETWEEN GEARS, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE SELF-ADJUSTING REAR BRAKES CAUSING THE FRONT BRAKES TO CARRY THE BRAKING LOAD AND WEAR OUT PREMATURELY RESULTING IN FRONT END SHIMMY AND NOISE (DESIGN PROBLEM). NLM

WHILE BRAKING BRAKES PULSATED AND CAUSED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. ALSO, THE HOSE THAT CONNECTS THE THERMOSAT TO THE ENGINE LEAKED AND CAUSED FLUID TO SPRAY ONTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, RESULTING IN VEHICLE OVERHEATING WHICH COULD HAVE STARTED A FIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AT 30MPH, AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

THE FRONT BRAKES WOULD DANGEROUSLY PULSATE AFTER BEING APPLIED. HAD THE BRAKES REPLACED AT DEALER. THE SAME PULSATING PROBLEM HAS SINCE REAPPEARED, 3 MONTHS LATER, WHEEL STUDS HAD BROKEN. INFORMED BRAKES HAD GONE BAD AGAIN. *AK

VEHICLE WOULD KEEP STALLING FOR NO REASON. HAD NO WARNING. BEEN TO DEALER & INFORMED BY MECHANIC CAUSE OF PROBLEM NOT LOCATED. WAS TOLD BATTERY WAS PROBLEM & IT WAS REPLACED. STALLING PROBLEM STILL EXIST FOR 6 OR MORE TIMES AFTERWARDS.

WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE VEHICLE VIBRATES RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE ROTORS AND PADS THREE TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED. MJS

WHEN GENTLY BRAKING AT HIGH SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES BADLY. ALSO, WHEN BRAKING TO A STOP, THE CAR DOES NOT STOP SMOOTHLY. IT JERKS AND VIBRATES WHEN THE BRAKES ARE USED UNTIL I COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE ROTERS HAVE BEEN REPLACED ONCE ALREADY. ONE WINTER MORNING, I NOTICED THAT MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE NOT WORKING. UPON CLOSER INSPECTION, I FOUND THAT THEY HAD SOMEHOW LOOSENED. FORTUNATELY, THERE WAS NO PRECIPITATION THAT DAY. WHEN HAVING THE PROBLEM LOOKED AT BY ONE OF KIA'S SERVICE CENTERS, THE GUY THERE INDICATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS COMMON.

OH SIRS, THERE ARE PLENTY MORE PARTS/COMPONENTS ON THIS VEHICLE THAT HAS FAILED.

THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN JUNE OF 1998, IT HAS BEEN OUT OF SERVICE FOR MORE THAN 40 DAYS FOR REPAIRS FOR VARIOUS ELECTRICAL, BRAKING, TRANSMISSION, AND VARIOUS OTHER DEFECTS THAT HAVE RENDERED THE CAR INOPERABLE SINCE FEBRUARY, 1999.

IE99059, SQ99020, WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A CRASH. DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM.HOWEVER, DEALER REPLACED BRAKES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

TWO WEEKS AFTER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE THE BRAKES WENT, 4 WEEKS AFTER THEY WERE REPLACED THEY NEEDED SERVICE AGAIN AND EVERY 4 WEEKS AFTER THAT. EACH TIME THEY MAKE A GRINDING NOISE AND THE CAR IS NOT DRIVEABLE, THE CAR HAS BEEN TOWED TO THE DEALERDHIP TO BE SERVICED UNDER WARRANTY BUT THEY HAVE YET TO FIT ME IN FOR SERVICE ABOUT THE STARTER AND THE BRAKES AGAIN. I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS, I REFUSE TO KEEP DRIVING A CAR THAT I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN. THANK YOU BREANNE DUBAY

THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE FAILED TO WORK PROPERLY IN SNOW, IT WENT OUT. ALSO, DISC BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING WHEN APPLIED. TOOK TO DEALER & INFORMED DISC BRAKES WERE WARPED. CATALYTIC CONVERTOR HAD FAILED. IN ADDITION, MECHANIC FOUND THAT THE MUFFLER DID NOT WORK PROPERLY DUE TO HAVING A HOLE IN IT. ALL PARTS HAS TO BE REPLACED. OWNER FEELS ITS A LEMON. MFG IS NO HELP. *AK

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, VEHICLE SHAKES WHEN COMING TO A STOP. ALSO, WHENEVER IT RAINS WATER GETS INTO VEHICLE ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. *AK

I PURCHASED THE CAR IN AUG. 1998, ONE MONTH LATER THE OIL, BATTERY, ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I HAD TO GET THE CAR TOWED. AS OF MARCH, 1999 I HAD TO TAKE THE CAR IN FOR BRAKE FAILURE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. I HAVE ALL THE SERVICE ORDER SLIPS. SOMETIME IS JULY OR AUGUST I HAD TO CALL THE TOW TRUCK AGAIN, CAR WOULD NOT START. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER SAID IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE A/C. I HAD A DEFECTIVE BATTERY. AS OF JULY 31, 1999 I HAD NO A/C TOOK CAR IN FOR SERVICES ON AUG 4TH. REPAIR DONE, NOT! AS OF AUG 6TH NO A/C . BERNICKIE HAD TO ORDER THE HOSE. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO RESOLVE THIS MATTER, ON SEPT 9TH I CALLED SERVICE THE HOSE FINALLY CAME IN. HOWEVER, THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIX THE A/C DUE TO SOME TYPE OF BLOCKAGE THEY SAID. THIS CAR IS STILL NEW, I 'VE ONLY HAD IT FOR ONE YEAR. I NEED SOME FEED BACK PLEASE.

VEHICLE EXPERIENCES CONTINUED PREMATURE WEAR OF THE ROTORS AND PADS, SEVEN REPLACEMENTS WITHIN 19,886 MILES. MJS

FRONT BRAKE ROTORS MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING A NOISE AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH MAY RESULT A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN#. *AK

WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THERE IS A SQUEAKING SOUND AND THEY GRIND, AND BRAKE PEDAL IS SOFT. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

FRONT BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS.

AIR CONDITIONER FAILURE MAKING NOISES.*ET

OVERDRIVE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON, AND THE FRONT BRAKE PADS HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK

WHEN CHANGING GEARS FROM PARK TO REVERSE THE SHIFT LEVER BECOMES STUCK BETWEEN GEARS CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING BRAKE ROTORS TO GO OUT 3 TIMES AND HUBS TWICE, WHICH RESULTED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, AND MAY CAUSE A CRASH. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHILE APPLYING BRAKES VEHICLE WILL SHAKE BACK AND FORTH, POSSIBLY CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. DEALER HAS NO PERMISSION TO FIX VEHICLE. *AK

ENGINE OVERHEATED. NLM

DURING THE HOT SUMMER MONTHS WHEN USING THE AIR CONDITION, WHEN GET TO MY DESTINATION AND THEN I WANT TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, IT COULD BE O MINUTES TO ALMOST TWENTY MINUTES, THE CAR WON'T START AND IF YOU CONTINOUSLY FORCE THE CAR IN THE START MODE IT BLOWS THE 15 AMP STARTER FUSE. ALSO BECAUSE OF THIS THE WATER IN THE BATTERY WAS DEPLETED TO THE POINT WHERE EACH CELL TOOK ABOUT 4 OUNCE OF WATER. THE DEALER SAID THE BATTERY PERFORMED WELL ON A LOAD TEST, YET WHEN ALL THE LIGHTS ARE ON ALONG WITH ALL THE ACCESSORIES THE LIGHTS STAY DIM AND IT SHIFTS SLUGGISHLY. THE VOLTAGE WAS MEASURED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE ALTERNATOR PUTS OUT ONLY ABOUT 13 VOLTS, YET THE DEALER SAID IT PUT OUT 14.25 VOLTS, I ASKED FOR THAT THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY BE REPLACED BUT THEY REFUSED, ALTHOUGH THEY DID MODIFY THE STARTER CIRCUIT AND NOW IT STARTS OK, BUT THE LIGHT STILL DIM.

IN LESS THAN 6 MONTHS, I HAVE HAD MY VEHICHLE IN AND HAVE BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS REPLACED. I HAVE SPOKEN TO SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO OWN SEPHIA'S, ALL HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES. EACH TIME I BRING IT IN THEY SAY THERE WAS A PROBLEM AND THEY NOW CAME OUT WITH THIS NEW PAD. I FEEL VERY UNSAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE A 3 YEAR OLD SON WHO TRAVELS EVERYWHERE WITH ME, AND HAVING BAD BRAKES IS REAL SCARY - NOT TO MENTION AN IMPOSITION WHEN I DO NEED TO BRING IT IN TO BE FIXED.

TRANSMISSION WOULD MAKE FUNNY NOISES WHEN SHIFTING INTO GEAR. A NEW TRANSMISSION WAS INSTALLED. VEHICLE STILL HAVING PROBLEMS. BRAKES: WOULD SQUEAL WHEN APPLIED. HAD ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM CHANGED TWICE & PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. ALIGNMENT: DUE TO THE BRAKES, THE TIRES WERE WORN OUT ON THE INSIDE & HAD TO BE CHANGED. *AK *YC

WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MHP AND TRYING TO AVOID ANOTHER VEHICLE FROM HITTING CONSUMER'S VEHICLE, CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND HIT SOME TREES, BRUSHES AND A BIG BOULDER. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK

VEHICLE HAS PREVIOUSLY BEEN IN TWO ACCIDENTS. WHILE DRIVING ONLY 45MPH BRAKES FAILED, VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED./SWERVED AND MISSED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. *AK

BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS ARE PREMATURELY WEARING OUT. COMPLETE BRAKE SYSTEM HAS BEEN REPLACED 5 TIMES. *AK