1999 Kia Sephia complaints

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN , THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND ALMOST HIT A CURVE. *AK THE CONSUMER THEN PLACED THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE 2-3 TIMES. (IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC & BUSY INTERSECTION) THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE INCIDENT RECURRED WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING TO THE DEALER. THERE HAD BEEN NO ACCIDENTS WITH THIS VEHICLE, BUT THE SUB FRAME RACK & PINION HAD BROKEN APART. ONE SIDE HAD BEEN BROKEN FOR A WHILE AND STARTED TO RUST. (LOOKED LIKE POOR WELDING/MANUFACTURER DEFECT) *SCC *JB

THE VEHICLE HAD NUMEROUS RECALLS AND PROBLEMS. WHEN THE CONSUMER PUT FUEL IN THE VEHICLE IT LEAKED OUT. WHEN IT DID HIT SHE HAD TO PLAY AROUND WITH IT, UNTIL THE NOZZLE WAS IN THE TANK JUST RIGHT, THEN IT WOULD TAKE THE FUEL. ALSO, THE VEHICLE WAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES, AND ROTORS WEARING OUT TOO QUICKLY AND THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS CRACKED AND LEAKING BRAKE FLUID. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE IN THE REPAIR SHOP AT LEAST 10 TIMES AND NEEDED TO BE RETURNED TO THE REPAIR SHOP. *AK THE FUEL TANK PROBLEM HAD BEEN WORKED ON FOUR TIMES AND STILL WAS NOT FIXED. THERE WERE GEAR SHIFT PROBLEMS WHERE THE SHIFTER WOULD STICK, MULTIPLE WIRING CONSOLE LIGHT PROBLEMS, THE WIPER BLADE LINKS WERE DEFECTIVE AND CAUSED THE BLADE TO COME APART. *SCC *JB REFERENCED IN RQ03-006

TOOK CAR TO BRENNER AND THEY SAID IT WAS OK THE FIRST TIME. OVERDRIVE KEPT TURNING OFF WHILE DRIVING. 7/03 TOOK MY CAR BACK AND NOW IT NEEDS A TRANSMISSION AND THEY DON'T WANT TO PUT IT IN, BECAUSE I DID NOT HAVE THEM DO THE MAINTENANCE ON MY CAR. I SHOWED PROOF THAT THE WORK WAS DONE. THEY ARE WAY OVER PRICED WHEN IT COMES TO MAIN. THAT IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. *AK

WHEN STARTING VEHICLE WILL NOT START. CONSUMER HAS TO MOVE THE GEAR SHIFTER TO ANOTHER GEAR, AND THEN BACK TO PARK. THEN ,THE VEHICLE WILL START. *AK

REPEATED PROBLEM WITH BATTERY. REPLACED 3 TIMES. NEVER LIKED TO START, ALWAYS SHIMMIED.RETURNED TO DEALER FOR TUNE UP. CAR WAS RETURNED WITH MORE PROBLEMS THAT TURNED IN WITH. CAR WOULDN'T KEEP A CONSTANT GAS FLOW.*AK TRADED IT IN AND THE DEALER SAID THE MOTOR WAS BAD AND HEADED FOR A TOTAL BREAK DOWN. WHEN IT DIED - IT WAS THREE YEARS OLD WITH 60,000 MILES.

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *MR *CB *NLM

CONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH 1999 KIA SEPHIA. NAR 07/21/2003.*MR TRANSMISSION, REAR BLINKERS, BRAKE PADS, FUEL PUMP AND VALVE. *CB

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED UP HILL AND WITH NO WARNING TRANSMISSION WILL DECELERATE EVEN WHEN FOOT IS ON THE ACCELERATOR, AND IT WILL BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE AND PULLED OVER, THE CONSUMER WAS THEN INFORMED BY A PASSING MOTORIST, THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. *TS *JB

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT DOES NOT LOCK.*AK*EA04007*

KIA SEPHIA, BOUGHT APRIL 1999 NEW. REPLACED BATTERY WITHIN FIRST YEAR, TURN RADIO UP IT GOES DOWN AND THE OTHER WAY. INTERMITTENTLY, SPEEDOMETER UNSTEADY, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF FREQUENTLY. OD OFF LIGHT FLASHES OCCASIONALLY. DOME LIGHT COMES ON BY ITSELF WHEN IN DOOR MODE. DASHBOARD INDICATOR ALSO COMES ON AT THIS TIME. *JB

THE VEHICLE WAS IN A FRONTAL COLLISION WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH BUT NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *NLM

I HAVE OWNED A 1999 -2000 KIA SEPHIA FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS NOW AND IT HAS CAUSED ME NOTHING BUT TROUBLE, AT THE MOMENT I HAVE HAD A KIA DEALERSHIP FIX THE FUEL CENSORS THREE TIMES AND THIS TIME WE WENT TO GO GET IT CHECKED CAUSE THE CHECK ENGINES LIGHT CAME ON AND ALL THEY DID WAS TURN THE LIGHT OFF AND SAY THEY WOULD LOOK AT IT NEW AGAIN WHEN WE WENT BACK THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT , ALL I KNOW IS THAT ONE DAY ME OR SOMEONE ELSE DRIVING ME CAR IS GOING TO BE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WITH A VERY DEAD CAR EITHER HURT OR HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE HURT . *NLM

THE DRIVER SIDE BRAKE SHOE BROKE IN HALF.*JB

THE DRIVERS DOOR DID NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE, HOWEVER IT OPENED FROM THE OUTSIDE.*JB

AIR INTAKE MANIFOLD CAUGHT ON FIRE. *JB

WHILE DRIVING THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION KEEPS SKIPPING. THE DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION 3 TIMES AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST. PH

CONSUMER STATED THE RESONATOR SEPARATED AT THE SEAM AND COULD CAUSE VEHICLE FUMES. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT, AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT, AND WAS NOT DAMAGED WITH NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. SCC *JB

WHILE TRAVELING AT 35 MPH, CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. CONSUMER STATED NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. NO PROBLEMS PRIOR WITH AIRBAGS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*JB

DEFECTIVE BRAKES AND ROTORS ON 199 KIA SEPHIA, HAVE BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. CAUSES WEAR ON TIRES AND PRESENTS AN UNSAFE CONDITION.

VEHICLES' MANUAL DOORS ARE INOPERATIVE. THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR HESITATED TO OPEN. AFTER CONSUMER ENTERED THE VEHICLE ALL FOUR DOORS UNLOCKED BUT THEY WILL NOT OPEN, CONSUMER WAS TRAPPED IN THEIR VEHICLE. A PASSER BI HAD TO PRY OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE. MANUFACTURER INDICATED THAT THIS WAS CAUSED BY MOTHER NATURE. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. PH

CONSUMER STATES DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLE POPPED PREVENTING OCCUPANT FROM EXISTING . DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

THIS IS A COMPLAINT REGARDING EQUIPMENT ON THE 1999 KIA SEPHIA LS, MANUFACTURED BY KIA IN KOREA ON 08/25/98, AND TARGETS AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT SAFETY ITEM, SPECIFICALLY THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WHICH HAS A DEFECTIVELY DESIGNED LATCH, SINCE WHEN THE TAB IS INSERTED SECURELY SEATED INTO THE LATCH, IT PULLS OUT WHEN PULLED, OR WHEN ONE LEANS FORWARD SLIGHTLY STRESSING THE SEAT BELT. IT IS VERY , VERY DANGEROUS, AND I INFORMED THE CLOSEST DEALER TO MY LOCATION, BAY RIDGE KIA WHEN I BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR CORRECTION OF RECALL ITEMS, BUT THE BELT WAS NOT ON THE LIST. I AM INFORMING DOT IN THE HOPE OF PREVENTING ANYONE FROM BEING INJURED BY THIS DEFECT. I WENT BACK TO THE DEALER AND AT MY EXPENSE IMMEDIATELY ORDERED A NEW LATCH SECTION OF THE BELT, PART NO. 0K2AB-57-680-96. OF COURSE I ASKED, IF THAT PART HAD BEEN MODIFIED? THE ANSWER WAS, NO SURPRISE, YES. I ALSO HAD SENT A LETTER TO KIA SERVICE HEADQUARTERS IN SAN DIEGO , CALIFORNIA . DO NOT HESITATE TO RECALL THIS ITEM, AS THE BELT SEEMS LOCKED, BUT IT ISN'T.*EA04007*

CONSUMER STATES HAD RECALL 00V175000 REMEDIED IN 06/02. STILL EXPERIENCING DEFECT. NOT ONLY IS FUEL TANK NOT FILLING UP TO CAPACITY, BUT NOW FUEL GAUGE IS NOT REGISTERING AMOUNT OF FUEL IN TANK. TS REFERENCED IN RQ03-006

CONSUMER HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS AS RECALL#02V286000 RACK AND PINION. DEALER WILL NOT REPAIR BECAUSE VIN NUMBER IS NOT INCLUDED. TS

THIS VEHICLE JUST TURNS OFF DURING DRIVING - STALLS OUT AT ANY TIME. HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED INTO DEALERSHIP 2 TIMES, ONLY TO DRIVE OFF BOTH TIMES AND BREAK DOWN. IT'S IN THE SHOP NOW FOR THE THIRD TIME. THEY SAID IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP (REPLACED, STILL STALLS), THEN THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS (REPLACED, STILL STALLS), NOW THE WIRING HARNESS. TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE THIS CAR. THEY DON'T HAVE A CLUE WHAT'S WRONG. I'M SCARED TO DRIVE IT AFTER I'VE BEEN VIRTUALLY RUN OVER WHEN THE ENGINE CUTS OFF. DT

WHILE DRIVING THE BRAKES FAILED, THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE STOPPED BY PULLING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AT WHICH TIME THE CONSUMER NOTICED A FIRE UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE, POSSIBLY BRAKE OR ENGINE FAILURE. NLM

CONSUMER STATES. THE STEERING LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING AT 55MPH, VEHICLE WENT INTO A 120 FF RAVINE AND WAS TOTALED LOST. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH HIS BRAKES AND ROTORS ALSO STATED THAT THEY HAD A REACALL ON THE ROTORS THAT HE WAS NOT INFORM ABOUT IT. DEALER STATED THAT HE NEED IT TO CONTAC THE MANUFACTURER FOR MORE INFORMATION. MR

CONSUMER STATES OF HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE MASTER CYLINDER. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. TS

THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 30,000, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT EVENTUALLY THERE WOULD BE PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE, CONSUMER STATED IT TOOK NUMEROUS TIRES TO GET THE VEHICLE TO START. TS *JB

CONSUMER STATES OF HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES AND ROTORS. MR THE CONSUMER STATES THAT SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE, HE HAS HAD TO CHANGE THE BRAKES/ROTORS EVERY 4-6K MILES-5 TIMES, AND STILL EXPERIENCING SLOW STOPPING. THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD, AND THE DEALER STATES THEY CAN'T HELP. (FEELS THE VEHICLE IS A LEMON) SCC

ON FOUR OCCASIONS THE IGNITION FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL WHILE IN TRAFFIC, THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. NLM

CONSUMER STATES THERE HAVE BEEN NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE SINCE THE FIRST YEAR OF PURCHASE. VEHICLE NEEDS A THIRD TRANSMISSION, THE LAST INCIDENT CONSUMER COULD NOT GET THE VEHICLE TO GO IN REVERSE, CAUSING SOMEONE TO REAREND HER. *SCC

WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 40-65MPH TRANSMISSION WILL DOWNSHIFT, AND ENGINE LIGHT WILL COME ON, MAKING IT HARD FOR CONSUMER TO CONTROL VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

FRONT CRASH AT 15 MPH AND NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. DRIVER HIT HEAD ON STEERING WHEEL, AND PASSENGER'S HEAD HIT WINDSHIELD. DAMAGE TO VEHICLE UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

AT SLOW SPEED VEHICLE WAS SIDESWIPED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE, DRIVERSIDE MIRROR WAS DESIGNED TO FOLD INWARD WHEN THIS HAPPENED; INSTEAD, MIRROR EXPLODED, AND DRIVER WAS HIT BY GLASS, WINDOW WAS DOWN. DRIVER SUFFERED MULTIPLE FACIAL CUTS. DAMAGE TO VEHICLE UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

STEERING LOCKED UP WHILE GOING 55MPH ON A 2 LANE HIGHWAY. CONSUMER HEARD A CLICK IN THE STEERING AS IT TURNED SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT, AND THE ABS WAS THUMPING. STEERING IMMEDIATELY LOCKED UP, CAUSING VEHICLE TO ROLL INTO A RIVERINE. ALSO, CONSUMER COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER ABOUT STEERING WHEN VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED IN FEBRUARY AFTER BEING SIDE SWIPED. DEALER THEN DIDN'T FIND A CAUSE OF PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

ODI #765565 (CONTINUED) I FORGOT TO ADVISE THAT THIS NEW DISC BRAKE & NEW ROTORS WILL COST $150 BEFORE ANY LABOR COSTS ARE ADDED ONTO THE BILL. AGAIN--WHY MUST THE CONSUMER PAY FOR THIS DESIGN FLAW. I BOUGHT A NEW 1979 FORD FIESTA WHICH ALSO HAD A BRAKE DESIGN FLAW & THAT WAS A RECALL. AND CAN YOU PLEASE FIND A WAY TO NOTIFY THE PUBLIC TO FILE THESE COMPLAINTS SO THAT YOU CAN INVESTIGATE THESE MATTERS & ADDRESS THEM PROPERLY. I HAPPENED ON THIS WEBSITE BY ACCIDENT BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW THAT I COULD REQUEST AN INVESTIGATION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND EFFORT.*AK

ALL INDICATOR LIGHTS ON INSTRUMENTAL PANEL COME ON AND STAY ON AT DIFFERENT TIMES. CONTACTED DEALER. THIS COULD BE AN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHORT. HAD DIFFERENT PART REPLACED, PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRED. *AK

TRIED TO GET DISC BRAKES REPLACED TODAY--KIA HAS CHANGED THE DISC PADS & ROTORS BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL ONES ARE OF POOR DESIGN?? WHY ISN'T THIS A RECALL?? I KNEW AT ABOUT 6000 MI THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES. PLUS AN ONLINE FORUM MADE COMMENTS ABOUT THESE BRAKES NUMEROUS TIMES. THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY RATED THIS CAR POORLY (BECAUSE OF THE BRAKES?) I CAN'T EVEN BUY THE ORIGINAL BRAKE DISC PADS BECAUSE KIA HAS RECALLED THEM FROM THE DEALERS. WHY ISN'T THIS A RECALL. WHY MUST THE CONSUMER PAY FOR THIS DESIGN DEFECT??*AK

THIS CAR HAS SO MANY PROBLEMS THEY CANT ALL BE LISTED.THE BATTERY MELTED,THE TIRES WONT STAY INFLATED PROPERLY, THE A/C BROKE,THE CRUISE CONTROL BROKE, JUST TO NAME A FEW. THE CAR SHAKES IF YOU GO OVER 60 AND THE DEALER CHARGED ME TO ALIGN THE FRONT END,TOLD ME IT NEEDED TO BE DONE EVERY 6 MONTHS.ALSO SAID I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THE BATTERY WOULD MELT,ITS KOREAN.*AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING, ALSO VEHICLE WILL NOT START UNTIL AFTER 8 OR 9 TRIES. DEALER CONTACTED.*JB

VEHICLE WILL MAINTAIN A SPEED OF 35MPH EVEN WHEN APPLYING GAS PEDAL, VEHICLE WILL SUDDENLY SURGE UP TO 55MPH. DEALER CONTACTED.*JB

CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE WOULD GO IN REVERSE AND NOT GO IN DRIVE. THIS HAPPEN ON TWO OCCASIONS. DEALER CONTACTED.*JB

BATTERY IS CONSTANTLY BEING DRAINED, HAS BEEN REPLACED 5 TIMES SINCE PURCHASE. DEALER STATED IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. *AK

FRONT BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS HAD TO BE REPLACED THREE TIME WITHIN A YEAR, DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

CONSUMER STATES WHEN ACCELERATING THE VEHICLE SPEED DECREASES INSTEAD OF INCREASING. REPLACED PARTS 4 TIMES. PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. NLMVEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED FOR WIRING HARNESS AND SENSOR FAILURE, THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING, THE TRANSMISSION FLUID IS BURNT AND IT IS LEAKING FLUID AT THE SHIFT SHAFT (CONSUMER WAS ADVISED TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION), THE OVER DRIVE LIGHT KEEPS FLASHING AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES DUE TO THE HOLD UNIT NOT BEING APPLIED. *JG