The 1996 Kia Sephia has 1 safety recall and 118 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic (47 complaints).
Recalls1safety recalls
Complaints118filed by owners
Crashes · fires9 · 4reported in complaints
Injuries · deaths17 · 1reported in complaints
Safety recalls
Seat belts › Front › Buckle assembly
NHTSA recall 02V216000 · Aug 16, 2002 · 189,706 vehicles · opened after NHTSA action (ODI)
Problem: ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE SAFETY BELT BUCKLE MAY "FALSE LATCH" AND EXPOSE THE DRIVER TO UNRESTRAINED MOVEMENT DURING A CRASH.
Risk: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
Fix: OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN DECEMBER 20, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
Fuel economy
Sephia
27mpg combined
City / highway
24 / 31 mpg
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
1.6 L · 4 cyl · Manual 5-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $2,500/year to fuel
Sephia
24mpg combined
City / highway
21 / 28 mpg
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
1.6 L · 4 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $2,800/year to fuel
Sephia
24mpg combined
City / highway
22 / 27 mpg
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
1.8 L · 4 cyl · Manual 5-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $2,800/year to fuel
Sephia
21mpg combined
City / highway
18 / 26 mpg
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
1.8 L · 4 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $3,200/year to fuel
EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.
What owners report
Problem area
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Typical mileage*
Service brakes, hydraulic Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip; Foundation components
47
5
0
5
—
Electrical system Wiring › Interior/under dash; Alternator/generator/regulator
25
0
3
0
—
Engine and engine cooling Engine › Gasoline; Engine
19
0
1
0
—
Unknown or other
18
0
0
0
—
Seat belts Front › Buckle assembly; Front › Anchorage
15
0
0
2
—
Power train Automatic transmission; Manual transmission
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
Dec 1, 2003Visibility › Defroster/defogger/hvac system DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THAT ON DECEMBER 1, 2003 THE DASHBOARD LIFTED UP IN THE FRONT WHEN TURNING ON THE DEFROSTER . IT DID NOT DEFOG THE WINDOW, IT WILL WORK SOMEWHAT BUT NOT LIKE IT SHOULD. CAN SEE THE INSIDE DASHBOARD WHERE WIRING AND FOAM WAS. IT HAS PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE SINCE DECEMBER 2003. CONSUMER HAD TRIED TO PUSH THE DASHBOARD DOWN WITH HER HANDS, BUT THE DASHBOARD WILL NOT MOVE. CONSUMER HAS NOT HAD A DEALER LOOK AT VEHICLE. *AK
Nov 4, 1996 · 56,000 milesStructure I PURCHASED A 1996 KIA SEPHIA AND HAVE THE SAME PROBLAM AS ALOT OF OTHER OWNERS. THE DASHBOARD IS LIFTING AND PEELING AWAY FROM THE FRAME.*AK
Nov 3, 2004Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip ABS BRAKING LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. CONSUMER NOTICED WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER DROVE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. *AK
Dec 10, 2002 · 66,000 milesStructure IT IS UNBELIEVEABLE THAT THERE IS NO RECALL ON THE DASHBOARDS FOR KIA VEHICLES. I OWN A KIA SEPHIA AND IT SEEMS LIKE THE DASHBOARD CRACKS AND PEELS OFF. I HAVE SEEN OTHER MODELS AND IT FACES THE SAME PROBLEMS. MATTER OF FACT I VISITED KIA DEALERSHIPS AND THERE IS NO WARRANTY ON THIS ITEMS. THE DEALERSHIPS ALSO MENTIONED THAT THEY HAVE ALOT OF COMPLAINTS ON THAT SAME ISSUE. I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT THERE MUST BE A RECALL ON THIS ISSUES. *AK
Apr 13, 1999 · 20,000 milesStructure DASHBOARD IS SEPARATING FROM THE FRAME OF THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. DEALER HAS EXAMINED THE VEHICLE ON FOUR OCCASIONS, AND WAS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
Jan 7, 2004 · 17,000 milesStructure THE DASHBOARD IS RISING AND THE DEFROSTER DOESN'T WORK, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY TO THE DRIVER. *AK *MR
Aug 12, 2003 · 72,864 milesEngine and engine cooling › Engine WHEN VEHICLE HAS BEEN STARTED ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND REMAIN ILLUMINATED. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC FAILED TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.*AK
Jul 9, 2003Structure CONSUMER STATES THAT DASHBOARD IS PEELING OFF FROM THE CAR'S FOUNDATION.*AK
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.
NHTSA defect investigations
PE02051 · opened Jun 17, 2002 · closed Sep 20, 2002 · led to recall 02V216000SAFETY BELT BUCKLE MALFUNCTION BY LETTER DATED AUGUST 25, 2002, KIA ADVISED NHTSA THAT THE SUBJECT VEHICLES WILL BE RECALLED.SPECIFIC CORRECTIVE ACTION TO BE TAKEN BY KIA HAS NOT BEEN REPORTED TO NHTSA AT THIS TIME.THE SAFETY RECALL PROGRAM HAS BEEN ASSIGNED CAMPAIGN NO. 02V-216.