10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
6,508 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

1997 Kia Sephia body / paint problems

body / paint problem

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1997 Kia Sephia Owner Comments

problem #11

Aug 082005

Sephia 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 49,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The dashboard is warped/coming up and has bent/ruined the defrost/defogger system. It happened all on it's own, we did nothing to provoke this. I am the original owner and the car has never been in a wreck. I am concerned if it has caused airbag damage. It is a hazard not to be able to defrost/defog windows. Also the tailpipe keeps getting holes in it and we have to keep getting welding done on it.

- Hyrum, UT, USA

problem #10

Aug 181999

Sephia 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Consumer owns 1997 Kia Sephia. She had a problem with the dashboard. The vents for the defroster fell off, and the dashboard was brown, which began as a small spot and grew to cover the whole dashboard. She was concerned that the dashboard falling apart might somehow affect the airbags. She says that there is a burning smell coming from dash, smell has been there since she purchased vehicle. She did purchase vehicle new.

- Hayesville, NC, USA

problem #9

Jun 222004

Sephia 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 22,590 miles
The dashboard lifted up from the chassis of the vehicle. Also, there was a hole that burned into the top of the dashboard. The consumer was concerned with the air bags not deploying or deploying prematurely.

- Wayne, NJ, USA

problem #8

Jun 012004

Sephia 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Problems with seat belts and dashboard.

- Plantersville, AL, USA

problem #7

Sep 262003

(reported on)

Sephia

  • miles
The passenger side dashboard is lifting up, consumer believes this may cause the airbag to deploy. Dealer has been contacted.

- Land O' Lakes, FL, USA

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problem #6

Aug 252003

(reported on)

Sephia

  • miles
The dashboard came loose and lifted from the interior of the vehicle.. the molding strip around the rear window was loose.

- Roseburg, OR, USA

problem #5

May 172003

Sephia 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The dashboard is pulling apart and this is unsafe and I worry about the air bags blasting off and other damage. I know this problem is prevelant to this car also there is something wrong with the breaks they squeak horribly, but the break people say they don't need to be replaced, unsure of the cause.

- Seattle, WA, USA

problem #4

Jul 182003

(reported on)

Sephia

  • miles
The dashboard area, in front of driver's seat developed "burn" spots and since then popped out, near the front windshield. As a result, the consumer experienced respiratory problems and blurred vision when driving for an extended period of time. The consumer believed the sun contacted the dash and had given off some type of chemical. The burn spot was approximately 12 inches in diameter. Every three to four days it created a film on the inside of the windshield(the size of the burn area) and also had given off an odor. The odor made the consumer's husband sick and her sister's eyes burn.

- Glen Burnie, MD, USA

problem #3

Apr 142003

(reported on)

Sephia

  • miles
The dash board started to lift/ expand, which may cause the air bag to deploy.

- Sayreville, NJ, USA

problem #2

Dec 132002

(reported on)

Sephia

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Is leaking causing electrical lights damage, the hazards or signals aren't working and the truck smells like mildew.

- Glen Rock, PA, USA

problem #1

Oct 011998

(reported on)

Sephia

  • miles
Water leaks into vehicle during rain.

- Philadelph, PA, USA

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