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Problems · NHTSA complaints

1996 Kia Sephia problems

Owners filed 118 complaints about the 1996 Kia Sephia with NHTSA between May 1996 and Oct 2005. The most-cited component is service brakes, hydraulic (29).

Full 1996 Sephia research
Complaints
118
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
9
Reported by owners
Fires
4
Reported by owners
Injuries
17
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Service brakes, hydraulic29
  2. Electrical system19
  3. Engine and engine cooling14
  4. Seat belts12
  5. Structure10
  6. Air bags10
  7. Power train10
  8. Visibility6
  9. Suspension3
  10. Vehicle speed control3
  11. Exterior lighting2
  12. Fuel system, gasoline2
  13. Parking brake2
  14. Steering2

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
199612
199720
199820
199921
200020
20016
20024
20039
20045
20051

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Service brakes, hydraulic

29 reports4 crashes
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 3, 2004Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10099333
More service brakes, hydraulic reportsGet this fixed

Electrical system

19 reports3 fires
“"CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT HAS BEEN ON SINCE I BAUGHT THE CAR. I HAVE TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO HAVE IT FIXED BUT THE LIGHT STILL COMES ON. MY CAR WILL NOT PASS CALIFORNIA SMOG WITH THE LIGHT ON WHICH MEANS THAT I CANNOT RENEW MY REGISTRATION THE NEXT TIME THE DMV REQUIRES A SMOG CHECK.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 21, 2003Electrical systemODI 10007909
Get this fixed

Engine and engine cooling

14 reports1 fire
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 5, 2003Engine and engine coolingODI 10038262
Get this fixed

Seat belts

12 reports1 related recall
“I'VE HAD TO REPLACE BOTH FRONT SEAT BELT RECEPTICLES DUE TO FAILURE OF LATCH. THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT STAYS ON CONSTANT EVEN AFTER IT IS RESET. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 1, 2000Seat belts, Unknown or otherODI 723473
Recall: Seat belts: buckle assemblyGet this fixed

Structure

10 reports
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 21, 2004StructureODI 10067593
Get this fixed

Air bags

10 reports4 crashes
“CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING GOING 30MPH THE VEHICLE WAS IN A HEAD ON ACCIDENT WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. CONSUMER STATES THE SEAT BELT NEVER LOCKED AND BOTH AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. TS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 7, 2003Air bagsODI 10002254
Get this fixed
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.