Problems · by component
1997 Kia Sephia air bags problems
31 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1997 Kia Sephia cite air bags, 15% of all 211 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
31
15% of all complaints
Crashes
20
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
23
Reported by owners
What owners say about the air bags
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“I PURCHASED A 2007 KIA OPTIMA USED IN OCTOBER 2007. THE CAR HAD ROUGHLY 18,000 MILES ON IT WHEN I PURCHASED IT. SHORTLY AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED IN LATE 2009, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND HAS REMAINED ON EVER SINCE. THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ALWAYS ON, EVEN WHEN A NORMAL-SIZED ADULT SITS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT.”
“DASHBOARD WARPED AND COMING UP AND TOUCHING WINDSHIELD. IT IS BREAKING OR BLOCKING THE VENT/DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER SYSTEM. THEREFORE THE WINDOWS BARELY DEFROST AND THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. I KNOW OF TWO OTHER PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE DASHBOARD. ALSO "DOOR OPEN" LIGHT REMAINS ON AND DRAINS BATTERY. *TR”
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 KIA SEPHIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL REMAINS ILLUMINATED. HE DOES NOT KNOW IF THE AIR BAGS ARE WORKING PROPERLY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO, ESPECIALLY SINCE HIS VEHICLE IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THE COST WOULD BE $750 TO HAVE THE SENSOR REPAIRED. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THE NUMEROUS AMOUNTS OF COMPLAINTS, BUT IT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 18,355 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 300. UPDATED 09/05/07. *JB”
“DT: CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS HIT BY ANOTHER CAR ON AUGUST 15, 2005, AND THE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. WERE STILL UNSURE OF THE EXTEND OF THE INJURIES TO THE CONSUMER. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS UNHELPFUL TO THE CONSUMER. THEY TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT THE AIRBAGS SHOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES. ALTHOUGH OTHER INFORMATION THEY SENT HER SAID THAT THE AIR BAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. *AK”
“DT: THE CONTACT OWNED A 1997 KIA SEPHIA. CONTACT'S VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 35 MPH . UPON IMPACT, THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.THERE WERE THREE OCCUPANTS IN THE CAR ALL WEARING SEAT BELTS. THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT BROKE . THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT HAD NOT BEEN ON IN THIS VEHICLE NOR WAS IT ON AFTER THE CRASH. ONE PERSON SUSTAINED INJURIES BECAUSE OF THE SEAT BELT. SHE BROKE TWO RIBS. *AK”
“CONSUMER WAS DRIVING WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION HEAD ON . SEAT BELT BROKE, THROWING THE CONSUMER THREW THE DRIVER'S WINDSHIELD. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK CONSUMER IS IN A COMA. *NM”
Showing 6 of 31 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.