Problems · by component
1997 Kia Sephia service brakes, hydraulic problems
65 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1997 Kia Sephia cite service brakes, hydraulic, 31% of all 211 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
65
31% of all complaints
Crashes
5
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
What owners say about the service brakes, hydraulic
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR THE BRAKES FELT BAD BECAUSE I HAD TO PUSH THE BRAKE ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. AFTER HAVING IT FOR 2 WEEKS OTHER THING STARTED TO GO WRONG. I HAD TO BUY A CAP AND ROTOR AND GET SPARK PLUG AND WIRES. NOW THE TRANSMISSION IS MESSING UP. THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO PUT ME IN SOMETHING BETTER. THEY WANT ME TO PAY ON A JUNK CAR THAT I WILL ALWAYS HAVE TO BE FIXING DAY AFTER DAY.”
“THE LAST TIME MY ROTORS WARPED FOR THE FIFTH TIME, MY DEALER WASN'T GOING TO REPLACED THEM UNTIL I HAD A LENGTHY DISCUSSION WITH HIM AND HE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER. HE DID NOT REPLACE THE BRAKE PADS THIS TIME BECAUSE KIA WOULD NOT AUTHORIZE THAT EXPENSE. THEY ARE WARPING AGAIN FOR THE SIXTH TIME. I HAVE NEVER HAD A CAR WITH AS MANY PROBLEMS AS THIS CAR(SOME ARE NOT LISTED). I DON'T FEEL SAFE IN IT AT ALL.”
“WHILE DRIVING ABOUT ANY MPH VEHICLE WILL SUDDENLY ACCELERATE WITHOUT A PRIOR WARNING.CONSUMER WILL STEP ON BRAKES PEDAL TO STOP ACCELERATION, BUT VEHICLE WILL NOT STOP, AND CONCERNED ABOUT FACT OF AN ACCIDENT.*AK TRANSMISSION FAILED. BRAKES MAKE NOISE DUE TO ROTOR FAILURE. WIPER BLADES FAILED. BATTERY FAILED. *YH”
“SINCE CONSUMER OWNED CAR BRAKES HAD TO BE CHANGED FIVE TIMES. 3 BATTERIES HAD TO BE PUT IN. ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON ON INSTRUMENT PANEL, ANTI-FREEZE IS LEAKING AND THE ENGINE IS RUNNING ROUGH. *AK *SLC”
“3RD TIME PROBLEM WITH ROTORS.TURNED 1X,REPLACED 1X.CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THEY'RE CLAIMING THAT THE WIRING IS CORRODED ALL OVER THE CAR.ADMITS KIA HAS PROBLEM WITH ROTORS,BUT WON'T FIX IT BECAUSE I HAVEN'T USED DEALERSHIP FOR ROUTINE AND MAINTENANCE (TOO EXPENSIVE AND BAD HOURS...THEY CHARGED $200 MORE THAN ANY OTHER PLACE FOR 30K SERVICE!SAME WORK INVOLVED!”
“I HAVE ONLY HAD THIS CAR FOR 1 MONTH. IT HAD BEEN IN THE SHOP 3 TIMES. IT HAS NEVER BEEN FIXED TO MY SATISFACTION. THE BATTERY DIED THE DAY AFTER I BROUGHT IT HOME. THE BRAKES HAD TO BE COMPLETELY REPLACED. THAT COST ~$200. I HAVE A SMALL INFANT AND BOUGHT THIS CAR FOR SAFETY (DUAL AIRBAGS) THE DEALER WON'T BUY THE CAR BACK AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT CAN'T SEEM TO FIX THE CAR. HELP!!!”
Showing 6 of 65 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.