Problems · NHTSA complaints
1998 Kia Sephia problems
Owners filed 491 complaints about the 1998 Kia Sephia with NHTSA between Jun 1998 and Nov 2019. The most-cited component is service brakes, hydraulic (211).
Complaints
491
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
33
Reported by owners
Fires
15
Reported by owners
Injuries
19
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Service brakes, hydraulic211
- Engine and engine cooling85
- Electrical system78
- Power train58
- Fuel system, gasoline42
- Air bags27
- Visibility27
- Exterior lighting21
- Structure20
- Suspension19
- Steering18
- Equipment16
- Fuel system, other7
- Vehicle speed control6
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
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
25
180
135
67
29
26
13
3
2
4
2
1
2
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1998 | 25 |
| 1999 | 180 |
| 2000 | 135 |
| 2001 | 67 |
| 2002 | 29 |
| 2003 | 26 |
| 2004 | 13 |
| 2005 | 3 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 4 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 1 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Service brakes, hydraulic
211 reports9 crashes2 fires
“MY 1998 KIA SEPHIA REAR BRAKE PAD FELL OFF FELL OFF THE SHOE. APPARENTLY THEY ARE HELD ON BY GLUE. IT WAS REPLACED BUT I STILL HAVE PROBLEMS WHEN IT RAINS A LOT , THEY LOCK UP WHEN PARKED. I DON'T DARE USE MY EMERGENCY BRAKE BECAUSE THE BRAKES LOCK UP. *TR”
Engine and engine cooling
85 reports3 crashes5 fires1 related recall
“MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 1998 KIA SEPHIA AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO STALL. SHE PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT AND THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. MY WIFE RAN AWAY FORM THE VEHICLE. THE WHOLE FRONT OF THE CAR WAS BURNED UP. *NM”
Electrical system
78 reports5 crashes8 fires
“I BROUGHT A NEW KIA SEPHIA IN 1998, AND HAD NOTHING BUT TROUBLE WITH IT! TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED 2 TIMES BY THE MECHANIC FOR KIA MOTORS, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN ON 7/2007. ALSO , THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED 4 TIMES AND NEED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. NOW THE HEADLIGHTS KEEP TURNING OFF WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, BUT NO MECHANIC CAN LOCATE THE ELECTRICAL SHORT PROBLEM. *AK”
Power train
58 reports4 crashes1 fire
“WHILE SHIFTING TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTED ON ITS OWN, AND THE SHIFT LOCK SYSTEM FAILED. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO UNLOCK THE SHIFT LEVER IN ORDER TO MOVE THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK”
Fuel system, gasoline
42 reports5 crashes2 fires2 related recalls
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 KIA SEPHIA. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT HIS VEHICLE WOULD PERIODICALLY FAIL TO START. ON ONE OCCASION, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC CHANGED THE FUEL PUMP. A FEW WEEKS LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MECHANIC CHANGED THE FUEL PUMP RELAY, BUT THE FAILURE STILL OCCURRED. THE MECHANIC REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS 99V317000 AND 99V318000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP) AND SHOWED THE CONTACT A WIRE IN THE FUEL SYSTEM THAT WAS NOT INSULATED AND HAD BEEN OVERHEATING. ONCE THE WIRE WAS REMOVED, THE FAILURE SEEM TO BE RESOLVED. THE MECHANIC REPLACED ALL THE WIRES AND CONNECTORS AND RE-SAUTERED EVERYTHING. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE RECALL REPAIR WAS ALREADY PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE AND WOULD NOT ASSIST. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 109,250 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,083.”
Air bags
27 reports19 crashes
“THE AIRBAG IN MY DAUGHTERS KIA SEPHIA 1998 PASSENGER SIDE ONLY DEPLOYED WHILE SHE WAS SITTING AT A RED LIGHT. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT AND NO REASON FOR THE AIRBAG TO GO OFF. TOOK TO DEALSHIP FOR REVIEW AND WAS TOLD THAT THE EXPERT LOOKED AT THE CAR AND SAID THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO AND NO IDEA WHY IT HAPPEN. THEN CONTINUED TO SAY THAT SOMEONE COULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING WRONG TO THE CAR AND WE WOULD NEVER NO, BUT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO SPEND ANY MORE TIME OR MONEY TO FIND OUT WHAT REALLY MAY HAVE CAUSED THIS. MY DAUGHTER, THE DRIVER, WAS SLIGHTLY INJURED AND NOW IS AFFRAID WHILE DRIVING OR RIDING IN A CAR.”
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.