1998 Kia Sephia power train problems

“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”

“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”

“I BOUGHT A 1998 KIA SEPHIA FROM TOYOTA CARLSBAD 2 YEARS AGO IN MAY, 2001 THAT I PAID CASH FOR. RIGHT AFTER I BOUGHT THE KIA SEPHIA THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT BACK TO TOYOTA CARLSBAD AND THEY TOLD ME THAT I DIDN'T PUT THE GAS CAP BACK ON CORRECTLY. AUGUST, 2002 THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC AT FUTURE AUTOMOTIVE IN RANCHO BERNARDO AND HE TOLD ME IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION. FUTURE AUTOMOTIVE SENT THE CAR TO MIKE'S TRANSMISSION IN POWAY. MIKE WORKED AND WORKED ON THE TRANSMISSION. IT WAS IN HIS SHOP FOUR TIMES. THE LAST TIME THE KIA SEPHIA WAS IN THE SHOP, IT WAS THERE FOR THREE WEEKS. TOYOTA CARLSBAD TOLD ME THEY COULDN'T HELP ME BECAUSE THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED, BUT THEY WOULD GLADLY SELL ME ANOTHER CAR. WHEN I TOLD THEM I COULDN'T AFFORD THAT, TOYOTA CARLSBAD TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT HELP ME WITH MY PROBLEM. BOTH TIMES THE BBB TRIED TO HELP ME, KIA STATED THE FIRST TIME THAT THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. THE SECOND TIME, KIA STATED THAT THEY WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING BECAUSE YOUR VEHICLE EXCEEDS THE AGE REQUIREMENTS SET OUT IN THE MANUFACTURER'S PROGRAM SUMMARY. LIGHT COMES ON. I…”

“I BOUGHT A 1998 KIA SEPHIA IN FEB OF 2000 I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE 3 GEAR SHIFTERS AND THREE TRANSMISSIONS AND THE CAR HAS ONLY BEEN DRIVEN 2/3 OF THE TIME THAT I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR. MY SIGNAL LIGHT ON ONE SIDE HAS NEVER REALLY WORKED PROPERLY AND THE THE HEADLIGHT CONSTANTLY SHORTS OUT. OF COURSE NOW I'M OUT OF WARRANTY AND STILL EXPERIENCING THESE PROBLEMS AND MANY MORE I DONT KNOW WHERE ELSE TO TURN BECAUSE ALL I'M EVER TOLD IS THAT'S A KIA FOR YOU. I STILL HAVE A LOAN OF THIS CAR AND DONT THINK IT'S RIGHT THAT ALMOST EVERY YEAR THE GEAR SHIFTER AND TRANS NEED TO BE REPLACED. I WOULD GREAT APPRECIATE ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE ME BECAUSE I HAVENT BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR FOR THE LAST 2 MONTHS BECAUSE THE GEAR SHIFTER WONT COME OUT OF PARK AND WHEN IT DID THE TRANS RACED WHEN REACHING 2 GEAR. THERE IS NO WAY ANYONE SHOULD EXPERIENCE THIS MUCH TROUBLE WHETHER BEING A USED CAR OR NOT. PLEASE HELP ME. *AK”

“I HAVE HAD MY CAR FOR ABOUT 7 MONTHS, AND I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT IT HAD 5 RECALLS AND THE PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD CONSISTS OF CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON AND O/D LIGHT FLASHING. ALSO, CAR ACTS AS IF IT DOES NOT WANT TO GO INTO GEAR. WHEN IT IS PUT INTO REVERSE IT ALSO SEEMS AS IF HESITATE TO CRANK UP AS WELL. *LA”

“VEHICLE WOULDN'T START INTERMITTENTLY. ABOUT A MONTH AGO IT STARTED TO HAPPEN MORE FREQUENTLY. SHIFTER ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED. VEHICLE WOULD ALSO ROLL WHILE IN PARK. DEALER TOLD CONSUMER THAT TRANSMISSION WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK”