1999 Kia Sephia air bags problems

“FAX ON BEHALF OF, RE AN ACCIDENT WITH HIS 1999 KIA SEPHIA THE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THE BACK BRAKES DID NOT FUNCTION CORRECTLY SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE. *KB *JB”

“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE 45MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE REAR ENDED THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THIS RESULTED IN A COLLISION, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. ALSO THE DRIVER'S SEAT FELL BACKWARD DURING THE COLLISION. INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED; THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN HOME. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED , NO REPAIRS MADE.”

“THIS CAR HAS BEEN A CONSTANT REPAIR AND FINANCIAL PROBLEM FOR THE LAST 4 YEARS STARTING TWO WEEKS AFTER I PURCHASED THE CAR. IT IS AN UNSAFE VEHICLE AND CAN NOT BE KEPT MAINTAINED FOR SAFETY OR RELIABILITY IT WAS PURCHASED WITH 21000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE AND A MAJORITY OF REPAIRS HAS HAD TO BE FIXED. 4 STARTERS, IGNITION SWITCH, IGNITION SWITCH WIRING HARNESS (IGNITION STILL DOESN'T WORK), AIR BAG SENSOR, AIR BAG WIRING (AIR BAGS STILL DOES NOT WORK), ALTERNATOR, FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DRIVE AXEL BROKE WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR, RIGHT PASSENGER BALL JOINT FELL OFF THE CAR WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR, MASTER CYLINDER AND REAR BRAKE CYLINDER WENT OUT AT THE SAME TIME WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR, HEATER/AIR CONDITIONING MOTOR. THE CAR HAS BEEN TOWED 3 TIMES, AND HAS LEFT ME AND MY CHILDREN STRANDED TOO MANY TIMES TO COUNT. THE CAR IS STILL IN NEED OF MAJOR REPAIR. THE DRIVER REAR STABILIZER BUSHINGS NEED REPLACED, THE DRIVER'S SIDE DRIVE AXEL NEEDS REPLACED, THE AIR BAGS STILL DO NOT WORK, THE IGNITION SWITCH STILL GETS STUCK AND WON'T TURN OVER, AND TWO WEEKS AGO A PISTON WAS THROWN THROUGH THE ENGINE AND CAUGHT THE CAR ON FIRE. THE CAR IS NOW PARKED IN MY DRIVE…”

“WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THIS CAUSED DRIVER TO SUSTAIN MINOR INJURIES, AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO A HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK”

“THE HORN STOPPED WORKING ON MY 1999 KIA SEPHIA WITH 61,000 MILES. THE DEALERSHIP (WHICH ALSO SELLS AND SERVICES FORDS) ESTIMATED THE REPAIR AT $50 TO $100, WHICH I AUTHORIZED. A FEW HOURS LATER THE SERVICE MANAGER CALLED AND TOLD ME TO FORGET IT. DUE TO A TOTALLY BIZARRE DESIGN, THE HORN IS INTEGRATED INTO THE AIRBAG UNIT AND FIXING THE HORN REQUIRES REPLACING THE ENTIRE AIRBAG ASSEMBLY. THE COST: $650 FOR THE PART AND $150 LABOR, TOTAL $800. IF THE HORN DESIGN WERE NORMAL, HE SAID IT WOULD HAVE COST LESS THAN $100. I CALLED KIA OF AMERICA CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND OFFERED TO PAY $100, THE NORMAL AMOUNT, TOWARD THE REPAIR. THEY DECLINED AS THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND SAID THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY THE FULL COST MYSELF. I HAD PLACED THE CAR ON SALE JUST BEFORE THE HORN WENT BAD AND HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO SELL IT AS NOBODY WANTS TO BUY A CAR WITHOUT A HORN. ALSO, IT IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE A CAR WITHOUT A WARNING SIGNAL IN CASE OF DANGER.”

“CONSUMER STATED WHILE TRAVELING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE HYDROPLANED AND THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A TELEPHONE POLE HEAD ON. UPON IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK *JB”