Problems · by component
1999 Kia Sephia service brakes, hydraulic problems
160 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1999 Kia Sephia cite service brakes, hydraulic, 37% of all 428 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
160
37% of all complaints
Crashes
18
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
5
Reported by owners
What owners say about the service brakes, hydraulic
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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”
“1999 SEPHIA BRAKES, TRANSMISSION WERE REPLACED. CONSUMER FEELS THAT THE EXHAUST SHOULD BE RECALLED. *TS THE TECHNICIAN DETERMINE THAT THERE WAS A SPLIT IN THE CENTERPIPE OF THE EXHAUST WHICH CAUSED IT TO BE LOUD. THE PART IS A PIECE OF FLEXIBLE HOUSING. THE PART COULD NOT BE PURCHASED SEPARATELY BUT THE CONSUMER HAD TO PURCHASE THE ENTIRE PIPE. THE PART WAS REPLACED BUT SPLIT AGAIN THREE MORE TIMES. *NM SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED, THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED AND GAS LEAKAGE PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPAIRED.”
“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…”
“KIA SEPIA 1999 SOUND COMING FROM REAR BRAKES. *BF THREE OF THE FOUR BRAKE PADS HAD FALLEN OFF OF THE SHOES. THE PADS WERE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION BUT THE GLUE THAT HELD THEM TO THE SHOES HAD DISINTEGRATED. *NM”
“THE CAR DIED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD REPEATEDLY. BATTERY LEAKED. BRAKES HAD TO BE REPLACED FOR THE ENTIRE CAR AT 60,000 MILES. THE VENTS ON THE DASHBOARD HAVE POPPED UP AND BROKEN. NOW THE DEFROSTER DOES NOT BLOW THE AIR ON THE WINDSHIELD. THIS VEHICLE WAS STORED IN A GARAGE. THE SEAMS ON THE SEAT COME UNDONE. THE CIGARETTE LIGHTER BROKE AND FLOPS IN THE DASH. THE SWITCH TO OVERRIDE THE TRANSMISSION LOCK IS BROKEN. THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT BROKE WHEN REPLACING THE STRUTS WHICH YOU HAVE TO REMOVE THE BACK DASH TO GET TO. THE BOARD THAT IS UNDER THE CARPET IN THE TRUNK WARPED. THE CARPETS CAME UP FROM THE SIDES OF THE CAR. THE STORAGE BIN IN THE CENTER CONSOLE BROKE, TWICE. THE WIND SHIELD CHIPS AND ERRODES WHEN IN A CAR WASH. I HAVE NEVER SEEN A WINDSHIELD IN THIS BAD SHAPE BEFORE. THE BACK SEAT DOES NOT STAY DOWN. THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE A BAD SEAL AND THERE IS WATER NOW IN THEM. THE RUBBER AROUND THE DOORS COMES OUT REPEATEDLY. GEAR SHIFTER IS CONTINUALLY STUCK. BRAKES TAKE TWICE AS LONG TO STOP MY CAR AS ANY OTHER VEHICLE I HAVE EVER DRIVEN. I HAVE TO DRIVE 2 & 1/2 HOURS TO GET REPAIRS. THE GAS MILAGE IS CLOSER TO 24 MPG THEN THE 35 THAT WAS MARKED ON IT WHEN I…”
“HAD TO GO TO HOSPITAL FOR SURGERY. CAR WOULDN'T MOVE THE BRAKES WERE LOCKED. COULDN'T GO FORWARD OR BACKWARDS. THE BACK WHEELS WOULD JUST SLIDE. THE BRAKES ARE STILL IN GOOD SHAPE HALF THE PAD IS LEFT AND WHEN WE GOT HOME FROM MY SURGERY HUSBAND WENT OUT TO CHECK THE PROBLEM AND HERE THE BRAKES JUST FELL APART IN PIECES. WE HAD TO BUY NEW BRAKES AND PUT THEM ON I CAN SEND THE OLD BRAKES IN THEY ARE THE ORIGINAL BRAKES THAT WHERE ON THE CAR WHEN WE BOUGHT IT. I FEAR THIS COULD HAPPEN WHILE SOMEONE IS DRIVING AND COULD CASE A BAD ACCIDENT.*AK”
Showing 6 of 160 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.