Model line

Kia Sephia

Every Kia Sephia model year on file, 1986 to 2003. Pick a year for its recalls, investigations, service bulletins and the full text of owner complaints.

Owner complaints, all model years1,705284 involved a crash, fire, injury or death
Model years121986 to 2003
Recall campaigns8Distinct campaigns listing it
Service bulletins109Summed across model years
By model year

The 1998 model year drew the most complaints, 491, 29% of the model's total

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, all years filed, by model year.

0200400600198619931994199519961997199849119992000200120022003
Source: NHTSA ODI. Complaints are not verified by NHTSA, and NHTSA publishes no sales volumes, so counts are not rates.
Components

Brakes leads the Kia Sephia complaint record

Owner complaints across all model years, by component.

Brakes
670
Engine and cooling
337
Electrical system
283
Powertrain
270
Airbags
167
Fuel system
152
Visibility and wipers
111
Structure
110
Seat belts
95
Steering
70
Source: NHTSA ODI complaints file.
Model years

The record for each Kia Sephia model year

Peer index compares complaints with the median vehicle of the same model year and body class (100 is the median). It corrects for age, not for how many were sold.

Kia Sephia by model year
YearBodyComplaintsSeverity indexPeer indexRecallsInvestigationsBulletins
2003Hatchback20.08003
2002Not decoded633.3600003
2001Sedan10721.54860311
2000Sedan26618.48441715
1999Sedan42821.01,94651215
1998Sedan49110.42,04661219
1997Sedan20518.01,0791113
1996Sedan11812.75901111
1995Sedan6421.9346119
1994Sedan1618.8100105
1993Not decoded0NoneNone004
1986Not decoded20.0200001
Source: NHTSA ODI. Body class from NHTSA's VIN decoder where decoded.
Latest recalls

Recent campaigns covering the Kia Sephia

  • 04V-305 Jun 24, 2004
    On certain passenger and sport utility vehicles, the front safety belt buckles may emit a "click" sound during the buckling process that is…
    Seat belts · 252k vehicles
  • 02V-216 Aug 16, 2002
    On certain passenger vehicles, the safety belt buckle may "false latch" and expose the driver to unrestrained movement during a crash
    Seat belts · 190k vehicles
  • 02V-207 Jul 29, 2002
    On certain passenger vehicles with 36,000 miles or less as of july 15, 2002, an electrical contact problem may have developed in the hazard switch…
    Lighting · 25k vehicles
  • 00V-175 Jul 17, 2000
    Vehicle description: passenger vehicles
    Engine and cooling · 100k vehicles
  • 99V-318 Nov 9, 1999
    Vehicle description: passenger vehicles
    Fuel system · 103k vehicles
  • 99V-317 Nov 9, 1999
    Vehicle description: passenger vehicles
    Fuel system · 103k vehicles
  • 99V-271 Oct 6, 1999
    Vehicle description: passenger vehicles
    Visibility and wipers · 90k vehicles
  • 94V-134 Jul 25, 1994
    Electronic speedometer sensor can seize, causing the speedometer and cruise control (if the car is equipped with cruise control) to stop functioning
    Powertrain · 6,945 vehicles
Source: NHTSA ODI recalls file.