Owners have filed 25 complaints
about the 1994 KIA Sephia with NHTSA between 1995 and 2000.
The largest single group is the transmission & drivetrain.
Across this model's run it ranks 8 of 8 worst.
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew
an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous
ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 3
Against the median year of the KIA Sephia. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 62
12% of these complaints
involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of
9.7%.
Early failure — not reported
Too few complaints recorded a mileage to measure this.
Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 1994 KIA Sephia
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Brakes
520.0%
Transmission & Drivetrain
520.0%
1 crashes, 0 fires
Seat Belts
416.0%
Acceleration & Cruise Control
416.0%
Engine & Cooling
312.0%
Seats
14.0%
1 crashes, 0 fires
Steering
14.0%
Airbags
14.0%
1 crashes, 0 fires
Electrical System
14.0%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Jan 1995peak 4Sep 2000
Recalls on the 1994 KIA Sephia
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which
the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous
enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
United States — NHTSA
94V134000
POWER TRAIN
THE ELECTRONIC SPEEDOMETER SENSOR CAN SEIZE, CAUSING THE SPEEDOMETER AND CRUISE CONTROL (IF THE CAR IS EQUIPPED WITH CRUISE CONTROL) TO STOP FUNCTIONING.
Risk: THE LOSS OF CRUISE CONTROL WILL CAUSE TEMPORARY LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE SPEED. LOSS OF THE SPEEDOMETER WILL RESULT IN THE OPERATOR NOT KNOWING THE ACTUAL SPEED OF THE VEHICLE.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
Sacramento, CACrash
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
VEHICLE WAS IN A N HEAD-ON ACCIDENT AT 45 MPH, AND AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED.
NHTSA complaint #870756 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vallejo, CACrash
SEATS
DRIVING AT LOW SPEED, VEHICLE WAS IMPACTED AT 6:00 POSITION, DRIVER'S SEAT TRACK AND ANCHORS BROKE, CAUSING THE SEAT TO FALL BACKWARDS.
NHTSA complaint #812156 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SAN Francisc, CACrash
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
SHIFTED INTO REVERSE VEHICLE JERKED VIOLENTLY. RESULTING IN VEHICLE ACCIDENT. TT
NHTSA complaint #958132 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Sacramento, CACrash
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
VEHICLE WAS IN A N HEAD-ON ACCIDENT AT 45 MPH, AND AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED.
NHTSA complaint #870756 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Norman, OK
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED SINCE A THERMOMETER DIDN'T TELL THE ENGINE IT WAS HOT. WHICH BLEW THE HEAD GASKETS, MELTED THE SPARK PLUGS, TOOK OUT THE WATER PUMP, AND SO OVER HEATED THE ENGINE BLOCK. THE FRONT ROTORS WENT OUT TWICE. SOUNDS LIKE A WIND TUNNEL, SINCE THE SEALS AREN'T GOOD. THE CAR DOESN'T ACCELERATE PROPERLY WHEN THE GAS PEDAL IS PRESSED. NEVER DRIVE IT DURING A 20 MPH WINDY DAY. IT GET GOOD GAS MILEAGE - STILL AT 29 TO 33 MPG.
NHTSA complaint #706734 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Norman, OK
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED SINCE A THERMOMETER DIDN'T TELL THE ENGINE IT WAS HOT. WHICH BLEW THE HEAD GASKETS, MELTED THE SPARK PLUGS, TOOK OUT THE WATER PUMP, AND SO OVER HEATED THE ENGINE BLOCK. THE FRONT ROTORS WENT OUT TWICE. SOUNDS LIKE A WIND TUNNEL, SINCE THE SEALS AREN'T GOOD. THE CAR DOESN'T ACCELERATE PROPERLY WHEN THE GAS PEDAL IS PRESSED. NEVER DRIVE IT DURING A 20 MPH WINDY DAY. IT GET GOOD GAS MILEAGE - STILL AT 29 TO 33 MPG.
NHTSA complaint #706734 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Norman, OK
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED SINCE A THERMOMETER DIDN'T TELL THE ENGINE IT WAS HOT. WHICH BLEW THE HEAD GASKETS, MELTED THE SPARK PLUGS, TOOK OUT THE WATER PUMP, AND SO OVER HEATED THE ENGINE BLOCK. THE FRONT ROTORS WENT OUT TWICE. SOUNDS LIKE A WIND TUNNEL, SINCE THE SEALS AREN'T GOOD. THE CAR DOESN'T ACCELERATE PROPERLY WHEN THE GAS PEDAL IS PRESSED. NEVER DRIVE IT DURING A 20 MPH WINDY DAY. IT GET GOOD GAS MILEAGE - STILL AT 29 TO 33 MPG.
NHTSA complaint #706734 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LAS Vegas, NV
POWER TRAIN
THE ELECTRONIC SPEEDOMETER SENSOR WAS REPLACED UNDER THE 1994 RECALL. CONSUMER SAYS THAT THE EXACT SAME PART HAS GONE BAD AGAIN IN EARLY JAN. 1999. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. 94V-134.
NHTSA complaint #835527 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sandy, UT
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WORE OUT.
NHTSA complaint #781974 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sandy, UT
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WORE OUT.
NHTSA complaint #781974 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Huntington, CA
POWER TRAIN
POOR STEERING FUNCTION AND UNABLE TO MONITOR SPEED, MILAGE OR USE CRUISE CONTROL.
NHTSA complaint #532540 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Huntington, CA
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
POOR STEERING FUNCTION AND UNABLE TO MONITOR SPEED, MILAGE OR USE CRUISE CONTROL.
NHTSA complaint #532540 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Huntington, CA
STEERING
POOR STEERING FUNCTION AND UNABLE TO MONITOR SPEED, MILAGE OR USE CRUISE CONTROL.
NHTSA complaint #532540 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Citrus Heights, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
ALTERNATOR FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #528530 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SAN Jose, CA
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
ENGINE: WHEN DRIVING AND DOWNSHIFT TO SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT ONE IS TRYING TO SLOW DOWN, WHEN DOWNSHIFTING THE VEHICLE THE ENGINE JUST COMPLETELY DIES, THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN INTERMITTENTLY. *AK CONSUMER STATED SEATBELTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED, ALSO THE BRAKES WERE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #816870 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SAN Jose, CA
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
ENGINE: WHEN DRIVING AND DOWNSHIFT TO SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT ONE IS TRYING TO SLOW DOWN, WHEN DOWNSHIFTING THE VEHICLE THE ENGINE JUST COMPLETELY DIES, THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN INTERMITTENTLY. *AK CONSUMER STATED SEATBELTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED, ALSO THE BRAKES WERE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #816870 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SAN Jose, CA
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE: WHEN DRIVING AND DOWNSHIFT TO SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT ONE IS TRYING TO SLOW DOWN, WHEN DOWNSHIFTING THE VEHICLE THE ENGINE JUST COMPLETELY DIES, THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN INTERMITTENTLY. *AK CONSUMER STATED SEATBELTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED, ALSO THE BRAKES WERE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #816870 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Moreno Valley, CA
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
VEHICLE STALLS DUE TO FAILED IDLE SPEED CONTROL VALVE.
NHTSA complaint #517308 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vallejo, CACrash
SEATS
DRIVING AT LOW SPEED, VEHICLE WAS IMPACTED AT 6:00 POSITION, DRIVER'S SEAT TRACK AND ANCHORS BROKE, CAUSING THE SEAT TO FALL BACKWARDS.
NHTSA complaint #812156 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Charemont, CT
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
FRONT SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT WHEN PUT ON DURING A SUDDEN STOP, CAN GO RIGHT IN THE WINDSHIELD. ALSO THE SHIFT GEAR WILL NOT MOVE WHEN READY TO SHIFT THE GEAR.
NHTSA complaint #807049 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Charemont, CT
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
FRONT SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT WHEN PUT ON DURING A SUDDEN STOP, CAN GO RIGHT IN THE WINDSHIELD. ALSO THE SHIFT GEAR WILL NOT MOVE WHEN READY TO SHIFT THE GEAR.
NHTSA complaint #807049 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Tucson, AZ
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
SOMETIMES WHEN DRIVING THE CAR ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN.
NHTSA complaint #986816 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Rupert, ID
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
THE DRIVERS SIDE SEATBELT GETS STUCK IN THE HOLDER AND WILL NOT RELEASE AND THE BELT CANNOT BE USED. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
NHTSA complaint #979245 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lodi, CA
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
WHEN SEAT IS MOVED FORWARD SOME, SEAT BELT PERFORMS ERRATIC. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
NHTSA complaint #969345 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Compton, CA
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
THE SQUEAKING NOISE WAS PRESENT WHEN THE VEHICLE MOVED. THE WHOLE BRAKE SYSTEM WAS BROKEN. TT
NHTSA complaint #967679 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Albuquerque, NM
POWER TRAIN
SPEEDOMETER FAILURE. VEHICLE SEIZE. TT
NHTSA complaint #964824 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Albuquerque, NM
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
SPEEDOMETER FAILURE. VEHICLE SEIZE. TT
NHTSA complaint #964824 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SAN Francisc, CACrash
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
SHIFTED INTO REVERSE VEHICLE JERKED VIOLENTLY. RESULTING IN VEHICLE ACCIDENT. TT
NHTSA complaint #958132 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.