97 of the 3,080 complaints filed about the KIA Sephia are about the seat belts — 3% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 1997.
97
Complaints
3%
Share of all complaints
20
Crashes
0
Fires
SEAT BELTS
THE SEATBELT PRETENSIONERS IS LOCKED UP & THEY (BOTH DRIVER/PASSENGER) SEATBELTS "DO NOT" REEL BACK 2 PROVIDE SECUREMENT OF THE PASSENGER(S). ALSO, THE ELECTRICAL ISSUE IS THE HORN DOES NOT WORK EVEN WHEN THERE'S A NEW FUSE & HORN. THERE'S A DEFECT IN THE STEERING WHEEL HORN BUTTON.
NHTSA complaint #11083709 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
I 🅾WN A 2000 KIA SEPHIA & THE FRONT DRIVERS SEATBELT RETRACTS SLOW& DOES NOT LOCK. THE PASSENGER SEATBELT DOES NOT RETRACT @ ALL. ADDITIONALLY, THE PASSENGER FRONT DOOR LOCK DOES NOT LOCK AS IF THE LOCK ACTUATOR HAS SEIZED UP.
NHTSA complaint #11045411 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
SEAT BELTS WORK IMPROPERLY, WINDSHIELD WIPERS DON'T WORK, FUEL PUMP IS WORKING INEFFICIENTLY.
NHTSA complaint #10929466 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
SEAT BELT PATCH CLICKS BUT WILL COME LOOSE WITH TENSION. THIS IS THE SECOND RECALL NOTICE THAT HASN'T BEEN REPAIRED OR REPORTED BY KIA AFTER 17 YEARS.
NHTSA complaint #10925281 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT
CONSUMER RECEIVED LETTER INFORMING HIM THAT 2000 KIA SEPHIA SEAT BELT IS UNSAFE. CONSUMER CALLED DEALER TO HAVE IT REPLACED AND WAS TOLD THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT. *TS *NM ***NAR***
NHTSA complaint #10153013 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLE. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 04V305000 ON THE VEHICLE REGARDING THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY. THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THEIR VEHICLE ARE NOT AVAILABLE AT THEIR LOCAL DEALERSHIP. THE MANUFACTURER CONFIRMED THE PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 3/3/2006 -
NHTSA complaint #10148778 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
DT: THE CONTACT OWNED A 1997 KIA SEPHIA. CONTACT'S VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 35 MPH . UPON IMPACT, THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.THERE WERE THREE OCCUPANTS IN THE CAR ALL WEARING SEAT BELTS. THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT BROKE . THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT HAD NOT BEEN ON IN THIS VEHICLE NOR WAS IT ON AFTER THE CRASH. ONE PERSON SUSTAINED INJURIES BECAUSE OF THE SEAT BELT. SHE BROKE TWO RIBS.
NHTSA complaint #10131172 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
BOTH OF THE REAR SEAT BELTS WILL NOT REATRACT BACK TO NORMAL POSITION, WHICH IS PREVENTING THE REAR PASSENGERS FROM BEING SAFE IF THE VEHICLE WERE TO BE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED BY CONSUMER.
NHTSA complaint #10115860 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
WHEN THE CONSUMER WAS HIT AT 5 MPH ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT UNLOCKED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10112841 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
MY THEN 10 YEAR OLD SON GOT STUCK WHEN THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RELEASE. TO GET HIMSELF OUT HE ALONE PUSHED HIS HIPS FORWARD. THIS BROKE THE SEAT BELT MECHANISM. AS OF LATE OUR FRONT SEAT BELTS HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT TO ENGAGE. TODAY, AFTER DRIVING AROUND FOR ABOUT 5-10 MINUTES, I REACHED OUT MY WINDOW AND MY SEAT BELT DISENGAGED. I HAVE BEEN VERY CAREFUL TO BE SURE THAT I AM PROPERLY BUCKLED BY SECURELY LATCHING AND THEN PULLING FIRMLY ON THE BELT AS WOULD HAPPEN IN AN ACCIDENT. I DID THAT THIS TIME BUT IT STILL CAME UNLATCHED AFTER I WAS SURE I WAS SAFE.
NHTSA complaint #10107832 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
I OWN A 3 YEAR OLD KIA SEPHIA. IT WAS PURCHASED AS A USED CAR FROM GARDEN GROVE KIA IN CA. I BRING TO KIA FOR ALL RECOMMENDED REGULAR MAITENANCE. THE LAST MAJOR CHECKUP (30K MILES) WAS LESS 6000 MILES AGO. TODAY, WHILE FASTENING MY SEATBELT, THE SCREW FIXING THE BOTTOM PART OF SEAT BELT TO THE CAR FRAME POPPED OUT OF THE FRAME. AS ONLY MINIMUM FORCE WAS NEEDED FOR THIS TO HAPPEN (FASTENING THE SEATBELT), THIS PROBLEM PROBABLY ALREADY PERSISTED FOR MONTH OR EVEN SINCE THE CAR WAS MANUFACTURED. IF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPEND IN AN ACCIDENT SITUATION, I WOULD BE DEAD NOW. THIS IS A FAIRLY NEW CAR AND I TAKE GOOD CARE OF IT (FOLLOWING THE MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE). SUCH UTTER FAILURE OF CRUCIAL SECURITY EQUIPMENT IS ABSOLUTELY INACCEPTABLE. PLEASE INVESTIGATE.
NHTSA complaint #10096524 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT
CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR A BRAKE INSPECTION. THE PADS WERE CHANGED. HOWEVER, THE BRAKES STILL CONTINUE TO SQUEAL LIKE METAL TO METAL. THE BRAKES WERE DEFECTIVE AGAIN, AND THEY WANT CONSUMERTO PAY THE DEALER $360.00.*AK THE BRAKES SOUNDED LIKE METAL RUBBING METAL WHEN APPLIED. FRONT SEAT BELT WAS DEFECTIVE AN SINCE HAS BEEN REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #10089810 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION HEAD ON . SEAT BELT BROKE, THROWING THE CONSUMER THREW THE DRIVER'S WINDSHIELD. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK CONSUMER IS IN A COMA.
NHTSA complaint #10087858 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT
WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE I WAS THE PASSENGER I ALSO WAS THE OWNER OF THE CAR. KIA SOPHIA 2000. THE SEAT BELT DID NOT HOLD CAUSING MY HEAD AND HAND TO BE THROWN INTO THE WINDSHIELD TWICE. MY HAND WENT THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD MY HEAD BROKE THE WINDSHIELD. MY CAR WAS TOTALED OUT FROM THE ACCIDENT BUT I FEEL AS THOUGH KIA IS AT FAULT FOR THE AMOUNT OF INJURIES I RECEIVED DUE TO THE FAULT OF THEIR SEAT BELTS. I HAVE TO HAVE EPIDORALS ON MY LOWER SPINE AND SURGERY ON MY NECK. ALSO THE AIR BAGS ON NEITHER SIDE CAME OUT.
NHTSA complaint #10086662 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
PROBLEMS WITH SEAT BELTS AND DASHBOARD. *MR *SC
NHTSA complaint #10079704 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
WHILE DRIVING AT 37 MPH VEHICLE SLID ON A GRAVEL SURFACE AND IMPACTED A STEEL POOL. UPON IMPACT, PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT DISCONNECTED, AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF HEAD, EYES, AND BOTH KNEES. THERE IS CURRENTLY AN OPEN INVESTIGATION EAO4-007, ON SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILURE.
NHTSA complaint #10073722 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
I HAVE <45000 MILES ON MY CAR (2000 KIA SEPHIA) AND HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE FRONT BRAKES REPLACED 3X AND THE BACK BRAKES REPLACED 1X. ALSO, WHEN I TURN ON THE AC, THERE IS A LOUD NOISE FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR. THE CAR HESITATES WHEN TRYING TO GET UP TO SPEED. THE CAR ALSO FEELS LIKE IT IS TRYING TO PULL SOMETHING OF GREAT WEIGHT WHEN DRIVING AT 55 MPH. THE BACK SEATBELTS DO NOT ALWAYS LOCK. THE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THE SEAT BELTS ARE ONLY TO LOCK WHEN THE BRAKES ARE SLAMMED OR THE VEHICLE IS HIT (SO HOW IS A CHILD BOOSTER SEAT SUPPOSED TO STAY PUT WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION?)
NHTSA complaint #10064556 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT SOUNDED AS IF IT WAS LOCKED/STUCK IN THE RETRACTOR WHEN IT REALLY WAS NOT. *AK THE PROBLEM WAS SIMILAR TO A RECALL ON 1998 KIA SEPHIA (RECALL NO. 02V-216), WHICH IS ALSO EXPERIENCED BY CONSUMER ON HIS 1999 KIA SEPHIA.
NHTSA complaint #10064634 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
I WAS INVOLVED IN A VERY MINOR MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT, WHERE A GIRL HIT MY CAR FROM BEHIND (THE FORCE WAS EQUAL TO THAT OF TAKING YOUR FOOT OFF THE CLUTCH WHEN THE CAR IS IN GEAR). AFTER THIS ACCIDENT, MY SEATBELT NO LONGER FUNCTIONS PROPERLY...IT DOES NOT LATCH ALL THE TIME - THIS MEANS I HAVE TO REINSERT MY SEATBELT A COUPLE TIMES TO GET IT TO CLICK OR I CAN PULL IT OUT WITHOUT PUSHING THE BUTTON. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE LATCH RECALL DOES NOT PERTAIN TO THE 2000 MODELS OF THE SEPHIA SO I WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE IT REPLACED. WAITING ON THAT RECALL...............
NHTSA complaint #10060864 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
I JUST REPLACED ALL 3 BELTS ON MY CAR AND WHEN I STARTED THE CAR EVERYDAY THE CAR MADE A REAL BAD GRINDING NOISE AS IF THE BELTS WERE NEVER REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #10048950 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.