1999 Kia Sephia problems
NHTSA has received 749 complaints about the 1999 Kia Sephia, and 28% of them involve brakes. Next are engine (13%) and electrical system (11%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 749 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Brakes 28% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 68 and 77
- Injuries and deaths
- 50 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 34,000 miles 72 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 22 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 15 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 8 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 17 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 1 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 5 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 0 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 2 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 2 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Of the 72 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 34,000 miles.
Safety-related details: 68 complaints mention a crash; 77 complaints mention a fire; 50 injuries reported. Its complaints are more severe on average than those of 84% of model years in our database.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 1999 ranks 2nd most-complained-about out of 8 model years of the Kia Sephia with enough data (505 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 5 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
After I t-boned a jeep, I got out of my car and then my car caught fire under the hood and quickly went up and flames.
Tl*the contact owns a 1999 kia sephia ls. While driving 35 MPH, the contact's vehicle caught fire after it was struck by another vehicle. The steering wheel flew off and the rearview mirror struck him in the head. The contact sustained a concussion, a fractured sternum and ribs, and a broken left elbow in two places. The vehicle was destroyed and police and fire reports were filed. The contact has pictures.
Consumer was involved in a 30 MPH frontal collision in which driver's air bag did not deploy, 9 people were injured in accident. *slc
While applying the brake pedal at 35 MPH the pedal went down to the floor and would not return. This caused the vehicle to rear end another vehicle in front of them. Upon impact, neither frontal air bag deployed. Passenger sustained neck and back injuries, and refused medical assistance.
The dealer had replaced two automatic transmissions in the last two years. The vehicle was a lease and had only one year remaining and was unable to be driven. The vehicle needed a transmission and brakes. The engine light had come on, the transmission lines leaked, and when the brakes were applied they were noisy. *scc