This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
The contact owns a 2000 Kia Sephia. When the temperature dropped below 25 degrees none of the doors latches function properly and its difficult to close the door. The failure mileage was 25000 and the current mileage was 41000. Updated 03/01/10 the consumer stated when temperature dropped, the door locks did not latch. The consumer stated she has to hold door while driving. Also, the dash board was falling apart. Updated 08/20/10.
I have a 2000 Kia Sephia and the vents started to crack. Now the whole dashboard is curling up to where the vents won't even work. It is a safety issue because the defroster will not work because of the deformation of the dash. And with this car just being 6 years old when it happened I believe it should be recalled. It may cause me to wreck from not being able to clear the fog off of the window. Every Kia Sephia that I have seen has this problem now. Which is a very serious problem with a car that is not even 10 years old.
Right front (passenger) door will not open. Door latch will not unlock. First time it happened, I had to cut a hole in the inside door panel to access the interior of the door. The lock mechanism was rusted due to a poorly designed window seal that drains into the interior of the door--right onto the lock. This is dangerous-- many complaints about this on bulletin boards all over the net. There is a tsb (625894) that deals with latches, but I have not checked it yet with the dealer. I understand Kia has some cover or something that shields the lock. Perhaps the tsb is for the shield.
Sephia Kia dash board....warranty, is only 36,000 miles the seams are torn out on the dash board in front of the mileage odometer and making me sick, the dashboard on the passenger side is buffed up with the air vent buffered up toward the window, keeping me from getting any air. I have taken the car too dr.vinlyn.. the only person that fixes dash boards in my state, and to an upholstery shop, neither one would fix it..they state, Kia manufacturer is not making the dashboards the same and there only made out of plastic now, no use in fixing it, might as well buy a new dashboard, cause Kia doesn't make great dashboards for cars any longer, and the dashboards are only plastic.. I was also told, a lot of Kia's cars have been buffered up, and nothing but plastic. I was told I would be better off, if I could find a better dashboard than what I have now, cause it would just come a loose again by the heat, if it is still plastic.. Kia cars of America...claims my warranty is only 36,000 miles warranty, but I need my car fixed by Kia cars of America, my dash board is made out of plastic, and I fault Kia motors for building this car like this, I have breathing problems, and unless Kia wants to give me another car, I want them to fix this car, this is not the way I brought this car and it is torn up inside, busted up by heat. Thank you for E-mailing me back, at my email above. I am very disappointed in Kia cars, I wanted to stick with Kia cars, but after this, I don't know, I just know, I need Kia cars of America to fix this car. The smell in this car with the seams busted is making me sick.
Our Kia Sephia 2000 is a lemon. We have had to replace the brakes four times because of premature ware and shaking due to poor design. We received the car with a dead battery. We are on our third battery. We were on our third set of tires before 30,000 miles. The gear shift will stick so that you can not take it out of park. The weather molding is falling off. Check engine light goes on and they could not keep it from coming on.
- Ladera Ranch, CA, USA
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Master cylinder needs to be replaced due to leaking brake fluid. Consumer is adding a pint of brake fluid daily. Brake light illuminates on dashboard, when the brakes are applied, there is extended stopping distance.. consumer stated the master cylinder has been replaced previously, this will be the 3rd master cylinder, the vehicle also vibrates and the dealer stated it was because the vehicle was out of alignment, however the vibration continued after the alignment, the transmission was replaced at 17,000 miles.
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- Elizibeth Town, KY, USA