NHTSA Complaint #10060905 — 1999 KIA SEPHIA

SUDDEN BRAKE FAILURE; LEAKAGE AROUND WINDOWS, TRUNK; GAS SPLASH BACK (FOUND OUT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS, NEVER FIXED BY PREVIOUS OWNER); FEAR SHIFT BUTTON WON'T GO IN TO CHANGE FROM PARK TO DRIVE OR REVERSE; TRANSMISSION HESTITATES AT TIMES, THEN LUNGES; CAR OVERHEATS WHILE SITTING OR DRIVING AT SLOW SPEED (FAN WORKS AND RADIATOR FULL); SMELL COMES FROM AIR CONDITIONING WHEN STOPPED (IT REALLY STINKS, WORSE THAN A SKUNK); WHEN FILLING GAS TANK TO FULL, MARK NEVER REGISTERS FULL. I SPOKE TO KIA ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS AND THEY SAID I'D HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE THEM FIXED. I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE RECALLS ON THESE PROBLEMS AS THE PEOPLE AT KIA ARE NOT VERY FRIENDLY NOR WILLING TO HELP OUT PEOPLE. WE BOUGHT THIS CAR USED AND THOUGHT SOME OF THE PROBLEMS STEMMED FROM THAT. HOWEVER, IN RESEARCHING THE BRAKE PAD ISSUE, I FOUND MANY OF THESE SAME PROBLEMS BEGAN EARLY IN THE MANUFACTURING OF THESE VEHICLES. UNFORTUNATELY, I AM NOT UNDER WARRANTY LIKE OTHERS SO HAVE NO RECOURSE BUT TO SELL THIS VEHICLE AS SOON AS I GET THE BRAKE PADS FIXED. I DO WISH THE NTHSA COULD DO SOMETHING TO HELP US OUT ON THESE PROBLEMS WHICH ARE NOT BEING FIXED BY KIA. THANKS - DON'T BUY A KIA SEPHIA 1999 MODEL. TOO MANY PROBLEMS.*AK