1998 KIA SEPHIA Power Trainautomatic Transmission Problems

I BROUGHT A NEW KIA SEPHIA IN 1998, AND HAD NOTHING BUT TROUBLE WITH IT! TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED 2 TIMES BY THE MECHANIC FOR KIA MOTORS, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN ON 7/2007. ALSO , THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED 4 TIMES AND NEED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. NOW THE HEADLIGHTS KEEP TURNING OFF WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, BUT NO MECHANIC CAN LOCATE THE ELECTRICAL SHORT PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE SHIFTING TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTED ON ITS OWN, AND THE SHIFT LOCK SYSTEM FAILED. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO UNLOCK THE SHIFT LEVER IN ORDER TO MOVE THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK

WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD. THEN, THE VEHICLE LOST SPEED. *AK

I HAVE HAD MY CAR FOR ABOUT 7 MONTHS, AND I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT IT HAD 5 RECALLS AND THE PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD CONSISTS OF CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON AND O/D LIGHT FLASHING. ALSO, CAR ACTS AS IF IT DOES NOT WANT TO GO INTO GEAR. WHEN IT IS PUT INTO REVERSE IT ALSO SEEMS AS IF HESITATE TO CRANK UP AS WELL. *LA

VEHICLE WOULDN'T START INTERMITTENTLY. ABOUT A MONTH AGO IT STARTED TO HAPPEN MORE FREQUENTLY. SHIFTER ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED. VEHICLE WOULD ALSO ROLL WHILE IN PARK. DEALER TOLD CONSUMER THAT TRANSMISSION WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

THE TRANSMISSION WAS VERY BAD AND DEFECTIVE. VEHICLE WOULD STOP WITHOUT ANY WARNING. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER 3 TIMES AND EACH TIME THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. TS

THE VEHICLE STOP WHILE DRIVING, ENGINE REMAIN RUNNING BUT VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE REPAIR WAS MADE AT THE DEALER, BUT THE PROBBLEM IS REOCURRING. TS

THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 4 TIMES FOR VARIOUS BRAKE PROBLEMS AND ALTHOUGH REPAIRS WERE MADE I DO NOT HAVE ANY CONFIDENCE IN THE RELIABILITY OF THIS CAR. AND, NOW THAT TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED, WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE, I DON'T WANT TO DRIVE THE CAR. I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT KIA IS NOT AWARE OF ALL THE PROBLEMS WITH THEIR VEHICLES! THANK YOU FOR LOOKING OUT FOR OUR SAFETY.

IN 2 YEARS I HAD TO GET A NEW TRANSMISSION, REPLACE MY BRAKES 6 TIMES, SERVICE ENGINE PROBLEMS 7 TIMES, FUEL PUMP, 8 RECALLS, WIPERS, NEW TIRES, AND MANY OTHER PROBLEMS... COPIES OF REPAIRS ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. I HAVE ALSO BEEN DISCRIMINATED AGAINST BY THE DEALER MANY TIMES.

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT AND OVERDRIVE LIGHT WOULD FLASH, SECOND TIME VEHICLE JUST QUIT, THIS WAS SECOND TRANSMISSION VEHICLE HAS HAD. *AK

11 MAJOR FAILURES WITH MY VEHICLE. NOT ALL ARE LISTED IN THIS COMPLAINT. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

I BOUGHT MY KIA SEPHIA IN 1998. SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD THE BRAKES FIXED 2 TIMES AND TAY REPLACED ONCE. I HAVE HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED ALSO. RECENTLY MY CAR HAS BEEN RIDING VERY SLUGGISH. WHEN I PRESS ON THE GAS IT MAKES A VERY LOUD SOUND. WHEN I TR TO ACCELERATE THE CAR DOES NOT SEEM TO WANT TO CHANGE INTO GEARS. IT ALSO CONSTANTLY MAKES A LOUD HUMMING SOUND WHEN I AM AT ABOUT 40-50MPH. THIS CAR HAS GIVEN ME NOTHING BUT TROUBLE AND $$$. I AM TRYIN TO FIGURE OUT IF THERE HAS BEEN A WHOLE BUNCH OF RECALLS I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT OR IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT I MAY BE ABLE TO DO HERE TO SAVE MONEY. I STILL OWE 9,000 AND FEEL LIKE I AM CONSTANTLY INCONVININCED BRINGING THE CAR IN FOR CONSTANT REPAIR. HELP!*AK

MY VEHICLE STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION FAILING IN THIRD GEAR. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKES FAILED AS WELL. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THESE ISSUES FOUR TIMES TO DATE. I HAD TO HAVE A TOTAL BRAKE REPLACEMENT IN THE PAST TWO YEARS AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT AT 6800 MILES. SINCE THE TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILTED, I HAVE RETURNED IT FOUR TIMES FOR ADDITIONAL FAILURE. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. THIS VEHICLE IS DEFECTIVE AND UNSAFE TO OPERATE..*AK

THE IGNITION SYSTEM IS HARD STARTING AT TIMES, EVEN RIGHT AFTER I GOT A TUNE UP FROM THE DEALER. GLOVEBOX HAS BEEN REPLACED ONCE BEFORE BECAUSE THE CLOSING MECHANISM JAMS AND WILL NOT OPEN. TRANSMISSION HAS SLIPPED, SHIFTS ROUGHLY SINCE NEW. THE BRAKES GRIND CONSTANTLY, DEALER HAS REPLACED ROTORS, THEN REPLACED BRAKE PADS AFTER THAT, NOW GRINDING AGAIN. *AK

TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN WORKED ON OVER PAST YEAR. *AK ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON DUE TO CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILURE. WHEEL BEARING FAILED AND WAS REPLACED. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAD NO ENGAGEMENT DUE TO HALF SHAFT FAILURE. ENGINE STALLED AT A STOP DUE TO TRANSMISSION ASSEMBLY FAILURE. BRAKES WERE NOISY AND WERE REPLACED, INCLUDING THE ROTORS. ENGINE WILL NOT START DUE TO BATTERY AND STARTER FAILURE. *YH

TRANSMISSION SLIPPED AND VEHICLE STALLED/ MALFUNCTIONED. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER REPLACED TRANSMISSION, BUT PROBLEM STILL OCCURS.*AK

I BOUGHT THE CAR WITH 7000 MILES ON IT, IT HAS NEEDED 4 BRAKE JOBS (EVERY 7K -FRONT THEN REAR THEN FRONT THEN REAR) IN THE 28K THAT I'VE OWNED IT. THE REAR BRAKES DO NOT ENGAGE SO THE FRONT BRAKES WEAR OUT. I HAD IT PUT ON A RACK AND SOMEONE STEP ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE REAR TIRES COULD BE TURNED EASILY. WITH STRONG PRESSURE ON THE PEDAL, THE REAR TIRES WERE HARD TO MOVE, BUT STILL COULD BE MOVED BY HAND. THE 2X THE REAR BRAKES WERE SERVICED, THE CYLINDERS HAD CRACKED AND LEAKED. A FRIEND HAS SUGGESTED THIS MEANS THE HYDRAULIC PRESSURE IS GOING INTO THE CYLINDERS BUT THEY WERE A 'BAD CASTING' AND THE PRESSURE ISN'T PUSHING THE PISTONS OUT, BUT EVENTUALLY CAUSES THEM TO CRACK. 09/18/00 A FLEXPLATE IN THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. LESS THAN 6 WEEKS LATER, THE CAR WENT OUT...

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON & O/D LIGHT FLASHES AFTER ALMOST EVERY 300 MILES SINCE RECALL CAMPAIGN TO REPLACE ORVR VALVES WAS SERVICED BY DEALER. O/D LIGHT FLASHES WOULD THEN FOLLOW ENGINE STALLING (AFTER DRIVEN 150 MILES) AND WOULD ONLY CRANK ENGINE BUT WONT START. ALSO AFTER ORVR WAS REPLACED, EVERY FULL TANK OF FUEL ( 12.7 GALS.) WOULD CAUSE HESITATION BUT WOULD GO AWAY AFTER DRIVEN FOR 8 MILES . ENGINE STALLING LUCKILY OCCURRED ONLY ON STREET ROADS BUT COULD POSE SERIOUS RISK IF IT WOULD HAPPEN ON FREEWAYS.*AK

THE FIRST PROBLEM WAS THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, THE CAR KEPT BLOWING FUSES AND WOULD NOT START. AFTER 4 VISITS TO A KIA SERVICE CENTER IT WAS LEARNED THAT THE FUSE BOX HAD BEEN BUILT WRONG. KIA HAD A REBUILD KIT ON HAND FOR THIS PROBLEM AND CORRECTED IT, AS WELL AS REPLACEING A NUMBER OF SENSORS AND OTHER EQUIPMENT DAMAGED BY THIS PROBLEM. NEXT WAS THE TRANSMISSION, WHICH WHOULD AND DOES SWITCH GEARS FOR NO REASON, JUMPING INTO HIGHER GEAR OR DOWNSHIFING INTO LOWER GEAR WITHOUT WARNING AND STAYING THERE UNTIL THE CAR IS BROUGHT TO A COMPLETE HALT. THIS PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN TRACED, KIA SERVICE TECHNICIANS CLAIMED TO HAVE DRIVEN THE VEHICLE EXTENSIVELY BUT COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM, DISPITE THE FACT THAT IT OCCURES FREQUENTLY FOR MYSELF AND MY WIFE. THE BRAKES STARTED ACTING FUNNEY AT AROUND 11,000 MILES AND UPON INSPECTION BY KIA PERSONELL WERE FOUND...

VEHICLE WAS NOT SHIFTING CORRECTLY. IT WOULD SHIFT ROUGHLY AND HARD. ALSO, BRAKES MADE A SQUEAKING NOISE WHEN DRUVING. *AK

I WOULD NEVER BUY A KIA AGAIN. THIS CAR HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT TROUBLE. THE TRANSMISSION PREMATURELY WENT OUT WITH NO WARNING. HAD TO BE COMPLETLY REPLACED. BOTH FRONT HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES MELTED DUE TO REASONS STILL UNKNOWN. THE BRAKES WORN PREMATURELY. NOT TO MENTION ALL OF THE OTHER HASSLES I'VE HAD WITH THIS CAR. SOMETIMES I WISH SOMEONE WOULD JUST TAKE IT, I HATE IT SO MUCH!

TRANSMISSION FAILED. YH

ENGINE STALLED, LOST ALL POWER AT SPEED OF 5 MPH. SINCE APRIL OF 1999, THE VEHICLE JERKS BACK WHEN IT IS PASSING 20 MPH. NOW, IT JERKS HARDER WHILE POWER IS LOSING, REQUIRED HEAVIER GAS PEDAL DEPRESSION.

BRAKES FAILED CAUSING ACCIDENT, THEY HAVE BEEN REPLACED 4 TIMES ALSO ROTORS FUEL PUMP, TRANSMISSION, GLOVEBOX,WIRING HARNESS, MANY OTHER THINGS TOO... COULD HAVE LOST MY 2 OF MY GRANDSONS IN THE ACCIDENT... ARE WE GOING TO PUT UP WITH THIS??? I CAN BE REACHED AT [email protected]

THIS CAR HAS HAD NEW TRANSMISSION/BRAKES/RADIO AND BATTERY, AND I AM WAITING ON SOMETHING NEW TO HAPPEN SOON. I BOUGHT THIS CAR BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT MY FEET WAS NOT AAS DEPENDABLE AS A CAR..MY MISTAKE. IF THE REPAIRS KEEP UP I WILL HAVE A NEW CAR WITHOUT EVEN TRADING!!! THIS CAR GIVES NEW MEANING TO LEMON. *AK

WHEN THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN REVERSE, IT WOULD POP OUT OF GEAR INTO NEUTRAL. THEN VEHICLE WOULD STOP. ALSO, ABS BRAKES WERE REPLACED TWICE DUE TO EXCESSIVE WEAR TO DRUMS. HEADLIGHTS WOULD HAVE CONDENSATION, AND DASHBOARD WAS REPLACED DUE TO CRACKS. VEHICLE NOW ON THIRD TRANSMISSION AND IT STILL SLIPS OUT OF REVERSE WHEN BACKING UP. *AK

TRANSMISSION WON'T SHIFT INTO GEAR. NLM

WHEN CHANGING GEARS FROM PARK TO REVERSE THE SHIFT LEVER BECOMES STUCK BETWEEN GEARS, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

OVERDRIVE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON, AND THE FRONT BRAKE PADS HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK

TRANSMISSION WOULD MAKE FUNNY NOISES WHEN SHIFTING INTO GEAR. A NEW TRANSMISSION WAS INSTALLED. VEHICLE STILL HAVING PROBLEMS. BRAKES: WOULD SQUEAL WHEN APPLIED. HAD ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM CHANGED TWICE & PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. ALIGNMENT: DUE TO THE BRAKES, THE TIRES WERE WORN OUT ON THE INSIDE & HAD TO BE CHANGED. *AK *YC

BREAK PADS AND ROTORS NEED TO BE REPLACED APPROXIMATELY EVERY 3000 MILES WHEN CAR IS TAKEN IN FOR OIL CHANGE. I COULD NOT FILL THE GAS TANK COMPLETELY WHEN I FIRST PURCHASED THE CAR BECAUSE THE AUTOMATIC SHUT OFF. GAS TANK AND FLOAT VALVE WERE REPLACED AFTER WAITING A MONTH FOR THE PARTS. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD STAY ON AND O/D OFF LIGHT WOULD FLASH, CALLED DEALER AND HAD TO WAIT A WEEK FOR APPOINTMENT. DEALER STATED NEW COUPLING WAS NEEDED. WAITED MONTH FOR PART. WHEN I WENT TO PICK UP CAR, DEALER STATED IT NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION INSTEAD. I WAITED TWO WEEKS FOR PARTS. NOW CAR IS AT DEALERSHIP AGAIN BECAUSE IT WILL NOT START. LIGHTS, HORN, RADIO, ETC. STILL OPERATE

CONSUMER WAS EXPERIENCING THE FOLLOWING ONGOING PROBLEMS: TRANSMISSION MADE LOUD NOISE WHEN CHANGING GEARS , AND GEARS DID NOT LOCK INTO PLACE WHEN PUT IN PARK/FUSES KEPT BLOWING OUT, HAD REPLACED ELECTRICAL WIRES/STARTER WAS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO START VEHICLE & NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND BRAKES HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO EXCESSIVE WEAR OF FRONT BRAKE ROTORS, CALIPERS & PADS. BRAKE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

TRANSMISSION NEEDS REPLACEMENT DUE TO VIBRATIONS.

WHEN TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT ALLOW ANY ACCELERATION. CONSUMER ALSO NOTICED VERY HARD JERKING WHEN PLACING THE VEHICLE IN GEAR. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

FRONT AXLE MADE A NOISE DUE TO A WRONG SIZE OF THE AXLE ON THE VEHICLE. ALSO THERE WAS A DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION/ EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM. AXLE AND TRANSMISSION REPLACED. GAS TANK WILL NOT FILL PROPERLY, SPITS GAS BACK ONTO THE GROUND. *AK *ML

I HAVE HAD MY CAR IN THE SHOP MANY TIMES JUST FOR THE ROTORS AND BRAKES AND A NEW MASTER CYLINDER AND NOW A NEW TRANSMISION AND NOW THE BRAKES ARE STARTING ALL OVER AGAIN SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED . I HAVE CONTACTED KIA AND THEY HAVEN'T DONE NOTHING FOR ME I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T DO ANY THING BUT HELP ME REFINCE AGAIN I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO .I WANT THEM TO BUY BACK THE CAR IT IS NOT SAFE FOR THE ROAD . PLEASE HELP ME TJONES5460 THANK YOU.

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE TO CHANGE LANES THE VEHICLE WENT IN REVERSE AND THE GEAR SHIFT WAS IN DRIVE. CONSUMER ALSO HAVING PROBLEMS WITH POOR BRAKING, POOR BRAKING RESPONDS WHEN MAKING A NORMAL STOP. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK