1999 KIA SEPHIA — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
N/A
Safety Rating
749
Owner Complaints
5
Recalls
3
Service Bulletins
3
Investigations
Overview of the 1999 KIA SEPHIA
The 1999 KIA SEPHIA has received a total of 749 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). There have been 5 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP. 3 technical service bulletins have been issued by Kia America, Inc. for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Engine And Engine Coolingenginegasoline (67 complaints), Service Brakes Hydraulicfoundation Componentsdisc (63 complaints), and Power Trainautomatic Transmission (51 complaints).
Recalls for the 1999 KIA SEPHIA
NHTSA has recorded 5 recalls for the 1999 KIA SEPHIA, potentially affecting up to 647,673 vehicles.
Recall 04V305000 — SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
| 251,594 vehicles affected
Defect: ON CERTAIN PASSENGER AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLES MAY EMIT A "CLICK" SOUND DURING THE BUCKLING PROCESS THAT IS SIMILAR TO THE SOUND EMITTED WHEN A BUCKLE IS BEING LATCHED, WHEN IT IS NOT.
Consequence: THE LATCH CAN THEN PULL OUT OF THE BUCKLE WHEN TENSION IS APPLIED.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLES. THE RECALL BEGAN AUGUST 16, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.
View full details →Recall 00V175000 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL
| 100,137 vehicles affected
Defect: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. MANUFACTURING CHANGES WERE MADE TO THE ORVR SPRING FORCE AND FLOAT WIRE LENGTH REDUCING THE VALVE ANGLE. CERTAIN VALVES CAUSED FUEL SHUT OFF BEFORE THE TANK REACHED 95% OF NOMINAL CAPACITY.
Consequence: THIS WOULD CAUSE CUSTOMERS TO ADD MORE FUEL TO THE TANK CAUSING FUEL SPILLBACK OR SPITBACK FROM THE FUEL FILLER NECK.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ORVR VALVE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN NOVEMBER 13, 2000. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT...
View full details →Recall 99V317000 — FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
| 102,944 vehicles affected
Defect: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. ELECTRICAL CURRENT TO THE FUEL PUMP PASSES THROUGH THE C304 AND C305 CONNECTORS. IF EXPOSED TO MOISTURE, THESE CONNECTORS COULD CORRODE. OVER TIME, THE FUEL PUMP WILL NOT RECEIVE ENOUGH CURRENT TO OPERATE.
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE EXISTING CONNECTORS AND REPOSITION THOSE CONNECTORS TO AN AREA WHERE THE PLACEMENT IS DESIGNED TO PREVENT CONTACT WITH MOISTURE.
View full details →Recall 99V318000 — FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
| 102,944 vehicles affected
Defect: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT FOR THE FUEL PUMP IS GROUNDED AT JUNCTION CONNECTOR G300. IF THE PIN TENSION IS POOR, OR THE BOLT SECURING THE CONNECTOR TO THE VEHICLE FLOOR IS NOT TIGHTENED SUFFICIENTLY, A POOR CONNECTION IS MADE. AS THE FUEL PUMP OPERATES, THE POOR CONNECTION CAN CREATE HEAT WHICH IN TURN INCREASES RESISTANCE. EVENTUALLY THE...
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: THIS CORRECTIVE ACTION IS BEING PERFORMED IN CONJUNCTION WITH RECALL NO. 99V317.
View full details →Recall 99V271000 — VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:LINKAGES
| 90,054 vehicles affected
Defect: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE BALL SOCKET ON THE WINDSHIELD WIPER LINK MAY BE OUT OF TOLERANCE RESULTING IN THE LINK DISENGAGING FROM THE WIPER MOTOR DRIVE UNDER LOAD, SUCH AS PUSHING AGAINST ICE, SNOW OR OTHER RESISTANCE. ALSO THE WIPER ARM RETAINING NUT COULD BE INADEQUATELY TIGHTENED ALLOWING THE WIPER ARM TO SLIP AND/OR STOP FUNCTIONING.
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE IMPAIRMENT OF VISIBILITY IN INCLEMENT WEATHER INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD WIPER LINK AND ALSO PROPERLY TIGHTEN THE WIPER ARM RETAINING NUTS.
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 1999 KIA SEPHIA
749 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 1999 KIA SEPHIA. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
Most Recent Complaints
WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 75 MPH THE TOP LAYER OF THE HOOD (SKIN) SEPARATED FROM THE HOOD AND FLEW UPWARD INTO THE WINDSHIELD AND DETACHED ITSELF FROM THE VEHICLE CAUSING THE DRIVERS VISION OF ROADWAY TO BE BLOCKED. ONCE IT DETACHED ITSELF CAUSING HIGH RISK OF SAFETY FOR OTHER DRIVERS BEHIND THE KIA SEPHIA.
SEAT BELTS WORK IMPROPERLY, WINDSHIELD WIPERS DON'T WORK, FUEL PUMP IS WORKING INEFFICIENTLY.
SEAT BELTS WORK IMPROPERLY, WINDSHIELD WIPERS DON'T WORK, FUEL PUMP IS WORKING INEFFICIENTLY.
SEAT BELTS WORK IMPROPERLY, WINDSHIELD WIPERS DON'T WORK, FUEL PUMP IS WORKING INEFFICIENTLY.
FILLED TANK & HAD OVERFLOWING SPILLAGE DOWN SIDE OF CAR (INDICATED VERY FULL TANK) FINISHED CLEANING UP EXCESS FUEL & TURN CAR ON BUT THE FUEL GAUGE WOULD ONLY READ 2/3 FULL, THEN NEEDLE ROSE TO 3/4- I JUST GOT THE CAR ON MONDAY 11/7/16 & THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE NOW, ONCE WHEN LEAVING LA AFTER BUYING/TRANSFERRING TITLE & AGAIN TODAY. DECIDED TO GOOGLE THE 'SYMPTOM' & I'M SHOCKED THAT A 17-YEAR-OLD CAR FROM 1999 HAD RECALL RECORDS BUT WAS NEVER FIXED!!! PREVIOUS OWNER(S) WAS OLDER COUPLE THAT HAD BOUGHT IT FROM A DEALERSHIP & OWNED IT SINCE 2004. THE 17-YEAR-OLD '99 SEPHIA HAS ONLY 75K MILES ON ODOMETER AS OF NOVEMBER 2016 HOWEVER WAS NEVER REPAIRED UNDER RECALL ORDER.
View all Engine And Engine Coolingenginegasoline complaints →
Safety Rating for the 1999 KIA SEPHIA
NHTSA has not yet tested the 1999 KIA SEPHIA in its New Car Assessment Program.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 1999 KIA SEPHIA
Kia America, Inc. has issued 3 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 1999 KIA SEPHIA. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.
035 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES
BATTERY CABLE CHAFING INSPECTION, REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT. TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN, LETTERS TO SERVICE MANAGERS AND DEALERS AND OWNERS. *TT
025 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES
THIS BULLETIN PROVIDES INFORMATION RELATED TO A SERVICE CAMPAIGN TO INSPECT POSSIBLE INTERFERENCE BETWEEN THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE AND THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DIPSTICK. *TT
001 — EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL
THIS BULLETIN PROVIDES INFORMATION RELATED TO THE TURN SIGNAL CIRCUIT IN CERTAIN VEHICLES. IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE CIRCUIT WHEN DIAGNOSING A TURN SIGNAL MALFUNCTION. *TT
NHTSA Investigations for the 1999 KIA SEPHIA
NHTSA has opened 3 investigations into potential safety defects in the 1999 KIA SEPHIA.
Investigation RQ03006 — FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP Closed
Opened:
REFUELING SPIT BACK
Other Model Years of the KIA SEPHIA
- 1994 KIA SEPHIA — 25 complaints
- 1995 KIA SEPHIA — 104 complaints
- 1996 KIA SEPHIA — 203 complaints
- 1997 KIA SEPHIA — 375 complaints
- 1998 KIA SEPHIA — 994 complaints
- 1999 KIA SEPHIA (current)
- 2000 KIA SEPHIA — 461 complaints
- 2001 KIA SEPHIA — 158 complaints
- 2002 KIA SEPHIA — 6 complaints
- 2003 KIA SEPHIA — 2 complaints
Other KIA Models
- KIA SORENTO — 13,451 total complaints
- KIA OPTIMA — 10,045 total complaints
- KIA SOUL — 7,147 total complaints
- KIA SPORTAGE — 6,540 total complaints
- KIA FORTE — 3,450 total complaints
- KIA SEDONA — 3,334 total complaints
- KIA TELLURIDE — 2,109 total complaints
- KIA RIO — 1,784 total complaints