1999 KIA SEPHIA Unknown Or Other Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 KIA SEPHIA. THE CONTACT EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE DASHBOARD WAS COMING APART FROM THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE AIR GUARDS WERE BEGINNING TO CRACK. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 63,030 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,000.

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. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS 00V175000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL), 99V317000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP), AND 99V318000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP) WERE REFERENCED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

1999 KIA SEPHIA DASHBOARD HAS BECOME DETACHED FROM WHERE THE WINDSHIELD MEETS. *MR THIS PROBLEM HAD CONTINUED TO GET WORST. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, A MOTORIZED NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. THE CONSUMER WAS AWARE OF OTHER KIA VEHICLES EXPERIENCING THIS SAME PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT HER VEHICLE WOULD NOT BE REPAIRED BECAUSE THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. *SC

THE HORN STOPPED WORKING ON MY 1999 KIA SEPHIA WITH 61,000 MILES. THE DEALERSHIP (WHICH ALSO SELLS AND SERVICES FORDS) ESTIMATED THE REPAIR AT $50 TO $100, WHICH I AUTHORIZED. A FEW HOURS LATER THE SERVICE MANAGER CALLED AND TOLD ME TO FORGET IT. DUE TO A TOTALLY BIZARRE DESIGN, THE HORN IS INTEGRATED INTO THE AIRBAG UNIT AND FIXING THE HORN REQUIRES REPLACING THE ENTIRE AIRBAG ASSEMBLY. THE COST: $650 FOR THE PART AND $150 LABOR, TOTAL $800. IF THE HORN DESIGN WERE NORMAL, HE SAID IT WOULD HAVE COST LESS THAN $100. I CALLED KIA OF AMERICA CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND OFFERED TO PAY $100, THE NORMAL AMOUNT, TOWARD THE REPAIR. THEY DECLINED AS THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND SAID THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY THE FULL COST MYSELF. I HAD PLACED THE CAR ON SALE JUST BEFORE THE HORN WENT BAD AND HAVE BEEN UNABLE...

WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 40-65MPH TRANSMISSION WILL DOWNSHIFT, AND ENGINE LIGHT WILL COME ON, MAKING IT HARD FOR CONSUMER TO CONTROL VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

CONSUMER STATES WHEN ACCELERATING THE VEHICLE SPEED DECREASES INSTEAD OF INCREASING. REPLACED PARTS 4 TIMES. PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. NLMVEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED FOR WIRING HARNESS AND SENSOR FAILURE, THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING, THE TRANSMISSION FLUID IS BURNT AND IT IS LEAKING FLUID AT THE SHIFT SHAFT (CONSUMER WAS ADVISED TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION), THE OVER DRIVE LIGHT KEEPS FLASHING AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES DUE TO THE HOLD UNIT NOT BEING APPLIED. *JG

WHILE AT A STOP SIGN AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A TURN VEHICLE DIED. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE. PROBLEM STILL WAS OCCURRING. RECALL 99 V 318 000 CONCERNING ENGINE STALLING, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT STAYED ON, AND AFTER REFUELING IT WILL NOT START. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT ANY MPH WHEN ENGINE CHECK LIGHT AND OVERDRIVE LIGHT WILL COME ON. THIS SITUATION HAD BEEN A PROBLEM FOR CONSUMER SIXTH TIMES. WHEN LIGHTS COME ON ENGINE WILL STALL. DEALER COULD NOT FIND OUT WHAT IS CAUSING IT.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUTS DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. ALSO, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ILLUMINATES, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WOULD STAY ON, VEHICLE OVERHEATED & OVERDRIVE WOULD BLINK ON/OFF. GROUND WIRE WAS SUPPOSE TO BE FIXED,BUT VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. MANUFACTURER SAID THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING, FILED A LAWSUIT. WARRANTY WAS NOT UP ON VEHICLE.*AK

TEMPERATURE LEVER GOES UP AND DOWN QUICKLY. *SLC

TEMPERATURE LEVER GOES UP AND DOWN QUICKLY. *SLC

I'VE HAD THIS PROBLEMS 4 OTHER TIMES AND THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT RESPOND TO MY REQUEST OF A REFUND OR TO GIVE ME ANOTHER VEHICLE WHICH I'VE ONLY HAD THE CAR A YEAR AND MY PROBLEM STARTED OCCURRING BEFORE THAT .I WANT TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM BUT NEED YOUR HELP. *NO SAFETY DEFEC TMENTIONED. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON, AND THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT COMES ON ALSO. DEALER SAYS IT'S DUE TO A WIRE BECOMING LOOSE AND SHORTING OUT. DEALER HAS REPAIRED, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

FUEL GAUGE WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY (REPORTING EMPTY WHEN THER WAS STILL ABOUT 5 GALLONS IN TANK) - DEALER SUPPOSEDLY REPLACED GAUGE, BUT IT IS STILL NOT ACCURATE - ALSO, ENGINE MAKES AWFUL "SQUEALING" SOUND WHEN FIRST STARTED IN THE MORNING - DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY PROBLEM ???