1996 KIA Sephia Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Sephia years
- Fewer complaints than other years 5th of 9 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 118 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 KIA Sephia. That ranks 5th out of 9 Sephia model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic (38 complaints, 32%). Complaints mention 9 crashes, 4 fires, 17 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 118owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 9complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1996 KIA Sephia problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 38 | 32% | — | — | — |
| Electrical System | 19 | 16% | 3 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 17 | 14% | 111,432 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 17 | 14% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 15 | 13% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 13 | 11% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 12 | 10% | 38,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 11 | 9% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 7 | 6% | 17,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 4 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 4 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 3 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 3 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1996 KIA Sephia recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Seat belts:front:buckle assembly
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, the safety belt buckle may "false latch" and expose the driver to unrestrained movement during a crash.
Risk: In the event of a crash, the seat occupant may not be properly restrained, increasing the risk of personal injury.
Fix: Owner notification began december 20, 2002. 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 kia at 1-800-333-4542.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Safety belt buckle malfunction (PE02051) — opened Jun 17, 2002, closed Sep 20, 2002, led to recall 02V216000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Dt: the consumer stated that on december 1, 2003 the dashboard lifted up in the front when turning on the defroster . It did not defog the window, it will work somewhat but not like it should. Can see the inside dashboard where wiring and foam was. It has progressively gotten worse since december…
I purchased a 1996 kia sephia and have the same problam as alot of other owners. The dashboard is lifting and peeling away from the frame.*ak
Abs braking light appeared on the dashboard and remained on. Consumer noticed while applying the brakes the pedal went to the floor. Consumer drove vehicle to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that the problem could not be duplicated. *ak
It is unbelieveable that there is no recall on the dashboards for kia vehicles. I own a kia sephia and it seems like the dashboard cracks and peels off. I have seen other models and it faces the same problems. Matter of fact i visited kia dealerships and there is no warranty on this items. The…
Dashboard is separating from the frame of the interior of the vehicle. Dealer has examined the vehicle on four occasions, and was unable to resolve the problem. *ak
Other KIA Sephia years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 Sephia | 2 | 0 |
| 2002 Sephia | 6 | 0 |
| 2001 Sephia | 107 | 0 |
| 2000 Sephia | 266 | 1 |
| 1999 Sephia | 428 | 5 |
| 1998 Sephia | 491 | 6 |
| 1997 Sephia | 205 | 1 |
| 1996 | 118 | 1 |
| 1995 Sephia | 64 | 1 |
See all KIA Sephia problems by year, every KIA model, or the KIA VIN decoder.
Similar KIA models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1996 KIA Sephia?
Owners most often report service brakes, hydraulic, electrical system, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, service brakes, hydraulic, accounts for 38 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1996 KIA Sephia?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1996 KIA Sephia a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Sephia model years, the 1996 has fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.