KIA Sephia Engine and Engine Cooling Problems
Owners have filed 332 complaints with NHTSA about engine and engine cooling problems on the KIA Sephia across 8 model years. The 1998 model year has the most (108). The words owners use most often: “provide further” (8% of reports).
- 332engine and engine cooling complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 13mention a crash
- 8mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 34%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Provide further: mentioned in 28 of 332 complaints (8%)
- Engine check: mentioned in 17 of 332 complaints (5%)
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems happen?
Based on 30 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 332 complaints, 13 mention a crash, 34 a fire, 8 an injury.
KIA Sephia engine and engine cooling complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine and Engine Cooling complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 Sephia | 1 | 50% | — |
| 2001 Sephia | 21 | 20% | 15,500 |
| 2000 Sephia | 43 | 16% | 59,000 |
| 1999 Sephia | 88 | 21% | 58,500 |
| 1998 Sephia | 108 | 22% | 50,000 |
| 1997 Sephia | 44 | 21% | 52,500 |
| 1996 Sephia | 17 | 14% | 111,432 |
| 1995 Sephia | 10 | 16% | 125,479 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:emission control
Model years: 1998, 1999
Problem: 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.
Risk: This would cause customers to add more fuel to the tank causing fuel spillback or spitback from the fuel filler neck.
Fix: 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 kia at 1-800-333-4542.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Tl*the contact owns a 2000 kia sephia. The contact stated that when she depressed the accelerator pedal, the engine would race first and then the vehicle would move forward. The over drive light stayed on and the engine light would blink. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership where the…
Tl*the contact owns a 1995 kia sephia. After receiving an oil and filter change, the vehicle suddenly caught fire under the hood while driving 10 mph. The contact exited the vehicle and called 911. The fire department extinguished the fire and filed a report. The fire department stated that the…
Tl*the contact owns a 1999 kia sephia. Shortly after the vehicle was purchased, it failed to start. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and repaired. One month later, while driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle began to sputter and eventually shut off. Prior to shutting off, the vehicle lost…
I own a 1999 kia sephia and my daughter uses it at school. The problem is that kia will not honor the warranty for the repair of the catalytic converter. The case ref nbr is k1085742. Many reason were given, all relating to a manual engine flush, coolant flush,etc. My research shows that there is…
Dt*: the contact stated while traveling various speeds, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was restarted and the dealership was unable to determine the problem.
Frequently asked questions
Do all KIA Sephias have engine and engine cooling problems?
No. NHTSA has 332 owner complaints about engine and engine cooling for the KIA Sephia. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the KIA Sephia engine and engine cooling?
Yes: 1 safety recall list engine and engine cooling. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
What do owners say about engine and engine cooling problems on the KIA Sephia?
The most frequent phrase is “provide further”, in 28 of 332 complaints, followed by “engine check” (17).
Other KIA Sephia problems
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems (634)
- Electrical System problems (282)
- Power Train problems (263)
- Air Bags problems (166)
- Fuel System, Gasoline problems (129)
- Structure problems (109)
- Visibility problems (109)
See all KIA Sephia problems.