The 1997 Kia Sephia has 1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting an estimated 189,706 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 375 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine and engine cooling. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
SEAT BELTS02V2160002002-08-16189,706 affected
Defect
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE SAFETY BELT BUCKLE MAY "FALSE LATCH" AND EXPOSE THE DRIVER TO UNRESTRAINED MOVEMENT DURING A CRASH.
Consequence
IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
Remedy
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.
Complaints by component
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
33
7crashes2injuries
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
23
16crashes20injuries2deaths
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
23
1crashes
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
23
2crashes1injuries
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
21
3crashes
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
19
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
17
STRUCTURE
11
1crashes
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
9
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
8
1fires
Total complaints375
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“Airbag failed to deploy during a front end crash. Injuries included head,neck and back .the car was totaled.*ak”
“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.”
“Dashboard warped and coming up and touching windshield. It is breaking or blocking the vent/defroster/defogger system. Therefore the windows barely defrost and this is a safety hazard. I know of two other people having the same problem with the dashboard. Also "door open" light remains on and…”
“Dashboard warped and coming up and touching windshield. It is breaking or blocking the vent/defroster/defogger system. Therefore the windows barely defrost and this is a safety hazard. I know of two other people having the same problem with the dashboard. Also "door open" light remains on and…”
“Dashboard warped and coming up and touching windshield. It is breaking or blocking the vent/defroster/defogger system. Therefore the windows barely defrost and this is a safety hazard. I know of two other people having the same problem with the dashboard. Also "door open" light remains on and…”
“Dashboard warped and coming up and touching windshield. It is breaking or blocking the vent/defroster/defogger system. Therefore the windows barely defrost and this is a safety hazard. I know of two other people having the same problem with the dashboard. Also "door open" light remains on and…”
“I noticed a clunking sound in my front end of my 1997 kia sephia. This car only has 49,000 miles on it. I took it in to the dealer and was told I needed new axle shafts on both sides. The dealer informed me he would have to order the parts overnight and that he did not want me to pick up the…”
“I have a 1997 kia sephia rs and I have replaced the alternator belt 11 times and 4 of those have been in the last 3 months. I am unable to get any answers about why the belt keeps breaking from any repair shop, other than it must be a sizing defect by kia. This last belt was replaced 6/05 and…”
Defect investigations
InvestigationPE02051 Opened 2002-06-17 · closed 2002-09-20
SAFETY BELT BUCKLE MALFUNCTION
BY LETTER DATED AUGUST 25, 2002, KIA ADVISED NHTSA THAT THE SUBJECT VEHICLES WILL BE RECALLED.SPECIFIC CORRECTIVE ACTION TO BE TAKEN BY KIA HAS NOT BEEN REPORTED TO NHTSA AT THIS TIME.THE SAFETY RECALL PROGRAM HAS BEEN ASSIGNED CAMPAIGN NO. 02V-216.
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1997 Kia Sephia as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.