Total Complaints
158 filings
KIA SEPHIA · model year
158 NHTSA complaints, 31 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2001KIASEPHIA carries 158 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 31 crashes, 3 fires, 33 injuries, and 3 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2001 SEPHIA is air bags:frontal with 16 filings, followed by power train:automatic transmission (14) and engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (9). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 2 investigation files overlapping the 2001 SEPHIA. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
158 filings
Crashes Reported
31 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 16 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 14 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 9 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 5 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 5 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 5 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 5 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 4 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 4 |
| AIR BAGS | 4 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR | 3 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 3 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 3 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL | 3 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE | 3 |
HAVING TROUBLE WITH DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW. IT WILL WORK THEN THE MOTOR/REGULATOR GETS STUCK AND WON'T FUNCTION. THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WILL WORK THEN NOT WORK. I JUST WANT TO FIND OUT WHAT'S CAUSING PROBLEM. ALL WIRES TO SWITCH TESTED POSITIVE POWER IS GOING TO AND FROM MOTOR/REGULATOR TO ALL SWITCHES. MY CELL IS [XXX] I JUST WANT A NAME AND PHONE NUMBER OF SOMEONE WHO CAN FIX THIS IN 07646 AREA CODE. I,E AN EXPERT ON POWER WINDOW PROBLEMS THANK YOU. MY NAME IS [XXX] THIS IS SORT OF A COMPLAINT BECAUSE IT'S BECOME A DIFFICULT DIAGNOSIS I NEED A KIA SPECIALISTS HELP. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
HAVING TROUBLE WITH DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW. IT WILL WORK THEN THE MOTOR/REGULATOR GETS STUCK AND WON'T FUNCTION. THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WILL WORK THEN NOT WORK. I JUST WANT TO FIND OUT WHAT'S CAUSING PROBLEM. ALL WIRES TO SWITCH TESTED POSITIVE POWER IS GOING TO AND FROM MOTOR/REGULATOR TO ALL SWITCHES. MY CELL IS [XXX] I JUST WANT A NAME AND PHONE NUMBER OF SOMEONE WHO CAN FIX THIS IN 07646 AREA CODE. I,E AN EXPERT ON POWER WINDOW PROBLEMS THANK YOU. MY NAME IS [XXX] THIS IS SORT OF A COMPLAINT BECAUSE IT'S BECOME A DIFFICULT DIAGNOSIS I NEED A KIA SPECIALISTS HELP. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
I WAS ON MY WAY TO COLLEGE WHEN I HIT A PATCH OF WET ROAD, WHEN I TRIED TO CORRECT THE SLIDE, THE RIGHT SIDE GRABBED AND PUT ME INTO A SPIN OVER BOTH LANES AND I HIT THE LEFT SIDE GUARD RAIL HEAD ON AT APPROX. 45MPH. AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY FOR EITHER SIDE. CAR IS ALMOST WORTH FIXING BUT I WILL NEVER DRIVE THAT METAL DEATHTRAP AGAIN. THIS IS MY FIRST AND ABSOLUTELY THE LAST KIA I WILL EVER BUY. *TR
Mileage: 136,000
CAR GIVES OFF A VERY BAD GAS ODOR. EVERYTIME I PUT GAS IN THE CAR, THE GAS INDICATOR ON THE DASHBOARD GOES DOWN AND CAR CUTS OFF ON ME WHEN IM DOING 20 MPH. *TR
I AM COMPLAINING BECAUSE MY GEAR SHIFT WON'T SHIFT. IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL, IT SAYS IF THIS HAPPENS TO REMOVE THE SMALL CAP ON THE GEAR SHIFT BOX AND PUT A SCREW DRIVER IN THE HOLE TO MANUALLY SHIFT, WHICH I HAVE HAD TO DO FOR THE PAST FEW MONTHS. IF THEY KNEW IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN AND PLACED A BACK-UP PLAN IN THE MANUAL, WHY DIDN'T THEY FIX IT TO BEGAN WITH? IT WOULD COST A FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS TO REPLACE THE GEAR SHIFT CABLE. WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO BE THE ONE TO DO THIS? I THINK IT IS KIA'S RESPONSIBILITY TO REPLACE MY GEAR SHIFT CABLE. LIKE I SAID, IT IS IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL TO USE A SCREW DRIVER IF THE GEAR SHIFT FAILS. UPDATED 04/21/11 *BF
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 KIA SEPHIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED AN UNUSUALLY OVERPOWERING GASOLINE ODOR FROM THE BLOWER VENTS WHEN FIRST STARTING THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR INTERMITTENTLY AND BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE OVER TIME. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED A LEAK IN THE FUEL DAMPENER AT THE CONNECTION WITH THE FUEL LINE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
Mileage: 60,000
I JUST TAKE OVER A 2001 KIA SEPHIA FROM MY BROTHER IN-LAW AND HE WARNED ME NOT TO LOCK THE CAR IF I LOCK THE CAR DOORS I MIGHT NOT GET IN OR OUT SOME TIMES, TO DAY WHEN I STARTED THE CAR BUT I COULD NOT CLOSE THE DOOR, THEN I TRIED TO PRESS THE LOCK SWITCH AND SLAMMED THE DOOR, THE DOOR WAS CLOSED, AND I DROVE THE CAR TO A COFFEE SHOP I PARKED MY CAR THERE BUT I COULD NOT OPEN THE DOOR, LUCKY ME I CAN OPENED FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AND I GOT OUT FROM THERE. AFTER I LEFT THE COFFEE SHOP I HAD TO GET IN FROM THE SAME DOOR WHEN I GOT OUT, WHEN I GOT HOME I CAN OPEN THE DOOR AND THE DOOR LOCKS SEEMED TO BE WORKING PROPERLY, BUT AFTER I LEFT IT FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN THE WEATHER OUTSIDE WAS ABOUT -6 DEGREE, I WENT ONLINE CHECKED THERE WERE MANY COMPLAINT WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND SAME TYPE OF CAR THAT I HAD , I THINK THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE PRESSURED TO KIA LET THEM RECALL ALL OF THE MODEL WHICH HAD THE SAME PROBLEM TO CORRECT IT! *TR
Mileage: 90,650
I WAS DRIVING MY 2001 KIA SEPHIA APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH IN DECATUR COUNTY, GEORGIA ON AUGUST 1, 2006 WHEN A PONTIAC BONNEVILLE PULLED INTO MY LANE OF TRAVEL. MY SEPHIA COLLIDED WITH THE BONNEVILLE AT A 20 DEGREE ANGLE. NEITHER OF THE FRONT AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND MY SON (FRONT SEAT PASSENGER) WAS THROWN INTO THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WHERE HIS HEAD WAS LODGED IN THE GLASS. HE SUSTAINED A SEVERE AND PERMANENT CLOSED HEAD INJURY AND NOW REQUIRES 24/7 CARE. IN ADDITION TO SUFFERING A CLOSED HEAD INJURY, MY SON'S KNEE IMPACTED THE INSTRUMENT PANEL TO THE LEFT OF THE GLOVE BOX WHICH CAUSED SEVERE HIP AND LEG INJURIES. KIA DENIED RESPONSIBILITY AND LITIGATION IS ONGOING. EXPERTS IN THE LITIGATION ESTIMATE THE EBS OF THE CRASH TO BE BETWEEN 12 & 18 MPH. *TR
Mileage: 119,583
DRIVE AND PASSENGER AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY IN 2001 KIA SEPHIA LS. *TR
Mileage: 135,000
ON MARCH 28, 2009, MY DAUGHTER WAS A PASSENGER IN A 2001 KIA SEPHIA THAT LOST CONTROL IN THE RAIN DOING ABOUT 50 MPH, WENT DOWN AN EMBANKMENT & RAVINE ON ITS SIDE, STARTED TO OVERTURN, WHEN IT SLAMMED INTO A TREE. THE ROOF ON THIS CAR THEN COLLAPSED ONTO MY DAUGHTERS HEAD CAUSING SUCH SEVERE HEAD TRAUMA AND SWELLING IN HER BRAIN, ALONG WITH MANY MANY OTHER INJURIES THAT SHE DID NOT SURVIVE THE CRASH. WHY DID THIS HAPPEN? THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY! ! ! HOW MANY DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE CAR NEED TO BE HIT BEFORE THE AIRBAGS DEPLOY! SHE WAS WEARING HER SEATBELT. IF THE AIRBAGS HAD DEPLOYED LIKE THEY SHOULD HAVE, SHE WOULD PROBABLY BE WITH ME TODAY. SHE WAS ONLY 21 YEARS OLD AND HAD EVERYTHING TO LIVE FOR. THIS *#>*^$ CAR KILLED MY ONLY DAUGHTER! ! ! HOW MANY DEATHS HAVE TO HAPPEN BEFORE KIA GETS THE MESSAGE AND DOES SOMETHING TO PREVENT IT. THESE CARS DO NOT NEED TO BE IN THE U.S.A. KIA HAS BEEN GETTING REPORTS SINCE 2001 THAT THE AIRBAGS ON THIS CAR FAIL TO DEPLOY. THEY ARE GUIL
ON MARCH 28, 2009, MY DAUGHTER WAS A PASSENGER IN A 2001 KIA SEPHIA THAT LOST CONTROL IN THE RAIN DOING ABOUT 50 MPH, WENT DOWN AN EMBANKMENT & RAVINE ON ITS SIDE, STARTED TO OVERTURN, WHEN IT SLAMMED INTO A TREE. THE ROOF ON THIS CAR THEN COLLAPSED ONTO MY DAUGHTERS HEAD CAUSING SUCH SEVERE HEAD TRAUMA AND SWELLING IN HER BRAIN, ALONG WITH MANY MANY OTHER INJURIES THAT SHE DID NOT SURVIVE THE CRASH. WHY DID THIS HAPPEN? THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY! ! ! HOW MANY DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE CAR NEED TO BE HIT BEFORE THE AIRBAGS DEPLOY! SHE WAS WEARING HER SEATBELT. IF THE AIRBAGS HAD DEPLOYED LIKE THEY SHOULD HAVE, SHE WOULD PROBABLY BE WITH ME TODAY. SHE WAS ONLY 21 YEARS OLD AND HAD EVERYTHING TO LIVE FOR. THIS *#>*^$ CAR KILLED MY ONLY DAUGHTER! ! ! HOW MANY DEATHS HAVE TO HAPPEN BEFORE KIA GETS THE MESSAGE AND DOES SOMETHING TO PREVENT IT. THESE CARS DO NOT NEED TO BE IN THE U.S.A. KIA HAS BEEN GETTING REPORTS SINCE 2001 THAT THE AIRBAGS ON THIS CAR FAIL TO DEPLOY. THEY ARE GUIL
ON MARCH 28, 2009, MY DAUGHTER WAS A PASSENGER IN A 2001 KIA SEPHIA THAT LOST CONTROL IN THE RAIN DOING ABOUT 50 MPH, WENT DOWN AN EMBANKMENT & RAVINE ON ITS SIDE, STARTED TO OVERTURN, WHEN IT SLAMMED INTO A TREE. THE ROOF ON THIS CAR THEN COLLAPSED ONTO MY DAUGHTERS HEAD CAUSING SUCH SEVERE HEAD TRAUMA AND SWELLING IN HER BRAIN, ALONG WITH MANY MANY OTHER INJURIES THAT SHE DID NOT SURVIVE THE CRASH. WHY DID THIS HAPPEN? THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY! ! ! HOW MANY DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE CAR NEED TO BE HIT BEFORE THE AIRBAGS DEPLOY! SHE WAS WEARING HER SEATBELT. IF THE AIRBAGS HAD DEPLOYED LIKE THEY SHOULD HAVE, SHE WOULD PROBABLY BE WITH ME TODAY. SHE WAS ONLY 21 YEARS OLD AND HAD EVERYTHING TO LIVE FOR. THIS *#>*^$ CAR KILLED MY ONLY DAUGHTER! ! ! HOW MANY DEATHS HAVE TO HAPPEN BEFORE KIA GETS THE MESSAGE AND DOES SOMETHING TO PREVENT IT. THESE CARS DO NOT NEED TO BE IN THE U.S.A. KIA HAS BEEN GETTING REPORTS SINCE 2001 THAT THE AIRBAGS ON THIS CAR FAIL TO DEPLOY. THEY ARE GUIL
IN APR 2005, WHILE DRIVING IN MY 2001 KIA SEPHIA LS, MY CHILDREN COMPLAINED THAT IT WAS TOO COLD IN THE BACK SEAT, SO I ATTEMPTED TO CLOSE THE DRIVER'S WINDOW. AS I DID, I HEARD A LOUD BANG THAT SOUNDED LIKE A GUN-SHOT. THE WINDOW BEGAN TO WORK OPPOSITE OF WHAT I CHOSE (I.E. IF I PUSHED UP, IT WENT DOWN. IF I PUSHED DOWN, IT WENT UP.) SHORTLY THEREAFTER, IT STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE POWER WINDOW REGULATOR AND THAT IT WOULD COST $580.00 TO REPLACE BECAUSE THERE WERE NO AFTER-MARKET PARTS. I WAS TOLD BY A MASTER MECHANIC INSTRUCTOR THAT WHEN THE MANUFACTURERS CHANGED THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE POWER WINDOW REGULATORS FROM METAL TO PLASTIC PARTS, THAT THEY DON'T LAST ANYMORE. BECAUSE I COULDN'T AFFORD TO PAY THE $580.00 TO REPLACE THE WINDOW REGULATOR, I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO HAVE A THICK PIECE OF PAPER WEDGED IN BETWEEN THE DOOR AND THE WINDOW TO HOLD THE WINDOW UP. IN MAR 08, THE PASSENGER SIDE POWER WINDOW REGULATOR STOPPED WORKING THEN IN AUG 08, THE R
Mileage: 46,000
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 KIA SEPHIA. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE STARTER AND TWO RELAYS WERE REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE IMMEDIATELY RECURRED. THE CONTACT HAS NOT HAD THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. SHE IS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 52,984. UPDATED 01/07/09. *LJ UPDATED 01/08/09. *JB
Mileage: 52,984
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 KIA SEPHIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WATER WAS COLLECTING INSIDE THE DRIVER SIDE TAIL LIGHT HOUSING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE WARRANTY WAS NOT BUMPER-TO-BUMPER AND WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE UNDER WARRANTY. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 33,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,000.
Mileage: 32,000
IN AUGUST OF 2006 I HAD TAKEN MY CAR IN FOR BRAKES. COMING TO FIND OUT MY BRAKES WERE BAD, I NEEDED NEW ROTORS AND MY WHEEL CYLINDERS BLEW OUT. CAUSING ME TO LOSE MY BRAKES ONE DAY ON MY WAY TO WORK. HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED IN TO HAVE IT FIXED. CALLED THE DEALER THEY SAID THERE IS NO COMPLAINTS ON THIS. HAD THE CAR FIXED.. TOOK THEM 6 HOURS TO BLEED THE BRAKES. TOOK THE CAR HOME, THE NEXT MORNING WENT TO LEAVE AND HAD NO BRAKES AGAIN. HAD IT TOWED BACK TO SHOP. HAD TO BLEED BRAKES AGAIN, THEN IN DECEMBER I WENT TO LEAVE FOR WORK AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, I HAD NO BRAKES. GOT THE CAR TO THE SAME SHOP THAT FIXED IT THE FIRST TIME. COMING TO FIND OUT THE WHEEL CYLINDERS BLEW OUT AGAIN CAUSING BRAKE FLUID TO LEAK ALL OVER MY BRAKES. THEY HAD TO REPLACE MY WHEEL CYLINDERS AND BRAKES . THEY WANTE TO CHARGE ME LABOR SINCE THEY SAID IT WAS A DEFECTIVE PART. I REFUSED TO PAY THE LABOR. WE TOLD THEM NOT TO TOUCH THE CAR UNTIL WE CALLED THEM BACK. (I THINK THEY KNEW I WAS CALLING SO
WHEN STARTING THE CAR MOSTLY IN THE MORNING, THE BRAKE FAILED. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. THE PEDAL WAS ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR (LEVEL WITH THE CLUTCH) BEFORE THE CAR CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WITHOUT WARNING THE RADIO STOPPED WORKING AND THERE WAS A BURNING ODOR. THE CONTACT REMOVED THE RADIO AND FOUND MELTED WIRES. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE WIRES AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SEEN BY A MECHANIC. *AK
Mileage: 91,268
MY CAR IS IN THE SHOP FOR THE THIRD MAJOR REPAIR IN LESS THAN 2 YEARS. FIRST, IN JAN. OF '04 THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE BLOCK. THAT REQUIRED THE ENTIRE ENGINE TO BE REPLACED ($3,800). THEN, 2 MONTHS AGO, THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAD TO BE REPLACED ($1,567) AND NOW IT IS IN THE SHOP TO HAVE THE COMPRESSOR AND BELTS REPLACED($975). THE DEALERSHIP ALSO DOES NOT OFFER A LOANER CAR AND I CANNOT AFFORD TO RENT. *NM
MY CAR IS IN THE SHOP FOR THE THIRD MAJOR REPAIR IN LESS THAN 2 YEARS. FIRST, IN JAN. OF '04 THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE BLOCK. THAT REQUIRED THE ENTIRE ENGINE TO BE REPLACED ($3,800). THEN, 2 MONTHS AGO, THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAD TO BE REPLACED ($1,567) AND NOW IT IS IN THE SHOP TO HAVE THE COMPRESSOR AND BELTS REPLACED($975). THE DEALERSHIP ALSO DOES NOT OFFER A LOANER CAR AND I CANNOT AFFORD TO RENT. *NM
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.