Comments: 1-15, 16-30, 31-45, 46-50
All seats have blemishes on them.
Glove box has spots on it.
Trunk liner does not fit right.
Back door moldings hit the front doors when you open the back doors, the back doors are bent where they hit.
O.D. transmission went out @ 4500 miles.
Turn signal switch went out twice, once @ 22 miles and once @ 4600 miles.
Windshield wipers are bad since the day we bought the car.
The muffler pipe seams split, around 2000 miles.
Back door window solenoid went out @ 4600 miles.
I have had so many problems with the Kia I had to call the B.B.B. to get some attition from Kia, but that really didn't work because they still won't fix the doors and no one at Kia will return my phone calls.
The guy's at the service department say that 9 out of 10 Kia Sephia's have these problems and the owners don't know.
I guess we are all having the same problems. I will never recommend or buy another kia. Windshield wipers went, My whole exhaust was rotted by 15000 miles, my starter went, the doors falling apart, the glove box falls off, spark plug wires are faulty two times, tires went in 8000 miles and so much more on this 98 kia.
I test drove a Kia Sentra; a brand new one mind you, on a rainy day and the first thing that went was the wiper.
It literally flew off the windscreen!
I told the sales girl - natural attrition, the Kia way!
David Kam.
I am currently seeking legal action for all the problems I have had. Being a single mom with this is the only transportation we have. I have had my car @ the dealership 5 times now. No one seems to care... Spark plugs, wires, coils, exhaust systems and now emmission problems.
Never buy a KIA!!!
I know I shouldn't kick people when they are down but what made you get that in the first place. Koreans were never known for good quality and for the money you spent, you could've gotten some nice little American car such as Chevy Prizm or Ford Focus.
Don't feel too bad. I bought a 2001 Kia Sephia, have had the car less than 2 months and the car is already falling apart. Have already called BBB for my problems.
A Ford Focus? Please.
To the guy who test drove on a rainy day, at least you made it off the lot. I was in a brand new 2001 and didn't even get off the lot in it. Pretty color purple though LOL.
I also purchased a 2000 Kia Sephia, and it has already been in the shop over 7 times, and I take excellent care of my car! Had to get new brake shoes, pads, rotors, had to have the horn replaced, the driver's door doesn't lock correctly, so I took that to the shop and now after about a month it is broken again... The problems are continuous!! Had a collapsed lifter replaced on my engine, as it was making a horribly loud ticking noise, and on... and on.. and on! I still have 1 1/2 years of payments to make on my 4 year lease, and I can't even get a dealer to buy out my lease!! A major Rip off!! Would never recommend buying one to anyone!! A total piece of work!!!
That's nothing I test drove a 1996 Kia Sephia from the local dealership and in a 20 min time span the dash popped up and curled back like a snake right in the center, the check engine light came on and the transmission wouldn't shift couldnt go any faster than 20mph, the car was $3995 the very next day I drove buy the lot it was sitting in the very back with 500 cash on the windshield. keep in mind this car only had 55,000 miles on it-
I have a 1994 KIA. It has been falling apart ever since. The sun visor clip is broken. The locks have gotten stuck where I couldn't even open the door. The car makes a clicking noise and cuts off a lot. I was told by a mechanic that all Kia's are defective when they leave the manufacturer, and eventually they will fall apart. That made me feel warm and fuzzy inside. I would not recommend a KIA. Stick to Honda's or Acura's.
Nakia.
What is the price if I wanted less cash payment?
We bought a 2000 sephia and have none of the problems listed in previous comments, we love our Kia and 3 years later still do! Last week just bought a Kia Spectra GSX and added it to our Kia family of cars!
We have had our '99 KIA Sephia for a while now, and it's been a great car. With a little over 60k on the clock the warranty just went out. We are considering trading her in on an '04 Spectra GS/GSX. There have only been a couple of times that we had to take her to the shop, but that great KIA warranty kept my money in my pocket. I hope whatever you drive is as good to you.
I have a 1996 Kia Sephia which I bought in September 2001, and have had few problems with it. The biggest problem I have had is that I recently had to pay around $1700 in replacing the clutch, front axle (which was my fault), water pump, alternator, and having the timing belt changed. While I did cringe quite a bit at having to pay this, up till now it has been a very dependable car. Through three winters in the rockies, I have had no problems with cold starting or anything.
It seems that Kias are hit or miss. Based on that alone, it would be hard to recommend a Kia to anyone.
I bought a 2000 KIA Sephia in 2000. It was brand new with only 11 miles on it. Within a few months time the weather strip around one of the back doors peeled off. So I took it to the dealer it was repaired. I was a little put off by this, but they fixed it. A month or so later the other back door's weather strip came off. Back to the dealer I went. No complaints from me because I didn't have to pay. Well after several (6) more times of this I had to pay because it was no longer under warranty. I contacted Kia to no avial. They tried to put it back on the dealer as if he made the doors the way they are. The groove the strip fits into does not go far enough down the door.
I only had a couple of months when I had to replace the brake pads and they seem to wear down quickly. The glove box broke a year or so ago and I had to get something replaced where my gear shift (it's an automatic)not too long after having it. The dealer said I must have spilled coke in it. I smiled as I let him know I didn't drink coke in my car at that time. It was brand new noone drank anything in my car.
Something had to be replaced on the engine) sorry not mechanically inclined) but the light kept coming on and this was within a few months of having it.
The engine light is now on and it moves as if there is a problem with the transmission. The car is 4 years old and I assumed it would it least last 5 years most new cars do.. and a lot longer. KIA won't listen when I try to complain. It is as if they look at these as isolated incidents. I would never recommand anyone buying a KIA. I am sure they have had enough time now and the cars are better made. But to not acknowledge that they did have problems and it was hit or miss early on doesn't seem like a good honest business practice to me.
I am sure it would cost money to repair or fix these early mistakes, but this would get them loyal customers. This is not the first web site I have found about KIA cars and problems so I know it is not just an issolated incidence.