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NHTSA vehicle safety data

2000 Kia Sephia Recalls & Complaints

The 2000 Kia Sephia has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 266 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Kia dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2000 Kia Sephia. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

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2000 Kia Sephia owner complaints

Owners have filed 266 complaints with NHTSA about the 2000 Kia Sephia, describing incidents dated August 13, 1999 to March 31, 2022.

Most-cited components

  • Service Brakes 80 complaints
  • Power Train 44 complaints
  • Engine 42 complaints
  • Electrical System 39 complaints
  • Air Bags 29 complaints
  • Structure 15 complaints

Of the 266 complaints on file, 41 report a crash and 3 a fire; across all 266 complaints, owners report 36 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

  • ODI #11459275 · Filed

    The contact owns a 2000 Kia Sephia. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH and approaching a traffic light, the brake pedal was depressed and the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was unable to veer to the side of the road. The vehicle was able to restart…

  • ODI #11083709 · Filed

    THE SEATBELT PRETENSIONERS IS LOCKED UP & THEY (BOTH DRIVER/PASSENGER) SEATBELTS "DO NOT" REEL BACK 2 PROVIDE SECUREMENT OF THE PASSENGER(S). ALSO, THE ELECTRICAL ISSUE IS THE HORN DOES NOT WORK EVEN WHEN THERE'S A NEW FUSE & HORN. THERE'S A DEFECT IN THE STEERING WHEEL HORN BUTTON.

  • ODI #11045411 · Filed

    I 🅾WN A 2000 KIA SEPHIA & THE FRONT DRIVERS SEATBELT RETRACTS SLOW& DOES NOT LOCK. THE PASSENGER SEATBELT DOES NOT RETRACT @ ALL. ADDITIONALLY, THE PASSENGER FRONT DOOR LOCK DOES NOT LOCK AS IF THE LOCK ACTUATOR HAS SEIZED UP.

Read all 266 complaints

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2000 Kia Sephia in 7 investigations. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

2 more NHTSA investigations
Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

KIA/FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLES

NHTSA #04V305000 · Seat Belts — Front — Buckle Assembly · NHTSA notice

Reported June 24, 2004 · KIA MOTORS AMERICA, INC.

Potentially affected: 251,594 vehicles

Kia campaign SC039 · Owners notified August 16, 2004 · Vehicles built June 1, 1998 – July 31, 2000 (per NHTSA) · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation

Defect description

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLES MAY EMIT A "CLICK" SOUND DURING THE BUCKLING PROCESS THAT IS SIMILAR TO THE SOUND EMITTED WHEN A BUCKLE IS BEING LATCHED, WHEN IT IS NOT.

Safety consequence

THE LATCH CAN THEN PULL OUT OF THE BUCKLE WHEN TENSION IS APPLIED.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLES. THE RECALL BEGAN AUGUST 16, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.

Notes

KIA RECALL NO. SC039.CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Other Kia Sephia model years

Check your 2000 Kia Sephia VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Kia Sephia at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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