1997 Kia Sephia Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:rotor Problems

NHTSA component category: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR · data through 07/12/2026

23Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:rotor complaints

11.2%Of all 205 complaints

#2Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:rotor ranks on this vehicle

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE33 · 16.1%

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR23 · 11.2%

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL23 · 11.2%

Unspecified / other23 · 11.2%

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC21 · 10.2%

Share of the 205 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 1997 Kia Sephia overview page.

What owners report

“FRONT BRAKE ROTORS MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING UNEVEN WEAR AND TEAR WHICH RESULTED IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, AND COULD CAUSE A CRASH. DEALER WAS AWARE OF THE…”NHTSA complaint 858278 — filed 03/10/2000

“KIA MOTORS NEEDS TO RECALL THE BRAKE SYSTEM ON THE SEPHIA. THERE ARE WAY TOO MANY PEOPLE HAVEING PROBLEMS WITH THIER BRAKES. MY ROTORS SHOULD…”NHTSA complaint 717970 — filed 01/27/2000

“I HAVE HAD THE BRAKE ROTORS REPLACED 3 TIMES DUE TO WARPAGE, THIS CAUSES VIBRATION.”NHTSA complaint 716048 — filed 12/14/1999

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:rotor complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 1997 Kia Sephia have service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:rotor problems?

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:rotor is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 1997 Kia Sephia: 23 of 205 complaints on file (11.2%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 1997 Kia Sephia have in total?

205 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 30 involved a crash, 5 involved a fire, 28 reported injuries, and 2 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:rotor category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.