1998 Kia Sephia Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip Problems

NHTSA component category: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP · data through 07/14/2026

46Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip complaints

9.4%Of all 491 complaints

#5Most-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:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip ranks on this vehicle

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC76 · 15.5%

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS68 · 13.8%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE67 · 13.6%

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR57 · 11.6%

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP46 · 9.4%

Share of the 491 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 1998 Kia Sephia overview page.

What owners report

“WHILE APPLYING BRAKES VEHICLE WILL SHAKE BACK AND FORTH, POSSIBLY CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. DEALER HAS NO PERMISSION TO FIX VEHICLE.”NHTSA complaint 846569 — filed 09/02/1999

“TRANSMISSION WOULD MAKE FUNNY NOISES WHEN SHIFTING INTO GEAR. A NEW TRANSMISSION WAS INSTALLED. VEHICLE STILL HAVING PROBLEMS. BRAKES: WOULD SQUEAL WHEN APPLIED. HAD ENTIRE…”NHTSA complaint 839390 — filed 08/25/1999

“VEHICLE HAS PREVIOUSLY BEEN IN TWO ACCIDENTS. WHILE DRIVING ONLY 45MPH BRAKES FAILED, VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED./SWERVED AND MISSED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT.”NHTSA complaint 845327 — filed 08/18/1999

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

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 1998 Kia Sephia have service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip problems?

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip is the #5 most-reported problem area on the 1998 Kia Sephia: 46 of 491 complaints on file (9.4%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 1998 Kia Sephia have in total?

491 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 33 involved a crash, 16 involved a fire, 19 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP 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 07/14/2026.