Dt: the contact owned a 1997 kia sephia. Contact's vehicle rear ended another vehicle at 35 MPH . Upon impact, the frontal air bags did not deploy.there were three occupants in the car all wearing seat belts. The rear passenger side seat belt broke . The air bag warning light had not been on in this vehicle nor was it on after the crash. One person sustained injuries because of the seat belt. She broke two ribs.
1997 Kia Sephia: seat belt won't latch or retract
7 of the 205 complaints about the 1997 Kia Sephia describe seat belt won't latch or retract.
- owner complaints
- 7
- of this car's complaints
- 3%
- recalls
- 1
Is there a fix? There is 1 recall and 2 service bulletins for this area of the car. See below
Seat belt won't latch or retract by model year
What owners say
Consumer was driving was involved in a collision head on . Seat belt broke, throwing the consumer threw the driver's windshield. Air bags did not deploy. Vehicle was totaled. *ak consumer is in a coma.
Seat belt on drivers side will come unbuckled while driving. Seat belt will not lock into anchor.
A passenger's side impact, the seatbelt lock broke apart on while I was wearing it. It wasn't smashed apart, it just broke the entire lock in about 4 pieces. Previously I had problems with the passenger side seatbelt staying locked and the one backseat lock wouldn't work, since there was no recall on those, they wouldn't fix it. I recieved multiple cuts and bruises, a few stitches and a broken kneck in two places in my cervical spine. You always want to wear your seatbelt in case an accident happens. Mine happened on my way to work, but what good did it do wearing it, since the seatbelt lock came apart?
Driver's seat belt buckle does not latch on properly,and unbuckles unexpectedly when moving around, which wont protect the occupant in event of a crash. Please provide further information and VIN#.
The accident in which the seat belt failed did not result in any damage to the rear bumper. However, even at this low speed the belt latch failed to hold my wife in place, resulting in her whiplash. At many times the latch seems to be properly latched, but with only slight pressure such as adjusting your seating position the belt will unexpectedly come undone.
During frontal impact at speeds of 46mph, the driver's side seat belt did not lock and the driver's side air bag did not deploy. *dup of 813636, added 0n 25-feb-98.
Service bulletins that may apply
Related recalls
Seat belts: front: buckle assembly
- What is wrong
- On certain passenger vehicles, the safety belt buckle may "false latch" and expose the driver to unrestrained movement during a crash.
- Risk
- In the event of a crash, the seat occupant may not be properly restrained, increasing the risk of personal injury.
- Remedy
- Owner notification began december 20, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact kia at 1‑800‑333‑4542.
Recall number 02V216000 · Recall details
Questions about the 1997 Kia Sephia seat belt
Is seat belt won't latch or retract a common problem on the 1997 Kia Sephia?
7 of 205 owner complaints about the 1997 Kia Sephia (3%) mention seat belt won't latch or retract. The model year with the most reports is 1995.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 1997 Kia Sephia?
There is 1 recall and 2 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 1997 Kia Sephia
Stalling 27No deployment 15Check engine light 11Premature wear 6Brake failure 5Grinding brakes 5Transmission failure 5Won't start 5
VIN decoder
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