The 2000 Kia Sephia is a compact car that came with a 1.8L 4-cyl engine. At 26 years old, many are reaching the point where repairs cost more than the car is worth. Running or not, we'll make you an offer and tow it away for free.
| Body style | Compact Cars |
|---|---|
| Engines | 1.8L 4-cyl |
| Transmissions | Automatic 4-spd, Manual 5-spd |
| Drive | Front-Wheel Drive |
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
| Fuel economy | 20 city / 26–29 highway / 22–23 combined MPG |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $2,900–$3,050 a year (EPA estimate at current fuel prices, 15,000 miles) |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 386–404 grams per mile |
| Versions tested by EPA | 2 configurations |
| Age | 26 years |
Specs, fuel cost and emissions from the EPA's fueleconomy.gov data. Your car's exact equipment may differ.
NHTSA lists 1 safety recall covering the 2000 Kia Sephia. Open recalls don't stop you from selling or junking the car, but check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which apply to yours.
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.
Risk: The latch can then pull out of the buckle when tension is applied.
Owners have filed 289 complaints about the 2000 Kia Sephia with NHTSA. 48 reports involved a crash and 3 reports involved a fire. Owners reported 43 injuries.
Complaints are reports from owners and aren't verified by NHTSA. One complaint can list several components. Mileage is the median odometer reading owners reported for that component.
Manufacturers have filed 15 technical service bulletins and communications with NHTSA covering the 2000 Kia Sephia. These are repair instructions for known issues, not recalls.
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: INFORMATION FOR HEADLAMP CONDENSATION AND MOISTURE - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of
PITSTOP - ENGINE COMPONENT RE-USE GUIDELINES - In general, parts and components removed during engine repairs should be considered serviceable, and should be thoroughly c
TSB: MANDATORY REPLACEMENT OF LOCKING/SECURITY HARDWARE - By design, certain fasteners, which are designed to lock into place once fully attached, are utilized in various
TSB: MANDATORY REPLACEMENT OF LOCKING/SECURITY HARDWARE - By design, certain fasteners utilized in various Kia models are strictly intended for ?one time use?. Though not
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins).
NHTSA opened 7 defect investigations covering the 2000 Kia Sephia.
Seat belt buckle false latch/malfunction
The manufacturer has initiated a safety related campaign to recall the subject vehicles for correction of the seat belt buckle defect.the corrective action is to replace the seat belts/buckles.this safety recall program has been assigned NHTSA campaign no. 04v305.
Refueling spit back
Based on the low rate of fuel spit-back incedents (14.3 incidents per 100,000 vehicles sold), a low warranty claims rate of 0.02 percent, and the lack of engineering information that would support the presence of an engineering defect, a safety-related defect trend has not been identified and further use of agency reso
Seat belt buckle false latch/malfunction
Information received and analyzed during this rq disclosed that my 1999 and 2000 Kia Sephia and sportage vehicles were equipped with modified versions of the same safety belt latch assembly as those recalled in campaign no. 02v-216.these latch assemblies were identified as type a97. Odi analyses indicate a continuing t
Refueling spit back
In june 2000, Kia notified odi of a defect condition in approximately 100,000 my 1998-99 Sephia passenger vehicles manufactured from october 17, 1997 to may 16, 1999, that could result in fuel spit back while refueling (ea99-034, recall 00v-175).according to Kia, manufacturing changes made to the onboard refueling vapo
Non-crash engine compartment fires
Odi gathered fire data from various sources and inspected subject vehicles to assess the scope and frequency of non-crash engine compartment fires caused by starter cable chafing.odi's analysis found that most of the suspect fires occurred after the vehicle had received service repairs in the area of the subject cable.
Battery cable chafing
Incorrect battery jump-start
Allege battety may explode if owner's attempt to jump-state the vehicle by following the owner's manual diagram
‹ Sell a 1999 Sephia · Sell a 2001 Sephia › · All Kia Sephia years
It depends on its condition, whether major parts like the engine, transmission and catalytic converter are still there, and current scrap and parts prices where you live. Its parts make up much of its value. Enter your ZIP code above for a free offer on your specific car.
Yes. We buy 2000 Sephias that don't start, were in an accident, failed inspection or have a blown engine or transmission. Towing is always free.
Yes. Open recalls don't prevent a junk sale. NHTSA lists 1 recall for the 2000 Kia Sephia; you can check whether any are still open on yours with the VIN lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Usually the title and a photo ID. Rules differ by state, including what to do with your plates and whether to file a notice of sale. Check our state-by-state car title guides for the official forms.
Data retrieved October 2026.
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