- Vehicles
- 251,594
- Built between
- Mar 1998 – Nov 2000
- Models
- 2
- Recall type
- Vehicle
- Initiated by
- NHTSA investigation
- Owners notified
- 16 August 2004
- Repaired
- Not reported
- Unrepaired
- Not reported
Does this affect my vehicle?
This recall covers vehicles built between March 1998 and November 2000. If yours was built outside that window, it is not part of this recall.
- 1999-2000 Kia SephiaBuilt June 1998 to July 2000
- 1999-2000 Kia SportageBuilt March 1998 to November 2000
What the defect is
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.
What could happen
The latch can then pull out of the buckle when tension is applied.
What gets fixed
DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLES. THE RECALL BEGAN AUGUST 16, 2004.
Timeline
- Vehicles builtMarch 1998 to November 2000
- Recall reported to NHTSA24 June 2004
- Owners notified16 August 2004
Your rights
A safety recall repair is free. Under US federal law the manufacturer must fix a safety defect at no cost to you — no charge for parts, labor or diagnosis — whether or not you are the original owner. A dealer cannot charge you for recall work, and cannot require you to have bought the vehicle from them.
That entitlement is not unlimited. It applies where the vehicle was first sold less than 15 years before the recall was announced — 5 years for tires. Past that a manufacturer may still do the repair free of charge, and many do, but they are no longer obliged to. This recall was reported on 24 June 2004.
To arrange the repair, contact any franchised dealer for the brand. If a dealer refuses the work or tries to charge for it, you can report that to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/recalls or on 1-888-327-4236.
Manufacturer contact
Owners should contact kia at 1-800-333-4542.
Official source
- Manufacturer's recall number
- SC039
- Recalling manufacturer
- KIA MOTORS AMERICA, INC.
- Recall initiated by
- ODI
Everything on this page — the models listed, the build dates and the repair figures — comes from the manufacturer's filing to NHTSA and describes the vehicle line as a whole, not any individual car. Only the manufacturer can confirm whether a specific vehicle is affected, and whether its recall work has already been carried out. Check yours by VIN and read the official notice at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Additional 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).
Check your own vehicle
This page describes the recall, not any one car. To see which recalls cover a specific vehicle, search by make, model and year.
A VIN lookup here identifies your vehicle and shows recalls issued for that make, model and year. It cannot tell you what is still open on your individual car - only the manufacturer knows that. Search by VIN instead, or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov for whether a recall is still open on your individual car.