Problems with my 1997 Kia Sephia randomly not starting...

Hi all,
Approximately 1 1/2 years ago I got this 97 Kia Sephia as my first car. It was cheap and only had 40,000 miles. Since I've owned it, I've had a recurring problem that is a bit irritating.
Probably around every 6 months, the car just refuses to start. Now, this isn't the "battery" type of not-start, I've had those and this is different. Basically it doesnt make ANY noise when I try to start it. The CD player, lights and everything else work but the engine itself never makes a noise like its starting up, not even a grind or anything though it does make a slight click. The thing is, I've never had to get this fixed. After letting it set for a day or two it will start again and then work for another 5 - 6 months before it happens again.
Pretty weird stuff, anybody have an idea of what's going on?

Thanks a lot!
Rob

this could be very well related to your starter it might either be the starter itself is binding or the wire that comes from the ignition could be loose
oh and also it could be a loose ground somewhere

You might check the battery terminal for corrosion as well. Sometimes, there's enough good contact to let everything else work properly but not enough to allow the starter to turn. This has happened to me once.

It's a long shot, but an easy thing to check.

Hi all,
Approximately 1 1/2 years ago I got this 97 Kia Sephia as my first car. It was cheap and only had 40,000 miles. Since I've owned it, I've had a recurring problem that is a bit irritating.
Probably around every 6 months, the car just refuses to start. Now, this isn't the "battery" type of not-start, I've had those and this is different. Basically it doesnt make ANY noise when I try to start it. The CD player, lights and everything else work but the engine itself never makes a noise like its starting up, not even a grind or anything though it does make a slight click. The thing is, I've never had to get this fixed. After letting it set for a day or two it will start again and then work for another 5 - 6 months before it happens again.
Pretty weird stuff, anybody have an idea of what's going on?

Thanks a lot!
Rob


Rob,

I have a 1997 Kia Sephia that I just bought. It did the same exact thing. I can't figure it out of course I don't that much about them. When I try to start it, it does nothing. The main relay in in the fuze box under the hood is clicking so I don't think it is the relay - the lights, and A/C works, and I feel the battery terminals are OK. I need help! I was thinking about taking the steering column housing off and seeing if the problem is there. Probably isn't though.

I like fastkia's suggestion that it would be a starter problem. Perhaps the solenoid on it? I would pull it off and have it checked at autozone.

Of course, you've checked your fuses and tried to jump it? Kia batteries seem to have a bit of a "hey man, gimmie an amp" complex. a weakened battery can give the apearence that all is well when it's not.

hope that may help a bit...

Rob,

I have a 1997 Kia Sephia that I just bought. It did the same exact thing. I can't figure it out of course I don't that much about them. When I try to start it, it does nothing. The main relay in in the fuze box under the hood is clicking so I don't think it is the relay - the lights, and A/C works, and I feel the battery terminals are OK. I need help! I was thinking about taking the steering column housing off and seeing if the problem is there. Probably isn't though.

Wow yes thats exactly my problem!

It's definitely not the battery, corrosion on the battery or anything like that. I'm certain of that much. I can't afford to pay shop prices but I'm going to get somebody to take a look at it on the side in the next month or so (it started working again... for now) and hopefully get it fixed.

I was looking through an old kia book at my job and found that back in 97 they had a recall that consisted of replaced the starter signal wire. I will post when I remember a free site that allows you to check on open recalls for your car. later

if I don't remember just have your kia dealer check for open recalls on your car. ("I beleive recalls are upto either 10 or 20 years") not sure

I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SAME STARTING PROBLEM TODAY ON MY 2000 SEPHIA. i DID NOTICE WHEN I WIGGLED THE AIR FILTER HOUSING I HEARD A CLICKING SOUND. THIS WOULD THEN MAKE THE CAR START OR JUST CLICK. IT SEEMS LIKE A BAD CONNECTION OR A LOOSE WIRE SOMEWHERE. IT IS NOT THE BATTERY. THE LIGHTS STILL WORK AS WELL AS THE RADIO AND EVERYTHING ELSE. BUT WHEN TURNED OVER, ONLY A SINGLE CLICK IS HEARD. I DID NOT GET TO INVESTIGATE ANY FURTHER, AS THIS IS MY MOTHERS CAR. ANY POSSIBLE FIXES, OR IF YOUR CAR ACTS THE SAME WAY, PLEASE REPLY AND LET ME KNOW.

My Kia does the same thing. I remember the first time the car did this. I was at the car wash. I parked the car to vaccum it out. I then got back in to move it up to wash it. The car would not start. So I pushed it forward and pushed it backwards. Then it started. For a while that was how I was able to get the car started when it would not start. Then that stoped working. The car does not do it all the time. Just every so often. I started to think several things and notice several things that maybe just are crap reasons. If I turn off the car too quick after parking some times it wont start when I get back in. If I park on a hill sometimes it wont start. One time I was backing up and the car just stoped and would not start. I called Kia and asked them. They said it sounds like a "Pringle" switch. Whatever that is. All I know is that they want an arm and a leg to try to figure it out. Last night 20/06/05 the car started doing something else too. Well, saturday night I stoped to get gas. The car would not start after I tried to get back on the road. I left the car there overnight and came back in the morning to get it. The car started with no problems the first try. It worked great all day Sunday. Monday night I noticed the break light was on but I was not pressing the break pedal. I also noticed that if I turn off the headlights the break lights go out too. Then when I got home I turned off the car. I step on the break pedal and the dash lights,shifter lights came on. How strange is that? Let me repeat that. I press the break pedal and it turns on the dash lights/shifter lights. I also notice when I press the break pedal I get a noise from the shifter area. Also again, I notice that when I try to start the car the break light on the dash flashes. We have Fork Trucks at work. If you try to start the fork truck when it is in forward or reverse it will not start. The is the same thing my car does. So i think there is something there telling the car that it is in gear. Another thing that use to work for me. One time I got really hot over the car not starting and I blew up and started to violently move the shifter up and down hard and fast. The car then started. I may just either sell this car or pay that million dollars they want to look at it.

Thank for reading and let me know anything if you know how to fix this problem. Thanks

that was a good point there I forgot if you have an automatic it is also very possible that if you're not hearing any clicking when you try to start the engine your (pringle) like hordak81 said which is not pringle is prndl1 get it Park Reverse Neutral etc. switch could be the problem either out of adjustment due to worn bushing on shifter or the switch itself is bad. Try moving the shifter forward and backwards a little with your foot on the brake so just incase car starts in gear if car starts check shifter bushings if bushings are good you need a "pringle" switch (most likely is gonna be shifter bushings at that point)

Here's another (somewhat scary) possibility. There's an electrical connector plugged into the transmission range ("pringle", lol) switch. If the wires on that connector aren't making good contact through to the switch itself, you may not be able to start the car. Mine's done that a lot and I open the hood and jiggle the wires to get it to start. I'm trying to find a replacement for the part but so far the only anwer is to buy a complete wiring harness.

If you can pull the connector off, use a VOM to check for continuity through the connector (measure between each wire and its corresponding pin, resistance should be nearly zero). Also, check for corrosion on the pins or on the switch body. Contact cleaner or carb cleaner will usually remove it.

I have the same problem with my 1999 sephia. I found a good website, here is the link:

http://www.kiatechinfo.com/viewer/default.asp?group=shop

you just have to enter your car's info and it takes you through the process
russw9