Kia Spectra Complaints
906 consumer complaints on file.
- #10604760June 20, 2014SERVICE BRAKES
AT MY COST I HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKE PROPORTIONING VALVE WHICH WAS CAUSING A BRAKE FLUID LEAK. APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON DANGEROUS SITUATION. PLEASE CREATE A RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE'S BRAKES COMPLETELY FAIL IN TRAFFIC. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10598800June 17, 2014STRUCTURE
THE DASH, WHERE IT MEETS THE WINDSHIELD, HAS CURLED UP AND DETACHED FROM THE DEFROSTER VENT ON THE DRIVER SIDE. THE PLASTIC DEFROSTER VENT IS ALSO CRUMBLING FROM BEING EXPOSED TO THE SUN. I CAN'T BELIEVE HOW CHEAP OF MATERIALS WAS USED FOR THIS. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10598803June 17, 2014STEERING
THE COVERING AROUND THE STEERING COLUMN HAS CRUMBLED AND IS COMING APART. I'M CONCERNED BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE IF THIS WILL AFFECT THE AIR BAG IF NEEDED. VERY POOR QUALITY OF MATERIAL WAS USED FOR THIS. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10598543June 16, 2014STRUCTURE
HEAT HAS WARPED DASHBOARD SO VENTS NO LONGER STAY SEATED. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10597960June 12, 2014FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER REFUELING, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND THE FAILURE HAD OCCURRED ONCE BEFORE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL CANISTER AND FUEL VALVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 68,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10594712May 29, 2014AIR BAGS
AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF RANDOMLY. WILL STAY ON FOR WEEKS THEN GO OFF. HAS HAPPENED SINCE PURCHASE OF CAR. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10594233May 27, 2014ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
2001 KIA SPECTRA 1.9 LT ENGINE [YES, SOME MODELS WERE MADE WITH THIS SIZE ENGINE.] CAR WAS PARKED IN DRIVE WAY JUST AFTER MIDNIGHT. NEIGHBORS CALLED FIRE DEPARTMENT AT 2:30 AM. CAR WAS NOT RUNNING. FIRE CHIEF FOUND NO EXTERNAL SOURCE OF IGNITION. FIRE CHIEF SAYS ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE, FIRE TRAVELED DOWN FUEL LINES TO GAS TANK. ENTIRE CAR BURNED. CAR IS TOTALED. FIRE CHIEF CANNOT SAY IF THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL, WIRING OR WHAT TYPE OF PROBLEM IN ENGINE. BOUGHT CAR NEW IN OCT 2001, ONE OWNER CAR. PLEASE ADVISE IF ANY OTHER OWNERS HAVE HAD SIMILAR ISSUE WITH THIS OR ANY OTHER KIA MODELS. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- Yes
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10592965May 21, 2014AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT RENTED A 2008 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, SHE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY WITH THE IMPACT. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED CONTUSIONS TO THE CHEST, RIGHT ARM AND LEFT ARM. THERE WAS ALSO INTERNAL BLEEDING FROM THE LUNGS AND AN INJURY TO THE RIGHT LEG. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS TO BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.
- Crash:
- Yes
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 1
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10593224May 21, 2014POWER TRAIN, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I LOST ALL POWER IN THE GAS PEDAL,( YOU CAN FLOOR THE PEDDLE AND IT DON'T GO OVER 2000 RPM ) ALMOST RESULTING IN A COLLISION. IT ONLY COMES ON WHEN IT WANT TO, I HAD THE CODES CHECKED AT AUTO ZONE AND THEY SAID ITS SAYING ALL THE SOLENOIDS ARE BAD. I LOOKED UP THIS PROBLEM ONLINE AND THERE ARE ALOT OF OWNERS EXPERIENCING THIS SAME ISSUE IN THE SAME YEAR, +1 AND-1, AND WITH THE SAME APPROXIMATE MILEAGE, IT SAYS THAT KIA HAS COME OUT WITH AN UPDATE TO THE TRANSMISSION COMPUTER TO REMEDY THE ISSUE, THE KIA DEALER WANTS AN OUTRAGEOUS AMOUNT TO UPDATE THE COMPUTER, WHEN DISCUSSING THIS WITH KIA CORPORATE THEY SAID WELL IF A RECALL IS ISSUED THEN WE CAN GET REFUND, BUT I DON'T HAVE THE CASH TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR, AN UPDATE SHOULD BE FREE, THEY ARE ACKNOWLEDGING THE DEFECT, THERE FOR BECAUSE OF THE DANGER IT CAN CAUSE A RECALL IS IN ORDER... *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10592215May 18, 2014SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
MY CAR WAS PARKED, IN MY DRIVEWAY, AND HAD RAN FINE THE DAY BEFORE. I WENT OUT AND STARTED THE CAR BUT COULD NOT GET THE CAR OUT OF PARK AND INTO REVERSE. I WAS UNABLE TO EVEN ROLL THE CAR A LITTLE BY PUSHING IT, WHICH INDICATES THE CAR WAS STUCK IN PARK WITH FORCE. I HAD MY NEIGHBOR COME OVER AND HE MANAGED TO, WITH A TON OF PRESSURE, PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE. SEEMS TO NOT BE AS HARD ON A FLAT SURFACE BUT MY DRIVEWAY HAS A SLANT TO IT. PUT CAR BACK IN DRIVEWAY AND TRIED TO LEAVE A COUPLE HOURS LATER AND SAME ISSUE. I HAD TO PURCHASE AAA AND HAVE SOMEBODY COME OUT TO PULL OUT OF PARK. LOOKED ON LINE AND THERE'S A TON OF RECALLS BIG MINE THE 2007 KIA SPECTRA. WHICH IS THE ONLY YEAR NOT BEING RECALLED. I WAS TOLD, BY KIA DEALERSHIP IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE BUT PET MY RESEARCH, NO IT'S NOT. THEY WANT TO CHANGE FOR REPAIR YET EVERY OTHER KIA MAKE IS RECALLED. *JS
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10592082May 17, 2014FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
REPORTING 3 ISSUES: ***FUEL SYSTEM: IN JULY 2009, ONE MONTH AFTER I PURCHASED MY USED 2007 KIA SPECTRA (46K MILES), THE VEHICLE STALLED AT IDLE/LOW RPM WHILE IN TRAFFIC ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. ONCE RESTARTED, IT CONTINUED TO STALL AT EVERY IDLE UNTIL A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FUEL WAS CONSUMED. ALMOST 5 YEARS LATER, THE PROBLEM IS ONGOING. STALLING OCCURS IF THE FUEL TANK IS FILLED (TO THE POINT OF AUTOMATIC PUMP SHUT-OFF). THE TANK HAS NEVER BEEN "TOPPED OFF". IN AUGUST 2011, THE STALLING WAS SO FREQUENT AND HAZARDOUS DUE TO TRAFFIC CONDITIONS THAT THE DRIVER HAD TO PRESS THE GAS PEDAL DOWN WHILE BRAKING IN ORDER TO RAISE RPM AND REDUCE STALLING. THE OWNER HAS HAD SOME SUCCESS IN AVOIDING THE ISSUE BY FUELING TO NO MORE THAN 80% OF TANK CAPACITY. THE REPEATED INTERMITTENT STALLING POSES AN ENORMOUS SAFETY ISSUE, ESPECIALLY ON CONGESTED ROADWAYS. ***AIR BAGS: ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, THE PASSENGER AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT HAS ILLUMINATED (INDICATING THE AIR BAG IS TURNED OFF) WHILE AN ADULT WAS SEATED. ***GEAR SHIFT AND IGNITION KEY: BEGINNING IN MAY 2012, AND IN NUMEROUS INSTANCES FOLLOWING, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO PARK. MECHANIC DISCOVERED A BROKEN SAFETY LOCK IN THE SHIFTING MECHANISM. THIS PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED, BUT OVERRIDDEN BY ACCESSING THE PLASTIC LEVER UNDERNEATH THE CONSOLE AND PULLING WITH THE LEFT HAND WHILE SHIFTING. THE IGNITION KEY GETS STUCK FREQUENTLY (4 OUT 5 USES) EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK. *JS
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10586688May 5, 2014ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
PULLING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY TO CENTER LANE AND THEN MERGING WITH TRAFFIC, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. RPMS WOULD FLARE, BUT CAR HAD NO POWER AS IF ENGINE WAS NOT GETTING FUEL. THIS WOULD HAPPEN INTERMITTENTLY. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER WHO STATED GAS HAD GOTTEN INTO AN EMISSIONS PART IN THE FUEL TAKE, STATING IT WAS CAUSED FROM OVER FILLING THE TANK. VEHICLE OWNER TOLD DEALER THAT THE TANK HAD NEVER BEEN OVER FILLED OR CAPPED OFF WHILE FUELING THE VEHICLE, SO THE PART MUST BE DEFECTIVE. VEHICLE OWNER STILL HAD TO PAY TO REPLACE CANISTER CLOSE VALVE. DEALER CLAIMED THAT RPM FLARE UP AND LOSS OF POWER WAS CAUSED FROM THE CLUTCH SLIPPING, ALTHOUGH RPM FLARE UP NEVER OCCURRED WHILE DEALER HAD THE VEHICLE. AT 100,000 ESTIMATED MILES, THE SAME FUEL VALVE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN, AND TO DATE, THE FUEL TANK HAS NEVER BEEN OVER FILLED. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10586695May 5, 2014ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STRUCTURE:BODY
ONE BLINKER LIGHT WOULD FLASH FASTER THEN THE OTHER. THE RADIO WOULD RANDOMLY SCAN STATIONS CONTINUOUSLY. BATTERY WOULD DIE. 9/28/2013 WHEN VEHICLE WAS STARTED, ALL THE LIGHTS IN THE VEHICLE BEGAN FLASHING/BLINKING AND THE CAR MADE A BUZZING SOUND. WHEN KEY WAS REMOVED THE FLASHING AND BUZZING CONTINUED FOR A MINUTE LONGER. AFTER A JUMP START THE CAR STARTED, BUT THE BLINKER LEVER WOULD NO LONGER GO DOWN TO TURN ON LEFT BLINKER. LATER THAT DAY AAA TESTED THE BATTERY WHICH WAS NO LONGER HOLDING A CHARGE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR OF OWNERSHIP: FRONT SPOILER FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND REPLACED BY PURCHASING DEALER AT NO CHARGE. ELECTRICAL ON WINDOWS WAS INTERMITTENT, KIA DEALER IN ONTARIO (THAT IS NO LONGER IN SERVICE) REFUSED TO DO REPAIRS, WHICH WERE UNDER WARRANTY, STATING THEY COULD ONLY DO OIL CHANGES ON THE WEEKENDS AND REFUSED TO PROVIDE A RENTAL CAR FOR THE REPAIR TO BE DONE DURING THE WEEK. 5/5/2014: REQUESTED A WARRANTY REPORT FOR VEHICLE FROM KIA CORPORATE AND THEY STATED THEY DO NO HAVE RECORD OF THAT INFORMATION. THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE WAS USED BY KIA FOR TESTING PURPOSES ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10586690May 5, 2014ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WINDOW CONTROLS WOULD NOT WORK INTERMITTENTLY. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A KIA DEALER WHO REFUSED TO DO REPAIRS, STATING THEY ONLY DO OIL CHANGES ON WEEKENDS. DEALER WOULD NOT PROVIDE RENTAL CAR FOR REPAIRS TO BE MADE DURING THE WEEK. AT THIS TIME, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. REPAIRS WERE NEVER MADE. AS OF 5/5/2014 WINDOWS WILL ONLY OPEN OCCASIONALLY. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10585292April 28, 2014AIR BAGS
AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING. WHEN OCCUPANT IS SEATED IN THE OCCUPANT SEAT, "AIR BAG WARNING OFF" LIGHT REMAINS. A SPECIALIST DIAGNOSED THE OCCUPANT SENSOR AS BEING DEFECTIVE, THE SAME DESIGN AND ISSUE AS IN THE 2006 KIA RIO AND KIA OPTIMA, BOTH OF WHICH HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS SAME SPECIFIC ISSUE. THE COST FOR REPAIR IS APPROX. $1600. A RECALL SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED FOR THIS ISSUE ON THE 2006 KIA SPECTRA. *JS
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10584809April 25, 2014AIR BAGS
MY AIR BAG LIGHT ON MY DASHBOARD HAS BEEN ON FOR SEVERAL WEEKS NOW. WHEN I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO BE LOOKED AT THEY SAID THAT IT WOULD COST OVER A GRAND TO REPAIR IT. THEY ALSO SAID THAT IF I DON'T REPAIR IT THE AIR BAGS COULD DEPLOY WHILE DRIVING OR THEY MAY NOT EVEN DEPLOY IF IN AN ACCIDENT. I DO NOT FEEL LIKE MY VEHICLE IS SAFE TO DRIVE. I SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS AND THAT LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT IT IS AN ERROR ON THE MANUFACTURES PART. I FEEL THAT A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM! IF THIS DOES NOT GET FIXED I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER KIA. WHY WOULD I BUY A VEHICLE IF I WON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING IT? *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10583467April 18, 2014SEAT BELTS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE PASSENGER FRONT SEAT BELT SENSOR HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,000. UPDATED 06/10/14*LJ THE CONSUMER WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR 2007 AND 2006 MODELS FOR THE SAME FAILURE. UPDATED 06/11/2014 *JS
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10577842April 7, 2014AIR BAGS
THE PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT ON THE DASH IS ON. TOOK TO MECHANIC AND THEY SAID SENSORS IN SEAT ARE BAD AND WOULD COST $1400 FOR NEW SEAT. I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AS THIS SHOULD NOT GO BAD CAR ONLY HAS A 85000 MILES ON IT. THIS MEANS THAT THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WONT WORK IN CASE OF ACCIDENT. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10578082April 7, 2014AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSED, WHO STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR AND SEAT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V431000 (AIR BAGS) BUT WAS ADVISED BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED ONE MONTH AFTER THE AFFECTED VIN RANGE OF THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE COULD NOT PASS THE STATE INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. THE CURRENT VEHICLE MILEAGE WAS 96,921.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10575457March 29, 2014LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE DOOR LOCKS BEGAN RANDOMLY NOT WORKING WHEN USING THE DOOR LOCK/UNLOCK BUTTONS ON BOTH THE DRIVER SIDE, AS WELL AS THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. THERE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE A PROBLEM WHEN USING THE KEY FOB. I MENTIONED THIS PROBLEM TO MY LOCAL KIA DEALER WHO BRUSHED IT OFF. NOW, 2 YEARS LATER, IT HAS GOTTEN WORSE. I CAN RARELY UNLOCK THE DOORS USING THE BUTTONS. I WOULD THINK THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE IF I WAS UNABLE TO GET OUT OF MY CAR IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT OR FIRE. I AM NOT SURE IF THIS WOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE CAR IS LESS THAN 10 YEARS OLD AND HAS JUST UNDER 73,000 MILES. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0