RoadVitals

2002 Kia Spectra Transmission Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Transmission reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
9
Latest Oct 5, 2009
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
10%
of 92 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 Kia Spectra submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming transmission

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Transmission
Filed Oct 5, 2009

I HAVE A 02 KIA SPECTRA AND THE TRANSMISSION WENT ON THIS VEHICLE. I ONLY HAVE 60,000 MILES ON THE CAR. I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE STILL UNDER WARRANTY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10286276
Incident
Sep 26, 2009
Mileage
59,900 mi
Transmission
Filed Apr 6, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD GRINDING NOISE WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED CONSTANTLY AND ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT RELEASE FROM THE PARK POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SERVICE DEALERS 4 TIMES; WHERE THEY DETERMINED THE TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE. ON THE FIRST VISIT, PART OF THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DIFFERENT SERVICE DEALER FOR THE SECOND VISIT WHERE THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. ON THE THIRD AND FOURTH VISITS, THE SERVICE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID
10154702
Incident
Apr 5, 2006
Mileage
40,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Jul 14, 2005

TRANSMISSON / DRIVETRAIN

NHTSA ID
10128800
Incident
Jul 12, 2005
Mileage
49,659 mi
BrakesTransmission
Filed Jun 27, 2004
Crash reported

(1)BRAKES FEEL INSUFFICIENT UNTIL PRESSED VERY HARD (2) 2 ACCIDENTS WHERE I AS THE DRIVER REAR ENDED DRIVERS (3) COMPLAINT WAS MADE TO SHOLZ KIA WHEN I WENT TO HAVE ORVR RECALL TAKEN CARE OF AND THEY STATED THE BRAKES WERE NORMAL FOR THE MODEL. ALSO: (1)OCCASIONALLY WHEN VEHICLE TRANSMISSION IS PUT IN REVERSE (2) THE CAR DRIVES FORWARD (3) I CALLED SHOLZ KIA AND CHRYSLER-PLYMOUTH-KIA OR PARAMUS AND WAS NOT TAKEN SERIOUSLY. *JB

NHTSA ID
10078880
Incident
May 5, 2004
Mileage
33,430 mi
Transmission
Filed Jul 25, 2003

TRANSMISSION: CAR WILL NOT MOVE FORWARD, ONLY REVERSE. THIS IS THE FOURTH TIME IT HAS BEEN IN FOR THIS COMPLAINT.*AK

NHTSA ID
10029142
Incident
Jul 17, 2003
Mileage
19,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Oct 30, 2002

WE HAD THE CAR ONLY 7 WEEKS WHEN THE TRANSMISSION DIED. IT HAPPENED VERY SUDDENLY, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON THEN ABOUT 30 MILES LATER IT WOULD BARELY DRIVE TO THE DEALERSHIP. DT

NHTSA ID
769081
Incident
Oct 29, 2002
Transmission
Filed Aug 6, 2002

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON, BUT WAS NOT FLASHING. FELT LIKE GEARS WERE SLIPPING. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY STATED IT WAS TRANSMISSION FAILURE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID
8015611
Incident
Aug 4, 2002
Fuel systemTransmission
Filed Jul 16, 2002

CAR WAS 4 WEEKS OLD WHEN ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON FOR THE FIRST TIME - CALLED DEALER SAID IT WAS DUE TO GAS TANK CAP. MADE APPT W/DEALER - NEXT DAY ENGINE LIGHT OFF - FOLLOWING WEEK 6/18/02 ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN IT WENT OFF BEFORE DEALER APPT. ENGINE LIGHT GOES OFF AND ON RANDOMLY. FINALLY ENGINE LIGHT REMAINS ON AT ALL TIMES. ON JULY 10 TAKE TO DEALER KEEP CAR OVER NIGHT REPLACED TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE. NEXT DAY JULY 11 HAVING TRAVELED 125 MILES ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON - AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS GEARS DID NOT SHIFT PROPERLY AT TIMES UNABLE TO ACCLERATE PAST 50 MPH - ENGINE REVVED LOCKED IN WRONG GEARS FOR SPEED TRAVELED - HAD TO PULL OVER TO SHOULDER SEVERAL TIMES TO TRY AND GET GEARS WORKING RIGHT. WITH EXCEPTION OF A FEW HOURS ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ON . SO FAR DEALER FINDS NOTHING WRONG AS ENGINE LIGHT WANT OFF MERE MINUTES BEFORE MY SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT. ALSO TRUNK RELEASE ON HATCHBACK ONLY WORKS 1/3 OF THE TIME THE REST OF THE TIME IT OPENS HALF WAY AND YOU MUST USE KEY

NHTSA ID
764327
Incident
Jul 13, 2002
Transmission
Filed Jun 2, 2002

ON TWO OCCASSIONS, THE VEHICLE HAS DROPPED OUT OF GEAR WHILE BEING DRIVEN HIGHWAY SPEEDS. OWNER PULLED OVER AND GEARS FAILED TO RESPOND AS THE SHIFT LEVER WAS MOVED FROM DIFFERENT POSITIONS EXCEPT FIRST GEAR. DEALERSHIP IS GOING TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION FOR THE SECOND TIME. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS.

NHTSA ID
8010881

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Airbags22Brakes15Seat belts9Electrical9Visibility8

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .