2003 Kia Spectra Brakes Problems

I NOTICED BRAKE FLUID UNDERNEATH MY CAR ONE DAY AND CHECKED MY LEVEL TO FIND THAT THERE WAS BASICALLY NO BRAKE FLUID IN THE RESERVOIR. TURNS OUT IT'S THE BRAKE PROPORTIONING VALVE. AFTER LOOKING ONLINE IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS A TREND AND HAS CAUSED ACCIDENTS PREVIOUSLY. THE MECHANIC WAS SURPRISED THAT THIS WAS INDEED THE PROBLEM AFTER CALLING AND THEN GETTING THE CAR REPAIRED. THE LEAK CAME ON SUDDENLY AND WAS FAIRLY SEVER REQUIRING THAT I ADD BRAKE FLUID AFTER EVERY SHORT DRIVE. IF I HADN'T NOTICED THIS PROBLEM I LIKELY WOULD HAVE ENDED UP REAR-ENDING SOMEONE OR WORSE. IT ALSO SEEMS TO BE PREVALENT AMONGST THE 2000-2005 MODELS.

NHTSA ID

10928686

Incident

Oct 17, 2016

Mileage

80,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10604760

Incident

Jan 1, 2013

Mileage

100,000 mi

THE BRAKE FLUID PROPORTIONING VALVE IS LEAKING FOR NO REASON. NOT A SERVICEABLE PART. MUST BE REPLACED. NOT A WEAR AND TEAR PART EITHER. VERY COMMON ISSUE WITH 2002 AND 2003 RESEARCH STATED. THANKS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10493319

Incident

Dec 19, 2012

Mileage

178,000 mi

THE CAR ALL OF THE SUDDEN STARTED LOOSING BRAKE FLUID RAPIDLY. MY PERFECTLY GOOD BRAKES WERE GOING OUT AND I ALMOST WRECKED MY CAR BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. THE KIA DEALERSHIP IN DICKINSON, TX IS CHARGING ME 300 DOLLARS + TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. I SEE THAT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH A DEFECTIVE MANUFACTURE PART. MY MECHANIC SAID THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST PROPORTIONING VALVE HE HAS SEEN COMPLETELY DESTROYED LIKE THIS IN 10+ YEARS. THIS IS HAPPENING TO THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. I HAVE WROTE ALL NEWS STATIONS ABOUT THIS AND I AM PURSUING THIS AGGRESSIVELY. YOU ALL RECALLED THE 2004-2007 PROPORTIONING VALVES THEN IT SHOULD BE FOR THE EARLIER MODELS AS WELL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10481046

Incident

Oct 4, 2012

Mileage

100,000 mi

MY BRAKE LIGHT WENT ON ( THOUGHT IT WAS PARKING BRAKE STUCK OR BRAKE MAINTENANCE TIME ) , AFTER SPENDING OVER $400 TO GET EVERYTHING REPLACED .... IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT MY PROPORTIONING VALVE WENT BAD ! LEAKING BRAKE FLUID ( HAD TO REPLACE EVERY OTHER DAY ) . WHY IS THERE NO RECALL ? *TR

NHTSA ID

10459626

Incident

May 1, 2010

Mileage

86,000 mi

2003 KIA SPECTRA; BRAKE PROPORTIONING VALVE STARTED LEAKING AROUND 90K MILES. CONTACTED THREE LOCAL DEALERS, ALL THREE STATED THAT THIS IS COMMON FOR THIS MODEL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10422808

Incident

Jun 1, 2010

Mileage

90,000 mi

2003 KIA SPECTRA 99,000 MILES. I AM HAVING TO FILL UP WITH BRAKE FLUID ONCE OR TWICE A DAY. BRAKE PROPORTION VALVE IS LEAKING. SEVERAL SITES AND COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS. WHY NO RECALL WHEN THIS IS NOT A PART THAT SHOULD ORDINARILY NEED TO BE REPLACED? *TR

NHTSA ID

10410306

Incident

Apr 1, 2011

Mileage

99,000 mi

BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR WAS LOW ? ADDED FLUID. LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AFTER DRIVING A SHORT DISTANCE. MECHANIC STATED BRAKE PROPORTIONING VALVE WAS LEAKING ON 2003 KIA SPECTRA; POTENTIAL FOR BRAKE FAILURE THAT COULD RESULT IN FATAL ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10371249

Incident

Dec 20, 2010

Mileage

80,150 mi

BRAKE PROPORTIONING VALVE LEAKING ON 2003 KIA SPECTRA, BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR WHILE BACKING UP AND RESULTED IN ACCIDENT. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM, WE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED HAD THIS HAPPEN ON THE FREEWAY. HOW LONG UNTIL SOMEONE DOES SOMETHING ABOUT IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10360347

Incident

Oct 10, 2010

Mileage

65,000 mi

I HAVE A 2003 KIA SPECTRA THAT HAS BEEN RUNNING OUT OF BRAKE FLUID ON A WEEKLY BASIS. HAD TO BUY NEW PROPORTIONING VALVE FROM THE DEALER. I'VE READ SEVERAL STORIES ABOUT THESE VALVES LEAKING. WHY HAS THERE NOT BEEN A RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10344836

Incident

Oct 8, 2009

Mileage

102,356 mi

BRAKE PROPORTIONING VALVE LEAKING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10261629

Incident

Feb 1, 2009

Mileage

114,000 mi

BRAKE PROPORTIONING VALVE LEAKING ON 2003 KIA SPECTRA. *TR

NHTSA ID

10261627

Incident

Feb 1, 2009

Mileage

114,000 mi

PURCHASED THE CAR IN MAY OF 2003, JUNE 30TH OF 2003 CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND HAD TO HAVE THE TPS REPLACED AND 3 MORE TIMES TO PRESENT. HAVE HAD MULTIPLE HEADLIGHTS REPLACED, HEATING PROBLEM, EXHAUST REPLACED. CAR IS NOW ON 46,000 HAD TRANSMISSION REPLACED (THROUGH AN ATT. FROM LEMON LAW) AT 16,000 MILES HAD TO HAVE TIRES REPLACED. AND, NOW TO DATE TIRES WERE REPLACED FOR THE 5TH TIME, BRAKES WERE DONE 4 TIMES, NOW TO FIND OUT THE REASON TIRES AND BRAKES WERE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED SO MANY TIMES IS BECAUSE THE SUSPENSION IS WAY OUT OF ALIGNMENT WHICH SEEING I HAVE HAD THE PROBLEM ALL ALONG I NOW BELIEVE IT WAS A DEFECT ALL ALONG. *JB

NHTSA ID

10174576

Incident

Jun 30, 2003

THE BRAKE PROPORTIONING VALVE IS LEAKING AND THE CAR IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP HAVING THIS REPLACED. THIS IS A 2003 KIA SPECTRA. THIS PART APPEARS TO BE A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT AS THERE ARE OTHER COMPLAINTS LISTED HERE AND ELSEWHERE. HAS THERE BEEN A RECALL AS THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT I CANNOT BELIEVE IS LIMITED TO MY VEHICLE. ALSO, THE INTERIOR COMPONENTS STARTED FALLING OFF WITHIN 6 WEEKS OF OWNERSHIP. THE CONSOLE LID BROKE, THE CAPS FOR THE GAS RELEASE LEVER AND THE TRUNK LEVER HAVE ALL COME OFF NUMEROUS TIME. THE CAR JACK SNAPPED THE FIRST AND ONLY TIME IT WAS USED TO CHANGE A FLAT TIRE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10147349

Incident

Jan 9, 2006

Mileage

52,000 mi

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH THE BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND AND THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO ANOTHER CAR.*AK UPDATED 12/27/05. *JB

NHTSA ID

10143392

Incident

Nov 8, 2005

Mileage

25,000 mi

MY DAUGHTER OWNS A 2003 KIA SPECTRA [XXX] WITH A BRAKE PROPORTIONING VALVE THAT STARTED LEAKING ABOUT A WEEK AGO AND IS SCHEDULED TO BE REPLACED. ARE THESE VALVES DEFECTIVE BECAUSE MY OTHER DAUGHTER WITH A 2002 KIA RIO [XXX] HAD THE SAME VALVE REPLACED LAST YEAR ON HER RIO. I AM CONCERNED BECAUSE THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM. *JB UPDATED 07/17/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

10143244

Incident

Nov 13, 2005

Mileage

30,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED VEHICLE VIBRATED VIOLENTLY. DEALER STATED ROTORS WERE WARPED AT 15,000 MILES. *AK

NHTSA ID

10075744

Incident

Jun 3, 2004

Mileage

15,000 mi

ABOUT A WEEK AFTER I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE I STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS. THE RUBBER WEATHER STRIP CAME OFF AND CONTINUES TO COME OFF AFTER A WEEK AFTER I BOUGHT IT. I NEEDED TO PUT OIL IN THE CAR 2 MONTHS AFTER I GO IT, IT WAS ALMOST OUT OF OIL. I WENT TO GET MY OIL CHANGED A FEW MONTHS LATER AT KIA OF COLUMBUS GA, AND ASKED WOULD THEY TOP OFF ALL FLUIDS AND THEY REPLIED YES. LESS THAN 3 WEEKS LATER I HAD TO GET MY OIL CHANGED AGAIN AND I NEEDED TRANSMISSION FLUID. I HAVE HAD A CONSTANT PROBLEM WITH MY BRAKES SQUEAKING SINCE ABOUT AFTER THE FIRST WEEK. THEY HAVE REPEATEDLY TOLD ME AT KIA OF COLUMBUS GA THAT MY BRAKES WERE FINE. MY BRAKES CONTINUE TO SQUEAK. THE LIGHT INSIDE THE CAR WHEN THE DOOR IS OPEN, COMES ON BY ITSELF WHEN ALL THE DOORS ARE CLOSED. THE LIGHT ON THE CEILING OF THE CAR HAS TO STAY IN A PERMANENT OFF POSITION, OR THE LIGHT WILL COME ON BY ITSELF. MY CAR HAS BEEN KICKING BACK WHEN YOU PUT IT IN REVERSE WHILE MAKING THIS GROANING NOISE WHEN IN REVERSE. MY SEAT BELT ALSO SEEMS TO PULL IN A LOCKED POSITION SOMETIMES WHEN I AM AT A RED LIGHT, I AM SITTING STILL, NOT MAKING ANY SHARP TURNS FOR THIS TO HAPPEN. I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS KIA SINCE I BOUGHT IT

NHTSA ID

10069743

Incident

Jul 15, 2003