2005 Kia Spectra Owner Complaints

AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT IS ACTIVATED. CAR HAS NOT SUSTAINED DAMAGE. SEAT OR SENSOR MALFUNCTION MAY CAUSE AIRBAG NOT TO DEPLOY IN CRASH.

NHTSA ID

11376926

Incident

Nov 27, 2020

Mileage

128,636 mi

VEHICLE SPEEDOMETER RANDOMLY QUITS. ALSO DASH LIGHTS ON BINACLE. THEN WILL COME BACK ON AFTER A DAY OR SO, HAVE REPLACE WITH GENUINE KIA OEM PARTS BUT STILL HAPPENS. ALSO LOOKED ON FORUMS ONLINE AND SEEMS TO BE A COMMON OCCURRENCE.

NHTSA ID

11319671

Incident

Mar 28, 2020

Mileage

88,088 mi

BAD SHAKING IN STEERING WHEEL AND SOUNDS COMING FROM FRONT END. ONLY WHEN DRIVING ON HIGHWAY

NHTSA ID

11282377

Incident

Oct 1, 2019

Mileage

160,000 mi

UPON PURCHASE, BRAND NEW OFF THE LOT IN 2005, THE SEAT BELT LIGHT ON MY DASHBOARD WAS ALWAYS COMING ON AND OFF WHEN DRIVING EVEN IF A PERSON WAS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT OR NOT. I NEVER REALLY UNDERSTOOD EXACTLY WHY OR HAD MONEY TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT PROBLEM. WHEN I WOULD TAKE IT TO THE MECHANIC, THEY WOULD ALWAYS SAY IT LOOKED NORMAL. WHEN I FINALLY WAS ABLE TO TAKE IT TO A MECHANIC SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS ISSUE, I WAS INFORMED THAT THE AIRBAG WOULD NOT DEPLOY DUE TO AN ISSUE WITH NEEDING A NEW SEAT. I HAVE HAD MY KIA SPECTRA EX FOR SOME TIME NOW, SO I HAD TO HAVE THEM SALVAGE THE SEAT FROM A SALVAGE YARD. LUCKILY, THEY WERE ABLE TO LOCATE AN OLD SEAT IN A WRECKED KIA AND IT LOOKS NICE IN MY CAR, AND THIS LIGHT SO FAR HAS NOT COME BACK ON. THE TOTAL COST WAS AROUND $2,000 AND IT WAS SAD TO PUT OUT THE CASH BECAUSE I'M A STUDENT. AFTER SEARCHING, I NOTICED ON OTHER SITES THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON TO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

11185578

Incident

Jan 1, 2016

Mileage

100 mi

SPEEDOMETER AND ODOMETER NOT WORKING WELL IT WORKS THE FIRST TIME IN THE MORNING WHEN I DRIVE AFTER I TURN CAR OFF AND GO TO DRIVE AGAIN IT WILL NOT WORK THE ENTIRE DAY. RECENTLY I HAVE MEET SOMEONE WITH EXACT MAKE AND MODEL WITH THE EXACT SAME ISSUE LITERALLY AS I DESCRIBED THE OTHER PERSON WHO I DID NOT TELL ABOUT THE PROBLEM WORD FOR WORD DESCRIBE THE SAME PROBLEM. ALSO WHEN SPEEDOMETER ISN'T WORKING THE CRUISE CONTROL ALSO WILL NITWORK. I HAVE REPLACED INPUT AND OUTPUT SPEED SENSOR , WHEEL SPEED SENSOR AND THE SPEED SENSOR WHICH WIRES BACK UP TO INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND NOTHING HAS FIXED THE ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

11151617

Incident

Jul 20, 2018

Mileage

127,089 mi

MY PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR HAS GONE BAD AND KIA IS REFUSING TO REPLACE THE SENSOR MAT FOR 2005 KIA SPECTRAS, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE AGREED TO REPLACE THE MAT FOR THE SAME MODEL CAR FROM 2007 TO 2009 SEE THE NHTSA PDF ABOUT THE 2007 MODEL YEAR RECALL: HTTPS://STATIC.NHTSA.GOV/ODI/INV/2015/INOT-PE15031-63613.PDF PLEASE SPEAK WITH KIA. THIS RECALL AGREEMENT SHOULD ALSO APPLY TO 2005 MODEL SPECTRAS. THEY ARE REFUSING TO REPLACE THE SENSOR MAT.

NHTSA ID

11131858

Incident

Sep 26, 2018

Mileage

105,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER AND THE BRAKES SEIZED. THE CONTACT HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE'S DIRECTION AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN BACK TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND PARKED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED BY A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER ISSUED ONE STEERING RECALL FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V183000 (STEERING) AND ONE TSB FOR THE AIR BAGS, BUT THERE WERE NO BRAKE OR AIR BAG RECALLS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

11120161

Incident

Jul 31, 2018

TAKATA RECALL CONTACTED LOCAL KIA AND REFERRED TO NATIONAL PHONE 1-800-333-4542 WHERE A REPRESENTATIVE (JESSICA) STATED THAT KIA DOES NOT USE TAKATA AIRBAGS ON ANY OF THEIR VEHICLES; THEREFORE, NO NEED TO REPLACE. END OF CONVERSATION.

NHTSA ID

11048657

Incident

Nov 27, 2017

THIS VEHICLE HAD AN AIR BAG RECALL AND WAS PERFORMED. OUR SERVICE DEPARTMENT SENT THIS VEHICLE (WITH A AIR BAG LAMP ON) TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE DIAGNOSIS FROM FERGUSON KIA AT TULSA OK TOLD ME THAT THE SAME COMPONENTS THAT WAS USED FOR THE RECALL ARE NOW DEFECTIVE AND CAUSING THE AIR BAG LAMP TO COME ON. I CONTACTED KIA HOTLINE 1-800-333-4542 AND FILED A CASE (CASE NO. [XXX]).A KIA REPRESENTATIVE CALLED BACK AND TOLD ME THEY WERE NOT GOING TO REPAIR OR PROVIDE THE PARTS TO REPAIR THE AIR BAG. I REQUESTED FOR KIA TO RE-EVALUATE THIS CASE. KIA NEVER CALLED BACK. NOW THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP HAS THREATEN TO HAUL THE VEHICLE AWAY OR FOR OUR DEPARTMENT TO COME AND GET THIS VEHICLE. KIA SPECTRA 5 VIN: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

11042904

Incident

Sep 11, 2017

THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON IN MY 2005 KIA SPECTRA EX. THE ERROR CODE SAVED INDICATES THE OCS SENSOR IN THE PASSENGER SEAT HAS FAILED. THERE IS AN NHTSA ACTION NUMBER (PE15031) FOR THE SAME ISSUE AND MODEL CAR BUT FOR LATER PRODUCTION YEARS. IT INDICATES THAT THE ISSUE WILL BE REPAIRED FOR UP TO 15 YEARS FROM THE DATE OF PURCHASE. WHY DOES THIS NOT COVER THE 2005 YEAR AS WELL?...UPDATED 04/20/17 *BF

NHTSA ID

10927363

Incident

May 1, 2014

Mileage

95,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING MY SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING. THEN IT WENT TO 25 MPH JUMPED TO 45 MPH. AIR CONDITIONING STOPPED AND THEN STARTED AGAIN, I WENT TO TURN LEFT AND IT LIST POWER FOR A SECOND ALMOST CAUSING ME TO BE HIT ON PASSENGER SIDE BUT REGAINED POWER AND MOVED ON. I WOULD PARK IN GARAGE AND NEXT DAY WORKING AGAIN. I WOULD PARK IN SUN AT WORK AFTER WORK SPEEDOMETER WOULD NOT WORK. NOW SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT WORK AT ALL I'M AFRAID OF GETTING A TICKET. I AM WORKING WITH A LOCAL MECHANIC THEY SCANNED IT NO CODES RELATING.

NHTSA ID

10925278

Incident

Oct 15, 2016

Mileage

87,000 mi

MY SON WAS IN A COLLISION, HE REAR ENDED SOMEONE, THE WHOLE DRIVERS SIDE IN TOTALLY CAVED IN AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.

NHTSA ID

10917679

Incident

Oct 20, 2016

Mileage

80,000 mi

IN JANUARY 2016 THIS CAR WENT INTO A SUDDEN INVOLUNTARY ACCELERATION. FIRST TIME IN EXTREMELY COLD AND ICY WEATHER. TOOK TWO FEET ON BRAKE AND IT STILL MOVED INTO THE INTERSECTION BEFORE ENGINE SLOWED DOWN. SECOND AND THIRD TIMES, IN PARKING LOTS IN WARMER CONDITIONS, IT DID THE SAME SUDDEN ACCELERATION WITH FOOT ON BRAKE. PUTTING IT IN NEUTRAL CAUSED EXTREMELY LOUD ROAR BEFORE IT SUDDENLY STOPPED. THESE ALL OCCURRED WHEN GOING FROM GAS PEDAL TO THE BRAKE. THESE WERE TERRIFYING. AND KIA DEALERSHIP MECHANICS SAY THEY CAN FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. SAID IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN EXTRA HEAVY BOOTS ON MY FEET OR MAYBE THE FLOOR MAT WEDGED UNDER PEDAL. THIS IS KIA LACK-OF-RESPONSIBILITY BULLSHIT!

NHTSA ID

10836873

Incident

Jan 28, 2016

Mileage

42,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2005 KIA SPECTRA. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS STIFF WHEN IT WAS DEPRESSED. THE BRAKES FAILED WITHOUT WARNING AND A CRASH OCCURRED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

NHTSA ID

10817098

Incident

Dec 23, 2015

Mileage

200,000 mi

ANOTHER CAR CUT IN FRONT OF ME CAUSING THE ACCIDENT. I WAS DRIVING, MY HUSBAND WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. AT THE TIME OF IMPACT, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED AS IT SHOULD WITH NO PROBLEM BUT MINE DIDN'T. THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY 3-5 SECONDS LATE, THEN EXPLODED SENDING HOT SHRAPNEL THAT INJURED ME IN SEVERAL PLACES ON MY FACE, CHEST, SHOULDERS, STOMACH AND ARMS CAUSING CUTS, BURNS, SCRAPES AND BRUISES THAT MY HUSBAND TOOK PICTURES OF AFTER THE ACCIDENT. IT WAS EXTREMELY TRAMATIC & PAINFUL. I AM STILL NOT COMPLETELY HEALED.

NHTSA ID

10763739

Incident

Jun 14, 2015

Mileage

92,000 mi

MY AIR BAG IS OFF, I WENT TO KIA AND HAD IT REPLACE THEY SAID THAT I HAVE TO REPLACE MY CAR SEAT. MY CAR SEAT IS OKAY, WHAT I WAS COMPLAINING WHY MY AIR BAG IS OFF?

NHTSA ID

10731347

Incident

Feb 10, 2015

Mileage

71,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SPECTRA. WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO PULL TO THE LEFT. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED, BUT NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,900.

NHTSA ID

10724303

Incident

Jan 10, 2015

Mileage

49,900 mi

VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY AS THEY SHOULD HAVE. MY SON RECEIVED A CONCUSSION AS A RESULT (HE WAS WEARING HIS SEATBELT). KIA HAS INDICATED THAT AIRBAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE HELP. *TR

NHTSA ID

10713696

Incident

Apr 19, 2015

Mileage

104,000 mi

DROVE TO WORK THE OTHER MORNING AND NOTICE BY LUNCH TIME THAT WHEN I STARTED TO DRIVE OUT OF DRIVEWAY IT WAS NOT SHOWING MILES I WAS TRAVELING. THIS HAD DONE IT TO ME BEFORE IN SC AND THE GOODYEAR SERVICE MAN COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. BUT IT STARTED WORKING AGAIN WHILE THEY HAD IT. HE STATED THAT HE'D HEARD THAT MY CAR WAS KNOWN TO DO THIS. BUT NOW FOR 3 DAYS I'M DRIVING BLIND ON THE FEEL. UNTIL I CAN GET SOME ONE TO LOOK AT IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10700769

Incident

Mar 19, 2015

Mileage

122,312 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SPECTRA. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, AN ABNORMAL NOISE EMITTED FROM THE REAR DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V256000 (FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 149,909.

NHTSA ID

10694776

Incident

Mar 15, 2015

Mileage

149,909 mi

WHILE STOPPED ON A SMALL HILL IN TRAFFIC, I WAS REARENDED BY A FORD TRUCK WHO WAS GOING ABOUT 35MPH. MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL FOR INJURIES TO MY KNEES AND MY NECK. I SEE THERE ARE MANY MANY MANY COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAGS. THERE DEFINITELY IS A MAJOR PROBLEM AND A RECALL SHOULD BE ORDERED. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WHICH COULD RESULT IN DEATH. ALSO MANY TIMES WHILE DRIVING MY SPEEDOMETER WILL GO TO ZERO WHILE DRIVING OR JUMP TO 100+, IN ADDITION THE RPM GAUGE WILL DO THE SAME. THIS TOO IS ALSO MENTIONED MANY TIMES CLEARLY THERE IS SOME MANUFACTURER DEFECT. I AM THE ONLY OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10659763

Incident

Sep 12, 2011

Mileage

110,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD POPPING NOISE AND IMMEDIATELY DECELERATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR TOTAL RING HAD FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,702.

NHTSA ID

10630859

Incident

Aug 23, 2014

Mileage

114,702 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10586695

Incident

Sep 18, 2013

Mileage

100,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10586690

Incident

Oct 13, 2005

Mileage

20,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10586688

Incident

Jan 20, 2010

Mileage

93,367 mi