2006 Kia Spectra Airbags Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA SPECTRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO MOVE THE VEHICLE INTO THE LEFT LANE; HOWEVER, ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS IN THE LANE. THE DRIVER QUICKLY STEERED THE VEHICLE BACK INTO THE RIGHT LANE; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE SPUN OUT OF CONTROL AND TURNED OVER ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE DRIVER'S AND FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER SUSTAINED BRUISES AND CUTS. THE PASSENGER ALSO INJURED THE LEFT HAND, WHICH REQUIRED STITCHES AND MEDICAL ATTENTION. POLICE REPORT NUMBER: 191201035 WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 162,307.

NHTSA ID

11288698

Incident

Dec 12, 2019

Mileage

162,307 mi

THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON IN MY DAUGHTERS 2006 KIA SPECTRA AT 112,000 MILES. WE ARE THE SECOND OWNER AND HAVE ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR 5 MONTHS AT THE TIME THIS OCCURRED. . I PAID $163.96 TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AT THE KIA DEALERSHIP. . I WAS TOLD THE ERROR CODE WAS B1448 OCS MAT DEFECTIVE. I WAS TOLD THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO THE FAULTY SENSOR AT A COST OF MORE THAN $1600. THIS IS THE SAME DEFECT FOR WHICH THE 06-08 KIA RIOS WERE RECALLED - NHTSA CAMPAIGN NO. 12V244000. THIS RECALL SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO INCLUDE THE SIMILAR MODEL YEAR KIA SPECTRAS AS THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FOUND. I WROTE 7 LETTERS TO KIA CORPORATE, I SPECIFICALLY WROTE TO THEIR DIRECTORS AND THOSE IN HIGHER MANAGEMENT POSITIONS LISTED ON THEIR WEBSITE. NO ONE CARED TO RESPOND BACK. THE 1-800 NUMBER LISTED FOR CONSUMER AFFAIRS CLOSED MY CASE AND SAID THAT AFTER THE 5 YEARS 60,000 MILES THE WARRANTY IS OVER AND VOID AND SAFETY ISSUES SUCH AS AN AIR BAG THAT DOESN'T DEPLOY FALLS ON THE CUSTOMER AND IS CUSTOMER RESPONSIBILITY. MY 17-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER DRIVERS THIS CAR. WE ARE THE SECOND OWNER AND HAVE HAD IT FOR 5 MONTHS. I'VE BEEN ACTIVELY WORKING TO GET THIS SAFETY CONCERN ACKNOWLEDGED BY KIA FOR A MONTH AND A HALF. CUSTOMER SAFETY ISN'T A CONCERN FOR THEM AFTER THE WARRANTY IS UP. THIS IS FRIGHTENING. . THEY OFFERED ME $150 TO GO TOWARDS THE COST OF REPAIRS. HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT IN BOTH THE CAR AND THE COMPANY. KIA NEEDS TO MAKE RIGHT ON THEIR VEHICLES. A LIFESAVING FEATURE SUCH AS AN AIRBAG SHOULD NOT HAVE AN EXPIRATION DATE. THIS IS NOT A MATTER OF CONSUMER MAINTENANCE.

NHTSA ID

11149812

Incident

Sep 24, 2018

Mileage

112,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA SPECTRA. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS STRUCK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AREA AND PASSENGER SIDE FRONT END. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A LACERATION TO THE HEAD, A BRUISED LEFT SHOULDER, BRUISED RIBS, AND BLEEDING FROM THE BREAST, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

10979055

Incident

Apr 11, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA SPECTRA. EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE OCS MAT WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,144.

NHTSA ID

10925081

Incident

Nov 8, 2016

Mileage

121,144 mi

TL* THE CONTACTS OWNS A 2006 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG INDICATOR CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE EVEN WITHOUT A PASSENGER IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THERE WERE NO RECALLS AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000.

NHTSA ID

10908399

Incident

Jan 12, 2016

Mileage

79,000 mi

AIRBAG LIGHT ON, CAR FAILED STATE INSPECTION. CAUSED BY FAULTY SENSOR.

NHTSA ID

10888560

Incident

Jul 26, 2016

THE AIRBAG LIGHT IN MY DAUGHTER'S 2006 KIA SPECTRA STAYS ON. THE PASSENGER/OCCUPANT SENSOR MAT IS DEFECTIVE. THIS PROBLEM FIRST APPEARED AT 61,000 MILES. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THE REPAIR WILL COST IN EXCESS OF $2,000, SO I CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE THIS FIXED. ALSO, THE BRAKE SWITCH IS DEFECTIVE AND ONLY WORKS INTERMITTENTLY. THIS PREVENTS THE BRAKE LIGHTS FROM ILLUMINATING.

NHTSA ID

10884940

Incident

Jul 15, 2014

Mileage

61,000 mi

THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON IN MY CAR AND DIDN'T PASS INSPECTION WAS TOLD BY MECHANIC PROBABLY UNDER RECALL...ALSO MY VEHICLE WAS INVOLVE IN A CRASH IN 2010 OR 2011 AND FRONT END WAS SMASHED IN AND NONE OF. THE AIRBAGS WENT OFF!

NHTSA ID

10874246

Incident

Jun 6, 2016

Mileage

125,000 mi

AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON AND HAS BEEN ON FOR SEVERAL MONTHS (12+). PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR IS DEFECTIVE AND WOULD COST OVER $1600 TO REPAIR. AFTER RESEARCHING SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS HAVE THE SAME ISSUE AND EVEN SOME REPORTED THAT ALL AIR BAGS HAVE NOT GONE OFF DURING AN ACCIDENT. MUST BE RECALLED IMMEDIATELY.

NHTSA ID

10863043

Incident

May 4, 2016

FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG IS ON ALL THE TIME. TOOK CAR TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT WAS CODE B1448 - OCS MAT FAILED. SOME TYPE OF SENSOR UNDER PASSENGER SEAT. WOULD COST $1,500 TO REPLACE. KIA CORPORATE OFFERED TO PAY FOR HALF OF REPAIR BUT TECHNICIAN SAID THAT THERE MIGHT STILL BE PROBLEMS WITH AIRBAG SYSTEM EVEN AFTER REPAIR. (REPLACED FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT ABOUT 18 MONTHS AGO AT SAME DEALER FOR $600 BECAUSE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ON AT THAT TIME TOO.) KIA MECHANIC WARNED THAT BECAUSE THE PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ON NONE OF THE AIRBAGS WOULD NOW WORK. THEREFORE, SEE CAR AS BEING UNSAFE TO DRIVE. BELIEVE RECALL ON AIRBAG SYSTEM IS JUSTIFIED.

NHTSA ID

10761846

Incident

Aug 3, 2015

Mileage

84,188 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2006 KIA SPECTRA. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND IT SPUN 360 DEGREES TWICE. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES THAT REQUIRED STITCHES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DEEMED DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 156,000.

NHTSA ID

10761101

Incident

Aug 17, 2015

Mileage

156,000 mi

WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT MY CAR USED EVERTHING WORKED LIKE IT SHOULD!!!! 1. FIRST THING WENT OUT WAS MY CLOCK ON DASHBOARD 2. BACK DRIVERS SIDE BRAKE LIGHT WILL NOT WORK WITHOUT REPLACING A NEW BULB EVERY WEEK 3.WINDOW ON REAR PASSENGER DOOR WILL NOT ROLL UP ON PASSENGER SIDE THE DRIVER HAS TO ROLL IT UP 4.CD PLAYER PLAYS WHEN IT WANTS TO , SOMETIMES I CANT GET CD OUT UNTIL ITS READY FOR IT TO COME OUT 5. DRIVER SIDE DOOR HAS A LEAK SOMEWHERE CAUSE WHEN IT RAINS MY FLOOR GETS WET UNDER THE DOOR 6.AIRBAG - THE AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON WHEN IT WANTS TO ALSO 7. GAS TANK - MOST OF THE TIME YOU HAVE TO PULL UP ON THE HANDLE A FEW TIMES TO EVEN GET THE GAS TANK TO OPEN MY MAIN CONCERNS IS : BRAKE LIGHT NOT WORKING AIRBAGS WINDOW I HAVE CHILDERN THAT RIDE IN MY CAR AND I WANT IT TO BE AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE

NHTSA ID

10760111

Incident

Jul 2, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2006 KIA SPECTRA. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED ON A DIRT ROAD, THE ROAD COLLAPSED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ROLL DOWN A CLIFF AND INTO A RIVER. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE CHEST AND HEAD. THE FRONT PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE CHEST, LEGS, AND HIP. BOTH OCCUPANTS REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE DRIVER AND FRONTAL AIR BAGS OPERATED NORMALLY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000. ...UPDATED09/30/15*BF

NHTSA ID

10759802

Incident

Aug 5, 2015

Mileage

180,000 mi

THE PASSANGER AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT WENT OFF AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT WENT ON AND NEVER WENT OFF. I AM WORRIED THAT IF MY CAR GETS HIT THE PASSENGER WILL GET HURT POSSIBILITY DIE.

NHTSA ID

10748226

Incident

Sep 3, 2014

80,000 MILES AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING. WHEN OCCUPANT IS SEATED IN THE OCCUPANT SEAT, "AIR BAG WARNING OFF" LIGHT REMAINS (EVEN TO THIS DATE 11/18/14). A KIA SPECIALIST, IN ASHEVILLE, NC, DIAGNOSED AS WEAR AND TEAR. ALSO, STATED THAT IT COULD BE SOMEONE NOT SITTING IN THE SEAT PROPERLY AND/OR OVER WEIGHT COULD CAUSE IT TO GO OUT. SERIOUSLY, NO ONE IN MY CAR IS OVER 190 LBS. THE SENSOR ISN'T WORKING AND THEY SAID IT WOULD BE $1800 TO REPLACE THE SEAT AND THE SENSOR. KIA KNOWS THERE ARE ISSUES WITH THE KIA SPECTRA 2006 JUST LIKE THE RIOS. AFTER RESEARCHING ON LINE AND FINDING OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUES WITH THEIR KIA'S SPECTRA 2006 AIRBAG, IT IS OBVIOUS THAT KIA HAS AIRBAG ISSUES WITH THE SPECTRA 2006 WHICH NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10659082

Incident

Jun 3, 2013

Mileage

80,000 mi

PASSAGE SIDE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON,TOOK IT TO KIA DEALER THEY CHECKED CONNECTIONS LIGHT WHEN OFF FOR A FEW MONTHS,CAME BACK ON HAD IT CHECKED AGAIN DEALER TELLS ME THEY WERE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE SENSOR IN THE SEAT,BUT THAT THE KIA SPECTRA WAS NOT PART OF A RECALL. THE RIO AND SEPHIA WERE, THE SPECTRA TOOK THE PLACE OF THE SEPHIA, SO WHY WAS THIS NOT RECALLED. THIS IS STILL A PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR CHANGING THE NAME DID NOT FIX THE AIR BAG SENSOR PROBLEM IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THERE HAS BEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS AND THE ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10649904

Incident

Mar 12, 2008

Mileage

47,000 mi

I WAS T BONED BY A 3/4 TRUCK AND THE SIDE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10618407

Incident

Jul 27, 2014

Mileage

12,990 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10585292

Incident

Nov 30, 2013

Mileage

80,000 mi

ON JANUARY 31, 2014, I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AND WAS IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION. THE OTHER DRIVER WAS AT FAULT. THE AIR BAGS IN MY 2006 KIA SPECTRA DID NOT DEPLOY! THE POLICE OFFICER ALSO DOCUMENTED THIS IN THE POLICE REPORT. I CONTACTED KIA ON FEBRUARY 1, 2014 WITH PHOTOGRAPHS AND THE POLICE REPORT. IT IS NOW MARCH 13, 2014 AND THEY HAVE NOT RESOLVED THE PROBLEM. I AM CONCERNED THAT THERE ARE OTHER KIA SPECTRA OWNERS WHO ARE UNAWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. THERE WAS NEVER A RECALL ABOUT THE AIR BAGS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10569071

Incident

Jan 31, 2014

Mileage

80,000 mi

AIR BAG LIGHT ON DRIVER SIDE TURNED ON? IT GOES ON AND OFF SPORADICALLY, DEALERSHIP WANTS UNREASONABLE REPAIR COST FOR SUCH. I BELIEVE THIS IS A DEFECT IN ELECTRICAL WARNING SYSTEM. A RECALL TO REPAIR SHOULD BE ISSUED. KIA CUSTOMERS ARE RAISING THIS ISSUE AND WE ARE NOT BEING HEARD? DO WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR A TRAGIC INCIDENT TO HAVE YOUR ORGANIZATION DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS? *TR

NHTSA ID

10556219

Incident

Dec 9, 2013

Mileage

54,000 mi

AIR BAG LIGHT WARNING LIGHT ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CAME ON, AND MECHANIC DIAGNOSED IT AS A FAULTY SENSOR IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT (ERROR CODE B1448 - OCS MAT DEFECTIVE), AND SAID THAT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED (AT A COST OF $1,600). THIS IS THE SAME DEFECT FOR WHICH 06-08 KIA RIO'S WERE RECALLED (NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V244000). THE RECALL SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO INCLUDE SIMILAR MODEL YEAR KIA SPECTRAS - THERE ARE A SIMILAR NUMBER OF NHTSA COMPLAINTS REGARDING AIRBAGS FOR THE 06 KIA SPECTRA AS 06 KIA RIO. PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED BY REPLACING THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WITH ONE FROM AN 04 KIA SPECTRA FROM AN AUTO SALVAGE YARD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10525221

Incident

Mar 1, 2013

Mileage

100,000 mi

DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON. SHOP SAID IT HAD TO DO WITH SENSOR UNDER SEAT WHICH IS PART OF THE RECALL IN THE RIO. COST ALMOST $2000 TO REPAIR AN KIA WON'T OVER IT. IF SOMETHING HAPPENS AIRBAG WON'T DEPLOY. THE SPECTRA SHOULD BE PART OF THE RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10523528

Incident

Aug 1, 2012

Mileage

30,000 mi

I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT GOING NORTH TO CROSS AN INTERSECTION. THE OTHER PARTY FAILED TO YIELD GOING SOUTHEAST AT THE SAME INTERSECTION. I DID HIT THEIR VEHICLE, DODGE HEMI RAM 1500, HEAD ON THEIR RIGHT SIDE. THE AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY WHEN IN FACT ACCORDING TO EXPERTS, IT SHOULD HAVE FOR THIS TYPE OF ACCIDENT. NOT TO MENTION THIS IS THE SECOND COLLISION THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN AND THE AIRBAG HAS NEVER DEPLOYED. THERE WAS NO SIGN OF THE AIRBAG NOT WORKING PROPERLY PRIOR TO THE INCIDENTS. DUE DO THIS, I OBTAINED A HEAD AND NECK INJURY AND THE CAR WAS TOTALED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10513013

Incident

Apr 6, 2013

Mileage

68,000 mi

DEALER STATES ISSUE WITH AIRBAG SENSOR MAT ON PASSENGER SIDE. SAME ISSUE AS RECALLED ON THE 2006 RIO. A SIMILAR SPEC SENSOR MAT IS INSTALLED ON THE SPECTRAS AS WELL AND THEREFORE A RECALL SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED ON THOSE MODELS AS WELL. FAILURE TO RECALL THESE VEHICLES BASED ON THIS ISSUE COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY TO PASSENGERS OF VEHICLE IF INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AS THE AIRBAGS WOULD FAIL TO DEPLOY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10488607

Incident

Dec 12, 2012

Mileage

91,000 mi

THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON FOR THE FIRST TIME AFTER VERY COLD WEATHER IN JANUARY 2011. WHEN WEATHER WARMED UP IN THE SPRING, THE LIGHT WENT OUT. JANUARY 2012 WHEN IT BECAME COLD AGAIN, THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON AGAIN. NOW THE LIGHT IS ON 99% OF THE TIME. IT RARELY EVER GOES OUT. ... THIS IS THE SAME THING THAT IS COVERED BY THE KIA OPTIMA 2006-2008 RECALL 12V014000. *TR ...UPDATED 09/28/15 *BF

NHTSA ID

10475604

Incident

Jan 17, 2011

Mileage

50,000 mi