2007 Kia Spectra Engine Problems

I purchased my 2007 Spectra5 used with 155,000 miles on it. The engine had no codes or any stored codes. It ran fine until I filled it up with gas. I DO NOT overfill the tank because I understand EVAP issues. After filling up the vehicle would stall at idle and occasionally lose power (momentarily) at highway speeds (55 mph and up). Obviously this is an extremely dangerous situation! Once the gas level got below 1/2 tank the issues went away…but now I ONLY fill the tank to halfway and the problems arise again every so often. Since there are no codes present I cannot replicate the issue without possibly damaging components further and I already replaced the battery, plugs, IAC valve, MAF sensor, and oil to try to remedy this problem. From reading other’s comments about this same problem I do not want to keep pouring money into a problem that KIA itself seems unable, and unwilling, to fix. This is extremely frustrating and dangerous as occasionally the vehicle loses all power on the highway at speeds exceeding 55mph and I feel an accident is inevitable. I’m not financially well off enough to just eat the cost of this vehicle and get a new (used) vehicle though so KIA has really put me (AND OTHER DRIVERS) in a difficult and dangerous position. As others have stated from mechanics who have tried to diagnose this issue, there may be a serious issue with the EVAP system including, but not limited to, the charcoal canister and purge valve. I will try replacing the fuel filter in the gas tank but I do not have high hopes that this will fix this problem. Once again, there are no codes present before or after these stalling/power loss problems and live data from and OBD2 scanner is within parameters for this vehicle and it’s age. I need to report this now so everyone, ESPECIALLY KIA, is aware of this issue and information.

NHTSA ID

11521552

Incident

May 5, 2023

ENGINE 💡 CAME ON IMIDIATELY AFTER PULLING OUT OF DEALERSHIP. SO I CA"ED THEM AND THEY STATED IT WASNT ANYTHING TO WORRY ABOUT. SEVERAL CUSTOMERS WERE CALLING IN ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE. THEY SAID IT WAS JUST THE CHANGE IN WEATHER AND THE GAS CAP. THEY RESET ENGINE 💡 SEVERAL TIMES. NO SOONER THAN I WOULD PULL OFF THE LOT, IT WOULD COME BACK ON. THEN I ASK THEM FOR AN AUTO CHECK HISTORY REPORT SHOWING ODOMETER DESCIIPANCIES. ROLL BACK CALCULATIONS. THE RADIATOR IS CRACKED, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE DOESN'T WORK, AND THE BRAKES AND STUFF ARE BAD.

NHTSA ID

11040492

Incident

Jul 15, 2014

AS I WAS DRIVING MY 2007 KIA SPECTRA OUT OF NOWHERE ALL MY EMERGENCY LIGHTS CAME ON AND MY CAR LOCKED UP AND TURNED OFF WHILE I WAS EXITING THE FREEWAY. THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND I COULD NOT TURN IT TO GET MY CAR OFF THE ROAD. I THEN HAD TO PUT MY CAR IN PARK TURN THE IGNITION OFF THEN RESTART IT. THIS HAS HAPPENED MORE THAN 3 DIFFERENT TIMES. ALSO AS I AM DRIVING, MY CAR STARTS TO SLOW DOWN LIKE IT STARVES FOR GAS AND I HAVE TO STEP ON THE GAS AND PUSH THE PEDAL DOWN ALL THE WAY BEFORE IT WILL EVENTUALLY PICK UP AND GO. *TR

NHTSA ID

10692572

Incident

Mar 13, 2014

ON MY WAY TO WORK I TOOK THE SAME ROUTE THAT I ALWAYS TAKE. I WAS GOING ABOUT 25MPH AND ALL OF A SUDDEN ALL OF THE LIGHTS CAME ON ( CHECK OIL, BATTERY, EMERGENCY BRAKE, TIRE PRESSURE, AIRBAG, AND CHECK ENGINE) THE STEERING WHEEL COMPLETELY LOCKED UP CAUSING MY CAR TO SWERVE RIGHT INTO A COMMUNITY MAIL BOX. MY WINDSHIELD IS BROKEN, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE IS OFF AND THE TWO PASSENGER SIDE TIRES ARE BOTH FLAT. WHEN I GOT MY CAR IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR THREE DAYS AFTER I GOT IT IT HAD STARTED DOING THIS I TOOK IT BACK AND IT WAS IN THE SHOP FOR MORE THAN 3 MONTHS. WHEN THEY HAD TOLD ME THIS PROBLEM WAS FIXED I TRUSTED THAT THEY WERE RIGHT BUT UNFORTUNATELY IT LED ME TO THIS... THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT RETURNED MY PHONE CALL AND MY INSURANCE DOES NOT COVER FOR A RENTAL CAR. I HAVE 2 CHILDREN AND MY JOB DOES NOT PAY ME ENOUGH TO JUST PAY AND GET A NEW CAR OR PAY AND HAVE THIS CAR FIXED. I AM VERY UNHAPPY WITH THE RESPONSES ABOUT THIS CAR. WHY WOULD THESE CARS BE SOLD TO PEOPLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10650399

Incident

Oct 27, 2014

Mileage

97,963 mi

I REPORTED MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ON FUEL TANK OVER FILLING, TANK WAS REPLACED BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. LOST OF POWER WHEN DRIVING AND EXHILARATION WHEN TRYING TO STOP. ALSO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH ENGINE,ENGINE WAS REPLACED BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10648265

Incident

Jun 1, 2011

I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THIS WEBSITE UNTIL I REALIZE THAT MY 2007 KIA SPECTRA EX WAS NOT ON THE LIST OF RECALL FOR BRAKE LIGHT PROBLEM. SO I STARTED SEARCH FOR REPORTING IT. I KNOW MY AFFECT PART IS ENGINE, BUT MY HUSBAND & I CAR IS FALLING APART. WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO HAVE IT FIX. THE ENGINE IS THE LAST PROBLEM WE HAVE HAD SO FAR.IT STALL IF YOU GO TOO FAST AROUND 55. IT STALL ALL THE TIME. MY HUSBAND STOP AT A RED LIGHT IT CUT OFF. I BELIEVE THE COMPANY SHOULD PAY FOR THE PROBLEMS. THEY HAD NO PROBLEM ASKING FOR A LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY FROM US. BOTH OF THE PROBLEMS I STATED ARE DANGEROUS. PLEASE HELP IN DOING SOMETHING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10507214

Incident

Dec 6, 2012

CAR TOOK ME OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND STRAIGHT INTO A TREE DEAD CENTER ROUGHLY GOING 35 MILES AN HOUR. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY!!!! HIT MY HEAD ON STEERING WHEEL. AND NOW TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF IT WAS THE DEALERSHIP SELLING DEFECTIVE CARS OR IF ITS KIA DEFECT. NOT UNDERSTANDING THIS WHOLE AIRBAG DOES NOT DEPLOY THING BECAUSE THE SAFETY GRAPH EXPLAINS 0-8 MPH AIRBAGS WILL NEVER GO OFF 8-14 MPH AIRBAGS ARE POSSIBLE BUT NOT LIKELY 14-ABOVE AIRBAGS SHOULD DEPLOY ALWAYS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10469564

Incident

Aug 5, 2012

Mileage

112,000 mi

AFTER I FILLUP GAS TANK CAR SHAKE AND DIE ON THE HIGHWAY ORLANDO FL KIA DEALER CHANGE THE CANSTAR IN THE TANK STEEL DOING THE SAME THING. IT IS VERY DANGERES NEEDS TO BE CK BY THE GOV. *TR

NHTSA ID

10449047

Incident

Feb 23, 2012

Mileage

77,712 mi

2007 KIA SPECTRA. CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE STALLS WHENEVER THE TANK IS FULL *TGW THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY CLAIMED THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY TOPPING UP, WHICH THE CONSUMER CLAIMED NEVER HAPPENED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED AGAIN WHILE DRIVING IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER, ONLY TO BE TOLD IT WAS DUE TO THE SAME PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ID

10380657

Incident

Feb 1, 2011

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER FUELING THE VEHICLE, IT WOULD BEGIN TO STALL. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 60 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER BUT THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 30,000.

NHTSA ID

10362208

Incident

Aug 12, 2010

Mileage

30,000 mi

TL*-THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA SPECTRA. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE ENTIRE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. THERE WAS A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKE POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESUME NORMALLY. THE FAILURE HAD OCCURRED ON FOUR DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,028. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 27,050.

NHTSA ID

10326454

Incident

Sep 15, 2009

Mileage

27,028 mi

AFTER FILLING THE GAS TANK TO THE FULL LINE. THE CAR OCCASIONALLY SPUTTERS AT FREEWAY SPEEDS, AND WILL CUT OFF IF IDLING FOR THAN ONE MINUTE. THE PROBLEM STOP HAPPENING AFTER THE FUEL LEVEL HAS GONE BELOW THE FULL LINE. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER. THE DEALERS SAY THERE ARE NO TROUBLE CODES IN THE COMPUTER AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. *TR

NHTSA ID

10300046

Incident

Apr 29, 2008

Mileage

12,662 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA SPECTRA. IN JANUARY OF 2009, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED. THE CONTACT TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT A BYPASS HOSE WAS LEAKING. THE HOSE WAS REPLACED AND THE ENGINE WAS CLEANED BECAUSE OIL LEAKED ALL OVER THE MOTOR. THE OIL WAS ALSO CHANGED. IN APRIL OF 2009, THE VEHICLE FAILED DUE TO OVERHEATING AND WOULD NOT START. THE DEALER STATED THAT DUE TO THE CONTACT'S LACK OF MAINTENANCE AND FAILURE TO CHANGE THE OIL REGULARLY, SHE WOULD NEED A WHOLE NEW ENGINE. THE ENGINE WAS BURNT UP AND WOULD COST $6,000 TO REPLACE. THE KIA MANUFACTURER STATED THAT BASED ON THE DEALER'S INFORMATION, THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THE ENGINE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,165.

NHTSA ID

10264476

Incident

Apr 2, 2009

Mileage

32,165 mi

I OWNED A 2007 KIA SPECTRA 5 SX THE CAR HAD AROUND 36,000 MILE ON IT. WE HAVE NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS OUT OF THE CAR THEN ON THE 10TH OF JAN 09 MY HUSBAND DROVE THE CAR TO RUN SOME ERRANDS. HE WAS SITTING AT A RED LIGHT WHEN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUGHT FIRE FOR NO APPARENT REASON AND COMPLETELY DESTROYED THE CAR. WHEN WE CALLED KIA FOR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WE WERE TOLD IT WAS AN INSURANCE MATTER AND WE WOULD HAVE TO CALL THEM. THE ONLY THING THEY HAVE OFFERED TO DO IS BUY THE CAR BACK FOR AROUND 7,000 DOLLARS WHICH IS LESS THAN MY INSURANCE COMPANY IS OFFERING AND NO WHERE NEAR WHAT THE LOAN PAY OFF IS ON THE CAR. THEY REFUSE TO DO ANYTHING ELSE. SO MUCH FOR MY 10,000 10 YEAR WARRANTY WHICH COVERED NOTHING. MY HUSBAND COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED BUT LUCKILY ESCAPED WITHOUT INJURY. I REALLY DON'T WANT THIS TO HAPPEN TO SOME ONE ELSE WITH A WORSE OUT COME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10255768

Incident

Jan 10, 2009

Mileage

36,000 mi