2007 Kia Spectra Interior & seats Problems

THE AIR BAG LIGHT ON THE DASH ALONG WITH THE "PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG OFF" LIGHTS CAME ON AND STAYED ON DURING A 1 HOUR TRIP AS WE WERE MOVING TO OUR NEW APARTMENT. LUCKILY WE DID NOT HAVE VERY FAR TO MOVE WHEN THIS SUDDEN SAFETY HAZARD AROSE AS WE COULD NOT MOVE A PASSENGER TO THE BACK SEAT. THE SENSOR DID NOT RECOGNIZE MY WIFE AT A LITTLE OVER 110 LBS. NOR MYSELF AT OVER 175 LBS. AFTER TAKING IT TO THE LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP, WE WERE INFORMED THAT THE OCS MAT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED WITH A COST OF AROUND $1100 FOR PARTS AND $230 FOR THE LABOR. IT TOOK ABOUT A WEEK TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10745528

Incident

Jul 27, 2015

Mileage

111,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA SPECTRA. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT CUSHION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10715846

Incident

Feb 1, 2015

Mileage

118,000 mi

MY INDICATOR ON MY DASH BOARD FOR AN AIRBAG PROBLEM CAME ON, UPON TAKING IT TO A MAINTENANCE SHOP THEY FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS DUE TO A SENSOR GOING BAD IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. AFTER THEY CALLED MULTIPLE PLACES, INCLUDING THE LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP REGARDING THIS PROBLEM, THEY INFORMED ME THAT THIS IS A RECURRENT ISSUE IN MY KIA MODEL, SO MUCH TO THE POINT THAT A SEAT MAY ONLY BE ATTAINED FROM THE MANUFACTURER WITH A PROLONG WAITING TIME BECAUSE OF THE HIGH DEMAND FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THEM DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. AFTER RESEARCHING ONLINE, MANY DIFFERENT SOURCES HAVE CONFIRMED THIS TO BE TRUE, WHY IS THIS NOT A RECALL? THE PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG SENSOR MODULE CLEARLY HAS A FAULT, RENDERING IT TO HAVE A SHORT LIFE SPAN, THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. IF IT HAD GONE BAD WHILE I WAS DRIVING WITH SOMEONE IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, AND HAPPENED TO ENCOUNTER AN ACCIDENT, THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED. NOT TO MENTION THAT THE SEAT MODULE ITSELF IS BY NO MEANS AN INEXPENSIVE PART, CONSUMERS SHOULD NOT BE EXPECTED TO PAY FOR A PROBLEM THAT WAS GUARANTEED TO GO BAD AFTER A SHORT TIME, IF THAT WAS THE CASE IT SHOULD BE STATED UPON THE PURCHASE OF THE CAR FROM THE DEALERSHIP. *TR

NHTSA ID

10706009

Incident

Apr 1, 2015

Mileage

113,000 mi

THE DOORS LOCK AGAIN IMMEDIATELY AFTER UNLOCK. THIS HAPPENS ALMOST ALL OF THE TIME. THE LOCKS ALSO LOCK AND UNLOCK REPEATEDLY WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10559013

Incident

Jul 1, 2009

Mileage

23,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NONE OF THE SEAT BELTS IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE LOCKED. ALSO, THE LOCKS ON ALL THE DOORS LOCKED INDEPENDENTLY WHICH CAUSED THE CONTACT'S INFANT CHILD TO BECOME LOCKED INSIDE THE VEHICLE ALONE. THE FAILURES RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

10496700

Incident

Feb 6, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARK HE ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE DOORS FROM THE EXTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE WITH THE KEY FOB. THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE DOORS BEGAN TO LOCK AND UNLOCK INDEPENDENTLY SIMULTANEOUSLY. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT IN SOME OCCASIONS THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THREE DIFFERENT DEALERS FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHO WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE THIRD TIME THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER THE TECHNICIAN SUGGESTED THE DOOR LOCK MODULE ON BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE DOOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.

NHTSA ID

10478411

Incident

Oct 3, 2011

Mileage

20,000 mi

EXPERIENCING SAME PROBLEM AS BELOW, BELIEVE THAT SENSORS ARE IDENTICAL PARTS, REQUEST ASSISTANCE TO INCLUDE ALL KIA MODELS PRODUCED DURING THIS TIME PERIOD THAT ARE EXPERIENCING SAME PROBLEM. PROBLEM VERIFIED BY COLONIAL KIA, COLONIAL HEIGHTS, VA AS SEAT SENSOR ON 6 JUL 12. NHTSA HAS ISSUED THE FOLLOWING SAFETY RECALL: MAKE: KIA MODEL: RIO MODEL YEAR: 2007 MANUFACTURER: KIA MOTORS CORPORATION MFR'S REPORT DATE: MAY 29, 2012 NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 12V244000 NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: N/A COMPONENT: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10464488

Incident

Jul 6, 2012

Mileage

90,000 mi

THE POWER DOOR LOCKS HAVE NOT WORKED PROPERLY FOR OVER 2 YEARS NOW. *TR

NHTSA ID

10443177

Incident

Feb 10, 2009

Mileage

40,000 mi

MY 2007 KIA SPECTRA'S DOORS WILL RANDOMLY LOCK AND UNLOCK. THIS HAS CAUSED GREAT CONCERN BOTH IN SITUATIONS WHERE I WOULD NEED TO GET INTO MY CAR QUICKLY - FOR EXAMPLE A MUGGING OR SNOWSTORM, AND WHERE I LEAVE MY CAR PARKED IN A PUBLIC LOCATION. RESEARCH ONLINE INDICATES THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, YET KIA REFUSES TO FIX IT UNLESS THEY CAN REPLICATE THE ISSUE, AND INSTEAD TRY TO HINT THAT IT'S USER ERROR. I'VE FILMED THIS OCCURRENCE, AND MULTIPLE PEOPLE HAVE SEEN THE DOOR LOCKS "ARGUE" WITH THE FOB'S UNLOCK COMMAND. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO HONOR THE WARRANTY UNLESS THEY CAN REPLICATE IT AND TOLD ME "BRING IT BACK WHEN THE LOCKS FAIL ENTIRELY." IT IS A CONSTANT ISSUE NOW. I WILL BE TAKING IT BACK TO KIA AGAIN THIS WEEKEND. *TR

NHTSA ID

10401200

Incident

May 16, 1984

I HAVE A 2007 KIA SPECTRA AND THE KEYLESS DOOR OPENER AND LOCK SYSTEM HAS NEVER WORKED PROPERLY. THE LOCKS DON'T OPEN WHEN THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO AND LOCK WHEN THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO. I BROUGHT TO KIA DEALER BEFORE WARRANTY EXPIRED AND THEY TOLD ME THEY COULDN'T REPLICATE MY PROBLEM AND HINTED THAT I WAS NOT USING THE BUTTONS CORRECTLY. WELL AT AROUND 60,450 MILES I STARTED MY CAR TO GET THE HEAT ON, I TOOK OFF THE KEYLESS ENTRY DEVICE AND CLOSED THE DOOR TO LET MY CAR WARM UP. I DID NOT LOCK THE DOOR USING THE BUTTON ON THE KEYLESS DEVICE, BUT THE DOOR LOCKS LOCKED AUTOMATICALLY WITH MY CAR ON. NO WAY WOULD THAT KEYLESS ENTRY DEVICE ALLOW ME TO GET BACK IN THE CAR. IT WAS 11:00 PM, COLD, LUCKILY SOME FRIENDS REMAINED WITH ME AND TRIED TO GET IN THE CAR WITH COAT HANGARS AND OTHER DEVICES TO NO AVAIL. EVENTUALLY I HAD TO CALL A LOCKSMITH, TO GET IN WHICH COST $50, HOWEVER ALL THE TRYING TO GET IN DAMAGED BOTH THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER DOOR MECHANISMS SO NOW I HAVE THE EXPENSE OF GETTING THIS FIXED, WHICH KIA SHOULD HAVE FIXED BEFORE THE WARRANTY RAN OUT. I TRIED FOR AN HOUR PRESSING THE BUTTONS ON THE KEYLESS ENTRY, THE DOORS WOULDN'T OPEN, THE TRUNK WOULDN'T OPEN, THE BATTERY WAS FINE IN THE KEYLESS ENTRY DEVICE, THE LIGHT WORKED LIKE IT NORMALLY WORKS BUT IT WOULDN'T OPEN THE CAR! WHAT IF GOD FORBID I HAD JUST BUCKLED A CHILD IN THE BACKSEAT AND CLOSED THE BACK DOOR AND THEN TRIED TO OPEN MY DOOR TO GET IN AND THE CAR LOCKED ITSELF. OR IF THERE WERE SOME OTHER EMERGENCY AND I COULDN'T GET IN. IN ADDITION TO THIS BEING A CONVENIENCE ISSUE I DEFINITELY THINK IT COULD ALSO BE A SAFETY ISSUE. I FEEL KIA SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING MY DAMAGED DOOR MECHANISMS, IN ADDITION TO REIMBURSING ME FOR THE LOCKSMITH. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY HELP YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO BRING TO THIS MATTER. I ALSO FEEL THAT THE DEALER DIDN'T WANT TO BE BOTHERED REALLY CHECKING OUT THE PROBLEM, BECAUSE THE WARRANTY WAS GOING TO BE UP AT 60,000 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10362997

Incident

Oct 29, 2010

Mileage

57,623 mi

INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE FAILURE ON DRIVERS SIDE DOOR LATCH ASSEMBLY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10350527

Incident

Aug 10, 2010

Mileage

76,000 mi

ON THREE OCCASIONS MY 2007 KIA SPECTRA'S ENGINE HAS RACED MADLY WHEN I WAS STOPPED WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. IT WAS ALL I COULD DO TO KEEP THE CAR FROM MOVING WITH THE BRAKE FULLY DEPRESSED. THE MOST RECENT DATE THAT IT HAPPENED WAS 7/27/2010. I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF FOR ABOUT ONE MINUTE AND WHEN I RESTARTED IT THE ENGINE WAS OK. AROUND XMAS 2009, THE SAME THING HAPPENED WHEN I WAS STOPPED IN TRAFFIC. I TRIED MOVING THE GEAR SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND PARK AND TURNING IT OFF SEVERAL TIMES TO NO AVAIL. I FINALLY PUT IT IN DRIVE AND LET IT INCH FORWARD AND SUDDENLY THE RACING STOPPED. AT THAT TIME I REMOVED THE CAR MAT AND HAVE NOT USED THE MAT SINCE THEN. TODAY I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER TO BE CHECKED OUT. THEY TELL ME THEY CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. THEY CHECKED THE ERROR CODES IN MEMORY AND GAVE ME A LISTING OF THE CODES. THEY TELL ME NONE OF THE CODES RELATE TO WHAT I EXPERIENCED. THE ONLY OTHER PROBLEM THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED WAS THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR NOT LATCHING. I WOULD SLAM THE DOOR AND IT WOULD POP BACK OPEN AGAIN. I DEPRESSED THE LOCK AND UNLOCK BUTTONS ON THE REMOTE SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THE DOOR WOULD LATCH. *TR

NHTSA ID

10346401

Incident

Jul 27, 2010

Mileage

53,752 mi

THE FLOOR MAT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF MY 2007 KIA SPECTRA WILL NOT REMAIN ANCHORED. ALTHOUGH I'M WRITING THIS COMPLAINT IN 2009, THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN 2007. I RECENTLY BROUGHT THE CAR IN TO THE DEALERSHIP TO FIX THE DOOR LOCKS (WHICH LOCK ON THEIR OWN IMMEDIATELY AFTER YOU UNLOCK THEM) AND I BROUGHT MAT ISSUE TO THE ATTENTION OF THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHILE THERE. THEY PROCEEDED TO PUSH THE MAT BACK INTO THE ANCHOR (LIKE I HAVEN'T TRIED THAT HUNDREDS OF TIMES IN THE LAST TWO YEARS?), BUT IT WAS OUT AGAIN WITHIN A DAY - SO THEY HAVE NOT FIXED THIS NOR APPEAR TO WANT TO ADDRESS IT. I VIEW THIS AS AN UNACCEPTABLE SAFETY ISSUE AND AFTER SEEING A NEWS REPORT TONIGHT ABOUT A MAJOR FATAL ACCIDENT INVOLVING A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH A TOYOTA I AM DETERMINED TO GET THIS ADDRESSED BY THE DEALERSHIP! ON THE NOTE ABOUT THE DOOR LOCKS - I WILL BE BRINGING IT BACK FOR THE FOURTH TIME TO ADDRESS THAT PROBLEM NEXT WEEK. I ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT, THAT I HAD A SAFETY CONCERN WITH MY OLD 2000 KIA SEPHIA YEARS AGO WHERE THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELT WOULDN'T STAY LATCHED IF YOU JUST TUGGED ON THE BELT A LITTLE. THE DEALERSHIP (A DIFFERENT ONE) REFUSED TO REPLACE IT (BECAUSE MY WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED) AND WANTED TO CHARGE ME HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO FIX IT. I FILED A COMPLAINT AND THE USDOT HIGHWAY SAFETY DIVISION PAID TO REPLACE THEM AS LONG AS I SENT THE OLD COMPONENTS TO THEM SO THEY COULD TEST THE LATCH. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE SEATBELTS TO BOTH FRONT SEATS WERE RECALLED AND I WENT BACK IN TO GET MY PASSENGER LATCH REPLACED UNDER THIS MASSIVE RECALL. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED TO FIND THAT KIA IS STILL NOT STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE ON SAFETY ISSUES WITHOUT HAVING TO GET REGULATORY BODIES INVOLVED! THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO RUIN CUSTOMER LOYALTY IN SOMEONE WHO GAVE THEM A SECOND CHANCE!!!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10284460

Incident

Jun 30, 2007

THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS WILL LOCK INDEPENDENTLY OF THE FOB OR DOOR BUTTON. WHEN USING THE FOB THE DOORS WILL UNLOCK AND THEN LOCK BACK INSTANTLY. I HAVE TO PLAY A 'CATCH ME IF YOU CAN' GAME, JUST TO GET INTO MY CAR. I CAN NOT EXIT THE CAR TO GET GAS WITHOUT IT LOCKING ON IT'S OWN. FIRST TIME I TURNED IT IN FOR SERVICE THE PROBLEM 'COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED'. TURNED IN SECOND TIME AND THEY ARE REPLACING THE DOOR LOCK MECHANISM. WAITING ON PARTS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10259891

Incident

Aug 15, 2007

Mileage

100 mi

WHILE FILLING UP WITH GAS, I HEARD A DISTINCT CLICK AND UPON LOOKING SAW THAT ALL OF THE CAR DOORS HAD LOCKED. MY KEYS WERE STILL IN THE IGNITION. I CALLED THE ROAD SERVICE THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE CAR AND THEY HAD IT OPEN ALMOST IMMEDIATELY FOR ME. THE DOORS HAVE LOCKED INDEPENDENTLY A FEW MORE TIMES SINCE THEN WHILE I HAVE BEEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. APPROXIMATE MILEAGE: 17,000. *TR

NHTSA ID

10238694

Incident

Jul 26, 2008

Mileage

17,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE AND SHUT THE DOOR WITH THE KEYS STILL IN THE IGNITION. AFTER A FEW SECONDS, ALL OF THE DOORS LOCKED AUTOMATICALLY WITH HER 11 MONTH OLD CHILD STILL IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT'S FATHER USED A SLIM JIM TO OPEN THE DOOR. SHE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER, BUT WAS UNABLE TO SPEAK WITH A REPRESENTATIVE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 12,769. UPDATED 09/13/08. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING. UPDATED 09/16/08.*JB

NHTSA ID

10231497

Incident

Jun 18, 2008

Mileage

12,769 mi