Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2008 Kia Spectra submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 61 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 61, in the owner's own words
The passenger air bag has failed. The dash light stays on due to issue and the air bag itself stays off per the light on the airbag on/off alert. I contacted the dealership who quoted me over $100 just to take a look at it, but was told this seems to be an issue with Spectras that they see pretty commonly.
THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR STARTED FAILING WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR IN 2017 AND HAS SINCE COMPLETELY FAILED, WHICH HAS CAUSED THE AIRBAG LIGHT TO TURN ON. THE KIA DEALERSHIP WANTS TO CHARGE $140 TO RUN AN AIRBAG DIAGNOSTIC AND FROM WHAT I HAVE RESEARCHED, I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE SEAT, WHICH MAY COST MORE THAN THE VALUE OF THE CAR. MY CONCERN AT THIS POINT IS WHETHER OR NOT ANY OF THE AIRBAGS WILL BE DEPLOYED IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION.
YES SO MY AIR BAG LIGHT WHEN I GOT THE CAR WAS OFF AN IT JUST POPPED UP COUPLE WEEKS AGO! I HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO TRY TO FIX IT AN STILL IS ON. I EVEN BROUGHT A NEW DRIVER SEAT AN IT STILL DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. MY BE HOPE HAS BEEN PARKED SINCE THE AIR BAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ON.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE A PASSENGER IN THE VEHICLE TRAVELLING AT 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS HIT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE BY ANOTHER VEHICLE AS A RESULT THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE AIR BAGS AS WELL AS THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE PASSENGER AND THE DRIVER OF HER VEHICLE SUSTAINED BACK, HEAD AND ARM INJURES WHILE THE DRIVER SUSTAINED NECK AND BACK INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE OCCUPANTS OF THE OTHER VEHICLE SUSTAINED NO INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CAR WAS DRIVABLE AS THE AIR BAGS FAILED DEPLOY HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE 185,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.*DT*JB*DT*DT*JB
DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON
AIR BAG LIGHT (RED WARNING LIGHT) STARTED TO STAY ON CONSTANTLY. THIS MEANS THAT AIR BAG WILL PROBABLY NOT DEPLOY IN CASE OF CRASH (TO BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE WHEN SEARCHING ON GOOGLE ABOUT THIS ISSUE). BEFORE THIS LIGHT TURNED ON (RED LIGHT ON AIR-BAG), I EXPERIENCED AN ISSUE WITH "PASSENGER AIR-BAG OFF" LIGHT STAYING ON - DESPITE SOMEONE IS PRESENT ON PASSENGER SEAT (MEANING THAT AIR-BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY AS COMPUTER IS NOT SENSING ANYBODY SEATING THERE). I WOULD NEED TO STOP-BY ON ROAD SIDE, THEN TURN VEHICLE OFF COMPLETELY, ASKED A PERSON ON PASSENGER SEAT TO GO OUT - WAIT FOR A WHILE - AND THEN RESTART THE VEHICLE AND REQUEST A PERSON TO GET BACK ON SEAT. LATER ON, THIS WAY NO LONGER WORKING. COMPUTER RESET NO LONGER WORKING. FRIENDS WARNED ME THAT - IT IS SIGN OF AIR-BAG SYSTEM FAILURE AND KIA SHOULD GET IT FIXED (IT COMES UNDER SAFETY). THIS ISSUE IS CONSTANT IRRESPECTIVE IF VEHICLE IS STATIONARY OR IN MOTION.
MY AIRBAG LIGHT IS STAYING ON WHEN OCCUPIED. I'M AT ALMOST 60,000 MLS. THOUGHT I SAW SOMETHING ABOUT A RECALL SOMETIME AGO SO L WAS SURPRISED THAT I COULDN'T FIND ANY CONSIDERING THE COMPLAINTS L'VE BEEN SEEING. I DON'T HAVE TO MANY PASSENGERS AS MY CHILDREN WERE ALWAYS IN BACK AND JUST STARTED RIDING IN FRONT. SO I'M NOT SURE HOW LONG IT COULD HAVE BEEN GOING ON. JUST WANTED TO LET SOMEONE KNOW ANOTHER 08' S LIGHT IS LIT. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 KIA SPECTRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES WHILE APPROACHING A RED LIGHT. THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN, AND THE STEERING AND BRAKES FAILED. THE VEHICLE CROSSED THE INTERSECTION AND CRASHED INTO THE REAR DRIVER SIDE OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE BRAKE AND STEERING LIGHTS INDICATORS REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. TWO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA SPECTRA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE OCS SENSOR MAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED DUE TO PART UNAVAILABILITY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
TAKATA RECALL I AM CHECKING ON MY 2008 KIA SPECTRA AND THE AIR BAGS. MY CAR HAS BEEN WRECKED 3 TIMES. ONE OF THOSE ACCIDENTS MY DAUGHTER SLID OFF THE ROAD IN A SNOW STORM AND HIT A TREE. WITH ALL THREE ACCIDENTS THE AIR BAGS NEVER WENT OFF. WAS JUST CONCERNED. I SEE NO RECALLS ON THE AIR BAGS. I'VE ATTACHED PICTURES OF THE ACCIDENT.
MY CAR KIA LIGHT ON FAILURE AIR BAG
AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON WHEN TURNING ON CAR AND STAYED ON. WAS INSPECTED BY MECHANIC. WAS TOLD SENSOR IN THE PASSENGER SEAT WAS BROKEN AND SEAT MAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BY KIA FOR $1600. MILEAGE ON CAR AT TIME OF INSPECTION BY MECHANIC WAS 72,544 AND WAS INSPECTED ON 12/19/2015
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN A PASSENGER MOVED A CERTAIN WAY IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING REMAINED ILLUMINATED WITHOUT A PASSENGER IN THE SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT HAD FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED BY THE DEALER THAT THE PASSENGER SEAT AND AIR BAG SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.
THE PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT WILL NOT COME ON ANYMORE WHILE THE AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON IN THE DASH BOARD. I CALLED MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP IN NAPLES, FL WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR AND ASKED HOW MUCH IT WOULD BE TO HAVE IT CHECKED. THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WOULD $120 TO HOOK IT UP TO THE COMPUTER AND IF ANYTHING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, THEY WOULD INCLUDE IT IN THE PRICE. I ALSO ASKED IF THEY HAD ANY COMPLAINTS AND THEY SAID NO AND THAT SINCE IT WAS A "SECONDARY SAFETY SYSTEM" IT DID NOT REALLY NEED TO BE REPLACED. I LOOKED ONLINE TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE HAD COMPLAINTS LIKE MINE AND FOUND ALMOST 100 COMPLAINTS. SOME STATING THAT DEALERSHIPS WERE TELLING THEM IT WOULD BE $1200-$1700 TO HAVE THE ENTIRE SEAT REPLACED. ALSO READ THAT ONE WAS TOLD THAT "EITHER THE AIR BAG WILL NOT GO OFF IN AN ACCIDENT, OR IT WOULD RANDOMLY GO OFF GOING DOWN THE ROAD". WITH THE AMOUNT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME THING, I AM SURPRISED THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL. I REFUSE TO PAY THAT KIND OF MONEY FOR SOMETHING THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD FIX.
DASHBOARD AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED, AND NOTHING I TRIED--SCANNER, CALLING THE DEALER, AND INSPECTING IT MYSELF--SEEMS TO BE ADDRESSING THE ISSUE. I SEE MULTIPLE PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING SIMPLER SYMPTOMS. THE LIGHT ILLUMINATES AS USUAL UPON IGNITION AND SHUTS OFF AS NORMAL. IT THEN COMES BACK ON AROUND 10 TO 20 SECONDS AFTER THE CAR STARTS, AND IT DOES NOT SHUT OFF UNTIL I TURN OFF THE CAR. THE IT SOUNDS LIKE A WARRANTY ISSUE.
AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON. TIRE KINGDOM CHECKED IT AND SAID IT IS THE SUSPENSION AIR BAG. COST WOULD BE 2,700 DOLLARS.
THE PASSENGER DETECTION SENSOR IN THE PASSENGER SEAT WOULD SOMETIMES WORK ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING, OR WHILE THEY SHIFTED IN THE SEAT. THE LIGHT THAT SAYS THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WAS OFF WOULD STAY ON (MEANING THE SENSOR WOULD NOT DETECT SOMEONE IN THE SEAT) AND THE RED ERROR LIGHT ON THE DASH WOULD STAY ON. NOW THE SENSOR DOES NOT WORK AT ALL (AND HAS NOT FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS). THIS WAS AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED AND ASKING MY MECHANIC SAID I SHOULD TAKE IT TO AN UPHOLSTERER TO GET IT FIXED. THE ISSUE STILL HAS NOT BEEN FIXED DUE TO THE ESTIMATED COST.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA SPECTRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, A SECOND VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. DURING THE CRASH, THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, BUT THE DRIVER SUFFERED FIRST DEGREE BURNS ON BOTH ARMS AND RIGHT HAND FROM CHEMICALS USED IN THE AIR BAGS. THE FRONT PASSENGER ALSO SUFFERED AN INJURED RIGHT HAND AND SHOULDER FROM THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS RECEIVED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.
I WAS PROCEEDING STRAIGHT THROUGH A TRAFFIC LIGHT WHEN A PASSENGER TRUCK TURNED ILLEGALLY IN FRONT OF ME FROM THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH. THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY AS WOULD THINK IT SHOULD AT THAT SPEED. FORTUNATELY, MY SEAT BELT PREVENTED ME FROM GETTING A MORE SERIOUS INJURY. I DID RECEIVE A SEVERE BRUISE THAT TOOK MONTHS TO DISAPPEAR AND AGGRAVATED AN EXISTING BACK CONDITION. PERHAPS IT IS JUST AS WELL OR BETTER THAT THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY SINCE THE AIRBAG MAY HAVE GIVEN ME A MORE SERIOUS INJURY. FORTUNATELY, I HAD NO PASSENGER AND THE OTHER PERSON IN THE TRUCK DID NOT GET HURT. MY CAR WAS TOTALED. I AM THANKFUL TO GOD THAT I AM ALIVE TODAY....UPDATED 12/10/15 *BF
THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND THE DEALER SAIID IF WOULD COST A $100 TO TELL YOU WHAT WAS WRONG.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 KIA SPECTRA. WHILE AT A STOP, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR BRUISES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
THE AIRBAG SENSOR IN THE PASSENGER SEAT APPEARS TO BE FAILING, SIMILAR TO OTHER KIA MODELS. THE LIGHT INDICATING THE AIRBAG IS OFF IS ILLUMINATED WHEN THE VEHICLE IS OCCUPIED BY AN ADULT. *TR
THE SENSOR LIGHT TURNED ON AND DISABLED AIRBAGS. WE TOOK IT TO THE ALL STAR KIA IN BATON ROUGE OFF OF SIEGEN LANE. THEY TOLD US IT WOULD BE 1549. TO FIX IT. I CONTACTED CORPORATE OFFICE SPOKE TO [XXX] , HE TOLD ME HE WOULD SEND THE CASE TO REGIONAL OFFICE SINCE I WANTED THEM TO PAY FOR IT. THREE DAYS LATER [XXX] CALLED ME AND SAID THEY WOULD PAY FOR HALF OF THE COST, WE DECLINED HE SAID HE WOULD THEN SEND IT TO THE REGIONAL OFFICE. I REMINDED HIM HE HAD SAID THAT THREE DAYS AGO. FINALLY I REACH A [XXX] IN REGIONAL WHO WAS NOT VERY PLEASANT AND SHE SAID IT WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY, SO THEY COULD NOT PAY FOR IT. I TOLD HER I WOULD NOT LET THIS GO. TODAY 4-13-15 SHE CALLED AND LEFT A MESSAGE ON MY PHONE SAYING THAT THE DEALER WOULD PAY HALF OF THE COST AND THAT I HAD 30 DAYS TO ACCEPT. I FEEL LIKE THIS SHOULD OF BEEN A RECALL SINCE THERE ARE SO MANY CONSUMERS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM SAME MODEL CAR. THEY RECALLED 146,000 THOUSAND OTHER CARS DIFFERENT MODELS AND YEARS FOR THE SAME THING. JUST WANT THEM TO BE HONEST AND DO THE RIGHT THING. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
I HAVE A 2008 KIA SPECTRA. AT 140,000 MILES THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND HAS BEEN ON SINCE, I AM NOW AT 158,000. I HAVE READ WHERE THE SEAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, HOWEVER I DO NOT HAVE THE MEANS TO DO SO. . .UPDATED 07/21/15 *BF UPDATED 9/23/2015 *JS
AIRBAG MAT SENSOR FAILED.SEEMS TO BE VERY COMMON UNFORTUNATELY. NO ACCIDENT OR INJURY AS OF YET. *TR
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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