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 2009 Kia Spectra submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 76 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 76, in the owner's own words
THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON AND WE THINK THE OCS SENSOR MAT IS BAD. KIA HAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR VEHICLES BETWEEN THE YEARS OF 2006-2009 TO HAVE A OCS SENSOR MAT REPLACED FOR FREE FOR A PERIOD OF 15 YEARS REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE.
AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT IS ALWAYS ON EVEN IF SEAT IS OCCUPIED. IN ADDITION THE AIRBAG "OFF" MESSAGE WAS DISPLAYED NEXT TO THE CLOCK AND IS ALWAYS IN THE 'OFF', POSITION. BOTH LIGHTS REMAIN IN THAT CONDITION WHETHER THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY MODE (IN PARK) OR DRIVING IN MOTION. A SAFETY INSPECTION SHOWED A B1448 CODE.
LETTER FROM SENATOR ROBERTS RE: INQUIRY ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUTE IN REGARDS TO HER MOTHER'S 2009 KIA SPECTRA AIRBAGS DEPLOYED TOO MUCH FORCE AND INJURED HER MOTHER. *AS SEE ALSO ODI 11109673. *DSY THE CONSUMER STATED THE DRIVER DIED AS A RESULT OF INJURIES FROM THE AIRBAG DURING THE CRASH. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2009 KIA SPECTRA. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE JUMPED A CURB AND CRASHED INTO TWO FENCES, FOUR TOMBSTONES, AND A STONE PILLAR IN A CEMETERY. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE MANUFACTURER WOULD SEND A FIELD INVESTIGATOR TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
MY MOTHER REAR ENDED ANOTHER CAR ON 3-6-18. MY MOM, [XXX], DIED 3-13-18 FROM INJURIES INFLICTED BY AN AIRBAG DEPLOYING. IT BROKE ALL HER FACIAL BONES INCLUDING HER JAW. IT TORE AN ARTERY ON THE LEFT SIDE OF HER BRAIN AND BRUISED THE RIGHT SIDE OF HER BRAIN. BRAIN SURGERY WAS DONE BUT SHE COULD NOT RECOVER FROM HER INJURIES. SHE WAS DRIVING A 2009 KIA SPECTRA. I HAVE READ ARTICLES THAT KIA BAGS WILL DEPLOY WITH GREATER FORCE IN SOME ACCIDENTS. THE WRECK WAS HER FAULT. THAT DOES NOT MAKE IT OK FOR HER TO BE KILLED BY THE AIRBAG. I AM WONDERING HOW MANY PEOPLE THIS HAS HAPPENED TO. THIS IS WRONG AND SHOULD NOT HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE. PLEASE CONTACT ME AT [XXX]. THANKS [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *CC *TR *TT *TR SEE ALSO ODI 11155008. *DSY
TAKATA RECALL I OWN A 2009 KIA SPECTRA I'VE HAD IT SINCE 2014. I MOVED & ABOUT A YEAR AGO MY AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON THE CAR WAS STATIONARY I WENT TO GET CAME BACK IN MY CAR & NOTICED IT WAS ON. I DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING OF IT BECAUSE WHERE I LIVED YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO DO VEHICLE INSPECTIONS. NOT TOO LONG AFTER MY SEATBELT KEPT LOCKING & IN THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS IT COMPLETELY LOCKED ON ME. I'M IN THE PROCESS OF MOVING & I TOOK MY CAR TO GET A VEHICLE INSPECTION BECAUSE THE STATE I WILL BE LIVING IN YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO PASS INSPECTION. I WAS TOLD I WOULDN'T PASS THE INSPECTION DUE TO THE AIRBAG LIGHT BEING ON & MY SEATBELT BEING LOCKED. I CALLED SEVERAL DEALERSHIPS & THEY ARE TRYING TO MAKE ME PAY ALL THESE DIFFERENT PRICES TO FIX IT THE LEAST I'VE BEEN TOLD IS ABOUT $700 JUST TO INSTALL A NEW SEATBELT. I'M A SINGLE MOM & I CAN'T AFFORD THIS..THIS IS UNSAFE !! I WAS LOOKING UP HOW TO FIX MY SEATBELT & CAME ACROSS A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE HAVING THIS SAME ISSUE & I WANT TO KNOW IF THERE IS A RECALL BECAUSE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE FOR MY CHILD AS WELL AS MYSELF.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2009 KIA SPECTRA. WHILE DRIVING, THE CONTACT SWERVED AND LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AFTER TRYING TO AVOID A DEER. THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER AND STRUCK A TELEPHONE POLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SALVAGE YARD WHERE IT WAS DEEMED DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THERE WAS ONE INJURY THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE CONTACT SUFFERED FROM LACERATIONS TO THE TOP OF THE HEAD THAT REQUIRED SIX STAPLES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 74,000.
AIR BAG LIGHT IS MALFUNCTIONING,GOT LETTER FROM KIA SAYING IT IS UNDER WARRENTY AND DEALER WILL NOT FIX
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF INDICATOR LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED WHEN PERSON IS SITTING IN THE SEAT.
THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS CONSTANTLY ON NOW ON MY DASH NEAR MY SPEEDOMETER. IT ALSO ILLUMINATES ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AS 'ON' AND 'OFF' WHILE MY HUSBAND IS SITTING THERE. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR ABOUT A MONTH NOW FOR THE DRIVER'S DASH LIGHT, AND 2 MONTHS FOR THE PASSENGER AIRBAG INDICATOR. I'VE OWNED THIS CAR FOR 2 YEARS, NO ACCIDENTS, AND NOW A LEGALLY REQUIRED SAFETY FEATURE APPEARS TO BE MALFUNCTIONING. THAT IS A HORRIBLE INVESTMENT, AND SHOULD NOT BE LEGALLY OK.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA SPECTRA. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. PRIOR TO THE CRASH, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED HEAD AND SHOULDER INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000.
WHEN COMMUTING ON A FREEWAY GOING THE SPEED LIMIT (65) APPROACHING A BEND, A CAR SUDDENLY APPEARED AROUND THE BEND THAT WAS BROKEN DOWN IN THE LEFT LANE. UNABLE TO SWERVE BECAUSE OF A LARGE TRUCK NEXT TO ME, I SLAMMED ON MY BRAKES, ONLY TO HIT ICE AND BEGIN SPINNING UNCONTROLLABLY ON THE FREEWAY. FINALLY, THE CAR HIT COMPLETELY HEAD ON INTO A CONCRETE BARRIER AND THE SEAT BELTS LOCKED UP, CAUSING A GIANT BRUISE FROM THE IMPACT, BUT EVEN AT THE SPEED OF HITTING THIS CONCRETE BARRIER, THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AT ALL. THE CAR HAS SINCE BEEN TOTALLED AND TAKEN AWAY, BUT I FEAR FOR OTHERS SAFETY THAT THIS MAY BE AN ISSUE WITH OTHER KIA SPECTRAS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE15031 (AIR BAGS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SEAT SENSOR MALFUNCTIONED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THE OCS MAT FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC, WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE OCS MAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,755. UPDATED 04/04/16*LJ
AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON CONSTANTLY, 60000 MILES ON CAR. AFTER READING ALL COMPLAINTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ISSUE IT SEEMS TO ME IT IS A MANUFACTURER ISSUE AND A RECALL NEEDS TO BE ISSUED TO REPAIR PROBLEM.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PASSENGER SENSOR MAT AND SEAT BELT CIRCUIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 127,957.
THE LIGHT WENT ON AS THE VEHICLE PASSED 100K MILES. THE LIGHT STARTED BLINKING AS THE CAR WAS IN MOTION. NOT FOR LONG, THE LIGHT REMAINED ON SINCE THEN. WENT TO A DEALERSHIP AND THEY ESTIMATED MORE THAN 2K USD TO REPLACE THE FRONT SEAT. THEY EXPLAINED THAT THE SENSOR MAT IS ATTACHED TO THE SEAT AND TO REPLACE IT THEY NEED TO REPLACE THE WHOLE SEAT. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND I HAVE NO DOUBTS THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURING MALFUNCTION THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY THIS KIA DUE TO THE OVERWHELMING REPORTING ON THE SAME ISSUE AND THE POOR DESIGN THAT CAUSED THE MAINTENANCE PRICE TO BE SO HIGH (ALMOST HALF THE PRICE OF THE VEHICLE).
THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON. I WENT TO A KIA DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THEY NEED TO REPLACE THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AND GAVE ME AN ESTIMATE COST OF +2000 USD. AFTER DOING MY SEARCH I FOUND THAT THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE OUT THERE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM STARTED AS WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION, THE ARIBAG LIGHT STARTED BLINKING FOR A WHILE AND THEN REMAINED ON. IT IS A MANUFACTURING MALFUNCTION THAT IS CAUSING THE WHOLE ARIBAG SYSTEM TO NOT DO ITS WORK. THE COST IS TOO EXPENSIVE FOR ME TO HANDLE AND I BELIEVE THE COMPANY SHOULD FIX IT.
PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG REMAINS "OFF" EVEN WHEN OCCUPIED. TOOK TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE $1900 TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE SEAT WHICH IS WHERE THE SENSOR IS KEPT. BLUE BOOK VALUE OF THE CAR IS NOT EVEN $5000, SEEMS RIDICULOUS TO SPEND THAT MUCH FOR AN ENTIRE SEAT WHEN THE WHOLE CAR IS BARELY WORTH THAT MUCH! AS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN I FEEL LIKE KIA SHOULD BE DOING SOMETHING ABOUT THIS
SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE (BOUGHT IT USED), AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR BEGAN WORKING ERRATICALLY. WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE OVER $1500 TO FIX, THOUGHT I WAS A VICTIM OF BAD LUCK BUT READ THE OTHER COMPLAINTS ON HERE THAT SEEM TO INDICATE IT'S A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL OF KIA. WAS TOLD AIRBAGS WILL NOT WORK UNTIL THIS IS FIXED.
THE PASS. AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON WITH A LITTLE WEIGHT ON THE SEAT. I WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM WILL COST $1800 TO FIX AND THERE IS NO RE-CALL ON THIS. ALSO THEY SAID NONE OF THE AIR BAGS WILL WORK UNTIL FIXED. A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE HAVE OR HAD THIS PROBLEM.
AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. TOOK THE CAR TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP, HOOKED IT UP TO THE COMPUTER, IT WAS THE OCS SENSOR MAT. IS GOING TO COST $1000-$2000 FOR A NEW SEAT WITH A NEW OSC! THE CAR ONLY HAS ABOUT 53,000 MILES AND THE PASSENGER SEAT ISN'T/ HASN'T BEEN USED OFTEN, AS THIS IS PRIMARILY A CAR THAT I DRIVE TO WORK AND BACK BY MYSELF, ALONE. OF COURSE IT ISN'T UNDER WARRANTY! THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL KIA! SAFETY NEEDS TO MATTER!
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING SENSOR ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY AND CAUSED THE PASSNEGER SEAT TO MALFUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR AND THE PASSENGER SEAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
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
Data on this page last refreshed .