2004 Kia SPECTRA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
71 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
29,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2004 model year. Data snapshot: . 54 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 13 of 71 complaints (18.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 18 | 25.4% |
| Braking behavior | 7 | 9.9% |
| Steering behavior | 5 | 7.0% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 4 | 5.6% |
| Engine operation | 3 | 4.2% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 1.4% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 13 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 13 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 7 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 6 |
| Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module | 6 |
| Electrical System | 6 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 4 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 3 |
Air Bags: 13; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 13; Vehicle Speed Control: 7; Air Bags:Frontal: 6; Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module: 6; Electrical System: 6; Engine And Engine Cooling: 4; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 3
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 26 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 9 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 10 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 1 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 7 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 26; 25,000 to 49,999: 9; 50,000 to 74,999: 10; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 7; 150,000 and above: 1
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (26). 17 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 15 |
| 2005 | 16 |
| 2006 | 6 |
| 2007 | 3 |
| 2008 | 11 |
| 2009 | 4 |
| 2010 | 3 |
| 2011 | 4 |
| 2012 | 3 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2022 | 1 |
2004: 15; 2005: 16; 2006: 6; 2007: 3; 2008: 11; 2009: 4; 2010: 3; 2011: 4; 2012: 3; 2014: 1; 2015: 1; 2016: 1; 2017: 2; 2022: 1
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 18 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 7 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 5 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10082086 · 2004-07-15 (July 15, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND NO WARNING THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, WILL NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY WHEN VEHICLE IS CHANGING GEARS. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10082086 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10086219 · 2004-08-05 (August 5, 2004)
WITHOUT ANY NOTICE AT ALL, AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING, WHILE DRIVING AT ANY USUAL CITY SPEED, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT GEARS PROPERLY, CAUSING THE CAR TO STOP GAINING SPEED WHILE IN TRAFFIC. THIS SEEMS TO HAPPEN MORE WHEN IN STOP-AND-GO TYPE TRAFFIC. ALSO, THE TRANSMISSION IS VERY ROUGH, "CHOPPY" AND GEARS SLIP OFTEN. HE PASSENGER SEAT BELT WILL ALSO LOCK PERMANENTLY, WITH ONLY A REPLACEMENT FIXING THE PROBLEM.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 1,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10086219 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10092639 · 2004-09-17 (September 17, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING AND UPON PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL DOWN, THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER EIGHT TIMES. ALSO, THERE WAS VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHICH MADE A BANGING NOISE. *AK *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10092639 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10140636 · 2005-10-24 (October 24, 2005)
DT: THE CONTACT PESUMES THAT THE SPINDLE BROKE ON THE WHEEL WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH. THE VEHICLE PULLED O THE LEFT. HE PULLED OVER, CHECKED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT SPINDLE WAS BROKEN. HE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP WITH HOPES OF BUYING A NEW SPINDLE. THE CAR CAME WITH DRUM BRAKES, AND WHEN THE DEALER LOOKED UP THE VIN THE COMPUTER SHOWED THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN EQUIPPED WITH DISC BRAKES. THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO FIND A NEW SPINDLE FOR THE VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THE BRAKE ISSUE.*AK UPDATED 11/29/2005 - THE SPINDLE WAS PROVIDED BYT…
Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10140636 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10095075 · 2004-10-05 (October 5, 2004)
WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE THERE WOULD BE A HEAVY VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 1,651 miles reported. Look up ODI 10095075 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10150202 · 2006-02-14 (February 14, 2006)
PROBLEMS BEGAN OCTOBER 15, 2005 DETAILS OF PROBLEMS: 03/25/05 - A/C VENTS BROKEN - DEALER REPLACED "NOZZLE ASSY - CTR AI" 10/15/05 - CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON - DEALER STATES 'HEATER CIRCUIT MALFUNCTION' REPLACED "02 SENSOR ASSY" AND RESET CODES 10/28/05 - CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AND BATTERY WENT DEAD (I HAD IT JUMPED BY AAA)- DEALER CANNOT FIND PROBLEM 10/28/05 - EMBLEM CRACKED ON STEERING WHEEL - DEALER STATES 'FLAW IN MATERIAL' REPLACED DRIVER SIDE SRS BAG 11/29/05 - CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON - DEALER STATES P0442 GAS CAP NOT SEALING & …
Owner-reported narrative. 8,804 miles reported. Look up ODI 10150202 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10206494 · 2007-10-22 (October 22, 2007)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA SPECTRA. THE AIR BAG CONTROLLER (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) IS LOCATED DIRECTLY UNDERNEATH THE CUP HOLDERS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT LIQUID LEAKS OUT OF THE CUPS AND ONTO THE COMPUTER, WHICH CAUSED IT TO SHORT. CONDENSATION ALSO CAUSES THE COMPUTER THAT CONTROLS THE AIR BAG SYSTEM TO SHORT. THE CONTACT PREVIOUSLY REPLACED THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AT THE COST OF $800 AND NOW IT MUST BE REPLACED AGAIN DUE TO WATER ENTERING INTO THE COMPUTER SYSTEM. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10206494 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10233693 · 2008-07-09 (July 9, 2008)
MY VEHICLE SPUTTERS WHILE DRIVING. THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW INCIDENTS WHERE MY VEHICLE HAS ALMOST STALLED ON THE FREEWAY WHILE I WAS DRIVING IN FAST LANE. I HAVE TAKEN MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AT LEAST 5 TIME IN A 2 MONTH WINDOW, AND THEY CLAIM THAT THEY CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH MY VEHICLE, SO THEY ARE REFUSING TO FIX MY VEHICLE OR TAKE ALL OF THE PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES TO REPAIR MY VEHICLE. THE DEALER CLAIMS THAT SINCE THEY CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH MY VEHICLE, THEN THERE IS NOTHING THAT THEY CAN DO AND I AM JUST STUCK WITH A DEFE…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10233693 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10255094 · 2009-01-14 (January 14, 2009)
MY FIANCE'S BOUGHT A KIA SPECTRA.... I HAVE NOTICED FOR AWHILE THAT AT FREEWAY SPEEDS ITS OK... GETTING TO AND COMING DOWN FROM FREEWAY SPEEDS HOWEVER IS A INTERESTING TIME... THE CAR FOR ABOUT 2-3 SECS. REVS AND DOESN'T SLAM BUT SEEMS TO EASE INTO GEAR THEN JERKS FORWARD... PASSING OTHER VEHICLES IS NOT DONE OFTEN DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. AND WHEN GETTING ON THE OFF RAMP THE MOTOR DOWN SHIFTS AND REVS. WAY TO HIGH THEN SAME AS BEFORE EASES INTO GEAR AND JERKS BACKWARDS. THEN WHILE ON CITY STREETS THE TRANSMISSION HAS A MUCH LARGER STALL BEFORE GET…
Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10255094 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10323558 · 2010-04-02 (April 2, 2010)
FUEL TANK STRAPS RUSTING OUT. MY FUEL TANK STRAPS RUSTED OUT CAUSING ONE TO DRAG THE GROUND MAKING SPARKS! I LOOKED OVER THE CAR AND NOTHING IS RUSTED LIKE THE STRAPS, THE EXSUST IS GOOD THE HEAT SHIELD AND THE FUEL LINES ARE GOOD JUST THE FUEL STRAPS ARE SO RUSTED TO THE POINT THEY SNAPPED!
Owner-reported narrative. 116,862 miles reported. Look up ODI 10323558 at NHTSA ↗