2005 Kia SPECTRA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
103 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
49,950 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2005 model year. Data snapshot: . 84 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 24 of 103 complaints (23.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 13 | 12.6% |
| Steering behavior | 11 | 10.7% |
| Transmission and shifting | 6 | 5.8% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 5 | 4.9% |
| Engine operation | 4 | 3.9% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 1.9% |
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 | 24 |
| Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module | 12 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 12 |
| Electrical System | 8 |
| Steering | 8 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 5 |
| Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel | 4 |
| Engine | 4 |
Air Bags: 24; Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module: 12; Vehicle Speed Control: 12; Electrical System: 8; Steering: 8; Air Bags:Frontal: 5; Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel: 4; Engine: 4
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 28 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 14 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 8 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 15 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 14 |
| 150,000 and above | 5 |
Under 25,000: 28; 25,000 to 49,999: 14; 50,000 to 74,999: 8; 75,000 to 99,999: 15; 100,000 to 149,999: 14; 150,000 and above: 5
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (28). 19 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 |
|---|---|
| 2005 | 11 |
| 2006 | 20 |
| 2007 | 6 |
| 2008 | 5 |
| 2009 | 6 |
| 2010 | 7 |
| 2011 | 10 |
| 2012 | 8 |
| 2013 | 4 |
| 2014 | 6 |
| 2015 | 7 |
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 2 |
2005: 11; 2006: 20; 2007: 6; 2008: 5; 2009: 6; 2010: 7; 2011: 10; 2012: 8; 2013: 4; 2014: 6; 2015: 7; 2016: 4; 2017: 2; 2018: 3; 2019: 2; 2020: 2
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 13 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 11 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 6 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 10134061 · 2005-08-24 (August 24, 2005)
WE BOUGHT A KIA SPECTRA 5 ON 06/18/2005, A 2005 MODEL. ON 06/19/05 THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT (WE WERE THE FIRST OWNERS, LESS THAN 100 MILES) OUR KIA DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE CAR AFTER TWO WEEKS OF TRYING TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM, ON 07/27/05, MY HUSBAND STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN AND TURNED RIGHT, THE CAR WOULD NOT COME OUT OF THE TURN (HUSBAND SAID NOTHING ON THE CAR WOULD WORK, STEERING FROZE AND BRAKES FAILED) HE THEN RAN UP ON A CURVE CAR SUSTAINED OVER 2800.00 DOLLARS WORTH OF DAMAGE TO UNDERCARRIAGE, WHEELS, DRIVE SHAFT ETC. HUSBAND SUFFERED BRUI…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,651 miles reported. Look up ODI 10134061 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10157521 · 2006-05-14 (May 14, 2006)
INFREQUENTLY, WHEN I HIT THE BRAKE, THE RPM'S WILL GO UP TO THE 7 OR 8,000 RANGE, AND I CANNOT SUCCESSFULLY STOP THE CAR; I HAVE HAD TO IMMEDIATELY PUT THE CAR IN PARK IN ORDER FOR IT TO STOP. ONE TIME I WENT THROUGHT THE INTERSECTION OF A STOP SIGN, FORTUNATELY, THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS PRESENT. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10157521 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10126542 · 2005-08-26 (August 26, 2005)
DT: CONSUMER STATED THAT THERE WAS A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL, AND WHEN SHE TRIED TO STEER THE CAR TO THE RIGHT IT CONTINUED TO GO TO THE LEFT. APPROXIMATELY FOUR HOURS PRIOR TO THIS THERE WAS A GRINDING NOISE WITH VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CAR WENT IN TO A GUARD RAIL ON SOUTHBOUND 14 FREEWAY IN PALMDALE, CA. SHE NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER. A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. ONLY THE PASSENGER CARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE REMAINED. . WHEN THE CAR HIT THE GUARD RAIL, IT WAS THROWN TO THE OTHER …
Owner-reported narrative. 1,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10126542 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10153313 · 2006-03-21 (March 21, 2006)
I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2005 KIA SPECTRA WHICH HAS A FAULTY TRANSMISSION--A FACT NOT DISCLOSED BY THE DEALERSHIP AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. A VISIT TO THE DEALERSHIP LAST WEEK REVEALED OTHER KIA SPECTRAS HAVE A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH HARD SHIFTING AND THAT KIA HAS THE MATTER "UNDER INVESTIGATION". I NEED TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO BE DONE ABOUT THE PROBLEM. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10153313 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10171586 · 2006-10-23 (October 23, 2006)
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED INTERMITTENTLY, WHILE THE PASSENGER WAS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, THE AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED, ALERTING THE DRIVER THE AIRBAG WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE SEAT AND THE WIRING HARNESS. THE PASSENGER WEIGHED 177 LBS.
Owner-reported narrative. 10,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10171586 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10184045 · 2007-03-02 (March 2, 2007)
ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, STALLING, AIR BAG LIGHT AND EVEN CAR SHUT OFF ON THE FREEWAY. AFTER ONLY TWO WEEKS THE CAR STARTED WITH ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS; THE RIGHT HEAD LAMP KEPT BURNING, THE CAR WAS AT THE SHOP FOR TWO WEEKS FOR REPAIR. ON 5/24/06 THE CAR WAS IN THE SHOP AGAIN FOR ELECTRIC PROBLEMS WITH THE AIR BAG LIGHT, THERE WAS ALREADY A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM AND THE REPAIR WAS DONE TO IT. ON 08/15/06 THE CAR WAS TAKEN IN FOR MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL AND ENGINE PROBLEMS, THE CAR HAD PREVIOUSLY STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY, HAD A STALLING PROBL…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,358 miles reported. Look up ODI 10184045 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10161783 · 2006-07-07 (July 7, 2006)
DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING OVER 40 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS , THE ENGINE HESITATED BUT DID NOT STALL. ALSO THE ENGINE RPM RAPIDLY INCREASED, WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH ON CITY ROADS OR STOPPED AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM
Owner-reported narrative. 28,760 miles reported. Look up ODI 10161783 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10173950 · 2006-11-21 (November 21, 2006)
VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN 70 MILES BEFORE PASSENGER AIRBAG SYSTEM FAILED, 1400 MILES BEFORE I DETERMINED THE STALLING PROBLEM WAS NOT OPERATOR ERROR, AND ABOUT 90 DAYS BEFORE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND FINDING A SHAKE IN THE STEERING. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE SELLING DEALER 20 TIMES WITH THE AIRBAG PROBLEM AND STEERING SHAKE UN-REPAIRED. SC0055 ON THE AIRBAG ISSUE, REPROGRAMMING THE SENSOR(S) AND REPLACING THE SEAT BOTTOM HAS NOT ELIMINATED THE PROBLEM OR FAILURES. 7 NEW TIRES HAVE BEEN INSTALLED AND BALANCED, TO INCLUDE ROAD-FORCE BAL…
Owner-reported narrative. 314 miles reported. Look up ODI 10173950 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10557669 · 2013-12-30 (December 30, 2013)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 70 MPH WHEN THE FUEL TANK STRAPS BECAME FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE STRAPS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V256000 (FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 231,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 231,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10557669 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10586688 · 2014-05-05 (May 5, 2014)
PULLING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY TO CENTER LANE AND THEN MERGING WITH TRAFFIC, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. RPMS WOULD FLARE, BUT CAR HAD NO POWER AS IF ENGINE WAS NOT GETTING FUEL. THIS WOULD HAPPEN INTERMITTENTLY. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER WHO STATED GAS HAD GOTTEN INTO AN EMISSIONS PART IN THE FUEL TAKE, STATING IT WAS CAUSED FROM OVER FILLING THE TANK. VEHICLE OWNER TOLD DEALER THAT THE TANK HAD NEVER BEEN OVER FILLED OR CAPPED OFF WHILE FUELING THE VEHICLE, SO THE PART MUST BE DEFECTIVE. VEHICLE OWNER STILL HAD TO PAY TO REPLACE CANISTER C…
Owner-reported narrative. 93,367 miles reported. Look up ODI 10586688 at NHTSA ↗