2007 Kia SPECTRA problems and owner complaints

PROBLEMS WITH THE FUEL TANK AND PURGE CANISTER SYSTEM. THE NORMAL OPERATION OF FUELING THE VEHICLE CAN CAUSE THE PURGE SYSTEM TO BECOME FILLED WITH FUEL. THIS CREATED A DANGEROUS SITUATION BY ALLOWING FUEL TO BE EXPELLED OR LEAK OUT OF THE TANK OR WHAT THE DEALER CALLED OVERFLOW ONTO THE FLOOR IN MY GARAGE. WE HAVE FOLLOWED THE DEALERS INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING TOPPING OFF AFTER THE INITIAL SHUTOFF OF THE GAS PUMP TO THE EXTENT OF NOT FILLING THE TANK TO CAPACITY YET THIS HAS NOT MADE ANY DIFFERENCE. NOT ONLY DOES IT PRESENT A SAFETY ISSUE WITH F…

Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10253907 at NHTSA ↗

PROBLEMS WITH THE FUEL TANK AND PURGE CANISTER SYSTEM. THE NORMAL OPERATION OF FUELING THE VEHICLE CAN CAUSE THE PURGE SYSTEM TO BECOME FILLED WITH FUEL. THIS CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO STALL AT THE MOST DANGEROUS TIMES ON THE ROAD; STOP LIGHTS, SLOWER MOVING IN TRAFFIC, IT HAS ALSO SEMI STALLED WHILE ON THE FREEWAY OR ROADWAY. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS TWO TIMES; HOWEVER, THE FIRST TIME IT WAS IN AND OUT FOR ABOUT A MONTH, IT WOULD STALL DRIVING IT OUT OF THE DEALER!! IT IS NOW IN FOR THE SECOND TIME, WITH NO END IN SIGHT. TH…

Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10287401 at NHTSA ↗

I WAS APPROX. 6 CAR LENGTHS FROM CAR IN FRONT OF ME, WHEN I HIT THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN, NOTHING HAPPENED. I CONTINUED TO HIT THE BRAKES , FORCING THEM TO THE FLOOR AND STILL NOTHING. FIRST INSTINCT WAS TO VEER TO THE RIGHT TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR BUT MY STEERING HAD A MIND OF ITS OWN, IT WOULD NOT LET ME TURN OR STOP. MY STEERING WHEEL AIR BAG DID DEPLOY CAUSING DAMAGE TO MY WRIST AND ARM. BUT THE SCARY FEELING OF TRYING TO STOP WITH NO RESPONSE WAS SCARY. ROADS WERE A LITTLE WET BUT EVEN THEN WITH THE ABS I SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PUT T…

Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10252538 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA SPECTRA. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND HEARD A REVVING NOISE COMING FROM THE GEAR SHIFTER. SHORTLY AFTER, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ACROSS THE STREET. SHE ATTEMPTED TO STEER THE VEHICLE TO AVOID DRIVING INTO A DITCH. THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL STRUCK THE GUARDRAIL, BUT THE VEHICLE STILL DID NOT STOP. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO DRIVE THROUGH BUSHES AND UP A HILL. THE SPEED FINALLY BEGAN TO DECREASE AND THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP. THERE WERE NO SERIOUS INJURIES, ONLY HEADA…

Owner-reported narrative. 4,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10279912 at NHTSA ↗

HAD A MAJOR ACCIDENT WITH MY VEHICLE, IN WHICH THE CAR ACCELERATED AND I CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE SENSOR IN FRONT OF THE CAR DIDN'T OPEN THE FRONT AIRBAG IN THE STEERING WHEEL AT ALL. THANK GOD I WAS WEARING MY SEAT BELT, IT KEPT ME FROM CRASH HEAD ON THROUGH THE WIND SHIELD. I WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED AND HAD TO BE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. WHEN I CALLED THE KIA DEALERSHIP ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPEN TO THE CAR AND THE DEFECT OF THE AIRBAGS NOT OPENING UP, THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT MANAGER GOT VERY NASTY WITH ME, LIKE THEY DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE RESPONSIBI…

Owner-reported narrative. 7,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10247654 at NHTSA ↗

2007 KIA SPECTRA WITH DEFECTIVE AUTO-OFF HEADLAMPS. CONSUMER STATES THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS CAUSED THE BATTERY TO DIE AND HIM TO NEED A JUMPSTART. HE ALSO STATES THAT THE LIGHTS WILL COME ON PERIODICALLY AND WILL SOMETIMES STAY ON. *KB THE DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER REPLACED SEVERAL COMPONENTS, INCLUDING THE IGNITION SWITCH WHICH FAILED, AS WELL AS THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10229588 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS 2007 KIA SPECTRA. THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED TWICE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE HEADLIGHTS, BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. WHEN THE HIGH BEAMS WERE TURNED OFF THEY CAUSED THE LOW BEAMS TO FAIL. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS RELATED TO THE ELECTRICAL FAILURE AND THEY ARE NOT SURE IF THE REPAIRS WILL BE COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 65,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10344264 at NHTSA ↗

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 FORW…

Owner-reported narrative. 53,752 miles reported. Look up ODI 10346401 at NHTSA ↗

IN 2008 I PURCHASED A NEW 2007 KIA SPECTRA 5 SX , IN NOVEMBER OF THAT YEAR I WAS RETURNING HOME FROM A DOCTORS APPOINTMENT AND HAD STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN, WHEN MY AUTOS ENGINE STARTED TO REVVING AND MOVING FORWARD WHILE MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, I PRESSED AS HARD AS I COULD WITH MY FOOT , BUT THAT DID NOT STOP THE CAR FROM MOVING FORWARD, THE TIRES WERE SPINNING, I THEN PUT MY OTHER FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND PRESSED AS HARD AS I COULD WAS ABLE TO SHIFT THE GEAR SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND THAT STOPPED MOVING FORWARD, BUT THE ENGINE CONTINUE…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,560 miles reported. Look up ODI 10361914 at NHTSA ↗