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U.S. public vehicle records

Kia SPECTRA5 problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

44 owner complaints analyzed

0 distinct recall campaigns

80,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2006 to 2008 model years. Data snapshot: . 41 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 28 of 44 complaints (63.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Electrical and battery issues511.4%
Braking behavior49.1%
Fuel system concerns49.1%
Transmission and shifting36.8%
Steering behavior24.5%
Engine operation12.3%

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.

Air Bags
28
Electrical System
4
Seats
4
Unknown Or Other
4
Fuel/Propulsion System
3
Vehicle Speed Control
3
Service Brakes
2
Steering
2
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Air Bags28
Electrical System4
Seats4
Unknown Or Other4
Fuel/Propulsion System3
Vehicle Speed Control3
Service Brakes2
Steering2

Air Bags: 28; Electrical System: 4; Seats: 4; Unknown Or Other: 4; Fuel/Propulsion System: 3; Vehicle Speed Control: 3; Service Brakes: 2; Steering: 2

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
3
25,000 to 49,999
7
50,000 to 74,999
9
75,000 to 99,999
11
100,000 to 149,999
6
150,000 and above
5
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,0003
25,000 to 49,9997
50,000 to 74,9999
75,000 to 99,99911
100,000 to 149,9996
150,000 and above5

Under 25,000: 3; 25,000 to 49,999: 7; 50,000 to 74,999: 9; 75,000 to 99,999: 11; 100,000 to 149,999: 6; 150,000 and above: 5

75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (11). 3 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.

2009
1
2010
3
2011
1
2013
8
2014
7
2015
6
2016
3
2017
9
2018
5
2019
1
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20091
20103
20111
20138
20147
20156
20163
20179
20185
20191

2009: 1; 2010: 3; 2011: 1; 2013: 8; 2014: 7; 2015: 6; 2016: 3; 2017: 9; 2018: 5; 2019: 1

Pattern summary

Air Bags leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 5 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 4 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 4 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 10427189 · 2011-09-26 (September 26, 2011)

WITHOUT ANY REAL REASON WHEN THE CAR IS STARTED WITH A PASSENGER OR DRIVER, EITHER ONE MAY DISPLAY THAT THE AIR BAGS ARE NOT ENGAGED (POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL ISSUE) WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. IT IS NOT PREDICTABLE. THIS MEANS THAT THE AIRBAGS ARE NOT OPERATIONAL. THIS STARTED SHORTLY AFTER THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED BY A DEALER. THE DEALERS CLAIM THAT IT IS NOT RELATED BUT DOES NOT KNOW WHAT THE CAUSE IS. THEY DO NOT GUARANTEE THAT THEY CAN FIX IT. THEY WILL CHARGE FOR THE ATTEMPT TO FIX IT BUT WILL NOT GUARANTEE THAT THEY WILL SUC…

Owner-reported narrative. 72,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10427189 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10544176 · 2013-09-18 (September 18, 2013)

THE AIR BAG INDICATOR FOR PASSENGER SIDE AS DECIDED TO COME ON AND OFF. THE MAIN PROBLEM IS ON THE DASH BOARD THE AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON AND ACTS AS IF THE AIR BAG INDICATOR IS NOT WORKING, AND IT THEN WILL GO OFF AND COME BACK ON. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN AND I HAVE NOTICED IT HAPPENING TO A LOT OF OTHER KIA SPECTRA5. IT SHOULD BE RAISED AS A SAFETY CONCERN FOR THE FACT THAT NOW I AM SCARED TO PLACE MY FAMILY IN THIS CAR. ALSO THIS CAR RUNS GREAT ENGINE WISE, HOWEVER, ALL OF MY DOOR HANDELS HAVE BROKEN OFF, MY CK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEE…

Owner-reported narrative. 107,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10544176 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10319015 · 2010-03-11 (March 11, 2010)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA SPECTRA5. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, APPROACHING A TRAFFIC LIGHT. THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD UNEXPECTEDLY. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE UNDER THE SPEED OF 26 MPH. THERE WERE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS BEFORE THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO SLOW DOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE COMPUTER SOFTWARE WAS NOT AN UPDATED VERSION WHO ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SOLD WITHOUT THE UPDATED SOFTWARE. THE VEHICLE WA…

Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10319015 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10503140 · 2013-03-15 (March 15, 2013)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA SPECTRA 5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. AFTER DIAGNOSIS, THEY ADVISED HER THAT THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKES AND CALIPERS FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED APPROXIMATELY EIGHT MONTHS LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY ADVISED HER THAT THE FRONT BRAKE CALIPER FRACTURED CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE BRAKE LINE HOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTU…

Owner-reported narrative. 35,763 miles reported. Look up ODI 10503140 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10500550 · 2013-02-26 (February 26, 2013)

THE STRAP THAT HOLDS THE FUEL TANK CAME LOSE DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE BOLT WAS NOT PROPERLY INSTALLED AT FACTORY. THEY HAD A RECALL FOR CORROSION OF THE STRAPS, THIS HAS NOTHING TO DUE WITH CORROSION. THIS IS POOR QUALITY CONTROL THAT CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY IN THE CASE THAT THE FUEL TANK HAS CONTACT WITH THE ROAD SURFACE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10500550 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11080112 · 2018-03-19 (March 19, 2018)

FUEL TANK STRAPS HAVE RUSTED AND ONE FELL OFF. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE 2007 KIA SPECTRA 5 BUT I AM TOLD THAT MY 2007 MODEL BASED ON THE VIN NUMBER WAS NOT COVERED. KIA WILL NOT REPAIR.

Owner-reported narrative. 160,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11080112 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11054208 · 2017-12-12 (December 12, 2017)

PURCHASED A 2008 KIA SPECTRA 5 IN 2009. FOR 3 YEARS IT WAS A GOOD COMMUTER CAR. THEN WEIRD THINGS STARTED HAPPENING OUT OF THE BLUE. FIRST, THE CAR WOULDN'T ALLOW US ACCESS BY USE OF THE KEY FOB. IT WOULD UNLOCK THEN LOCK. THE VEHICLE FLIP THE DOOR UNLOCK LEVER BACK AND FORTH LIKE A GHOST WAS MOVING. SECOND, THE CAR WOULD BLOW A FRONT HEAD LAMP ALMOST EVERY 6 MONTHS LIKE CLOCK WORK WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO DRIVE FROM PARK. THIRD, THE FRONT CONSOLE CONTROLLING THE FAN, HEAT ETC. WOULD JUST STOP WORKING ONLY TO START WORKING A FEW HOURS …

Owner-reported narrative. 65,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11054208 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10926482 · 2016-11-16 (November 16, 2016)

STEERING CONTINUALLY KNOCKED AFTER MULTIPLE REPAIRS I STILL HAD A KNOCK IN MY STEERING WHEEL DURING TURNS AND GOING AND AN AUDIBLE ONE OUTSIDE ALL AXLES AND SUSPENSION WAS DEEMED FINE. I ENDED UP SELLING THE CAR SINCE IT WAS AN ANNOYANCE. THE PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG SENSOR DID NOT WORK PROPERLY IT WOULD FLASH A LIGHT ON THE HUD FOR HOURS ONLY WHEN SOMEONE SAT IN IT. THE CAR ALSO HAD VERY LOOSE STEERING AND WAS VERY UNSAFE ON THE FREEWAY

Owner-reported narrative. 89,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10926482 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10664927 · 2014-12-17 (December 17, 2014)

THIS HAD BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE ABOUT 24,000 MILES, BUT DEALER JUST SAID TO ADD POWER BOOSTER OR SOMETHING...BY THE TIME OF THIS FIRST DOCUMENTED DEALER CHECK OUT, IT HAD GOTTEN MUCH WORSE... IT HAS BEEN IN SEVERAL TIMES TO NO AVAIL, AND OTHER THAN SPENDING MONEY ON VARIOUS SOLUTIONS (THAT DID NOT WORK) IT HAS PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN MUCH WORSE. FINALLY I WAS TOLD BY DEALER TO NOT OVERFILL OR TOP OFF THE TANK WHEN FILLING WITH FUEL. SOMETHING THAT I DO NOT DO!!! THE VEHICLE HAS NOW REACHED THE POINT AFTER FILLING WITH FUEL, I HAVE TO USE AB…

Owner-reported narrative. 34,185 miles reported. Look up ODI 10664927 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10522872 · 2013-07-02 (July 2, 2013)

ABOUT 2YRS AFTER WE HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, THE CAR WAS PARKED ON AN INCLINE DRIVE WAY, AS WE PULLED OUT IT STARTED TO STALL AND DIED. WELL A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO, AFTER FUELING UP THE TANK, WE WERE AT A BUSY INTERSECTION, UPON ACCELERATING TO GO THE CAR STALLED AND DIED(ALMOST GOT REAR ENDED). WELL IT STALLED AND DIED 3 MORE TIMES BEFORE MAKING IT HOME. TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO KIA DEALERSHIP THE VERY NEXT DAY, TOLD WHAT WAS HAPPENING, BUT THEY WANT TO CHARGE $110 TO MAKE SURE. WELL, THEY LOOKED OVER THE VEHICLE AND SAID THE WHOLE FUEL SYSTEM…

Owner-reported narrative. 83,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10522872 at NHTSA ↗

Compare model years

Recalls by model year

All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.

Recall campaigns

Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.

2006
0
2007
0
2008
0
Recall campaigns data
CategoryCount
20060
20070
20080

2006: 0; 2007: 0; 2008: 0

Year-by-year records

Kia SPECTRA5 model-year comparison
Model yearComplaintsRecallsChange in recalls
2006180Not available
20071000
20081600