2004 Kia LD SPECTRA: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
5 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
90,879 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2004 model year. Data snapshot: . 2 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module is the most frequently named component, appearing in 2 of 5 complaints (40.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 1 | 20.0% |
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:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module | 2 |
| Electrical System | 1 |
| Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel | 1 |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 |
| Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights | 1 |
| Exterior Lighting:Headlights | 1 |
| Power Train | 1 |
Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module: 2; Electrical System: 1; Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel: 1; Exterior Lighting: 1; Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights: 1; Exterior Lighting:Headlights: 1; Power Train: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 1
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2005 | 2 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2014 | 1 |
2005: 2; 2006: 2; 2014: 1
Pattern summary
Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 1 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10141471 · 2005-11-01 (November 1, 2005)
DT:THE CONTACT STATED THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. THERE WAS RECALL O5V431000, IT WAS REPAIRED UNDER THE RECALL. SINCE THE REPAIRS THE LIGHT CAME ON INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN THE LIGHT CAME ON IT ALERTED THE PASSENGER THAT THE AIRBAG WAS NOT FUNCTIONING. THE DEALERSHIP STATED THE PASSENGERS WERE NOT SITTING IN THE SEATS PROPERLY. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10141471 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10142853 · 2005-11-16 (November 16, 2005)
DT: THE CONTACT COMPLAINED ABOUT AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE AIR BAG SENSOR LOCATED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THE LIGHT IN THE DASHBOARD INTERMITTENTLY FLASHED. THE DEALER COMPLETED RECALL 05V431000 REPAIRS. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED EVEN AFTER RECALL WORK WAS COMPLETED. SHE MADE CONTACT WITH THE MANUFACTURER, WHO SUGGESTED SHE RETURN TO THE SERVICE DEALER. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10142853 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10158101 · 2006-05-23 (May 23, 2006)
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING ALL THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS AND DASH BOARD INDICATOR LIGHTS WENT OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OFF THE ROAD WITHOUT INCIDENT AND TURNED OFF. WHEN RESTARTED BOTH EXTERIOR AND DASH INDICATOR LIGHTS RETURNED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION; HOWEVER THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN ALERTED.
Owner-reported narrative. 11,757 miles reported. Look up ODI 10158101 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10164141 · 2006-08-01 (August 1, 2006)
IN THE PAST 16 MONTHS I HAVE REPLACED BOTH HEAD LIGHTS AND BOTH BRAKE LIGHTS A TOTAL OF 22 TIMES - I HAVE TAKEN MY VEHICLE TO A KIA DEALERSHIP TWICE THIS YEAR AND BOTH TIMES HAVE BEEN TOLD THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE LIGHTING SYSTEM - THIS IS RIDICULOUS. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING WITH ONLY MY BRIGHT LIGHTS FOR THE PAST MONTH AND A HALF AS I REFUSE TO REPLACE ANY MORE HEADLIGHTS - THEY CEASE WORKING IN 1 TO 12 DAYS. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10164141 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10559532 · 2014-01-12 (January 12, 2014)
I NOTICED THAT AFTER PUTTING THE CAR INTO DRIVE FROM PARK THE ENGINE WOULD "REV" BUT NO MOVEMENT UNTIL 3-5 SECONDS LATER THEN THE CAR WOULD "LUNGE" INTO GEAR AND ACCELERATE. I WOULD NOTICE THAT I WOULD BE DRIVING IN 2ND-3RD GEAR AND THERE WOULD BE NO ACCELERATION JUST "REVS" FROM THE ENGINE THEN IT WOULD JUMP BACK INTO GEAR AND GO. THIS INTERMITTENTLY STARTED HAPPENING AFTER I CHANGED THE RADIATOR THAT HAD A FAULTY TRANS-AXLE COUPLER ON IT, NOT SURE IF THAT COULD OF BEEN AN ISSUE WITH WHY THE AT IS ACTING LIKE IT IS. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 170,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10559532 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
05V431000 · Air Bags
Reported: 2005-09-21 (September 21, 2005)
ON CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN ADVANCED AIR BAG FEATURE, THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (OCS) INSTALLED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT OF THE VEHICLE MAY MISCLASSIFY A CHILD RESTRAINT SEAT (CRS) AS AN ADULT. THIS MAY OCCUR IF THE CRS IS INSTALLED AFTER AN ADULT HAS BEEN SEATED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT. IF THERE HAS NOT BEEN A 'KEY ON' ' KEY OFF' CYCLE WITH THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SEAT EMPTY PRIOR TO INSTALLATION OF THE CRS.
Consequence: THE POSSIBILITY OF MISCLASSIFICATION OF A CRS AS AN ADULT MAY ALLOW THE RIGHT FRONT AIRBAG OR SIDE IMPACT AIRBAG TO DEPLOY IN A CRASH AND COULD RESULT IN INJURY TO THE RIGHT FRONT OCCUPANT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE VEHICLE'S OCS ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU) TO REMOVE THE FEATURE THAT MAY CAUSE THE CRS TO BE RECOGNIZED AS AN ADULT. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 31, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.
NHTSA campaign record ↗