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U.S. public vehicle records

2003 Kia SPECTRA: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

90 owner complaints analyzed

0 distinct recall campaigns

54,750 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2003 model year. Data snapshot: . 60 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Power Train:Automatic Transmission is the most frequently named component, appearing in 12 of 90 complaints (13.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Braking behavior2224.4%
Transmission and shifting1314.4%
Steering behavior66.7%
Engine operation33.3%
Electrical and battery issues33.3%

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.

Power Train:Automatic Transmission
12
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
10
Engine And Engine Cooling
8
Electrical System
7
Structure
7
Air Bags:Frontal
6
Seat Belts
6
Air Bags
5
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Power Train:Automatic Transmission12
Service Brakes, Hydraulic10
Engine And Engine Cooling8
Electrical System7
Structure7
Air Bags:Frontal6
Seat Belts6
Air Bags5

Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 12; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 10; Engine And Engine Cooling: 8; Electrical System: 7; Structure: 7; Air Bags:Frontal: 6; Seat Belts: 6; Air Bags: 5

Reported problems by failure mileage

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

Under 25,000
17
25,000 to 49,999
10
50,000 to 74,999
10
75,000 to 99,999
9
100,000 to 149,999
11
150,000 and above
3
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,00017
25,000 to 49,99910
50,000 to 74,99910
75,000 to 99,9999
100,000 to 149,99911
150,000 and above3

Under 25,000: 17; 25,000 to 49,999: 10; 50,000 to 74,999: 10; 75,000 to 99,999: 9; 100,000 to 149,999: 11; 150,000 and above: 3

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (17). 30 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.

2002
1
2003
17
2004
15
2005
14
2006
9
2007
6
2008
1
2009
3
2010
5
2011
5
2012
3
2013
2
2014
4
2015
1
2016
1
2017
2
2019
1
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20021
200317
200415
200514
20069
20076
20081
20093
20105
20115
20123
20132
20144
20151
20161
20172
20191

2002: 1; 2003: 17; 2004: 15; 2005: 14; 2006: 9; 2007: 6; 2008: 1; 2009: 3; 2010: 5; 2011: 5; 2012: 3; 2013: 2; 2014: 4; 2015: 1; 2016: 1; 2017: 2; 2019: 1

Pattern summary

Power Train:Automatic Transmission leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 22 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 13 complaint narratives. Steering behavior 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.

Examples from the source records

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10001612 · 2002-12-27 (December 27, 2002)

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE HEATER WENT OFF, DEALER INSPECTED AND FIXED THE PROBLEM ON 12/ 27/02 AGAIN WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE HEATHER SYSTEM WENT OFF. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *DT

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001612 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10009567 · 2003-02-27 (February 27, 2003)

THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION, AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10009567 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10012167 · 2003-03-20 (March 20, 2003)

THE ENGINE MADE A HORRIBLE NOISE. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE BUT COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *NLM THE DOOR WAS MISALIGNED, REAR LIGHTS WERE INOPERATIVE, SNOW HAD GOTTEN INTO THE REAR SEAT(S), THE VEHICLE LEAKED, SEAT BELTS WERE INOPERATIVE, CLICK NOISE IN THE WIPERS WHEN ON A LOW SPEED, PULLING NOISE IN THE ENGINE PER MECHANIC, AND PULLING WHEN SHIFTED. SCC

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10012167 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10012169 · 2003-03-20 (March 20, 2003)

SNOW ENTERED THE VEHICLE, WHICH CAUSED THE DOOR NOT TO OPEN. *NLM THE DOOR WAS MISALIGNED, REAR LIGHTS WERE INOPERATIVE, SNOW HAD GOTTEN INTO THE REAR SEAT(S), THE VEHICLE LEAKED, SEAT BELTS WERE INOPERATIVE, CLICK NOISE IN THE WIPERS WHEN ON A LOW SPEED, PULLING NOISE IN THE ENGINE PER MECHANIC, AND PULLING WHEN SHIFTED. SCC

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10012169 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10012170 · 2003-03-20 (March 20, 2003)

THE BACK PASSENGER SEAT BELTS WERE NOT LONG ENOUGH TO HOLD A 135 POUND PASSENGER. *NLM THE DOOR WAS MISALIGNED, REAR LIGHTS WERE INOPERATIVE, SNOW HAD GOTTEN INTO THE REAR SEAT(S), THE VEHICLE LEAKED, SEAT BELTS WERE INOPERATIVE, CLICK NOISE IN THE WIPERS WHEN ON A LOW SPEED, PULLING NOISE IN THE ENGINE PER MECHANIC, AND PULLING WHEN SHIFTED. SCC

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10012170 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10012177 · 2003-03-20 (March 20, 2003)

THE VEHICLES WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD MOTOR YET THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. *NLM THE DOOR WAS MISALIGNED, REAR LIGHTS WERE INOPERATIVE, SNOW HAD GOTTEN INTO THE REAR SEAT(S), THE VEHICLE LEAKED, SEAT BELTS WERE INOPERATIVE, CLICK NOISE IN THE WIPERS WHEN ON A LOW SPEED, PULLING NOISE IN THE ENGINE PER MECHANIC, AND PULLING WHEN SHIFTED. SCC

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10012177 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10012316 · 2003-03-24 (March 24, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME HARD TO TURN. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10012316 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10016417 · 2003-04-23 (April 23, 2003)

POSESS A 2003 KIA SPECTRA GT THAT WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR END COLLISION. ONLY ONE PERSON IN THE VEHICLE BUT BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. AIRBAG BROKE WINDSHIELD AS WELL AS SIDE CASING THAT HELD THE SEAT BELTS IN PLACE. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THIS AND WANT TO KNOW IF THIS IS A NORMAL OCCURRENCE IN THIS VEHICLE OR ANY VEHICLE FOR THAT MATTER? PIECES OF THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE SHATTERED AND SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE AND COULD HAVE CAUSED HARM TO ANYONE THEY CONTACTED. PLEASE ADVISE. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 45 miles reported. Look up ODI 10016417 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.