Investigations
REAR DRUM BRAKE WHEEL CYLINDER LEAKAGE
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE04065 — closed, opened 2004-09-21 and involving the KIA SPECTRA.
NHTSA investigation PE04065 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2004-09-21 and currently closed. The subject of record is KIA SPECTRA, which places this file inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue for KIA. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2005-02-08 — NHTSA updates that field whenever an Information Request goes out, a supplement is filed, or a status change is recorded in the public docket.
A Preliminary Evaluation like PE04065 is the entry point of the federal defect-investigation process. NHTSA engineers scan complaint databases, field reports, and manufacturer data to decide whether an Engineering Analysis is warranted, whether a voluntary recall is already sufficient, or whether the pattern does not rise to a defect finding.
Investigators summarized the matter as follows: "THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF REAR DRUM BRAKE WHEEL CYLINDER LEAKAGE IN 2002 KIA SPECTRA VEHICLES. THIS INVESTIGATION WAS PROMPTED BY KIA¿S EAR..." Investigations are the early-warning layer of the federal auto-safety system, sitting upstream of formal recalls and defect orders. Whether this one closes without action or escalates into an Engineering Analysis, the full history stays in the ODI archive so researchers, litigators, and buyers can pull the paper trail at any time. Related KIA files, listed below, give context on whether this is an isolated concern or part of a broader pattern across the brand.
Investigation Summary
THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF REAR DRUM BRAKE WHEEL CYLINDER LEAKAGE IN 2002 KIA SPECTRA VEHICLES. THIS INVESTIGATION WAS PROMPTED BY KIA¿S EARLY WARNING REPORT TO THE AGENCY FOR THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2004, WHICH CONTAINED A SINGLE FIELD REPORT THAT IDENTIFIED 13 INCIDENTS OF WHEEL CYLINDER LEAKAGE IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES. THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE AVAILABLE IN BOTH 4-DOOR SEDAN AND 5-DOOR HATCHBACK BODY STYLES. THE SAME PARTS SUPPLIER PROVIDES WHEEL CYLINDERS FOR BOTH VEHICLE TYPES, ALTHOUGH THEIR PART NUMBERS DIFFER. THESE PARTS ARE USED ON ALL MY2002-2004 SPECTRA ¿TYPE-I¿ VEHICLES MANUFACTURED THROUGH 12/30/2003. ADDITIONALLY, MY2001-2005 KIA RIO VEHICLES BUILT THROUGH 11/17/2004 USE THE SAME WHEEL CYLINDERS AS THE SUBJECT SPECTRA ¿TYPE-I¿ 4-DOOR SEDAN. MY2004 SPECTRA ¿TYPE-II¿ VEHICLES, WHICH STARTED PRODUCTION ON 12/8/2003, DO NOT USE THE SUBJECT COMPONENTS AS THEY ARE EQUIPPED WITH REAR DISC BRAKES. THE MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED ODI OF ONE COMPLAINANT WHOM ALLEGED A CRASH CAUSED BY, ¿INADEQUATE BRAKE SYSTEM RESPONSE,¿ RESULTING IN ONE PERSON INJURED. HOWEVER, IT APPEARS THAT MULTIPLE CAUSAL FACTORS MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE CRASH INCIDENT AND NO SINGLE FACTOR HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS THE PRIMARY CAUSE. IN TOTAL, ODI IS AWARE OF 5 CONSUMER COMPLAINTS, 1 FIELD REPORT, AND 813 WARRANTY CLAIMS RELATED TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT IN 2002 KIA SPECTRA VEHICLES. NONE OF THE COMPLAINANTS ALLEGED DEGRADED STOPPING PERFORMANCE OR LOSS OF BRAKING CAPABILITY CAUSED BY WHEEL CYLINDER LEAKAGE. TO DATE, THE COMPLAINT RATE IS 7.0 PER 100,000 VEHICLES AND THE WARRANTY RATE IS 1.13%. KIA¿S ANALYSIS OF WARRANTY RETURN PARTS INDICATES A SLOW RATE OF FLUID LOSS; TESTS SHOWED A MAXIMUM FLUID LOSS RATE OF 1 CC PER 4000 BRAKE APPLICATIONS (THE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR HAS A 134CC FLUID CAPACITY BETWEEN THE ¿FULL¿ AND THE LEVEL AT WHICH THE BRAKE WARNING LAMP IS ILLUMINATED). KIA TESTING OF A VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH A LEAK
About This Investigation Type
A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first phase of NHTSA's investigation process. It is opened when the agency identifies a potential safety defect pattern, usually triggered by consumer complaints, manufacturer reports, or field monitoring. During a PE, NHTSA gathers information to determine whether a formal engineering analysis is warranted.
Other KIA Investigations
Kia 25V099 Piston Oil Ring Recall Effectiveness
Windshield Wiper Failure
3.3L Engine Loss of Motive Power (LOMP)
Loss of Motive Power
Vehicle Rollaway
Data from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Cross-references: NHTSA recall campaign API and NHTSA FARS where fatality records overlap. PlainCars does not rate or recommend vehicles. Learn more.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.