Total Complaints
132 filings
KIA SPECTRA · model year
132 NHTSA complaints, 16 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2003KIASPECTRA carries 132 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 16 crashes, 1 fire, 13 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2003 SPECTRA is power train:automatic transmission with 12 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic (10) and engine and engine cooling (8). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 2 investigation files overlapping the 2003 SPECTRA. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
132 filings
Crashes Reported
16 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 12 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 10 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 8 |
| STRUCTURE | 7 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 7 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 6 |
| SEAT BELTS | 6 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 5 |
| AIR BAGS | 5 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR | 4 |
| POWER TRAIN | 4 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 4 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 3 |
| SUSPENSION | 3 |
| STEERING | 2 |
MY CAR IS LEAKING GAS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE UNDERNEATH THE CAR I ALSO HAVE GAS FUMES IN MY CAR TOO, I AM LOSING A LOT OF GAS IN MY CAR.I HAVE STRANGERS POINTING OUT THAT MY CAR IS LEAKING GAS AND THE SMELL OF GAS WHEN I PARK MY CAR IN A PUBLIC PARKING LOT WHEN I DO SHOPPING, I FEAR THAT MY CAR WILL GO UP IN FLAMES AND I HAVE MY CHILDREN RIDE IN THE CAR AND COMPLAIN ABOUT THE FUMES OF GAS I SEE THAT THERE WAS THE SAME RECALLS ON 2004 KIA SPECTRA. MINE IS IS A 2003 WHICH I HAVING THE EXACT PROBLEMS WITH A GAS LEAK . I NEED THIS TO BE ON A RECALL LIST TO GET REPAIR ASAP , FOR THE SAFETY OF ME AND MY KIDS.
DIRT CHEAP CARS SOLD ME A CAR THAT WONT PASS INSPECTION
Mileage: 113,276
DIRT CHEAP CARS SOLD ME A CAR THAT WONT PASS INSPECTION
Mileage: 113,276
I BOUGHT A CAR FROM A USED DEALER AND I WAS INFORMED THAT IT HAD NO FRAME DAMAGE BUT I TOOK IT TO TWO GARAGES AND BOTH GARAGES INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS FRAME DAMAGE FRONT AND BACK AND THE ONE GARAGE I TOOK IT TO SAID THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE FRAME DAMAGE
I NOTICED BRAKE FLUID UNDERNEATH MY CAR ONE DAY AND CHECKED MY LEVEL TO FIND THAT THERE WAS BASICALLY NO BRAKE FLUID IN THE RESERVOIR. TURNS OUT IT'S THE BRAKE PROPORTIONING VALVE. AFTER LOOKING ONLINE IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS A TREND AND HAS CAUSED ACCIDENTS PREVIOUSLY. THE MECHANIC WAS SURPRISED THAT THIS WAS INDEED THE PROBLEM AFTER CALLING AND THEN GETTING THE CAR REPAIRED. THE LEAK CAME ON SUDDENLY AND WAS FAIRLY SEVER REQUIRING THAT I ADD BRAKE FLUID AFTER EVERY SHORT DRIVE. IF I HADN'T NOTICED THIS PROBLEM I LIKELY WOULD HAVE ENDED UP REAR-ENDING SOMEONE OR WORSE. IT ALSO SEEMS TO BE PREVALENT AMONGST THE 2000-2005 MODELS.
Mileage: 80,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,234. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
Mileage: 100,234
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT INTO GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000.
Mileage: 112,000
AT MY COST I HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKE PROPORTIONING VALVE WHICH WAS CAUSING A BRAKE FLUID LEAK. APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON DANGEROUS SITUATION. PLEASE CREATE A RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE'S BRAKES COMPLETELY FAIL IN TRAFFIC. *TR
Mileage: 100,000
THE DASH, WHERE IT MEETS THE WINDSHIELD, HAS CURLED UP AND DETACHED FROM THE DEFROSTER VENT ON THE DRIVER SIDE. THE PLASTIC DEFROSTER VENT IS ALSO CRUMBLING FROM BEING EXPOSED TO THE SUN. I CAN'T BELIEVE HOW CHEAP OF MATERIALS WAS USED FOR THIS. *TR
Mileage: 150,000
THE COVERING AROUND THE STEERING COLUMN HAS CRUMBLED AND IS COMING APART. I'M CONCERNED BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE IF THIS WILL AFFECT THE AIR BAG IF NEEDED. VERY POOR QUALITY OF MATERIAL WAS USED FOR THIS. *TR
Mileage: 155,000
WENT TO TURN ON MY HEATER TODAY AND THE SMELL OF GASOLINE FILLED MY CAR, 4-DOOR SEDAN. THE CAR HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS AS MANY OF THE OTHER OWNERS MENTIONED BEFORE E.G. A BRAKE FLUID LEAK, SQUEALING BRAKES AND THE TRANSMISSION IS ALWAYS SLOW TO KICK IN WHEN PULLING OFF FROM A STOP. NEVER EXPERIENCED A GAS LEAK PROBLEM WITH ANY OTHER CAR I OWNED. *TR
Mileage: 70,000
THE BRAKE FLUID PROPORTIONING VALVE IS LEAKING FOR NO REASON. NOT A SERVICEABLE PART. MUST BE REPLACED. NOT A WEAR AND TEAR PART EITHER. VERY COMMON ISSUE WITH 2002 AND 2003 RESEARCH STATED. THANKS. *TR
Mileage: 178,000
THE CAR ALL OF THE SUDDEN STARTED LOOSING BRAKE FLUID RAPIDLY. MY PERFECTLY GOOD BRAKES WERE GOING OUT AND I ALMOST WRECKED MY CAR BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. THE KIA DEALERSHIP IN DICKINSON, TX IS CHARGING ME 300 DOLLARS + TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. I SEE THAT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH A DEFECTIVE MANUFACTURE PART. MY MECHANIC SAID THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST PROPORTIONING VALVE HE HAS SEEN COMPLETELY DESTROYED LIKE THIS IN 10+ YEARS. THIS IS HAPPENING TO THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. I HAVE WROTE ALL NEWS STATIONS ABOUT THIS AND I AM PURSUING THIS AGGRESSIVELY. YOU ALL RECALLED THE 2004-2007 PROPORTIONING VALVES THEN IT SHOULD BE FOR THE EARLIER MODELS AS WELL. *TR
Mileage: 100,000
MY BRAKE LIGHT WENT ON ( THOUGHT IT WAS PARKING BRAKE STUCK OR BRAKE MAINTENANCE TIME ) , AFTER SPENDING OVER $400 TO GET EVERYTHING REPLACED .... IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT MY PROPORTIONING VALVE WENT BAD ! LEAKING BRAKE FLUID ( HAD TO REPLACE EVERY OTHER DAY ) . WHY IS THERE NO RECALL ? *TR
Mileage: 86,000
MY MOTHER BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW COUPLE YEARS BACK. HAVEN'T HAD ANY PROBLEMS TILL NOW. ON MY WAY TO WORK IM GOING AROUND A CURVE AND TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. THOUGHT FOR A SECOND I ACCIDENTALLY PUT IT IN NEUTRAL. MY TRANSMISSION NEVER SLIPPED, SHIFTED HARD OR ANY OTHER SIGNS OF PROBLEMS. THIS IS CRAZY, NOT SURE YET IF KIA IS COVERING THEY PROMISED WARRANTY.. I REALLY HOPE SO.. *TR
Mileage: 91,375
IN APRIL OF 2009 MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT WITHOUT WARNING RIGHT IN THE CENTER LANE OF HEAVY TRAFFIC AS I WAS LEAVING MY HOME, I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP JUST TO FIND OUT THAT KIA WOULD NOT HONOR THE WARRANTY AND THE COSTS ($1550) CAME OUT OF MY OWN POCKET. THE REPAIRMAN TOLD ME THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURS QUITE OFTEN WITH THE 2003 KIA SPECTRA BUT THERE WAS NO SAFETY RECALL. NOW IT IS SEPTEMBER OF 2011 AND THE TRANSMISSION IS GOING OUT AGAIN! WITH THIS VEHICLE AT LESS THAN 70,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION SHOULD NOT BE GOING OUT TWICE ALREADY! *TR
Mileage: 55,500
2003 KIA SPECTRA; BRAKE PROPORTIONING VALVE STARTED LEAKING AROUND 90K MILES. CONTACTED THREE LOCAL DEALERS, ALL THREE STATED THAT THIS IS COMMON FOR THIS MODEL. *TR
Mileage: 90,000
2003 KIA SPECTRA 99,000 MILES. I AM HAVING TO FILL UP WITH BRAKE FLUID ONCE OR TWICE A DAY. BRAKE PROPORTION VALVE IS LEAKING. SEVERAL SITES AND COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS. WHY NO RECALL WHEN THIS IS NOT A PART THAT SHOULD ORDINARILY NEED TO BE REPLACED? *TR
Mileage: 99,000
TL*THE CONTACT WAS A PASSENGER IN A 2003 KIA SPECTRA. WHILE RIDING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE DRIVER BLACKED OUT, CAUSING HER TO CRASH INTO A TELEPHONE POLE HEAD. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. BOTH THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A FRACTURED STERNUM AND MULTIPLE BRUISES. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED MULTIPLE BRUISES TO THE BODY AND A TOOTH WAS KNOCKED OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 110,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. A POICE REPORT WAS FILED.
Mileage: 110,000
2003 KIA SPECTRA. NEVER BEEN IN A WRECK. POWER WINDOWS FAIL TO WORK. A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW CAME OFF THE TRACK, AND THE IN-DOOR ASSEMBLY HAD CRUMBLED WITHIN THE DOOR. TOOK GETTING AN ENTIRE ASSEMBLY TO REPAIR THE WINDOW. TODAY, THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW DOES NOT OPEN. MOTOR STILL WORKS. A CLICKING SOUND CAN BE HEARD AS IT RUNS, BUT IT IS NOT GRIPPING THE WINDOW TO LOWER IT. (STILL NOT REPAIRED). *TR
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.