2003 KIA SPECTRA

132 complaints filed with NHTSA.

132
Complaints
16
Crashes
1
Fires
13
Injuries
0
Deaths

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION12
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC10
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING8
STRUCTURE7
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM7
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL6
SEAT BELTS6
EXTERIOR LIGHTING5
AIR BAGS5
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR4
POWER TRAIN4
SERVICE BRAKES4
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE3
SUSPENSION3
STEERING2

Recent Complaints

20110702CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

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

20110126CrashAIR BAGS

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 UNAVAILABL

Mileage: 110,000

20101013CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

BRAKE PROPORTIONING VALVE LEAKING ON 2003 KIA SPECTRA, BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR WHILE BACKING UP AND RESULTED IN ACCIDENT. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM, WE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED HAD THIS HAPPEN ON THE FREEWAY. HOW LONG UNTIL SOMEONE DOES SOMETHING ABOUT IT. *TR

Mileage: 65,000

20070509FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM

THE 2003 KIA SPECTRA CAUGHT ON FIRE. THEREWAS NOTHING LEFT OF THE CAR. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE SAID IT WAS AN ELECTRIAL FIRE. *AK

Mileage: 98,523

20061129POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

I BOUGHT MY 2003 KIA SPECTRA BRAND NEW,KEPT UP WITH OIL CHANGES AND MAINTENANCE,MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AT 71,OOO MILES. I HAD THE SO CALLED 100,000 MILE WARRANTY ON IT. THEY DID NOT COVER ANY OF IT THEY SAID BECAUSE I LIVE IN GA IT GETS HOT,SO THE WARRANTY WONT COVER IT. ALSO,I WAS RECENTLY IN A FENDER BENDER AND MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY,AND WE HAVE ALSO HAD SEVERAL TRIPS TO THE KIA PLACE BECAUSE OF MINOR STUFF SUCH AS THE AIR NOT WORKING AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUALLY STAYING ON.

Mileage: 71,000

20051121CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH THE BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND AND THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO ANOTHER CAR.*AK UPDATED 12/27/05. *JB

Mileage: 25,000

20050909CrashAIR BAGS

DT: 2003 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN TURNING THE VEHICLE WAS HIT ON THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE BY THE WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS HIT SO HARD THAT THE BUMPER CAME OFF AND PUSHED THE ENGINE AND HOOD UP. THE FIREMAN SAID THE AIR BAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE SPUN AROUND TWICE. THIS BROKE THE REAR AXLE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE VEHICLE ENDED UP SIX FEET FROM WHERE THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE CONSUMER'S BACK WAS SORE FOR A FEW WEEKS. A POLICE REPORT TAKEN. THE INSURANCE COMP

Mileage: 23,000

20050826CrashAIR BAGS

DT: 2003 KIA SPECTRA. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN 2 ACCIDENTS AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DURING THE FIRST ACCIDENTCONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS CUT OFF BY SOMEONE IN FRONT. IN TURN A SUV HIT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE ON THE REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE. DURING THE SECOND ACCIDENT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE REAR ENDED A CAR IN FRON. THIS WAS A FRONT TO REAR COLLISION AT 25 T-30 MILES MPH. THERE WAS INJURIES IN THE SECOND ACCIDENT. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. ALSO, THERE THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH OIL CIRCULATION.

Mileage: 81,275

20050826CrashENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

DT: 2003 KIA SPECTRA. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN 2 ACCIDENTS AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DURING THE FIRST ACCIDENTCONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS CUT OFF BY SOMEONE IN FRONT. IN TURN A SUV HIT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE ON THE REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE. DURING THE SECOND ACCIDENT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE REAR ENDED A CAR IN FRON. THIS WAS A FRONT TO REAR COLLISION AT 25 T-30 MILES MPH. THERE WAS INJURIES IN THE SECOND ACCIDENT. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. ALSO, THERE THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH OIL CIRCULATION.

Mileage: 81,275

20050102CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

VEHICLE CRASH (FRONT END) AT !@55 MPH AND NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. *JB

Mileage: 27,000

20041122CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

THE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL IMPACT COLLISION AT 15 MILES PER HOUR. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *JB

20040903CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

AFTER REAR ENDING A LARGE TRUCK AT 45 MPH THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK

Mileage: 11,500

20040731VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR

MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING 2 CAR LENGTHS AHEAD OF ME AND OUR 2 YEAR OLD SON IN HIS CAR SEAT IN BACK. HE WAS DRIVING APROX 50 MPH. HE WAS IN A 2003 KIA SPECTRA. THE BACK WINDOW BLEW OUT. I CALLED KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS A WARRANTY UP TO 60000 MILES. WE IMMEDIATELY DROPPED THE CAR OFF. THEY SAID WE DID SOMETHING WRONG IE HIT SOMETHING THREW SOMETHING ECT. THEY CLAIMED THE FOUND A PEBBLE ON THE BACK LID (WE SEARCHED THE CAR) THE PEBBLE HAD THE SAME EPOXY FOUND ON THIER SHOP FLOOR. T

20040731EQUIPMENT:RECREATIONAL VEHICLE/TRAILER

MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING 2 CAR LENGTHS AHEAD OF ME AND OUR 2 YEAR OLD SON IN HIS CAR SEAT IN BACK. HE WAS DRIVING APROX 50 MPH. HE WAS IN A 2003 KIA SPECTRA. THE BACK WINDOW BLEW OUT. I CALLED KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS A WARRANTY UP TO 60000 MILES. WE IMMEDIATELY DROPPED THE CAR OFF. THEY SAID WE DID SOMETHING WRONG IE HIT SOMETHING THREW SOMETHING ECT. THEY CLAIMED THE FOUND A PEBBLE ON THE BACK LID (WE SEARCHED THE CAR) THE PEBBLE HAD THE SAME EPOXY FOUND ON THIER SHOP FLOOR. T

20040528LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TRUNK LID:LOCK

MY DAUGHTER, WHOM IS 7, WENT IN THE TRUNK TO RETRIEVE SOME BELONGINGS AND THE TRUNK CLOSED ON HER. SHE DID EXACTLY WHAT SHE WAS TAUGHT AND PULLED THE EMERGENCY TRUNK RELEASE. THE EMERGENCY TRUNK RELEASE FAILED TO OPERATE PROPERLY (THE BALL AT THE END OF THE CABLE DISENGAGED FROM THE LATCH) AND MY CHILD WAS LOCKED IN THE TRUNK FOR 20 MIN. SHE STRUGGLED SO HARD TO GET OUT THAT SHE HAD CUTS ON HER HANDS AND FEET. I THEN MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE MY KIA SPECTRA 2003 INSPECTED. THE SERVICE TEC. S

Mileage: 11,000

20040331CrashELECTRICAL SYSTEM

THIS LETTER IS BEING WRITTEN AS A RESULT OF AN ACCIDENT (CASE # FHPH040FF003275) INVOLVING MY 2003 KIA SPECTRA GSX AND ANOTHER VEHICLE ON MARCH 6, 2004.*AK THE CRUISE CONTROL CONTINUED TO WORK UNTIL ABOUT 1:00PM ON INTERSTATE 10 WHEN I WAS IN THE SLOW LANE AND DRIVING AT 70 MPH (SPEED LIMIT) WITH THE CRUISE ON. I WAS SLOWLY CATCHING UP TO TWO TRUCKS IN MY LANE, WHEN THE REAR TRUCK STARTED TO PASS THE SLOWER TRUCK AHEAD OF ME. TRAFFIC BEHIND ME WAS CATCHING UP TO ME AT THE SAME TIME AS THE P

Mileage: 7,191

20040128CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE DRIVING 28 MPH IN VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED FRONTAL COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

20031119CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. THE DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES,AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK *JB

Mileage: 24,000

20030912CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION. THE SEAT BELT BROKE AS A RESULT OF DRIVER NOT BEING RESTRAINED PROPERLY. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *PH

20030423CrashAIR BAGS

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.

Mileage: 45