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2002 Kia Spectra

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2002 Kia Spectra do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 96.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

52 reports with mileage · 40 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Air Bags. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

25 crash reports2 fire reports15 injury reports

Service Brakes complaints

4 reports
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72,896 miles · Mar 9, 2015
Service BrakesSuspensionVisibility/wiper

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA SPECTRA. AFTER OPENING THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE WINDOWS, THEY FAILED TO CLOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WINDOW NEEDED A NEW MOTOR. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE TECHNICIAN CONFIRMED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE N…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA SPECTRA. AFTER OPENING THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE WINDOWS, THEY FAILED TO CLOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WINDOW NEEDED A NEW MOTOR. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE TECHNICIAN CONFIRMED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE NEEDED TO BE LUBRICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED, THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR BRAKE DRUMS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,896.

NHTSA ODI #10693083

122,800 miles · Sep 26, 2013
Service Brakes

DRIVING AT 35 MPH, SLOWING DOWN APPROACHING TRAFFIC LIGHT, PRESSED ON BRAKES AND HAD ALMOST NO TENSION. NEARLY SMASHED DIRECTLY INTO THE PERSON IN FRONT OF ME. USED BOTH FEET WITH ALL THE PRESSURE I COULD GIVE TO STOP THE CAR. FOUND OUT THAT THE BRAKE PROPORTIONING VALVE IS LEAKING BRAKE FLUID LEAVING ME WITH NO BRAKE FLUID WHAT…

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DRIVING AT 35 MPH, SLOWING DOWN APPROACHING TRAFFIC LIGHT, PRESSED ON BRAKES AND HAD ALMOST NO TENSION. NEARLY SMASHED DIRECTLY INTO THE PERSON IN FRONT OF ME. USED BOTH FEET WITH ALL THE PRESSURE I COULD GIVE TO STOP THE CAR. FOUND OUT THAT THE BRAKE PROPORTIONING VALVE IS LEAKING BRAKE FLUID LEAVING ME WITH NO BRAKE FLUID WHATSOEVER. VERY DANGEROUS. THE PROPORTIONING VALVE NEEDS REPLACING. I HAVE BEEN FILLING UP THE BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK. THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS SITUATION TO BE IN. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM, WHY HAS THIS NOT BEEN ASSESSED? *JS

NHTSA ODI #10545547

186,000 miles · May 1, 2013
Service Brakes

AS I WAS ABOUT TO STOP DOWN A STEEP HILL MY BRAKES GAVE AWAY AND JESUS TOOK THE WHEEL IS ALL I CAN SAY.BRAKE CAME ON NO BRAKE FLUID .I GET MY OIL CHANGED EVERY 3,000 MILES IT JUST LEAKS OUT AS SOON AS I REPLACE IT. MECHANIC FOR 40 YEARS SAID NEVER SEEN THIS HAPPEN ON A CAR. THE CONNECTOR WERE THE VALVES OR CONNECTING IS LEAKING …

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AS I WAS ABOUT TO STOP DOWN A STEEP HILL MY BRAKES GAVE AWAY AND JESUS TOOK THE WHEEL IS ALL I CAN SAY.BRAKE CAME ON NO BRAKE FLUID .I GET MY OIL CHANGED EVERY 3,000 MILES IT JUST LEAKS OUT AS SOON AS I REPLACE IT. MECHANIC FOR 40 YEARS SAID NEVER SEEN THIS HAPPEN ON A CAR. THE CONNECTOR WERE THE VALVES OR CONNECTING IS LEAKING ALL THE BRAKE FLUID OUT . *TR

NHTSA ODI #10510333

100,000 miles · Sep 4, 2012
Service Brakes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT COMPLETELY TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE CONTACT ADDED BRAKE FLUID TO THE VEHICLE HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE FLUID WAS LEAKING OUT …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT COMPLETELY TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE CONTACT ADDED BRAKE FLUID TO THE VEHICLE HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE FLUID WAS LEAKING OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ODI #10473838

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

PE04065 · Rear Drum Brake Wheel Cylinder Leakage

Opened Sep 21, 2004 · Closed Feb 8, 2005

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:drum:wheel Cylinders

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 LEAKING WHEEL CYLINDER SHOWED THAT AFTER 100 STOPS FROM 100 KM/H THE PEDAL STROKE INCREASED 5%, PEDAL FORCE INCREASED 13%, AND THE BRAKING DISTANCE INCREASED 7% (51.7M VS. 48.1M) WHEN COMPARED TO THE SAME VEHICLE WITH A NON-LEAKING WHEEL CYLINDER.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:drum:wheel Cylinders

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 LEAKING WHEEL CYLINDER SHOWED THAT AFTER 100 STOPS FROM 100 KM/H THE PEDAL STROKE INCREASED 5%, PEDAL FORCE INCREASED 13%, AND THE BRAKING DISTANCE INCREASED 7% (51.7M VS. 48.1M) WHEN COMPARED TO THE SAME VEHICLE WITH A NON-LEAKING WHEEL CYLINDER.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

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 LEAKING WHEEL CYLINDER SHOWED THAT AFTER 100 STOPS FROM 100 KM/H THE PEDAL STROKE INCREASED 5%, PEDAL FORCE INCREASED 13%, AND THE BRAKING DISTANCE INCREASED 7% (51.7M VS. 48.1M) WHEN COMPARED TO THE SAME VEHICLE WITH A NON-LEAKING WHEEL CYLINDER.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.