Air Bags. Review the 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Vehicle Speed Control. 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.

16 crash reports1 fire reports7 injury reports

Power Train complaints

16 reports

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5,000 miles · Jan 4, 2005

Power Train

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I WAS STOPPED IN TRAFFIC AT A LIGHT AND UPON THE LIGHT TURNING GREEN I PUSHED THE ACCELERATOR AND MY TACHOMETER NEEDLE WENT UP TO 4 AND HIGHER UNTIL I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE GAS. UPON PUSHING THE GAS PEDAL AGAIN IT DID THE SAME THING (IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC) AND I HAD TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL WHILE GOING ABOUT 35 MPH AND BACK INTO DRIVE. MY KIA STILL DIDN'T WANT TO SHIFT SO I PUT IT BACK INTO NEUTRAL AGAIN AND PUSHED THE GAS PEDAL TO REV THE RPMS AND THEN PUT BACK INTO DRIVE AND IT DROVE OK. THIS HAPPENED A FEW MONTHS AFTER BUYING THE CAR AND THE KIA DEALER SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH VEHICLE. IT CONTINUES TO HAPPEN UNPREDICTABLY.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10105761

Mileage unknown · Nov 22, 2004

Power Train

THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE MORE THAN 50 MILES PER HOUR. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE REPAIR, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL CONTINUED. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10101465

8,500 miles · Sep 23, 2004

Power Train

ON SEVERAL INSTANCES MY CAR HAS NOT SHIFTED INTO A HIGHER GEAR WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A STOP SIGN. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALER TWICE AND THEY HAVE NOT FOUND ANYTHING WRONG. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON THE FOLLOWING DATES: 9/11, 9/12, 9/20, AND TWICE ON 9/23. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10093097

2,000 miles · Sep 3, 2004

Power Train

I HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH MY KIA SPECTRA WHERE THE TRANSMISSION FAILS TO SHIFT INTO A HIGHER GEAR WHEN AT A STOP SIGN OR LIGHT. I HAVE TO PUMP THE GAS OR SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND BACK TO DRIVE TO GET IT TO SHIFT.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10089065

1,500 miles · Aug 5, 2004

Power Train

WITHOUT ANY NOTICE AT ALL, AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING, WHILE DRIVING AT ANY USUAL CITY SPEED, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT GEARS PROPERLY, CAUSING THE CAR TO STOP GAINING SPEED WHILE IN TRAFFIC. THIS SEEMS TO HAPPEN MORE WHEN IN STOP-AND-GO TYPE TRAFFIC. ALSO, THE TRANSMISSION IS VERY ROUGH, "CHOPPY" AND GEARS SLIP O…

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NHTSA ODI #10086219

Mileage unknown · Jul 15, 2004

Power Train

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND NO WARNING THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, WILL NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY WHEN VEHICLE IS CHANGING GEARS. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10082086

Official recalls

11V256000 · Fuel System, Other:storage:tank Assembly:mounting

Apr 25, 2011

KIA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2007 SPECTRA LD VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM NOVEMBER 7, 2003, THROUGH MARCH 6, 2007, ORIGINALLY SOLD, OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT CORROSION OF THE FUEL TANK STRAPS WHICH HOLD THE TANK MAY OCCUR AS A RESULT OF PROLONGED EXPOSURE TO ROAD SALT. AS A RESULT OF THE CORROSION, ONE OR BOTH STRAPS MAY SEPARATE ALLOWING THE FUEL TANK TO CONTACT THE GROUND AND POSSIBLY DISRUPT THE INTEGRITY OF THE TANK.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE FUEL TANK CAN FALL FROM THE VEHICLE AND STRIKE THE GROUND WHICH COULD CAUSE A FUEL LEAK. LEAKING FUEL CAN CREATE A FIRE HAZARD.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL TANK STRAPS AND ATTACHING HARDWARE WITH NEW ZINC COATED PARTS. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 6, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.

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

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.