Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
260–25K
925–50K
1050–75K
175–100K
7100–150K
2150K+
55 reports with mileage · 16 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 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
What owners actually said
71 reports
8,000 miles · Apr 3, 2005
Power TrainCrash
THE GEAR SHIFT SLIPPED OUT OF DRIVE INTO NEUTRAL AND PULLED TO THE RIGHT STRIKING A PARKED CAR. EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO BOTH CARS, NO INJURIES HOWEVER. IN OCTOBER OF 2004 THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF DRIVE AS A TRUCK WAS APPROACHING WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN. THE CAR DID MOVE BY PUTTING GEAR SHIFT INTO NEUTRA AS THE DRIVER TRIED…
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THE GEAR SHIFT SLIPPED OUT OF DRIVE INTO NEUTRAL AND PULLED TO THE RIGHT STRIKING A PARKED CAR. EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO BOTH CARS, NO INJURIES HOWEVER. IN OCTOBER OF 2004 THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF DRIVE AS A TRUCK WAS APPROACHING WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN. THE CAR DID MOVE BY PUTTING GEAR SHIFT INTO NEUTRA AS THE DRIVER TRIED ANYTHING TO GET OUT OF THE WAYL. THIS CAR IS ON IT'S THIRD TRANSMISSION, WITH LESS THAN 10,000 MILES ON IT. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10116289
Mileage unknown · Mar 15, 2005
Air Bags
MY COMPLAINT IS NOT A TRADITIONAL "FAILURE" AS YOU ARE ACCUSTOMED TO RECEIVING ON YOUR WEBSITE. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT KIA HAS REDESIGNED THE AIRBAG MODULE IN THEIR NEWLY DESIGNED SPECTRA MODEL, AND DO NOT APPEAR TO HAVE ANY PLANS FOR RETRO-FITTING THE NEW DESIGN TO SAME MODEL SPECTRAS MANUFACTURED BEFORE JAN 2005. THE NEW DE…
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MY COMPLAINT IS NOT A TRADITIONAL "FAILURE" AS YOU ARE ACCUSTOMED TO RECEIVING ON YOUR WEBSITE. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT KIA HAS REDESIGNED THE AIRBAG MODULE IN THEIR NEWLY DESIGNED SPECTRA MODEL, AND DO NOT APPEAR TO HAVE ANY PLANS FOR RETRO-FITTING THE NEW DESIGN TO SAME MODEL SPECTRAS MANUFACTURED BEFORE JAN 2005. THE NEW DESIGN WAS AN IMPROVEMENT TO ALLOW THE SPECTRA TO RAISE ITS "POOR" OFFSET IIHS FRONTAL CRASH RATING TO SOMETHING BETTER. THE NEW TESTS OF THE REDESIGNED MODULE UPGRADED OFFSET FRONTAL CRASH RESULTS TO "ACCEPTABLE". SMALLER VENTING HOLES IN THE AIRBAG ARE DESCRIBED AS THE PRIMARY CHANGE. IT IS STATED THAT THE TEST CAR WAS INDEED A 2004.5 MODEL RETROFITTED WITH THE NEW AIRBAG MODULE. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT IF KIA COULD RETROFIT AN 2004.5 MODEL AT TO OBTAIN A NEW TEST FROM IIHS, THEY SHOULD BE WILLING TO OFFER THAT MODULE UPGRADE FREE-OF-CHARGE TO PURCHASERS OF THE 2004.5 AND 2005 MODELS BUILT BEFORE JAN 2005. SEE THE LINKS BELOW FOR MORE OF THE SPECIFIC IIHS DETAILS. === IIHS TEST WITH OLD AIRBAG DESIGN RESULTING IN A "POOR" RATING HTTP://WWW.HWYSAFETY.ORG/VEHICLE%5FRATINGS/CE/HTML/0417.HTM === IIHS TEST WITH NEW AIRBAG DESIGN RESULTING IN A "ACCEPTABLE" RATING: HTTP://WWW.HWYSAFETY.ORG/VEHICLE%5FRATINGS/CE/HTML/0502.HTM . *AK ===
NHTSA ODI #10114128
Mileage unknown · Mar 7, 2005
Vehicle Speed Control
KIA SPECTRA 2004, CONSUMER EXPERIENCED PROBLEM OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION. *BF THE CONSUMER HAD DIFFICULTY MAINTAINING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10113741
Mileage unknown · Feb 8, 2005
Vehicle Speed Control
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE, SUDDENLY ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. HOWEVER, MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10111139
17,500 miles · Jan 5, 2005
Engine And Engine Cooling
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE CUT OFF. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED, BUT MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10106871
5,000 miles · Jan 4, 2005
Power Train
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 …
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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
31,000 miles · Nov 10, 2004
Steering
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED STEERING WHEEL PULLED TO THE LEFT. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10099734
Mileage unknown · Nov 5, 2004
Air Bags
2004 KIA SPECTRA EX EXPERIENCED AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT PROBLEMS. PERSON IN PASSENGER SEAT SYSTEM NOT RECOGNIZING THEM. *BF THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THE MECHANIC COULD DO TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THE AIR BAG LIGHT DID NOT CONSISTENTLY TURN ON WHEN INDIVIDUALS WERE IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. *SC
NHTSA ODI #10101053
Mileage unknown · Nov 5, 2004
Air Bags
FRONT AIR BAG LIGHT DOESN'T CONSISTENTLY TURN ON WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL IS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. *BF THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THE AIR BAG SYSTEM ACTIVATES AT APPROXIMATELY 125 POUNDS. THE CONSUMER AND PASSENGER ARE BOTH UNDERWEIGHT TO ACTIVATE THE SYSTEM. *TC *JB
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
0
No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
2004 Kia Spectra Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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