2005 Kia Spectra

2005 KIA SPECTRA HAS AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. SEVERAL KIA MECHANICS AT VARIOUS KIA DEALERSHIPS (BANNER, PAT PECK, AND KIA OF SLIDELL) SAY PERFORMANCE IS NORMAL, BUT IT SLIPS OUT OF GEAR ON THE HIGHWAY, ALMOST PUTTING OUR FAMILY IN SEVERAL ACCIDENTS, BECAUSE IT SCARES US SO MUCH. OUR FAMILY LOVES THE SPECTRA, AND TAKES VERY GOOD CARE OF IT, BUT THIS UNSAFE CONDITION HAS MADE ANYONE WE KNOW FEARFUL TO RIDE IN IT, WHEN THEY FEEL IT BUCKING IN AND OUT OF GEAR, ON THE HIGHWAY. PLEASE CONVINCE KIA TO STAND BEHIND THIS CAR, AND REPAIR IT TO THE CONDITION WE WERE PROMISED - THANK YOU. THE CAR HAS ALWAYS DONE THIS, FROM WHAT WE REMEMBER, AND VARIOUS TIMES KIA SERVICE PEOPLE HAVE SAID THAT THIS IS JUST THE WAY THE SPECTRA IS - THE LAST VISIT, THEY CONVINCED US TO FLUSH ALL OF THE FLUIDS, TO TAKE CARE OF ANY ISSUES, ONCE AND FOR ALL, AND NOW IT IS WORSE THAN EVER. WE ARE COMPLAINING TO YOU NOW BECAUSE IT HAS BECOME ALMOST UNUSABLE FOR OTHER THAN GOING AROUND THE SUBDIVISION. SOME CHAT BOARDS SAY THE 2005 HAS A FAULTY TCM (CONTROL MODULE), BUT KIA HAS NOT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT TO US, AND SAID THE REPROGRAMMING TOOK CARE OF IT (THIS DID NOT). *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SPECTRA 5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IN OCTOBER 2008, HE NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL WERE TOO CLOSE AND ALMOST CAUSED HIM TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE HE ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES BUT DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP WHERE THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 41,000. UPDATED 08/04/10 *BF THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THAT THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DESIGNED TOO CLOSE TOGETHER. HE STATED WHEN HE APPLIED THE BRAKE, HE ALSO APPLIED THE ACCELERATOR. THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT AT 20 MPH. UPDATED 10/14/10*JB

KIS SPEEDOMETER, REPEATED FAILURES. ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS MY 2005 SPEEDOMETER HAS GIVEN FALSE READINGS OFF BY AS MUCH AS AN ESTIMATED 25 MPH. A REVIEW OF THE INTERNET AND KIA-FORUMS.COM, THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON PROBLEM IN MODELS WELL PAST EH 1999 KIA SPEEDOMETER RECALL. KIA HAS REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING SINCE THEY "CAN'T REPEAT THE INTERMITTENT PROBLEM." I DO NOT KNOW HOW OFTEN THE SPEEDOMETER IS INCORRECT OUTSIDE THE IDENTIFIED EVENTS. *CN

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER REMAINED AT 0 NO MATTER HOW FAST OR SLOW SHE DROVE. SHE HAS SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER FOR 01/14/2010. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. SHE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 48,500. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 48,480.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT FAILED. AS A CONSEQUENCE IN A SITUATION THAT WARRANTS THE AIR BAG MAY FAIL TO DEPLOY, WHICH INCREASES THE RISK OF SERIOUS INJURY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER AND A TECHNICIAN CONCLUDED THAT THE ENTIRE AIR BAG CLUSTER UNDER THE SEAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE REPAIR IS NOT SPECIFIED IN THE WARRANTY SO HE WOULD LIABLE TO PAY THE EXPENSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SPECTRA. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A POPPING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN, SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING. THE MANUFACTURER TOWED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. SHE EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE TIE ROD SNAPPED. TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT HEARD A CLUNKING SOUND EVERY TIME SHE MADE A TURN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 90,200.

I OWN A 2005 KIA SPECTRA AND WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT WHERE THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE IS SIGNIFICANT FRONT END DAMAGE. MY PASSENGER AND I WERE BOTH WEARING OUR SEATBELTS AND ONLY HAD MINOR INJURIES BUT I'M VERY SURPRISED THAT THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I WAS DRIVING SOUTH AND A CAR IN THE NORTHBOUND LEFT TURN LANE TURNED IN FRONT OF ME AND I HIT HER. THE MAJORITY OF THE DAMAGE IS ON THE PASSENGER FRONT SIDE> THE HOOD CRUMPLED, THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND RADIATOR ARE CRACKED, THERE IS WHEEL AND AXLE DAMAGE AND THE ENGINE WON'T START. *TR

KIA AUTOMOBILES PLACES THE AIRBAG WIRING AND CIRCUITS INSIDE THEIR SEAT CUSHIONS WITHOUT PROPER INSULATION TO SAFEGUARD AGAINST ELECTRICAL "SHORTS" AND/OR FIRES. FOR A WHILE NOW, KIA OWNERS LIKE MYSELF HAVE EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL SHORTS FOR THE AIRBAG(S), THERE IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT THAT IMPROPERLY INSULATES THE WIRING AND CIRCUITRY FOR THE AIRBAGS THAT IS STORED WITHIN THE SEAT CUSHION. EVEN SHOULD A MINOR BEVERAGE SPILL OCCUR ON THE CUSHION, OR THE OCCASIONAL SPILL THAT HAPPENS TO ALL DRIVERS/PASSENGERS FROM TIME TO TIME, KIA TELLS US THAT WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR CAUSING THE AIRBAG FAILURE BY VIRTUE OF THE SPILL. SHOULD WE GET INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT....IT'S OUR OWN FAULT...NOT KIA'S. I SAY THAT KIA.....NOT THE CONSUMER,,,IS RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPROPERLY INSULATING THEIR WIRING AND CIRCUITS AND PLACING THOSE WIRES AND CIRCUITS IN THE MOST ILLOGICAL PLACE WITHOUT PROPER INSULATION. HAD KIA TAKEN THE TIME, EFFORT AND EXPENSE TO ENGINEER A BETTER VEHICLE, AIRBAG FUNCTIONS WOULD CERTAINLY NOT BE SUSPECT. I SAY...RECALL THE KIAS TO BETTER INSULATE THE AIRBAG WIRING THAT IS INSIDE THE SEAT CUSHION...WHAT DO YOU THINK? SHOULD A SODA OR WATER SPILL ON A SEAT CUSHION JEOPARDIZE LIVES? *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA SPECTRA. WHILE EXITING A DRIVEWAY AT 10 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE UNDER THE VEHICLE. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, SHE NOTICED WIRES HANGING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE CONNECTOR FROM THE WHEEL SPEED SENSOR HAD FRACTURED AND CAUSED THE TIRE TO FAIL. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 24,145.