IllustrationI HAVE A KIA SPECTRA 2006 WHICH I HAVE TO KEEP REPLACING THE HEADLIGHTS EVERY THREE TO FOUR MONTHS. THIS ISSUE BEGAN ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO WHEN I HAD OVER 100,000 MILES IN MY VEHICLE. I CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHY THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD BURN SO OFTEN. *TR
2006 Kia Spectra
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2006 Kia Spectra do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 96.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Spectra years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
270–25K
625–50K
1450–75K
1475–100K
15100–150K
7150K+
83 reports with mileage · 17 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 46 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
28 crash reports3 fire reports23 injury reports
Exterior Lighting complaints
2 reportsI HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE HEAD LAMPS ON MY 2006 KIA SPECTRA MULTIPLE TIMES SINCE IT'S PURCHASE IN 2006 BUT RECENTLY THE DRIVERS SIDE TAIL LIGHT WENT OUT AND I REPLACED THE BULB AND A WEEK OR SO LATER MY NEIGHBOR TOLD ME THE PASSENGER SIDE TAIL LIGHT WAS OUT SO WHEN I PROCEEDED TO CHANGE THE BULB LIKE I DID WITH THE OTHER, I COUL…
Read full complaint
I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE HEAD LAMPS ON MY 2006 KIA SPECTRA MULTIPLE TIMES SINCE IT'S PURCHASE IN 2006 BUT RECENTLY THE DRIVERS SIDE TAIL LIGHT WENT OUT AND I REPLACED THE BULB AND A WEEK OR SO LATER MY NEIGHBOR TOLD ME THE PASSENGER SIDE TAIL LIGHT WAS OUT SO WHEN I PROCEEDED TO CHANGE THE BULB LIKE I DID WITH THE OTHER, I COULDN'T GET IT TO COME OUT, IT APPEARED TO BE FUSED TO THE PLASTIC CASING...WHEN I FINALLY GOT IT OUT AND REPLACED THE BULB I WENT TO TURN THE CAR ON TO CHECK THAT IT LIT UP I NOTICED THAT THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS HAD GONE OUT AND THE PASSENGERSIDE PARKING LIGHT...I HAVE REPLACED ALL THE BULBS AND ALL THE APPROPRIATE FUSES. I CAN NOT IMAGINE I AM THE FIRST TO HAVE THIS ISSUE. *TR
Official recalls
111V256000 · 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.