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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.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

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

Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints

7 reports
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14,000 miles · Oct 22, 2007
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA SPECTRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE RPM'S WOULD INCREASE RAPIDLY WHEN ATTEMPTING TO DECELERATE. SHE HAD TO CONTINUALLY APPLY PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO COMPLETELY STOP. OCCASIONALLY, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING, IT WOULD DRIFT WHILE …

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA SPECTRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE RPM'S WOULD INCREASE RAPIDLY WHEN ATTEMPTING TO DECELERATE. SHE HAD TO CONTINUALLY APPLY PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO COMPLETELY STOP. OCCASIONALLY, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING, IT WOULD DRIFT WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE ECU. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 14,000.

NHTSA ODI #10206534

3,020 miles · Jun 25, 2007
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE DOING ABOUT 65 MPH BOTH TIMES THIS OCCURRED WHEN THE REAR BRAKES LOCKED AND THE CAR CAME TO A STOP ON THE HIGHWAY. SMOKE WAS POURING OUT FROM MY LEFT REAR TIRE, AND WHEN THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER SHOWED UP IT TOOK HIM A GOOD 15 MINUTES TO GET THE BRAKES UNSTUCK. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10194183

700 miles · Dec 8, 2006
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AS WELL. THIS HAD OCCURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE VEHICLE PERFORMED AS DESIGNED. UPDATED 02/12/07. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10175599

6,200 miles · Jun 8, 2006
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

I WAS COMING TO A STOP, DEPRESSING MY BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR, FAILING TO STOP MY CAR. I PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AGAIN, THE CAR JUMPED FORWARD AND THEN CAME TO A STOP. THIS HAPPENED TWICE TODAY, NEITHER TIME CAUSING AN ACCIDENT, BUT CAME CLOSE TO HITTING A HOUSE AND A GAS STATION. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10159357

224 miles · Jun 6, 2006
Air BagsService Brakes, HydraulicCrash

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH THE VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT HAD STOPPED WITHOUT WARNING. THIS WAS A FULL FRONT TO REAR INCIDENT. THERE WAS PRE IMPACT BRAKING, THE WHEELS LOCKED UP ON THE VEHICLE CAUSING IT TO SKID INTO THE REAR OF THE STOPPED VEHICLE. THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. SEAT BELTS WERE …

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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH THE VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT HAD STOPPED WITHOUT WARNING. THIS WAS A FULL FRONT TO REAR INCIDENT. THERE WAS PRE IMPACT BRAKING, THE WHEELS LOCKED UP ON THE VEHICLE CAUSING IT TO SKID INTO THE REAR OF THE STOPPED VEHICLE. THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. SEAT BELTS WERE IN USE AND NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THERE WAS A POLICE REPORT FILED AT THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR AND IS AWAITING INSPECTION.

NHTSA ODI #10159154

223 miles · May 31, 2006
Air BagsService Brakes, HydraulicCrashInjury

ON THE AFTERNOON OF THE 25TH DAY OF MAY IN THE YEAR 2006, MY WIFE AND MYSELF WERE DRIVING DOWN I-5 SB TO MAMC FOR HER HOSPITAL APPT. WE WERE THEN INVOLVED IN A MULTI-CAR ACCIDENT OFF NEXT TO THE OFF RAMP OF EXIT 123. WE TRIED TO SLOW DOWN IN TIME BEFORE NOTICING THE JUST WRECKED VEHICLE IN FRONT OF US AND MY ABS IN MY 2006 KIA S…

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ON THE AFTERNOON OF THE 25TH DAY OF MAY IN THE YEAR 2006, MY WIFE AND MYSELF WERE DRIVING DOWN I-5 SB TO MAMC FOR HER HOSPITAL APPT. WE WERE THEN INVOLVED IN A MULTI-CAR ACCIDENT OFF NEXT TO THE OFF RAMP OF EXIT 123. WE TRIED TO SLOW DOWN IN TIME BEFORE NOTICING THE JUST WRECKED VEHICLE IN FRONT OF US AND MY ABS IN MY 2006 KIA SPECTRA SX DID NOT ENGAGE, MY TIRES THEN LOCKED UP AND I SKIDDED AND SLID INTO THE STOPPED VEHICLE. WE HIT THEM DOING APPROX. 35-45 MPH AND SMASHED IN THE FRONT OF OUR CAR. AT THAT TIME MY AIRBAGS (BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER) DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE HAS BEEN NO CORRECTIVE ACTION FROM THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10158728

650 miles · May 1, 2006
Service Brakes, HydraulicCrash

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE APPROACHING A STOP DRIVING 15 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, LET OFF AND PRESSED AGAIN, THE VEHICLE THEN SURGED FORWARD, AND THIS CAUSED A REAR END COLLISION. SEATBELTS WERE IN USE AND NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THERE WAS NO POLICE ON SCENE AND A REPO…

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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE APPROACHING A STOP DRIVING 15 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, LET OFF AND PRESSED AGAIN, THE VEHICLE THEN SURGED FORWARD, AND THIS CAUSED A REAR END COLLISION. SEATBELTS WERE IN USE AND NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THERE WAS NO POLICE ON SCENE AND A REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER; UPON INSPECTION THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI #10156564

Official recalls

1

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.