NHTSA recalls & complaints · 2000–2009

Kia Spectra recalls, complaints and VIN decoding

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns and 906 owner complaints for the Kia Spectra, covering model years 2000 to 2009. The 2007 model year drew the most complaints (152), and Air Bags is the component owners name most often.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint flat files, updated September 25, 2026.

Decode your Kia Spectra VIN

See the model year, plant and build details of one vehicle, then the recalls for its exact year.

2 recall campaigns on file
906 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
10 model years with data (2000–2009)

most complaints: 2007 (152 for that model year)
top component: Air Bags (359 complaints)
latest recall 11V256000 (reported Apr 25, 2011)

184 complaints reporting a crash (20.3%)
19 complaints reporting a fire (2.1%)
123 complaints reporting an injury (13.6%)
6 complaints reporting a death (0.7%)

Kia Spectra complaints by model year

10 model years · NHTSA complaints

The 2007 model year has the most complaints: 152 of 906, or 16.8%. Next come 2008 (121) and 2009 (114). The fewest are for 2000, with 23 complaints.

Owner complaints per model yearHighest yearOther years

Kia Spectra complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death

Kia Spectra complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Model year	Complaints	Reporting a crash	Reporting a fire	Reporting an injury	Reporting a death
2000	23	6	0	5	0
2001	40	13	1	10	0
2002	92	25	2	15	1
2003	90	15	1	10	0
2004	71	16	1	7	1
2005	103	23	1	14	0
2006	100	28	3	23	0
2007	152	22	6	15	1
2008	121	20	3	16	1
2009	114	16	1	8	2
All model years	906	184	19	123	6

Crash, fire, injury and death columns count complaints that report at least one of them, not people.

Most-reported Kia Spectra components

top 15 · NHTSA categories

Air Bags is the component named most often, in 359 complaints (39.6% of all 906), followed by Electrical System (86) and Power Train (82).

Components named most often in Kia Spectra complaints (top 15)

Components named most often in Kia Spectra complaints (top 15)
Component	Complaints	Share of complaints
Air Bags	359	39.6%
Electrical System	86	9.5%
Power Train	82	9.1%
Vehicle Speed Control	72	7.9%
Engine and Engine Cooling	55	6.1%
Seat Belts	54	6.0%
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	50	5.5%
Structure	49	5.4%
Steering	38	4.2%
Fuel System, Gasoline	37	4.1%
Fuel/Propulsion System	35	3.9%
Engine	31	3.4%
Exterior Lighting	30	3.3%
Seats	30	3.3%
Service Brakes	29	3.2%

One complaint can name several components, so the shares add up to more than 100%. Component names are NHTSA’s top-level categories.

What NHTSA owner complaints mean

These figures count complaints that vehicle owners and other members of the public have submitted to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. NHTSA uses complaints, together with other data, to spot safety issues that may warrant an investigation and to check whether existing recalls go far enough.

They are reports, not findings. Each complaint is the submitter's own account. Its presence in the database does not mean NHTSA has confirmed a defect.
Counts are not defect rates. The data doesn't say how many vehicles were sold, so a raw count can't tell you what share of vehicles had a problem.
Popular models collect more complaints. A model sold in large numbers will usually gather more complaints than a rare one, simply because more people own it.
One complaint can name several components. Totals by component can therefore add up to more than the number of complaints.
Coverage starts in 1995. NHTSA's complaint file contains complaints received since January 1, 1995.

Use complaint patterns as a prompt for questions: whether a recall covers the issue, whether the vehicle you are considering has had the fix, and what a mechanic finds on inspection. For confirmed safety defects, see the recall list for this model.

Kia Spectra recalls

2 campaigns · newest first

Every vehicle recall campaign NHTSA lists under the model name Spectra, newest first. The 2 campaigns cover model years 2004 to 2007. The 2005 model year appears in the most campaigns (2).

2 recall campaigns

Kia Spectra recall campaigns covering each model year
2004: 1 campaign	2005: 2 campaigns	2006: 1 campaign	2007: 1 campaign

Highlighted: the model year with the most campaigns.

NHTSA campaign 11V256000
Reported Apr 25, 2011
Fuel System, Other › Storage › Tank Assembly › Mounting
Model years 2004–2007
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:
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.
Filed by Kia America, Inc.
NHTSA campaign 05V183000
Reported Apr 28, 2005
Steering › Linkages › Tie Rod Assembly
Model year 2005
On certain passenger vehicles, the steering tie rods may have a manufacturing flaw that affects the metallurgy.
Consequence:
If the rod cracks or fails, loss of vehicle steering control may occur which could result in a crash.
Remedy:
Dealers will replace the steering rack assembly, which includes the tie rod components free of charge. Owners were notified by telephone on April 8, 2005. An additional letter was sent to owners who had not taken their vehicles in for repair. This letter was mailed May 20, 2005. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542.
Filed by Kia America, Inc.

Recall text is shown as NHTSA publishes it; older campaigns, which NHTSA stores in capital letters, are shown in sentence case. NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline, 1-888-327-4236, also answers recall questions.

How to read this recall list

This list shows every safety recall campaign NHTSA has on file for this make, model and model year. It is not specific to one vehicle: a recall often covers only vehicles built in a certain date range or with a certain part, and many of the vehicles it covers will already have been repaired.

What each recall field means

What each recall field means
Field	What it tells you
Campaign number	NHTSA's unique ID for the recall, such as 20V771000. Quote it to a dealer or when searching NHTSA's site.
Component	The system or part involved, for example air bags, brakes or electrical software.
Summary	What the defect or non-compliance is and which vehicles are covered.
Consequence	The safety risk if the problem isn't fixed.
Remedy	What the manufacturer will do, such as a repair, replacement or software update, and whether it is free.

Some recalls carry an NHTSA consumer advisory, “Do Not Drive” or “Park Outside”. Follow it until the repair is done.
A single campaign often covers several models or model years, so the same campaign number can appear in more than one list.
Recalls are shown as NHTSA publishes them. Very recent campaigns may take time to appear.

Does your vehicle have an open recall? Only a VIN check can tell you. Enter the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or on the manufacturer's website. Our VIN recall check guide explains what each option covers.

Kia Spectra questions

5 questions

How many recalls does the Kia Spectra have?

NHTSA lists 2 vehicle recall campaigns for the Kia Spectra, covering model years 2000 to 2009. The most recent, 11V256000, was reported on April 25, 2011 and is filed under “Fuel system, other”. The 2005 model year is covered by the most campaigns (2).

Which Kia Spectra model year has the most complaints?

The 2007 model year, with 152 of the 906 complaints in NHTSA’s file (16.8%). The next are 2008 (121) and 2009 (114). Complaint counts also reflect how many vehicles of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road, so they are not a reliability ranking.

What is the most common Kia Spectra complaint?

Air Bags is the component named most often: 359 complaints, or 39.6% of all 906. Electrical System (86) and Power Train (82) follow. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not confirmed defects, and one complaint can name several components.

Does every recall on this page apply to my Kia Spectra?

Not necessarily. Each campaign lists specific model years, and many cover only vehicles built in a certain period or fitted with a certain part; repairs already carried out aren’t shown. To see whether a recall is open on your vehicle, enter its VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or ask a Kia dealer.

How many Kia Spectra complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?

Of the 906 complaints, 184 report a crash, 19 a fire, 123 at least one injury and 6 at least one death. These figures count complaints, not people, and each complaint is the submitter’s own unverified account.

8 models · most complaints first

The Kia models with the most NHTSA complaints, and the Kia VIN decoder with every Kia model page, WMI code and VIN note.

Kia Sorento 2003–2026 · 40 recalls · 10,159 complaints
Kia Optima 2001–2020 · 22 recalls · 7,499 complaints
Kia Soul 2010–2025 · 15 recalls · 5,532 complaints
Kia Sportage 1995–2026 · 36 recalls · 4,687 complaints
Kia Forte 2009–2024 · 18 recalls · 2,539 complaints
Kia Sedona 2002–2021 · 23 recalls · 2,406 complaints
Kia Telluride 2020–2027 · 19 recalls · 2,009 complaints
Kia Sephia 1995–2003 · 7 recalls · 1,687 complaints

All Kia models and WMI codes Look up recalls by year

Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files, updated September 25, 2026. Recall campaigns are vehicle (V) campaigns listed for this model name; complaints are counted once per NHTSA ODI number and model year.