10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
24,000 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2005 Kia Spectra:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

problem #2

Feb 152008

Spectra 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 48,000 miles
The contact owns a 2005 Kia Spectra. While driving 35 mph, the contact's vehicle was struck on the rear driver side door. The side air bags failed to deploy and his seat belt did not tighten on impact. The contact was injured and a police report was filed. The manufacturer stated that from the angle the vehicle was struck, the air bags would not have deployed; however, the dealer stated that they should have deployed. The VIN and engine size were unknown. The current and failure mileages were 48,000.

- Eau Claire, WI, USA

Add Complaint
problem #1

Mar 112006

Spectra

  • Manual transmission
  • miles
We were broadsided on the passenger side of the car, the other vehicle was traveling in excess of 30 mph. The side curtain air bags did not deploy. We contacted Kia and they determined that the damage was not enough to deploy the air bags. My wife had to be extracted by the jaws of life. We had problems with the sensor light no going off when a passenger was in the front seat. We had it brought in and they did the recall. But they say there is no proof that they did or did not work properly. Kia covers themselves by stating that not all accidents will deploy the air bags.

- Cloquet, MN, USA

Add Complaint