2007 KIA SPECTRA Complaints

2007 KIA SPECTRA WINDSHIELD STRESS FRACTURE, 45,000 MILES. NO IMPACT. DEALER STATES NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY, MUST GO TO INSURANCE COMPANY. CRACK IS FROM TOP DEAD CENTER AND EXTENDS ACROSS VISION FIELD OF BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER. FAILURE AT LESS THAN 3 YEARS OLD. "KOREA SAFETY GLASS". *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PATCH OF ICE ON THE ROAD CAUSED HER TO CRASH INTO THE GUARD RAIL WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. SHE SUSTAINED INJURIES TO HER HEAD WHEN SHE HIT IT ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND BECAME UNCONSCIOUS. A POLICE REPORT IS AVAILABLE IF NEEDED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

AFTER FILLING THE GAS TANK TO THE FULL LINE. THE CAR OCCASIONALLY SPUTTERS AT FREEWAY SPEEDS, AND WILL CUT OFF IF IDLING FOR THAN ONE MINUTE. THE PROBLEM STOP HAPPENING AFTER THE FUEL LEVEL HAS GONE BELOW THE FULL LINE. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER. THE DEALERS SAY THERE ARE NO TROUBLE CODES IN THE COMPUTER AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. *TR

GAS LINE/TANK/CANISTER ISSUES. MY SPECTRA HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP APPROX. 11 TIMES. I HAVE HAD THE GAS CANISTER REPLACED 4 TIMES AND ON MY LAST VISIT THEY REPLACED THE ENTIRE TANK. THE CAR WILL STALL OUT WHILE DRIVING OR IDLING. WHEN IT STALLS YOU LOSE THE ABILITY TO STEER OR BRAKE, BECAUSE THEY LOSE POWER. I HAVE STALLED MID-INTERSECTION, ON THE EXPRESSWAY, AT STOP SIGNS/STOP LIGHTS, NO REASON WHEN IT HAPPENS, IT JUST STARTS SHAKING,SOMETIMES VIOLENTLY AND THEN STALLS. KIA DEALERSHIP SAYS WE ARE OVERFILLING AND THAT THEY RECOMMEND NOT USING CITGO GAS. WE DO NEITHER. THEY HAVE SAID THAT THE CANISTER VALVE DOES NOT STOP OVERFILLING, WHICH ALLOWS THAT GAS TO CONTAMINATE OTHER AREAS OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH CAUSES THE STALL. I HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH KIA HEADQUARTERS AND SPOKE WITH TOM MORALLES, THE CONSUMER AFFAIRS MGR. I ASKED HOW MANY TIMES DOES THE CAR NEED TO BE REPAIRED BEFORE THEY DEEM IT UNSAFE AND UNABLE TO BE FIXED. HE SAYS THEY NEVER DO, THEY WILL KEEP REPAIRING AND THAT HE DOES NOT HAVE A CRYSTAL BALL TO TELL ME THAT THEY CAN FIX IT ONCE AND FOR ALL. HE TOLD ME THAT IF I AM NOT HAPPY I SHOULD CONTACT THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU. I DRIVE WITH 2 SMALL CHILDREN AND WHEN THE CAR STALLS AND I HAVE OTHER VEHICLES ABOUT TO SMASH INTO US, IT SCARES THEM AND IT SCARES ME. WHAT IS TO SAY WITH THIS GAS LEAK/CONTAMINATION THAT A COMMON FENDER BENDER AT ONE OF THESE STALL OUT TIMES WOULD NOT RESULT IN MY CAR EXPLODING SHOULD A SPARK IGNITE MY GAS LEAK? KIA KNOWS THAT THIS HAPPENING AND THESE VEHICLES SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED. THE FACT THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO HELP IN ANY OTHER WAY IS UNACCEPTABLE. THESE CARS ARE A SAFETY HAZARD NOT ONLY TO MY FAMILY, BUT OTHER FAMILIES THAT I COULD CRASH INTO WHEN I LOSE POWER AND CANNOT BRAKE. IS IT GOING TO TAKE SOMEONE TO DIE FOR ANYONE TO PAY ATTENTION TO THIS. I FOUND MANY CASES THE SAME AS MINE JUST BY SEARCHING THE WEB. WHEN IS ENOUGH, ENOUGH ? NOW. BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED. *TR

2007 KIA SPECTRA 5 BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TODAY (10/19/2009). SWITCH IS THE EXACT SAME ONE THAT WAS RECALLED ON SIMILAR HYUNDAI ELANTRA CARS. SINCE THAT RECALL DOES NOT COVER KIA'S, I WAS CHARGED $139 FOR THE REPLACEMENT. *TR

PROBLEMS WITH THE FUEL TANK AND PURGE CANISTER SYSTEM. THE NORMAL OPERATION OF FUELING THE VEHICLE CAN CAUSE THE PURGE SYSTEM TO BECOME FILLED WITH FUEL. THIS CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO STALL AT THE MOST DANGEROUS TIMES ON THE ROAD; STOP LIGHTS, SLOWER MOVING IN TRAFFIC, IT HAS ALSO SEMI STALLED WHILE ON THE FREEWAY OR ROADWAY. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS TWO TIMES; HOWEVER, THE FIRST TIME IT WAS IN AND OUT FOR ABOUT A MONTH, IT WOULD STALL DRIVING IT OUT OF THE DEALER!! IT IS NOW IN FOR THE SECOND TIME, WITH NO END IN SIGHT. THE PURGE VALVE AND CANISTER HAVE BEEN REPLACED. THESE ACTIONS HOWEVER WILL NOT CORRECT THE UNDERLYING PROBLEM , WHICH IS A DEFECT IN THE DESIGN OF THE FUEL EVAPORATION RECOVERY SYSTEM. I FULLY EXPECT THE PROBLEM TO REOCCUR. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE OR SECURE IN THIS VEHICLE AND I DO NOT TRUST IT. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. *TR

I AM VERY SHOCKED THAT THE HIGHWAY TRAFFIC AND SAFETY ADMINISTRATION NOTICED A PROBLEM WITH THE 2006 SPORTAGE STOP LIGHT BRAKE SWITCH BUT HAS NOT TAKEN KIA TO TASK FOR PRODUCING FAULTY STOP LIGHT BRAKE SWITCHES IN ALL ITS MODELS/YEARS. I'VE HAD TO REPLACE STOP-LIGHT BRAKE SWITCHES IN 2005 AND 2007 KIA SPECTRA'S MULTIPLE TIMES. THE BRAKE LIGHTS STAY ON AFTER RELEASING THE BRAKE PEDAL OR THE LIGHT DOES NOT GO ON AT ALL UPON APPLYING THE BRAKES.. IT WOULD APPEAR THAT CHINA, A COUNTRY IMPORTING KIA MODELS, WAS QUICKER TO REACT TO RECALLS THAN YOU GUYS ARE. EVEN IF YOU TAKE YOUR CAR IN FOR A FAULTY BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH...LOTS OF LUCK...KIA DEALERS DON'T EVEN STOCK THE PARTS. WHEN ARE YOU GUYS GOING TO RECALL THE REST OF THE KIA LINE? THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE YESTERDAY. INACTION RESULTS NOT ONLY IN POTENTIAL ACCIDENTS BUT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN FINES AND PENALTIES RAKED IN BY THE STATES IN WHICH KIA DOES BUSINESS. KIA IS ADDING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO THE STATE AND CITY COFFERS THE RESULT OF FINES LEVIED AGAINST ITS USERS FOR FAULTY BRAKES.... *TR

THE FLOOR MAT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF MY 2007 KIA SPECTRA WILL NOT REMAIN ANCHORED. ALTHOUGH I'M WRITING THIS COMPLAINT IN 2009, THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN 2007. I RECENTLY BROUGHT THE CAR IN TO THE DEALERSHIP TO FIX THE DOOR LOCKS (WHICH LOCK ON THEIR OWN IMMEDIATELY AFTER YOU UNLOCK THEM) AND I BROUGHT MAT ISSUE TO THE ATTENTION OF THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHILE THERE. THEY PROCEEDED TO PUSH THE MAT BACK INTO THE ANCHOR (LIKE I HAVEN'T TRIED THAT HUNDREDS OF TIMES IN THE LAST TWO YEARS?), BUT IT WAS OUT AGAIN WITHIN A DAY - SO THEY HAVE NOT FIXED THIS NOR APPEAR TO WANT TO ADDRESS IT. I VIEW THIS AS AN UNACCEPTABLE SAFETY ISSUE AND AFTER SEEING A NEWS REPORT TONIGHT ABOUT A MAJOR FATAL ACCIDENT INVOLVING A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH A TOYOTA I AM DETERMINED TO GET THIS ADDRESSED BY THE DEALERSHIP! ON THE NOTE ABOUT THE DOOR LOCKS - I WILL BE BRINGING IT BACK FOR THE FOURTH TIME TO ADDRESS THAT PROBLEM NEXT WEEK. I ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT, THAT I HAD A SAFETY CONCERN WITH MY OLD 2000 KIA SEPHIA YEARS AGO WHERE THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELT WOULDN'T STAY LATCHED IF YOU JUST TUGGED ON THE BELT A LITTLE. THE DEALERSHIP (A DIFFERENT ONE) REFUSED TO REPLACE IT (BECAUSE MY WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED) AND WANTED TO CHARGE ME HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO FIX IT. I FILED A COMPLAINT AND THE USDOT HIGHWAY SAFETY DIVISION PAID TO REPLACE THEM AS LONG AS I SENT THE OLD COMPONENTS TO THEM SO THEY COULD TEST THE LATCH. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE SEATBELTS TO BOTH FRONT SEATS WERE RECALLED AND I WENT BACK IN TO GET MY PASSENGER LATCH REPLACED UNDER THIS MASSIVE RECALL. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED TO FIND THAT KIA IS STILL NOT STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE ON SAFETY ISSUES WITHOUT HAVING TO GET REGULATORY BODIES INVOLVED! THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO RUIN CUSTOMER LOYALTY IN SOMEONE WHO GAVE THEM A SECOND CHANCE!!!! *TR

1. TWO PASSENGERS (FEMALE 64 YR DRIVER AND FEMALE 13 YR OLD PASSENGER) WERE PROCEEDING DOWN A RESIDENTIAL ROAD IN A 2007 KIA SPECTRA AT LESS THAN 20 MPH. HALFWAY DOWN THE ROAD, DRIVER BEGAN TO LIGHTLY APPLY THE BRAKE KNOWING THAT THE STOP SIGN WAS FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD. AT THIS MOMENT THE CAR REVVED AND EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION. THE DRIVER SHOUTED OUT THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR. THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE CAR BUT THE BRAKES FAILED. THE CAR ACCELERATED TO APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH. UNABLE TO STOP, THE CAR WENT THROUGH THE STOP SIGN AND PROCEEDED ACROSS THE STREET TOWARDS A GUARD RAIL. DRIVER INSTINCTIVELY TURNED THE WHEEL TO THE LEFT SO THAT THE CAR WOULD NOT HIT THE GUARD RAIL HEAD ON. THE VEHICLE COLLIDED WITH THE GUARD RAIL ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, THROWING THE DRIVER INTO THE PASSENGER SEAT, WHERE THE OTHER PASSENGER WAS SITTING. THE DRIVER HIT HER HEAD HARD ON THE PASSENGER WINDOW AND EXPERIENCED OTHER INJURIES AS A RESULT OF BEING THROWN FROM THE DRIVER SEAT. THE AIR BAGS IN THE CAR FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CAR BOUNCED OFF THE GUARD RAIL AND PROCEEDED AT FULL SPEED ACROSS THE STREET AGAIN. THE CAR RAN OVER SOME SMALL HEDGES IN A RESIDENT'S YARD AND PROCEEDED UP A STEEP HILL BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. THE PASSENGER OF THE CAR IMMEDIATELY DIALED 911 AND THE POLICE/AMBULANCE ARRIVED SHORTLY AFTER. 2. THE CAR'S ELECTRONIC THROTTLE IS BELIEVED TO BE DEFECTIVE. THIS DEFECT RESULTS IN RANDOM EPISODES OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. BECAUSE THE EPISODES ARE RANDOM, THE PROBLEM IS NOT EASILY DUPLICATED. HOWEVER, THERE ARE NUMEROUS DOCUMENTED CASES OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION IN KIA VEHICLES ON THE INTERNET. 3. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC FOR INVESTIGATION. MECHANIC ATTEMPTED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST, BUT MECHANIC REPORTED THAT THE 2007 KIA SPECTRA IS NOT SOPHISTICATED ENOUGH TO APPLY SUCH A TEST. VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO THE LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION. KIA CLAIMS THEY ARE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA SPECTRA. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND HEARD A REVVING NOISE COMING FROM THE GEAR SHIFTER. SHORTLY AFTER, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ACROSS THE STREET. SHE ATTEMPTED TO STEER THE VEHICLE TO AVOID DRIVING INTO A DITCH. THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL STRUCK THE GUARDRAIL, BUT THE VEHICLE STILL DID NOT STOP. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO DRIVE THROUGH BUSHES AND UP A HILL. THE SPEED FINALLY BEGAN TO DECREASE AND THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP. THERE WERE NO SERIOUS INJURIES, ONLY HEADACHES AND BRUISING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE BY THE POLICE, BUT WAS LATER TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE COMPUTER IN THE VEHICLE WAS TOO UNSOPHISTICATED; THEREFORE, A DIAGNOSTIC TEST COULD NOT BE PERFORMED. THROUGH RESEARCH, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME TYPE OF DEFECT. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED AND SHE BELIEVES THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 4,500. UPDATED 6/19/10 *CN THE CONSUME STATED SHE PLACED HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. UPDATED 07/22/10*JB