There are 13 owner-reported air bags & restraints complaints for the 2003 Kia Spectrain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,234. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL*THE CONTACT WAS A PASSENGER IN A 2003 KIA SPECTRA. WHILE RIDING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE DRIVER BLACKED OUT, CAUSING HER TO CRASH INTO A TELEPHONE POLE HEAD. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. BOTH THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A FRACTURED STERNUM AND MULTIPLE BRUISES. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED MULTIPLE BRUISES TO THE BODY AND A TOOTH WAS KNOCKED OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 110,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. A POICE REPORT WAS FILED.
FRONT SEATBELTS ON 2003 KIA SPECTRA UNLATCH. *TR
DT: 2003 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN TURNING THE VEHICLE WAS HIT ON THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE BY THE WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS HIT SO HARD THAT THE BUMPER CAME OFF AND PUSHED THE ENGINE AND HOOD UP. THE FIREMAN SAID THE AIR BAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE SPUN AROUND TWICE. THIS BROKE THE REAR AXLE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE VEHICLE ENDED UP SIX FEET FROM WHERE THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE CONSUMER'S BACK WAS SORE FOR A FEW WEEKS. A POLICE REPORT TAKEN. THE INSURANCE COMPANY TOTALED THE VEHICLE AND HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED TO SEE WHY THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK *NM
THE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL IMPACT COLLISION AT 15 MILES PER HOUR. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *JB
VEHICLE CRASH (FRONT END) AT !@55 MPH AND NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. *JB
AFTER REAR ENDING A LARGE TRUCK AT 45 MPH THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. THE DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES,AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK *JB
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION. THE SEAT BELT BROKE AS A RESULT OF DRIVER NOT BEING RESTRAINED PROPERLY. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *PH
THE REAR SEAT BELTS FAILED TO FASTENED. 8JB
POSESS A 2003 KIA SPECTRA GT THAT WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR END COLLISION. ONLY ONE PERSON IN THE VEHICLE BUT BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. AIRBAG BROKE WINDSHIELD AS WELL AS SIDE CASING THAT HELD THE SEAT BELTS IN PLACE. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THIS AND WANT TO KNOW IF THIS IS A NORMAL OCCURRENCE IN THIS VEHICLE OR ANY VEHICLE FOR THAT MATTER? PIECES OF THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE SHATTERED AND SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE AND COULD HAVE CAUSED HARM TO ANYONE THEY CONTACTED. PLEASE ADVISE. *JB
THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION, AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY.*JB
WHILE DRIVING 28 MPH IN VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED FRONTAL COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026