There are 4 owner-reported electrical system complaints for the 2006 Kia Spectrain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT ON DASH BOARD WILL NOT GO OFF MOST TIMES, EVEN WHEN A 125 POUND PASSENGER IS IN SEAT. OCCASIONALLY DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT ALARM WILL NOT CHIME. HAD MECHANIC CHECK WIRING, HE REPLACED ALTERNATOR,BATTERY STILL THE SAME. KENWOOD STEREO WILL NOT TUNE IN FROM TIME TO TIME, EVEN WHEN IN MY SAME PARKING SPACE ALSO AS WE ARE DRIVING WITH SHIFTER LOCKED INTO DRIVE, THE ENGINE SEEMS TO CHANGE GEARS ON FLAT ROAD SURFACE AS IF IT IS IN 3RD GEAR THEN GOES INTO DRIVE. THERE IS NOTHING ELSE I CAN DO. ALREADY HAD MECHANIC LOOK AT THESE PROBLEMS. NO CODES ARE SHOWING UP, BUT OBVIOUSLY THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM THAT MAY NOT ALLOW PASSENGER AIR BAG TO DEPLOY OR DRIVER SEAT BELT TO ACTIVATE OR WHAT EVER ELSE IS CONTROLLED BY THE ELECTRICAL. ALSO HAVE A 2006 KIA WITH SOME ELECTRICAL PROBLEM THAT CAR STEREO SHOP COULD NOT GET A NEW STEREO INSTALLED TO WORK PROPERLY. OTHER WISE CAR IF VERY AFFORDABLE,NOT SURE HOW SAFE IT IS. *TR
VEHICLE SPEEDOMETER MALFUNCTIONED. SUDDENLY WENT TO ZERO. INTERMITTENTLY WORKS. UNABLE TO DETERMINE SPEED OF VEHICLE AT RANDOM TIMES. *TR
WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT MY CAR USED EVERTHING WORKED LIKE IT SHOULD!!!! 1. FIRST THING WENT OUT WAS MY CLOCK ON DASHBOARD 2. BACK DRIVERS SIDE BRAKE LIGHT WILL NOT WORK WITHOUT REPLACING A NEW BULB EVERY WEEK 3.WINDOW ON REAR PASSENGER DOOR WILL NOT ROLL UP ON PASSENGER SIDE THE DRIVER HAS TO ROLL IT UP 4.CD PLAYER PLAYS WHEN IT WANTS TO , SOMETIMES I CANT GET CD OUT UNTIL ITS READY FOR IT TO COME OUT 5. DRIVER SIDE DOOR HAS A LEAK SOMEWHERE CAUSE WHEN IT RAINS MY FLOOR GETS WET UNDER THE DOOR 6.AIRBAG - THE AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON WHEN IT WANTS TO ALSO 7. GAS TANK - MOST OF THE TIME YOU HAVE TO PULL UP ON THE HANDLE A FEW TIMES TO EVEN GET THE GAS TANK TO OPEN MY MAIN CONCERNS IS : BRAKE LIGHT NOT WORKING AIRBAGS WINDOW I HAVE CHILDERN THAT RIDE IN MY CAR AND I WANT IT TO BE AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE
THE ALTERNATOR ON MY 2006 KIA SPECTRA EX WENT OUT WITH WARNING AND THE CALL STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY. MY COUSIN AND I WERE STRANDED ON THE HIGHWAY FOR 3.5 HOURS BEFORE HELP ARRIVED. BOTH OF US WERE SUNBURNED AND I AM A HEART PATIENT, WHO SUFFERED FROM HEAT EXHAUSTION AND DEHYDRATION ON THIS DAY. KIA DID NOT HONOR THE 10 YEAR OR 100,000 WARRANTY. MY CAR ONLY HAVE 76,000 MILES. PAID NEARLY $400 FOR A REBUILT ALTERNATOR. CAUSED GREAT HARDSHIP AND PHYSICAL CONDITIONS OVER THIS ISSUE. *TR
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