2007 Kia Spectra Complaint Log

WHILE DRIVING MY 2007 KIA SPECTRA- AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ON 1/1/2008, DOWN THE ROAD AT 45MPH, THE CAR SUDDENLY WENT FROM HIGH GEAR TO LOW GEAR AND IT STAYED ON LOW GEAR. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT FIX. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS SOME TYPE OF RELAY THAT NEEDED TO BE RESET. THEY RESET THE RELAY THAT DAY. SINCE THEN IT HAS HAPPENED TWO MORE TIMES AT HIGHER SPEED, WHICH THE DEALERSHIP FIXED THE PROBLEM EACH TIME. SO THAT'S A TOTAL OF THREE TIMES IT HAS HAPPENED. NOW, FOR A FOURTH TIME, IT HAS HAPPENED AGAIN ON 11/01/2014. *TR

2007 KIA SPECTRA WITH DEFECTIVE AUTO-OFF HEADLAMPS. CONSUMER STATES THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS CAUSED THE BATTERY TO DIE AND HIM TO NEED A JUMPSTART. HE ALSO STATES THAT THE LIGHTS WILL COME ON PERIODICALLY AND WILL SOMETIMES STAY ON. *KB THE DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER REPLACED SEVERAL COMPONENTS, INCLUDING THE IGNITION SWITCH WHICH FAILED, AS WELL AS THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH. *JB

I PURCHASED MY 2007 KIA SPECTRA BRAND NEW...IT ONLY HAD 55 MILES ON THE VEHICLE AT TIME OF PURCHASE. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR A FEW WEEKS IT STARTED TO GRIND IN 2ND GEAR, I TOOK THE KIA TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY INFORMED ME THAT SOME SCREWS HAD COME LOOSE AND THAT IS WHERE THE GRINDING WAS COMING FROM, I WAS DRIVING WITH SCREWS IN THE CLUTCH! THEY GAVE ME A RENTAL AND PUT THE SCREWS BACK IN THE CLUTCHING SYSTEM. I GOT THE CAR BACK AND IT DID GOOD FOR A WHILE AND THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED, AGAIN THEY SAID SCREWS WERE LOOSE AGAIN! I QUESTIONED HOW THE SCREWS KEPT COMING LOOSE, THEY HAD NO EXPLANATION FOR THIS PROBLEM. THIS TIME THEY DIDN'T GIVE ME A RENTAL, I HAD TO GET MY OWN AND THEY HAD TO LEAVE WORK EARLY. GOT THE CAR BACK AND IT DID FINE FOR A SHORT WHILE AND AGAIN THE SAME PROBLEM! I TOOK IT TO KIA DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THIS TIME IT WAS SOME PLASTIC PIECE THAT HAD COME LOOSE AND THAT WAS MAKING IT GRIND IN 2ND GEAR. AGAIN, I WAS WITHOUT MY VEHICLE AND AGAIN, NO RENTAL. GOT THE CAR BACK AND DROVE FINE FOR A FEW DAYS THEN THE SAME PROBLEM. CONSIDERING HOW LONG THEY KEPT MY CAR EACH TIME AND HOW LONG I WAS WITHOUT A VEHICLE EACH TIME...I CALLED KIA AND TOLD THEM THE SAME PROBLEM WAS HAPPENING AGAIN. THEY TOLD ME TO BRING IT UP THERE AND THEY WOULD TAKE A LOOK AT IT...I COULDN'T BE WITHOUT A VEHICLE FOR THAT LONG AGAIN AND MISS WORK AGAIN AND FIND WAYS FOR MY CHILDREN TO GET BACK AND FORTH TO SCHOOL. THINKING IT WAS THE PLASTIC PIECE AGAIN, I JUST KEPT DRIVING IT BECAUSE OF ALL THE PAST PROBLEMS, I ASSUMED IT WOULD BE UNDER WARRANTY. I WAITED LONGER THIS TIME DUE TO THE LENGTH OF TIME THEY KEPT IT EACH TIME AND I REALLY NEED MY VEHICLE. SO BECAUSE I WAITED TOO LONG, THEY ARE QUESTIONING THE FACT AS TO WHETHER OR NOT IT WILL BE UNDER WARRANTY AND WANT ME TO SIGN A PAPER SAYING THAT IF THEY TEAR IT DOWN AND DON'T FIND ANY MANUFACTURING DEFECTS, THEN I WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TEAR DOWN AND ANY REPAIRS! *TR

I HAD A 2007 KIA SPECTRA. MY DAUGHTER WAS GOING TO WASHINGTON TO HELP HER HUSBAND FIX UP AN APARTMENT FOR THEM TO MOVE IN. I SUGGESTED TO MY DAUGHTER THAT SHE COULD TAKE MY CAR SINCE IT WAS NEW AND MORE RELIABLE. I RECEIVED A CALL ABOUT 12:30 AM. SHE TOLD ME THAT SOMEONE STOPPED QUICKLY IN FRONT OF HER AND SHE VEERED TO KEEP FROM HITTING HER. SHE SAID THAT WHEN SHE DID SOMETHING HAPPENED WITH THE CAR AND SHE LOST CONTROL. SHE ENDED GETTING HIT FROM BEHIND AND PUSHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. SANDWICHING THE CAR IN THE MIDDLE. I MIGHT WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT IT WAS HUMAN ERROR ON HER PART. BUT, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT EVEN DEPLOY. THIS TELLS ME THAT SOMETHING WAS HORRIBLY WRONG WITH MY CAR AND MY DAUGHTER WAS BLESSED TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WALK AWAY FROM THE ACCIDENT. MY CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS AND THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING SALVAGEABLE FROM THIS CAR. I TOLD HIM THAT I FELT THAT IT WAS STRANGE THAT BOTH THE FRONT AND BACK OF THE CAR WAS CRUSHED AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THIS TELLS ME SOMETHING WAS TERRIBLY WRONG. CAN YOU LOOK INTO THIS FOR ME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. *JB

THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS WILL LOCK INDEPENDENTLY OF THE FOB OR DOOR BUTTON. WHEN USING THE FOB THE DOORS WILL UNLOCK AND THEN LOCK BACK INSTANTLY. I HAVE TO PLAY A 'CATCH ME IF YOU CAN' GAME, JUST TO GET INTO MY CAR. I CAN NOT EXIT THE CAR TO GET GAS WITHOUT IT LOCKING ON IT'S OWN. FIRST TIME I TURNED IT IN FOR SERVICE THE PROBLEM 'COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED'. TURNED IN SECOND TIME AND THEY ARE REPLACING THE DOOR LOCK MECHANISM. WAITING ON PARTS. *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

TL*THE CONTACT RENTED A 2007 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT AND REAR PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING WHEN THE KEY WAS PLACED IN THE IGNITION. THE DRIVER SUFFERED HEARING LOSS IN THE LEFT EAR, WHIPLASH IN THE NECK, AND A CUT ON THE ARM. THE REAR PASSENGER WAS A NINE YEAR OLD CHILD WHO SUFFERED HEAD INJURIES. THE VIN, ENGINE SIZE, NUMBER OF CYLINDERS, AND PURCHASE DATE WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 29,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA SPECTRA. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE RIGHT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN. THE VEHICLE FLIPPED OVER AND WAS DESTROYED. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE CLEAR. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 600. UPDATED 06/22/07 *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WAS UNAWARE THAT HER VEHICLE DID NOT COME EQUIPPED WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL FEATURE UNTIL AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE OWNER'S MANUAL MENTIONED THAT HER VEHICLE HAS CRUISE CONTROL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DOES NOT COME WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL FEATURE. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE APPROXIMATE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 2,692.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED, WHICH INDICATED THAT THE AIR BAG WAS DEACTIVATED. THE INDICATOR HAD BEEN ILLUMINATED SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT BRAND NEW. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR INSPECTION, THE MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE CLUSTER INDICATOR ON THE AIR BAG WAS CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE FAILED THE INSPECTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10.

MY 2007 KIA SPECTRA'S DOORS WILL RANDOMLY LOCK AND UNLOCK. THIS HAS CAUSED GREAT CONCERN BOTH IN SITUATIONS WHERE I WOULD NEED TO GET INTO MY CAR QUICKLY - FOR EXAMPLE A MUGGING OR SNOWSTORM, AND WHERE I LEAVE MY CAR PARKED IN A PUBLIC LOCATION. RESEARCH ONLINE INDICATES THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, YET KIA REFUSES TO FIX IT UNLESS THEY CAN REPLICATE THE ISSUE, AND INSTEAD TRY TO HINT THAT IT'S USER ERROR. I'VE FILMED THIS OCCURRENCE, AND MULTIPLE PEOPLE HAVE SEEN THE DOOR LOCKS "ARGUE" WITH THE FOB'S UNLOCK COMMAND. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO HONOR THE WARRANTY UNLESS THEY CAN REPLICATE IT AND TOLD ME "BRING IT BACK WHEN THE LOCKS FAIL ENTIRELY." IT IS A CONSTANT ISSUE NOW. I WILL BE TAKING IT BACK TO KIA AGAIN THIS WEEKEND. *TR

2007 KIA SPECTRA HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE AIR BAG AND SENSOR ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG LIGHT WOULD NOT GO OUT WHEN THE SEAT WAS OCCUPIED. THE CONSUMER STATED AFTER 4 MONTHS OF COMPLAINING AND FINALLY CALLING CORPORATE, THE AIR BAG SENSOR WAS REPLACED. IN SEPTEMBER 2008, THE PROBLEM RESURFACED AGAIN. THE AIR BAG MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IN DEC 2008, THE PROBLEM WITH THE AIR BAG RESURFACED AGAIN. THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO MAKE NOISES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. UPON DIAGNOSIS, THE SWAY BAR LINKS WERE FAULTY, THE WHEEL BEARING HAD TO BE REPLACED AND THE SPEAKER IN THE FRONT DOOR HAD BLOWN. THE CRUISE CONTROL WORKED SPORADICALLY. *JB