Worst 2004 Kia Spectra Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
AIR BAGS
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
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All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2004 Kia Spectra.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | 13 | 5 | — | 230,404 mi | |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 13 | 1 | — | 14,729 mi | |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 7 | 1 | 1 | 51,015 mi | |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 6 | 6 | — | 38,355 mi | |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE | 6 | — | — | 35,000 mi | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 6 | — | — | 47,520 mi | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 4 | — | — | 17,853 mi | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 3 | — | — | 22,651 mi | |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 3 | — | — | 63,871 mi | |
| SUSPENSION | 3 | — | — | 6,904 mi | |
| POWER TRAIN | 2 | — | — | 83,615 mi | |
| SEATS | 2 | — | — | 110,000 mi | |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 2 | — | — | 63,075 mi | |
| AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW | 1 | 1 | — | 31,000 mi | |
| CHILD SEAT | 1 | — | — | — | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE | 1 | — | — | 30,000 mi | |
| EQUIPMENT | 1 | 1 | — | 17,000 mi | |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | 1 | — | — | 116,862 mi | |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM) | 1 | — | — | — | |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT | 1 | 1 | — | 8,000 mi | |
| SEAT BELTS | 1 | — | — | 140,000 mi | |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT | 1 | 1 | — | 18,000 mi | |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 1 | — | — | 70,852 mi | |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 1 | 1 | — | 21,251 mi | |
| SEAT BELTS:INTEGRATED CHILD SEAT | 1 | — | — | — | |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 1 | — | 1,983,297 mi | |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 1 | — | — | 900 mi | |
| STEERING | 1 | — | — | 900 mi | |
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | 1 | — | — | 31,000 mi | |
| STEERING:LINKAGES:KNUCKLE:SPINDLE:ARM | 1 | 1 | — | 4,000 mi |
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2004 Kia Spectra. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Recalls for 2004 Kia Spectra
1 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~58,322 vehicles.
KIA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2007 SPECTRA LD VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM NOVEMBER 7, 2003, THROUGH MARCH 6, 2007, ORIGINALLY SOLD, OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT CORROSION OF THE FUEL TANK STRAPS WHICH HOLD THE TANK MAY OCCUR AS A RESULT OF PROLONGED EXPOSURE TO ROAD SALT. AS A RESULT OF THE CORROSION, ONE OR BOTH STRAPS MAY SEPARATE ALLOWING THE FUEL TANK TO CONTACT THE GROUND AND POSSIBLY DISRUPT THE INTEGRITY OF THE TANK.
Other Kia Spectra Years
Wider context: See the full Kia Spectra reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.
Check Your Specific 2004 Kia Spectra
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud.
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