Problems · NHTSA complaints

2003 Kia Spectra problems

Owners filed 93 complaints about the 2003 Kia Spectra with NHTSA between Dec 2002 and Feb 2019. The most-cited component is power train (16).

Complaints
93
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
15
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
11
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Power train16
  2. Service brakes, hydraulic15
  3. Engine and engine cooling15
  4. Structure11
  5. Air bags11
  6. Visibility10
  7. Seat belts9
  8. Electrical system9
  9. Exterior lighting8
  10. Service brakes4
  11. Steering4
  12. Suspension3
  13. Fuel system, gasoline3
  14. Seats3

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20021
200319
200416
200514
20069
20076
20081
20093
20105
20115
20123
20132
20144
20151
20161
20172
20180
20191

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Power train

16 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT INTO GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 19, 2014Power trainODI 10637618

Service brakes, hydraulic

15 reports3 crashes
“THE CAR ALL OF THE SUDDEN STARTED LOOSING BRAKE FLUID RAPIDLY. MY PERFECTLY GOOD BRAKES WERE GOING OUT AND I ALMOST WRECKED MY CAR BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. THE KIA DEALERSHIP IN DICKINSON, TX IS CHARGING ME 300 DOLLARS + TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. I SEE THAT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH A DEFECTIVE MANUFACTURE PART. MY MECHANIC SAID THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST PROPORTIONING VALVE HE HAS SEEN COMPLETELY DESTROYED LIKE THIS IN 10+ YEARS. THIS IS HAPPENING TO THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. I HAVE WROTE ALL NEWS STATIONS ABOUT THIS AND I AM PURSUING THIS AGGRESSIVELY. YOU ALL RECALLED THE 2004-2007 PROPORTIONING VALVES THEN IT SHOULD BE FOR THE EARLIER MODELS AS WELL. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 18, 2012Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10481046

Engine and engine cooling

15 reports1 crash
“PURCHASED THE CAR IN MAY OF 2003, JUNE 30TH OF 2003 CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND HAD TO HAVE THE TPS REPLACED AND 3 MORE TIMES TO PRESENT. HAVE HAD MULTIPLE HEADLIGHTS REPLACED, HEATING PROBLEM, EXHAUST REPLACED. CAR IS NOW ON 46,000 HAD TRANSMISSION REPLACED (THROUGH AN ATT. FROM LEMON LAW) AT 16,000 MILES HAD TO HAVE TIRES REPLACED. AND, NOW TO DATE TIRES WERE REPLACED FOR THE 5TH TIME, BRAKES WERE DONE 4 TIMES, NOW TO FIND OUT THE REASON TIRES AND BRAKES WERE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED SO MANY TIMES IS BECAUSE THE SUSPENSION IS WAY OUT OF ALIGNMENT WHICH SEEING I HAVE HAD THE PROBLEM ALL ALONG I NOW BELIEVE IT WAS A DEFECT ALL ALONG. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 28, 2006Suspension, Service brakes, hydraulic, Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Exterior lighting, Visibility, TiresODI 10174576

Structure

11 reports
“I BOUGHT A CAR FROM A USED DEALER AND I WAS INFORMED THAT IT HAD NO FRAME DAMAGE BUT I TOOK IT TO TWO GARAGES AND BOTH GARAGES INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS FRAME DAMAGE FRONT AND BACK AND THE ONE GARAGE I TOOK IT TO SAID THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE FRAME DAMAGE”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 7, 2017StructureODI 11022089

Air bags

11 reports10 crashes
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 23, 2015Air bagsODI 10775422

Visibility

10 reports
“2003 KIA SPECTRA. NEVER BEEN IN A WRECK. POWER WINDOWS FAIL TO WORK. A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW CAME OFF THE TRACK, AND THE IN-DOOR ASSEMBLY HAD CRUMBLED WITHIN THE DOOR. TOOK GETTING AN ENTIRE ASSEMBLY TO REPAIR THE WINDOW. TODAY, THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW DOES NOT OPEN. MOTOR STILL WORKS. A CLICKING SOUND CAN BE HEARD AS IT RUNS, BUT IT IS NOT GRIPPING THE WINDOW TO LOWER IT. (STILL NOT REPAIRED). *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 19, 2011Visibility, StructureODI 10377946
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.