Problems · NHTSA complaints
2009 Kia Spectra problems
Owners filed 114 complaints about the 2009 Kia Spectra with NHTSA between May 2009 and Nov 2023. The most-cited component is air bags (76).
Complaints
114
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
16
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
10
People reported injured
Deaths
2
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Air bags76
- Seats11
- Electrical system10
- Seat belts9
- Vehicle speed control6
- Engine5
- Structure5
- Service brakes4
- Fuel/propulsion system4
- Wheels3
- Steering3
- Engine and engine cooling3
- Exterior lighting2
- Power train2
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 29, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
3
8
6
4
8
21
24
21
5
6
5
1
1
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2009 | 3 |
| 2010 | 8 |
| 2011 | 6 |
| 2012 | 4 |
| 2013 | 8 |
| 2014 | 21 |
| 2015 | 24 |
| 2016 | 21 |
| 2017 | 5 |
| 2018 | 6 |
| 2019 | 5 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Air bags
76 reports15 crashes1 fire
“THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON AND WE THINK THE OCS SENSOR MAT IS BAD. KIA HAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR VEHICLES BETWEEN THE YEARS OF 2006-2009 TO HAVE A OCS SENSOR MAT REPLACED FOR FREE FOR A PERIOD OF 15 YEARS REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE.”
Seats
11 reports
“AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT IS ALWAYS ON EVEN IF SEAT IS OCCUPIED. IN ADDITION THE AIRBAG "OFF" MESSAGE WAS DISPLAYED NEXT TO THE CLOCK AND IS ALWAYS IN THE 'OFF', POSITION. BOTH LIGHTS REMAIN IN THAT CONDITION WHETHER THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY MODE (IN PARK) OR DRIVING IN MOTION. A SAFETY INSPECTION SHOWED A B1448 CODE.”
Electrical system
10 reports1 crash
“TAKATA RECALL, HAD NEW TIRES PUT ON AND NOW I HAVE A LIGHT ON ON MY DASH ALL THE TIME, I GUESS THE TIRE PLACE THREW AWAY OR KEPT SPECIAL VALVE STEMS, HOW DO I TURN OFF LIGHT. THE FRONT SEAT, SEAT CUSHION CAME LOOSE FROM THE SEAT FRAME WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN A CANYON ROAD ,NOW I CAN LIFT THE SEAT CUSHION AND SEE THE FRAME AND FLOOR BELOW AND DINT KNOW IF CUSHION WILL COME COMPLEATLY OFF NEXT TIME I DRIVE DOWN THE CANYON ROAD”
Seat belts
9 reports2 crashes
“DRIVER'S SEATBELT OFTEN FAILS TO LOCK IN AND POPS OPEN MID-DRIVE. IT IS OFTEN NOT APPARENT THAT THE BELT HASN'T LOCKED UNTIL IT POPS OPEN. THIS WOULD BE ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS IN AN ACCIDENT.”
Vehicle speed control
6 reports
“I HAD MY CRUISE CONTROL ON WHILE I WAS DRIVING 70 MPH ON INTERSTATE 64 WEST. I PRESSED MY BRAKES TO TURN OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL, AND IT DIDN'T WORK. I TRIED AGAIN, AND I STILL COULDN'T GET THE CRUISE CONTROL TO STOP. I HAD TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES VERY HARD AND THEN PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND I FINALLY STOPPED.”
Engine
5 reports2 crashes
“WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKE, THE CAR SPED UP AND LURCHED FORWARD HITTING THE VEHICLE AHEAD OF ME WHICH WAS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT; I HAD A MECHANIC INSPECT IT, HE SAID IT WAS THE BRAKE CALIPERS AND REPLACED THE CALIPERS, AND ROTORS, AND THE PROBLEM HAS CONTINUED TO OCCUR..HAVE HAD IT BACK TO THE MECHANIC 3 TIMES AND HE SAYS HE CANNOT REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 29, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.