Safety Score
82
Safe
Recalls
0
Complaints
50
NCAP Stars
—
Recalls (0)
No recalls found for the 2003 Kia Spectra.
Owner Complaints (showing up to 50)
| Date | Component | Crash | Injuries | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-05-05 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | No | 0 | MY CAR IS LEAKING GAS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE UNDERNEATH THE CAR I ALSO HAVE GAS FUMES IN MY CAR TOO, I AM LOSING A LOT O… |
| 2017-08-03 | STRUCTURE:BODY | No | 0 | DIRT CHEAP CARS SOLD ME A CAR THAT WONT PASS INSPECTION |
| 2016-10-17 | SERVICE BRAKES | No | 0 | I NOTICED BRAKE FLUID UNDERNEATH MY CAR ONE DAY AND CHECKED MY LEVEL TO FIND THAT THERE WAS BASICALLY NO BRAKE FLUID IN… |
| 2016-10-16 | STRUCTURE:BODY | No | 0 | 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 … |
| 2014-08-11 | POWER TRAIN | No | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT INTO GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS… |
| 2014-06-14 | AIR BAGS | No | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE… |
| 2013-11-08 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | No | 0 | WENT TO TURN ON MY HEATER TODAY AND THE SMELL OF GASOLINE FILLED MY CAR, 4-DOOR SEDAN. THE CAR HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS AS… |
| 2013-01-01 | SERVICE BRAKES | No | 0 | AT MY COST I HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKE PROPORTIONING VALVE WHICH WAS CAUSING A BRAKE FLUID LEAK. APPARENTLY THIS IS A CO… |
| 2012-12-19 | SERVICE BRAKES | No | 0 | THE BRAKE FLUID PROPORTIONING VALVE IS LEAKING FOR NO REASON. NOT A SERVICEABLE PART. MUST BE REPLACED. NOT A WEAR AND… |
| 2012-10-04 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | No | 0 | THE CAR ALL OF THE SUDDEN STARTED LOOSING BRAKE FLUID RAPIDLY. MY PERFECTLY GOOD BRAKES WERE GOING OUT AND I ALMOST WRE… |
| 2012-02-05 | POWER TRAIN | No | 0 | MY MOTHER BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW COUPLE YEARS BACK. HAVEN'T HAD ANY PROBLEMS TILL NOW. ON MY WAY TO WORK IM GOING AR… |
| 2011-06-01 | STEERING | No | 0 | THE COVERING AROUND THE STEERING COLUMN HAS CRUMBLED AND IS COMING APART. I'M CONCERNED BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE IF THIS W… |
| 2011-05-01 | STRUCTURE | No | 0 | THE DASH, WHERE IT MEETS THE WINDSHIELD, HAS CURLED UP AND DETACHED FROM THE DEFROSTER VENT ON THE DRIVER SIDE. THE PL… |
| 2011-04-01 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | Yes | 0 | 2003 KIA SPECTRA 99,000 MILES. I AM HAVING TO FILL UP WITH BRAKE FLUID ONCE OR TWICE A DAY. BRAKE PROPORTION VALVE IS… |
| 2011-01-23 | AIR BAGS | Yes | 2 | TL*THE CONTACT WAS A PASSENGER IN A 2003 KIA SPECTRA. WHILE RIDING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE DRIVER BLACKED OUT, CAU… |
| 2011-01-19 | STRUCTURE | No | 0 | 2003 KIA SPECTRA. NEVER BEEN IN A WRECK. POWER WINDOWS FAIL TO WORK. A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW … |
| 2010-12-20 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | No | 0 | BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR WAS LOW ? ADDED FLUID. LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AFTER DRIVING A SHORT… |
| 2010-10-10 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | Yes | 0 | BRAKE PROPORTIONING VALVE LEAKING ON 2003 KIA SPECTRA, BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR WHILE BACKING UP AND RESULTED IN ACCID… |
| 2010-08-15 | VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | No | 0 | DRIVER'S DOOR WINDOW REGULATOR FAILS CAUSING WINDOW TO SLIDE DOWN TRACK INTO THE DOOR. THE POWER REGULATOR RAISES AND … |
| 2010-06-01 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | No | 0 | 2003 KIA SPECTRA; BRAKE PROPORTIONING VALVE STARTED LEAKING AROUND 90K MILES. CONTACTED THREE LOCAL DEALERS, ALL THREE … |
| 2010-05-01 | SERVICE BRAKES | No | 0 | MY BRAKE LIGHT WENT ON ( THOUGHT IT WAS PARKING BRAKE STUCK OR BRAKE MAINTENANCE TIME ) , AFTER SPENDING OVER $400 TO G… |
| 2010-01-01 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | No | 0 | WE HAVE BEEN HAVING A PROBLEM WITH OUR KIA SPECTRA 2003, I HAVE ALSO HEARD FROM SEVERAL OTHERS AND A CAR REPAIR STORE T… |
| 2009-10-08 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | No | 0 | I HAVE A 2003 KIA SPECTRA THAT HAS BEEN RUNNING OUT OF BRAKE FLUID ON A WEEKLY BASIS. HAD TO BUY NEW PROPORTIONING VAL… |
| 2009-04-06 | POWER TRAIN | No | 0 | IN APRIL OF 2009 MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT WITHOUT WARNING RIGHT IN THE CENTER LANE OF HEAVY TRAFFIC AS I WAS LEAVING MY… |
| 2009-02-01 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | No | 0 | BRAKE PROPORTIONING VALVE LEAKING. *TR |
| 2009-02-01 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | No | 0 | BRAKE PROPORTIONING VALVE LEAKING ON 2003 KIA SPECTRA. *TR |
| 2008-09-18 | SEAT BELTS | No | 0 | FRONT SEATBELTS ON 2003 KIA SPECTRA UNLATCH. *TR |
| 2008-03-03 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | No | 0 | TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SPECTRA. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN MAKING A LOUD NOISE. THE RPM, SPEED, … |
| 2007-08-16 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | No | 0 | I HAVE AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH MY 2003 KIA SPECTRA, APPROX. 2 YEARS AGO I STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR SHUTTIN… |
| 2007-05-01 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING | No | 0 | TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S HEAT AND AIR CONDITIONER FAILED TO ACTIV… |
| 2007-04-16 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | No | 0 | THE 2003 KIA SPECTRA CAUGHT ON FIRE. THEREWAS NOTHING LEFT OF THE CAR. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE SAID IT WAS AN … |
| 2007-02-20 | SEATS | No | 0 | I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY DURING MY TRIP TO WORK (ABOUT AN HOUR TRIP EACH WAY FROM MY HOME), AND MY SEAT SUDDENLY … |
| 2007-02-15 | VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:LINKAGES | No | 0 | TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT REPORTED WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED WHILE DRIVING. THE WINDSHIELD W… |
| 2007-01-10 | SEATS | No | 0 | DRIVERS SEAT BRACKET ATTACHING SEAT TO CAR BROKE THREE TIMES, ONCE UNDER WARRANTY WHICH CAUSED DAMAGE TO ENTIRE SEAT, A… |
| 2006-09-29 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY | No | 0 | I HAVE AN ISSUE WITH KIA USA HONORING MY WARRANTY FOR DAMAGE DONE TO MY CAR IN WHICH I AM NOT AT FAULT. THEY HAVE MADE … |
| 2006-09-25 | POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | No | 1 | I BOUGHT MY 2003 KIA SPECTRA BRAND NEW,KEPT UP WITH OIL CHANGES AND MAINTENANCE,MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AT 71,OOO MILE… |
| 2006-06-26 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | No | 0 | MY AUTO HAS STOPPED ON ME FOR NO REASON AT ALL. THE FIRST TIME IT JUST WOULDN'T START, THE SECOND TIME I WAS IN TRAFFI… |
| 2006-02-11 | STEERING:RACK AND PINION | No | 0 | DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING A LEFT HAND TURN AT 15MPH, THE STEERING RACK AND PINION BROKE WITHOUT WARNING… |
| 2006-02-01 | LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH | No | 0 | 2003 KIA SPECTRA 4 DOOR POWER DOOR LOCKS AUTOMATICALLY UNLOCK THEMSELVES BOTH WHILE IN MOTION AND WHILE UNATTENDED. LO… |
| 2006-01-09 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DIFFERENTIAL PROPORTIONAL VALVE | No | 0 | THE BRAKE PROPORTIONING VALVE IS LEAKING AND THE CAR IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP HAVING THIS REPLACED. THIS IS A 2003 KIA… |
| 2006-01-02 | POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | No | 0 | TOOK THE CAR TO WALMART FOR FLUID CHECKS. ABOUT A WEEK AFTER LEAVING THERE, I HIT AN ICY PUDDLE AND LOST THE ABILITY TO… |
| 2005-12-15 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS | No | 0 | HAVE REPLACED BOTH HIGH & LOW HEADLIGHTS 3 TIMES EACH. HEATER IS NOT WORKING. JUNCTION BOX NEEDS REPLACED 12/15/05.… |
| 2005-11-13 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DIFFERENTIAL PROPORTIONAL VALVE | No | 0 | MY DAUGHTER OWNS A 2003 KIA SPECTRA [XXX] WITH A BRAKE PROPORTIONING VALVE THAT STARTED LEAKING ABOUT A WEEK AGO AND IS… |
| 2005-11-08 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | Yes | 0 | DT: THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH THE BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND AND THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO… |
| 2005-10-15 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | No | 0 | FUEL LEAKAGE. I TOOK MY CAR TO KIA DEALER FOR ENGINE AN LIGHT. THEY REPLACED THE GAS CAP AND THE ORVR VALVE IN WHICH T… |
| 2005-08-26 | AIR BAGS | Yes | 1 | DT: 2003 KIA SPECTRA. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN 2 ACCIDENTS AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DURING THE FIRST ACCIDENTCONSU… |
| 2005-08-15 | AIR BAGS | Yes | 1 | DT: 2003 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN TURNING THE VEHICLE WAS HIT ON THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE BY THE WHEEL… |
| 2005-07-27 | POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | No | 0 | EVERY TIME I TAKE OFF FROM A STOP SIGN ECT. MY TRANSMISSION KICKS WHEN SHIFTING FIRST TO SECOND GEAR. IN AN AUTOMATIC,I… |
| 2005-05-19 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | No | 0 | I AM WRITING IN REGARDS TO AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH MY 2003 KIA SPECTRA. THIS WILL BE THE THIRD TIME I HAVE DROPPED OFF … |
| 2005-03-07 | STRUCTURE:BODY:BUMPERS | No | 0 | FRONT BUMPER COVER COMING LOOSE ON 2003 KIA SPECTRA WITH 38,050 MILES. DUE TO THE COVER COMING LOOSE, THE INSIDE PLAST… |