FaultScore

Worst years for a KIA Spectra

Owners have filed 1,211 complaints about the KIA Spectra with NHTSA across model years 2000 to 2009. More of them are about the airbags than anything else.

Avoid

2007 KIA Spectra

206 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly airbags.

Cleanest on record

2000 KIA Spectra

30 complaints — the lowest FaultScore of the graded years.

Every KIA Spectra year, graded

The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded
Year Grade Complaints Crashes Fires Median miles Most reported
2009 D 152 29 1 70,500 Airbags
2008 D 163 27 3 85,000 Airbags
2007 F 206 35 7 65,877 Airbags
2006 D 129 34 3 67,500 Airbags
2005 D 130 34 1 63,609 Airbags
2004 D 92 20 1 19,150 Airbags
2003 D 132 16 1 53,000 Brakes
2002 D 121 38 4 41,000 Airbags
2001 D 56 19 2 30,000 Transmission & Drivetrain
2000 C 30 7 0 20,705 Airbags

What breaks on a KIA Spectra

Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.

Airbags 366 30.2%

Worst in 2009

Worst in 2007

Brakes 88 7.3%

Worst in 2003

Worst in 2003

Worst in 2004

Worst in 2007

Worst in 2008

Seat Belts 54 4.5%

Worst in 2003

Worst in 2003

Steering 41 3.4%

Worst in 2005

Lights 31 2.6%

Worst in 2008

Worst in 2003

Seats 30 2.5%

Worst in 2009

Suspension 26 2.1%

Worst in 2001

Exactly what failed on a KIA Spectra

The named sub-assemblies behind those complaints, across every model year.

Frontal 51 26.0%
Automatic Transmission 43 21.9%
Sensor/Control Module 27 13.8%
Body 24 12.2%
Engine 16 8.2%
Side/Window 11 5.6%
Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip 7 3.6%
Ignition 6 3.1%
Cruise Control 6 3.1%
Instrument Cluster/Panel 5 2.6%

Complaints filed over time

Every complaint about every KIA Spectra, by the month it reached NHTSA.

Feb 2001 peak 26 Aug 2026

KIA Spectra problems by state

Where owners filed from. Heavier states are usually just bigger markets, but a part that fails in heat or salt shows up here first.

Compare the KIA Spectra

Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.