FaultScore

2007 KIA Spectra brake problems

10 of the 206 complaints about the 2007 KIA Spectra are about the braking system — 5% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 60,000 miles.

F

10

Complaints

2

Crashes

0

Fires

1

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Service Brakes 5 50.0%
Service Brakes, Hydraulic 3 30.0%
Parking Brake 1 10.0%
Service Brakes, Electric 1 10.0%

Brakes across every KIA Spectra year

2002 15 23.8%
2003 18 28.6%
2005 10 15.9%
2006 10 15.9%
2007 10 15.9%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Cresco, IA

SERVICE BRAKES

ENGINE 💡 CAME ON IMIDIATELY AFTER PULLING OUT OF DEALERSHIP. SO I CA"ED THEM AND THEY STATED IT WASNT ANYTHING TO WORRY ABOUT. SEVERAL CUSTOMERS WERE CALLING IN ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE. THEY SAID IT WAS JUST THE CHANGE IN WEATHER AND THE GAS CAP. THEY RESET ENGINE 💡 SEVERAL TIMES. NO SOONER THAN I WOULD PULL OFF THE LOT, IT WOULD COME BACK ON. THEN I ASK THEM FOR AN AUTO CHECK HISTORY REPORT SHOWING ODOMETER DESCIIPANCIES. ROLL BACK CALCULATIONS. THE RADIATOR IS CRACKED, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE DOESN'T WORK, AND THE BRAKES AND STUFF ARE BAD.

NHTSA complaint #11040492 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 64,000 miles Mesa, AZ

SERVICE BRAKES

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RPMS REVVED VIOLENTLY. WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE JERKED WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD CONTINUOUSLY. THE FAILURES RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 64,000.

NHTSA complaint #10851009 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

NEW York, NY

SERVICE BRAKES

I REPORTED MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ON FUEL TANK OVER FILLING, TANK WAS REPLACED BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. LOST OF POWER WHEN DRIVING AND EXHILARATION WHEN TRYING TO STOP. ALSO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH ENGINE,ENGINE WAS REPLACED BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.

NHTSA complaint #10648265 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 69,000 miles Camarillo, CA

SERVICE BRAKES

MY CAR WAS PARKED, IN MY DRIVEWAY, AND HAD RAN FINE THE DAY BEFORE. I WENT OUT AND STARTED THE CAR BUT COULD NOT GET THE CAR OUT OF PARK AND INTO REVERSE. I WAS UNABLE TO EVEN ROLL THE CAR A LITTLE BY PUSHING IT, WHICH INDICATES THE CAR WAS STUCK IN PARK WITH FORCE. I HAD MY NEIGHBOR COME OVER AND HE MANAGED TO, WITH A TON OF PRESSURE, PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE. SEEMS TO NOT BE AS HARD ON A FLAT SURFACE BUT MY DRIVEWAY HAS A SLANT TO IT. PUT CAR BACK IN DRIVEWAY AND TRIED TO LEAVE A COUPLE HOURS LATER AND SAME ISSUE. I HAD TO PURCHASE AAA AND HAVE SOMEBODY COME OUT TO PULL OUT OF PARK. LOOKED ON LINE AND THERE'S A TON OF RECALLS BIG MINE THE 2007 KIA SPECTRA. WHICH IS THE ONLY YEAR NOT BEING RECALLED. I WAS TOLD, BY KIA DEALERSHIP IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE BUT PET MY RESEARCH, NO IT'S NOT. THEY WANT TO CHANGE FOR REPAIR YET EVERY OTHER KIA MAKE IS RECALLED.

NHTSA complaint #10592215 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Carrollton, GA

SERVICE BRAKES

I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THIS WEBSITE UNTIL I REALIZE THAT MY 2007 KIA SPECTRA EX WAS NOT ON THE LIST OF RECALL FOR BRAKE LIGHT PROBLEM. SO I STARTED SEARCH FOR REPORTING IT. I KNOW MY AFFECT PART IS ENGINE, BUT MY HUSBAND & I CAR IS FALLING APART. WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO HAVE IT FIX. THE ENGINE IS THE LAST PROBLEM WE HAVE HAD SO FAR.IT STALL IF YOU GO TOO FAST AROUND 55. IT STALL ALL THE TIME. MY HUSBAND STOP AT A RED LIGHT IT CUT OFF. I BELIEVE THE COMPANY SHOULD PAY FOR THE PROBLEMS. THEY HAD NO PROBLEM ASKING FOR A LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY FROM US. BOTH OF THE PROBLEMS I STATED ARE DANGEROUS. PLEASE HELP IN DOING SOMETHING.

NHTSA complaint #10507214 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 21,000 miles EL Mirage, AZ Crash

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

IN MID-SEPT10 I EXPERIENCED 2 BRAKE FAILURES ON MY 2007 KIA SPECTRA EX. EACH TIME AFTER DRIVING APPROX 800 MILES TO & FROM NORTHERN CA. BRAKES FAILED TO ENGAGE WHEN EXITING OFF OF CA99 TO CA4 (ANGELS CAMP). WAS ABLE TO STEER CAR TO FAR RIGHT SHOULDER WHERE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS DEPLOYED. THEREBY NOT HITTING CAR IN FRONT OF ME. AFTER 5 MINUTES WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE REMAINDER OF TRIP (40MILES). NEXT MORNING TOOK CAR TO LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP, THEY KEPT THE CAR 2DAYS/INSISTED THAT I CALL A REPORT INTO KIA CONSUMER AFFAIRS; WHICH DID. ACCORDING TO THEM CAR WAS "OPERATING ACCORDING TO SPECS"..IN OTHERWORDS, WE TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY...UPON RETURNING BACK HOME TO AZ. THE SAME THING HAPPENED, EXCEPT THIS TIME MY GARAGE DOOR WAS WHAT STOPPED MY CAR. BOTH TIMES THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND NOTHING HAPPENED....AGAIN I USED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE...BUT I DAMAGED MY GD/MY BROTHERS NEW CAR THAT WAS PARKED ION THE OTHER SIDE AND THE FRONT OF MY CAR...THE CAR WAS TOWED TO KIA WERE IT WAS KEPT FOR 2WKS, WHILE CORPORATE DECIDED HOW TO PROCEED....AFTER THAT TIME MY CAR WAS RETURNED TO ME..AGAIN WITH (THIS TIME VERBALLY ONLY) THE EXPRESSION OF "WORKING ACCORDING TO SPECS" USED...I DEALT WITH KIA CA..I THOUGHT THEY WERE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THE SITUATION....OVERALL I WAS TREATED LIKE A I HAD DONE IT DELIBERATELY..I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR 32YRS AND NEVER HAVE HAD AS MUCH AS A TICKET, MUCH LESS AN ACCIDENT....WHEN I ASKED THE SERVICE MANAGER FOR A "WRITTEN" STATEMENT ABOUT THE DRIVEABLITY OF MY CAR, I WAS TOLD IT WOULD COME FROM THE CONSUMER AFFAIRS DIVISION.......AFTER 2 ADDITIONAL CALLS TO THEM I GAVE UP.T...I SUBSEQUENTLY WROTE TO OUR STATE'S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE/THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER/AARP/JD POWERS & ASSOC.(THEY GIVE KIA SAFETY AWARDS). IN RESEARCHING I FOUND OVER 1200 COMPLAINTS ON KIA BRAKE PROBLEMS ALONE. & NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE. I CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE NOONE I KNOW EVER BUYS A KIA! !THE SM AT KIA HAD THE GALL TO SAY- DRIVE CAREFUL WHEN I PICKED UP MY CAR!!

NHTSA complaint #10366409 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

East Wenatchee, WA

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

2007 KIA SPECTRA. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH BRAKES *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER REPLACED THE RIGHT FRONT CALIPER AND PAD. THE CONSUMER THEN ASKED IF THE LEFT FRONT PAD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THEY STATED IT DID NOT. AFTER THE REPAIR, THE NEXT 1,000 MILES THE BRAKES DID NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY; THE VEHICLE WOULD PULL TO THE RIGHT AND SEVERAL TIMES THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WOULD GO INTO A NOSE DIVE. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY ANOTHER ESTABLISHMENT THAT BOTH PADS SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED.

NHTSA complaint #10345523 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 61,000 miles Princeton, NJ

SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC

2007 KIA SPECTRA 5 BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TODAY (10/19/2009). SWITCH IS THE EXACT SAME ONE THAT WAS RECALLED ON SIMILAR HYUNDAI ELANTRA CARS. SINCE THAT RECALL DOES NOT COVER KIA'S, I WAS CHARGED $139 FOR THE REPLACEMENT.

NHTSA complaint #10289003 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 59,000 miles Port Ricjey, FL

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

I AM VERY SHOCKED THAT THE HIGHWAY TRAFFIC AND SAFETY ADMINISTRATION NOTICED A PROBLEM WITH THE 2006 SPORTAGE STOP LIGHT BRAKE SWITCH BUT HAS NOT TAKEN KIA TO TASK FOR PRODUCING FAULTY STOP LIGHT BRAKE SWITCHES IN ALL ITS MODELS/YEARS. I'VE HAD TO REPLACE STOP-LIGHT BRAKE SWITCHES IN 2005 AND 2007 KIA SPECTRA'S MULTIPLE TIMES. THE BRAKE LIGHTS STAY ON AFTER RELEASING THE BRAKE PEDAL OR THE LIGHT DOES NOT GO ON AT ALL UPON APPLYING THE BRAKES.. IT WOULD APPEAR THAT CHINA, A COUNTRY IMPORTING KIA MODELS, WAS QUICKER TO REACT TO RECALLS THAN YOU GUYS ARE. EVEN IF YOU TAKE YOUR CAR IN FOR A FAULTY BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH...LOTS OF LUCK...KIA DEALERS DON'T EVEN STOCK THE PARTS. WHEN ARE YOU GUYS GOING TO RECALL THE REST OF THE KIA LINE? THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE YESTERDAY. INACTION RESULTS NOT ONLY IN POTENTIAL ACCIDENTS BUT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN FINES AND PENALTIES RAKED IN BY THE STATES IN WHICH KIA DOES BUSINESS. KIA IS ADDING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO THE STATE AND CITY COFFERS THE RESULT OF FINES LEVIED AGAINST ITS USERS FOR FAULTY BRAKES....

NHTSA complaint #10286371 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 35,000 miles Fredericksburg, VA Crash 1 injured

PARKING BRAKE

I WAS APPROX. 6 CAR LENGTHS FROM CAR IN FRONT OF ME, WHEN I HIT THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN, NOTHING HAPPENED. I CONTINUED TO HIT THE BRAKES , FORCING THEM TO THE FLOOR AND STILL NOTHING. FIRST INSTINCT WAS TO VEER TO THE RIGHT TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR BUT MY STEERING HAD A MIND OF ITS OWN, IT WOULD NOT LET ME TURN OR STOP. MY STEERING WHEEL AIR BAG DID DEPLOY CAUSING DAMAGE TO MY WRIST AND ARM. BUT THE SCARY FEELING OF TRYING TO STOP WITH NO RESPONSE WAS SCARY. ROADS WERE A LITTLE WET BUT EVEN THEN WITH THE ABS I SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PUT THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR WITH NO RESPONSE. I AM GETTING THE REPAIR FACILITY TO CHECK THE BRAKES.

NHTSA complaint #10252538 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2007 KIA Spectra problems

← Full 2007 KIA Spectra report