2007 Kia Spectra recalls and problems

The 2007 Kia Spectra has 1 recall and 152 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is air bags.

How the 2007 compares

Highest

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

Highest complaint count among 10 Spectra model years — the most of any year.

1recalls

152complaints

22crashes

6fires

20injuries

63,800median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.

Check your VIN →

1 recall

Fuel System

Apr 25, 2011 · NHTSA campaign 11V256000 · 58,322 vehicles

Problem: Kia is recalling certain model year 2004-2007 spectra ld vehicles manufactured from November 7, 2003, through March 6, 2007, originally sold, or currently registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, rhode island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. There is a possibility that corrosion of the fuel tank straps which hold the tank May occur as a result of prolonged exposure to road salt. As a result of the corrosion, one or both straps May separate allowing the fuel tank to contact the ground and possibly disrupt the integrity of the tank.

Original NHTSA wording

KIA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2007 SPECTRA LD VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM NOVEMBER 7, 2003, THROUGH MARCH 6, 2007, ORIGINALLY SOLD, OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT CORROSION OF THE FUEL TANK STRAPS WHICH HOLD THE TANK MAY OCCUR AS A RESULT OF PROLONGED EXPOSURE TO ROAD SALT. AS A RESULT OF THE CORROSION, ONE OR BOTH STRAPS MAY SEPARATE ALLOWING THE FUEL TANK TO CONTACT THE GROUND AND POSSIBLY DISRUPT THE INTEGRITY OF THE TANK.

Risk: The fuel tank can fall from the vehicle and strike the ground which could cause a fuel leak. Leaking fuel can create a fire hazard.

Original NHTSA wording

THE FUEL TANK CAN FALL FROM THE VEHICLE AND STRIKE THE GROUND WHICH COULD CAUSE A FUEL LEAK. LEAKING FUEL CAN CREATE A FIRE HAZARD.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will replace the fuel tank straps and attaching hardware with new zinc coated parts. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on June 6, 2011. Owners May contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542.

Kia safety recall no. Sc090.owners May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to <a href=http://www.safercar.gov>http://www.safercar.gov</a> .

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Air Bags56

Fuel System34

Electrical System16

Engine14

Latches/locks/linkages12

Vehicle Speed Control12

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

NHTSA investigations

Occupant Classification System

PE15031 · opened Sep 1, 2015 · closed Feb 11, 2016

Summary

The subject vehicle population is MY 2007-2009 Kia Spectra vehicles.Consumers report that the SRS (air bag) warning light is illuminated in their vehicle.The focus of the investigation was the failure of the front seat passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor mat.This sensor mat is embedded in the front passenger seat cushion and is intended to detect child seats and small statured occupants who could be harmed by deployment of the passenger frontal air bag.The OCS may develop a failure due to an open circuit in the sensor mat caused by the mat cracking during use.An open circuit in the OCS sensor mat is detected as a fault in the system by the air bag diagnostic. A trouble code will then be stored in the air bag control unit and the air bag warning light will be illuminated.If this fault is detected, the OCS will not suppress the front passenger air bag and in a crash of sufficient severity the front passenger air bag will deploy regardless of the nature or size of the child seat or occupant in the front passenger seat.The report counts shown above include only those reports that specifically address the issue covered by this investigation, failure of the OCS sensor mat.Reports alleging only that the ?air bag light is on with no cause stated, or where no cause was otherwise identified, were excluded as the air bag light could be illuminated for system faults other than an OCS malfunction.Kia's assessment was that the cracking was caused by owner abuse.The subjec…

2007 vs. other Kia Spectra years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2007. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2007 Kia Spectra have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign covering the 2007 Kia Spectra, the latest from Apr 25, 2011 (fuel system). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2007 Kia Spectra?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention air bags (56), fuel system (34), electrical system (16). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.