Most common 2004 Kia Amanti problems
Share of the 73 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Kia Amanti complaints by model year
Best Amanti years: 2007, 2008. Years to avoid: 2004, 2005. Compare all years →
What 2004 Kia Amanti owners say
Engine & cooling
The 2004 Kia Amanti will accelerate on it's own. I have been in local traffic and it accelerates and de-accelerate like a run away horse. It will then drive normal. The check engine light comes on sometimes and goes back out. This last time the light came on, I took to an electrical auto repair place. The computer read out said it needed a throttle body. I replaced it as suggested. The 2004 Kia Amanti attempts to accelerate on it's own and stops and drives normal again. The check engine light is on again. I would like to get what is perfect and right for the Kia to perform better and be safe. How do I do that?
Tl* the contact owned a 2004 Kia Amanti. The contact stated while stopped at a stop light, the vehicle stalled. The contact then stated that the steering wheel locked up therefore the contact pulled off to the side of the road. The contact restarted the vehicle and was able to continue to drive but the brakes would not engage as the brake pedal was depressed. The contact then stated that the vehicle independently accelerated while the brake pedal was depressed. As a result, the vehicle drove into an intersection and got hit on the driver side. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The contact sustained a bruised neck, bruised arms, and a concussion. The contact received medical attention as the hospital had to remove glass from her hands. The vehicle was not drivable and was towed to their home address. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired as of yet. …
Fuel & propulsion system
On 6 separate occasions the vehicle has slowed down and "chugged" out of throttle power while initially driving at speeds of anywhere between 35 and 65 MPH. If the vehicle does manage to keep driving, it does so in a very jerky way, almost like someone who does not know how to drive stick. I've found that the only way around this jerking is to drive the vehicle in sport-shift mode in a lower gear so that the rpms stay above 3000. Sometimes the vehicle is entirely unresponsive when the gas pedal is pressed, which (multiple times) nearly put me in a severe car accident on busy I-95 in both florida and philadelphia, pa. The check engine light has only ever remained on once, giving an error code p1614: "enhanced traction system engine control module malfunction." in the past, turning the ignition off and back on immediately has fixed the issue twice. …
Upon filling the tank of the Kia Amanti, shortly thereafter, the engine will begin to surge and react erratically without pressing the accelerator. If the brake is not sufficiently engaged the vehicle will lunge forward or backward and cause an accident. If the vehicle is already in motion the accelerator becomes unresponsive and the engine will surge or shut off causing a precarious situation when in traffic.
Speed control & acceleration
Dear sir: I am the owner of a 2004 Kia Amanti. There are 43,542 miles on the odometer. The vehicle engine runs fine and then will suddenly go into lugging and misfiring at various speeds causing down shifting. When I turn the engine off and leave it to set overnight or for more than eight hours at work, the engine light remains on but the engine runs fine once started again. After a few more starts the engine light goes off. I took it to the dealership and told them of the symptoms. They ran tests and said they could find nothing wrong. They said bring it back when it does it again. Fine, so it goes into the misfiring on a weekend at night traveling the interstate. No chance to just leave the engine running for a dealership the next day. Now it runs fine again until another inconvenient situation. …
In December of last year I purchased from charlies Kia (augusta) a 2004 Kia "Amanti". It was winter and one doesn't think too much of a car doing odd things in the cold. I did notice as spring came on that the car sometimes accelerated very quickly (abruptly) - especially during the warm-up period. The throttle I'm told is electronically governed. I've attempted to complain to Kia and to the service department at charlies. Charlies informs me that the car is normal. I make it a point to tell anyone driving my car about this situation (fast acceleration with _extremely _little hrottle pressure). All those that have driven the car do remark (some quite negatively). In short, I believe the throttle drive train to be hazardous on this vehicle and I don't know who or where to turn for assistance in resolving this matter. …
2004 Kia Amanti engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 15 / 23 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: Large car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2004 Kia Amanti a good car?
Based on 73 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2004 Amanti rates use caution: 1.8× as many complaints as a typical year of the Amanti at the same age. It is one of the Amanti years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2004 Kia Amanti?
The engine & cooling — 18 complaints, 25% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine. Next are the fuel & propulsion system (14) and speed control & acceleration (12).
How many recalls does the 2004 Kia Amanti have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2004 Kia Amanti. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Kia Amanti?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2007 and 2008. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2004 and 2005. See the full Kia Amanti years comparison.
At what mileage do 2004 Kia Amanti problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 44,000 miles; 56% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.