Acceleration complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Sluggish acceleration, lost power, unable to move car off road which could have caused an accident. This has happened to my family on five different occasions. This problem has been reported by many people under the repair pal web site (see below) "another person reported the "accelerator position switch May fail and cause sluggish acceleration" problem on their Kia Amanti" to view their report, click here: http://repairpal.com/accelerator-position-switch-May-fail-and-cause-sluggish-acceleration-023 thanks for visiting repairpal! This problem has cost me over $2000 for the replacement of the cars computer board and reprogramming of said board.
Tl contact owns a 2006 Kia Amanti. The contact was driving approximately 10 MPH and began to slow down in order to make a turn. When attempting to accelerate there was a low engine power response with hesitation. The accelerator pedal was applied numerous times, and then suddenly an excessive acceleration occurred causing the vehicle to crash into a house. A police report was not filed. There were no personal injuries. The vehicle and the house sustained extensive damage. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 49,000.
I purchased my Kia from jd byrider in 2016 of July and I have had a real deal with this car. In the pass 4 years with this car I have poured more than $5,000 into this car into it. Every time you get this car fixed it has a new problem about 1 month later or the check engine light comes on. But recently my wife was driving her mother and my daughter around shopping about 10 miles in distance from the house the mall and driving store to store. It was 93 degrees outside and she had the A/C running and suddenly the car started to have sudden acceleration she tried to stop the car and it did not stop the engine keep revving up harder harder and harder. At this point she was able to turn back into the parking lot after getting off the main rode. This car is a danger to people driving it and others near this car should not be on the street I repeat this car should not be on the street. …
As I pulled up to park my car behind a parked car, my car surged and crashed into the back of the parked car. I was easing into the space at a very slow speed and actually had my foot on the brake. The motor suddenly revved up, I felt the surge, stood on the brake pedal, but was unable to control the car. Although damage was minimal, I was concerned about another occurrence driving the vehicle and had it towed into the dealership. The service advisor said they have never heard of an incident like this with the Amanti. There are many reports of these unexplained acceleration incidents with the Kia Amanti online. Hopefully these people are reporting them to you. If this had happened while trying to stop at a crosswalk for pedestrians, someone would have been seriously injured. At the consumers request, the component was revised to speed control. 05/10/11
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. …
Frequently asked questions
Which Kia Amanti years have acceleration problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2005 (29), 2004 (12) and 2006 (11) model years. Acceleration complaints make up 35% of all complaints for the 2005.
Is there a recall for Kia Amanti acceleration problems?
No. NHTSA lists no speed control & acceleration recall for any Kia Amanti model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Kia Amanti acceleration problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 42,000 miles; 55% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the accelerator pedal (4 mentions).
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.