Engine complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
When I applied the brake, the car sped up and lurched forward hitting the vehicle ahead of me which was stopped at a traffic light; I had a mechanic inspect it, he said it was the brake calipers and replaced the calipers, and rotors, and the problem has continued to occur..have had it back to the mechanic 3 times and he says he cannot reproduce the problem
I was visiting my fiance in utah when a tan car hit my driver's side front end. We both were put into a spin and he hit me a secondary time. My car has since been totaled out and labeled as beyond salvage. The entire front end is missing and there is sever engine damage. The auto body shop and my insurance company said I needed to contact Kia and let them know about the airbag failure to deploy. Kia said my car is built to collapse a certain amount before airbags will deploy. They also said since I was put into a spin my car did not decelerate fast enough to trigger the airbags, but since I had decelerated while spinning that's what prevented them from deploying upon the second impact. They only investigated my car via photographs and my verbal statement to them. …
Intermittingly, after starting the vehicle, engine begins revving. Intermittingly, while slowing & stopping at a traffic light, engine begins revving and attempts to lurch forward. I have to press the break very hard to keep vehicle from moving forward. Fred anderson Kia, raleigh, nc investigated this problem on 7/10/15 but was unable to recreate the problem. They re-cleaned the throttle body. The issue has continued on and off since then. On 8/20/15, after approximately 45 minutes of highway driving, I pulled into the parking lot at work. I put the car into reverse to back into a parking spot & the engine started revving dramatically & the car jerked noticeably as it went into gear. I backed into the spot & put the car in park, again jerking. I let the car idle for a few minutes & moved it in & out of gear. …
I was driving to work on 7 March 2020. As soon as I turn to park in the parking lot of my job, the car turned off. I try to crank it on 3 times it wouldn't let me. So I went in to work, thank god I made it to the parking lot at least. After running to auxine to see what's wrong with it (they were no help) I made few calls between friends and car companies. Turned out it was the timing belt that snapped and it's because it wasn't change for a long time and I only had the car for 3 years. So with the timing belt messing up, it mess up the engine also. I am now with no car juggling between rides and taxis to take to work. I really love my Kia and I am so sad this happened. I don't even know what to do. This happened at zaxbys parking lot (where I work at) in wilson, nc.
I purchased my 2007 Spectra5 used with 155,000 miles on it. The engine had no codes or any stored codes. It ran fine until I filled it up with gas. I DO NOT overfill the tank because I understand EVAP issues. After filling up the vehicle would stall at idle and occasionally lose power (momentarily) at highway speeds (55 mph and up). Obviously this is an extremely dangerous situation! Once the gas level got below 1/2 tank the issues went away...but now I ONLY fill the tank to halfway and the problems arise again every so often. Since there are no codes present I cannot replicate the issue without possibly damaging components further and I already replaced the battery, plugs, IAC valve, MAF sensor, and oil to try to remedy this problem. …
On my way to work I took the same route that I always take. I was going about 25mph and all of a sudden all of the lights came on ( check oil, battery, emergency brake, tire pressure, airbag, and check engine) the steering wheel completely locked up causing my car to swerve right into a community mail box. My windshield is broken, the front passenger side is off and the two passenger side tires are both flat. When I got my car in March of this year three days after I got it it had started doing this I took it back and it was in the shop for more than 3 months. When they had told me this problem was fixed I trusted that they were right but unfortunately it LED me to this... The dealership has not returned my phone call and my insurance does not cover for a rental car. I have 2 children and my job does not pay me enough to just pay and get a new car or pay and have this car fixed. …
The contact owns a 2006 Kia Spectra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 11V256000 (Fuel System, Other). The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the brake pedal was depressed and went to the floorboard. The check engine and brake warning lights were illuminated. The dealer was made aware of the recall and failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 116,000.
The transmission keeps stalling and jolting the car, we cannot run the air conditioner and it only runs when in 3rd gear. There is definitely something wrong with the car and we don't even feel safe putting our children in the car, because it's not safe, and we cannot run the air conditioner without it stalling or jolting and not accelerating properly. We had the timing belt replaced in September 2018, we've had multiple oil changes and kept up with maintenance. However the problems have only gotten worse, our check engine light has been on since 02/2019 at least and we've put steering fluid in, but the problems keep getting worse. We can't run the air conditioner, our fuses keep blowing and I would like our car checked out and fixed.
Frequently asked questions
Which Kia Spectra years have engine problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2003 (14), 2007 (14), 2008 (11), 2006 (8) and 2009 (8) model years. Engine complaints make up 16% of all complaints for the 2003.
Is there a recall for Kia Spectra engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for any Kia Spectra 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 Spectra engine problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 62,000 miles; 55% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the engine (16 mentions), followed by the engine › gasoline (3).
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.