RecallRadar

Home → Kia → Spectra → 2005

2005 Kia Spectra Recalls & Complaints

2

open safety recalls on record

Critical

130 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 1.31 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Critical11V256000

Fuel System, Other:Storage:Tank Assembly:Mounting

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

Remedy & full details

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 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.

Serious05V183000

Steering:Linkages:Tie Rod Assembly

IF THE ROD CRACKS OR FAILS, LOSS OF VEHICLE STEERING CONTROL MAY OCCUR WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STEERING RACK ASSEMBLY, WHICH INCLUDES THE TIE ROD COMPONENTS FREE OF CHARGE. OWNERS WERE NOTIFIED BY TELEPHONE ON APRIL 8, 2005. AN ADDITIONAL LETTER WAS SENT TO OWNERS WHO HAD NOT TAKEN THEIR VEHICLES IN FOR REPAIR. THIS LETTER WAS MAILED MAY 20, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE STEERING TIE RODS MAY HAVE A MANUFACTURING FLAW THAT AFFECTS THE METALLURGY.

Complaint volume

130 this model-year 6 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

34Crashes
1Fires
25Injuries
0Deaths

Across 130 complaints. Severity Index 1.31.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Air Bags24 · 18%Air Bags · Frontal · Sens…12 · 9%Vehicle Speed Control12 · 9%Steering8 · 6%Electrical System8 · 6%Air Bags · Frontal5 · 4%Electrical System · Inst…4 · 3%Structure · Body4 · 3%
  1. Air Bags — 24 reports
  2. Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module — 12 reports
  3. Vehicle Speed Control — 12 reports
  4. Steering — 8 reports
  5. Electrical System — 8 reports
  6. Air Bags:Frontal — 5 reports
  7. Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel — 4 reports
  8. Structure:Body — 4 reports
  9. Engine — 4 reports
  10. Seats — 4 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 (1) · 2005 · 2006 (1) · 2007 (1) · 2008 · 2009

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.

From the same data desk

Independent sites, same maintainer, same open-data standards.

TireFit
Is that tyre actually right for your car?
2,808 fitment guides
FuelFacts
What that trip really costs in fuel
Live consumption data
CostCompare
What things cost, city by city
2,123 comparisons