Car smells horribly like gas fumes when turned on, more so in the colder temperatures. So many complaints online, I'm surprised kia hasn't issued a recall. Breathing gas fumes for long periods of time can possibly cause cancer or other problems...would be horrible if kia had a lawsuit on their hands for faulty equipment causing health problems in their car owners...
The worst 2001 Kia Spectra problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Airbags9
- Transmission8
- Brakes7
- Engine6
- Electrical4
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Airbags9
- Transmission8
- Brakes7
- Engine6
- Electrical4
- Suspension4
- Visibility3
- Acceleration2
- Fuel system2
- Lights2
- Seat belts2
- Body1
- Seats1
- Steering1
- Tires1
Recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Defect investigations
Refueling spit back
Based on the low rate of fuel spit-back incedents (14.3 incidents per 100,000 vehicles sold), a low warranty claims rate of 0.02 percent, and the lack of engineering information that would support the presence of an engineering defect, a safety-related defect trend has not been identified and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.accordingly, this investigation is closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by the federal safety agency that no safety-related defect exists.the agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.for additional information, see the attached closing report.
EA04004
Technical service bulletins for the 2001 Kia Spectra 13
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Information for headlamp condensation and moisture
- Pitstop - engine component re-use guidelines
- Mandatory replacement of locking/security hardware
- Mandatory replacement of locking/security hardware
- TSB - use of aftermarket USB charging cables in USB/12V ports
- Automatic transmission fluid application guide - this bulletin provides information relating to the...
- Kia: doors locking intermittently without driver input from the rke transmitter or key switch may be...
- Kia: all models. article provides information relating to the improved durability of bulb life for rear...
- Charging system upgrade. tt
- Automatic transaxle diagnosis. certain models including all rios. slc
What 2001 Kia Spectra owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
2001 kia spectra 1.9 lt engine [yes, some models were made with this size engine.] car was parked in drive way just after midnight. Neighbors called fire department at 2:30 am. Car was not running. Fire chief found no external source of ignition. Fire chief says engine caught on fire, fire traveled down fuel lines to gas tank. Entire car burned. Car is totaled. Fire chief cannot say if there was an electrical, wiring or what type of problem in engine. Bought car new in oct 2001, one owner car. Please advise if any other owners have had similar issue with this or any other kia models.
My daughter struck another vehicle from behind with her car. The upon impact the car air bags did not deploy. Her chest hit the steering very hard. She ended up with chest, neck and shoulder severe pain. The front end was severely damage. Radiator fluid was everywhere.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 kia spectra. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, he crashed into the rear of another vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. The driver sustained bruising and severe pain from the seat belt restraining her neck and chest area. A police report was filed of the incident. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 140,000. Updated 9/17/13
Trans all of a sudden started slipping with no prior issues. Was reading a TCM code then codes for each gear replaced trans new trans drove 30 miles and is doing the exact same thing have to drive like a stick 1st 2nd and then can put in drive around 35mph. Also breaks come and go as they please.
The engine had a casting defect warranty would not cover which caused me to have to replace it I'm having to constantly replace sensors o2 and the sensors in the shifter the car is breaking down every month since I bought the car.
The heater core in the car went out 4 times in 4 months for no reason, resulting in the window fogging with no way of seeing.
I have had the heating system in my car repaired 4 times since the day that I bought it. This is an ongoing issue with this car and something needs to be done about it. I live in vermont where the weather gets extremely cold in the winter, meaning that you have to keep windows cleared at all times, if not, it could result in serious injury or death should there be an accident. I have had the dealer ship fix the problem before, though they have not been notified of it happening now. This will be the 5th time that it has gone in for repaired on the same issue. Something needs to be done about this issue. The A/C blower and heater are working at the same time. The blower does not work and there is no heat in the vehicle.
2001 kia spectra transmission needed to be replaced 2 weeks after purchase. Fuel pump and tail light assembly was replaced, rear window fell out of vehicle into traffic. *ts ***no answer required*** the technician that replaced the rear window stated the glue that was used to install the window was defective.
While driving 30 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The consumer tried to restart the vehicle and was not able to do so. The vehicle was towed to the dealer for inspection. The mechanic informed the consumer that the transmission needed to be replaced. Please provide further details.
Compare the 2001 Kia Spectra
Other model years
Questions about the 2001 Kia Spectra
Is the 2001 Kia Spectra reliable?
Owners have filed 40 complaints about the 2001 Kia Spectra, fewer than a typical Spectra model year.
What is the 2001 Kia Spectra year score?
The 2001 Kia Spectra scores 86 out of 100 (good). The score compares it with the other model years of the Kia Spectra: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2001 Kia Spectra?
Airbags, with 9 complaints. Next is transmission (8).
How many recalls does the 2001 Kia Spectra have?
No recalls on record.
What year does the Kia Spectra have bad airbags?
The Kia Spectra model years with the most airbags complaints are 2009 (76 complaints), 2008 (61 complaints) and 2007 (56 complaints).
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 2001 Kia Spectra?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history