Airbag warning light is activated. Car has not sustained damage. Seat or sensor malfunction may cause airbag not to deploy in crash.
The worst 2005 Kia Spectra problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Airbags43
- Acceleration12
- Electrical11
- Brakes10
- Steering10
- Transmission7
- Body6
- Engine5
- Seat belts5
- Fuel system4
- Seats4
- Suspension4
- Lights2
- Locks1
- Wheels1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2005 Kia Spectra
Recalls 2
Fuel system, other: storage: tank assembly: mounting
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- The fuel tank can fall from the vehicle and strike the ground which could cause a fuel leak. Leaking fuel can create a fire hazard.
- Remedy
- 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.
Recall number 11V256000 · Recall details
Steering: linkages: tie rod assembly
- What is wrong
- On certain passenger vehicles, the steering tie rods may have a manufacturing flaw that affects the metallurgy.
- Risk
- If the rod cracks or fails, loss of vehicle steering control may occur which could result in a crash.
- Remedy
- 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.
Recall number 05V183000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2005 Kia Spectra 23
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
- TSB: voluntary service campaign
- Dealer principal memo (SC122) - kia motors america, inc
- Owner notification letter (SC122) - dear kia spectra owner: kia motors america, inc
- Questions and answers for voluntary service campaign SC122 underbody additional anti-corrosion treatment
- Kia: an additional application of anti-corrosion protection will be applied on some vehicles underbody...
2005 Kia Spectra fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4‑cyl | FWD | 21-22 | 30-31 | 25 |
What 2005 Kia Spectra owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Vehicle speedometer randomly quits. Also dash lights on binacle. Then will come back on after a day or so, have replace with genuine kia oem parts but still happens. Also looked on forums online and seems to be a common occurrence.
Bad shaking in steering wheel and sounds coming from front end. Only when driving on highway
Upon purchase, brand new off the lot in 2005, the seat belt light on my dashboard was always coming on and off when driving even if a person was sitting in the passenger seat or not. I never really understood exactly why or had money to have it looked at specifically for that problem. When I would take it to the mechanic, they would always say it looked normal. When I finally was able to take it to a mechanic specifically for this issue, I was informed that the airbag would not deploy due to an issue with needing a new seat. I have had my kia spectra ex for some time now, so I had to have them salvage the seat from a salvage yard. Luckily, they were able to locate an old seat in a wrecked kia and it looks nice in my car, and this light so far has not come back on. The total cost was around $2,000 and it was sad to put out the cash because I'm a student. After searching, I noticed on other sites that I am not the only person to have experienced this issue.
Speedometer and odometer not working well it works the first time in the morning when I drive after I turn car off and go to drive again it will not work the entire day. Recently I have meet someone with exact make and model with the exact same issue literally as I described the other person who I did not tell about the problem word for word describe the same problem. Also when speedometer isn't working the cruise control also will nitwork. I have replaced input and output speed sensor , wheel speed sensor and the speed sensor which wires back up to instrument cluster and nothing has fixed the issue.
My passenger seat occupancy sensor has gone bad and kia is refusing to replace the sensor mat for 2005 kia spectras, even though they have agreed to replace the mat for the same model car from 2007 to 2009 see the federal safety agency pdf about the 2007 model year recall: please speak with kia. This recall agreement should also apply to 2005 model spectras. They are refusing to replace the sensor mat.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 kia spectra. The contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver and the brakes seized. The contact had no control over the vehicle's direction and crashed into another vehicle. The front passenger side of the contact's vehicle was damaged. None of the air bags deployed. There were no injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle was driven back to the contact's residence and parked. The vehicle was not diagnosed by a dealer or an independent mechanic. The insurance company was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer was notified. The contact stated that the manufacturer issued one steering recall for the federal safety agency campaign number: 05v183000 (steering) and one tsb for the air bags, but there were no brake or air bag recalls. The failure mileage was not available.
Takata recall contacted local kia and referred to national phone 1‑800‑333‑4542 where a representative (jessica) stated that kia does not use takata airbags on any of their vehicles; therefore, no need to replace. End of conversation.
This vehicle had an air bag recall and was performed. Our service department sent this vehicle (with a air bag lamp on) to the local dealership to be diagnosed. The diagnosis from ferguson kia at tulsa ok told me that the same components that was used for the recall are now defective and causing the air bag lamp to come on. I contacted kia hotline 1‑800‑333‑4542 and filed a case (case no. [xxx]).a kia representative called back and told me they were not going to repair or provide the parts to repair the air bag. I requested for kia to re-evaluate this case. Kia never called back. Now the local dealership has threaten to haul the vehicle away or for our department to come and get this vehicle. Kia spectra 5 VIN: [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
The airbag warning light stays on in my 2005 kia spectra ex. The error code saved indicates the ocs sensor in the passenger seat has failed. There is an the federal safety agency action number (pe15031) for the same issue and model car but for later production years. It indicates that the issue will be repaired for up to 15 years from the date of purchase. Why does this not cover the 2005 year as well?...updated 04/20/17
Compare the 2005 Kia Spectra
Other model years
Questions about the 2005 Kia Spectra
Is the 2005 Kia Spectra reliable?
Owners have filed 103 complaints about the 2005 Kia Spectra, close to a typical Spectra model year.
What is the 2005 Kia Spectra year score?
The 2005 Kia Spectra scores 74 out of 100 (average). 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 2005 Kia Spectra?
Airbags, with 43 complaints, typically around 28,165 miles. Next is acceleration (12).
How many recalls does the 2005 Kia Spectra have?
2 recalls, covering fuel system, other and steering.
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).
What gas mileage does the 2005 Kia Spectra get?
Official estimates for the 2005 Kia Spectra range from 25 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.0L 4-cyl, FWD) gets 21-22 city and 30-31 highway.
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