I am having a problem with my hazard turning signal lights it won't turn on.
The worst 2009 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.
- Airbags76
- Seats11
- Electrical10
- Seat belts9
- Engine8
- Acceleration6
- Brakes6
- Body5
- Fuel system4
- Steering3
- Wheels3
- Lights2
- Transmission2
- Tires1
- Visibility1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2009 Kia Spectra
Airbag light 54No deployment 12Seat belt 6
Trouble codes owners of the 2009 Kia Spectra mention
B1448 3
Recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Defect investigations
Occupant Classification System
The subject vehicle population is MY 2007-2009 Kia Spectra vehicles.Consumers report that the SRS (air bag) warning light is illuminated in their vehicle.The focus of the investigation was the failure of the front seat passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor mat.This sensor mat is embedded in the front passenger seat cushion and is intended to detect child seats and small statured occupants who could be harmed by deployment of the passenger frontal air bag.The OCS may develop a failure due to an open circuit in the sensor mat caused by the mat cracking during use.An open circuit in the OCS sensor mat is detected as a fault in the system by the air bag diagnostic. A trouble code will then be stored in the air bag control unit and the air bag warning light will be illuminated.If this fault is detected, the OCS will not suppress the front passenger air bag and in a crash of sufficient severity the front passenger air bag will deploy regardless of the nature or size of the child seat or occupant in the front passenger seat.The report counts shown above include only those reports that specifically address the issue covered by this investigation, failure of the OCS sensor mat.Reports alleging only that the ?air bag light is on with no cause stated, or where no cause was otherwise identified, were excluded as the air bag light could be illuminated for system faults other than an OCS malfunction.Kia's assessment was that the cracking was caused by owner abuse.The subject vehicles have been in service for an average of approximately eight (8) years.An analysis of Kia's warranty data for the subject vehicles, including a comparison with other agency and manufacturer data pertaining to similar OCS failure investigations, indicates that the subject vehicles experience a comparatively low complaint rate for this issue given the number of years the vehicles have been in service.Kia has implemented an extended warranty program for the OCS sensor mat providing for free replacement for 15 years regardless of vehicle mileage and will send owners of the subject vehicles letters notifying them of the potential hazards posed by OCS failure as well as the terms of the extended warranty.Consumers whose air bag warning light is illuminated will have the opportunity to have their vehicle diagnosed and, if a fault is indicated, have the OCS sensor mat repaired at no charge.In view of the comparatively low complaint rate and Kia's implementation of an extended warranty with owner notification, ODI has tentatively concluded that the actions taken by Kia mitigate any unreasonable risk to safety posed by OCS sensor mat failures in the subject vehicles.Accordingly, the investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by the federal safety agency that a safety-related defect does not exist, and the agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by new circumstances.Details on Kia's extended warranty program, including a copy of both Kia's letter to the consumer and Kia's letter to their dealers, for the subject vehicle population will be available in the public file for this investigation. The ODI reports cited above can be viewed at http://www?odi.the federal safety agency.dot.gov/owners/ Searchreference under the following identification (ODI) numbers: 10789130, 10787308, 10785138, 10777856, 10765359, 10745773, 10746133, 10745528, 10721336, 10715846, 10712140, 10712046, 10706009, 10705387, 10681321, 10677080, 10673071, 10654873, 10654522, 10652472, 10651525,10643205, 10639671, 10638251, 10627289, 10621507, 10620724, 10615883, 10609000, 10607838, 10606252,10577842, 10568029, 10564527, 10561224,
PE15031
Technical service bulletins for the 2009 Kia Spectra 28
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
- Revision: owner letter: WTY001
- Revision: dealer parts and service manager memo: WTY001 - 2007-2009 my spectra (LD) front passenger ocs...
- Revision: warranty bulletin: WTY001 - 2007-2009 my spectra (LD) front passenger ocs sensor mat warranty...
- TSB - use of aftermarket USB charging cables in USB/12V ports
- Owner letter: WTY001
- Front passenger ocs sensor mat diagnosis and replacement
2009 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 | 23-24 | 30-32 | 26-27 |
What 2009 Kia Spectra owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
My car seems like someone entered something in my gas tank while i may been in the store
The airbag light is on and we think the ocs sensor mat is bad. Kia has an extended warranty for vehicles between the years of 2006-2009 to have a ocs sensor mat replaced for free for a period of 15 years regardless of mileage.
Airbag warning light is always on even if seat is occupied. In addition the airbag "off" message was displayed next to the clock and is always in the 'off', position. Both lights remain in that condition whether the vehicle is stationary mode (in park) or driving in motion. A safety inspection showed a b1448 code.
On december 18, 2018, I had a tire separate. These tires were purchased from long tire company in titusville, florida on june 15, 1916 (see attached documentation of the purchase). The tire was fully covered by warranty at that time, and I only paid to have a new one installed (see attached documentation of my paying long tire company for the the installation on december 12, 2018). This past week, august 15-22, 2019, two more tires separated (see attached documentation). This was observed by schlenker auto (see attached). The tires are hercules tour 4.0 plus 195/60 r15 (also contains numbers 88h mts) and the batch number on the tires (both are the same) is dot kaad b20h 2815. The batch number on the tire that separated last december was likely the same. The tire that separated last december was replaced by a tire with dot kaad b20h 2915, which seems to indicate a later batch number. I have had three of these tires separate in less than a year, in normal city driving conditions in florida. Something is badly wrong with these tires. Thank you in advance for your kindness and attention to this.
Driver's seatbelt often fails to lock in and pops open mid-drive. It is often not apparent that the belt hasn't locked until it pops open. This would be especially dangerous in an accident.
I purchased the vehicle in 2011. Since then once in awhile when I stop my car at a light or a stop sign, the car moves forward even after I step on the brake. I then have to quickly put the brake on and turn the car off or else I'm a hit someone was in front of me. I have taken it to the dealer and I'm told that I have to bring it there when it's happening. This is happened a few times since 2011. It always happened when I would step on the brake at a stop light or a stop sign when my car should be motionless however it would keep going even though I stepped on the brake. I have not kept track of when this has happened. Below I had to put a date that it happened. I do not know the dates that this is happened since I purchased the car it is probably happened at least 10 times since I purchased the car in 2011. I did not keep track of the dates
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
Letter from senator roberts re: inquiry on behalf of constitute in regards to her mother's 2009 kia spectra airbags deployed too much force and injured her mother. *as see also odi 11109673. *dsy the consumer stated the driver died as a result of injuries from the airbag during the crash. The manufacturer was notified.
My 2009 kia spectra had approximately 23,000 miles on it when I purchased it from a kia dealer in october 2017. Two days after purchasing my kia, I returned to the same dealership and reported that I noticed the car was idling to high after using the air conditioner or after driving on the freeway. The dealership did nothing and did not assume any responsibility for any repairs. Fast forward to today, the problem became worse and my vehicle began to launch forward after I stopped at a stop sign or traffic light. When removing my foot off the gas pedal, the car increases in speed instead of decreasing while in motion. I was told by my mechanic that the issue was the idle air control valve which cost $105.00 for diagnostic testing and $256.30 for parts and labor.
Compare the 2009 Kia Spectra
Other model years
Questions about the 2009 Kia Spectra
Is the 2009 Kia Spectra reliable?
Owners have filed 114 complaints about the 2009 Kia Spectra, close to a typical Spectra model year.
What is the 2009 Kia Spectra year score?
The 2009 Kia Spectra scores 70 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 2009 Kia Spectra?
Airbags, with 76 complaints, typically around 71,000 miles. Next is seats (11).
How many recalls does the 2009 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).
What gas mileage does the 2009 Kia Spectra get?
Official estimates for the 2009 Kia Spectra range from 26 to 27 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.0L 4-cyl, FWD) gets 23-24 city and 30-32 highway.
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 2009 Kia Spectra?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history