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2009 Kia SpectraProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 114 owner complaints about the 2009 Kia Spectra, most often about the air bags. It has no vehicle safety recalls on record.

2009 Kia Spectra
52
CarFlaw IndexSolid year7% below the Spectra median · #6 of 10 years by complaints
Safety recalls0None on recordOwner complaints11425 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage71kAir bags, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 20, 2023. Updated daily. Photo: Cutlass, CC0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2009 Kia Spectra has problems

114 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Air bags7615
Seats110
Electrical system101
Seat belts92
Vehicle speed control60
Structure51
Engine52
Service brakes41
Fuel/propulsion system40
8 other systems173

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

0 recalls

2009 Kia Spectra recalls and how many were fixed

No vehicle safety recalls are on record for this model year.

Mileage at failure

When do air bags problems start?

71kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 62 air bags complaints. 82% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
12under 30k miles51under 100k miles11100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Air bags

20 owners mentioned a cost

$1,800median

Middle half: $1,575 – $2,000

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

2009 vs. every other Spectra year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Spectra median. How we score

'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2009 Kia Spectra safety ratings

2009 Kia Spectra 5-DR w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2009 Kia Spectra, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Occupant Classification SystemPE15031 · closed Feb 11, 2016
    No recall
In owners' words

What Spectra owners report

Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

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.
Complaint 11311310 · Feb 25, 2020
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…
Complaint 11254247 · Sep 9, 2019 · 120,000 miles
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…
Complaint 11155008 · Dec 4, 2018

Own a 2009 Spectra?

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