2008 KIA SPECTRA5 Air Bags Problems

11 complaints about Air Bags

11
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Deaths

High Severity Issue

This component has been associated with crashes, fires, or deaths.

This Problem Across All Years

All Air Bags Complaints (11)

Dec 12, 2017

PURCHASED A 2008 KIA SPECTRA 5 IN 2009. FOR 3 YEARS IT WAS A GOOD COMMUTER CAR. THEN WEIRD THINGS STARTED HAPPENING OUT OF THE BLUE. FIRST, THE CAR WOULDN'T ALLOW US ACCESS BY USE OF THE KEY FOB. IT WOULD UNLOCK THEN LOCK. THE VEHICLE FLIP THE DOOR UNLOCK LEVER BACK AND FORTH LIKE A GHOST WAS MOVING. SECOND, THE CAR WOULD BLOW A FRONT HEAD LAMP ALMOST EVERY 6 MONTHS LIKE CLOCK WORK WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO DRIVE FROM PARK. THIRD, THE FRONT CONSOLE CONTROLLING THE FAN, HEAT ETC. WOULD JUST STOP WORKING ONLY TO START WORKING A FEW HOURS OR DAYS LATER. ESPECIALLY PROBLEMATIC IN WINTER. FOURTH, THE OCS SENSOR MAT FOR THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG HAS MALFUNCTIONED. THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR IS MOVING OR STATIONARY. IN ADDITION THE CAR HAS A DANGEROUS LAG IN GAINING SPEED WHEN TRYING TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC AT HIGH SPEEDS ON INTERSTATES. I GUESS I'M JUST WAITING FOR THE NEXT GREMLIN TO APPEAR. WILL NEVER OWN A KIA AGAIN.

Mileage: 65,000

Jun 25, 2017 Crash

I WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT ON JUNE 19, 2017. A VEHICLE HIT MY KIA AT A SPEED OF 30 - 40 MPH IN THE FRONT DRIVER'S WHEEL BASE. NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN OUT OF A SHOPPING CENTER, MOVING LESS THAN 10 MPH.

Mileage: 175,000

Aug 24, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA SPECTRA 5. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON AND OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,989.

Mileage: 160,989

Feb 25, 2016

PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG SENSOR HAS GONE BAD ON MY 2008 KIA SPECTRA 5. CAR HAS 77,522 MILES. WAS TOLD BY KIA DEALER THAT SEAT BOTTOM NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $1700. SAFETY IS THE CAR MANUFACTURE'S BIG SELLING FEATURE. A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED BY KIA IN MY OPINION.

Mileage: 77,430

Oct 31, 2015

LIGHT FOR PASSENGER AIRBAG GOES OFF WITHOUT AN OCCUPANT IN THE SEAT, THEN THE AIRBAG LIGHT ON THE DASH COMES ON..SUSPECT THE SENSOR IN THE SEAT IS BAD. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME I DRIVE THE VEHICLE..BEFORE IT WAS AN OCCASIONAL THING. NOW ITS EVERYTIME I START THE VEHICLE TO DRIVE

Mileage: 80,000

Sep 20, 2015

THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS STAYING ON AND FLICKERS BACK AND FORTH WHEN SOMEONE LIGHT SITS IN THE FRONT SEAT. THE AIRBAG IS NOT GOING TO DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT AND IM AFRAID MY LOVED ONES WILL BE SERIOUSLY INJURED DUE TO THIS MALFUNCTIONING SAFETY FEATURE. KIA IS RESPONSIBLE FOR REFUNDING ME THE $2100 IN EXPENSES FOR THIS AIRBAG SENSOR AND LABOR TO REPLACE IT. I WILL NEVER BUY A KIA VEHICLE AGAIN. IT IS CORPORATE-SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY THAT KIA LACKS. THEY CHOSE NOT TO RECALL THIS DEFECTIVE PART THAT IS SO IMPORTANT IN PROTECTING THEIR CUSTOMERS. THEY OBVIOUSLY HAVE NO CARE FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS' WELL-BEING. *TR

Mileage: 70,000

Sep 17, 2015

PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT WOULD TURN ON AND OFF WHEN THERE WAS A PASSENGER IN THE SEAT. AFTER A COUPLE OF MONTHS, THE LIGHT BEGAN TURNING ON AND OFF EVEN IF THE PASSENGER SEAT WAS EMPTY. NOW THE AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT DOES NOT COME ON, BUT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT IS ON AND HAS BEEN FOR ABOUT 1 WEEK. THIS IS A 1 OWNER VEHICLE AND HAS NEVER BEEN IN ANY TYPE OF COLLISION.

Mileage: 90,000

Sep 11, 2015

MY CAR HAS BEEN IN A FENDER BENDER OR TWO (ALWAYS BEING HIT FROM BEHIND) BUT NEVER ENOUGH IMPACT TO CAUSE THE AIRBAGS TO GO OFF. MY LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR WELL OVER A YEAR AND WHEN I CONTACTED MY CAR DEALERSHIP ABOUT IT, THEY TOLD ME I HAD TO REPLACE MY AIRBAG SYSTEM COSTING SOMEWHERE IN THE RANGE OF $2000 TO $3000. I HAVE PUT MY CAR IN THE SHOP ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AND THEY SAY THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH ANYTHING TO BE MAKING THIS LIGHT STAY ON. I HAVE HEARD FROM OTHER KIA OWNERS THAT ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE BUT KIA IS NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS MALFUNCTION. I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY RECALLS CONCERNING AIRBAGS BUT FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN AND READ, THERE REALLY SHOULD BEFORE SOMETHING CATASTROPHIC HAPPENS. I WILL NEVER PURCHASE FROM KIA AGAIN. THEY ARE VERY HARD TO DEAL WITH AND DO NOT KEEP THEIR PROMISES OR MAKE GOOD ON THEIR VEHICLES.

Mileage: 60,000

Sep 28, 2014

THE PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT WOULD GO ON AND OFF WITH NOBODY IN IT. AFTER 3 MONTHS OF THAT THE LIGHT QUIT DOING THAT. THEN I NOTICED THAT THE RED WARNING LIGHT WAS ON. I WENT TO SELL THE VEHICLE BUT THE DEALERSHIP TOLD THE NEW BUYER THAT IT IS THE OCS PAD IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. CODE B1448. COULD YOU INFORM ME WHAT BAGS WILL NOT GO OFF WITH THIS LIGHT ON. I SEE THERE IS A BYPASS SWITCH YOU CAN BUY TO AVOID THIS SO THERE MUST BE A FEW OF THESE OUT THERE. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Mileage: 96,000

Dec 31, 2013

THE AIRBAG LIGHT IN THE DASHBOARD STAYS ON AT ALL TIMES. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THE COST TO REPAIR IS OVER $1,600. I AM GETTING IT REPAIRED, SINCE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT INCLUDE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THE AIR BAG WARRANTY IN THE WARRANTY MANUAL. AS A SAFETY ISSUE, THIS SHOULD BE COVERED BY THE 100,000 MILE WARRANTY. *TR.. .UPDATED 07/21/15 *BF THE AIR BAG LIGHT WARNING LIGHT FOR THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG WAS THE ISSUE. IT DID NOT MATTER IF SOMEONE WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT OR NOT, THE TYPICAL WEIGHT OF THE PASSENGER WAS 150 POUNDS. THE DEALER FIXED THE ISSUE BY REPLACING HE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT AND AIR BAG SENSOR. THE TOTAL COST OF THE REPAIR WAS $1,700. KIA PAID 1/2 OF THE COST. UPDATED 07/28/15

Mileage: 66,000

Sep 30, 2013 Crash

DRIVING ALONE ON HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 55MPH AFTER DARK. HIT A COW CAUSING APPROXIMATELY $7,000 DAMAGE TO KIA SPECTRA5 VEHICLE FRONT END BODY, BUMPER, ETC. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. APPROXIMATELY 10 DAYS AFTER REPAIRS COMPLETED AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND COULD NOT BE RESET BY KIA SHOP. PER KIA DEALERSHIP THAT INSPECTED/ESTIMATED, PROBLEM WAS WITH SENSOR IN FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AND WOULD COST MORE THAN $2,000 TO FIX (DID NOT REALIZE IT MADE THEM ALL INOPERATIVE.) RECENTLY HAD CAR IN SHOP FOR ANOTHER FRONT END INVOLVED ACCIDENT (SOMEONE ELSE RAN A RED LIGHT) CAUSING $4,000 DAMAGE AND AGAIN AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY (WAS NOT AWARE R SIDE WOULD CAUSE ALL AIRBAGS TO BE INOPERATIVE.) SHOP RECOMMENDED CHECKING FOR RECALL. APPEARS MULTIPLE PROBLEMS OF SAME SORT IN SPECTRA VEHICLES AND THAT THESE ARE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEM EXPERIENCED IN THE RIO WHICH WAS RECALLED! KIA NEEDS TO STAND BEHIND THIS VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE! *TR

Mileage: 70,000