There are 5 owner-reported electrical system complaints for the 2005 Kia Amantiin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
I THINK THE RADIO ISOTOPE ELECTRIC GENERATOR WAS REMOVED FROM THE CAR. THE HEAT AND AIR CONDITIONER WERE NOT KICKING ON AND IT ALSO CAUSED THE BATTERY TO DIE. WE THOUGHT IT WAS THE ALTERNATOR. I DIDNT KNOW IT WAS ELECTRIC. ALSO THE CO2 AND YEAR GAS WERE REMOVED AND NOT SURE IF ANY FIREARMS WERE. THIS WAS 'THE BEAST' I BELIEVE. I RECEIVED A CALL FROM "MIKE" HE MENTIONED I SHOULD ADD IT TO MY CURRENT INSURANCE PLAN BUT I TOLD HIM I ONLY HAD OBAMACARE. GET MY DIAMOND JUBILEE BACK PLEASE!
I BEGAN TO NOTICE THAT MY CAR WAS" JUMPING" AT STOP LIGHTS ON A CITY STREET; AS IF IT WANTED TO ACCELERATE WHEN THE BRAKE WAS PUSHED. I WENT TO START IT ONE EVENING AND THE BATTERY WAS COMPLETELY DEAD. I GOT A JUMP AND THEN NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD NOT TURN OFF. I HAD A FRIEND CHECK THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH THE FOLLOWING DAY AND HE STATED THAT THE SWITCH WAS SO LOOSE THAT IT FELL INTO HIS HAND. HE TIGHTENED THE SWITCH SO I COULD TRY AND PUT A CHARGE ON THE BATTERY. I GOT THE CAR STARTED BUT THE BATTERY WOULD NOT HOLD A CHARGE, I INSTALLED A NEW BATTERY AND THE CAR STILL FEELS AS THOUGH IT WANTS TO ACCELERATE WHEN PRESSING BRAKE TO STOP. SINCE THEN, I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE DOOR AJAR AND TRUNK OPEN LIGHTS DO NOT WORK AS WELL AS THE INTERIOR COURTESY LIGHTS WHEN THE DOOR IS OPENED. I HAVE ALSO HAD PROBLEMS IN THE PAST WITH NOT BEING ABLE TO GET THE CAR OUT OF PARK. I HAVE REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH AS WELL AS OTHER COMPONENTS. I HAD ISSUES WITH THE DIMMER SWITCH WHEN THE LIGHTS ARE LEFT ON AUTO, AND I USE THE FOB TO LOCK THE DOORS; IF I DO NOT TURN THE LIGHTS OFF MANUALLY; THE LIGHTS FLASH UNTIL THE BATTERY DIES. AFTER THE LAST ISSUE WITH THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH, I ALSO CAN NOT OPEN THE TRUNK WITH FOB, I CAN ONLY OPEN WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND SET TO ON POSITION. IT CAN NOT BE OPENED FROM THE OUTSIDE AS WELL. WHEN IT IS COLD OUTSIDE, BELOW 40 DEGREES, THE RADIO SCANS AND WILL NOT STOP. THE CD WILL ONLY WORK IF ONLY ONE DISC IS INSERTED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA AMANTI. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND FAILED TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT REMAINED FOR THIRTY DAYS FOR INVESTIGATION. THE ECM WAS REPLACED. A FEW WEEKS AFTER THE REPAIR, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE REPLACEMENT PART WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED FOR THE SECOND TIME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,814.
SINCE PURCHASING MY 2005 KIA AMANTI AIR BAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ON; THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER EXPERIENCED AN IMPACT WHICH WOULD CAUSE THE AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY NEITHER HAVE ANY OF THE AIRBAG COMPONENTS EVER BEEN TAMPERED WITH. THE THROTTLE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE IS EXTREMELY SPORADIC AND OFTEN CAUSES HESITATION, LURCHING, NO ACCELERATION, AND EVEN LOSS OF ALL POWER. I HAVE HAD THE DEALERSHIP UPDATE THE ECM AND THE TPS REPLACE BUT THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTED. I NOTICED THE THROTTLE BODY PLATE WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO ACTUATE SO I THEN PURCHASED ANOTHER THROTTLE BODY AND REPLACED MY OLDER ONE. EVERYTHING FUNCTIONED AS SHOULD BE EXPECTED UP UNTIL APPROX. 3 MONTHS AGO THE ISSUES STARTED BACK UP AGAIN. I NOTICED THE THROTTLE BODY MOTOR HAD STARTED TO BECOME INCREASINGLY HOT TO THE TOUCH INDICATING AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF RESISTANCE WITHIN THE MOTOR CIRCUIT. BEING THAT THE PROBLEM IS RECURRING, I FEEL THE ISSUE IS LOCATED EITHER WITHIN THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS OR THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE AND IT, AS WELL AS THE RUINED THROTTLE BODY MOTOR, NEED REPLACED AT THE COST OF THE KIA MOTOR COMPANY. THE ISSUE CAN, AND HAS, CAUSED NUMEROUS ACCIDENTS, STALLING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AS WELL AS LURCHING AND SPEEDING AWAY OF VEHICLES. A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE IS PRESENT AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
SOON AFTER START UP, I PULLED OUT OF MY DRIVE WAY AND PROCEEDED TO TURN ONTO THE STREET AND I HAD NO POWER FOR ABOUT 2 SECONDS, THEN IT GOES FULL OUT. THIS HAS HAPPENED 8 OR 9 TIMES. I HAVE BEEN VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE DEALER. THEY ARE CLUELESS. I HAVE BEEN BACK 6 TIMES FOR AN AIRBAG LIGHT ON THE DASH AND IT IS STILL ON. HEADLIGHT WENT OUT AND HAD TO GO BACK 3 TIMES FOR THAT. *JB
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026