There are 13 owner-reported electrical system complaints for the 2008 Kia Spectrain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
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.
I BOUGHT MY 2008 KIA SPECTRA IN JUNE OF 2015. ABOUT A MONTH AFTER THE PURCHASE MY DOOR LOCKS STARTED ACTING UP OCCASIONALLY. NOW IT IS AN ALMOST EVERYTIME OCCURANCE. I WILL UNLOCK MY DOOR VIA KEY FOB, AND IT WILL INSTANTLY, AND AUTOMATICALLY, RELOCK ITSELF(ALL DOORS). WHEN IT DOES DECIDE TO UNLOCK, AND STAY THAT WAY UNTIL I ENTER THE VEHICLE, AS SOON AS I OPEN THE DRIVERS DOOR ALL DOORS WIL LOCK. I FIND THIS QUITE ANNOYING, AND DANGEROUS DUE TO THE FACT THAT I HAVE A CHILD, AND A WIFE, AND I WOULD RATHER NOT HAVE MY VEHICLE PREVENT THEM FROM ENTERING, OR EXITING THE VEHICLE SAFETLY. I HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH KIA DEALERS AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IT WILL BE A 300-750 DOLLAR FIX, AND KIA MOTORS THEMSELVES STATED THAT SOME SPECTRA'S HAVE THIS ISSUE, BUT MINE DOES NOT BECAUSE THERE IS NO SERVICE CAMPAIGN FOR MY VIN.
DASHBOARD AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED, AND NOTHING I TRIED--SCANNER, CALLING THE DEALER, AND INSPECTING IT MYSELF--SEEMS TO BE ADDRESSING THE ISSUE. I SEE MULTIPLE PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING SIMPLER SYMPTOMS. THE LIGHT ILLUMINATES AS USUAL UPON IGNITION AND SHUTS OFF AS NORMAL. IT THEN COMES BACK ON AROUND 10 TO 20 SECONDS AFTER THE CAR STARTS, AND IT DOES NOT SHUT OFF UNTIL I TURN OFF THE CAR. THE IT SOUNDS LIKE A WARRANTY ISSUE.
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
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 KIA SPECTRA. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND SUDDENLY THERE WAS SMOKE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT VEERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE VEHICLE BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. A FIRE AND A POLICE REPORT WERE FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,500. ACCORDING TO THE LETTER FROM THE CONSUMER'S LAWYER, THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED BY AN ELECTRICAL FIRE ARISING UNDER THE DASHBOARD, APPARENTLY FROM THE BLOWER/VENTILATION SYSTEM. UPDATED 09/14/15. *JB MA 10/5 STATUS UPDATED 11/19/15.*JB THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER DENIED ANY LIABILITY. THEY BLAMED THE FIRE ON A PAST INCIDENT, WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS FILLED WITH TOO MUCH OIL. UPDATED 04/25/16.*JB *CN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA SPECTRA. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO ENGAGE AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE FAILURES RECURRED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STOP LAMP SWITCH FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TEMPORARILY REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V114000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 102,000. UPDATED 05/24/16*LJ
I WAS DRIVING NORMALLY GOING 45 MPH ON A RURAL STREET USING MY CRUISE CONTROL. WHEN I WAS COMING UP TO THE STOP, I HIT THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN, AND THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY ACCELERATED. I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES AND THE ENGINE RAN FASTER. I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL (THE ENGINE RPMS RED-LINED), AND TURNED THE KEY OFF AND THE VEHICLE SLOWED UNDER NORMAL BRAKING. I STARTED THE VEHICLE BACK UP, AND TESTED THE PROBLEM. THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT DISENGAGING WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL. WHEN I GOT HOME, I CHECKED THE BRAKE LIGHTS, AND THEY WERE NOT WORKING. I BOUGHT A REPLACEMENT SWITCH AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS WORK WITH THE REPLACEMENT SWITCH. IF I HAD NOT APPLIED THE BRAKES FAR ENOUGH IN ADVANCE, I AM CERTAIN THAT I WOULD HAVE GONE THROUGH THE BUSY INTERSECTION AND CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT. *TR
THE DOOR LOCKS BEGAN RANDOMLY NOT WORKING WHEN USING THE DOOR LOCK/UNLOCK BUTTONS ON BOTH THE DRIVER SIDE, AS WELL AS THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. THERE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE A PROBLEM WHEN USING THE KEY FOB. I MENTIONED THIS PROBLEM TO MY LOCAL KIA DEALER WHO BRUSHED IT OFF. NOW, 2 YEARS LATER, IT HAS GOTTEN WORSE. I CAN RARELY UNLOCK THE DOORS USING THE BUTTONS. I WOULD THINK THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE IF I WAS UNABLE TO GET OUT OF MY CAR IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT OR FIRE. I AM NOT SURE IF THIS WOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE CAR IS LESS THAN 10 YEARS OLD AND HAS JUST UNDER 73,000 MILES. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA SPECTRA. WHILE TRAVELING AT 20 MPH THE CONTACT NOTICED BLACK SMOKE COMING INSIDE THE VEHICLE FROM THE AIR VENTILATION SYSTEM. SHE PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SHUT THE ENGINE OFF. A LOUD CLICKING SOUND COULD BE HEARD COMING FROM THE ENGINE. AFTER EXAMINING THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE AND FINDING NO SIGNS OF A FIRE OR SMOKE THE CONTACT RE ENTERED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT FLAMES WERE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE DASHBOARD AND STEERING WHEEL. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE AND A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED FOR THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 91,000.
NO INDICATION OF ANY PROBLEMS WITH CAR OR BATTERY NOTICED WHATSOEVER UPON ENTERING AND STARTING THE VEHICLE.. THE COMPLAINT INCIDENCE OCCURRED AFTER DRIVING APPROX 2 BLOCKS AND PARKING AND TURNING OFF CAR AND UPON GETTING OUT OF CAR NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM FRONT DRIVER SIDE CORNER OF HOOD. SINCE THERE WAS A BABY IN THE CAR FIRST ACTION WAS TO REMOVE CHILD TO SAFE AREA AND CALLED 911. WITHIN APPROX 5 MINUTES MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF SMOKE POURING FROM HOOD CRACKS. BYSTANDERS ATTEMPTED TO OPEN HOOD AND SPRAY WITH BORROWED FIRE EXTINGUISHER BUT COULD NOT OPEN HOOD. WHEN FIRETRUCK ARRIVED THEY COULD NOT GET HOOD OPEN EITHER AND HAD TO PRY IT OPEN AT WHICH POINT FLAMES ERUPTED BUT WERE THEN QUICKLY PUT OUT BY FIRE DEPARTMENT (GOLDSBORO NC CAR FIRE AT TJ MAXX STORE ON SEPT 28, 2009) FIRE DETERMINED TO HAVE STARTED IN BATTERY/FUSE BOX AREA - FIRE DEPARTMENT DETERMINED FIRE WAS ELECTRICAL BUT CAUSE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED DUE TO EXTREME AMOUNT OF DAMAGE RESULTING FROM FIRE IT APPEARS THAT THERE WAS SOME KIND OF ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION THAT OCCURRED SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT ANY ADVANCE WARNING OR SIGNS OF ANY PROBLEMS BEFORE THIS INCIDENCE. NOTHING WAS POSSIBLE TO BE DONE TO "CORRECT" THE PROBLEM EXCEPT TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE CONSEQUENCE WAS THAT THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF THE CAR WAS CHARRED AND THE CAR TOTALED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRANGED TO HAVE CAR TOWED FROM PARKING LOT WHERE FIRE OCCURRED TO LOT WHERE FINAL INSPECTION MADE. LUCKILY, CIRCUMSTANCES ALLOWED FOR ALMOST IMMEDIATE AWARENESS OF FIRE OCCURRING AND THAT DRIVER AND PASSENGER WERE IN A SAFE PLACE WITH COMMUNICATION AVAILABLE. IF CIRCUMSTANCES HAD BEEN DIFFERENT, THE RESULTS COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT IT NO LONGER HAD POWER AND THAT NONE OF THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS WERE FUNCTIONING. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED, TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 4000.
2008 KIA SPECTRA, THE PARKING LIGHTS COME ON BY THEIR SELF WHEN ITS AROUND 20* OUTSIDE AND WHEN ITS AROUND 80* OUTSIDE THE ALARM WANT SET THE LIGHTS JUST BLANK ON AND OFF. ALSO I HAVE A REALLY BAD RATTLE COMES FROM THE AIR BAGS SO IT SOUND IN THE DASH AND DRIVERS SIDE POST AIR BAG. HAVE TOOK THE CAR IN 3 TIMES AND A WEEK PER TIME, AND SO FAR NOTHING AS BEEN FIXED. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING 40 MILES PER HOUR. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED SEVERAL TIMES BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE DEALER OFFERED THE CONTACT A NEW VEHICLE INSTEAD OF REPAIRING THE ONE HE OWNS; HOWEVER, THE NEWER MODELS EXPERIENCED THE IDENTICAL FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 40,126.
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