NHTSA vehicle safety data

2006 Kia Spectra Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

The 2006 Kia Spectra has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 100 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Kia dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2006 Kia Spectra, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

2006 Kia Spectra owner complaints

Owners have filed 100 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 Kia Spectra, describing incidents dated February 4, 2006 to September 28, 2023.

Most-cited components

  • Air Bags 46 complaints
  • Fuel/Propulsion System 15 complaints
  • Service Brakes 10 complaints
  • Structure 9 complaints
  • Engine 8 complaints
  • Power Train 7 complaints

Of the 100 complaints on file, 28 report a crash and 3 a fire; across all 100 complaints, owners report 32 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

  • ODI #11547352 · Filed

    My car just stop on me. I think my engine is not working had to called a tow truck to take me home and car.

  • ODI #11491036 · Filed

    The contact owns a 2006 Kia Spectra. The contact stated that three of her interior door handles had become defective and the doors could not be opened from inside the vehicle. The contact stated that the rear passenger’s side door and the front driver’s and passenger’s side door handles were…

  • ODI #11477060 · Filed

    While driving at freeway speeds vehicle suddenly slams down a gear or two causing moderate whiplash,and scaring the living crap out of myself and any passengers, upon having vehicle inspected by an ase certified repair technician he confirmed my complaint and stated that car seemed to be going into…

Read all 100 complaints

Owner-reported

2006 Kia Spectra mileage at failure

81 of the 100 complaints on file for the 2006 Kia Spectra give the vehicle's mileage when the problem happened.

Mileage at failure by component, from owners' complaints to NHTSA
Air BagsMedian 55,000 milesMiddle half 10,000–90,000 milesBased on 40 complaints

A component's median is its 50th percentile, and its middle half runs from its 25th to its 75th percentile.

Owners give the mileage themselves, often as a round number, and NHTSA doesn't check it. A complaint that names several components counts under each one, and mileages that can't be right, such as 999,999, or 50 miles on a five-year-old car, are left out.

These figures describe the complaints owners filed. They don't predict when a particular vehicle will have a problem, and vehicles that never had one aren't counted.

Mileage from NHTSA's complaints file of October 31, 2026. How these figures are worked out

FUEL TANK STRAPS

NHTSA #11V256000 · Fuel System, Other — Storage — Tank Assembly — Mounting · NHTSA notice

Reported April 25, 2011 · KIA MOTORS CORPORATION

Potentially affected: 58,322 vehicles

Kia campaign SC090 · Owners notified June 6, 2011 · Vehicles built November 7, 2003 – March 6, 2007 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

KIA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2007 SPECTRA LD VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM NOVEMBER 7, 2003, THROUGH MARCH 6, 2007, ORIGINALLY SOLD, OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT CORROSION OF THE FUEL TANK STRAPS WHICH HOLD THE TANK MAY OCCUR AS A RESULT OF PROLONGED EXPOSURE TO ROAD SALT. AS A RESULT OF THE CORROSION, ONE OR BOTH STRAPS MAY SEPARATE ALLOWING THE FUEL TANK TO CONTACT THE GROUND AND POSSIBLY DISRUPT THE INTEGRITY OF THE TANK.

Safety consequence

THE FUEL TANK CAN FALL FROM THE VEHICLE AND STRIKE THE GROUND WHICH COULD CAUSE A FUEL LEAK. LEAKING FUEL CAN CREATE A FIRE HAZARD.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL TANK STRAPS AND ATTACHING HARDWARE WITH NEW ZINC COATED PARTS. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 6, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.

Notes

KIA SAFETY RECALL NO. SC090.OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO <A HREF=HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV>HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV</A> .

Other Kia Spectra model years

Check your 2006 Kia Spectra VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Kia Spectra at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

Check a Kia VIN