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#BS-2004-KIASPE-2DEF

2004 Kia Spectra

Based on reports from 92 owners and 1 recall for this exact model.

Complaints
92
Crashes
20
Fires
1
Recalls
1
TSBs
27
🟡

Preliminary Verdict

Think Twice

Based on 92 complaints, 20 crashes, 1 fires, and 1 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

problems shifting

2 complaints • Severity 9/10

$X,XXX
2

brake failure

1 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX
3

check engine light on

1 complaints • Severity 8/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the Power Train:automatic TransmissionHIGH

13 owners reported power train:automatic transmission issues — failures commonly reported around 19K miles.

!Inspect the AirbagsMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

40
0–30K
14
30–60K
5
60–90K
7
90–120K
4
120–150K
3
150K+

Peak failure range: 0–30K miles (40 reports) • Median: 19K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Power Train:automatic Transmission (13 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Power Train:automatic Transmission13 (14%)
Airbags13 (14%)
Speed Control7 (8%)
Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control Module6 (7%)
Air Bags:frontal6 (7%)
Electrical6 (7%)
Engine4 (4%)
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine3 (3%)

2004 Kia Spectra: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Power Train:automatic Transmission Issues

Power Train:automatic Transmission complaints account for 14% of all reports filed for the 2004 Kia Spectra, with 13 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 19,150 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 19K-mile mark.

Airbags Issues

Airbags complaints account for 14% of all reports filed for the 2004 Kia Spectra, with 13 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to airbags-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Speed Control Issues

Speed Control complaints account for 8% of all reports filed for the 2004 Kia Spectra, with 7 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to speed control-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control Module Issues

Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control Module complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 2004 Kia Spectra, with 6 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

18
04
21
05
11
06
3
07
12
08
5
09
4
10
5
11
6
12
1
14
1
15
1
16
3
17
1
22

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2004 Kia Spectra. Recent trend: decreasing.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (1 recall)

11V256000Jun 2011

FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING

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.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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The worst model year for the Kia Spectra is the 2005 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is seat belts / air bags.

2004 Kia Spectra vs. Class Average (Compact Cars)

This vehicle

92

Class avg

205

Below the class average — fewer complaints than typical compact cars vehicles. A good sign.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 92 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 1 recall found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Kia Spectra Model Years

2009200820072006200520042003200220012000
View all Kia Spectra years →

2004 Kia Spectra: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2004 Kia Spectra?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2004 Kia Spectra is related to the power train:automatic transmission, with 13 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2004 Kia Spectra reliable?
The 2004 Kia Spectra has 92 complaints, 20 crash reports, and 1 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is below the class average — a positive sign for reliability.
How much does it cost to fix 2004 Kia Spectra problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 2004 Kia Spectra have any recalls?
Yes, the 2004 Kia Spectra has 1 recall on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Kia Spectra problems start?
Based on 73 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 19,150 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 0–30K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 92 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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