TL* - THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON 02-04-06 HE WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH A 2006 KIA SPECTRA IT WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH WHEN THE C ONSUMER'S V EHICLE WAS CUT OFF BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. AT WHICH TIME THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE THEN SWERVED TO AVOID THE OTHER VEHICLE AND VEHICLE WENT OFF THE ROAD INTO THE BUSHES. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED FRONT END DAMAGE, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT W…
2006 Kia Spectra airbags problems
severe 55 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100
Complaints
55
Recalls
0
Crashes
21
Avg fix
$1,100
What owners are reporting 10 most recent
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATES WHEN HIS 125 POUND SPOUSE IS SEATED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THIS INDICATES THAT THE AIR BAG WOULD NOT OPERATE PROPERLY IN A CRASH. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS A KIA ISSUE AND IS BEING CORRECTED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 3,100 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000. UPDATED 03/14/08. *LJ
AIR BAG LIGHT ON DRIVER SIDE TURNED ON? IT GOES ON AND OFF SPORADICALLY, DEALERSHIP WANTS UNREASONABLE REPAIR COST FOR SUCH. I BELIEVE THIS IS A DEFECT IN ELECTRICAL WARNING SYSTEM. A RECALL TO REPAIR SHOULD BE ISSUED. KIA CUSTOMERS ARE RAISING THIS ISSUE AND WE ARE NOT BEING HEARD? DO WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR A TRAGIC INCIDENT TO HAVE YOUR ORGANIZATION DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS? *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA SPECTRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO MOVE THE VEHICLE INTO THE LEFT LANE; HOWEVER, ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS IN THE LANE. THE DRIVER QUICKLY STEERED THE VEHICLE BACK INTO THE RIGHT LANE; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE SPUN OUT OF CONTROL AND TURNED OVER ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE DRIVER'S AND FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER AND F…
DEALER STATES ISSUE WITH AIRBAG SENSOR MAT ON PASSENGER SIDE. SAME ISSUE AS RECALLED ON THE 2006 RIO. A SIMILAR SPEC SENSOR MAT IS INSTALLED ON THE SPECTRAS AS WELL AND THEREFORE A RECALL SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED ON THOSE MODELS AS WELL. FAILURE TO RECALL THESE VEHICLES BASED ON THIS ISSUE COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY TO PASSENGERS OF VEHICLE IF INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AS THE AIRBAGS WOULD FAIL TO…
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA SPECTRA. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A ROCK. ONLY THE PASSENGER FRONT AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO BODY SHOP AND THE CRASH WAS REPORTED TO HER INSURANCE AGENCY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR BRUISES AND CUTS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 70,000. UPDATED 01-26-09 *BF UPDATED 01/26/09. 8JB
80,000 MILES AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING. WHEN OCCUPANT IS SEATED IN THE OCCUPANT SEAT, "AIR BAG WARNING OFF" LIGHT REMAINS (EVEN TO THIS DATE 11/18/14). A KIA SPECIALIST, IN ASHEVILLE, NC, DIAGNOSED AS WEAR AND TEAR. ALSO, STATED THAT IT COULD BE SOMEONE NOT SITTING IN THE SEAT PROPERLY AND/OR OVER WEIGHT COULD CAUSE IT TO GO OUT. SERIOUSLY, NO ONE IN MY CAR IS OVER 190 LBS. THE…
MY 2006 KIA SPECTRA HATCHBACK WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY WITH THE E-BRAKE ON, BOTH FRONT DOORS WERE OPEN AND THE CAR WAS RUNNING, I SAT IN THE CAR AND CLOSED THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR AND THE SEAT AND SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS WENT OFF, HITTING ME. I CONTACTED KIA IMMEDIATELY TO FILE A COMPLAINT, HAD THE CAR TOWED TO KIA WHERE THEY EXAMINED IT. I TOLD KIA I WANTED THE CAR REPLACED, WE JUST BOUGHT IT IN F…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA SPECTRA. EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE OCS MAT WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,144.
THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON IN MY DAUGHTERS 2006 KIA SPECTRA AT 112,000 MILES. WE ARE THE SECOND OWNER AND HAVE ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR 5 MONTHS AT THE TIME THIS OCCURRED. . I PAID $163.96 TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AT THE KIA DEALERSHIP. . I WAS TOLD THE ERROR CODE WAS B1448 OCS MAT DEFECTIVE. I WAS TOLD THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO THE FAULTY SENSOR AT A …
Common questions
How serious is the airbags problem on the 2006 Kia Spectra?
It's a meaningful issue. 55 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Other problem areas on this vehicle
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities.
Repair cost estimates are independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area.
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