AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. TOOK THE CAR TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP, HOOKED IT UP TO THE COMPUTER, IT WAS THE OCS SENSOR MAT. IS GOING TO COST $1000-$2000 FOR A NEW SEAT WITH A NEW OSC! THE CAR ONLY HAS ABOUT 53,000 MILES AND THE PASSENGER SEAT ISN'T/ HASN'T BEEN USED OFTEN, AS THIS IS PRIMARILY A CAR THAT I DRIVE TO WORK AND BACK BY MYSELF, ALONE. OF COURSE IT ISN'T UNDER WARRANTY! THIS SHOULD…
2009 Kia Spectra airbags problems
critical 72 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100
Complaints
72
Recalls
0
Crashes
14
Avg fix
$1,100
What owners are reporting 11 most recent
AIR BAG LIGHT IS MALFUNCTIONING,GOT LETTER FROM KIA SAYING IT IS UNDER WARRENTY AND DEALER WILL NOT FIX
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING SENSOR ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY AND CAUSED THE PASSNEGER SEAT TO MALFUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR AND THE PASSENGER SEAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
MY AIRBAG LIGHT WOULD NOT TURN OFF SO I TOOK THE CAR TO A KIA DEALER. I WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE PASSENGER SEAT TO THE TUNE OF OVER 2 GRAND! I THEN CONTACTED THE KIA COMPANY DIRECTLY TO ASK FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE. AFTER WAITING A WEEK FOR THE PROMISED 48 HOUR CALL BACK I WAS TOLD THERE WOULD BE NO ASSISTANCE AND THEY TOOK NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FAILURE EVEN THOUGH I RARELY HAVE A…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA SPECTRA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED CONSTANTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.
LETTER FROM SENATOR ROBERTS RE: INQUIRY ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUTE IN REGARDS TO HER MOTHER'S 2009 KIA SPECTRA AIRBAGS DEPLOYED TOO MUCH FORCE AND INJURED HER MOTHER. *AS SEE ALSO ODI 11109673. *DSY THE CONSUMER STATED THE DRIVER DIED AS A RESULT OF INJURIES FROM THE AIRBAG DURING THE CRASH. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000. UPDATED 07/13/15*BF
AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ON. CAR HAS ONLY 25,000 MILES BUT OUT OF WARRANTEE. DEALER WANTS $109. JUST TO SCAN IT. MULTI COMPLAINTS ONLINE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA SPECTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE WHEN THE SEAT WAS OCCUPIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED HER THAT SHE WAS UNDER THE REQUIRED WEIGHT FOR THE SEAT TO DETECT OCCUPANCY AND ACTIVATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILUR…
I NOTICED INVESTIGATION: PE 15-031 WHERE THE OCS SEAT SENSOR MAT IS FAILING ON A NUMBER OF KIA SPECTRA MODELS. MY AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON A FEW WEEKS AGO SO I TOO THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY CHARGED ME $100 TO DETERMINE THE OCS SEAT SENSOR MAT WAS BAD. DIAGNOSTIC CODE B1448. THEY TOLD ME IT WOULD BE ABOUT $1500 TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE PASSENGER SEAT TO FIX THE PROBLEM. NEEDLESS TO SAY I HAVE NOT GOT…
Common questions
How serious is the airbags problem on the 2009 Kia Spectra?
It's a serious issue. 72 complaints have been filed, including 14 reports involving a crash and 2 fatality(ies). We've classified it as critical based on NHTSA's reported outcomes.
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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