LIGHT STAYS ON IN THE KIA SPECTRA AIRBAG SYSTEM PASSENGER SEAT MAT IS BAD
2006 Kia SPECTRA5
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all SPECTRA5 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 16 of 18 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Air Bags. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seats. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
18 reportsWE HAVE HAD NO ACCIDENTS, BUT THE MAT SENSOR IN THE PASSENGER SENSOR HAS GONE BAD CAUSING THE AIR BAG LIGHT ON THE DASH TO STAY ON. THE DEALER WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE THIS BY GETTING A B1448 CODE WHEN DIAGNOSING THE ISSUE. MANY OTHERS HAVE COMPLAINED OF THIS SAME ISSUE WITH THIS AND OTHER KIA VEHICLES. THE PART IS PROHIBITIVELY EX…
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WE HAVE HAD NO ACCIDENTS, BUT THE MAT SENSOR IN THE PASSENGER SENSOR HAS GONE BAD CAUSING THE AIR BAG LIGHT ON THE DASH TO STAY ON. THE DEALER WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE THIS BY GETTING A B1448 CODE WHEN DIAGNOSING THE ISSUE. MANY OTHERS HAVE COMPLAINED OF THIS SAME ISSUE WITH THIS AND OTHER KIA VEHICLES. THE PART IS PROHIBITIVELY EXPENSIVE AT APPROXIMATELY $1600 FOR PARTS AND LABOR.
AIRBAG LIGHT ON DUE TO FAULTY PASSENGER SIDE SEAT SENSOR. EXORBITANT COST TO REPLACE. CAN'T AFFORD.
AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND WAS TOLD BY MECHANIC THE SENSOR WAS FAULTY AND IT'S AROUND 2000$ TO FIX. WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION WITHOUT REPAIR. STARTED AROUND 60,000 MILES. THIS IS RIDICULOUS, OTHER KIA MODELS HAVE BEEN RECALLED. WHAT CAN ANYONE DO?
STEERING CONTINUALLY KNOCKED AFTER MULTIPLE REPAIRS I STILL HAD A KNOCK IN MY STEERING WHEEL DURING TURNS AND GOING AND AN AUDIBLE ONE OUTSIDE ALL AXLES AND SUSPENSION WAS DEEMED FINE. I ENDED UP SELLING THE CAR SINCE IT WAS AN ANNOYANCE. THE PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG SENSOR DID NOT WORK PROPERLY IT WOULD FLASH A LIGHT ON THE HUD F…
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STEERING CONTINUALLY KNOCKED AFTER MULTIPLE REPAIRS I STILL HAD A KNOCK IN MY STEERING WHEEL DURING TURNS AND GOING AND AN AUDIBLE ONE OUTSIDE ALL AXLES AND SUSPENSION WAS DEEMED FINE. I ENDED UP SELLING THE CAR SINCE IT WAS AN ANNOYANCE. THE PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG SENSOR DID NOT WORK PROPERLY IT WOULD FLASH A LIGHT ON THE HUD FOR HOURS ONLY WHEN SOMEONE SAT IN IT. THE CAR ALSO HAD VERY LOOSE STEERING AND WAS VERY UNSAFE ON THE FREEWAY
JUST AS OTHERS WITH MY SAME VEHICLE HAVE STATED, THE AIRBAG LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD COMES ON AND OFF AND IS A REAL SAFETY CONCERN. *TR
AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT ON DASH BOARD WILL NOT GO OFF MOST TIMES, EVEN WHEN A 125 POUND PASSENGER IS IN SEAT. OCCASIONALLY DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT ALARM WILL NOT CHIME. HAD MECHANIC CHECK WIRING, HE REPLACED ALTERNATOR,BATTERY STILL THE SAME. KENWOOD STEREO WILL NOT TUNE IN FROM TIME TO TIME, EVEN WHEN IN MY SAME PARKING SPACE AL…
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AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT ON DASH BOARD WILL NOT GO OFF MOST TIMES, EVEN WHEN A 125 POUND PASSENGER IS IN SEAT. OCCASIONALLY DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT ALARM WILL NOT CHIME. HAD MECHANIC CHECK WIRING, HE REPLACED ALTERNATOR,BATTERY STILL THE SAME. KENWOOD STEREO WILL NOT TUNE IN FROM TIME TO TIME, EVEN WHEN IN MY SAME PARKING SPACE ALSO AS WE ARE DRIVING WITH SHIFTER LOCKED INTO DRIVE, THE ENGINE SEEMS TO CHANGE GEARS ON FLAT ROAD SURFACE AS IF IT IS IN 3RD GEAR THEN GOES INTO DRIVE. THERE IS NOTHING ELSE I CAN DO. ALREADY HAD MECHANIC LOOK AT THESE PROBLEMS. NO CODES ARE SHOWING UP, BUT OBVIOUSLY THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM THAT MAY NOT ALLOW PASSENGER AIR BAG TO DEPLOY OR DRIVER SEAT BELT TO ACTIVATE OR WHAT EVER ELSE IS CONTROLLED BY THE ELECTRICAL. ALSO HAVE A 2006 KIA WITH SOME ELECTRICAL PROBLEM THAT CAR STEREO SHOP COULD NOT GET A NEW STEREO INSTALLED TO WORK PROPERLY. OTHER WISE CAR IF VERY AFFORDABLE,NOT SURE HOW SAFE IT IS. *TR
AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON, HAD A DIAGNOSTIC RAN ON IT CAME UP AS CODE B1448 OC PASSENGER SENSOR MAT DEFECT, LOOKS LIKE ITS SRSCM 70. WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS A TSB RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM, BUT WHEN I CALLED KIA, THEY SAID THAT IT WAS NOT FOR THIS MODEL. HOWEVER AFTER LOOKING UP THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET, A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH THIS C…
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AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON, HAD A DIAGNOSTIC RAN ON IT CAME UP AS CODE B1448 OC PASSENGER SENSOR MAT DEFECT, LOOKS LIKE ITS SRSCM 70. WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS A TSB RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM, BUT WHEN I CALLED KIA, THEY SAID THAT IT WAS NOT FOR THIS MODEL. HOWEVER AFTER LOOKING UP THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET, A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH THIS CAR HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. NOT ONLY IS IT BAD ENOUGH THAT LOTS OF PEOPLE ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS, BUT KIA SAYS THAT THEY CAN'T REPLACE THE SENSOR BY ITSELF, I WOULD NEED TO BUY A NEW SEAT WHICH WOULD BE $1600 DOLLARS!!!! THAT'S RIDICULOUS. A PROBLEM SUCH AS THIS ONE SHOULD NOT BE SO EXPENSIVE TO FIX. DID KIA PUT THIS SENSOR THERE SO THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY ALMOST 2 GRAND TO FIX A CRAPPY ELECTRICAL JOB? BY THE WAY THIS IS NOT THE ONLY KIA AROUND THIS YEAR WITH THIS EXACT PROBLEM. RECALL THE SPECTRA5 TOO!!!! *TR
THE AIR BAG INDICATOR FOR PASSENGER SIDE AS DECIDED TO COME ON AND OFF. THE MAIN PROBLEM IS ON THE DASH BOARD THE AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON AND ACTS AS IF THE AIR BAG INDICATOR IS NOT WORKING, AND IT THEN WILL GO OFF AND COME BACK ON. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN AND I HAVE NOTICED IT HAPPENING TO A LOT OF OTHER KIA SPECTRA5. …
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THE AIR BAG INDICATOR FOR PASSENGER SIDE AS DECIDED TO COME ON AND OFF. THE MAIN PROBLEM IS ON THE DASH BOARD THE AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON AND ACTS AS IF THE AIR BAG INDICATOR IS NOT WORKING, AND IT THEN WILL GO OFF AND COME BACK ON. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN AND I HAVE NOTICED IT HAPPENING TO A LOT OF OTHER KIA SPECTRA5. IT SHOULD BE RAISED AS A SAFETY CONCERN FOR THE FACT THAT NOW I AM SCARED TO PLACE MY FAMILY IN THIS CAR. ALSO THIS CAR RUNS GREAT ENGINE WISE, HOWEVER, ALL OF MY DOOR HANDELS HAVE BROKEN OFF, MY CK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON SINCE MY CAR HIT 30,000 MILES AND THE CD PLAYER HAS A MIND OF ITS ON. ELECTRICAL WISE ITS NOT GOOD.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA SPECTRA 5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. AFTER DIAGNOSIS, THEY ADVISED HER THAT THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKES AND CALIPERS FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RE…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA SPECTRA 5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. AFTER DIAGNOSIS, THEY ADVISED HER THAT THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKES AND CALIPERS FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED APPROXIMATELY EIGHT MONTHS LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY ADVISED HER THAT THE FRONT BRAKE CALIPER FRACTURED CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE BRAKE LINE HOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 35,763. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 37,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. *TR
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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