2009 Kia Amanti Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
No verdict The 2009 Kia Amanti has a complaint index of 0, the lowest among the 5 model years with data, with 4 complaints and 1 recall on record. Engine issues make up half of its reported complaints, with a median failure mileage of 20,300 miles.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 0/100
- #5 of 5 Amanti years
- Verdict
- No verdict
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 4
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 1
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 1
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Top issue
- Engine
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 19
- 17 city / 24 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 0 / 0
Top 2009 Kia Amanti problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Engine2 (50%)
- Brakes1 (25%)
- Electrical System1 (25%)
- Visibility & Wipers1 (25%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Engine reportedly stalled or lost power unexpectedly while driving around 60 mph, with the vehicle later restarting on its own after being pulled over.
- One owner described sudden unintended acceleration while parking, with the vehicle failing to respond to braking and continuing forward into other vehicles.
- A brake light switch, later addressed under a recall, was reported to have failed again after replacement, requiring another repair.
- Electrical system problems were tied to the sudden acceleration incident, suggesting a link between wiring or sensor faults and unexpected throttle behavior.
2009 Kia Amanti recalls
1 NHTSA recall campaign list this model year.
- NHTSA 13V114000Apr 1, 2013Electrical System980,377 vehicles
Exterior lighting:brake lights:switch
Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year 2007-2009 Amanti, and model year 2009 Borrego vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Kia recalled 623,658 model year 2007-2010 Rondo and Sportage, model year 2007-2011 Sorento, model year 2007 Sedona, model year 2010-2011 Soul, and model year 2011 Optima vehicles. In September 2013, Kia informed the agency that it was adding an additional 356,719 vehicles to this campaign. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 980,377. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake-transmission shift interlock feature preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.
Risk: Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of PARK without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Kia will send an interim notification to owners in May 2013. When parts are available, owners will receive a second notification and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's recall campaign number is SC098.
2009 Kia Amanti fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 17 MPG
- Highway
- 24 MPG
- Combined
- 19 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $3,400
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2009 compared with other Amanti years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2009 Kia Amanti reliable?
- Among the 5 Amanti model years with data, 2009 has the lowest complaint index at 0 and ranks least concerning at position 5 out of 5. It has only 4 total complaints and 1 recall.
- What problems does the 2009 Kia Amanti have?
- NHTSA complaints show engine issues as the top problem area, accounting for 2 of the 4 complaints (50%), with a median failure mileage of 20,300 miles. Brakes, electrical system, and visibility/wipers each account for 1 complaint.
- Does the 2009 Kia Amanti have a recall?
- Yes, one recall (campaign 13V114000) covers the electrical system, involving a brake light switch issue shared across multiple Kia models from those model years. It is not a do-not-drive recall.
- How does the 2009 Amanti compare to other Amanti years?
- The 2009 model has a complaint index of 0, well below 2005 (100) and 2006 (75), which are both rated Avoid. The 2007 model is rated Good with an index of 25, and 2008 is rated Caution with an index of 50.
- What is the fuel economy of the 2009 Kia Amanti?
- The 2009 Amanti gets 19 mpg combined (17 city / 24 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,400 according to the EPA.