YearToAvoid

2009 Kia Spectra Structure & Body Problems

NHTSA has 16 owner complaints about body and structure problems in the 2009 Kia Spectra, 14% of all 114 complaints for this model year. That is #2 highest body and structure complaint count among 5 Spectra model years. These complaints report 1 crash and 1 injury. Median mileage at failure: 72,500 miles.

Structure & Body complaints
16
14% of 114 complaints
All complaints this year
114
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
1
Median mileage
72,500 mi
Related recalls
0

When 2009 Kia Spectra body and structure complaints were filed

First complaint Oct 27, 2010, latest Sep 9, 2019.

2009 Kia Spectra structure & body complaints: complaints filed per month2Oct 2010Feb 2013Feb 2014Sep 2014Aug 2015Jun 2018Sep 2019
16 complaints filed with NHTSA from Oct 2010 to Sep 2019; peak Feb 2014 (2).

Structure & Body recalls for the 2009 Kia Spectra

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Structure & Body complaints by Spectra model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 200511 (11%)
  2. 200613 (13%)
  3. 200721 (14%)
  4. 20089 (7%)
  5. 200916 (14%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2009 Kia Spectra have body and structure problems?
NHTSA has 16 owner complaints about the body and structure in the 2009 Kia Spectra, 14% of all complaints for this model year, including 1 that report a crash. Median mileage at failure is 72,500 miles.
Which Kia Spectra year has the most body and structure complaints?
The 2007 Kia Spectra has the most body and structure complaints (21), compared with 16 for the 2009.
Is there a body and structure recall for the 2009 Kia Spectra?
No NHTSA recall campaign for the 2009 Kia Spectra is classified under structure & body. Complaints alone do not trigger a recall; check the full recall list and your VIN.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.