NHTSA Complaint #10546251 — 2008 KIA SPECTRA5

DRIVING ALONE ON HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 55MPH AFTER DARK. HIT A COW CAUSING APPROXIMATELY $7,000 DAMAGE TO KIA SPECTRA5 VEHICLE FRONT END BODY, BUMPER, ETC. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. APPROXIMATELY 10 DAYS AFTER REPAIRS COMPLETED AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND COULD NOT BE RESET BY KIA SHOP. PER KIA DEALERSHIP THAT INSPECTED/ESTIMATED, PROBLEM WAS WITH SENSOR IN FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AND WOULD COST MORE THAN $2,000 TO FIX (DID NOT REALIZE IT MADE THEM ALL INOPERATIVE.) RECENTLY HAD CAR IN SHOP FOR ANOTHER FRONT END INVOLVED ACCIDENT (SOMEONE ELSE RAN A RED LIGHT) CAUSING $4,000 DAMAGE AND AGAIN AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY (WAS NOT AWARE R SIDE WOULD CAUSE ALL AIRBAGS TO BE INOPERATIVE.) SHOP RECOMMENDED CHECKING FOR RECALL. APPEARS MULTIPLE PROBLEMS OF SAME SORT IN SPECTRA VEHICLES AND THAT THESE ARE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEM EXPERIENCED IN THE RIO WHICH WAS RECALLED! KIA NEEDS TO STAND BEHIND THIS VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE! *TR