AI Damage2005 KIA Amanti: common problems
Owners of the 2005 KIA Amanti filed 83 complaints with NHTSA, most often about vehicle speed control and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 83
- involving a crash
- 5
What fails most often
- 1 Vehicle speed control 35% of all complaints
- 2 Air bags 19% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 14% of all complaints
- 4 Engine 12% of all complaints
- 5 Electrical system 10% of all complaints
- 6 Fuel system 7% of all complaints
- 7 Suspension 7% of all complaints
- 8 Exterior lighting 5% of all complaints
- Vehicle speed control: 29 complaints (35% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Air bags: 16 complaints (19% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Powertrain: 12 complaints (14% of all).
- Engine: 10 complaints (12% of all).
- Electrical system: 8 complaints (10% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3.5 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 5-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 83 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle speed control | 29 | 2 | 0 |
| Air bags | 16 | 2 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 2 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Was in accident on 03-13-2013 severe left front end airbags did not deploy
Sudden acceleration. I was pulling my kia amanti (which I love) into a parking stall in a very crowded supermarket parking lot. I was braking to stop when my car accelerated. I did not notice the rpms. But it accelerated hard, and my foot on the brake did not stop it.
As I pulled up to park my car behind a parked car, my car surged and crashed into the back of the parked car. I was easing into the space at a very slow speed and actually had my foot on the brake. The motor suddenly revved up, I felt the surge, stood on the brake pedal, but was unable to control the car.
This car has a "sudden acceleration" causing the car to speed forward when applying the brakes. I have been in two rear-end collisions in the last year and have not been in an accident in over 30yrs prior.
I think the radio isotope electric generator was removed from the car. The heat and air conditioner were not kicking on and it also caused the battery to die. We thought it was the alternator. I didnt know it was electric. Also the co2 and year gas were removed and not sure if any firearms were.
My battery keeps draining. Im having an issue keeping it running or even starting it up. May be having starter issues. Also my air conditioner and heater are not coming on. Radiator problems.
The driver side front sub frame is severely cracked and rotting away. Attempting to clean uncovers road filth and rocks. This is an obvious metal quality defect.
I did not purchase the vehicle but it must be listed as unsafe in a nationwide alert as left driver side impact on doors from bumper to front passenger door, left side fender hanging off , vehicle shaking bad, computer hardware and caps missing on engine.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 3,991 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 11% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Amanti has 41 complaints (6 years in the data). This year has 83, above average.
What to check before buying
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2005 KIA Amanti?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: vehicle speed control, air bags, powertrain. Total complaints: 83. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: jerking, harsh shifts (18%), airbag warning light (17%), unintended acceleration (13%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2005 KIA Amanti?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2005 KIA Amanti from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2005 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.