2004 Kia Amanti Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2004 Kia Amanti most often describe a fussy electronic throttle: sudden unintended acceleration, engine racing at stops, and loss of power or jerking at speed, with many saying the dealer could not reproduce it. A second cluster involves fuel-system trouble during refueling (gas spitting back out or leaking near the tank) and intermittent airbag warning lights, frequently tied in complaints to the clock spring. Reports span from very low mileage up to high-mileage examples, so a used example is worth checking on these specific points.

1. 1
   Vehicle speed control

   Sudden unintended acceleration / engine racing

   • 17 complaints (23%)
   • median 53,000 mi at 5.7 yrs old (15 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2004–2022

   Complaints describe the engine racing or the car surging forward without the accelerator being pressed, often when pulling away from a stop, backing up, on hills, or during cold-start warm-up, and sometimes while braking at a stop sign. Several owners say the throttle became unresponsive or the car lurched and revved after restarting. Some were told the accelerator pedal position sensor or throttle body was replaced; others report the dealer could not duplicate the symptom. Reported across a wide mileage range, from a few hundred miles to about 100,000 miles, with several mentions of cold starts and stop-and-go driving.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: On a test drive, check whether the engine idles or revs unevenly at hot and cold start and when shifting into gear from a stop. Ask whether the throttle body, accelerator pedal sensor or ECM software update was ever applied.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “When I start my car, the RPM accelerates high as it will go. Very annoying and loud. It does this most of the time some times when I come to a stop light and proceed forward, the car jerks forward as I accelerate.”

   NHTSA complaint #10630716, filed 2014-09, 80,000 miles

   “I was stopping for a stop sign and engine suddenly raced and could not depress the brake pedal hard enough to stop. Shifted into neutral and engine stopped racing and car screeched to a halt. This has happened four times in last two years and each time I have shot through the stop sign. I took car to dealer and each time was told that this has not been reported by anybody else and could not be duplicated. I was told it could be a possible vacuum leak, but an independent brake specialist has told me there are no leaks and the brakes are fine. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10303362, filed 2010-01, 53,000 miles
2. 2
   Engine

   Loss of power, jerking or surging while driving

   • 27 complaints (37%)
   • median 56,000 mi at 6.3 yrs old (22 state mileage)
   • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2005–2021

   Owners describe the engine momentarily losing power or cutting out at speed and then recovering, or the car chugging and jerking as if misfiring, sometimes with the check engine light coming on. Complaints mention fuel injector replacement, catalytic converter replacement, and repeated dealer visits where no fault code could be found. A few report the vehicle stalled completely or would not restart. Most reports fall between roughly 20,000 and 100,000 miles, occurring at highway and city speeds rather than one fixed mileage.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask for service records showing whether fuel injectors, coils, spark plugs or the catalytic converter were replaced, and whether check engine codes were read. A scan for stored or pending codes before purchase is worthwhile.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I bought a brand new 2004 Kia Amanti. As I approached 30,000 miles the engine would periodically lose power while in operation, then restore seconds later. I reported the incident to my dealer. I ws told they would reset the fuel injection system, and that would resolve the issue. Since then the issue has surfaced (3) times. Two of the three times almost lead to a serious crash. During these precious few seconds (3-5) there was absolutley no engine power available. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10186037, filed 2007-03, 30,000 miles

   “I was slowing down to a red light and the check engine light came on and the car died. I turned the key so I could begin to try to start the vehicle and I noticed the RPM's start revving up and its trying to over-accelerate when I put it in drive. I managed to get it to a safe spot but I was 100% worried it was going to cause an accident or accelerate out of control. It sounds very if not exactly similar to a lot of the other complaints. No codes come up for this issue and it is serious.”

   NHTSA complaint #10463851, filed 2012-06, 62,000 miles
3. 3
   Suspension

   Front-end clunking and loose suspension

   • 13 complaints (18%)
   • median 10,000 mi at 1.8 yrs old (11 state mileage)
   • filed 2004–2013

   Complaints describe knocking or clunking from the front end over small bumps, a loose or bouncy rear end, and a roaring noise from the front wheel area at highway speed. Owners report repeated dealer visits with control arms, strut mounts and wheel bearings replaced, and some say the noise remained or the cause was never found. Mostly reported at low mileage, often under 30,000 miles, and sometimes from near-new.

   What to check: Drive over speed bumps and rough pavement and listen for knocks from the front and rear. Ask whether control arms, strut mounts or wheel bearings were replaced, and check tire wear for uneven patterns.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The transmission on the Amanti skips/hesitates going into 2nd gear at about 8 miles per hr. I have returned the vehicle to the dealer twice, each time the dealer telling me there were no problems with the transmission. I am taking it back for the third time today 4-4-06. I am also having a problem with the power steering. It no longer goes from one level of power steering to another. It is always in full power like your parking. The front end is also very loose and banging when I go over the smallest of holes. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10154537, filed 2006-04, 10,000 miles

   “Dt: when merging into traffic and pressing the accelerator the vehicle just coasted. This occurred when have to give the car more than normal gas. The vehicle was taken tot he dealer for the fourth time for this problem. Since the problem could not be duplicated the dealer was unable to find or repair the problem. This did not happen at any certain speed. While the vehicle was in reverse it felt as if it were trying to accelerate on its own. This happened with the foot on the brake. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10130416, filed 2005-09, 20,000 miles
4. 4
   Air bags

   Airbag warning light stays on

   • 9 complaints (12%)
   • median 55,500 mi at 5.8 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2006–2018

   Owners report the airbag warning light illuminating intermittently and then staying on constantly, with some describing repeat visits where the clock spring, airbag module or battery were replaced without a lasting fix. One complaint describes a ground wire being the eventual cause. Some owners were told the warranty had expired. Reported from a few thousand miles up to about 90,000 miles, with events spread over years of ownership.

   What to check: Turn the ignition on and confirm the airbag light goes out after the bulb check; if it stays lit, ask for the diagnostic record and whether the clock spring was replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have taken my 2004 Kia Amanti in for problems with air bag light several time. I have 8 forms with backup but it was taken in more than that. They have replaced everything from the r/r clockspring, the airbag and modules, all more than once. The last time being in 10/2010. Then the light started to come on in 02/2011 but it would turn off again until it finally stayed on once again. I had made an appt to go in on april 13, 2011 but was involved in a fender bender april 12, so the vehicle was in the shop. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10400561, filed 2011-05, 71,000 miles

   “I purchased my 2004 Kia Amanti car from a used car dealer on june 16, 2005. We purchased the extended 100,000 mile warranty as well. Approximately eight days after the purchase I began having trouble with the air bag light being illuminated and not going off. I took my car back to the car dealer on june 24, 2005 and june 27, 2005 for diagnostics. The car dealer could not service the car because they were not an authorized dealer. They sent the car to a sister car sales dealer who in turn took the car to an authorized Kia dealer. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10151356, filed 2006-02, 22,000 miles
5. 5
   Fuel system

   Gas spit-back or leak when refueling

   • 10 complaints (14%)
   • median 34,158 mi at 4.1 yrs old (10 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2005–2015

   Complaints describe gasoline spitting back out of the filler or leaking under the car while refueling, sometimes when the tank is about three-quarters full, or the pump repeatedly clicking off. Owners say dealers replaced sensors, the ORVR valve, canister and related parts, and that the problem returned in some cases. A few also describe the engine surging or running erratically shortly after filling the tank. Reported from very low mileage (under 5,000) through about 80,000 miles, typically at the fuel pump.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Fill the tank during the test drive and watch for spit-back, a pump that keeps clicking off, or a fuel smell around the rear of the car. Ask whether the EVAP canister, ORVR valve or filler neck were replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “2004 Kia - gas leaking under car when filling gas tank. Kia told us it was a sensor and replaced it. It happened again - they replaced the same sensor. When it happened for the third time, we brought the car in and they told us it was a gas overflow problem and by the time they looked at the car, we had over 27 pounds of gas sitting under the back seat. They told us (because so much time had passed, we had to pay which we did to get the car. They also told us they would contact Kia and try to get us reimbursed. All to no avail. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10238731, filed 2008-08, 80,000 miles

   “Car-Kia sorento (no option on vehicle page for sorento) I have taken the Kia sorento now 4-5 times for the gas tank problem. The car will not allow me to pump gas freely. It keeps stopping every 30 cents or so. Quirk Kia has serviced 4 times and each time they have replaced parts from fuel filler neck to pumps to hoses to a pressure sensor, etc. I was told on 7/30/05 that the mechanic (on 3rd visit) that previously tried fixing my car broke a few things in the gas tank and there was a faulty part gasket. They said they replaced the parts. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10131167, filed 2005-08, 11,000 miles

Buying note. A used 2004 Amanti is worth a careful test drive that covers cold starts, a stop-and-go stretch, a hill and a fuel stop, since the most commonly reported problems (throttle behaviour and refueling) show up in exactly those situations. Ask for service records covering throttle body and sensor work, fuel injectors, EVAP parts and airbag clock spring repairs before deciding.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.