Kia

Amanti (1st)

2004-2009 · Full-Size Sedan ยท 3 engines
Best Engine โœ… Recommended (3.5)
246 NHTSA Complaints
2 Recalls
1 Fire Reports
22 Crash Reports
๐Ÿ“‹ Inspection checklist

Engine Reliability Ratings

Kia Amanti Unidentified Engine

โœ… Recommended (3.5)
46 complaints 9.2 per year
View details

Complaint Breakdown

other
10
electrical
7
fuel system
7
engine
7
safety systems
7

Known Issues

Electrical System Issues (7 complaints)
Fuel System Issues (7 complaints)
Engine Issues (7 complaints)

3.5-V6-Gas

3.5L 6-cyl
โš ๏ธ Caution (2.3)
161 complaints 53.7 per year Gasoline
1 fire report
View details

Complaint Breakdown

other
33
transmission
29
safety systems
28
engine
26
electrical
25

Known Issues

Transmission Issues (29 complaints)
Safety Systems Issues (28 complaints)
Engine Issues (26 complaints)

Same engine used in

+71 more
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3.8-V6-Gas

3.8L 6-cyl
โŒ Avoid (1.9)
39 complaints 13.0 per year Gasoline
1 fatality
View details

Complaint Breakdown

other
13
electrical
7
safety systems
5
brakes
5
exterior
5

Known Issues

Electrical System Issues (7 complaints)
Safety Systems Issues (5 complaints)
Brakes Issues (5 complaints)

Vehicle-Level Issues

These issues affect the Kia Amanti regardless of engine variant.

Electrical System Issues (39 complaints)
electrical critical
Safety Systems Issues (33 complaints)
safety_systems critical
Engine Issues (33 complaints)
engine critical
Transmission Issues (29 complaints)
transmission critical
Fuel System Issues (28 complaints)
fuel_system critical

Recalls (2)

13V114000Jan 3, 2013serious
Exterior Lighting

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.

09V130000Apr 16, 2009serious
Exterior Lighting

HUYNDAI-KIA IS RECALLING 139,844 MY 2006-2007- SEDONA, SPORTAGE, SORENTO AND MY RONDO AND AMANTI VEHICLES. THE STOP LAMP SWITCH IN THE AFFECTED VEHICLES MAY MALFUNCTION. A MALFUNCTIONING STOP LAMP SWITCH MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED OR MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO REMAIN ILLUMINATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS RELEASED. A STOP LAMP SWITCH MALFUNCTION MAY ALSO AFFECT THE OPERATION OF THE BRAKE-TRANSMISSION SHIFT INTERLOCK FEATURE SO THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BE SHIFTED OUT OF THE PARK POSITION. IT MAY ALSO CAUSE THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) MALFUNCTION LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE, AND IT MAY NOT DEACTIVATE THE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most common 2004-2009 Kia Amanti problems?

The 2004-2009 Kia Amanti has accumulated 246 NHTSA complaints. The most frequently reported problem areas are Electrical System, Safety Systems, Engine. As with any used vehicle, a pre-purchase inspection and vehicle history report are recommended.

Which Kia Amanti engine is most reliable?

The 2004-2009 Kia Amanti was offered with 3 engine options. Based on NHTSA complaint data, the Kia Amanti Unidentified Engine has the lowest complaint density and is considered the most reliable choice for buyers.

Is the 2004-2009 Kia Amanti a good used car?

The 2004-2009 Kia Amanti can be a solid used car purchase depending on trim, mileage, and maintenance history. With 246 total NHTSA complaints on record, prospective buyers should review the known problem areas and check for open recalls before buying.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2004-2009 Kia Amanti have?

The 2004-2009 Kia Amanti has 246 complaints filed with NHTSA as of our latest data pull. Complaint counts reflect owner-reported issues and do not necessarily indicate defects or safety risks on their own.

What recalls affect the 2004-2009 Kia Amanti?

There are 2 NHTSA recalls affecting some 2004-2009 Kia Amanti vehicles. Recall status varies by VIN โ€” check the NHTSA recall database at recalls.nhtsa.dot.gov with your specific VIN to confirm which campaigns apply.

What should I check before buying a used Kia Amanti?

Before buying a used Kia Amanti, verify all open recalls are completed via the NHTSA VIN lookup tool. Pay particular attention to Electrical System, Safety Systems, Engine, which are the most commonly reported problem areas. Request maintenance records, have an independent mechanic inspect the vehicle, and run a vehicle history report to check for prior accidents or title issues.

Does the Amanti have NHTSA crash test ratings?

NHTSA has not published crash test ratings for the 2004-2009 Kia Amanti. Not all vehicles are tested each year. For the latest NHTSA safety information, visit nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Data from NHTSA federal complaints database. 246 complaints analyzed. Data confidence: high. Last updated: 2026-05-20.

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