KiaAmanti2004Overview/kia/amanti/2004/base/

2004 Kia Amanti

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2004 Amanti.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 5-spd

The 2004 Kia Amanti is a midsize passenger car built on Kia’s standard platform and equipped with a five‑speed automatic transmission, delivering 15 mpg city, 23 mpg highway and an overall 18 mpg rating. Its powertrain requires 4.5 qt of oil and accepts a range of viscosities—including 20W‑40, 20W‑50 and 10W‑30—reflecting the model’s flexible service specifications. Across the 2004‑2009 production span, the Amanti recorded 73 owner complaints for this year, with air‑bag issues topping the list, yet it benefited from zero recalls, and the complaint trend drops sharply to a low of four in 2009, indicating a reliability trajectory that improves markedly after the early‑model years.

Model year200920082007200620052004

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type20W-40 / 20W-50 / 10W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque65-80 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy15/23/18 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 34R · 600 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 34R · 600 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnLAMPOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 5-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length196.1 in
Overall width72.8 in
Overall height58.7 in
Wheelbase110.2 in
Curb weight4090 lb
Track (front / rear)61 / 60.6 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)62/38

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined15 / 23 / 18 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume105 cu ft
Cargo volume15 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Amanti of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

8.4–8.9 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.40 sec — 2004 Sedan
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2004Sedan 3.5L V68.40 sec16.50 sec200 hpFWD
2004Sedan 3.5L V68.90 sec17.00 sec200 hpFWD
2005Sedan 3.5L V68.20 sec16.40 sec200 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.5 qt of 20W-40 / 20W-50 / 10W-30 API engine oil. Torque lug nuts to 65-80 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 29.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity11.5
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine OilABOVE 32 degrees F
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts130-138 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts53-56 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts15-17 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts20-24 ft-lbs
Main Bearings51-58 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug29.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs9-12 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts65-80 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub177 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)700 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)100 rpm
Spark Plug Gap0.039-0.0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque15.0-21.0 ft-lbs
Ignition Timing10, Not adjustable degrees
Ignition Timing Acceptable Variance2 degrees

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.37-1.49 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity4.72-5.40 oz
Standard BCI Group Number34R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance600 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test21 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief14-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature176-183 °F
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (Without Vacuum)39.0 psi
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)46.0-50.0 psi
Engine Compression164-185 PSI. 14 Maximum variation PSI.
Engine Oil Pressure11.4 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPMIdle rpm

Brakes

Torque to Knuckle65-80 ft-lbs
Torque Caliper to Bracket16-24 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 specification
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0002 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.0012 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.102 in / 0.394 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.102 in / 0.394 in
Rotor Discard at or Under1.04 in / 0.331 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
126 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9226 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 1 stages
176-83

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant every 25,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 25,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Fuel System (inspect)
Every 10,000 miCabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 15,000 miBattery (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Brake Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Parking Brake System (inspect) · Transmission Assembly (inspect fluid level)
Every 20,000 miFuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect)
Every 25,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 30,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 30,000 miBody Fasteners (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Suspension Ball Joint (inspect) · Timing Belt (inspect)
Every 37,500 miFuel Filter (replace)
Every 60,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2004 Kia Amanti, as the debut model year, sits at the beginning of a complaint trend that peaks with 83 complaints in 2005 before declining sharply to just 4 by 2009. While the 2004 model year itself recorded 73 complaints and no recalls, later years saw recalls introduced—two in 2007, one in 2008, and one in 2009—suggesting that some systemic issues were identified and addressed only after the initial production years. The top complaint areas for 2004 include air bags, fuel system, vehicle speed control, and power train, with 8 crash complaints and 1 fire complaint also reported, though the data does not specify root causes. Given the high complaint volume and the absence of recalls for this specific model year, a used 2004 Kia Amanti may carry unresolved early-production risks compared to later years that benefited from corrective actions.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
19
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
73
Owner complaints
8 involved a crash · 1 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 73 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags9
Fuel System, Gasoline6
Vehicle Speed Control6
Power Train5
Suspension4
Electrical System,Engine3
Engine & Engine Cooling3
Engine2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 19 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
TSB_BOD055_R12021-09-13StructureTECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: INFORMATION FOR HEADLAMP CONDENSATION AND MOISTURE - This…
PS5392018-03-02Engine And Engine CoolingPITSTOP - ENGINE COMPONENT RE-USE GUIDELINES - In general, parts and components removed…
TSB-GEN085R12017-01-18EquipmentTSB: MANDATORY REPLACEMENT OF LOCKING/SECURITY HARDWARE - By design, certain fasteners…
TSB-GEN0852016-11-04Latches/Locks/LinkagesTSB: MANDATORY REPLACEMENT OF LOCKING/SECURITY HARDWARE - By design, certain fasteners…
PS4432016-04-04Electrical SystemTSB - USE OF AFTERMARKET USB CHARGING CABLES IN USB/12V PORTS - This article provides…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Amanti. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2004 Amanti take?

4.5 qt of ABOVE 32 degrees F: 20W-40 OR 20W-50 API SM, ABOVE -10 degrees F: 10W-30, 10W-40 OR 10W-50 API SM, BELOW 100 degrees F: 5W-30 OR 5W-40 API SM, per the factory manual.

Does the 2004 Amanti have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Amanti get?

EPA figures are 15 city / 23 highway / 18 combined mpg.