Kia Optima Complaints

7,843 consumer complaints on file.

#11171144January 21, 2019
ENGINE
ON JANUARY 15, 2019 MY 2015 KIA OPTIMA CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE MY 16 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. SHE SMELLED A STRONG FUEL SMELL FIRST THEN TIRED TO STOP THE CAR. THE BRAKES WOULDN'T WORK SO SHE HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKES. PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD POPPED THE HOOD AND THE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11171259January 21, 2019
ENGINE
ABOUT THREE MONTHS AFTER HAVING MY ENGINE REPLACED DUE TO A RECALL, IT CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE I WAS DRIVING.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11170800January 18, 2019
ENGINE
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHEN MY ENGINE SEIZED AND MY CAR SHUT OFF. MY CAR IS COMPLETELY USELESS AND WILL NOT EVEN START.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11170822January 18, 2019
ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I'VE BEEN MAINTAINING THE HEALTH OF MY 2012 KIA OPTIMA EX SINCE I PURCHASED IN 2014 LIKE CLOCKWORK. LAST MONTH, I EXPERIENCED ALL THE DASH LIGHTS COME ON WHILE IN MOTION ON CITY ROADS AND I WAS UNABLE TO USE THE GAS PEDAL. I FRANTICALLY PULLED OVER AND TURNED THE CAR OFF THEN TRIED TO START IT, ONLY TO BE MET WITH A WEIRD SOUND AND A CLOUD OF SMOKE FROM THE HOOD. MY STARTER WAS FRIED, ACCORDING TO MY MECHANIC. I HAD IT TOWED TO MY MECHANIC AND WHEN HE CHANGED THE STARTER, THE NEW STARTER BURNED AGAIN AS WELL AS THE ENGINE LOCKED UP/SEIZED. AFTER FINDING OUT A RECALL (SC147) WAS ACTIVE AT THE TIME, I CALLED KIA CONSUMER ASSISTANCE AND THEY REPLACED THE ENGINE ISSUES AFTER CONFIRMING THAT WAS THE PROBLEM. ONCE I PICKED MY CAR UP, I NOTICED THE CAR WAS STARTING UP IN AN ODD MANNER BUT THOUGHT IT WAS DUE TO THE ENGINE REPLACEMENT. ABOUT 3-4 DAYS LATER, MY CAR DID THE EXACT SAME THING AS THE FIRST TIME (SAME SMELL, SOUND, AND SMOKE CLOUD BUT LUCKILY I WAS PARKED AT THE TIME). I ASSUMED THE STARTER WOULD BE A PART OF THE RECALL SINCE IT BROKE DOWN THE EXACT SAME TIME AS THE RECALLED ENGINE, I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO KIA, WHO TOLD ME THEY WOULDN'T PAY FOR A NEW STARTER EVEN THOUGH THE ENGINE RECALL CAUSED IT TO BURN UP IN THE FIRST PLACE AND IS CONSIDERED A COMPONENT OF THE ENGINE. I CONTACTED KIA CONSUMER AGAIN AND THE CASE WAS GIVEN TO AN ESCALATION MANAGER. I HAD TO SPEAK TO ABOUT 8 DIFFERENT AGENTS AND PUT AN EMAIL IN ACTION TO HER SUPERVISOR TO GET HER TO EVEN CONTACT ME ON THIS ISSUE. IT TOOK HER ALMOST A FULL MONTH TO CONTACT AND TELL ME KIA IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE STARTER. I'M CONFUSED AS TO WHY IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED BECAUSE I'VE NEVER HAD AN ISSUE WITH MY STARTER UNTIL THE ENGINE FAILED. I AM AT A LOSS AS TO WHAT I NEED TO DO TO GET KIA TO SEE WHO IS REALLY AT FAULT. MY MECHANIC ALSO STATED THIS IS THE 1ST TIME HE'S EVER SEEN THOSE 2 PARTS BREAK SIMULTANEOUSLY.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11170545January 17, 2019
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
IN NOVEMBER 2017 I CONTINUOUSLY TOOK MY VEHICLE BACK AND FORTH TO THE DEALERSHIP DUE TO MY VEHICLE NOT STARTED, AND/OR NEEDING A JUMP. JIM MARSH KIA HAD ME REPLACE MY BATTERY AFTER 6 WEEKS OF COMPLAINTS AND COMPLICATIONS. ONLY FOR A WEEK LATER TO HAVE ME AND MY KIDS LIFE AT RISK, HEADING SOUTH BOUND ON I-15 MY CAR FLASHED A WARNING SIGN STATING DO NOT START ENGINE HYBRID BATTERY UNDETECTED AND SHUT OFF WHILE A SEMI TRUCK WAS BEHIND US. BY THE GRACE OF GOD I WAS GOING DOWN HILL SO I SWERVED TO THE SIDE OF THE DESSERT AND ROAD TO SPARE OUR LIVES. JUST TO HAVE KIA TELL ME 4-5 DIFFERENT EXCUSES AS TO WHY MY ENGINE FAILED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11170569January 17, 2019
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
IMPROPER SEALING OF COOLANT RESERVOIR THAT HAS SLOWLY LEAKED ONTO THE HECU UNIT AND HAS FRIED THE HYBRID BATTERY
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11170617January 17, 2019
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
MY TAILS LIGHTS GO OUT FOR NO RESULTS I WAS STOPPED BY ATL. POLICE GOT A TICKET
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11170286January 16, 2019
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
BRAKE SWITCH RECALLED ON 2011 MODELS, BUT MY 2012 WILL NOT START MOSTLY WHEN IT GETS COLD OUTSIDE, BRAKE PEDAL STIFFENS AND WONT DECOMPRESS FOR ENGINE TO START, PUSH BUTTN WONT START CAR BRAKE LIGHTS DONT WORK. VEHICLE WILL LEAVE STRANDED WITHOUT WARNING. IT WILL WORK AND THEN NOT WORK, INTERMITTEN.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11170383January 16, 2019
AIR BAGS
2 DAYS AFTER MY WARRANTY EXPIRED A LIGHT APPEARED ON MY DASH AND MY HORN STOPPED WORKING, KIA SAID IT WAS AN AIRBAG LIGHT. I WAS QUOTED OVER $600 TO REPLACE A CLOCK SPRING. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHO PUT IN A CLOCK SPRING, IT FIXED THE HORN BUT IT WOULD COST MORE TO REPLKACE A SENSOR OR AIRBAG WHICH EVER WOULD BE NEEDED ONCE THEY DUG INTO IT. I COULDN'T AFFORD THE EXTRA COST SO IT STILL APPEARS ON MY DASH.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11170400January 16, 2019
ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE OIL PRESSURE AND CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE OIL NEEDED TO BE REFILLED TO AVOID AN ENGINE FAILURE. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON A WEEKLY BASIS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 85,000. *DT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11170412January 16, 2019
STRUCTURE:BODY
SHARK FIN ANTENNA COVER EASILY COMES LOOSE OR COMPLETELY WHILE HAND WASHING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY IN DRIVEWAY WHILE WASHING.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11170476January 16, 2019
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
DRIVING NORMALLY, HCU ERROR POPPED UP ON NAV DISPLAY AS WELL AS DRIVERS DISPLAY. TOLD TO PULL OVER IMMEDIATELY AND TURN OFF ENGINE. I WAS TRAVELING ON ONCE HE INTERSTATE, BY THE TIME I GOT INTO THE EMERGENCY LANE THE CAR COMPLETELY LOST ALL POWER. TURNED ON EMERGENCY HAZARD LIGHTS AND AFTER 5 MINUTES THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY DEAD. CALLED A TOW TRUCK AND BROUGHT IT TO ROCK RIVER KIA IN ROCKDOED, IL. LATER WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE HAD SEIZED AND THE HYBRID BATTERY WAS NO LONGER HOLDING A CHARGE. ESTIMATED 14,000 REPAIR COST.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11170084January 15, 2019
ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING THE KIA ON THE HIGHWAY AFTER GETTING REPAIRED FOR CRACKING THE TRANSMISSION DUE TO RUNNING OVER A MEDIAN THE CAR ENGINE SEIZED WHILE IN FULL MOTION ON THE HIGHWAY. GOING 65MPH ENGINE STOPPED AND CAR CAME TO A STOP AFTER DRIVING 5 MILES FROM THE SHOP. I CALLED THE ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TO COME TOW THE CAR. THEY TOOK IT TO THE NEAREST KIA DEALERSHIP WHICH I HAD CALLED AND EXPLAINED I WAS ABOUT TO TAKE THE CAR INTO BE CHECKED OUT FOR THE RECALL NOTICE I HAD RECEIVED. THE SHOP HAD TOLD ME IT COULD HAVE BEEN THE TIMING CHAIN BUT WHEN I WAS ON THE PHONE WITH THE MAN IN THE KIA DEALERSHIP HE STATED THAT A PIECE OF CAME OFF IN THE OIL PAN AND WENT INTO THE ENGINE. WHEN I ASKED HIM IF THIS HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE RECALL HE STATED NO. I DON'T KNOW I THINK IT HAD TO HAVE HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE RECALL HOW ELSE WOULD THERE BE ANYTHING IN THE OIL PAN OR COME LOOSE IN THE ENGINE LIKE THAT. MY CAR HAS BEEN TOTALED OUT I NO LONGER HAVE A VEHICLE TO DRIVE. THERE'S NO WAY THAT RUNNING OVER A CURB COULD MAKE THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SEIZED UP. PLUS I HAD DRIVEN THE CAR A WEEK BEFORE, IT HAD DROVE JUST FINE, A LITTLE ROUGH HOWEVER WAS STILL LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID FOR THE NEW TRANSMISSION SO I SENT IT BACK TO THE SHOP. NOW THE SECOND TIME I GET IT FROM THE SHOP THAT'S WHEN IT BREAKS DOWN ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD DO TO A SEIZING ENGINE. SURE MAKES ME QUESTION IT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11170087January 15, 2019
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
ON JAN 2ND, MY ECM MODULE WENT OUT ON MY CAR. THIS PART KIA TELLS ME IS RECALLED FOR 15-18 DAYS- TODAY IS JAN 15TH- THERE IS NO PART- THEY TELL ME THIS IS THE PART ENGINE COMPUTER MODULE THAT RUNS THE CAR. ALL LIGHTS CAME ON IN MY CAR, AND I COULD NOT ACCELERATE MORE THAN 10 MPH WITH THE CAR. TOOK IT IMMEDIATELY TO A REPAIR SHOP. IT'S ON BACK ORDER BECAUSE SO MANY OPTIMAS IN MY YEAR ARE FAILING THIS PART. IN THE INTERIM, I AM WITHOUT A CAR- MY CAR IS STUCK IN SATELLITE BEACH AT BONIFACE KIA IN MELBOURNE, FL I LIVE 140 SOUTH IN WEST PALM BEACH AND I HAVE NO ASSISTANCE FROM KIA. THEY HAVE NO REAL ANSWER ON GETTING THIS PART OR ETA ON WHEN I CAN EXPECT MY CAR BACK. I DO NOT HAVE ANY DOCUMENTATION YET- THE SERVICING WAS ALL SCHEDULED THROUGH DEVON'S AUTOMOTIVE IN SATELLITE BEACH AT 321-773-6412. THEY JUST INFORMED ME TODAY THAT ON JAN 14TH BONIFACE KIA CALLED THEM FOR MY CAR AS THEY FOUND A PART LOCALLY BUT THE PART WAS DEFECTIVE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11169860January 14, 2019
SEAT BELTS
SEAT BELT WILL NOT SNAP CORRECTLY IT KEEPS UNSNAPPING UNTIL YOU PUSH DOWN ON RELEASE BUTTON AND THEN IT STAYS SNAPPED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11170011January 14, 2019
ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE STALLED AND STOPPED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THE CONTACT ALSO HEARD A LOUD RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO RIVERSIDE KIA (8100 AUTO DR, RIVERSIDE, CA 92504, (951) 509-1000) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE ENGINE WAS REPAIRED PER AN UNKNOWN RECALL, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS STILL WAITING TO HEAR BACK. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11166761January 13, 2019
STRUCTURE:BODY, ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I WAS DRIVING ON THE STREET AT 40MPH WHEN I SAW LIGHT SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD I PULLED OVER TO GET MY TWO KIDS AND MYSELF OUT OF THE CAR SHORTLY AFTER WE GOT OUT OF THE CAR FLAMES STARTED COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD I THEN CALLED 911 FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO COME PUT THE FLAMES OUT WHEN THEY FINALLY DID THE WHOLE CAR WAS BURNT TO A CRISP
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11166652January 12, 2019
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
CAR HAS NOT WANTED TO START 5 TIMES. FIRST STARTED IN NOVEMBER 2018. WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, IS HAS COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN TWICE IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC AND WOULD NOT START. ONCE MID DECEMBER & EARLY JANUARY. BATTERY DISCHARGE WARNING CAME ON SO I GOT A NEW BATTERY BUT STILL CONTINUED TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. AT RANDOM TIMES IT ACTS AS IF IT DOES NOT WANT TO ACCELERATE AND STALLS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11166650January 12, 2019
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
BACK UP CAMERA NOW A SMOKEY HUE AROUND THE PICTURE AND IT'S NOT VERY CLEAR.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11165944January 8, 2019
ENGINE
TAKATA RECALL MY SON AND I WAS RIDING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND WE HEARD A LOUD BOOM! AND THE CAR STARTED SMOKING WE IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND JUMPED OUT OF THE CAR WE CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD ONLY TO SEE FIRE! WE IMMEDIATELY STARTED RUNNING DOWN THE HIGHWAY SCARED FOR OUR LIFE'S. SINCE THAT DAY I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE OR RIDE INSIDE OF ANY VEHICLE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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