Kia Optima Complaints

7,843 consumer complaints on file.

#10825581February 11, 2016
POWER TRAIN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH AND DECELERATING, THE VEHICLE JERKED VIOLENTLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS COLD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10825287February 10, 2016
STEERING
EVERY SINCE I PURCHASED MY CAR, NEW I HAVE NOTICED A TUGGING OR PULLING WHEN I AM DRIVING OR TURNING. THE STEERING SEEMS TO 'STICK' AND SOMETIMES CAUSES ME TO OVER TURN. THIS HAS BEEN ON GOING AND THE DEALERSHIP SAYS 'IT'S PART OF THE CAR'. I DON'T AGREE AND FEEL THIS NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO, I SEE ALL THESE COMPLAINTS AND THEY ARE OF THE SAME ISSUE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10825370February 10, 2016
ENGINE
MY 2011 OPTIMA HAD 106,214 MILES AND WAS ALMOST DUE FOR ANOTHER 3000 MILE OIL CHANGE (WHICH WAS DONE REGULARLY) AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING LIGHTS, SOUNDS, SMELLS ETC. IT STALLED OUT WHILE DRIVING I WAS ABLE TO PULL IN A PARKING LOT. I TRIED TO START IT AND IT WOULD NOT START. I CALLED THE KIA DEALER THAT WAS NOT EVEN A MILE AWAY AND THEY SAID THEY WERE CLOSED AND COULD NOT LOOK AT IT. SO I HAD IT TOWED TO ANOTHER GARAGE, THEY LOOKED AT IT AND SAID THE ENGINE WAS "SHOT" IT DID NOT HAVE OIL IN THE TOP (?) THEY ALSO SAID THAT THE ONLY REPLACEMENT ENGINE THEY COULD FIND WOULD BE CLOSE TO $3000.00 AND WAS OUT OF STATE, SO I WOULD HAVE TO PAY SHIPPING AS WELL AS LABOR. I SINCE HAVE HAD IT TOWED TO MY HOME AND HAVE LOOKED ONLINE FOR ENGINES AND HAVE FOUND HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS HAPPENING TO OTHERS WITH THE SAME YEAR AND MODEL OF CAR. I ALSO FOUND THAT THE SAME EXACT ENGINE WAS PUT IN THE 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA, AND THAT IT WAS RECALLED BY HYUNDAI. KIA KNOWS OF THIS PROBLEM AND HAS HAD MANY COMPLAINTS THAT ARE ALMOST EXACT WITH VEHICLES WITH EVEN LOWER MILEAGE AND STILL REFUSES TO RECALL THE ENGINE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10824804February 8, 2016
STEERING
IF I DRIVE OVER 35-40 MPH MY CAR BEGINS TO SWERVE AND I OR MY HUSBAND CAN'T CONTROL THE STEERING. I CAN'T DRIVE ON THE INTERSTATE BECAUSE OF MY CAR SWERVING UNCONTROLLABLY DESPITE MY CONSTANT CORRECTIONS. I HAVE ALMOST HIT COUNTLESS CARS BECAUSE OF THIS MALFUNCTION. WINDY DAYS ARE THE WORST, I CAN'T DRIVE MY CAR OVER 20 MPH. I'VE ALSO BEEN PULLED OVER MULTIPLE TIMES BECAUSE OF THE CAR SWERVING. MIND YOU I JUST PURCHASED MY CAR IN OCTOBER 2015, I'VE ONLY HAD THIS CAR A FEW MONTHS BUT I'M READY TO GET RID OF IT. I HAD THE ALIGNMENT CHECKED AND THEY SAID THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. I AM SCARED FOR ME AND MY FAMILY'S SAFETY. I'VE TALKED TO MULTIPLE OPTIMA OWNERS AND WE ALL SEEM TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. WHY IS THIS NOT A RECALL?? HOW MANY ACCIDENTS HAVE TO HAPPEN BEFORE THIS IS A RECALL?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10824976February 8, 2016
STEERING
STEERING WHEEL STICKS IN MIDDLE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, MAKES A CLICK WHEN IT BREAKS LOOSE. CAR IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO HOLD STRAIGHT DRIVING
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10824555February 5, 2016
STEERING
THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOOSE WHEN I HIT A BUMP FEELS LIKE THE CAR JUST WANTS TO TURN. SEEMS LIKE IF THE WHEEL COULD JUST LOCK UP OR WILL JUST COMPLETELY NOT TURN AT SOME POINT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10824592February 5, 2016
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, SUSPENSION
IM HAVING INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL AND SUSPENSION PROBLEMS ALONG WITH SUDDEN INCREASES OF POWER INCREASE AND DECREASES. I WAS DRIVING TO MY LOCAL MALL BEFORE MY EVENING CLASS AND NOTICED MY CAR RADIO AND INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WHERE NOT OPERATING NO LIGHTS BUT CAR WAS RUNNING FINE. I HIT THE BRAKES WHILE COMING TO A STOP LIGHT IN A BUSY INTERSECTION HIT A SMALL BUMP THE CAR DECIDED TO ACCELERATE AND IT FELT AS IF THE SUSPENSION WAS LOOSE ON THE LEFT FRONT SIDE I HEARD IT RATTLE NOW THIS BUMP WASN'T BIG BY ANY MEANS AS I HIT THE BREAK I COULD FEEL THE BRAKES FIGHT WITH THE ENGINE THE BRAKE PEDAL ALSO SHOOK AT MY FEET. I QUICKLY PUT THE KIA IN NEUTRAL AND SHUT THE CAR OFF STILL AT THE LIGHT. PUT IT IN PARK AND RESTARTED MY CAR ALL LIGHT AND INSTRUMENT CLUSTER CAME ON ALONG WITH RADIO.MY OPTIMA FELT OK . BUT LATER I WENT TO CLASS GOT INTO MY CAR AND SHE WOULDN'T TURN OVER I HAD TO PRESS ON THE GAS TO GET IT TO START. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING BESIDES MY HIGH TEMP FUEL PUMP WAS GIVING LOW PRESSURE CODES. I ONLY HAVE 80K ON THIS VEHICLE BUT KIA SAID THEY WILL NOT COVER IT. THIS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WHY IF MY KIDS WHERE IN THE CAR AND I DID GET INTO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WITH THEM . THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE THERE IS A DEATH NO AFTER THE FACT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10824158February 4, 2016
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY A LITTLE BIT OF FORCE TO THE STEERING WHEEL IN ORDER TO STEER THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10824020February 3, 2016
ENGINE
DRIVING NORTH BOUND ON MAJOR HIGHWAY. CAR STARTS LOSING SPEED, I PULL OVER INTO A GAS STATION AND MY CAR DIES, IT RESTARTS INSTANTLY WITH NO SERVICE LIGHTS I CONTINUE DOWN THE ROAD ON THE SERVICE ROAD, THE CAR DIES AT A RED LIGHT. STARTS UP ONCE MORE. I HEAR A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM MY ENGINE. I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT HOME BUT NOW THE NOISE IS MUCH LOUDER, ITS COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE ENGINE ON THE RIGHT SIDE. I TAKE IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP. THE CONNECTOR ROD TO A PISTON IS DESTROYED. THE CAR HAS PLENTY OF OIL. I'VE READ ON FORUMS MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10824118February 3, 2016
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
MY DRIVERS SIDE DOOR AUTOMATIC LOCKS LOCK AND EVEN AFTER MANUALLY UNLOCKING THEM I AM UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR. HAVE TO ENTER AND EXIT THE VEHICLE THROUGH PASSENGER DOOR. MANY OTHER KIA OPTIMA OWNERS ONLINE HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. THIS POSES A SERIOUS SAFETY RISK IF I CAN'T EXIT THE VEHICLE IN AN EMERGENCY. PLEASE FORCE KIA TO MAKE THIS RIGHT!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10823811February 2, 2016
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I WAS DRIVING ON I10 DRIVING 70 MPH TODAY AND MY SUNROOF EXPLODED. THE ROAD WAS SMOOTH. NOTHING SEEMED TO HIT ME, IT JUST EXPLODED, LIKE A LOUD GUNSHOT ABOVE MY HEAD.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10838313February 1, 2016
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
LETTER FROM CONGRESSMAN DESJARLAIS RE THE WINCHESTER POLICE DEPARTMENT REQUESTING ASSISTANCE WITH AN ISSUE INVOLVING THE DOT. THE OPERATOR OF THE IMPACTING VEHICLE STATED HER 2008 KIA OPTIMA ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL. *SMD PLEASE MARK THIS DOCUMENT FOR DELETION. IT IS BEING REPLACED WITH DOCUMENT NUMBER 10838296. *CW THE CONSUMER REAR ENDED A MINIVAN AND WAS PUSHED ACROSS THE INTERSECTION, INTO A THIRD VEHICLE. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THE KIA OPTIMA, THE SPEEDOMETER WAS STUCK AT 93 MPH AND THE RMP'S WERE STUCK AT 4500. THE IGNITION WAS STUCK IN THE ACCESSORY POSITION AND THE GEAR SHIFT WAS IN NEUTRAL. *JB
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
3
Deaths:
3
#10823248January 30, 2016
SERVICE BRAKES, ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TRAVELLING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH (HAD JUST TURNED ONTO ROAD)WHEN ENGINE SEEMED TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. PRESSED BRAKE PEDAL (HARD) AND DID NOT SLOW CAR AT ALL. CONTINUED TO PRESS BRAKE AND ALSO PUMPED BUT NOTHING SLOWED VEHICLE. ALTHOUGH SAW TRUCK WELL AHEAD OF ME STOPPED, I COULD DO NOTHING TO STOP OR EVEN SLOW DOWN. I WRECKED INTO BACK OF TRUCK STOPPED AHEAD OF ME WAITING TO TURN. APPROX 8000.00 DAMAGE TO MY CAR MOSTLY DUE TO TRUCK HAVING A SIZABLE TRAILER HITCH ON BACK THAT BUSTED THROUGH A LOT OF FRONT END PLASTIC, COOLING SYSTEM, ETC AND BUCKLED HOOD. NO INJURIES BUT IF WOULD HAVE HAPPENED AT HIGHER SPEED IT WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAGIC. OFFICER UPON ARRIVAL ALSO NOTICED THATBRAKES SEEMED TO FAIL AND NOTED IT ON HIS POLICE REPORT. I HAVE SINCE FOUND INTERNET SOURCES INDICATING THAT SOME 2011 KIAS HAD IN FACT HAS A TSNB ISSUED FOR UNINTENTIONAL ACCELERATION PROBLEMS. I NEVER RECEIVED SUCH A BULLETIN AND HAVE HAD NUMEROUS SERVICES PERFORMED AT KIA DEALERSHIP. ALSO, HAVE HAD BRAKES CHECKED MULTIPLE TIMES AT DEALER AND DELAER INSPECTION NEVER INDICATED ANY PROBLEMS. I HAV EALSO FOUND DOCUMENTATION ONLINE THAT SAYS IF YOU HAVE AN UNINTENTIONAL ACCELLERATION, PRESSING THE BRAKE HARD IS THE FIRST STEP TO DO, BUT ONCE YOU LET OFF THE BRAKE, YOU TOTALLY LOSE BRAKE PRESSURE. WHO POSSIBLE WOULD KNOW THAT ? THIS ACCIDENT IS TOTALLY THE RESULT OF A SYSTEM FAILURE OF THE VEHICLE AND I AM ASKING FOR ASSISTANCE IN PERSUING MY DAMAGES AS A RESULT OF THIS FAILURE.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10822983January 29, 2016
AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON FOR NO REASON AND WILL NOT GO OFF. THE DRIVER SEAT AND SUNROOF HAVE AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE WHERE THEY WORK THEN DON'T, FOUND THAT THE SWITCHES ARE BAD AND WORK SOMETIMES.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10823051January 29, 2016
STEERING
I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE STEERING PANEL. I ASKED WHY I DID NOT GET A NOTICE AND THEY SAID IT WAS NOT THEIR PROBLEM THAT I WOULD NEED TO CALL KIA MOTORS. I CALLED KIA AND THEY SAID THEY DO NOT SEND THEM OUT ALL AT ONCE...CERTAIN TIMES. THIS DID NOT MAKE SENSE I ASKED IF ONE HAD BEEN OUT TO ME AND THEY WERE VERY UNHELPFUL. SHOULDN'T EVERYONE RECIEVE NOTICE WHEN THERE A PROBLEM?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10822457January 27, 2016
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
IF THERE IS LIGHT WHEEL SPIN UPON TAKEOFF (ESPECIALLY TURNING AND ACCELERATING, SUCH AS PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT ONTO A ROAD) IT CAUSES CAR TO LOSE POWER FOR A FEW SECONDS. WHEN THIS HAPPENS ACCELERATOR CAN BE DEPRESSED ALL THE WAY TO FLOOR AND VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE POWER AND WILL NOT ACCELERATE. CAR ALSO ACTIVATES ANTI-LOCK BRAKES WHEN LIGHTLY PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL WHILE DRIVING OVER A SMALL BUMP AT SPEEDS GREATER THAN 25 MPH. THESE SYMPTOMS OCCUR WITH STABILITY CONTROL ENGAGED (DEFAULT SETTING WHEN CAR IS TURNED ON) STABILITY CONTROL / TRACTION CONTROL IS OVERLY SENSITIVE, AND CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10821936January 24, 2016
POWER TRAIN
WHEN VEHICLE IS STARTED AT FIRST AND AFTER SLOWING DOWN BETWEEN 20-30 MPH APPLYING BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE MAKES A HARD DOWNSHIFT JERK CAUSING A HARSH JOLT. THIS HAPPENS CONTINUALLY UP FIVE TIMES THEN DECREASES. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND COULD CAUSE DEATH.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10821768January 22, 2016
STRUCTURE:BODY
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED, THE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS RUSTED OUT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10821569January 21, 2016
STEERING
MOTOR DRIVEN POWER STEERING COUPLER REPLACEMENT NEEDED
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10821364January 21, 2016
ENGINE
DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH ON THE PARKWAY, ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND WOULD NOT RE-START. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A SHOP WHERE THEY INFORMED ME THE ENGINE HAD SEIZED. THERE WAS DEFINITELY OIL IN THERE AS I HAD AN OIL CHANGE WITHIN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS,. THE CAR HAS 72K MILES ON IT AND I AM THE SECOND OWNER SO NOT COVERED BY KIA'S NON-TRANSFERABLE 10YR/100K MI WARRANTY. WORKING WITH KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE, WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM A SUPERVISOR.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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