Kia Optima Complaints

7,843 consumer complaints on file.

#11640543February 4, 2025
SUSPENSION, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, ENGINE
I noticed my oil was not staying in the engine. Oil has been changed but seems not to retain. The car stalled out on February 2nd and would not restart. I believe it is seized. Noticed a very new and recent shake during braking days before it stalled. The fuel seems to show like 42 miles to go until empty but run out , i guess fuel pump or fuel float. Also a fuel smell. Also the digital service option does not work never a check engine light or anything .I've read many things by others who own same vehicle and had same issues. I purchased this car in August/September. I feel the dealer may have known of these issues and still sold the car.Please help me figure out how to address these issues to get it fixed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11640624February 4, 2025
ENGINE
My 2016 KIA Optima is burning 5quarts of oil very fast every 2,000 miles. When I put oil in my car then 2 weeks later or a few weeks past, my car empty from oil
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11640690February 4, 2025
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving at night, the low-beam headlights were very dim. The contact stated that the high-beam headlights had to be used while driving in poorly lit areas. The contact had called a local dealer and was informed that a diagnostic test was needed to check the headlights. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic and was informed that the reflective coating in the headlight assemblies had deteriorated to the point that there was an accumulation of reflective material debris on the headlamp floor and that other reflective material was peeling away from the sides of both headlight assemblies. The contact was advised by the mechanic that the heat of the light bulbs was degrading the reflective material. The headlight assemblies were not replaced. The contact changed the light bulbs and both headlights were still dim. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11640448February 3, 2025
POWER TRAIN
At gas, the vehicle jumps/judders as if it’s not getting enough gas to get up and go, and then at higher speeds it goes fine. Was reported to Horne Kia while under warranty. They never found the issues. Months later issue was found by a new mechanic, now the vehicle is no longer under warranty and the TRA codes are posted online. [XXX] Reported August 2021 [XXX] Reported December 2020 INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11640256February 3, 2025
STEERING, SUSPENSION, ENGINE
While driving on the roadway, I was almost to a four way intersection, as i was going to get into the left turn lane, I turned the steering wheel slightly to the left as the steering wheel turned but the car almost did little adjusting to turn into the left turn lane. As this occurred you could here a noise underneath the vehicle . As I wasn't sure exactly what had happened, I attempted to limp the vehicle down the road to a friend's. As I did the steering got worse and as I could nearly stear the vehicle something was in the road which because of the steering I couldn't avoid it as it was late at night and raining and I ran over something that gave me a flat on the passenger side front tire . I got to my friends drive a few feet away and almost didn't get it pulled in because of the steering. As I took a look at my car, I noticed that two bolts on the driver side on the rack and pinion were almost about to fall out, two ball joints were bent and one nut was completely missing from the lower ball joint, as well as the sway bar was out of place and If I would have been driving down the highway, I do belive I would have wrecked.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11640169February 2, 2025
SEAT BELTS
My driver's seat seatbelt has completely locked up rendering unusable. It neither retracts or goes out further so it is stuck in a state where it cannot buckle with a person in it. My car is only 7 years old and I have only had it for4 years.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11640182February 2, 2025
ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
I was getting ready to go out of town for work so before I left my home town. I went to a place to get my oil change. Before going everything was fine. I left there and literally 5 minutes after my car killed. Once it start back. The motor start making a noise it’s been parked
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11640235February 2, 2025
STEERING
MY VEHICLE HAS 75,583. I received a recall for 3 items and made an appointment and took the car in for the work. I noticed that their wasa slight dead spot in the centeing of the steering and asked if there was any adjustmen. I was told there wasn't but they would check it because there was a known problem thith the plastic gear in the electric motor's connection to the rack that wears out and can completely disintegrate. when I picked up the vehicle they had obviously checked it because the slight dead spot had turned into a clunk. As there was no recall they would nothing about it as the vehicle was out of warranty (10 years, 100,000 miles). Had it had a higher annual mileage it would have been replaced under warranty. My concern is that this fault may be hidden by the warranty coverage. If the plastic gear fails completely the steering could become locked or inoperable. This is clearly a well known problem as there is a youtube video showing the replacement process. This actual mechanism may be used on several other years and models. The video is here: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11640243February 2, 2025
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
P1326 code. Check engine light flashing. Is in limp mode with limited power.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11640100February 1, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I was driving down the main street on my way home when my check engine light came on, and my car began shaking and sputtering, and I was unable to excel. I was barely able to make it home, less than 1/4 mile away. cars had to go around me in heavy traffic. taking it to the dealership Monday not the first time this has happened. I took it to a shop over the weekend and was told after diagnostic it was the ECU.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11640117February 1, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The car instrument panel showed two messages "check brake " and also "hybrid system warning safely stop and do not drive" The brakes stopped working and the car will not accelerate. I stopped reset the battery and started the car as if nothing was wrong. this happens intermittently when i drive the car for over an hour. the brakes are brand new the brake cylinder is working fine. only when this warning come up the brakes feel like they are grinding. a lot of owners are complaining about this. I am wondering if there is a recall for this issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11639820January 31, 2025
ENGINE, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle shut off with several unknown warning lights illuminated. An independent mechanic spotted the contact on the side of the road and helped. The mechanic was able to restart the vehicle; however, the vehicle immediately shut off with a loud clanking sound and a burning odor coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was later towed to the residence. Despite the failure, the contact was able to drive the vehicle to an independent mechanic and was informed that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V331000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The vehicle was driven to the residence and a mobile mechanic inspected the vehicle. The contact was informed that the VIN was under recall and was advised to take the vehicle to a dealer for assistance. The vehicle was towed to a dealer and was diagnosed with engine failure, which voided the recall due to the diagnostic test. The contact was offered a buyback which was refused. The contact was then referred to the manufacturer and was informed that the vehicle was out of warranty and that any repairs would be an out-of-pocket expense. The contact drove the vehicle back to the residence despite the failure and the vehicle repeatedly shutting off. The contact called another mobile mechanic and was informed about a recall and related the failure to the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11639946January 31, 2025
STEERING
steering coupler failing, making loud noise
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11639710January 30, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
on 1/18/2025 my teenage daughter was driving down the highway at a speed of around 70 MPH when she heard a loud boom and her sunroof front panel blew broken glass into her car and all over her. She did not run into anything or see any items fly in the air at her car
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11639763January 30, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
I got a CEL (code P1326), three different times. Each time has been after a hard rain or a car wash. I have had to pay to have the knock sensor replaced each time, twice by a mechanic and once by a Kia dealership. There’s a recall for this issue on model years older than my 2020. I was told that Kia is aware but that there aren’t enough people having the issue to warrant them to investigate.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11638978January 27, 2025
ENGINE
Yes, the issue has been confirmed by Kia. They acknowledged the high oil consumption and indicated that the engine requires a rod bearing replacement. However, Kia does not want to fully recognize the problem. I have taken the car to another mechanic who confirmed that the ignition coil has burnt on cylinder number 3 and identified it as an engine failure along with the high oil consumption.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11638574January 26, 2025
ENGINE
Engine is knocking with check engine ligh on. Kia has a recall on my car for metal shaving in the engine during manufacturing process. I took it to Kia dealer but they refused and said they wont cover it because it's a Salvage tile, and I thought Salvage tiles are covered if it's a a safety recall but they said it's not covered because Kia wont pay them for the repairs or the new engine.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11638652January 26, 2025
ENGINE
The car has been burning a qt of oil every 4-5 days. Now it stalls when changing gears and won't go faster than 45 MPH.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11638667January 26, 2025
ENGINE
Driving vehicle down the highway and engine seized up without any warning. According to Kia cooperate the vehicle could have experience a "bent rod failure". This was confirmed by a nearby Kia dealership service tech.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11638181January 24, 2025
ENGINE
After engine replacement from previous recall, engine is making loud revving sound. Since recall repair/replacement the engine has an increasingly high rev with a loud engine noise while idling.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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