Kia Optima Complaints (2015)

1,022 consumer complaints on file.

#10945595January 17, 2017
STEERING
I HAVE HAD MY 2015 KIA FOR ALMOST 2 YEARS AND JUST STARTED TO NOTICE MY STEERING WOULD STICK WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHER SPEEDS. I HAVE TO JERK ON THE STEERING WHEEL AT HIGH SPEEDS AND IT FEELS VERY UNSAFE! I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE, ALSO HAD THEM LOOK AT THE PROBLEM I WAS ENCOUNTERING. I WAS TOLD THERE WAS A KNOWN ISSUE FOR THIS YEAR CAR JUST NOT MY CAR. ALSO THAT I WOULD HAVE TO WAIT AND CONTINUE DRIVING MY VEHICLE AS UNSAFE AS IT MAY SEEM UNTIL THERE WAS A RECALL. I WAS NOT VERY HAPPY. I COULD BE ON THE HIGHWAY OR ANY OTHER LOCATION, ANYTIME I GO OVER 45 I NOTICE THIS ISSUE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10943930January 9, 2017
ENGINE
2015 KIA OPTIMA WAS OUT OF OIL @ 22,000 MILES AND NO INDICATOR LIGHT HAD GONE ON WHEN IT WAS TAKEN TO AN OIL CHANGE. THE OIL CHANGE PLACE WAS THE ONE THAT INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD NO OIL IN IT. IT STARTED MAKING SOME RATTLING NOISE SPECIALLY GOINT UPHILL SO I TOOK IT IN TO KIA SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THEY DIAGNOSED IT WITH "SLUDGE" IN THE ENGINE AND ENGINE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. I HAD TO PROVE 3 PREVIOUS RECEIPTS OF OIL CHANGES OTHERWISE THE WARRANTY WOULD NOT COVER IT. I DO NOT HAVE THOSE RECEIPTS AND 16 DAYS LATER TOOK IT TO THE SAME PLACE I DID MOST RECENT OIL CHANGE BECAUSE OIL LIGHT HAD TURNED ON. THE VEHICLE AGAIN HAD NO OIL IN IT. THE TOPPED IT OFF BUT MENTIONED THAT IT WAS NOT NORMAL FOR SUCH A RECENT MODEL TO BE BURNING OIL. VEHICLE IS STILL RUNNING BUT MAKES RATTLING NOISE ONCE IN A WHILE, PRODUCES WHITE SMOKE OUT OF EXHAUST PIPE AND I HAVE TO PUT OIL IN IT EVERY COUPLE OF DAYS. I CANNOT AFFORD TO BUY A NEW ENGINE. I AM A SINGLE MOM AND NEEDS A RELIABLE VEHICLE TO GET TO WORK.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10938345December 28, 2016
STEERING
VEHICLE VEERS BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT. YOU HAVE TO CONSTANTLY KEEP CORRECTING THE WHEEL. MADE APPOINTMENT WITH DEALER AND THEY MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS BUT WAS NO BETTER. I TOOK IT BACK AND THEY SAID THAT'S ALL THEY CAN DO.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10934066December 9, 2016
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2015 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE, IT ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A GUIDE WIRE AND A TREE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BRUISES TO THE LEFT ARM AND LOWER BACK THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INSURANCE COLLISION CENTER. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10928699November 30, 2016
STEERING, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
COMING OFF AN OFF RAMP ON GREENBRIAR SOUTH IN CHESAPEAK VIRGINIA, I HEARD A CRACKING NOISE FROM UNDER THE CAR. THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE ROAD NOR WAS THERE ANY POT HOLES. THE VEHICLE THEN STARTED PULLING TO THE RIGHT AND WHEN I STARTED PULLING THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT I CONTINUED TO DRIFT RIGHT. I THEN LANDED INTO A GUARD RAIL AT APPROXIMATELY 15 TO 20 MILES PER HOUR. THERE WAS A WITNESS BEHIND ME THAT CAN ATTEST TO THIS INCIDENT. THE TIE ROD END HAD BROKEN CLEAN IN HALF AS IF IT WAS CUT WITH A PAIR OF SICCORS WHICH CAUSED ME TO LOSE ALL STEERING CAPABILITY THEN ULTIMATELY CAUSED ME TO COLLIDE WITH THE GUARD RAIL. BASICALLY DESTROYING MY FRONT END AND THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND THE DRIVERS AIR BAG WAS DEPLOYED. I WAS MAKING A SLIGHT RIGHT HAND CURVED TURN ON AN OFF RAMP. OFF HIGHWAY 64.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10928838November 30, 2016
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC), STEERING
WHILE DRIVING LONG DISTANCES THE STEERING WHEEL TENDS TO "STICK" AND THE WHEEL HAS TO BE JERKED A LITTLE TO MAKE STEERING FLUID ONCE AGAIN. I HAD THE WHEELS CHECKED TO MAKE SURE I DIDN'T NEED AN ALIGNMENT AND IT IS BEING CHECKED NOW FOR THE STEERING ISSUE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10923952November 3, 2016
ENGINE
THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AND HAD AN OIL CHANGE THE PREVIOUS DAY. THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND AN AUDIBLE CLICKING OR TAPPING NOISE CAME ON WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. MY WIFE HAD JUST ENOUGH TIME TO PULL OFF INTO A LOCAL BUSINESS AND PARKED THE CAR. I TOOK IT TO KIA AND THEY ADVISED THERE WAS "SLUDGE" IN THE ENGINE AND WE HAD NOT BEEN MAINTAIN THE VEHICLE PROPERLY. OFFERED TO PRODUCE RECORDS BUT THEY ADVISED THEY STILL WOULD NOT COVER IT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10917656October 20, 2016
ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERGOING AN OIL CHANGE, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE OIL INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10914473October 7, 2016
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE STATIONARY, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. THE CONTACT SMELLED SMOKE COMING FROM THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE STARTED UNDER THE STEERING COLUMN OF THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED IMMEDIATELY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000. UPDATED 01/27/17*LJ *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10914298October 6, 2016
ENGINE
DRIVING HOME FROM THE STORE LAST NIGHT AND MY CAR STARTED SPUTTERING AND STALLING, A CLOUD OF WHITE SMOKE CAME FROM MY EXHAUST PIPES. I PARKED IT CALLED MY DAD AND HE TOLD ME TO CHECK THE OIL. THERE WAS BARELY ANY OIL ON THE DIPSTICK EVEN THOUGH I HAD JUST GOT MY OIL CHANGED 10 DAYS EARLIER. I HAD THE COMPANY THAT CHANGED MY OIL CHECK IT OUT. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS SOMETHING INTERNALLY CAUSING THE OIL TO BURN OFF THEREFORE IT WAS A MANUFACTURERS ISSUE AND IT SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE CLOSEST KIA DEALERSHIP AND WAITING TO HEAR WHAT THEIR DIAGNOSIS IS. MY CAR ONLY HAS 55,000 MILES ON IT, I HAVE ONLY HAD IT A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AND I BOUGHT IT BRAND NEW.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10910586September 29, 2016
ENGINE
ENGINE FAILURE AT 15 MONTHS OLD AND 42,000 MILES. KIA DENIED WARRANTY COVERAGE BECAUSE I COULD NOT PROVE OIL CHANGES. SAME COMPLAINT AS THOUSANDS OF OTHER KIA VEHICLES, HAPPENED ABRUPTLY, CAR STARTING MAKING LOUD RATTLING NOISE ON ACCELERATION WHILE DRIVING, NO WARNING, SLUDGE IN ENGINE. I HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR A NEW ENGINE TO BE INSTALLED WITH NO ASSISTANCE FROM KIA OR MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10905115September 9, 2016
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 3 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED RAPIDLY ON ITS OWN AND CRASHED INTO A BRICK PORCH. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10905150September 9, 2016
ENGINE
MY 2015 KIA OPTIMA HAS 23000 MILES.. I COULDN'T REMEMBER WHEN I HAD THE OIL CHANGED,BUT I WAS DRIVING ON 75 COMING FROM FLA. THE AC STOP WORKING AND THEN SHORTLY AFTER THAT THE CAR STARTED TO SLOW DOWN. IT FINALLY CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP, WHEN I GOT IT TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE ENGINE HAD SEIZED .BECAUSE THE SAID I COULD NOT PROVE THAT THE OIL HAD BEEN CHANGED,THE WARRANTY WOULD NOT COVER IT. I BOUGHT THE CAR BRAND NEW. ONLY HAD IT 15 MONTHS. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHTS OR ANY SIGNS OF TROUBLE .KIA WILL NOT FIX IT, THEY WANT ALMOST 8.000 TO PUT IN A NEW ENGINE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10904330September 7, 2016
ENGINE
AS I WAS DRIVING MY 2015 OPTIMA TO THE STORE MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE NEXT DAY I STARTED MY CAR AND HEARD A RATTLING OR TICKING SOUND, THIS WAS ON LABOR DAY, SO I TURNED MY CAR OFF AND CALLED THE DEALERSHIP. DUE TO HOLIDAY THE SERVICE DEPT WAS NOT OPEN. I CALLED THEM AGAIN ON TUESDAY SEPT 6TH AND WAS ADVISED THEY WOULD HAVE IT TOWED. I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL ON TUESDAY EVENING STATING MY MOTOR HAS SLUDGE AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10904201September 6, 2016
ENGINE
2015 KIA OPTIMA, ONLY 47K MILES....ENGINE FAILURE...THE DEALERSHIP SAYS ITS SLUDGE... AND I HAVE TO PROVIDE ALL MY MAINTENANCE RECORDS. IT STARTED WITH WHITE SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE TAILPIPE AND LOUD RATTLING NOISE WHEN I ACCELERATED, THEN THIS PAST SATURDAY, IT STARTED TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON . I HAD TO GET IT TOWED. THIS IS KIA'S FAULT!!! NOT MINE. I'VE DONE THE SAME ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ON MY TOYOTA AND HONDA WHICH HAD OVER 100K MILES WITH NO PROBLEMS! I AM BEING TOLD BY KIA THAT IT WON'T BE COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10883705July 8, 2016
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
BOTH ESC AND AUTO HOLD LIGHTS OCCASIONALLY GO YELLOW AT THE SAME TIME. USUALLY GOES BACK TO NORMAL AFTER SOME PERIOD OF TIME. THIS STARTED MAYBE COUPLE MONTHS AGO. BROUGHT TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY COULDN'T DETECT ANY ERROR CODES.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10874683June 16, 2016
AIR BAGS
THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN FATAL ACCIDENT VEHICLE COLLIDED WITH A STANDING TREE THEN OVERTURN ONTO IT ROOF THE FRONTAL AIRBAGS DRIVER AND PASSENGER NEVER DEPLOYED VERY CONCERNING
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
1
#10874312June 15, 2016
ENGINE
MY 2015 KIA OPTIMA HAS 26,456 MILES. THE LAST OIL CHANGE WAS PERFORMED AT 26,064 MILES. ON 6/4/16 WHILE DRIVING APPROX. 50MPH IN 3 LANE TRAFFIC THE ENGINE SEIZED UP, CAR SHUT DOWN AND INTERIOR FILLED WITH SMOKE. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO KIA. WAS TOLD IT NEEDS A NEW ENGINE DUE TO SLUDGE IN THE OIL. KIA IS REFUSING TO HONOR THE WARRANTY BECAUSE I CANNOT PRODUCE RECEIPTS FOR PREVIOUS OIL CHANGES. I HAVE RESEARCHED AND MANY OTHER KIA VEHICLES ARE HAVING VERY SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH LOW MILES! THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING WRONG THAT KIA IS NOT AWARE OF OR IS JUST NOT WILLING TO ADMIT. NOT ONLY WILL THEY NOT FIX MY VEHICLE BUT I FEAR SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET HURT OR EVEN KILLED. I INFORMED KIA OF MY CONCERN BUT THEY DID NOT SEEM TO CARE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10870505May 24, 2016
ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE NUMBER TWO CYLINDER WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10870546May 24, 2016
STEERING
I NOTICED WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THAT YOU HAVE TO FIGHT TO KEEP IT ON THE ROAD. IT VEERS TO THE LEFT AND WHEN CORRECTED, THEN VEERS TO THE RIGHT, THIS CONTINUES AS LONG AS YOU ARE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS BETWEEN 50 AND 75 MILES AN HOUR. WHEN YOU SLOW DOWN THE CAR FEELS LOOSE AND SWAYS EASILY FROM LEFT TO RIGHT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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