Kia Optima Complaints (2001)

143 consumer complaints on file.

#10029655July 18, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAS FAILED TWO TIMES IN THE LAST WEEK. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10025993July 13, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
THIS VEHICLES ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CONTINUES TO FAIL ALONG WITH NONWORKING LIGHTS, AIR CONDITIONER, LOCK FAILURE, BATTERY AND ALTRENATOR FAILURE. CAR HAS BEEN WORKED ON FOR SAME PROBLEMS MORE THAN 5 TIMES. CAR HAS HAD (THAT I KNOW OF) 3 BATTERIES AND 2 ALTERNATORS. ONCE THE LOCKS ON THE CAR FAILED AND I WAS TRAPPED INSIDE VEHICLE FOR MORE THAN AN HOUR. LOCKS WOULD AUTOMATICALLY RELOCK FASTER THAN YOU COULD OPEN THE DOOR.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10026957July 11, 2003
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
VEHICLE TRANSMISSION SLIPS WHILE DRIVING.*MR THE AIR CONDITION, AUTO CHECK LIGHT AND AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS DO NOT REMAIN UNLOCKED TRAPPING THE DRIVER.*TS *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10023514June 21, 2003
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
I'VE TAKEN MY 2001 KIA OPTIMA INTO THE SHOP GOING AT LEAST 6 TIMES. MY BRAKES ARE A PROBLEM. THEY SQUEAK AND MY FRONT END VIBRATES. THE DEALER, GALEANA KIA, SAYS THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR, JUST BRAKE DUST. THEY'VE TRIED TO FIX IT, BUT THE PROBLEM COMES BACK. KIA GAVE ME 500 DOLLARS (CUSTOMER SATISFACTION MONEY) AND THEY SAID THEY'D FIX THE PROBLEM. I TOOK THE MONEY, BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. BOUGHT CAR WITH 18 MILES ON IT... AND STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS RIGHT AWAY. CAR NOW HAS 20 THOUSAND MILES. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10023272June 17, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY 2001 KIA OPTIMA HAS BECOME THE MODERN AGE , THIS VEHICLE HAS A MIND OF IT'S OWN. THE POWER LOCKS SHUTS OPEN AND LOCKS ON IT'S OWN, THE VEHICLE IS NOT RELIABLE WHEN CROSSING A HIGHWAY ON OUR STREET. VEHICLE STALLS AT THE POINT OF ACCELERATION AND DOES NOT RESPOND TO PRESSING OF GAS PEDAL. WHEN CAR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILS AND YOU ARE IN THE VEHICLE THE POWER LOCKS DO NOT OPERATE CAUSING DRIVER AND PASSENGERS TO BE LOCKED IN VEHICLE. I WAS RECENTLY LOCKED IN MY VEHICLE WITH MY DAUGHTER FOR EXACTLY 4 HOURS WHEN THE POWER FINALLY RETURNED AND I WAS ABLE TO GET OUT. I CONTACTED KIA MOTORS CORP. AND WAS SIMPLY NOT TAKEN SERIOUS WITH THIS COMPLAINT. I HOPE THAT YOU FOLLOW UP WITH MANUFACTURES POSSIBLE DEATH TRAP AND THAT NO LOSES THEIR LIFE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10018469May 9, 2003
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, THE REAR BRAKES HAVE BEEN SQUEALING LIKE NOTHING I HAVE EVER HEARD. BRAKES WERE CHECKED OUT AT A LOCAL BRAKE SHOP AND RECOMMENDED REPLACEMENT OF THE REAR BRAKES. AT THAT TIME THE CAR ONLY HAD 15,000 MILES ON IT. IT NOW HAS 29,000 MILES ON IT AND THE NOISE IS EVEN LOUDER. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THEY SAID IF THERE ISN'T ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE BRAKE CHECK AND THE REPLACEMENT OF THE REAR BRAKES. BRAKES DON'T NORMALLY GO BAD THAT FAST UNLESS SOMETHING IS WRONG!! *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10015076April 2, 2003
AIR BAGS
THE VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED, AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *JB
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10015077April 2, 2003
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION. AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *JB
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10009594February 28, 2003
SEAT BELTS
THE SEAT BELT WAS NOT LONG ENOUGH TO ACCOMMODATE WEIGHT, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED A SEAT BELT EXTENDER WAS NOT MADE FOR VEHICLE.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10008783February 20, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START, THE DEALER REPLACED THE BATTERY, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM RECURRED.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10007244February 12, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10005580February 10, 2003
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
AUTO; KIA; OPTIMA ...................TIME AND CHAIN ,GEAR WEARS OUT ,DUE TO COLD WEATHER, LOOSING BRAKES AND STEERING WHEN THE MOTOR STOPS RUNNING ,WHEN GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10004952January 30, 2003
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CRANKCASE (PCV), AIR BAGS, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH, EQUIPMENT, EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL
I HAVE TOOK MY CAR IN NUMEROUS TIME FOR THE SQUEKING BRAKES. ALSO, THE THERMOSTAT HAS BEEN REPLACED FOR THE 4TH TIME. I HAVE HAD MY CAR SINCE NOV OF 2001. SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD IT IN THE DEALER SHIP ABOUT 10 TIMES. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO 2 DIFFERENT DEALERS. THE BRAKES THEY JUST BLOW OUT AND SAY IT IS METTALIC DUST. THAT I NEED TO CLEAR THEM OUT WHEN THE CAR IS WASHED. THE SQUEAK STILL COMES BACK. THEY HAVE ALSO TOLD ME IT IS THE HUMIDITY DOING THIS. THE THERMOSTAT HAS BEEN REPLACED FOR THE 4TH TIME TODAY. ALSO, I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH MY LOCKS AND ENIGNE LIGHT COMING ON ALL THE TIME. I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE AIR BAG LIGHT ALSO. THE CAR HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS. I HAVE NOTIFIED THE KIA CONSUMER CUSTOMER SERVICES NO HELP AT ALL. MY COMPLAINTS GO BACK ABOUT 1 YR. IT ALL STARTED IN JAN OF 2002
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10003331January 24, 2003
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
MY VEHICLE HAS SPENT MORE THAN 35 DAYS IN A KIA AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP INCLUDING TRANSMISSION REPAIRS SINCE THE DATE OF PURCHASE. I HAVE CARRIED THE VEHICLE TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS MORE THAN SIX TIMES. THE PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE HAVE NOT YET BEEN REPAIRED. I FEEL THAT THIS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE AND A LIABILITY TO OTHERS AND MYSELF WHILE IT IS ON THE ROADS. SOME OF THE OTHER PROBLEMS THAT THE VEHICLE HAS HAD, BUT HAVE BEEN CORRECTED ARE 1. KEYS WOULD NOT OPEN TRUNK 2. DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WOULD MALFUNCTION AND LOCK ITSELF. MANUAL RELEASE OF THE LOCK COULD ONLY OCCUR FROM OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE, RESULTING IN MYSELF HAVE TO CLIMB OUT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE DOOR TO EXIT THE VEHICLE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10002737January 15, 2003
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
I HAVE HAD A ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE PREMATURE WEARING OF THE FRONT BRAKE PADS. THIS PROBLEM CAUSES VIBRATING AND PULSATION WHEN APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES.THE FIRST TIME I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALER, THEY LOOKED AT IT AND TOLD ME THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG. WHEN I BROUGHT THE CAR HOME, MY HUSBAND WAS NOT HAPPY WITH THE RESPONSE I RECEIVED AND WE BROUGHT IT BACK A SECOND TIME. THE REPLACED THE ROTORS BUT CHARGED ME A $35.00 FEE. IT HAS BEEN APPROXIMATELY 4 MONTHS AND THE SAME PROBLEM IS BEGINNING TO HAPPEN AGAIN. I PURCHASED MY CAR BRAND NEW AND IT IS LESS THAN 2 YEARS OLD WITH 19900 MILES.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10002152January 6, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
NHTSA#14716-02-V-040-000: KIA/CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 55MPH ENGINE STALL, BRAKE AND STEERING WHEEL FROZE. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND WONT HONORING THE WARRANTY, PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. PH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#8023179November 22, 2002
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
CONSUMER STATE WHILE TRAVELING AT 40 MPH IN RESULT OF REAR ENDING ANOTHER VEHICLE CONSUMER VEHICLE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AT ANY TIME. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#8023180November 22, 2002
SEAT BELTS:FRONT
CONSUMER STATE WHILE TRAVELING AT 40 MPH IN RESULT OF REAR ENDING ANOTHER VEHICLE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT DID NOT HOLD CONSUMER IN SEAT IN RESULT OF CONSUMER HEAD HITTING WINDSHIELD. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#8022593November 12, 2002
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE VEHICLE WOULD DOWN SHIFT, AND LOOSE POWER WHILE DRIVING, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WOULD OPERATE INTERMITTENTLY. MR THE TRANSMISSION JUMPED OUT OF GEAR. *JG *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#8022297November 6, 2002
AIR BAGS
WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN,VEHICLE WAS HIT ON THE SIDE. NONE OF THE AIR DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT. CAUSING INJURIES TO DRIVER. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. MR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0

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