Kia Optima Complaints (2012)

1,029 consumer complaints on file.

#10837391February 21, 2016
STEERING
WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL THERE IS A KNOCKING NOISE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AND APPEARS VERY LOOSE WHERE I HAVE TO TURN THE WHEEL ALMOST AN EXTRA 1/8-1/4 TURN. THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOOSE AND THEN SEEMS TO LOCK UP AT SPEEDS OF 55-60. I FIRST NOTICED THIS ABOUT A YEAR AGO BUT AFTER TODAY THE KNOCKING NOISE BECAME WORSE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10837286February 20, 2016
STEERING
THE STEERING WHEEL STICKS!!! HARD TO STAY IN YOUR LANE AND OVER CORRECTING HAPPENS EVERY DAY. JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSES. WHERES THE RECALL???? I'VE GOT BIDS FROM $450-$650 TO FIX THIS CRAP. KIA WILL COST PEOPLE THEIR LIVES.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10837219February 19, 2016
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN WAS DEFECTIVE. THE STEERING WHEEL EMITTED A LOUD CLICKING NOISE AND VIBRATED WHILE TURNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.
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
#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
#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
#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
#10820887January 19, 2016
STEERING
TAKATA RECALL
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10820571January 15, 2016
ENGINE
SUDDEN ENGINE FAILURE WITHOUT WARNING LIGHTS. KNOCKING SOUND. PARKED CAR AND HAD TOWED TO DEALER. CAR HAS 63,000 MILES ON IT. DRY OF OIL, AND OIL WAS CHANGED WITHIN PAST SIX WEEKS. SAME ENGINE (THETA II) FROM SAME PLANT (ALA) AS THE HYUNDAI SONATAS COVERED BY RECENT RECALL. SYMPTOMS ARE ALSO THE SAME. KIA REFUSING COVERAGE UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE NOT ORIGINAL OWNER. WORKING THROUGH THEIR CONSUMER AFFAIRS TO ESCALATE. SO FAR, NO RESULTS. I BELIEVE WE ARE SEEING AN IDENTICAL PROBLEM IN MY CAR WITH IDENTICAL ENGINE TO SONATA AND KIA SHOULD FIX
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10819206January 10, 2016
STEERING
URGENT: STEERING WHEEL CONSTANTLY STICKS WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD!!!!!!!!!! I SEE THERE ARE DOZENS AND DOZENS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER OPTIMA OWNERS!!! DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO HAVE A FATAL ACCIDENT FOR THIS TO BECOME A RECALL ITEM ????
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10817463January 3, 2016
STEERING
I'VE BEEN DRIVING MY CAR FOR SOME TIME NOW WHEN IT REACH 60,000 + MILES, I NOTICE THE CAR STEERING WOULD STICK WHEN SLIGHTLY TURN OR A FULL TURN. IT ALSO DRIFTS AND THERE IS A CLICKING NOISE WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNING LEFT AND RIGHT . I HAD FRONT END LINE MEANT DONE. THAT DID NOT STOP THE NOISE OR STICKING STEERING COLUMN. THIS HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING OR SITTING.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10816189December 24, 2015
STEERING
THE STEERING WHEEL STICKS, AND IT MAKES IT HARD TO KEEP THE CAR STRAIGHT. THERE'S NO SMOOTHNESS WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL. IT'S LIKE THE STEERING WHEEL TURNS IN INCREMENTS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10809989December 14, 2015
ENGINE
THE VEHICLE HIT 63,000 MILES DURING THIS INCIDENT. AS I WAS MERGING ONTO THE EXPRESSWAY AT 50MPH, I GOT THE VEHICLE TO 60MPH AND THE SPEEDOMETER GAUGE FROZE AT 60MPH. THEN, THE RPM GAUGE DROPPED TO 0. SUDDENLY THE ENGINE LOST POWER, THE BRAKES LOCKED UP AND BEFORE I GOT THE CAR OFF TO THE SHOULDER AT A COMPLETE STOP, THE ENGINE CUT OUT COMPLETELY. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START AT ALL AFTER IT CUT OUT. I THEN BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO A DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY DEEMED A NEW ENGINE AS THE CURRENT ENGINE BLEW.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10810131December 14, 2015
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WHILE IN PARK AND CRASHED INTO A GARAGE DOOR, WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE CONTACT REVERSED THE VEHICLE AND PLACED THE VEHICLE IN PARK. THE CONTACT MENTIONED WHEN EXITING THE VEHICLE, IT BEGAN TO SHAKE, JERK AND ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON THREE OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10808723December 7, 2015
ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 117,000. UPDATED 02/10/16.*JB UPDATED 04/08/16*LJ UPDATED 05/03/18*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10808359December 4, 2015
STEERING
URGENT: FROM WHEN I PURCHASED IT NEW, STEERING WHEEL CONSTANTLY STICKS WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD!!!!!!!!!! I FILED A REPORT WITH NHTSA WHEN I BOUGHT IT, BUT NEVER HEARD BACK FROM ANYONE. I SEE THERE ARE DOZENS AND DOZENS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER OPTIMA OWNERS!!! [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *JB*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10789068November 8, 2015
STEERING
UNSAFE LOOSE STEERING. I FIRST NOTICED THIS ISSUE WHILE DRIVING ON I75 SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING MY CAR IN JUNE OF 2012. THE CAR PULLS TO THE LEFT, WHEN CORRECTED, IT THEN PULLS TO THE RIGHT OR VICEVERSA. IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP THIS CAR IN A STRAIGHT LINE. I REPORTED THIS ISSUE TO MY LOCAL KIA DEALER ABOUT 4 TIMES (DURING EVER SERVICE VISIT) THEIR RESPONSE IS ALWAYS THE SAME: "THE CAR IS PERFORMING ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFICATIONS, WE COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT" I DISAGREE BUT COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. TODAY, 3 YEARS LATER, IT'S WORSE, I HEAR A LOUD CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN WHEN I TURN THE WHEEL. THIS SITUATION HAS ESCALATED TO SEVERE. I FEAR FOR MY LIFE WHEN DRIVING THIS CAR. PLEASE HELP!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10785744October 24, 2015
ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
WHEN CRANKING UP CAR ENGINE MAKES LOUD NOISE, THEN IF DRIVING AT A NORMAL SPEED THE CAR SLOWS DOWN ON IT OWN,ALSO THE DASH BOARD LIGHTS GOES FROM BRIGHT TO DIM TO ALMOST NO DASH BOARD LIGHTS AT ALL, DRIVING
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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