Kia Optima Complaints
7,843 consumer complaints on file.
- #11388348January 15, 2021ENGINE
BURNING OIL AND ENGINE FAILURE
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11388399January 15, 2021ENGINE
THE ENGINE BLEW. THE CAR ONLY HAS ABOUT 105,000 MILES. I WAS RESEARCHING THAT THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE HAS A DEFECT FROM THE FACTORY AND I BELIEVE THAT MY CAR FALLS UNDER THOSE DEFECTED CARS.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11387887January 13, 2021ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
CAR WILL NOT GET OUT OF IMMOBILIZATION PHASE, WITH EITHER KEY FOB WILL NOT UNLOCK TO USE PUSH TO START. ALSO COMMON ISSUE IS WASTE GATE ACTIVATOR FAILURE, CAUSED US TO ALMOST CRASH DEALER SAID IT IS A EXSTREMLY COMMON ISSUE BUT KIA WON'T ISSUE RECAL.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11387930January 13, 2021FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL FUEL ODOR INSIDE THE VEHICLE SOON AFTER REFUELING. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO ORR KIA OF SHREVEPORT (1111 E. BERT KOUNS INDUSTRIAL LOOP, SHREVEPORT, LA 71115) WHERE SHE WAS PROVIDED A DIAGNOSTIC FEE WHICH SHE DECLINED. THE CONTACT THEN CALLED ORR KIA OF BOSSIER CITY (3601 BENTON RD, BOSSIER CITY, LA 71111) WHERE SHE WAS ALSO GIVEN ANOTHER DIAGNOSTIC FEE WHICH SHE ALSO DECLINED. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT LINKED HER FAILURE TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V907000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, ENGINE) HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND CONFIRMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11387770January 12, 2021STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE POWER STEERING LOCKED IN MID TURN WITH THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT CALLED PERRIS VALLEY KIA (707 E 4TH ST, PERRIS, CA 92570) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE ONLY WAY TO REPAIR THE DEFECT WAS TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED TO LEAVE THE VEHICLE WITH THE DEALER FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD. THE CONTACT DECLINED THE OFFER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 35,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11387482January 11, 2021FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
SMELL OF FUEL CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE, GOT DIAGNOSED READ CODE P0456 EVAPORATIVE EMISSION SYSTEM LEAK DETECTED. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11387423January 10, 2021ENGINE
DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60MPH ON EXPRESSWAY, GAVE A LITTLE MORE GAS TO PASS SOMEONE AND ENGINE STALLED WHILE SWITCHING LANES AT HIGH SPEED. INFORMED BY KIA DEALERSHIP THAT THERE WAS A FAILURE OF THE CONNECTING ROD BEARING/S.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11387431January 10, 2021ENGINE
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT STALLED ON ME. IT WON'T TURN OVER OR ANYTHING. IT STILL HAS ALMOST 1500 MILES ON UNTIL THE NEXT OIL CHANGE AND THE OIL PLUG IS ON AND TIGHT. WHEN I CHECKED THE OIL IT WAS NOT READING ANYTHING ON THE DIP STICK. THE HAS NOT BEEN ANY OIL LEAKING ON THE GROUND. I WAS DRIVING ON A MAJOR STREET IN MY TOWN GOING STRAIGHT
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11387430January 10, 2021UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I WAS JUST GETTING ON TO THE HIGHWAY AND MY SUNROOF EXPLODED! IT TOOK ME A SECOND TO REALIZE THATS WHAT HAD HAPPENED IT SOUNDED LIKE A VERY LOUD POP OR GUN SHOT ALMOST I PULLED OVER AND SEEN MY ENTIRE SUNROOF HAD EXPLODED
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11387301January 9, 2021ENGINE
I WAS DRIVING MY CAR ON THE EXPRESSWAY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT STARTED MAKING A KNOCKING SOUND. WHEN I WAS GETTING OFF MY EXIST I NOTICE THE CAR WAS NOT ALLOWING ME TO START IT UP AND MOVE. I KNEW IT WASN'T MY BATTERY BECAUSE I JUST GOT I KNEW ONE, BUT I NOTICE HOW MY ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON. SO I WAS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET WITH NO WAY TO MOVE MY CAR OUT OF THE INTERSECTION. I HEARD THEIR WAS A RECALL ON MY CAR SO I'M CHECKING TO SEE WHY I HAVEN'T HEARD ANY INFORMATION FROM KIA.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11387342January 9, 2021VISIBILITY/WIPER
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT THIRTY MILES PER HOUR IN TRAFFIC I HEARD A BANG AND MY SUNROOF EXPLODED. THANKFULLY THE SUN SHADE WAS CLOSED OR SHARDS OF GLASS WOULD HAVE HIT ME. THE CAR BEHIND ME SWERVED PROBABLY TO AVOID THE GLASS. IT WAS SCARY AND I INITIALLY THOUGHT AN ACCIDENT HAD OCCURRED. THE MANUFACTURER NEEDS TO FIGURE OUT HOW THIS HAPPENED AND CHANGE THE DESIGN TO PREVENT IT.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11387349January 9, 2021ENGINE
DRIVING AT THE SPEED OF 55 MPH ON TWO LANE ROAD COMING DOWN A MOUNTAIN AND KIA OPTIMA SX 2.0L TURBO STARTED LOSING POWER THEN AT 45 ENGINE SHUT DOWN. COASTED TO SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND WILL NOT START. TOWED TO HOME THEN TOWED AGAIN TO SHOP WAITING ON REPAIRS. KIA SAYS NO RECALL AND NOT PART OF THE 618000 KIA OPTIMA SX TURBO 2.0L RECALL
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11387135January 8, 2021ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, STEERING
STARTING MAKING A NOISE IN SHUT OFF
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11387218January 8, 2021ENGINE
I WAS DRIVING FORWARD, IN MOTION, MY KIA OPTIMA 2011 ON A HIGHWAY WHEN I BEGAN TO NOTICE A LOUD TICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. I IMMEDIATELY BECAME CONCERNED, SLOWED DOWN, AND STUCK TO THE RIGHT LANE. THEN, 15 MINUTES AFTER FIRST HEARING THIS LOUD NOISE, I COULD NOT ACCELERATE ANYMORE AS THE NOISE BECAME LOUDER. THEN I HEARD A SMALL CRASH/EXPLOSION, SMOKE CAME OUT FROM THE HOOD, IT BEGAN TO SMELL TERRIBLE AND I WAS TRULY SCARED FOR MY LIFE IN TRYING TO STOP THE CAR ON THE CURB, UNABLE TO SEE WHERE I WAS DRIVING BECAUSE OF THE SMOKE AND UNABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR. THANK GOD I WAS ABLE TO STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED BY GEICO. MY CAR HAS ONLY 88K MILES AND I HAVE HAD IT SINCE 2014'THIS IS UTTERLY ACCEPTABLE TO HAVE AN ENGINE BLOW OUT SO SUDDENLY, AT SO LITTLE MILEAGE, AND PUT MY LIFE IN DANGER. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IN INVESTIGATING THIS.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11387028January 7, 2021POWER TRAIN
CAR SMELLS LIKE IT IS CONSTANTLY LEAKING OIL. THE SMELL IS VERY NOTICEABLE. I WILL BE TAKING IT IN ON 1/8/2021
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11386753January 6, 2021AIR BAGS, STRUCTURE:BODY, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
I WAS DRIVING SOUTHBOUND ON SEPULVEDA BLVD ON SEP 6 AT 0800AM AND I WAS OVER HALFWAY THROUGH THE GREEN LIGHT WHEN I WAS STRUCK BY A TOYOTA MAKING A LEFT TURN ON A GREEN LIGHT WHO DID NOT YIELD. THE DRIVER [XXX] STRUCK MY CAR ON THE FRONT AND LEFT DRIVER BUMPER AND FENDER CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE. HE FAILED TO YIELD, LIED ABOUT IT AND THE FRONT AND SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
- Crash:
- Yes
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 1
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11386849January 6, 2021STRUCTURE:BODY
WHEN I TOOK MY VEHICLE INTO THE CAR WASH, AS SOON AS I PULLED IN, I HEARD A SOUND THAT DIDN'T SOUND THE BEST. ONCE I GOT TO THE END OF IT, WHEN THE AIR WAS BLOWING OFF MY CAR, I SAW SOMETHING FLY OFF MY CAR. THIS WAS MY MANUFACTURE FIN SHARK ANTENNA THAT HAD SOME HOW BROKE OFF. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH, I HAVE DISCOVER THIS COMMON OCCURRENCE WITHIN THIS VEHICLE. BOTH, MOST COMMONLY WHILE IN CAR WASHES AND WHILE DRIVING. SO, IT THIS COULD POSSIBLY BE INSPECTED AND RECALLED, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11386408January 4, 2021ENGINE
AT FIRST IT STARTED WITH MY ENGINE OIL BURNING QUICK, AND HAVING TO DO AN OIL CHANGE EVERY 15 DAYS. NOW IT STARTED DOING THE ENGINE KNOCKING NOISE WHEN I DROVE IT 20 MILES AWAY FROM MY HOUSE IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY CITY STREET. IT HAD TO BE TOWED TO MY HOUSE AND I AM UNABLE TO DRIVE IT NOW. I HAVEN'T DROVE IT SINCE THE BEGINNING OF DECEMBER BECAUSE I'M STILL WAITING TO GO TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR MY APPOINTMENT NEXT WEEK.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11386427January 4, 2021LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40-50 MPH, THE HOOD INADVERTENTLY OPENED AND CRACKED THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. THERE WERE NO REPORTED INJURIES. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 116,564.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11386509January 4, 2021EXTERIOR LIGHTING, POWER TRAIN
TRANSMISSION HAS A HARD PULL WHEN IT DOWN SHIFTS FROM THIRD GEAR TO SECOND GEAR AND A HARDER PULL ON FIRST GEAR THIS IS A AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. IN REGULAR GEARS GOING IN DRIVE WOULD ACTUALLY DO FINE I NOTICED A WEEK LATER WHEN I WAS OUT DRIVING FOR ABOUT AN HOUR THAT THE CAR WOULD NOT GO PAST SECOND GEAR SO I PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND HAD MY CAR TOWED. THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER HAD ANY DASHBOARD LIGHTS COME ON CURRENTLY MY CAR IS IN LIMP MODE AND WILL ONLY GO IN REVERSE TAKES A FEW SECONDS TO INITIATE AN ENGAGE TO GO INTO FIRST GEAR.DEALERSHIP DOES NOT REALLY WANT TO LOOK AT THE VEHICLE IF IT DOES NOT HAVE A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CODE I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS TRANSMISSION I HAVE 168,000 MILES. IT SHOULD GIVE YOU SOME TYPE OF WARNING THAT SOMETHING IS GOING ON WITH YOUR TRANSMISSION BUT IT DOES NOT EVEN LIGHT UP ON YOUR DASHBOARD IF YOU GO TO PRESS THE PEDAL TO ACCELERATE IT DOES NOT WANT TO ACCELERATE I JUST RECENTLY HAD MY CATALYTIC CONVERTER CHANGED OUT SO I KNOW IT IS NOT THAT THE GEARS ON THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT GO PAST SECOND GEAR NOW IT IS IN WHAT THEY CONSIDER LIMP MODE OR DEFAULT MODE SOMEONE REALLY NEEDS TO LOOK AT THE TRANSMISSION ON ALL THE 2012 KIA OPTIMAS I HAVE BEEN SEEING A LOT OF ISSUES WITH THESE CARS THE LIGHTS THAT ARE CONSIDERED AS THE LOW BEAMS ARE NOT VERY BRIGHT EITHER I JUST RECENTLY HAD THOSE CHANGED AND NEW ONES PUT IN THEY DO NOT GIVE YOU ENOUGH LIGHT IF YOU'RE DRIVING AT NIGHT THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0