Kia Optima Complaints (2011)

628 consumer complaints on file.

#11056663December 26, 2017
STRUCTURE:BODY
WHILE DRIVING TO WORK EARLY IN THE MORNING, TRAVELING AT ABOUT 55-60 MPH,WITHOUT WARNING A STARTLING SOUND LIKE AN EXPLOSION, ONCE I REALIZED IT WASN'T A TIRE BLOWOUT, I PULLED OVER TO FIND A HOLE IN MY ROOF. THANKFULLY I WAS ALONE AND MY CHILDREN WASN'T WITH ME AND NO OTHER VEHICLES WERE ON THE ROAD AT THAT TIME.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11055863December 21, 2017
AIR BAGS
THE PASSENGER OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM SENSOR MAT FAILED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, AS INDICATED BY A LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE FAILURE OCCURRED DURING NORMAL OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE. FAILURE OF THIS SENSOR IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY CONCERN, AS IT MAY CAUSE THE AIRBAG NOT TO DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE IN OTHER KIA VEHICLES AROUND THE SAME MODEL YEAR, BUT THERE ISN'T A RECALL OR SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11054781December 14, 2017
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS WERE VERY DIM AND IT WAS DIFFICULT TO SEE THE ROAD PROPERLY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER (GRIFFIN MOTORS, 11031 PERRY HWY, MEADVILLE, PA 16335). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALER WANTED TO CHARGE $300 TO REPLACE THE HEADLIGHTS. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO HIS PERSONAL MECHANIC. THREE MONTHS LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11054812December 14, 2017
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CONTACT HAD TO REDUCE THE SPEED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE DURING THE FAILURE. WHILE DRIVING OVER BUMPS, THE STEERING COLUMN JERKED UNCONTROLLABLY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11051611November 30, 2017
ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGH WAY THE ENGINE STARTED MAKING A KNOCKING SOUND AND THEN THERE WAS A BURNING SMELL AND THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE THEN THE CAR SHUT OFF. I WAS FORCED TO SWITCH LANES AND GET OFF THE NEAREST EXIT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11048595November 27, 2017
ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND LOST POWER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED AT TIME OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO RESET AND WAS TOWED TO RICART KIA (4255 S HAMILTON RD #210, GROVEPORT, OH 43125 (614) 836-6503) WHERE THE DIAGNOSES WAS UNKNOWN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT RESEARCHED THE FAILURE ONLINE AND FOUND NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V224000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) AND HAD NOT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11048146November 23, 2017
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, SUSPENSION
MY CAR CUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET CAUSING A ACCIDENT
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11045464November 12, 2017
STEERING
STEERING WHEEL MAKES A CLICKING SOUND WHEN IN PARK OR WHEN A BUMP IS HIT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11039679October 25, 2017
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
BEGINNING IN SPRING 2017 MY 2011 KIA OPTIMA EX TURBO (I BOUGHT IT BRAND NEW, ONLY OWNER) BEGAN STUTTERING WHILE IN MOTION (AS IF SOMEONE WERE PUMPING THE BRAKES). THE CAR STALLS AND DIES AT RED LIGHTS AND STOP SIGNS AND NEEDS RESTARTED. IT ALSO STALLS AND DIES WHILE IN MOTION, MOST DISTURBING IN HIGH SPEED, HIGH TRAFFIC INTERSECTIONS AND AT 70 MPH HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I WILL BE TRAVELING ON HIGH SPEED INTERSTATES AND THE CAR JUST DIES AND I HAVE TO HOPE I HAVE ENOUGH MOMENTUM TO SAFELY GET OVER TO THE BREAKDOWN LANE WITHOUT CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT USUALLY GOES ON AND OFF AT LEAST FOUR TIMES IN BETWEEN EACH SERVICE ATTEMPT. IT HAS BEEN ANALYZED AND GIVEN ATTEMPTED REPAIRS BY A KIA DEALERSHIP FOUR TIMES SINCE LATE MAY 2017 (SEE ATTACHED RECORDS), BUT THE STALLING AND STUTTERING PROBLEMS PERSIST. I PICKED UP THE CAR FROM ITS LAST SERVICE ON 10/18/17 AND THE SAME PROBLEMS BEGAN MANIFESTING AGAIN. THIS IS NOW THE FIFTH TIME. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE PROBLEM WITH THE CAR IS (UNKNOWN) AND IT SEEMS KIA'S SERVICE HELP LINE FOR MECHANIC ASSISTANCE DOES NOT EITHER. THE MOST RECENT TIME THE CAR WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE, KIA SENT OUT A NATIONAL SERVICE SPECIALIST TO INVESTIGATE THE CAR, TO NO AVAIL. 1) 5/31/17 - REPLACED MAP SENSOR (I PAID $600 AND IT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM) 2) 6/30/17 - TESTED GROUNDS AND REPLACED CONNECTIONS 3) 7/25/17 - REPLACED TURBO AND INTERCOOLER SYSTEM 4) 10/12/17 - REPLACED ENGINE COMPUTER 5) UNKNOWN - STILL PROBLEMATIC - ASKING FOR REPLACEMENT VEHICLE FROM KIA THE CAR HAS 91,410 MILES AND IS STILL COVERED UNDER THE 10 YEAR/100,000 MILE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY. THIS CAR IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT STALLS AND DIES OUT IN HIGH SPEED, HIGH TRAFFIC INTERSECTIONS AND ON FREEWAYS WHILE TRAVELING 70 MPH. KIA OBVIOUSLY DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO FIX IT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11034053October 17, 2017
STEERING
THERE IS PLAY IN THE STEERING WHEEL AND A CLICKING SOUND. THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMS THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $1350
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11033215October 13, 2017
ENGINE
STARTED HEARING MY ENGINE KNOCKING THE NIGHT BEFORE. KNOCKING STILL EVIDENT, FOLLOWED SHORTLY BY 2 ENGINE STALLS ON THE HIGHWAY! VEHICLE HAD TO SIT ABANDONED OVERNIGHT UNTIL A TOW COULD BE ARRANGED, WHICH RESULTED IN CANCELLING AN OUT-OF-STATE MOVE!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11032010October 6, 2017
ENGINE
ENGINE LIGHT ON. KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM ENGINE. CAR WON'T START ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. ENGINE "RATTLES" AT ACCELERATION AND STALLED TODAY WHILE I WAS DRIVING GOING ABOUT 60 MPH.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11030607September 30, 2017
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
USING OWNERS MANUAL PROCEDURE FOR STARTING THE ENGINE. VEHICLE IS PARKED, TRANSMISSION LEVER IN PARK POSITION. FOOT DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL, PUSH BUTTON FOR STARTING ENGINE ON DASHBOARD IS DEPRESSED = NO ENGINE CRANK & NO START ! INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DISPLAY FULLY ILLUMINATES & "IMMOBILIZER" ICON 'LIGHT' IS DISPLAYED ON PREVENTING ENGINE STARTING. KEY FOB IS PLACED ON THE DASH DURING ABOVE STARTING SEQUENCE...PLACING THE KEY FOB IN THE GLOVE-BOX OVERRIDE "BY-PASS" PORT ALSO WILL NOT START THE VEHICLE. THIS IS A VERY "INTERMITTENT" PROBLEM & HAS OCCURRED 5 TIMES IN RECENT 2 WEEKS STRANDING US AT SHOPPING MALLS & GAS STATIONS. THE OPTIMA HAS BEEN TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES & SERVICE MANAGER CLAIMS THEY ARE UNABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM OR HAVE THE DEFECT HAPPEN IN THEIR PRESENCE. I SEE MANY OWNERS HAVE POSTED VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE.COM WITH EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEM AS WE ARE EXPERIENCING. THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING & UNACCEPTABLE...ESPECIALLY WITH WINTER CONDITIONS ARRIVING IN 2 MONTHS ! PLEASE INVESTIGATE ASAP !
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11024596September 20, 2017
ENGINE
VEHICLE IN MOTION ON FLORIDA I-10E DOING ABOUT 70 MPH. CAR STARTED MAKING A TICKING SOUND AND GAS PEDDLE STARTED PULSATING. TRIED TO MAKE IT TO NEAREST EXIT 112 BUT NOISE KEPT GETTING LOUDER AND LOUDER AND THEN THERE WAS A LOUD BANG. WHITE SMOKE APPEARED, ENGINE AND OIL LIGHTS CAME ON, AND CAR COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. WAS ABLE TO MOVE TO SIDE OF ROAD AND CALLED FOR TOW.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11023437September 14, 2017
ENGINE
I WAS DRIVING AT 55 MPH WHEN THE ENGINE TURNED OFF. ALL ELECTRICAL WAS WORKING. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND TRIED TO RESTART. NOTHING. NO SMOKE, NO CLICKING. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS FINE. I HAD THE OPTIMA TOWED TO THE CLOSEST MECHANIC, WHEN TRIED TO TURN THE CRANK AND FOUND THAT THE ENGINE HAD SEIZED. OIL WAS FULL, NO OVER HEATING WARNING. I STILL OWE ON THIS CAR.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11021948September 11, 2017
ENGINE
2011 KIA OPTIMA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ENGINE REPLACEMENT RECALL NOTICE AND SEEKS REIMBURSEMENT INFORMATION. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE FAILED AND WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. THE CONSUMER RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTICE 17-V224 AND REQUESTED TO BE ADVISED IF THIS REPAIR WAS ALREADY COMPLETED. UPDATED 09/11/2017*JS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11021424September 5, 2017
ENGINE
TURBO OIL SUPPLY LINE LEEKS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11021285September 3, 2017
STEERING
THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN YOU TURN TO EITHER SIDE HAS A LOT OF PLAY BEFORE RESPONDING TO TURN THE WHEELS AND HAS A LOUD CLANKING SOUND LIKE IT'S EITHER ENGAGING OR SLIPPING, AND IT GETS WORSE EACH TIME I DRIVE IT, AFTER TALKING WITH A FEW DIFFERENT MECHANICS AND LOOKING UP SIMILAR ISSUES THE KIDS OPTIMA HAS A PLASTIC STEERING GEAR INSIDE OF THE STEERING POWER BOX THAT IS WEARING OUT AND GETS WORSE AND WORSE OF COURSE UNTIL YOU HAVE NO STEERING, I'VE FOUND WAY TOO MANY PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUES AND THE HIS CAN NOT BE IGNORED, A MAJOR ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN WHEN DRIVING THIS CAR!!! I HAVE WENT AHEAD AND BOUGHT NEW TIRES, NEW BRAKES NEW FRONT ROTORS NEW FLOAT PINS FOR THE CALIPERS AND THE CAR ALIGNED ALL FOUR TIRES AND NOTHING HELPS LIKE I SAID IT'S THE PLASTIC GEAR IN THE STEERING POWER BOX, IT HAS VIDEOS ON LINE OF THIS AND WHY HASN'T THIS BEEN FIXED??
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11020452August 29, 2017
STRUCTURE:BODY
MY PASSENGER FRONT DOOR KEEPS GOING OUT OF ALIGNMENT. I HAVE HAD IT RE-ALIGNED MANY TIMES. MY BODY SHOP HAS INFORMED ME THAT THE HINGES NEED TO BE REPLACED. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE , IF THE DOOR IS NOT ALIGNED IT MAY OPEN AT ANYTIME. I HAVE INFORMED KIA , THEY HAVE REFUSED TO ASSIST ME WITH THIS ISSUE. PLEASE ASSIST ME WITH THIS ISSUE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11018966August 22, 2017
ENGINE
PROBLEMS STARTING A FEW YEARS AGO. HEARD KNOCKING, BROUGHT IT IN FOR RECALL, AND IT WASN'T DOING IT ANYMORE. HAD PROBLEM WITH EMISSIONS. RECALL WAS DONE AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM LED TO ENGINE PROBLEMS. NOW ENGINE IS BURNING THROUGH OIL, AND LOCAL TRUSTED MECHANIC SAYS IT IS GOING TO NEED A NEW ENGINE BY WINTER. IN RESEARCH HAVE SEEN OTHERS ARE HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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