Kia Optima Complaints

7,843 consumer complaints on file.

#11353173September 4, 2020
POWER TRAIN
FROM A STATIONARY POSITION, UPON ACCELERATING THE CAR HESITATES, VIBRATES, FEELS AS IF IT MIGHT STALL BUT DOES NOT STALL. CAR, WITHIN A SECOND OR SO WILL CATCH AND ACCELERATE AS IT SHOULD. DRIVER IS VERY AWARE OF THE VIBRATION HESITATION. THE PASSENGER CAN ALSO FEEL THE HESITATION. SKIPPING SENSATION HAPPENS AT ANY STOPPED LOCATION, AT AN INTERSECTION OR STOP SIGN ETC. I T SEEMS TO HAPPEN ABOUT 75% OF THE TIME. OCCASIONALLY THERE WILL NOT BEEN A HESITATION EXPERIENCE. I HAVE TAKEN IT IN AT LEAST 2 TIMES TO DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND WAS TOLD THY COULD FIND NOTHING TO ACCOUNT FOR THE PROBLEM AND EVEN SUGGESTED THAT I USE A HIGHER GRADE FUEL. FUEL MILAGE IS GREAT, ALL OTHER DRIVING ASPECTS OF TH KIA ARE PERFECT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11353252September 4, 2020
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I NOTICED THE PROBLEM WHILE DRIVING ROUGHLY 65 MPH. MY VEHICLE PRETTY MUCH WENT INTO LIMP MODE. I WAS ONLY ABLE TO TRAVEL AT A CERTAIN TOP SPEED. OVER HEATING THEN BECAME A VERY DRASTIC ISSUE. I LOOKED ON THE NHSTA WEBSITE FOR ANY KNOWN RECALLS THERE WERE SOME FOR MY YEAR AND MODEL BUT MINE WASN'T LISTED? I CALLED A FAMILY MECHANIC AND DESCRIBED IN MORE GREATER DETAIL ABOUT MY ISSUE FROM START TO FINISH, HE ADVISED ME NOT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE THAT IT WAS DISPLAYING THE EXACT QUALITIES AS THE LISTED RECALL AND I SHOULD CALL KIA MOTOR COMPANY TO HAVE THE LOOK INTO MY CLASS OF VEHICLES FURTHER. LONG STORY SHORT I WAS BASICALLY LEFT HOMELESS IN A CITY AND STATE PRETTY MUCH BEAT ON THE WHOLE IDEA OF EVERY GETTING MY CAR BACK AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT IT DROPPED BELOW 28 DEGREES OUTSIDE. I WAS APPROXIMATELY 200 MILES FROM HOME. BECAUSE OF THIS CORPORATIONS NEGLIGENCE. I LOST MORE THAN A GOOD NIGHT SLEEP I HAD TO START BACK OVER AGAIN AND I'M UNFORTUNATELY AN ONLY CHILD WITH NO PARENTS SO IT WAS VERY MIND BOGGLING.. I MADE REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO COME TO SOME SORT OF AGREEMENT WITH KIA TO NO AVAIL. SOME ONE WENT SO FAR AS TO STEAL A SAFE OUT OF MY VEHICLE. WHICH I HAD PROFESSIONALLY INSTALLED AND VANDALIZED THE INSIDE OF MY CAR BEYOND REPAIR. THANKS KIA, FOR VICTIMIZING ME TO MAKE YOUR MILLIONS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11353255September 4, 2020
ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
'VE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR, FIRST WITH MY BREAK LIGHT SWITCH, THEN MY A/C CONTROL PANEL WENT OUT . NOW. AS I WAS WAITING FOR MY FOOD IN THE DRIVE THROUGH LANE MY CAR ENGINE TURNED OFF BUT MY CAR WAS STILL ON, I WAS ABLE TO TURN MY CAR OFF AND GET MY ENGINE GOING AGAIN.I ALSO HAVE AN ISSUE WHERE MY ENGINE WON'T START BUT MY CAR WILL TURN ON ALSO WHEN STOPPED AT STOP LIGHTS I OFTEN FEEL MY CAR JITTER A LITTLE. I HAD MY BATTERY CHECKED BUT THAT WASN'T THE PROBLEM. I WILL BE TAKING MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP TO SEE WHAT THE ISSUE IS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11353006September 3, 2020
STEERING, SUSPENSION
DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE CAR HAS VERY TIGHT STEERING AND CAR DRIFTS ALL OVER LANE. I AM ALWAYS MAKING CORRECTIONS. FEEL LIKE RACK AND PINION IS FAILING. CAR ONLY HAS 31,000 MILES ON IT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11353024September 3, 2020
SERVICE BRAKES, ENGINE
LAST WEEK, ON AUG 29TH 2020, I TRIED TO MAKE A LEFT U-TURN ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. I GOT SCARED AND JUST DROVE FORWARD TO THE NEXT STREET AND TURNED RIGHT ONTO THAT STREET. ON AUG THE 17TH, 2020 I HAD MY CAR INSPECTED. THE MECHANIC SAID THE BRAKE FLUID WAS LEAKING AND HAD TO FIX THAT. APPROX 2 WEEKS LATER, SEPT 2ND, THE MOTOR BLEW ON MY CAR WHILE DRIVING ON A HWY. THERE WAS BLACK SMOKE COMING THROUGH THE A/C VENT RIGHT BEFORE IT HAPPENED. THE CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11353033September 3, 2020
AIR BAGS, ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STARTED TO MAKE AN UNKNOWN NOISE, THE CONTACT COSTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND CHECK UNDERNEATH AND AROUND THE VEHICLE TO SEE WHERE THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM BUT DID NOT FIND ANYTHING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE STATED THAT SHE WAS ON A WAY TO TAKEN THE VEHICLE FOR AN OIL CHANGE. THE TECHNICIAN HEARD THE NOSE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT HE WAS WOULD NEED TO CHECK EVERYTHING BEFORE HE CAN COMPLETE AN OIL CHANGE. THE TECHNICIAN REMOVED THE PROTECTIVE SHIELD UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED OIL WAS ALL OVER AND METAL SHAVING WAS IN THE OIL AROUND THE OIL PRESSURE SENSOR. THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE CONTACT IT MAYBE WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT CALLED NAPLETON'S MID RIVERS KIA, 4955 VETERANS MEMORIAL PKWY, ST PETERS, MO 63376, AND INFORMED THEM OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED TO SCHEDULE AND APPOINTMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO AUFFENBERG HYUNDAI, 1300 CENTRAL PARK DR, O'FALLON, IL 62269, AND THE TECHNICIAN COULD NOT FIND A FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE MANUFACTURER WOULD SEND AND ENGINEER TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED YET. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT SHE WAS EXPERIENCING ELECTRIC SHACK FROM THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. AND THAT THE ACCELERATOR WAS LOSING PRESSURE AND THAT SMOKE WAS COMING THROUGH THE VENT OF THE CABIN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 27,573.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11353055September 3, 2020
STRUCTURE:BODY, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
PEELING PAINT. ESPECIALLY ON THE SIDE OF FRONT WINDOW. SMALL PATCHES ELSEWHERE. TURBOS AT TIMES FAILED
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11352714September 2, 2020
ENGINE
CLICKING OF THE ENGINE , CAR WON'T GO FASTER THEN 35 MILES AN HOUR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11352736September 2, 2020
ENGINE
FROM THE BEGINNING THIS CAR JOURNEY HAS BEEN COMPLETELY DEVASTATING ON ME I BOUGHT A CAR FOR COLLEGE RIGHT BEFORE GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL DURING COVID SAVED UP $5000 TO PURCHASE THIS VEHICLE I WENT TO VINTON AUTO SALES IN ROANOKE VIRGINIA THE MAN APPROACHES ME I TELL HIM WHAT CAR I LIKE WE TEST DRIVE IT THEN I'M LIKE WELL I'LL COME BACK TOMORROW WITH MY FINAL DECISION HE WAS LIKE BASICALLY FORCING ME TO BUY THE CAR THAT DAY PROMISING A 3 MONTH WARRANTY I MEAN LET'S BE REAL WHO GOES TO DEALERSHIP AND BUYS A CAR WITHOUT DOING RESEARCH UNLESS THERE'S A WARRANTY INVOLVED ON IT SO 3 WEEKS INTO MY HAVING THE CAR I DECIDED TO MAKE A TRIP TO MARYLAND FROM VIRGINIA TO SEE HIM FOR MY GRADUATION I'M ON A ONE WAY HIGHWAY CLOSE TO ALMOST HARRISON BURG MY CAR JUST STOPS BEING ABLE TO ACCELERATE AND THE ENGINE LIGHT STARTS FLASHING MEANWHILE THERE'S ON COMING TRAFFIC BEHIND ME AND TRACTOR TRAILERS GOING 80+ MPH I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO PULL OVER AFTER ALMOST DYING I CALL MY DEALERSHIP THE GUY HANGS UP ON ME IN THE MOST RUDEST WAY TELLING ME IT'S NOT HIS PROBLEM ANYMORE THERE'S NOT A WARRANTY I NEED TO FIX IT MY SELF IN THE MOST RUDEST WAY WHILE I'M STRANDED ON A ONE HIGHWAY ALONE WITH A BROKEN CAR 2 HOURS FROM HOME SO I END UP PAYING $500 TOW BACK TAKE IT TO A MECHANIC HE FIXES IT I PICK IT UP ON THE WAY HOME FROM PICKING IT UP IT MISFIRED AGAIN ON A HIGHWAY I ENGINE LIGHT FLASHING UNABLE TO ACCELERATE BUT LUCKILY ABLE TO MAKE IT TO A GAS STATION MIND YOU I PAID THE GUY $500 TO REPLACE THE KNOCK SENSOR HE SAID WAS MESSED UP I TOW IT BACK TO THE MECHANIC HE TELLS ME TODAY HE CAN'T DO NOTHING IT'S THE ENGINE SO I'M OUT OF A CAR OUT OF COLLEGE AND OUT OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS DUE TO THE CAR THIS IS MY LAST RESORT I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO I'M SUPPOSED TO BE A COLLEGE STUDENT THIS FALL BUT I CAN'T BE DUE TO THIS SHADY DEALERSHIP WHO RUINED MY LIFE I HAVE A 2013 KIA OPTIMA TO BE EXACT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11352752September 2, 2020
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
SOMETIMES UPON STARTING MY CAR IT JUST SPUTTERS AND SPUTTERS AND SPUTTERS FOR SEVERAL MINUTES LIKE IT'S NOT GONNA START THEN IT KICKS IN AND STARTS BUT I AM CONCERNED THAT ONE OF THESE TIMES IT'S NOT GONNA END UP STARTING AND I WILL BE STRANDED SOMEWHERE. IT HAS BEEN HAPPENING OFF AND ON PERIODICALLY FOR THE LAST FIVE MONTHS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11352804September 2, 2020
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
WHEN ISTART MY VEHICLE, SOMETIMES THE RADIO DOES NOT COME ON, SO I HAVE TO PULL THE FUSE AND PLACE IT BACK IN. ALSO, I CANNOT EXCEL PAST 40MPH, OTHERWISE IT STALLS. THE DEALERSHIP STATED I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. I WAS STRANDED IN WYOMING, SO I HAD TO LEASE A NEW KIA. I STILL OWE ON MY 2013 OPTIMA, WHICH IS NOT DRIVABLE. I DID NOT WANT A NEW VEHICLE. I'M VERY FRUSTRATED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11352846September 2, 2020
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
FIRST OFF MY CAR IS FINE. AGAIN MY CAR IS FINE NO COMPLAINTS. NHTSA HAS MISS IDENTIFIED MY 2018 OPTIMA LX WITH 2.4L ENGINE HYBRID. NHTSA WITH THIS SCREW UP HAS OHIO BMV THINKING MY CAR IS HYBRID AND WANTS AN EXTRA $100 DOLLARS AS A FEE FOR LICENSE BECAUSE THEY THINK IT IS ELECTRIC. OHIO BMV OR APPARENTLY NHTSA DOSE NOT HAVE A PROCESS TO FIX THE PROBLEM OR FIGURE OUT MY CAR IS GASOLINE ONLY. OHIO BMV WILL WILL ONLY GO ON WHAT NHTSA WEB SITE SAYS. IT APPARENTLY SAYS MY CAR COULD BE A HYBRID. AS I SAY NO PROBLEM WITH CAR BUT NHTSA HAS MISS CODED WHAT MY CAR IS. HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET ANY HELP FROM KIA YET.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11352434September 1, 2020
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ON THIS VEHICLE ARE EXTREMELY DIM. IT IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. THE ONLY SAFE WAY TO DRIVE IS WITH THE HIGH BEAMS WHICH ENDANGERS OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF OTHER KIA OPTIMA DRIVERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM BUT KIA WON'T ACKNOWLEDGE OR FIX THE ISSUE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11352230August 31, 2020
ENGINE
ENGINE JUST LOCKED UP WILL NOT RESPOND YOU TURN THE KEY AND NOTHING HAPPENS I WAS DRIVING ON HWY AND IT JUST SHUT OFF AND WOULDNT START AGAIN IVE HAD IT AT THE REPAIR SHOP AND THEY CANNOT FIQURE OUT THE PROBLEM THEY THINK IT NEEDS A NEW ENGINE IT HAS HAD REGULAR OIL CHANGES AND NEVER HAD ANY ISSUES BEFORE
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11352298August 31, 2020
ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED AS OF YET. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VIN WAS ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V224000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) AND NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V100000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 116,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11352111August 30, 2020
ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I HAVE A KIA 2013 OPTIMUM SXL, YESTERDAY AUG 30 MY KIA OUT OF NOWHERE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON THEN IT PROCEEDS TO STOP ON THE FREEWAY IN TRAFFIC!! WHILE I'M GOING 65 NOW IT WON'T START AT ALL THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COME ON BUT MY ENGINE KNOCKS AND THEN CUTS OFF. YES I DID HAVE OIL IN MY CAR IN FACT IT'S ON THE FULL LINE SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WATS GOING ON THE ENGINE KNOCKING REALLY HARD NOT LEAKS ON MY CAR AT ALL EVEN WHEN I APPLY PRESSURE TO ACCELERATE IT STAYS ON 0 THEN ENGINE KNOCKS AGIN AND THEN BACK OFF I TRIED 3 TIMES AND HAD TO ENDE UP PUSHING MY CAR OUT OF TRAFFIC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11352151August 30, 2020
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
FOURTH WINDOW REGULATOR TO STOP WORKING IN THE PAST YEAR. THE WINDOW ROLLED DOWN AND WOULD NOT ROLL UP.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11351939August 29, 2020
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC), UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I WAS DRIVING ON 8/28/2020 AND A WARNING LIGHT CAME ACROSS THE DASHBOARD THAT READ MY FORWARD COLLISION CAMERA WAS NOT WORKING AND IT STAYED LIT FOR ABOUT 3 MINUTES WHILE DRIVING AND EVENTUALLY WENT OFF BEFORE I PARKED THE CAR. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR IF THE BRAES MAY FAIL.THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION INITIALLY APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT WHEN THE MESSAGE CAME ACROSS THE DASHBOARD. I WAS ON A CITY STREET DRIVING.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11352021August 29, 2020
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, STEERING
8/27/2020 CAR HAD BEEN AT THE KIA DEALERSHIP 2 WEEKS BEFORE FOR THE SAME ISSUE...CAR SHUT DOWN ON THE FREEWAY AFTER 'CHECK HYBRID CHARGING SYSTEM' LIGHTS FLASHING 'SHUT DOWN ENGINE' LIGHTS FLASHING. KIA HAD DETERMINED CAR JUST NEEDED A 'HYBRID BATTERY UPDATE' FAST FORWARD...I WAS DRIVING TO VISIT MY MOTHER IN IDAHO, DRIVING ABOUT 75 MPH ON THE FREEWAY, WHEN THE SAME THING HAPPENED: 'CHECK HYBRID CHARGING SYSTEM, SHUT OFF ENGINE.' ALL THE LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING, AND 'POSSIBLE BATTERY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM ISSUE' DIAGNOSTIC FLASHED ON THE RADIO SCREEN. THE CAR STARTED LOSING POWER BEFORE LOCKING UP COMPLETELY, WHEEL LOCKING, SHUTTING OFF AND SPINNING OUT ON THE HIGHWAY. LUCKILY ANOTHER OTHER CARS WERE CLOSE BY OR ELSE THIS WOULD HAVE EASILY TURNED INTO A FATAL CRASH. 3 HOURS ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND A $450 TOW INTO THE NEAREST KIA DEALERSHIP WHICH WAS 2 HOURS AWAY.. AND I FIND OUT IT'S A BLOWN HEV FUSE AND THE HYBRID SYSTEM/BATTERY HAS FAILED COMPLETELY. NOW I'M STUCK WITH A DEAD CAR. FAILED AT AROUND 79,500 MILES. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST KIA OPTIMA HYBRID TO DO THIS!!! RECALL THESE CARS BEFORE THEY KILL SOMEBODY!! I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT A 5 YEAR OLD CAR SHUTTING DOWN AND LOCKING UP ON THE FREEWAY WHILE DRIVING. ESPECIALLY WITH KIDS IN THE CAR. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER KIA AGAIN. IT HAS THE 10 YEAR 100,000 MILE WARRANTY WHICH KIA IS SAYING COVERS NO PART OF ANY REPAIRS. ODD SINCE THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THESE HYBRIDS!! RECALL THESE DEATH TRAPS!!!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11352045August 29, 2020
ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
AIR CONDITIONING GOING OUT WITH POSSIBLE BREAKDOWN AT SEVENTY THOUSAND MILES AIR CONDITIONER TURNS ON BUT DON'T BLOW AIR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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