Kia Optima Complaints

7,843 consumer complaints on file.

#11317571March 11, 2020
STRUCTURE:BODY, STEERING, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS HIGHER THAN 45 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS FOR A BRIEF MOMENT. THIS DOES NOT ALLOW FOR A SMOOTH WAY TO KEEP THE VEHICLE STRAIGHT ON THE HIGHWAY. VERY SCARY. ANTENNA COVER ON TOP OF CAR FLEW OFF ON THE HIGHWAY. READ THAT IT HAS HAPPENED TO SEVERAL OTHER 2015 OPTIMA MODELS. BACK UP CAMERA IS FOGGY AND I CAN NO LONGER USE IT WHEN REVERSING. BACK TAILLIGHTS HAVE CONDENSATION IN THEM. I HAVE ALREADY HAD ONE OF THEM REPLACED EARLY ON.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11317619March 11, 2020
ENGINE
I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AND MY ENGINE SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. I'VE NEVER MISSED AN OIL CHANGE AND ALL WORK PREFORMED HAS ALWAYS BEEN DONE AT DEALERSHIP. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP CONTACTED KIA AND THEY TOLD THEM THE ENGINE WAS LOCKED UP. KIA TOLD THEM TO NOT INVESTIGATE IN THE ENGINE, JUST REPLACE THE ENGINE. DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THEY WILL LET ME KNOW HOW MUCH NEW ENGINE WILL COST. MY ENGINE(2.4L) FALLS UNDER THE CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT GOING ON, BUT MY CAR IS NOT BEING RECALLED BECAUSE IT IS A HYBRID. I DRIVE A 2012 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11317175March 10, 2020
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
I WAS HEADED TO WORK AND FOUND MY SELF FRUSTRATED BECAUSE IT TOOK SO MANY TIMES TO TRY TO TURN ON THE CAR. SO, I HAD TO FIND SOMEONE TO GIVE ME A BOOST TO GET THE CAR STARTED BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE ANY LUCK STARTING THE CAR. I BROUGHT MY BATTERY TO GET CHECK, PERFECTLY FINE. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO KIA AND THEY SAID PERFECTLY FINE. I'M STILL HAVING THIS PROBLEM WHERE MY CAR STARTS WHEN EVER THE CAR WANTS. I DON'T WANT TO DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY AND IT SHUTS OFF WHEN IT WANTS, IT'S GOING TO CAUSE AND ACCIDENT. I NEED A SOLUTION
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11317176March 10, 2020
ENGINE
WAS DRIVING TO WORK. DROVE THROUGH THE FRONT GATE ENTRANCE TO MY STATION WHEN AN AWFUL METALLIC KNOCKING NOISE COULD BE HEARD IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED ALL THE WAY HOME THAT DAY. 80+ MILES. TURNS OUT I NEED A NEW ENGINE. TOOK IT TO A KIA DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM BEING A FAILURE TO A CRANK BEARING.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11317326March 10, 2020
ENGINE
WHEN ACCELERATING THERE IS ENGINE KNOCK NOISES. THERE MAY BE A BLUE SMOKE UPON ACCELERATION. THE ENGINE IS USING OIL AT A RATE OF 1 QUART OF OIL EVERY 1100 MILES.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11317364March 10, 2020
SERVICE BRAKES
BOTH BACK BRAKE LIGHTS WENT OUT AT SAME TIME AND WE REPLACED LIGHTS AND STILL DOES NOT WORK. HAPPENED WHEN I WAS DRIVING HOME
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11317419March 10, 2020
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
THERE'S A RECALL ON LOW PRESSURE FUEL HOSE DEFECT FOR 2013 AND 2014 KIA OPTIMA (KIA RECALL #SC187) BUT MY 2012 ALSO HAS SIMILAR FUEL SMELL. I TOOK MY CAR IN TO KIA OF IRVINE (CA) FOR DIAGNOSIS ON MARCH 7, 2020 AND WAS TOLD HIGH PRESSURE FUEL LINE CONNECTOR TO FUEL PUMP IS MISSING A SMALL TAB AND MAY NEED REPLACEMENT. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT SINCE I RECENTLY REPLACED THE VALVE COVER GASKET MYSELF WHICH WOULD INVOLVE DISCONNECTING AND RECONNECTING THE FUEL LINE TO THE FUEL PUMP, THEY'RE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LINE MISSING TAB. BUT THE ISSUE IS THERE WAS NO FUEL SMELL AFTER I REPLACED THE GASKET. THE SMELL WAS RIGHT AFTER THEY REPLACED THE TURBO WHICH ALSO INVOLVED DISCONNECTING AND RECONNECTING THE FUEL LINE TO FUEL PUMP. INTERESTINGLY, THERE'S ANOTHER SIMILAR RECALL (KIA RECALL #SC172) WHERE IT INVLOVE KIA'S SERVICE TECHNICIAN DAMAGING THE SAME FUEL LINE AFTER ENGINE REPLACEMENT WORK ON NUMEROUS VEHICLES. THE FACT THAT KIA HAS HAD RECALLS DUE TO FUEL ODOR ON SAME MAKE/ MODEL, AND THE FUEL SMELL WAS AFTER THEY SERVICED MY VEHICLE, THEY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR VEHICLES FUEL LINE ISSUE. FURTHERMORE KIA SHOULD TAKE THIS ISSUE SERIOUSLY AS THE CAR COULD POTENTIALLY SPARK FIRE. PLEASE HELP!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11317001March 9, 2020
POWER TRAIN
I HAVE A 2019 KIA OPTIMA. IN DECEMBER I WAS GOING UP A HILL AND THE VEHICLE STARTED VIOLENTLY SHAKING. I WAS PRESSING ON THE GAS AND NOT GOING ANYWHERE. I HAD TO PUT IT IN REVERSE TO BACK DOWN 2 RODS TO GET BACK TO MY DRIVEWAY. HAD IT TOWED TO DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG. IT WAS NOT SHOWING ANY "CODES". THEN ON 02/26/2020 THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. HAD IT TOWED TO KIA DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WAS SHOWING A BUNCH OF CODES. THEY SAID THEY CLEANED THE "KNOCKER" AND WAS COMMUNICATING WITH THE TECH LINE AND WAS TOLD TO CLEAR DATA AND RELEARN SYSTEM. ONCE THEY DID THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT AWAY AND NO MORE CODES DISPLAYED. ON 03/07/2020 THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AT NIGHT. DEALER WAS CLOSED BY THEN AND THEY ARE CLOSED ON SUNDAY. MADE A CALL TODAY TO GET IT BACK IN THE SHOP. THEY SAID I CAN BRING IT TOMORROW. I SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS MUCH TROUBLE WITH A 2019. PLEASE TELL ME
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11317065March 9, 2020
ENGINE
ENGINE IS USING 1 QUART OF OIL EVERY 1100 MILES
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11317148March 9, 2020
STEERING
MY STEERING WHEEL IS STICKING AND MY HUSBAND TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS AND THEY HAVE CHECKED IT AND SAID IT NEEDS STEERING COLUMN. THEY GAVE US A PRINTOUT SAYING FOLLOWED TSB CHA 090 PREFORMED EFFORT MEASUREMENT TEST. MEASUREMENT 4.6 NM SUPPOSED TO BE 3.3 NM NEEDS STEERING COLUMN AT A COST OF $1400.00 WITH A 10% DISCOUNT BECAUSE IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, WHICH WE THEN DECLINED TO PAY THAT AMOUNT. WHEN WE PURCHASED THE CAR FROM PERRY-ELLIS KIA WE GOT A BUMPER TO BUMPER UNLIMITED WARRANTY "AT LEAST THAT WAS OUR UNDERSTANDING" THROUGH FIDELITY WARRANTY SERVICES, INC. SO WHEN LARA WHO WORKS IN THE WARRANTY DEPARTMENT FOR THE DEALERSHIP WHICH IS NOW PREMIER KIA GAVE ME THE WARRANTY PER MY SHE IS NOW TELLING ME THE STEERING COLUMN IS NOT COVERED. I HAVE NOTICED THAT THERE WAS SOME KIND OF RECALL PERFORMED STATING SA188 SERVICE ACTION SA188 '15 QF STEERING FEEL IMPROVEMENT DEALER CODE TX137 REPAIR DATE JULY 10, 2015 DEALER TYPE RD. WHICH RAISES CONCERN TO ME NOW THAT I AM STILL HAVING STEERING PROBLEM AND THEY WILL NOT HONOR THE WARRANTY. I BELIEVE THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE FIXED UNDER THIS SERVICE CAMPAIGN SINCE THE PROBLEM ALREADY EXISTED THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME I HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING WHEEL. DEALER STATED THEY ARE NOT OBLIGATED TO COVER UNDER ANY WARRANTY. YOUR COOPERATION INTO THIS MATTER WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. *LN CONSUMER STATED SEVERAL COMPLAINTS WERE MADE REGARDING FRONT END SHAKING AND NEW TIRES BALANCE AND ROTATION.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11317165March 9, 2020
SERVICE BRAKES
WHILE DRIVING MY CHECK BRAKE LIGHT WILL COME ON INTERMITTENTLY. SEEMS TO HAPPEN MORE FREQUENTLY WHEN ITS WARM OUTSIDE. THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ALWAYS COMES ON AT THE SAME TIME. THE BRAKE LIGHT WILL GO OFF AFTER THE CAR IS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED, THE TRACTION LIGHT WILL STAY ON FOR AWHILE. SOMETIMES IT WILL GO OFF AFTER A FEW MILES, OTHERS IT TAKES A DAY TO GO OFF. ONLY DIFFERENCE I CAN SEE WHILE DRIVING IS THAT BEFORE IT COMES ON THE BRAKES WILL GRAB HARDER THAN USUAL. THE LIGHTS ONLY COME ON WHEN THE CAR IS IN MOTION OR IMMEDIATELY AFTER COMING TO A STOP. NEVER WHEN IN PARK. THIS STARTED A FEW DAYS AFTER I PURCHASED THE CAR. I'VE HAD THE CAR AT THE KIA DEALERSHIP MANY TIMES FOR THIS ISSUE AND THEY HAVE NEVER FIXED THE PROBLEM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11316816March 8, 2020
ENGINE
I WAS DRIVING AND HEARD SOME KNOCKING AND SMELLED AN EXHAUST LIKE SMELL, AFTER GETTING OFF THE HIGHWAY AND STOPPING AT A STOP LIGHT, THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE PASS 25 MPH WHEN PRESSING ON THE GAS PEDAL AND WOULD STUTTER & HESITATE. I STOPPED FOR A DIAGNOSIS AT THE CLOSEST CAR SHOP. AFTER THEIR EVALUATION THEY THOUGHT IT COULD BE THE TRANSMISSION BUT SINCE THEY WERE A OIL CHANGE & TIRE SHOP THEY COULD NOT HELP. SINCE THE CAR WAS DRIVABLE, I THOUGHT I COULD MAKE IT BACK HOME VERY SLOWLY, I DROVE NO MORE THAN AN 1/2 MILE AND COULD NOT ACCELERATE PASS 10 MPH. I PARKED THE CAR AND HAD IT TOWED TO ANOTHER AUTO REPAIR SHOP 3 MILES AWAY. OUTCOME, THEY RESEALED TIMING COVER WHICH INCLUDED REPLACEMENT OF FRONT CRANK SEAL, VALVE COVER GASKET AND CLEANED RESIDUAL ENGINE OIL FROM ENGINE. ALSO, RESEALED LOWER OIL PAN AND REPLACED OIL AND AIR FILTER AND CLEANED RESIDUAL ENGINE OIL. EVEN AFTER THIS REPAIR, THEY TEST DROVE THE CAR AND VERIFIED THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE PASS 30 MPH AND WOULD STUTTER AND HESITATE. THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT MAYBE THE HYBRID SYSTEM. I WENT ONLINE REGARDING THE HYBRID SYSTEM(STILL UNDER THE FACTORY WARRANTY OF 100,000)AND NOTICED A RECALL ON THE NON-HYBRID KIA OPTIMA WITH MY SAME EXPERIENCE. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP CLOSE TO MY HOUSE. THE DEALERSHIP PERFORMED A DIAGNOSIS AND THEIR FINDINGS WERE 'COULD NOT DUPLICATE CUSTOMER'S CONCERN AT THIS TIME, THERE WAS NO OIL LEAK FOUND ON THE ENGINE AND VEHICLE DRIVE PROPERLY DURING ROAD TEST.' MY CAR HAS BEEN SITTING FOR OVER 11 MONTHS. I DID TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP RECENTLY FOR INSPECTION & EMISSION, PASSED AS CAR HAD LESS THAN 5,000 MILES FROM LAST SERVICE. HOWEVER,ON THE WAY HOME, 1.2 MILES AWAY, THE HYBRID SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT CAME ON 'SAFELY STOP AND DO NOT DRIVE'. I PUT ON THE HAZARD LIGHTS AND MADE MY WAY HOME AS I WAS HALF-WAY, THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING SINCE. PLEASE RECALL'MAKE THIS RIGHT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11316832March 8, 2020
STEERING, SUSPENSION
THE VEHICLE REQUIRES THAT YOU HOLD THE STEERING WHEEL TIGHTLY AT ALL TIMES TO PREVENT THE VEHICLE FROM VEERING TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT. THIS IS NOT AN ALIGNMENT ISSUE, NO UNEVEN WEAR OF THE TIRES. IN ADDITION THE STEERING IS QUITE HARD REQUIRING UNUSUAL GRIP ON THE WHEEL. ALSO EVERY SLIGHT BUMP IS FELT THROUGHOUT THE CAR. THE FAILURE OF KIA TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM FOUND IN MANY OF THEIR PRODUCTS, MAKES THIS COMPANY/MNF OF QUESTIONABLE CHARACTER.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11316883March 8, 2020
POWER TRAIN
I STOPPED THE CAR AND TRIED TO PUT THE SHIFT LEVER TO PARK, THE CAR INDICATED THAT IT WAS STILL IN DRIVE. THE CAR WAS STUCK IN DRIVE EVEN THOUGH THE SHIFT LEVER WAS IN THE PARK POSITION. I TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF. I TRIED TO RESTART BUT IT WOULD NOT BECAUSE THE CAR THOUGHT THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN DRIVE. I COULD NOT MOVE THE SHIFT LEVER FROM PARK WITHOUT USE THE SHIFT UNLOCK. UPON INVESTIGATION I FOUND THAT THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE CAME DETACHED FROM THE SHIFTER LEVER. IT APPEARS THAT A PLASTIC RETAINER DISINTEGRATED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11316903March 8, 2020
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
ON FEBRUARY 14, 2020 I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY FROM AN APPOINTMENT AND NOTICED THAT MY GAS LIGHT WAS FLASHING AND THE GAUGE WAS WAY BELOW EMPTY. I HAD JUST STOPPED PRIOR TO MY APPOINTMENT AND PUT GAS IN IT. SO, I STOPPED AND PUT MORE IN IT. STILL DIDN'T MOVE THE GAUGE ONE BIT. I STOPPED AT ADVANCE AUTO AND ASK FOR A CODE READING AND IT CAME BACK AS OBD-II CODE P0463 HIGH PRESSURE FUEL SENSOR. CALLED KIA DEALERSHIP AND ASK IF IT HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE RECENT RECALLS I HAD BROUGHT IN FOR MY OPTIMA 2013. AND THEY DIDN'T THINK OR KNOW UNTIL I NBRING IT IN FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. AT WHICH POINT WOULD BE$118 AN HOUR. SOMEWHERE I SEEN KIA WILL BE HAVING A RECALL ON KIA OPTIMA 2011-2014 PUT FOR LOW PRESSURE FUEL PIPE..
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11316499March 6, 2020
ENGINE
EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION. NO VISIBLE LEAKS, TOOK TO THE DEALER ONCE AND THEY REPLACED THE PCV VALVE. SINCE THAT POINT THE CAR USES A QUART WITHIN A WEEKS TIME. NO LEAKS, NO SMOKE. USED FOR ORDINARY EVERYDAY HIGHWAY DRIVING. 40 MILES A DAY ROUND TRIP
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11316506March 6, 2020
ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED, THERE WAS A KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE STARTED TO DECELERATE THEN STALLED WITH THE SERVICE ENGINE, EPS AND BATTERY WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS PUSHED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROADWAY BY A BYSTANDER. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER NOR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 156,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11316540March 6, 2020
POWER TRAIN
I HAD THE ENGINE REPLACED AROUND 85000 MILES, AT DEALER WITH RECALL. NOW AT 140000 THE TRANSMISSION IS MAKING A BAD GRINDING NOISE WHEN ACCELERATING AND SLOWING DOWN, NOISE STARTS ABOUT 15 MPH ALL THE WAY TO HIGHWAY SPEEDS. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IF I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL, THE SOUND GOES AWAY. AS I PUT CAR BACK IN DRIVE THE GRINDING NOISE REAPPEARS. THE NOISE DOES NOT CHANGE WHILE GEAR CHANGES, ONLY WHEN PUT IN NEUTRAL.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11316569March 6, 2020
ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED WHILE IN HER RESIDENCE THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE, BY ANOTHER DRIVER. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FIRE MARSHALL INFORMED HER THAT THE FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 102,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11316638March 6, 2020
STEERING
THE STEERING WHEEL DOESN'T LOCK WHEN I PUT IT IN PARK, TURN THE CAR OFF AND REMOVE THE KEY.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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