Kia Optima Complaints

7,843 consumer complaints on file.

#11299092January 13, 2020
ENGINE
ENGINE SOUND VERY LOUD SOUND ANY TIME I START THE ENGINE SINCE BRAND NEW.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11299165January 13, 2020
STEERING
THE STEERING FEELS LIKE IT LOCKS AS YOUR DRIVING PULLING THE VEHICLE TO THE LEFT. I CAN JIGGLE THE STEERING WHEEL TO HELP CORRECT IT BACK TO STRAIGHTEN THE WHEELS.THE DEALERSHIP ALIGNED THE FRONT END BUT THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THEY SAID THEY COULD POSSIBLY FIX IT IF I SPENT OVER A $1000 DOLLARS TO REPLACE PARTS ON THE RIGHT FRONT END. THEY WOULD NOT GUARANTEE THAT THIS WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THAT IS A LOT OF MONEY TO "MAYBE" FIX IT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11298810January 12, 2020
ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING THERE WAS A SUDDEN KNOCKING IN THE ENGINE AND THEN THE ENGINE SEIZED LOSING PRESSURE THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD HAD TO PUSH IT OFF TO SIDE WOULD NOT START BACK UP THIS HAPPENED 300 MILES AFTER LAST OIL CHANGE CAR DISABLED DUE TO ENGINE FAILURE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11298828January 12, 2020
ENGINE
AFTER I BOUGHT MY USED 2009 KIA OPTIMA, I WAS EXPERIENCING A HARD DOWNSHIFT WHEN IT DECELERATED, IT WAS SO ABRUPT IT FELT AS IF THE BRAKES HAD BEEN APPLIED VERY RAPIDLY AND THE CAR WOULD JERK FORWARD. IT HAPPENS WHEN THE VEHICLE FIRST STARTS AND GOES AWAY AFTER IT HAS WARMED UP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A KIA DEALER AND WE BELIEVE THEY REPROGRAMMED THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE. IT STOPPED FOR A WHILE BUT IT IS DOING IT AGAIN AFTER A COUPLE OF YEARS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11298894January 12, 2020
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, MY KIA OPTIMA STOPPED ACCELERATING, WE WERE LUCKILY NEAR AN EXIT AND WERE ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE LIGHTS AND MUSIC STAYED ON BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT START AGAIN. THERE WAS NOTHING HAPPENING UP TO THE POINT THAT WOULD HAVE WARNED US THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT NEVER CAME ON. I HAD TO GET THE VEHICLE TOWED HOME.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11298564January 11, 2020
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
MY VEHICLE IS AMONG THE VEHICLES REGISTERED/QUALIFYING FOR A RECALL. MY DEALER WAS TO HAVE REPLACED MY ENTIRE ENGINE DURING THE FIRST RECALL MY VEHICLE RECEIVED. WITHIN A WEEK/SOME 5 DAYS OR SO MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS BACK ON. TAKING THE CAR BACK TO MY DEALER, IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT I PAY $145 JUST FOR THEM TO DO A DIAGNOSTIC ON THE/MY VEHICLE THEY HAD JUST SERVICED. MY CAR IS CURRENTLY REGISTERED/QUALIFIES FOR A RECALL THAT STEMS AND OR IS RELATED TO THE PREVIOUS RECALL THAT MY CAR HAD... AS RECENTLY AS A FEW DAYS AGO (1/8/2020), THE SAME DEALER SUPPOSEDLY 'FIXED' THE RECENT RECALL. I'D WENT BY THE DEALERSHIP, THEY SERVICED THE VEHICLE - CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT/WAS OFF. I'D SAY WHAT WAS AN HOUR OR SO HAVING THE CAR BACK IN MY POSSESSION FROM THE DEALER, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS BACK ON. I'M APPALLED AT THE FACT THAT I'M CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING A ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN ON GOING OVER A YEAR. IN MY RESEARCH ON RECALLS I'M NOT TO BE CHARGED ANYTHING BY LAW SURROUNDING RECTIFYING A RECALL. ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION MY DEALER HAS SUGGESTED THAT I PAY AFTER FEELING THAT THEY'VE RECTIFIED THE PROBLEM CONCERNING MY VEHICLES RECALL. I HAVE VALID THIRD PARTY DIAGNOSTICS THAT INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH WERE FREE, UNLIKE THE DIAGNOSTICS MY DEALER WOULD SUGGEST I PAY FOR ON A CAR THAT IS SURROUNDED BY A SERIOUS RECALL ISSUE. AND MORE INTERESTING IS MY HAVING RECEIVED A DIAGNOSTIC THAT RENDERED THE RESULTS THAT ARE THE SAME CODES SURROUNDING THE RECALL, AND THIS AFTER/ON A DAY/ THE LAST DAY - MY CAR WAS SERVICED/SUPPOSEDLY 'FIXED.' I'M APPALLED AT THE SUGGESTION THAT I 'UPGRADE,' INTO A NEW CAR, PAY ANYTHING, HOW ANY CAR HAVING RECEIVED A 'NEW ENGINE,' THOUGH 5 DAYS LATER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS BACK ON - THAT'S 'SCARY.' I HAVE NECESSARY DOCUMENTATION THAT CAN SHOW MY DEALER IS OBLIVIOUS TO PUBLIC SAFETY LAWS SURROUNDING RECALLS DUE TO REMEDIES THEY SUGGESTED ON 'FIXING,' MY VEHICLE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11298640January 11, 2020
STRUCTURE:BODY, ENGINE
ON 1/11/2020 MY 16 YEAR OLD SON WAS DRIVING THE 2013 KIA OPTIMA WHEN THE VEHICLE LOST ENGINE POWER. HE WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROADWAY AT WHICH TIME THE VEHICLE STALLED AND BURST INTO FLAMES. THE VEHICLE HAS HAD NO PRIOR MECHANICAL ISSUES. THERE HAVE BEEN NO WARNING LIGHTS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11298417January 10, 2020
ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH, WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE LOST MOTIVE POWER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES WAS INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER WHERE THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED . THE CONTACT STATED THAT TWO YEARS LATER THE ENGINE CEASED AND WAS REPLACED BY THE SAME THE UNKNOWN DEALER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WITHIN 24 HOURS OF THE SECOND ENGINE REPLACEMENT, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO VIBRATE ABNORMALLY WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE UNKNOWN DEALER FOR A THIRD TIME TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT OF A MISFIRE ON CYLINDER NUMBER 1. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION COIL IN CYLINDER 1 WAS REPLACED, THE DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE WAS RESET AND THE VEHICLE WAS TEST DRIVEN. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DUPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11298489January 10, 2020
ENGINE
MY DAUGHTER'S CAR, KIA OPTIMA 2015, HAD BEEN BROUGHT IN FOR ENGINE REPAIR FOR IT DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, SINCE THEN, SHE TELLS ME THAT SHE HAS BEEN ADDING 3 QUARTS OF OIL EVERY WEEK AND SOMETIMES SHE FINDS THE ENGINE EMPTY OF OIL FROM THE DIPSTICK. WHEN SHE CAME HOME, I MONITORED THE DRIVEWAY WHERE SHE PARKS TO LOOK FOR OIL LEAKAGE BUT I DIDN'T FIND ANY LEAKAGE OF OIL IN MY DRIVEWAY. MY DAUGHTER IS NOT SAFE IN THIS CAR, UNFORTUNATELY SHE USES THIS CARE TO GO TO SCHOOL AND WE DON'T HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO PURCHASE ANOTHER CAR. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM THAT KIA OPTIMA IS UNDERMINING AND OVERLOOKING. I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE REPORTING THIS ISSUE FROM WHAT I HAVE READ. FOR THE CONSUMERS, YOU ARE THE ONLY ONES WE CAN TURN TO IN TIMES LIKE THIS. I HOPE THAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER LOOKING INTO THIS PROBLEM BY KIA CORPORATION.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11298501January 10, 2020
AIR BAGS
I WAS GOING WEST ON 210 IN REDLANDS, CALIFORNIA APPROXIMATELY AT 6:15 P.M. WHEN I WAS REAR ENDED BY A 2015 TOYOTA CAMRY. HIS RIGHT FRONT FENDER RAN INTO MY LEFT BACK FENDER CAUSING ME TO SPEND AND SETTLE ON THE LEFT SHOULDER OF THE FREEWAY. THE SIDE DRIVER AIR BAG DEPLOYED THE STEERING WHEEL AIRBAG DID NOT. MY CAR WAS TOTALED.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11298105January 9, 2020
ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA LX. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH. WHEN THE CONTACT TURNED ON THE DEFROST THERE WAS A BURNING ODOR. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN PARKED WHEN THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A JUNKYARD. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. HOWEVER THE CONTACT NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER WHICH THEY DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS AT 117,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11298110January 9, 2020
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC), STEERING
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE DASH LIGHTS FOR THE STEERING WHEEL AND TRACTION CONTROL COME ON AND THE STEERING GETS HARD AS IF NO POWER STEERING. I PULL OVER TURN CAR OFF, CHECK POWER STEERING FLUID AND BELT, NO ISSUES. TURN CAR BACK ON NO AFOREMENTIONED DASH LIGHTS TURNED OFF AND STEERING IS FINE. THIS HAS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES WITHIN THE LAST TWO MONTHS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11298131January 9, 2020
SERVICE BRAKES, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
RANDOMLY BRAKE PEDAL ON MY KIA OPTIMA FREEZES AND IM UNABLE TO APPLY AND STOP VEHICLE IT HAPPENED TWICE ONCE IT HAPPENED ON HWY AND ONCE ON CITY STREET. CURRENTLY VEHICLE IS IN DEALERSHIP SINCE JAN 2ND AND DEALER STATING THEY ARE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE ISSUE
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11298152January 9, 2020
ENGINE
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN I STARTED HEARING A KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE. IT GOT REALLY LOUD, LOST POWER AND LOW VOLTAGE WARNING POPPED UP. PULLED OVER AND THE KNOCKING GOT LOUDER. WHILE SHIFTING LANES WITH NO POWER I ALMOST GOT IN SEVERAL ACCIDENTS. GOT TO THE SHOULDER AND KNOCKING GOT WORSE. AS I WAS ON THE SHOULDER WITH HAZARDS ON THE WHOLE CAR DIED OUT INCLUDING HAZARDS. WAS OUT UNTIL 1130PM WITH NO HAZARDS WAITING FOR A TOW. GOT IT TO KOA THE NEXT DAY AND THEY SAID ENGINE WAS SEIZED, THEY WANT ME TO PAY $1300 JUST TO TAKE THE ENGINE APART TO SEE WHAT PART IS DAMAGED. ON TOP OF THAT THEY SAID IT WOULD BE $7000-9000 FOR NEW ENGINE. THEY NEED TO RECALL THESE HYBRID ENGINES.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11298169January 9, 2020
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
MOST RECENTLY WHILE DRIVING MY CAR WITH VEHICLE IN MOTION ON CITY STREET (A STRAIGHT ROAD) IT ALL OF A SUDDEN DROPS POWER AND I AM UNABLE TO GET THE CAR TO ACCELERATE WITHOUT PUSH DOWN VERY HARD ON THE PEDAL UNTIL IT FINALLY DECIDES TO SPEED UP, ONCE THIS OCCURS THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT APPEARS ON THE DASH AND DOES NOT DISAPPEAR AND WILL NOT DISAPPEAR UNTIL THE CAR IS SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED AND THE LOSS OF POWER CONTINUES TO HAPPEN UNTIL THE CAR IS POWERED OFF. AFTER REALIZING THIS ISSUE I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND LET IT SIT A FEW MINUTES AND WHEN I POWERED BACK ON AND DROVE AGAIN THE SAME ISSUE OCCURRED AND THE TRACTION LIGHT REAPPEARED ON MY DASH. I AM CONCERNED THIS COULD BE A FAULTY PROGRAMMING ISSUE THAT IS TELLING THE CAR THE TRACTION IS NEEDED WHEN IT IS IN FACT NOT. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AS THERE IS NO WAY TO PREDICT WHEN THIS POWER LOSS WILL HAPPEN AND DOES SO IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING WHICH SLOWS THE CAR WAY DOWN AND COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT AND ALSO HAVING TO CONTINUOUSLY KEEP THE ACCELERATOR DOWN UNTIL IT DECIDES TO REGAIN POWER IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT WILL SUDDENLY RAMP UP THE RPM AND TAKE OFF. THIS IS A MAJOR CONCERN AND COULD BE HAPPENING TO OTHER CONSUMERS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11298204January 9, 2020
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
MY DRIVER SIDE AXLE IS CLICKING AND POP WHEN I TURN AND THERE IS NO WAY THAT HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF AND IT CLEARLY STATES ON THIS SITE THAT ALL ARE RECALLS ON THE MODEL IS THERE ANYWAY THE RECALLS AN BE DONE NOW I BOUGHT THIS CALL AT 2018 PREOWNED WITH 38000 OR MORE MILES ON IT IT NOW HAS 82000 MILES ON IT AND IF A RECALL HAS NOT ENDED DONE WHY CAN'T THEY DO THEM NOW AND I DON'T FEEL THESE VEHICLE IS SAFE FOR ME TO BE IN AND I'M DISABLED!!! I WANTED TO SEE IF YOU ALL CAN HELP WITH THESE ISSUES WITH THE ENGINE AS WELL!!!ALL RECALLS ON THIS MODEL
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11298277January 9, 2020
SERVICE BRAKES
THE FCW FORWARD COLLISION WARNING SYSTEM SEEMS TO NOT GET ACTIVATED UNDER ANY CIRCUSNSTANCES. I HAVE CHANGED THE SENSITIVITY OF THE SYSTEM TO ALL LEVELS AND IT NEVER SEEMS TO DETECT THE CAR IN FRONT OF IT. IT NEVER WARNS YOU OF AN INMINENT COLLISION. THE CAR IS ALWAYS IN MOTION WHEN I TRIED THE SYSTEM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11297876January 8, 2020
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED ABNORMALLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED OR INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11297998January 8, 2020
SEATS
THE ELECTRIC DRIVERS SEAT HAS FAILED. MOTORS NOT ENGAGED. FUSE LINK OK. DEALERSHIP REPLACED CONTROL PANEL. STILL NO POWER TO SEAT. SEAT IS NOW IN FORWARD POSITION.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11298049January 8, 2020
ENGINE
I WAS DRIVING THE CAR AT ABOUT 45 MPH, AND SUDDENLY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, BATTERY, AND THE OIL LIGHT ALL CAME ON AT ONCE AND MY CAR STOPPED MOVING. THOUGHT IT WAS THE BATTERY OR THE STARTER AT FIRST BUT NOW I'M PRETTY SURE ITS EITHER THE ENGINE GOT LOCKED UP OR THE WIRES IN THE CAR JUST BURNT UP.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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