Kia Optima Complaints

7,843 consumer complaints on file.

#11280557November 16, 2019
VISIBILITY/WIPER
WHEN WINTER (THE COLD)COMES MY BACK UP CAMERA STOPS WORKING. I LOOKED IT UP ONLINE AND LOTS OF PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH KIAS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11280235November 15, 2019
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I WAS DRIVING TO WORK-FREEWAY 65 WHEN CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND OIL LIGHT CAME ON. THE CAR DROPPED POWER AND I COULD HAVE HAD SERIOUS INJURIES TO MYSELF AND OTHERS. I CONTACTED KIA AND THEY HAD IT TOWED TO DEALER-DEALER AND KIA 800# GIVE YOU THE RUN AROUND-THEY SAID THERE ENGINEERS TOLD THEM WE NEED TO DO OIL COMSUMPTION TEST AND TOLD ME TO PICK UP THIS DANGEROUS CAR AND DRIVE IT. I HAVE MADE NUMEROUS CALLS TO KIA AND THEY NEVER CALL BACK- I EVEN ASKED THE SERVICE MANAGER IF HE HAS DRIVEN MY CAR AND HE SAID NO. THIS IS NOT TAKING CARE OF YOUR CONSUMERS/CUSTOMERS TO EVEN ASK ME TO PLACE MY LIFE IN DANGER TO KEEP DRIVING THIS CAR-THEY ARE WELL AWARE OF FIRES AND THE SERIOUSNESS OF DRIVING THIS CAR AND PUTTING OTHERS IN DANGER-MY CAR HAS SAT AT KIA -INDEPENDENCE, MO FOR 2 1/2 WEEKS AND I ALSO RECEIVED NO RECALL NOTICE EVER. MY CAR HAD 5 RECALLS AT THE TIME IT WAS TOWED THE MOST SERIOUS RECALL IS SC147 NHTSA 17V224 MY CAR HAD 65,000 MILES . THERE IS NO WAY I WILL DRIVE THAT CAR UNTIL KIA RESOLVES THE ISSUES, I ALSO HAD LARGE AMOUNT OF WHITE SMOKE- COMING FROM TAIL PIPE-DEALER SAID CAR BURNING OIL DON,T KNOW WHERE,WELL THAT ISN.T SO TRUE. DEALER AID MOTOR NEEDS REPLACED BUT IT IS OUT OF THERE HANDS BECAUSE ENGINEERS SAID OIL TEST NEEDS DONE.DRIVE IT COME IN EVERY WEEK SO THEY CAN SEE HOW MUCH OIL IT BURNS-I AM GLAD THEY THINK OUR TIME ISN.T IMPORTANT OR OUR SAFETY-THIS IS THERE MISTAKES AND THEY NEED TO RESOLVE IT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11280143November 14, 2019
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
ON 9/3/2019 I TOOK MY 2012 KIA OPTIMA TO GOSSETT KIA SOUTH TO GET IT REPAIRED. IT DIDNT GET FIXED BEFORE I LEFT THE LOT MY CAR WAS SMOKING AND LEAKING ANTIFREEZE. I WAS STRANDED FOR 4 DAYS AFTER THAT DAY. I WENT TO THE NEAREST PART STORE AND PURCHASED A BOTTOM RADIATOR HOSE AND ANTIFREEZE. I HAD A MOBILE MECHANIC TO PUT THE HOSE ON. THERE AFTER I WAS STRANDED AGAIN THE CAR WOULDN'T START. I HAD IT TOWED TO FIRESTONE 10/4/2019. MY CAR STAYED THE LOT FOR A MONTH AND IT WAS THEN TOWED TO GOSSETT KIA NORTH FROM THERE IT HAS BEEN REPOSSESSED. I MADE PAYMENT ARRANGEMENTS TO GET THE CAR BACK I AM DETERMINED TO GET MY CAR REPAIRED. I USE THE CAR TO MAKE IT TO APPOINTMENTS. I AM DISABLED AND THIS DOESNT SEEM FAIR AT ALL IM PAYING NOTES ON A NONWORKING CAR. I HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON WITH FURTHER ADVICE
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11279788November 13, 2019
ENGINE
AS MY SON WAS DRIVING OUR KIA DOWN A HIGHWAY IN ROCKWELL NC IT JUST SHUT OFF, LOSS POWER WOULD NOT START BACK UP, SO HAD IT TOWED TO REPAIR SHOP AND MECHANIC SAID THE MOTOR IS SEIZED UP, SO I SEARCHED ONLINE FOR RECALLS AND THE EXACT THING HAS HAPPEN TO A TEE TO PEOPLE WHO WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD OR HIGHWAY AND THE CAR JUST SHUTS OFF THANKFULLY MY SON OR ANYONE ELSE DIDN'T GET HURT...
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11279899November 13, 2019
ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH AND THE CHECK ENGINE OIL INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER AND FILLED THE VEHICLE WITH OIL, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE VEHICLE RECENTLY HAD AN OIL CHANGE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE ROD AND IGNITION COIL WERE DEFECTIVE. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11279652November 12, 2019
STEERING
STEERING WHEEL MAKES CLICKING SOUND WHEN IT IS TURNED, ADDITIONALLY, THE PART BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL RATTLES A LOT, ALMOST AS IF ITS LOSE. THE CLICKING HAPPENS WHEN I ATTEMPT TO TURN RIGHT OR LEFT AND THE RATTLING HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR IS IN MOTION.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11279323November 11, 2019
ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
THE CAR STARTED TO MAKE A TICKING SOUND, WHILE IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET, QUICKLY TOOK THE CAR TO A SHOP & WAS TOLD THAT THE PART THAT HAD TO GET FIXED HAS TO DO WITH THE CODE PO1326
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11279454November 11, 2019
ENGINE
DRIVING THE VEHICLE DOWN THE FEEDER ROAD OF THE BELTWAY GOING ABOUT 40 TO 45 MILES PER HOUR WITH NO WARNING LIGHTS DISPLAYED OR ANYTHING WRONG AND RUNNING NORMALLY THEN OUT OF BLUE THE ENGINES SPUTTERS SHUDDERS AND DIES. THIS VEHICLE WAS A CHANGE THE OIL EVERY 3,000 MILE VEHICLE. I WAS FORTUNATE TO HAVE AN APARTMENT DRIVEWAY TO COAST INTO. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO THE SHOP I'VE USED FOR 15 YEARS AND GOT THE CALL THE ENGINE HAD SEIZED UP!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11279229November 10, 2019
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC), VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
VEHICLE'S ABS BRAKE ACTIVATE RANDOMLY ILLUMINATING THE ABS BRAKE SIGNAL ON DASHBOARD,WHILE IN MOTION AND WITHOUT TOUCHING THE BRAKES. THIS CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO DECELERATE AND HAS MADE THE VEHICLE COME TO A NEAR COMPLETE STOP. EVEN IF THE GAS PEDAL IS PRESSED TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE WILL NOT INCREASE SPEED, ONLY DECREASE. THE ISSUE HAPPENS 8/10 TIMES WHILE MAKING TURNS AND APPROX 5/10 WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT ON FREEWAY . THIS HAPPENED ON 11/08/2019 IN THE EVENING, I IMMEDIATELY TOOK MY VEHICLE BACK TO KIA AND THEY CLAIMED TO HAVE DRIVEN MY CAR FOR 20 MILES AND DIDN'T SEE OR EXPERIENCE ANY ISSUES. MY CAR IS A 2012 AND ONLY HAS 58, 388 MILES. I DEMANDED THEY KEEP LOOKING BUT THEY CAUGHT AN ATTITUDE LIKE I MADE THE SCENARIO UP AND ANY STATED THAT I SHOULD DRIVE THE CAR WITH THEIR MECHANIC AS THEY "CANNOT REPLICATE MY DRIVING", LIKE I'M DRIVING IN THE [XXX] INDY 500. SINCE IT IS NOW SUNDAY, AND THE DEALER IS CLOSED IT WILL BE SITTING IN THEIR SERVICE CENTER MONDAY MORNING! PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11279067November 8, 2019
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE LIGHTS ON MY DASHBOARD CAME ON AND THE CAR BEGAN TO LOSE POWER/SPEED AND THEN THE CAR STOPPED AND I WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE AND SOME MINOR SMOKE AND WEIRD SMELL
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11278778November 7, 2019
ENGINE
THIS IS MY NEW CAR, I BOUGHT IT BECAUSE MY GOOD EXPERIENCE WITH THE 2 KIA SPECTRA WE BOUGHT FOR WORK MORE THAN 10 YEARS AGO AND BECAUSE THE BEAUTIFUL SHAPE AND COMFORD INSIDE. BIG MISTAKE !!! WHEN YOU ARE IN A DATE WITH SOMEBODY IS BETTER TO WAIT , BEAUTY SEXY BODY NOT ALWAYS COME WITH A GOOD SOUL OR ENGINE. ONE WEEK BEFORE MY FIRST CAR PAYMENT DRIVING CHARLOTTE OCT. 20 , DOWN I-77 MY CAR BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN, THEN ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, FEW SECONDS LATER THE BATTERY LIGHT AS WELL, LOW OIL LIGHT, ALL THE ALARMS GO ON LIKE A CHRISTMAS TREE. IN MIDDLE OF THAT CHAOS LOOKING FOR A SAFE PLACE TO STOP THE FRONT DRIVE TIRE HIT A POTHOLE AND CAUSED DAMAGES TO THE BOTTON OF THE CAR. FEW MINUTES LATER THE CAR STARTED AGAIN AND I MOVED IT TO A BUSINESS PARK WHERE IT DIED 100 % . I PAID TO A TOW COMPANY TO MOVE IT TO MY HOUSE AND NEXT DAY TO THE KEFFER KIA DEALER HERE IN MOORESVILLE WHERE I BOUGHT IT. IF THIS HAPPENS DRIVING AT THE MOUNTAINS I CAN KILL SOMEBODY OR KILL MY FAMILY WITH A FAULTY CAR AND THE DEALER KNOWS ABOUT THE ENGINES PROBLEMS BUT THEY NOT TAKE AND REFUSE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR CARS, NOW THE SECOND CAR PAYMENT IS COMING AND IS NOT WAY TO GO TO WORK WITHOUT A CAR. BECAUSE ALL THE INFO. FROM THE CAR COMPUTER IS GONE THEY SAY IS MY FAULT. ANY IDEA WHAT TO DO?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11278499November 6, 2019
SERVICE BRAKES
I WAS DRIVING 60-70 MPH WHEN MY HYBRID SYSTEM ALERTED ME THAT MY BREAKS WERE AN ISSUE. I THEN TRIED TO SLOW AND COULD NOT. THE CAR SLOWED ITSELF AS A SAFTY PROCAUTION BUT I WAS IN 70 MPH TRAFFIC. NOT SAFE. IT WOULD NOT COMPLETELY STOP SO I WAS FORCED WITH THE OPTION OF HITTING A TREE TO MAKE IT STOP. KIA SAYS THAT IT MY BREAKS ELECTRICAL SYSTEM BUT THAT DOESN'T MAKE SINCE. I HAVE MY CAR WORKED ON REPEATEDLY TO AVOID THIS AND NOW LOOK? SOMETHING MALFUNCTIONED THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11278236November 5, 2019
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
BEEN HAVING ISSUES WITH THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW FOR SOME TIME. WHEN PUSHING THE WINDOW UP, IT KEEPS GOING BACK DOWN. AFTER MENTIONING IT TO THE KIA DEALER THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. WELL, JUST YESTERDAY THE ENTIRE WINDOW MADE A CRACKING SOUND WHILE TRYING TO ROLL IT UP WHILE DRIVING. THEN THE ENTIRE WINDOW JUST FELL ALL THE WAY DOWN AND NOW IT WON'T GO UP AT ALL WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. NOT SURE IF IT CAME OFF THE TRACKS OR IF IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE MOTOR. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH I HAVE NOTICED THAT A LOT OF KIA OWNERS HAVE OR HAD THAT SAME ISSUE. THIS IS DEFINITELY SOME KIND OF DEFECT/PROBLEM IF SO MANY HAVE THE SAME ISSUE AND IT SHOULD BE RECALLED SINCE IT SEEMS LIKE A PROBLEM WITH THE MANUFACTURER.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11278319November 5, 2019
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS, SUSPENSION
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT AN ALIGNMENT COULD NOT BE PERFORMED BECAUSE THE SUBFRAME WAS FRACTURED. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V183000(SUSPENSION). THE CONTACT CALLED BOB ROHRMAN KIA (801 SAGAMORE PKWY S, LAFAYETTE, IN 47905, 765-746-7301) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE RECALL REPAIR HAD ALREADY BEEN PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT ASSIST SINCE THE RECALL REPAIR HAD BEEN COMPLETED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 168,531.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11278096November 4, 2019
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC), ENGINE
"HALF" OF THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED IN JULY 2019. NOW BURNS OIL LIKE CRAZY. ON OCTOBER 29TH 2019 WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 40 MPH THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHUT OFF LEAVING ME WITH NO POWER STEERING. I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE ROAD SAFELY AND CALL FOR A TOW. I AM SECOND OWNER SO WARRANTY IS OUT BY ABOUT 2,600 MILES. DEALER HAD I FOR A WEEK AT ONE POINT THEY SAID IT WAS FIXED WHEN THEY WERE PULLING IT AROUND FRONT FOR ME IT STOPPED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11277793November 3, 2019
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VISIBILITY/WIPER, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
2012 KIA OPTIMA EX WITH 48000 MILES NOW DRIVER-SIDE HEADLIGHT STOPPED WORKING, SO AS OF NOW I AM DRIVING WITH PASSENGER SIDELIGHT IN COMBINATION WITH PARKING LIGHTS. BUYING KIA OPTIMA IS THE BIGGEST MISTAKE I HAVE EVER DONE, IT SEEMS EVERY MONTH SOMETHING GOES WRONG WITH THIS VEHICLE. SURPRISINGLY NHTSA HAS NOT TAKEN ANY ACTION AS PER KIA OPTIMA WELL KNOWN DEFECTS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11277844November 3, 2019
ENGINE, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HEADLIGHTS ARE SO DIM YOU CAN BARELY SEE USING LOW BEAM LIGHTS AND HIGH BEAMS ARE BARELY BRIGHTER THAN REGULAR BEAMS ON OTHER CARS. HAVE REPLACED THE HEADLIGHT BULBS 4 TIMES AND IT HAS NEVER CHANGED THE PROBLEM. ENGINE SEIZED UP WITH NO WARNING OR MECHANICAL SIGNS WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11277726November 2, 2019
STEERING
I WAS DRIVING TODAY AND THE STEERING LOCKED UP WHILE I WAS MOVING.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11277583November 1, 2019
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
VEHICLE WAS FINE, STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT, ENGINE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING, NO LIGHTS ON DASHBOARD, AND TURNED OFF.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11277301October 31, 2019
ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, BUT IT WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS A DEFECTIVE BEARING IN THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V224000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING), BUT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to Kia Optima