Kia Optima Complaints

7,843 consumer complaints on file.

#11267974October 11, 2019
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
KIA HAS NOW SETTLED THEIR CLASS ACTION SUIT FOR ALL THE OTHER VEHICLES, YET THE HYBRIDS ARE STILL BEING LEFT OUT OF ANY RECALLS. THERE IS PLENTY OF EVIDENCE IN THE COMPLAINTS HERE THAT SOMETHING IS WRONG. I SUNK $7000 THAT I DIDN'T HAVE TO SPARE INTO GETTING A NEW ENGINE PUT IN THIS CAR. ONLY TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION BLOW RIGHT AFTER I GOT THE CAR BACK FROM KIA AFTER WAITING 6 MONTHS FOR AN ENGINE. THE TRANSMISSION COST ANOTHER $5000, AND IT TOOK THEM THREE TRANSMISSIONS TO INSTALL A NON-FAULTY TRANSMISSION. I ALMOST LOST MY JOB BECAUSE I COULDN'T RELIABLY GET TO WORK ON TIME, IF AT ALL. KIA THEMSELVES HAVE SAID THAT THE ENGINES WEREN'T MANUFACTURED CORRECTLY AND THAT LABOR BEING DONE IN KIA DEALERSHIPS WASN'T BEING DONE CORRECTLY. HYBRID ENGINES SHOULD ABSOLUTELY NOT BE BLOWING RODS AT 60000 MILES, OR 80000 MILES, AND NOT EVEN 100000 MILES. KIA IS KNOWINGLY DELAYING ANY SORT OF RECALL AND FORCING PEOPLE TO GO INTO FURTHER DEBT OR LOSE JOBS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11268026October 11, 2019
ENGINE
AFTER SEVERAL TRIPS TO MY DEALERSHIP ABOUT ENGINE PROBLEMS, FROM ENGINE SMOKE, LOSS OF POWER, ENGINE KNOCKING, CHUGGING WHEN I'M DRIVING AS IF IT WERE GOING TO STALL. THEY TURNED ME DOWN SO I'VE HAD NO OTHER OPTION THAN TO DEAL WITH IT . NOW MY CAR IS BURNING OIL, ABOUT A QUART A WEEK. IT CONSTANTLY SMELLS OF BURNING OIL AND THE CHUGGING WHEN DRIVING THE CAR HAS GOTTEN WAY WORSE TO WHERE IT FEELS LIKE MY CAR IS ABOUT TO COMPLETELY STALL AND SHUT OFF. I COULD DRIVE IT 5 MINUTES OR FOR AN HOUR AND IT ACTS THE SAME. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE EVEN DRIVING THIS CAR ANYMORE. PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11267705October 10, 2019
ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, STEERING
ON INTERSTATE 675 NORTH-GA CAR STALLED, LOST POWER TO THE ENGINE, EPS LIGHT, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, OIL LIGHT CAME ON ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, NO POWER STEERING. I HAD TO CROSS TWO LANES OF INTERSTATE TRAFFIC TO TRY TO MAKE IT SAFELY TO THE SHOULDER. MY CAR WOULDN'T TURN OVER OR START. I LET THE CAR SIT FOR AN HOUR AND TRIED AGAIN TO START IT. I RECEIVED NO NOTICE OF ANY RECALLS FROM THE DEALER OR THE MANUFACTURER. IT WAS A DANGEROUS SITUATION TO BE IN ON THE INTERSTATE OR ANYWHERE FOR THAT MATTER.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11267758October 10, 2019
ENGINE
I AM STARTING TO EXPERIENCE ENGINE TROUBLE WITH MY 2016 KIA OPTIMA. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW WITH 0 MILES. MY ISSUE STATED ON FRIDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 27TH WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. IMMEDIATELY, I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP SATURDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 28TH. THE TECH PERSON AT KIA COUNTRY OF SAVANNAH HOOK THE COMPUTER DEVICE TO FIND THE ISSUE. HE STATED IT WAS DUE TO AIR FLOW SENSOR. I ADVISED HIM I WOULD BE TRAVELING TO PORT CANAVERAL, FL IN THE EARLY MORNING FOR A CRUISE. HE SAID THE VEHICLE WOULD BE FINE AND I WOULD LOSE A MILE OR TWO ON FUEL ECONOMY. WTH! HE DISENGAGED THE ENGINE WARNING SIGNAL THEN SAYS "IF IT COME BACK ON, YOU WILL BE OKAY." WELL, THE NEXT MORNING, I DROVE MY CAR TO ORLANDO FOR AN OVERNIGHT STAY THEN ON TO PORT CANAVERAL THE FOLLOWING MONDAY. OF COURSE, I DROVE AROUND ORLANDO AREA. THE CHECK ENGINE COME ON, AGAIN, THEN WENT OFF ON ITS OWN. HERE IS WHERE THINGS REALLY WENT DOWNHILL. I MADE IT BACK TO SAVANNAH DURING A BAD THUNDERSTORM. THE CAR STARTED TO STUTTER LIKE IT WAS ABOUT TO SHUT OFF. I MANAGED TO GET THE CAR HOME AND PARKED IT UNTIL MONDAY MORNING. UPON DRIVING TO THE DEALERSHIP, I LOST ALL ACCELERATION POWER AND COAST FOR ABOUT AN HALF MILE TO THE SERVICE CENTER. BY THIS TIME, I AM ABOUT TO EXPLODE WITH ANGER. MY CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP SINCE MONDAY MORNING, I AM DRIVING A RENTAL CAR PAID BY THE DEALERSHIP. FINALLY, YESTERDAY, I WAS TOLD THE ISSUE WAS THE WIRING HARNESS THAT WAS COVERED BY A RECALL. I BROUGHT THE CAR IN THEM MONTHS AGO ABOUT SOME KNOCKING NOISES THAT I HEARD. ONLY TO BE TOLD, I WAS HEARING THINGS. AFTER READING REVIEWS, I AM CONCERNED THAT ISSUE IS GOING TO GROW INTO A MAJOR ONE. THE CAR HAS ONLY 36,000 MILES.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11267797October 10, 2019
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
FUEL LEVEL INDICATOR ON DASHBOARD SHOWS WRONG A GAS LEVEL CONSTANTLY , FUEL PUMP ISSUE WHICH SENDS WRONG INFO TO THE DASHBOARD
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11267335October 9, 2019
STEERING
MY CAR HAS BEEN MAKING A VERY LOUD CLICKING SOUND IN THE STEERING. I ALSO HAVE A HARD TIME STEERING AS IT PULLS AND IT SHAKES AND WILL STEERING.. IT VERY SCARY AND IT FEELS LIKE ITS GOING TO LOCK UP AT TIMES. THE CAR ONLY HAS 23,000 MILES ON IT.. GARAGE KEPT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11267332October 9, 2019
ENGINE
DURING MY LAST VISIT TO THE KIA DEALER FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND TIRE ROTATION, THEY INFORMED MY THAT I HAD NO OIL INDICATING ON THE DIP STICK. NO LEAKS DETECTED SO MUST BE BURNING OIL. EVERY TIME I DRIVE, I CAN SMELL BURNING OIL AND TAIL PIPE ARE COMPLETELY BLACK.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11267367October 9, 2019
AIR BAGS
KIA RECALLED OPTIMAS UP UNTIL JANUARY 2008 FOR FAULTY CLOCK SPRING. I HAVE A KIA OPTIMA THAT WAS BUILT IN MARCH 2008. I JUST PAID ALMOST 500.00 TO REPLACE THE CLOCK SPRING BECAUSE MY MONTH AND YEAR WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. WHY DID KIA STOP THE RECALL AFTER JANUARY 2008 WHEN THERE WERE STILL 2008'S WITH CLOCK SPRING ISSUES. I STARTED MY CAR AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT WOULD NOT GO OFF. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD I HAD A BAD CLOCK SPRING. I'M SURE THESE THINGS DO NOT WEAR OUT BEING THEY ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE AIRBAG SYSTEM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11267541October 9, 2019
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHILE PARKED IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS (ON STREET, AT GAS PUMP, IN PARKING LOTS), AND ON ABOUT 8-10 OCCASIONS, I WAS UNABLE TO GET THE CAR TO START AFTER DEPRESSING THE BRAKE AND START BUTTON ON MY CAR. ALL THE LIGHTS LIT UP ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE RADIO WENT ON AS WELL - THE REST OF THE CAR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WORKED FINE. THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME VERY STIFF AND WAS HARD TO DEPRESS. I PUT MY KEY FOB INTO THE BYPASS IN THE TRUNK AND IT STILL WOULD NOT START. THE ONLY WAY TO GET THE CAR TO START WAS TO DEPRESS THE STIFF BRAKE PEDAL, THEN SHIFT FROM P TO D AND BACK AGAIN. THEN THE BRAKE PEDAL SEEMED TO LOOSEN UP AND I WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR SUCCESSFULLY. I HAD RESEARCHED THE REMEDY THROUGH YOU TUBE. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED WAS OCTOBER 2, 2018 AND IT HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 8-10 TIMES SINCE THEN. I HAVE A VIDEO OF THE PROBLEM, BUT NOT OF THE SOLUTION THAT I FOUND ONLINE, THEREFORE I AM UNABLE TO ATTACH ANY DOCUMENTATION. I NOTICED THAT THE REPLACEMENT OF THE BRAKE SWITCH WAS "VOLUNTARY" NHTSA # 13V-114, BUT FEEL THAT THIS SHOULD BE A MANDATORY FIX INSTEAD SINCE IT HAS HAPPENED SO OFTEN TO ME. JUST LAST WEEK WHEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN, I REMEMBERED WHAT TO DO QUICKLY AS I WAS STUCK IN A LONG LINE AT THE GAS STATION JUST LAST WEEK, WITH CARS HONKING AT ME TO MOVE WHEN I COULD NOT. IT HAPPENED TO ME THE LAST TIME JUST YESTERDAY 10/8/2019 INSIDE MY GARAGE. PLEASE LOOK INTO MAKING THIS A MANDATORY RECALL. I WILL BE CONTACTING MY LOCAL DEALER THIS WEEK AS WELL. THANK YOU.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11267291October 9, 2019
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED IN ANY DIRECTION, IT MADE A CLICKING NOISE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO BILL BRYAN KIA (9039 US-441, LEESBURG, FL 34788) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COUPLER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND KIA ISSUED COVERAGE THROUGH EXTENDED WARRANTIES FOR CERTAIN VEHICLES BASED ON THEIR LOCATION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE EXTENDED WARRANTY DUE TO ITS PRODUCTION DATE. THE MANUFACTURER REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA TO FILE A COMPLAINT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,751. *CW*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11267314October 9, 2019
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC), EXTERIOR LIGHTING
MY ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON AFTER PRESSING THE BRAKE ON A WET STREET WHILE MY VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THE NEXT DAY I WENT TO GET A OIL CHANGE AND NOTICED THAT MY TAIL LIGHTS DID NOT WORK WHEN I PRESSED THE BRAKES. MY TAIL LIGHTS WORK BUT THE TAIL LIGHTS DID NOT. I CHANGED THE BULBS AND THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTED. I ALSO CHANGED THE BRAKE LIGHT PEDAL SWITCH BUT THAT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. MY TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS FAIL TO WORK ALL THE TIME.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11266953October 8, 2019
AIR BAGS
CLOCK SPRING IN STEERING WHEEL BROKE. HAS BEEN LIKE THIS FOR YEAR.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11267177October 8, 2019
STEERING
I'VE BEEN DRIVING LATELY AND THE STEERING WHEEL GETS PRETTY STIFF AND UNABLE TO TURN WITHOUT APPLYING FORCE. IT HAS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING IN THE CITY, TURNING AND ALSO IN THE FREEWAY.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11267191October 8, 2019
POWER TRAIN
WAS TRAVELING TO DALLAS, TEXAS FROM WACO, TEXAS ON 10/05/2019. THE TRANSMISSION IN MY VEHICLE WENT OUT. THE VEHICLE SURGED ERRATICALLY MULTIPLE TIMES, WHILE THE CAR WAS SLOWING DOWN, SPEED LIMIT WAS 75MPH, WITH BARRIERS ON BOTH SIDES (NO SHOULDER ON EITHER SIDE. OF INTERSTATE 35 NORTH) MY VEHICLE GOT DOWN TO ABOUT 40MPH WHEN WE HAD TO COAST UNTIL I FINALLY FOUND A BREAK IN THE BARRIERS. WAS A VERY SCARY SITUATION. THEY WERE VEHICLES OBVIOUSLY DRIVING SPEED. LIMIT BEHIND US. I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE INTERSTATE AND CALL ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE. THEY TOWED THE VEHICLE BACK TO UNIVERSITY KIA IN WACO, TEXAS. WHERE IT CURRENTLY SITS, AWAITING A NEW TRANSMISSION. WE ARE TERRIFIED TO GET BEHIND THE WHEEL OF THIS CAR AGAIN. ALL I AM BEING TOLD IS THAT A NEW TRANSMISSION IS BEING ORDERED AT THIS TIME.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11266698October 7, 2019
ENGINE
2012 KIA WAS TAKEN IN FOR A ENGINE RECALL IN 2017. KIA INFORMED ME THAT IT HAD PASSED INSPECTION AND RELEASED THE CAR. 2019 THE ENGINE SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING, TRAVELING 40MPH ON A BUSY ROAD. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER TO FIND A SOMEWHAT SAFE LOCATION. MY ENGINE BEGAN TO SMOKE VERY BADLY FROM A POSSIBLE SMALL FIRE. AFTER A WEEK WITHOUT A CAR, OUT OF POCKET TOWS, DIAGNOSTICS, RENTALS, ETC. KIA CONFIRMED IT WAS AN ENGINE ISSUE RELATED TO THE RECALL. MY SAFETY WAS PLACED AT RISK AFTER I FELT ALL THE RECALLS HAD BEEN TAKEN CARE OF. I COULD OF VERY WELL BEEN IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT, AND LUCKILY I DID NOT HAVE MY CHILDREN THAT DAY. TODAY, MY CAR HAS HAD A REPLACEMENT ENGINE, YET I DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE. I AM STILL TRYING TO RECOVER THE OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES. I HAVE BEEN SPOKEN TO VERY RUDELY AND IN A UNPROFESSIONAL MANNER FROM KIA. THE COMPANY IS NOT WILLING TO PAY FOR ALL OF MY EXPENSES WHILE THE CAR THAT I HAVE PURCHASED FROM THEM PUT ME IN HARMS WAY. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER KIA AGAIN AND AM CONSIDERING A LAW SUIT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11266808October 7, 2019
STEERING
MY 2011 KIA OPTIMA EX STARTED MAKING A LOUD RATTLING SOUND IN THE STEERING COLUMN AREA. ANY LITTLE BUMP OR DIP MADE IT WORSE AND MUCH LOUDER. THIS PROBLEM IS ONLY GETTING WORSE AND THE STEERING FEELS VERY UNSAFE. I NOTICED THIS WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11266870October 7, 2019
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA OPTIMA. AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE TO RICART KIA (4255 S HAMILTON RD #210, GROVEPORT, OH 43125, 614-836-6503), THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT WATER HAD ACCUMULATED IN THE PASSENGER SIDE TAIL LIGHT, WHICH LED TO THE TAIL LIGHT NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD CONTINUE TO OCCUR AND RECOMMENDED THAT HE FILE A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA TO HAVE THE DEFECT PLACED UNDER RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11266554October 6, 2019
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, WHEELS
MY CAR KEEPS HAVING SOME KIND OF AN ELECTRICAL GLITCH WHERE IT SEEMS MY BATTERY IS DEAD COMPLETELY WIPES THE MEMORY FROM THE CAR THEN IT'LL START 1 MINUTE LATER, TIRES KEEP GETTING EATING FROM THE INSIDE JUST ABOVE THE RIM, MOTOR HAS BEEN MAKING A TICKING NOISE SINCE I GOT THE CAR IT WAS LOOKED AT AS ONE OF THE RECALLS AND SAID IT WAS FINE, I FEEL THIS CAR IS UNSAFE FOR ME AND MY FAMILY, THE HAS EVEN SHUT OFF AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD ACTED LIKE IT WAS THE BATTERY WAS DEAD AND IT STARTED A COUPLE MINUTES LATER
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11266602October 6, 2019
ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I HAVE A 2015 KIA OPTIMA PURCHASED IN OCTOBER 2017 WITH 34K MILES APPROX. I AM CONSTANTLY PUTTING OIL IN MY CAR AND IT SEEMS TO EVAPORATE IN 2-3 DAYS. THERE IS NO LEAK AND WE HAVE NO IDEA WHY THE CAR IS CONSUMING SO MUCH OIL. LATELY THE CAR HAS BEEN KNOCKING AND WHEN ACCELERATING TO MERGE ONTO HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE STARTS TO SPUTTER AND BEGINS TO STALL. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THIS VEHICLE WITH MY CHILDREN AND NO LONGER USE THIS VEHICLE ON A DAILY BASIS. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, I FIND THAT THIS YEAR VEHICLE HAS THE MOST OVERALL CONSUMER COMPLAINTS AND THERE STILL HAS YET TO BE A RECALL ON THE ENGINE? I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY KIA SKIPPED THIS YEAR?? LET ALONE BLAME CONSUMERS THAT IT'S THEIR FAULT FOR NOT FOLLOWING THE MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE, YET WHEN TOLD THE SCHEDULE HAS BEEN FOLLOWED, WILL FIND SOME OTHER LAME EXCUSE SO THE MANUFACTURER IS NOT AT FAULT. WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE TO HAVE THIS ENGINE RECALLED? WE AS CONSUMERS, MYSELF, A SINGLE HARD WORKING PARENT, DO NOT HAVE THE MEANS TO BUY ANOTHER VEHICLE JUST BECAUSE KIA SAYS IT'S NOT THEIR FAULT. THIS PROBLEM STARTED BEGINNING OF APRIL 2019, MY VEHICLE HAS 52K.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11266660October 6, 2019
ENGINE
MY CAR PUTS OUT EXHAUST AND LOSES POWER WHILE STEPPING ON THE GAS PEDDLE. OIL DISAPPEARS WHEN THIS HAPPENS. HAVE TO PUT OIL IN MY CAR ABOUT EVERY 2 WEEKS. ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND CAR WON'T GO. BEEN IN SHOP 4 TIMES BUT KIA WILL NOT FIX IT CORRECTLY BECAUSE THE ENGINE CODE THAT THEY NEED TO FIX THE ENGINE DOESN'T COME ON SO I NOW DON'T HAVE A CAR TO DRIVE BECAUSE THEY SAY THE ONLY FIX IS A NEW ENGINE BUT THEY WON'T FIX IT. ON GOING ISSUE FOR PAST 5 MONTHS. SAME THING EVERYTIME. THEY PUT A BANDAGE ON IT AND THEN IT LASTS FOR ABOUT 2 TO 5 WEEKS AND THEN DIES AGAIN. SAME ISSUE EVERY SINGLE TIME. THIS HAPPENS WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION AND THEN WHEN IT LOSES POWER MY CAR JUST SLOWS DOWN VERY QUICKLY AND WON'T GO. DANGEROUS/SCARY WHEN THIS HAPPENS ON THE FREEWAY. THE CAR ALSO DOES THIS BUCKING WHERE IT FEELS LIKE IT IS TRYING TO GO BUT WON'T.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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