Kia Optima Complaints

7,843 consumer complaints on file.

#11255726September 16, 2019
ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING CAR SHUT OFF. STARTED SMOKING AND NOW WILL NOT START
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11255225September 13, 2019
ENGINE
'GLOW RELAY RECALL' VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET WHEN THE ENGINE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING AND THE CAR WENT INTO LIMP MODE AND REQUIRED ME TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. THE ENGINE WAS SCANNED FOR THE CODE AND CAME UP AS P1326 'GLOW RELAY STUCK ON'. I LOOKED IT UP AND SAW THAT IT CAN BE COMMON IN THE HYUNDAI SONATA WHICH IS HYUNDAI'S VERSION OF A KIA OPTIMA WITH THE SAME ENGINE AND HYUNDAI DOES HAVE A RECALL FOR THAT ISSUE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11255239September 13, 2019
POWER TRAIN, STEERING
I WAS CHANGING OUT THE FRONT BRAKE PADS AND I NOTICED ON THE DRIVER SIDE THE BOOT AROUND THE AXEL HAD CRACKED AND THE GREASE HAD LEAKED OUT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11255251September 13, 2019
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, WHITE SMOKE WAS PRESENT COMING FROM THE EXHAUST PIPES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO PEAK KIA NORTH (1111 S. GATE DR, WINDSOR, CO) WHERE THE ENGINE WAS FLUSHED, BUT THE FAILURE REMAINED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, BUT NO SERVICE CODES WERE PRESENT. THE MANUFACTURER DENIED THE REQUEST TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11255422September 13, 2019
AIR BAGS
AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND SAYS I NEED TO REPLACE THE AIRBAGS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. NOW AIRBAG SYSTEM IS DISENGAGED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11255032September 12, 2019
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
WHILST THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION ON ANY ROAD THE HEADLIGHTS WILL SHUT THEMSELVES OFF FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN TURN BACK ON. THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE SWITCH SETTING IS SET TO AUTO OR IS IN THE ON POSITION. WHEN I GOOGLE SEARCH THE ISSUE I SEE THAT THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WITH THIS ISSUE. THE DISPLAY ON THE DASHBOARD WHICH DISPLAYS THE LIGHT SWITCH SETTINGS POPS UP AND HIGHLIGHTS THE "AUTO" POSITION AND THEN DISAPPEARS. I AM NOT SURE IF THE SAME THING HAPPENS WHEN THE SWITCH IS IN THE "ON" POSITION. WHEN IT HAPPENS I WILL SOMETIMES MOVE THE SWITCH AND THE LIGHTS COME ON AGAIN, AND SOMETIMES THIS DOES NOT HELP AND I AM DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH NO HEADLIGHTS AND IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY ON VERY DARK ROADS. WHEN DRIVING IN THE DAYLIGHT I WILL SEE THE DISPLAY FOR THE LIGHT SWITCH POSITION APPEAR ON THE DASHBOARD INDICATING THAT THIS CONDITION IS HAPPENING DURING THE DAY AS WELL. THIS IS HAPPENING MORE AND MORE, IT HAPPENS ALMOST EVERY TIME I DRIVE THE CAR.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11255060September 12, 2019
POWER TRAIN
AFTER THE KIA DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION THE FIRST TIME. DUE TO A MCU FAILURE. 2 WEEKS LATER CAR WAS DUE FOR OIL CHANGE, JIFFY LUBE STATED MY TRANSMISSION WAS LEAKING. I TOOK IT BACK TO KIA. AFTER 2 DAYS OF IT BEI N.V G IN THE SHOP. I WENT TO KIA ON THE 3RD DAY, TO CHECK IT ON THE CAR AND WAS TOLD THE DEALERSHIP WAS WAITING ON APPROVAL FROM KIA AUTOMOTIVE TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION A 2ND TIME DO TO THE LEAKING OF THE FIRST TRANSMISSION
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11255077September 12, 2019
POWER TRAIN
VEHICLE CONTINUES TO RUN HOT AFTER REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS FROM A CERTIFIED KIA DEALER. ENGINE HAD BEEN REPLACED ONCE AND CONTINUES TO EXHIBIT THE SAME BEHAVIORS AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS AT RESOLVING THE ISSUE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11255095September 12, 2019
AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE HORN FAILED TO SOUND. KIA OF IRVINE (LOCATED AT 45 OLDFIELD, IRVINE, CA 92618, 949-612-9514) WAS CALLED AND STATED THAT THE FAILURES WERE NOT COVERED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V363000 (AIR BAGS). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11255183September 12, 2019
ENGINE
I WAS DRIVING HOME A FEW GUYS I WORK WITH AND HAD NO PREVIOUS ISSUES WITH THE ENGINE BEFORE, AND ON MY DRIVE HOME I WAS SITTING AT A RED LIGHT AS THE CAR STARTED TO SHAKE UNCONTROLLABLY. THE LIGHT THEN TURNED GREEN AND I CASUALLY FOLLOWED THE SPEED OF THE TRAFFIC NO MORE THAN 150 FT BEFORE THE MOTOR STARTED SQUEALING AND KNOCKING, COME TO FIND OUT IT'S A RECALL THE REGULAR KIA OPTIMAS HAVE, IT'S SPUN A BEARING IN THE 3RD CYLINDER AND KIA REFUSES TO REPLACE IT SAYING THAT IT ISN'T COVERED BECAUSE IT'S THE HYBRID WITH THE SAME ISSUE. KIA NEEDS TO OWN UP TO IT. I USED THIS VEHICLE AS A WORK TRANSPORT AND HAS ALWAYS HAD ITS MAINTENANCE DONE. NOW I'M OUT A VEHICLE AND KIA IS IGNORING MY MESSAGES TO THEM. I'M VERY UNSATISFIED WITH THE WAY KIA HAS TREATED ME. NO ONE HAS REACHED OUT TO ME, JUST IGNORING ME AS A CUSTOMER. DISSATISFACTION, MAJOR DISSATISFACTION.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11255196September 12, 2019
SEAT BELTS, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
SEAT BEAT SOUNDS OFF WHILE DRIVING AND SEAT BELT IS FASTEN. IT DINGS AS IF THE SEAT BELT IS NOT ON. SECONDLY, RADIO PLAYS BUT NO LIGHTS NO CAMERA WORKS FROM TIME TO.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11254868September 11, 2019
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE HEADLIGHTS RANDOMLY TURN OFF AT NIGHT WHEN I'M DRIVING WITH THE AUTO HEADLIGHT FEATURE ON. TURNING THE SWITCH TO ON MANUALLY AND BACK TO AUTO TURNS THEM BACK ON.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11254620September 11, 2019
STEERING
POWER STEERING DISENGAGES WHILE DRIVING
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11254368September 10, 2019
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
WHILE DRIVING WITH LIGHTS IN AUTO MODE THEY WILL RANDOMLY COME ON IN DAYLIGHT AND GO OFF IN DARKNESS. IF YOU SWITCH TO MANUAL IT WORKS PROPERLY, BUT IN AUTO IT'S TOTALLY RANDOM AND HAPPENS WITH NO CHANGE IN OUTSIDE LIGHTING CONDITIONS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11254565September 10, 2019
AIR BAGS
WAS DRIVING AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT ON.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11254060September 9, 2019
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
WHILE I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE ON THE STREETS; ITS AN 2018 KIA OPTIMA.ON AUGUST 2,2019 MY CAR ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE.PEOPLE WALKING ON THE SIDEWALK AND OTHER DRIVERS STOP TO ALERT ME THAT THEY SAW FIRE FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR.THEN WHILE DRIVING I START TO NOTICE EXTREME SMOKE COMING FROM THE HOOD SO MUCH I COULDNT NO LONGER LOOK WHERE I WAS GOING.I PANICKED AND MIND WAS RACING Q HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN I GOT THIS CAR NEW LAST YEAR MAY 1,2018. WHEN I JUMPED OUT TO LOOK AT THE HOOD I SAW MY ENGINE ENGULFED WITH FLAMES.NEARBY DRIVER THREW ME A BOTTOLE OF WATER,LUCKILY I HAD JUST BOUGHT 24 CASE OF WATER, ANOTHER DRIVER PULLED OVER AND WAS HELPING ME POUR WATER TO REDUCE THE DAMAGE OF THE FIRE.NO ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON OR ANY OTHER WARNING LIGHTS BEFORE OR AFTER THE FIRE AND I HAD MY RECENTLY OIL CHANGE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11254125September 9, 2019
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
I WAS DRIVING TO WORK, SAME ROUTE SAME TIME, WHEN MY ENGINE STALLED WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY GOING AROUND A CURVE. "HYBRID SYSTEM FAILURE, PULL OVER AND TURN OFF ENGINE" WAS THE ERROR. I WAS ABLE TO COAST AROUND THE CURVE AND TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. HAD TO TOW IT OFF THE HIGHWAY AT FIRST, AND TRIED TO JUMP IT. (I HAD A PROBLEM IN 2017 WITH THE NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH ON MY BATTERY, REPLACED SAFETY SWITCH/BATTERY AT THE COST OF 1K AND A MONTH DUE TO THE SAFETY SWITCH BEING AN ASPECT OF THE RECALL FOR THE NON-HYBRID OPTIMAS). BATTERY WAS PERFECT, CAR WAS ABLE TO TURN ON, RADIO, AC, EVERYTHING BUT THE ENGINE. TOWED IT TO FREDY KIA (GREAT SHOP BY THE WAY!), BY THE TIME IT GOT THERE, THEY STATED THE BATTERY WAS COMPLETELY DEAD. THEY REPLACED, THEN TRIED TO TURN THE ENGINE BOTH MECHANICALLY AND BY HAND. ENGINE SEIZED PER DEALERSHIP. (I KNOW IM AN IDIOT FOR SAYING THIS BUT..) THIS IS NOT THE FIRST KIA THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO WITH THE SAME RECALL. I HAD A 2014 KIA SPORTAGE IN JANUARY HAVE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. ALL MAINTENANCE RECORDS (OIL CHANGES EVERY 3500 MILES, ANY BELTS/CHANGES,ETC.) WERE PRESENTED TO KIA OF WHICH THEY RECALLED THE 2014 SPORTAGE ENGINE. WITH MY OPTIMA HYBRID (SAME THETA II ENGINE AS THE RECALL FOR THE NON-HYBRID OPTIMAS PER KIAS OWN "INVESTIGATIONS" SINCE 2017) AFTER CONTACTING KIA HEADQUARTERS, THEY ARE STATING THAT THIS IS NOT THE SAME ISSUE BUT ARE WILLING TO "WORK WITH ME". SINCE THEN KIA HEADQUARTERS HAS TALKED TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND MY CAR HAS BEEN SITTING THERE FOR ALMOST 3 WEEKS WITH 0 RESPONSE, OR UPDATE ON WHATS NEXT. I CURRENTLY BOTH HAVE AND DONT HAVE A CAR. MORAL OF THE STORY, PLEASE BE CAREFUL WITH THESE CARS! OBVIOUSLY THEY ARE FLAWED (MY "SEIZED" ENGINE IS NO LONGER MANUFACTURED AT ALL DUE TO PROBLEMS WITH THE BARRINGS, ONLY FIX IS A SHORT BLOCK ENGINE REPLACEMENT FOR MY LONG BLOCK ENGINE THEN FABRICATE THE HEADERS, ETC.)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11254209September 9, 2019
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
CAR WILL NOT ALWAYS START. SOMETIMES I HAVE TO WAIT 24 HOURS AND PICK UP THE CAR WHEREVER I HAD TO LEAVE IT CAUSE IT WOULDN'T START. WHEN TRYING TO START THERE'S A CLICKING SOUND AND ALL PANEL LIGHT START TO FLASH. REPLACED ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY, STILL NOT FIXED. SEEN A LOT OF REVIEWS COMPLAINING ABOUT THE EXACT SOME PROBLEM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11253979September 8, 2019
ENGINE
ENGINE SEIZED WHILE DRIVING IN THE HIGHWAY ALMOST CAUSING A ACCIDENT. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS MATTER AND WAS NOT INFORMED TO ME.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11253639September 6, 2019
AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT WAS AN AUTO DETAILER WHO WAS SERVICING A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE SERVICING THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED/EXPLODED WITHOUT WARNING AND STRUCK THE CONTACT'S RIGHT LEG. THE IMPACT OF THE AIR BAG BURNED THE CONTACT'S RIGHT LEG. THE CONTACT DID NOT RECEIVE MEDICAL ATTENTION AND TENDED TO HIS INJURIES AT HIS JOB. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO CALL NHTSA. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT DID NOT KNOW IF THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,421.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0

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