Kia Optima Complaints

7,843 consumer complaints on file.

#11241584August 4, 2019
AIR BAGS
MY SON WAS DRIVING HIS 2011 KIA OPTIMA WHEN A SPARK AND POP NOISE CAME FROM HIS STEERING WHEEL. ALL THE FUNCTIONS OF THE SECONDARY FUNCTIONS OF THE STEERING WHEEL, INCLUDING THE HORN, AIR-BAG, CRUISE CONTROL, ETC. QUIT WORKING. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO KIA AND THEY IMMEDIATELY DIAGNOSED THE ISSUE AS A CLOCK SPRING WITHOUT LOOKING AT IT, WHICH MAKES BE BELIEVE THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. IF MY 16 YEAR OLD SON HAD BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, HE WOULD HAVE NOT HAD A FRONTAL AIRBAG. AND WITHOUT A HORN, HE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WARN ANOTHER VEHICLE APPROPRIATELY. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND KIA HAS DONE NOTHING TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11241598August 4, 2019
ENGINE
AT APPROXIMATELY 97,000 MILES, MY CAR BEGAN TO BURN AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF ENGINE OIL. BEING THAT MY CAR HAD A WARRANTY UP TO 100K MILES, I IMMEDIATELY REPORTED THE ISSUE TO KIA. THEY CONTINUOUSLY REPORTED THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO EVALUATE THE OIL CONSUMPTION AT 1,000 MILE INCREMENTS. I REPORTED MY CONCERNS IN REGARDS TO THE PROCESS POSSIBLY EXTENDING BEYOND THE 100K MILE LIMITS OF MY WARRANTY. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE RECALL WOULD BE AN OPTION IF I EXCEEDED 100K MILES. UPON EXCEEDING 100K MILES, KIA REPORTED THAT THE OIL CONSUMPTION WAS THE PRODUCT OF "CHEAP OIL" AND KIA WOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE EXCESSIVE OIL BURN. AFTER VERIFYING THAT MY MOST RECENT OIL CHANGES WERE PERFORMED BY KIA, I WAS TOLD THAT EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION WAS NO LONGER A PROVISION OF THE RECALL.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11241604August 4, 2019
ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY MY 2012 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID SLOWED DOWN TO 45MPH AND ENGINE STARTED TO MAKE NOISES. THIS CAME WITH NO MECHANICAL WARNING, NO "CHECK ENGINE SOON" OR OTHER WARNING LIGHTS, AND HAD BEEN DRIVING PERFECTLY BEFORE IT WAS PARKED. CHECKED OIL AND OIL LEVEL WAS PERFECT. CALLED MECHANIC AND HE ASKED ME TO TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT OIL. OIL HAD SMALL SHINY METAL SHAVINGS ON STICK THAT TRANSFERRED TO FINGERS WHEN RUBBED. HAD CAR TOWED OVER 30 MILES TO NEAREST KIA DEALERSHIP. CAR WAS DIAGNOSED WITH "ENGINE FAILURE" DUE TO ROD END BEARINGS. I AM THE 2ND OWNER OF THIS CAR THE I BOUGHT FROM A MASTER MECHANIC AT A LEXUS DEALERSHIP. WE ARE VERY METICULOUS AND TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF OUR VEHICLES. THIS IS NOT A OWNER PROBLEM. DEALERSHIP WANTS $10,000 FOR A NEW MOTOR, $4,000 FOR A USED (ALTHOUGH THERE ARE NONE CURRENTLY B/C THERE IS A SHORTAGE), OR $6,000 TO REBUILD CURRENT MOTOR. SERVICE MANAGER WAS "SURPRISED" TO HEAR ABOUT THE METAL FLAKES AS THEY DIDN'T SEE THAT DURING THE DIAGNOSES. BOTH KIA DEALER AND KIA CORP ARE STANDING BEHIND THE NO RECALL ON HYBRIDS. SAID ALTHOUGH THE ENGINE IS THE SAME, THEY WERE MADE IN DIFFERENT FACTORIES, BUT COULD HAVE SHARED THE SAME PARTS. SERVICE MANAGER STATED, "YOU HAVE A LOT OF MILES ON THIS CAR"......146K.......I MEAN, IF I CAN NOT TRUST TO GET 150K OUT OF A KIA WHY WOULD I EVER WANT TO PURCHASE ONE AGAIN??? I ASKED HIM TO EXPLAIN HOW THIS COULD HAPPEN AND HIS RESPONSE WAS, "IT IS A MECHANICAL PIECE OF EQUIPMENT". KIA NEEDS TO STOP PUTTING BLAME ON ITS OWNERS AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY OF THEIR FAULTILY ENGINES FOR THE HYBRIDS AS THEY HAVE ON THE NON-HYBRID MODELS. THERE ARE TOO MANY OTHER COMPLAINS HAVING THE SAME RESULTS AND STORIES FOR THIS TO BE AN OWNER PROBLEM. IT HAS BEEN A MONTH NOW, AND NO ONE IS BUDGING.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11241543August 3, 2019
STRUCTURE:BODY, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
ENGINE DIED WHILE DRIVING ON PUBLIC STREET AND WOULD NOT RESTART AND WITHIN MINUTES FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. DESTROYED FRONT OF CAR AND DAMAGED INTERIOR
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11241258August 2, 2019
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE REVERSING THE VEHICLE, THE REAR AND SIDE SENSORS FAILED TO IDENTIFY TWO PEOPLE WALKING PAST. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SUNSET KIA OF AUBURN (3401 AUBURN WAY N, AUBURN, WA 98002, (855) 474-9626) WHO STATED THAT THE SENSORS WERE WORKING AS DESIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,356.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11241077August 1, 2019
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
DRIVING ON INTERSTATE, OUT OF NOWHERE ENGINE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING AND ENGINE SEIZED, CAR LOST ALL MOMENTUM, HAD NO "GET UP AND GO" PUSHING ON THE GAS PEDAL DID NOTHING, GOING UP HILL WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. TOOK CAR TO LOCAL AUTO SHOP, THEY COULD HEAR SOME NOISE BUT WEREN'T SURE WHAT. PER INVOICE 7/26/19: CHECKED CODES: P0011 A CAMSHAFT POSITION TIMING OVER ADVANCED, P00114 B CAMSHAFT POSITION TIMING OVER ADVANCED; P1326 ENGINE DAMAGE ALERT FOR DRIVER. ENGINE WAS NOISEY AND RAN VERY ROUGH, OIL LEVEL WAS LOW AND BLACK (WE SAW NOWHERE THAT IT WAS LEAKING OIL, NO SPOTS ANYWHERE). CHANGED OIL AND ADD LUCAS ENGINE STABILIZER, ENGINE QUIETED AND RUNS MUCH SMOOTHER. CLEAR CODES, TEST DRIVE, WATCH SCAN DATA. NO CODES, POSSIBLE EARLY STAGES OF ENGINE DAMAGE IF CODES RETURN INSPECT TIMING CHAIN AND CONTROL DEVICES. TOOK CAR HOME OVER THE WEEKEND DROVE LESS THAN 50 MILES, SUNDAY 7/28/19 AGAIN, ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND CAR HAD NO "GET UP AND GO" AND A VERY LOUD CLANKING NOISE COULD BE HEARD. TOOK CAR TO SHOP ASAP. PER INVOICE 7/31/19: CHECK CEL LIGHT AND LOSS OF POWER, CHECK FLUIDS, ENGINE HAS INTERNAL NOISE/DAMAGE; COMPUTER DATASCAN, CHECK CODES, DIAG, P1326; ENGINE DAMAGE ALERT FOR DRIVER, RECOMMEND FURTHER DIAG EVAL, INSPECT LOWER END AND TIMING CHAIN. AUTO SHOP CONTACTED LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP, WAS TOLD THEY WARRANT ENGINES WITH THESE CONDITIONS. THEY HAVE A NUMBER OF VEHICLES WAITING TO BE REPAIRED ALREADY, SUGGESTED CALLING A DEALER OUT OF TOWN FOR REPAIRS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11241177August 1, 2019
STRUCTURE:BODY, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
ON 4/9/19, MY VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT FROM MY WORK ON WAY TO SIMI VALLEY FIRST KIA DEALERSHIP. I WAS ON 118 FREEWAY WESTBOUND IN SLOW LANE IN CHATSWORTH, CA. ONTO FREEWAY SHOULDER TO CALL AAA WHEN A STRANGER PULLED UP AHEAD OF ME, GOT OUT OF HIS CAR, RAN TOWARDS ME SHOUTING TO ME TO GET OUT, THE CAR WAS ON FIRE BENEATH LEVEL OF THE WINDOWS SO I COULDNT SEE THE FIRE.. I GOT OUT, IT BLEW UP, & WAS TOTALLED. NO COLLISION OCCURRED. MY WITNESS SAVED MY LIFE. HE TOOK A VIDEO.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11240841July 31, 2019
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I HAVE A 2012 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID. DROVE GREAT AT FIRST NOW THE CAR IS OFF AND ON.. WHILE DRIVING THE CAR LUNGES OFTEN AND AS OTHERS HAVE SAID THERE IS A DELAY 2 SECOND FROM PRESSING THE GAS TO THE CAR ACTUALLY ACCELERATING. THE CAR ALSO LOSES POWER WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. I'VE NOTICED THE ENGINE WILL NOT CHARGE THE HYBRID BATTERY WHEN IT IS GETTING LOW AND THE CAR BECOME IMMOBILIZED UNABLE TO ACCELERATE. I HAVE HAD DASH LIGHTS ONLY APPEAR ONCE AND WHEN THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND THE CAUSE. THIS ISSUE IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO MYSELF AND OTHERS. ATTACHED ARE A FEW PICTURES YOU CAN SEE THE HYBRID BATTERY HAD 1 BAR IT APPEARS TO BE CHARGING BUT THEN GOES TO 0 BARS BECAUSE THE BATTERY IS TRYING TO POWER THE CAR WHILE ONLY THE ENGINE SHOULD.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11240862July 31, 2019
STEERING
THE STEERING STICKS AND THERE IS OBVIOUS EVIDENCE OF RESISTANCE WHILE DRIVING. I TOOK IT TO PATTERSON KIA IN ARLINGTON, TX AND THEY PERFORMED A SOFTWARE UPDATE. THIS IS A MECHANICAL ISSUE AND OF GREAT SAFETY CONCERNS. THIS IS SUBSEQUENT TO PRIOR RECALL SERVICE PERFORMED ON THE STEERING.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11240958July 31, 2019
STRUCTURE:BODY
I HAVE LOST 2 OF THE TRIM PANELS ABOVE THE DOORS ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE CAR. THE BRACKETS ARE NOT SECURE ENOUGH AND THE GLUE HOLDING THE BRACKETS ARE NO LONGER STICKING. I CANT DRIVE LONG DISTANCES WITHOUT THE TRIM COMING LOOSE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11240512July 30, 2019
ENGINE
CAR MAKES A HUMMING NOISE WHEN GOING 20 TO 40 MPH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11240561July 30, 2019
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
LOW BEAM LIGHTS ARE VERY DULL WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT (LENS COVERS ARE STILL CLEAR). KIA SENT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ABOUT THE LIGHTS AND THE DEALER REPLACED A WIRING HARNESS FOR THE LIGHTS, THE LETTER ALSO STATED THEY WILL CHECK THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY AND REPLACE IF THIS IS THE PROBLEM. KIA WILL NOT DO THIS REPLACEMENT FOR THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY. THE WIRING HARNESS FOR THE LIGHTS DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF VERY DULL LOW BEAM LIGHTS WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT AND KIA WILL NOT HONOR WHAT'S IN THEIR WARRANTY LETTER.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11240693July 30, 2019
ENGINE
MY NAME IS [XXX], I HAD PROBLEM WITH MY ENGINE ON APRIL 7TH MY ENGINE SUDDENLY KNOCKED AND STOPPED, BUT I HAD UNDER THE WARRANTY WHEN I TOOK MY CAR TO DEALERSHIP THEY SAID YOU'RE 2ND OWNER ,WARRANTY WORKS ONLY FOR 1ST ORIGINAL OWNER BUT IM 100% SURE IT WAS RECALL ISSUE. WHEN FOLLOWED BY GOOGLE SAME PROBLEM WAS WITH ANOTHER PEOPLE, I FIXED IT FROM MY POCKET 4400$ WHERE IS A JUSTICE I REQUIRE JUSTICE, DEALERSHIP HAVE TO PAY FOR ME PLEASE HELP ME FOR THIS TROUBLE INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11240697July 30, 2019
VISIBILITY/WIPER
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE FIXED PANE GLASS ABRUPTLY FRACTURED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,100. THE VIN WAS INVALID.*BF *AS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11240321July 29, 2019
STRUCTURE:BODY
THE FRAME IS RUSTED THROUGH CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BE UNSAFE, THOUGH IT HAD A RECALL FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM AND IT WAS ONLY INSPECTED AND NOT REPLACED. THE CAR WAS INITIALLY TAKEN TO A LOCAL AUTO REPAIR SHOP FOR AN ALIGNMENT AS IT PULLED TO THE RIGHT, THE SHOP SAID THE FRAME WAS RUSTED SO BADLY THAT AN ALIGNMENT COULD NOT BE DONE. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT A RECALL HAD BEEN MADE FOR THIS VEHICLE. RECALL #09V183000. GURLEY LEEP KIA IN MISHAWAKA, INDIANA WAS CONTACTED AND AN APPOINTMENT WAS MADE. THE TECHNICIAN SAID THE FRAME WAS RUSTED BUT KIA WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE AS THE RECALL HAD ALREADY BEEN MADE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11240440July 29, 2019
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
AT A STOP LIGHT VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE SAID HYBRID FAILURE TURN CAR OFF AND REMOVE YOURSELF. CAR WOULD NOT TURN OFF PUT HAZARDS ON WENT TO GET OUT OF VEHICLE AND WAS SHOCKED BY MY CAR TO THE POINT IT MADE ME LOSS CONTROL OF MY BLADDER!! HAD WONDS TO MY RING FINGER WHERE ELECTRICAL SHOCK WENT IN AND WAS IN LOCAL ER. LOCAL KIA DEALER SAID THERE IS A BULITN TO REPLACE THE 125 WAT FUSE TO THEY HYBRID SYSTEM TO A 150 FUSE AND THAT IS WHAT WAS WRONG WITH MY CAR. I FEEL THE DANGER OF ELECTROCUTION IS SO GREAT IT MUST BE A RECALL. I CONTACTED CORPORATE WHO TOLD ME THEY KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND IT IS NOT RECALL WORTHLY!! NOT ACCEPTABLE I SPENT 5 HRS IN THE ER WITH EKG , AND BURN MARK'S ON MY LEFT FINGERS AND. NOW MY SKIN IN MY LEG IS PEELING DUE TO THIS. ACCORDING TO ER DR. I WAS LUCKY AND MOST LIKELY RECEIVED 100 VOLTS ANYMORE COULD HAVE CAUSED INTERNAL ISSUES. MY LEFT ARM IS STILL TINGLING FROM THE SHOCK DAYS LATER. IT IS COMPLETE INCOMPETENTS TO ALLOW KIA OPTIMA HYBRID OWNERS DRIVE THESE CARS WITH A WAIT AND SEE ATTITUDE. PLEASE PUT A SAFTY RECALL OUT BEFORE A CHILD ENDS UP HURT OR DECEASED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11235326July 27, 2019
ENGINE
OIL IS DISAPPEARING NO LEAKS!! WHEN DRIVING THE CAR GETS A VIBRATION THEN YOU BETTER CHECK THE OIL . EVERYTIME AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK WE ARE ADDING AT LLEADT 3 OR 4 QUARTS OF OIL. SEEMS TO BE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON HERE SAME PROBLEM WITH KIA. THIS CAR IS NO LONGER SAFE FOR US TO DRIVE HAVE AN APPT NEXT WEEK HOPE WE GET RESULTS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11235041July 26, 2019
POWER TRAIN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE REVERSING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO REVERSE AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATED THAT THE SHIFTER WAS IN PARK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFTER WOULD SHIFT OUT OF PARK INTO REVERSE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED KIA OF LYNCHBURG (3400 OLD FOREST RD, LYNCHBURG, VA 24501, (434) 847-3292) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION COULD BE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 171,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11235068July 26, 2019
ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH ON A FREEWAY IN THE THIRD LANE (FAR LEFT), THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT COASTED TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER, SMOKE STARTED TO EMERGE FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE CONTACT OPENED THE HOOD AND A FIRE STARTED IN FRONT OF THE FIRE WALL. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT WHEN COASTING TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER, HE NEARLY CRASHED DUE TO THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE USING A GALLON OF WATER THAT WAS IN THE TRUNK OF THE VEHICLE. THE POLICE AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WERE NOT PRESENT. THE CONTACT AND THE FRONT PASSENGER FID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE RESIDENCE BY AAA. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED THEN TO A REPAIR CENTER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT A BEARING SHOT THROUGH THE ENGINE AND AS A RESULT THE ENGINE NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AS OF YET AND THE CONTACT HAD BEEN DRIVING A RENTAL VEHICLE IN THE MEANTIME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11235143July 26, 2019
ENGINE
ENGINEERING DIED WITH NO WARNIGS ON STATE HIGHWAY 33 WHILE MOVING
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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