Kia Optima Complaints

7,843 consumer complaints on file.

#11208018May 16, 2019
STEERING
AS I DRIVE THE CAR, SHE HAS A TENDENCY OF GOING EITHER TO THE LEFT OR THE RIGHT. I HAVE TO FORCEFULLY RECTIFY MY STEERING WHEEL AND SOMEONE BEHIND ME WOULD SEE THAT I'M DRIVIMG ERRATICALLY. IT IS ANNOYING WHILE DRIVING TO HAVE TO GIVE TO THE STEERING WHEEL A NOTCH TO THE LEFT OR TO THE RIGHT WHEN ACTUALLY YOU WANT TO GO STRAIGHT. IS THERE A RECALL ON THE PROBLEM. I BOUGHT THE CAR 2 YEARS AGO AND THEY TOLD ME THAT WAS THE ONLY PROBLEM THEY HAD WITH IT.THEY HAD TO CHANGE THE RACK AND PINION. AND NOW SHE'S DOING IT AGAIN. IT DOES THAT ON ANY STREET OR HIGHWAY.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11207813May 15, 2019
ENGINE
I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH AND THE CAR JUST STOPPED. ALL OF THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS CAME ON. I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BEFORE I GOT TO A BUSY INTERSECTION. TOWED AND MECHANIC STATES I NEED A NEW ENGINE. I HAVE HAD THIS CAR LESS THAN 3 YEARS AND BOUGHT IT BRAND NEW. FINANCED FOR 5 YEARS SO I'M REALLY IN A BIND.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11207934May 15, 2019
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
THE SHARK FIN ANTENNA SNAPPED OFF WHILE DRIVING. I HIT NOTHING, JUST DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11207423May 14, 2019
ENGINE
TAKATA RECALL: THE ENGINE ON MY KIA OPTIMA IS MAKING A LOUD KNOCKING AND TICKING NOISE. THE VEHICLE ALSO LOSES SLIGHT POWER WHEN PRESSING ON THE GAS PEDAL. I KNOW THERE HAS BEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FROM KIA OWNERS ABOUT THE ENGINE MAKING THE SAME NOISE AND THEY HAD TO HAVE THEIR ENGINES REPLACED. THE VEHICLE MAKES THE NOISE EITHER MOVING OR STANDING STILL.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11207505May 14, 2019
STRUCTURE:BODY
PAINT IS CHIPPING OFF EVERY TIME CAR IS WASHED AND KIA REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11207610May 14, 2019
ENGINE
FOR THE PAST YEAR MY CAR HAS HAD A PROBLEM LOSING POWER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY, VERY DANGEROUS, DROPPING FROM 70 MPH TO 40 WITH NO ACCELERATION FORCING ME TO PUT ON MY HAZARDS AND PULL OVER. IVE TAKEN IT TO DEALERSHIPS AND PAYED OVER $700 FOR THEM TO TELL ME THEY COULDNT FIND ANYTHING WRONG.THE ENGINE OIL LIGHT COMES ON THOUSANDS OF MILES BEFORE ITS TIME TO BE CHANGED. TODAY ON THE STREET AFTER EXITING THE FREEWAY, THE CAR STARTED SHAKING PROFUSELY WHILE AT A STOP SIGN AND THE ENIGINE LIGHT CAME ON WITH A WARNING THAT STATED 'HYBRID EMERGENCY DO NOT DRIVE' I TURNED MY CAR OFF AT THE STOP SIGN, AGAIN, DANGEROUS AS IT WAS MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC, TO STOP THE SHAKING. TURNED OT BACK ON AND PROCEEDED HOME WHICH WAS ABOUT 800 FT AWAY, THE ENTIRE TIME THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. THE CAR BEGAN MAKING A CHIRPING NOISE AS I DROVE HOME. THIS IS RIDICULOUS AND DANGEROUS AND EVEN THOUGH ONLINE IT STATES THERE WAS AN ENGINE RECALL FOR 2012 KIA OPTIMA, MY VIN # STATES NO RECALL. WHAT SHOULD I DO?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11207634May 14, 2019
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE CAR HAD BEEN DRIVEN FOR 200 MILES AND WOULD NOT START SO A NEW BATTERY WAS PURCHASED. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY IT STALLED, LOST POWER AND HAD TO BE PULLED OVER. WHEN STOPPING FOR GAS THE CAR ONLY STARTED AFTER IT WAS JUMPED. THE VEHICLE HAS STALLED MULTIPLE TIMES WHILE DRIVING WHICH IS DANGEROUS AND COULD CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT. THE BATTERY IS BRAND NEW, THE ALTERNATOR WAS TEST AND IS IN GOOD CONDITION. WHEN THE CAR STALLS THE LOST OF POWER STEERING MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO PULL THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE LINE OF TRAVEL. THIS VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN BY A YOUNG ADULT THAT COULD BE IN DANGER IF THIS CONTINUES TO HAPPEN
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11207337May 13, 2019
ENGINE
SO I GOT THE SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR THE ENGINE RECALL. ON THE 24TH, ENGINE LIGHT CANE ON. WAITED FOR AN ENGINE REPLACE FOR 2 MONTHS, THEN THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE KNOCK SENSOR WIRE HARNESS. THEY REPLACED THAT AND GAVE ME BACK MY CAR. 1 WEEK LATER, SAME ENGINE LIGHT. TOOK IT IN THEY WIPED OFF THE ENGINE LIGHT, DROVE IT FOR A WEEK AND TILD ME NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR. SPEAKLESS ON THE WAY KIA HAS HANDLED THIS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11207388May 13, 2019
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
P0705 CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. CAR WAS OCCASIONALLY GETTING STUCK IN PARK AND HAD TO BE STOPPED / STARTED TO GET OUT OF PARK. VERY DANGEROUS. TOOK CAR TO REPAIR SHOP AND THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE NEUTRAL SWITCH. THERE IS A RECALL NOTICE FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE FOR OTHER KIA OPTIMAS BUT NOT THIS CAR'S YEAR. I STRONGLY BELIEVE MY CAR SHOULD HAVE BEEN UNDER A RECALL NOTICE. I STILL HAVE THE DEFECTIVE PART IF NEEDED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11207173May 13, 2019
ENGINE
HELLO. I HAVE ALREADY POSTED A COMPLAINT TO THIS WEBSITE AND I AM SIMPLY TRYING TO FIND OUT WHY A VERY NOTICEABLE PATTERN OF DEFECTS IS GOING UNNOTICED ON THESE OPTIMA HYBRID ENGINES. 3/4 OF ALL THE POSTED COMPLAINTS FOR THE 2012 OPTIMA HYBRID ARE DUE TO ENGINE FAILURE FROM CONNECTION ISSUES CAUSED BY WORN BEARINGS. THESE ARE THE EXACT SAME PART FAILURES THAT LEAD TO THE ENGINE RECALL FOR STANDARD OPTIMA GAS ENGINES. WHY IS NHTSA NOT CONTACTING KIA AND FORCING THEIR HAND ON RECALLING THE HYBRID ENGINES? THERE ARE OBVISOULY LESS HYBRID OPTIMAS THAN NON-HYBRID, BUT THE FAILURE RATE IS JUST AS HIGH OR WORSE THAN THE NON-HYBRID MODEL. I DO NOT BELIEVE HYBRID OWNERS SHOULD BE SUBJECTED THE RISK OF AN ENGINE FAILURE JUST BECAUSE THERE ARE LESS OF US. THE SECOND ISSUE IS THAT MANY OF US HAVE ALREADY REPLACED OUR ENGINE BECAUSE THEY FAILED. EITHER PAYING IN FULL OR WITH SOME HELP FROM KIA, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE NEW ENGINE FAILS FOR THE SAME REASON BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT RECALLED AN FORCED TO RECOGNIZE THE FAILURE AND DESIGN A FIX THAT WILL KEEP IT FROM HAPPENING TO THE REPLACED ENGINES? I AM SUCH A HUGE FAN OF KIA I OWN 2 OPTIMA'S. THE OTHER IS A GAS MODEL THAT HAS A REPLACED RECALLED ENGINE. I HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET TO REPLACE THE ENGINE ON MY HYBRID. WE ARE BEGGING FOR SOMEONE TO LOOK INTO THE EXTREMELY HIGH NUMBER OF ENGINE FAILURES ON THESE OPTIMA HYBRID WITH VIRTUALLY THE SAME ENGINE AS THE GAS MODELS. KIA CLAIMS THE ENGINES ARE DIFFERENT, AND THEY ARE TO SOME EXTENT, BUT THEY SHARE A LOT OF PARTS, MOST OF WHICH ARE THE PARTS THAT ARE FAILING AND DESIGN FLAWS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, I HOPE SOMEONE IS ACTUALLY LOOKING OUT FOR THE PUBLIC AND READING THESE POST.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11207202May 13, 2019
ENGINE
ENGINE LOCKED UP @ 100,104 MILES. CAR WAS MAINTAINED METICULOUSLY. NEVER MISSED A OIL CHANGE. KIA REPLACED THE HYBRID ENGINE @ 80K. A YEAR LATER. MY FAMILY IS DRIVING DOWN I-85 @ 65MPH WHEN THE ENGINE STARTS SMOKING AND MAKING SOME LOUD SOUND. THE ENGINE DIES. WE BY THE GRACE OF GOD, GET TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AND COOLANT IS POURING OUT WHILE THE ENGINE IS JUST POURING SMOKE. THE HYBRID WARNING SYSTEM IS FLASHING. HAVE IT TOWED TO KIA. KIA STATED INTERNAL ENGINE FAILURE. REFUSES ANY GOODWILL OR ASSISTANCE. WANTS $4500 TO $8000 FOR A NEW ENGINE. THESE ARE THE SAME ENGINES THAT GOT RECALLED BUT BUILT AT A DIFFERENT PLANT. THE HYBRIDS WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED BY KIA'S CORPORATE GREED. I'LL NEVER BUY ANOTHER KIA PRODUCT. EVER.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11207083May 12, 2019
ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AROUND 45MPH, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY MADE A RATTLING NOISE, THEN SHORTLY AFTER, MADE A LOUD SQUEALING NOISE AND THEN A SUDDEN JOLT. THE CAR SHUT DOWN AND SHOWED AN ERROR ABOUT THE HYBRID SYSTEM MALFUNCTION AND I EXPERIENCED A QUICK DROP IN SPEED AND WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE. AFTER PULLING OVER, THE CAR WOULD NOT START. CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALER AND THEY WERE ABLE TO START VEHICLE, BUT IT MAKES A LOUD 'CLANKING' NOISE AND CAR VIBRATES. DEALER INFORMED THAT APPEARS A PART INSIDE ENGINE HAD FAILED AND WILL NEED COMPLETE ENGINE REPLACEMENT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11207113May 12, 2019
STEERING
EVERY TIME I TURN MY WHEEL LEFT/RIGHT, OR HIT A BUMP IT CLICKS LOUDLY.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11207139May 12, 2019
STEERING
THE STEERING COLUMN IS MAKING A CLICKING NOISE LIKE SOMETHING IS LOOSE INSIDE IT. I AM AFRAID IT WILL BREAK COMPLETELY AND I'LL LOSE ALL STEERING WHILE I'M DRIVING. IT MAKES THE NOISE WHEN I HIT A BUMP OR VEERING LEFT OR RIGHT. IT FEELS LIKE IT JERKS. I TRAVEL QUITE A BIT AND HAVE A ONE YEAR OLD CHILD. I'VE ALSO READ MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS MODEL HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH OTHER PEOPLE. I AM WRITING THIS COMPLAINT BECAUSE I FEEL THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED PROBLEM AND AM ASKING SOMEONE TO LOOK AT THIS PROBLEM AND ADDRESS IT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11206909May 10, 2019
POWER TRAIN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED HESITATING AND THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED WITHOUT THE BRAKE PEDAL BEING DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LOCAL DEALER SHAWNEE MISSION KIA (7951 SHAWNEE MISSION PKWY, MERRIAM, KS 66202, (913) 384-9100) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SHIFT SOLENOID NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 107,408.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11206935May 10, 2019
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
CAR WON'T START WHEN YOU PUSH TO START WITH BRAKES
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11206453May 9, 2019
POWER TRAIN
I'VE BEEN HAVING AN ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE JERKING UPON TAKE OFF AS IF THE TRANSMISSION STRUGGLES TO ENGAGE, IT'S CAUSED ME SEVERAL NEAR ACCIDENTS DUE TO THE CAR NOT GOING WHEN IT'S SUPPOSED TO, HOW IT'S SUPPOSED TO.. THIS HAPPENS AT START UP WHEN FIRST SHIFTING INTO GEAR, AND AFTER STOPING THEN ATTEMPTING TO GO. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO KIA 3 TIMES. THE LAST TIME I TOOK IT THEY FELT THE ISSUE, THEN CLAIMED IT WAS DUE TO THE VEHICLE BEING EQUIPPED WITH A DOUBLE CLUTCH. NOT LETTING ME TAKE THE PAPERWORK THAT DESCRIBES THIS DOUBLE CLUTCH. I HAVE NEVER EVER FELT THIS WITH ANY OTHER VEHICLE ESPECIALLY WITH A BRAND NEW ONE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11206558May 9, 2019
SUSPENSION, WHEELS
OH REAR LOWER SWING ARM SUPPORTING THE SPRING BROKE LETTING THE SPRING COME OUT OF POSITION AND LETTING THE WHEEL TILT AS IF FLAT. THE LOWER ARM HAD RUSTED IN TWO ALLOWING THIS TO HAPPEN.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11206633May 9, 2019
ENGINE
I BOUGHT MY KIA OPTIMA IN 2009, IT WAS 1 YR OLD AT THAT TIME. I HAD TO REPLACE MY TIMING BELT IN MARCH OF 2017 AND I AM HAVING TO REPLACE IT AGAIN. IT IS MAY OF 2019. MY CAR ONLY HAS 70,000 MILES ON THE ORIGINAL ENGINE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11206163May 8, 2019
ENGINE
TAKARA RECALL,I WAS DRIVING MY 2015 KIA OPTIMA GDI,WHEN SUDDENLY MY ENGINE SHUT OFF,AND THEN HAD A HARD TIME STARTING,THEN I CALLED TOWING AGENCY,THEY JUMPED IT,THEN MY ENGINE STARTED TO HAVE A LOUD KNOCK LIKE SOUND..THEN DIED OUT AGAIN..MY OIL IS ALWAYS CHANGED REGULARLY,AND WHEN THIS HAPPEN IT WAS SHOWING MY OIL LEVEL IS GOOD..LUCKILY NO ONE GOT INJURED WHEN MY VEHICLE STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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