Kia Optima Complaints

7,843 consumer complaints on file.

#11120792August 18, 2018
AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
TAKATA RECALL - WE CALLED DEALER BALL KIA IN NATIONAL CITY, CA & WERE TOLD THAT WE WOULD RECEIVE A LETTER. FOR US TO CALL BACK THEN & THAT WE HAD TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE AN UN-SAFE VEHICLE UNTIL THE LETTER ARRIVED AND A APPOINTMENT COULD BE MADE. THIS CAR COULD KILL US UPON IMPACT!!! PLEASE, THERE HAS TO BE A BETTER & SAFER SOLUTION.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11120564August 17, 2018
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
MY SUNROOF EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING ON A BRIDGE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11120682August 17, 2018
STEERING
BAD PART IN STEERING COLUMN , THE PLASTIC COUPLER IS BROKEN AFTER 39400 MILES . THIS HAPPEN ON MANY KIA 'S AND THERE ARE NO RECALLS YET?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11120247August 16, 2018
SERVICE BRAKES
I HAD MY BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS REPLACED IN NOVEMBER 2017. THE SERVICE DEPT AT THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED, THEY WOULD NOT PASS INSPECTION AND WERE BEYOND SALVAGING. I HAD THEM REPLACED. IN APRIL, I WENT BACK TO THE DEALER FOR ROUTINE SERVICE, INCLUDING AN OIL CHANGE. I HAD COMPLAINED OF VIBRATION IN THE BRAKE PEDAL AND WAS ADVISED IT WAS NORMAL. ON AUGUST 3RD I HAD ANOTHER OIL CHANGE AND REQUESTED THE BRAKES BE LOOKED AT, AS THE VIBRATION WAS AT A POINT OF CONCERN. THE SERV DEPT INDICATED THE FRONT ROTORS WERE WARPED AND NEEDED REPLACING, LESS THAN A YEAR LATER, AND LESS THAN 4000 MILES LATER. I WAS UPSET AND THEY WERE ABLE TO CHARGE ME 1/2 THE COST. THAT EVENING I DROVE AND FOUND THE VIBRATION TO BE EXACTLY AS BEFORE THE REPLACEMENT. I WENT TO THE SERVICE DEPT, YET AGAIN ON AUGUST 8. THEY INDICATED THE VIBRATION WAS FROM THE REAR AND THOSE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE ARE ONLY 42000 MILES ON THE CAR. I DRIVE LESS THAN 3 MILES ROUND TRIP EACH DAY. I DISCOVERED THAT THEY WERE NEVER ROAD TESTING THE CAR, JUST LOOKING AT THE BRAKES/ROTORS AND REPLACING. THEY ARE EITHER PUTTING WARPED ROTORS ON THE VEHICLE AND/OR LYING ABOUT REPLACING THEM. I COULD HAVE SAVED TIME AND MONEY HAD THE WORK BEEN COMPLETED RIGHT , THE FIRST TIME.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11120364August 16, 2018
SEAT BELTS:PRETENSIONER, AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V363000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. SMITHTOWN KIA (726 MIDDLE COUNTY RD, ST JAMES, NY) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AS THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED WITH DRIVING A VEHICLE WITH A SAFETY DEFECT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11120205August 15, 2018
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC), ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
SOMETIMES WHEN I DRIVING THIS THE ENGINE JUST TURN OFF ...
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11119784August 14, 2018
ENGINE
TURBOCHARGER, GASKET-EXHAUST PIPE, GASKET-EXAUST MAN IF, INTERCOOLER I'M HAVING THE THE ENGINE PROBLEM WANT TO FIND OUT IF THIS CAR WAS RECALL,
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11119785August 14, 2018
ENGINE
MY CAR IS NOT SPEEDING UP.ENGINE PROBLEM AND THE ENGINE IS HEATING UP TURBOCHARGER, GASKET-EXHAUST PIPE, GASKET-EXAUST MANIF, INTERCOOLER
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11119944August 14, 2018
ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I PURCHASED A NEW 2017 KIA OPTIMA IN FEB OF 2017 AND ON JULY 17 2018 I WAS DRIVING DOWN A STREET WHEN I SLOWED DOWN TO A STOP SO A CAR CAN BACK OUT WHEN THE CAR VIOLENTLY SHOOK THEN SHUT OFF. I TRIED MULTIPLE TIMES TO RESTART IT BUT JUST SHOOK AGAIN AND TURNED OFF. MY HUSBAND PUSHED ME TO THE SIDEWALK WHERE I TRIED AGAIN TO RESTART IT AND IT FINALLY STAYED ON WITH NO LIGHTS SHOWING UP. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP ON A TOW TRUCK AND WAS TOLD NOTHING IS WRONG WITH IT. THEY KEPT THE CAR FOR A DAY AND SAID I CAN PICK IT UP IT'S PERFECTLY FINE. I HAVE A CASE OPEN WITH KIA AND THEY TOLD ME NOT TO RESTART THE CAR BECAUSE THE CODES WILL ERASE AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED. I TOLD KIA I WILL NOT BE DRIVING THE CAR BECAUSE IT'S NOT SAFE AND I HAVE CHILDREN. THEIR RESPONSE IS NOTHING IS WRONG WITH IT SO I DECIDED TO DRIVE IT ONLY TO TAKE MY HUSBAND TO WORK FOR THE NEXT 2 WEEKS AND ON AUGUST 13 2018 WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE LIGHTS CAME ON AND I COULD NOT GET ANY GAS SO I WAS JUST COASTING. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO A PARKING LOT AND PARK BUT I ALSO TOOK A VIDEO OF WHAT LIGHTS CAME ON AS WELL AS WHEN THE TOW TRUCK CAME SHOWING THE LIGHTS WERE STILL ON EVEN THOUGH I DID NOT COMPLETELY TURN THE CAR ON. I HAVE A RENTAL FOR 2 WEEKS AND A FIELD TECH IS GOING TO DRIVE MY CAR FOR 1 WEEK TO TRY AND DUPLICATE THE ISSUE EVEN THOUGH IT ALREADY HAPPEN FOR THE SECOND TIME. NOW I'M WAITING ON WHAT THE ISSUE IS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11119599August 13, 2018
AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND REMAINED LIT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS LISTED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V363000 (AIR BAGS). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LAWRENCE KIA (1225 E 23RD ST, LAWRENCE, KS 66046, 785-856-8700), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND WAS UNABLE TO ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 185,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11119628August 13, 2018
POWER TRAIN, SUSPENSION
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA OPTIMA. WHEN THE CONTACT SHIFTED THE GEAR INTO REVERSE, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO REVERSE. THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS THEN SHIFTED INTO PARK, BUT FAILED TO ENGAGE AND THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS DOWN AN INCLINE. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO GLASSMAN KIA (28000 TELEGRAPH RD, SOUTHFIELD, MI 48034, (888) 452-1360) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AXLE DRIVE SHAFT WAS CORRODED THROUGH AND BECAME DETACHED. THE DRIVE SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11119411August 12, 2018
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
I WAS AT THE GAS STATION AND MY SON NOTICED THAT MY BRAKE LIGHTS WERE STILL ON, THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY CUT OFF. THEY WOULD NOT GO OFF. I HAD TO TAKE OUT THE FUSE TO CUT THEM OFF WHEN I GOT HOME LATER THAT NIGHT. I NOTICED THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE BRAKE SWITCH, BUT, THE RECALL STARTED FOR 08. I HAVE AN 07. WHY WASN'T THE 07 INCLUDED IN THE RECALL?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11119462August 12, 2018
STEERING
CONTINUOUS CLICKING NOISE WHILE STEERING AT ALL SPEEDS. SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING IS LOOSE IN STEERING COLUMN. WAS TOLD IT COULD BE STEERING COUPLER/
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11119469August 12, 2018
ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING, THE ENGINE BEGAN MAKING A LOUD CYCLICAL KNOCKING SOUND. WE HAD IT TOWED TO THE LOCAL KIA DEALER WHOSE REPORTED DIAGNOSIS WAS "CHARACTERISTIC OF ROD BEARING FAILURE" AND WE WERE INFORMED THAT THE ONLY REMEDY WAS TO HAVE THE ENGINE REPLACED. INFORMED BY LOCAL DEALER THAT KIA HAD DECLINED THE CLAIM TO HAVE IT REPLACED AND THAT THE ONLY COURSE OF ACTION WAS TO TAKE IT UP WITH KIA CONSUMER AFFAIRS. AFTER MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS WITH KIA CONSUMER AFFAIRS (INCLUDING A 2 WEEK TIME LAPSE DURING WHICH THEY WOULD TAKE OUT CALLS BUT NOT NOTIFY US OF DECISIONS MADE UNLESS WE CALLED THEM), WE WERE FINALLY INFORMED THAT EVEN THOUGH ALL OTHER 2011 KIA OPTIMAS HAD BEEN RECALLED UP TO 125,000 MILES, FOR "ROD BEARING FAILURE" AND THUS HAD THEIR ENGINES REPLACED, OUR 2011 KIA OPTIMA WAS NOT COVERED FOR ROD BEARING FAILURE BECAUSE IT WAS A HYBRID. THEY WOULD NOT ASSIST IN ANY WAY WITH REPLACING THE ENGINE EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A WELL DOCUMENTED ISSUE WITH KIA OPTIMAS. THE LOCAL DEALER OFFERED A USED ENGINE FOR THE WHOPPING PRICE OF $5474.17 WITH NO WARRANTY OR TO REBUILD THE ENGINE WITH PARTS THEY WOULD HAVE TO ORDER FROM KOREA FOR A WHOPPING TOTAL OF $5710.75. THE LATTER OPTION WOULD INCLUDE A 12,000 MILE WARRANTY BUT WOULD REQUIRE A LENGTHY WAIT ON THE PARTS TO ARRIVE FROM KOREA. EVIDENTLY, KIA DOES NOT KEEP NEEDED PARTS IN THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES WHICH SOUNDS SKETCHY AT BEST. AFTER MUCH DELIBERATION AND AGONY, WE WILL SELL THE CAR FOR SCRAPS. WE CANNOT RISK SPENDING ALMOST $6000 ON A CAR AND COOPERATION THAT WE NOW HAVE VERY LITTLE FAITH IN. WE WILL NEVER OWN A KIA AGAIN.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11119478August 12, 2018
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, STEERING, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
TAKATA RECALL'. WHEN DRIVING 70 MILES THE CAR GETS UNCONTROLLABLE AT TIMES SO YOU HAVE TO LOWER YOUR SPEED , WHEN PARKED AN I PUT MY FOOT ON BRAKE THERE'S A TICKING NOISE AN YOU CAN FEEL PRESSURE . THE ENGINE HAS BEEN TICKING A LOT MORE AM HESITANT I KNOW A LOT OF COMPLAINTS HAS BEEN MADE ON THE STEERING AN IT'S GETTING OUT OF HAND ! THE CAR IS NOT SAFE ON THE HIGHWAY COULD RESULT IN CRASH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11118752August 9, 2018
AIR BAGS
WHEN DRIVING THE 2017 KIA OPTIMA LX THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT WILL START FLASHING INDICATING THAT THE PASSENGER AIR BAGS ARE ENGAGED ALTHOUGH THERE IS NO ONE SITTING IN THE SEAT. THE INDICATOR LIGHT FLASHES CONTINUOUSLY FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE MINUTE THEN TURNS OFF. THIS INDICATION CAN HAPPEN AT DIFFERENT STAGES IN THE DRIVING PROCESS FROM BEING PARKED TO DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11118814August 9, 2018
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, SMOKE APPEARED FROM THE REAR EXHAUST PIPE. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED AN ODOR OF OIL BURNING. IN ADDITION, WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT OR STOP SIGN, WHITE SMOKE APPEARED FROM THE EXHAUST PIPE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE ALSO STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO COAST THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND OPENED CASE NUMBER: KIA12818043. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,168.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11118562August 8, 2018
AIR BAGS
AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ILLUMINATED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11118555August 8, 2018
ENGINE
AS I WAS DRIVING TO WORK YESTERDAY 8/7/2018, MY ENGINE STARTED MAKING A WEIRD SOUND. I JUST PURCHASED THE CAR FROM A PRIVATE SELLER ON 5/29/18 WITH 80K MILES ON IT, AS OF YESTERDAY IT HAS 85K MILES ON IT. I TOOK THE CAR FOR AN OIL CHANGE, JUST IN CASE, BUT WAS TOLD THE CAR WAS ONLY A PORTION OF A QUART LOW ON OIL, BUT THEY PROCEEDED WITH THE OIL CHANGE, AND TOLD ME THE SOUND WAS A ENGINE KNOCK AND ADVISED THAT I TAKE IT TO A DEALERSHIP. I DROVE THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD IT WAS A ENGINE ROD KNOCK AND THAT THE ENGINE IS TOAST. I WAS TOLD THE REPAIRS (A NEW ENGINE) WOULD COST ROUGHLY $7000, AS I'M NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER SO THE 100K MILE WARRANTY DOES NOT APPLY TO ME, AND I'M PASSED 60K MILES AS THE SECOND OWNER. THE TURBO ENGINES WERE RECALLED FOR THIS EXACT SAME ISSUE. THIS HAS TO BE RECALLED. IT IS UNSAFE
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11118626August 8, 2018
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
WHILE ON AN HOUR'S DRIVE THE BSD (BLING SPOT DETECTION SYSTEM) CEASED TO OPERATE. THE ACTUATOR SWITCH WAS ILLUMINATED, BUT AN ERROR EXCLAMATION POINT APPEARED ON THE DASH NOTING THE BSD FAILURE. I DROVE ON FURTHER UNTIL I CAME TO STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. THIS HAD HAPPENED A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, ALSO. I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND PULLED THE KEY. I WAITED 30 SECONDS AND RESTARTED THE CAR. THEY SYSTEM CAME BACK ONLINE. FURTHER ALONG ON THE DRIVE IT HAPPENED AGAIN, AS I WAS DRIVING ON A HILLY ROAD. WHEN I WENT TO GIVE THE CAR MORE GAS, THE CAR DID NOT RESPOND. I FLOORED THE ACCELERATOR, AND THE CAR STILL DID NOT RESPOND, WHILE THE BSD MALFUNCTIONED AGAIN. IT WAS SIMULTANEOUS. ADDITIONALLY, THE SYSTEM ON THE DASHBOARD THAT INDICATES WHERE THE SHIFTER IS WENT DARK AND THE EXACT SAME TIME AS THE FAILURE IN BOTH CASES ON THIS DAY. OF COURSE I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER. THEY COULD NOT RE-CREATE THE ISSUE. THEY CALLED KIA CORPORATE TO SEE IF THERE WERE SIMILAR REPORTS WITH A FIX THEY MIGHT KNOW OF. THE FACTORY SENT A CYA RESPONSE TO THE DEALER STATING THAT KNEW NOTHING OF THIS ISSUE. I HAD GONE ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND SCORES OF SIMILAR BSD FAILURES IN BOTH KIA AND HYUNDAI WHICH ARE SISTER COMPANIES. I HAVE TO BELIEVE THE BSD MODULE IS MADE BY THE SAME MANUFACTURER FOR BOTH COMPANIES. I TOLD THE DEALERSHIP IF IT HAPPENED AGAIN WHILE I WAS IN THE AREA OF THE DEALERSHIP I WOULD DRIVE THE CAR THERE SO THEY COULD SEE AND POSSIBLY COME UP WITH A DIAGNOSTIC CODE WHILE THE FAILURE WAS IN PROGRESS. THEY HAD NO EXPLANATION FOR THE ASSOCIATED LOSS OF POWER...
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to Kia Optima