Kia Optima Complaints (2014)
622 consumer complaints on file.
- #10994290June 10, 2017ENGINE
TOOK MY VEHICLE IN FOR A ENGINE RECALL. IT ONLY TOOK 10 MINUTES. NO EXPLANATION ON WHAT WAS THE PROCESS TO CHECK A RECALLED ENGINE. NO DETAILS ON HOW AND WHAT WAS DONE TO CHECK THE ENGINE. THIS AN INDICATION THAT KIA IS TRYING TO SAVE MONEY. ALSO NHTSA SHOULD INDICATE ON IT'S WEBSITE BEFORE THE REMEDY, INDICATE THE PROCESS BEING USED TO CHECK THE ENGINE. ALL THEY STATED WAS PASS.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10994309June 10, 2017ENGINE
BOUGHT CAR BRAND NEW AT 30K MILES WHIITE SMOKE STARTING COMING OUT THE EXHAUST. TOOK IT TO KIA DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME I HAD TO FURNISH ALL MY OIL CHANGE RECEIPTS BC THERE WAS SLUDGE IN MY OIL. THEY TOLD ME I NEEDED A NEW MOTOR, A BRAND NEW CAR?! I WOULD ACCELERATE AND THE SMOKE WOULD COME OUT AND WHEN I STARTED THE CAR THE SMOKE WOULD COME OUT. JUST TODAY MY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND MY CAR STARTED SPUTTERING. I RECENTLY WENT TO 2 DIFFERENT KIA DEALERSHIPS AND NOT ONE SALES REP MENTIONED THE RECALL, NOR THE OTHER 2 THAT WERE RELATED TO THIS VEHICLE.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10992951June 2, 2017ENGINE
I WAS AT A STOP LIGHT WAITING MY TURN, THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, AND I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE TO PUT IT ON THE GAS. AS I PRESSED THE GAS MY CAR STARTED TO SHAKE, NO ACCELERATION, AND MY DASH LIT UP STATING "HYBRID SYSTEM NOT CHARGED PULL OVER AND TURN OFF ENGINE" I TURNED OFF MY CAR, TRIED TO RESTART IT AND IT STATED THAT MY HEV SYSTEM (HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLE SYSTEM) HAS FAILED. I LUCKILY WAS BESIDE A GAS STATION AND I THREW IT INTO NEUTRAL AND WAS ABLE TO PUSH IT JUST INTO THE PARKING SECTION. I HAD TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALER TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT. DURING THE DRIVE MY BATTERY COMPLETELY DIED SO BY THE TIME I GOT THERE IT HAD NO POWER. CHANGED OUT THE BATTERY AND SAFETY SWITCH WHICH HAD SEEMED TO FAIL. (OF COURSE NOT UNDER WARRANTY). AFTER SPENDING $1,000 ON REPAIRS/LABOR THE CAR STILL WILL NOT TURN ON AND THE ENGINE SEEMS TO SEIZE. AFTER A LITTLE DIGGING MY VIN ISNT ELIGIBLE FOR A RECALL, THOUGH THE 2014 KIA OPTIMA IS FOR THE SAME EXACT ISSUE. HOPEFULLY KIA WILL BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHATS WRONG BECAUSE I REALLY DO LIKE THIS CAR BUT A FAILING ENGINE WONT GET ME ANYWHERE!
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10992720June 1, 2017ENGINE
ENGINE RECALLS. THERE IS A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND SOUNDS LIKE A DIESEL ENGINE. KIA SAYS THIS IS NORMAL BUT OTHERS DO NOT SOUND LIKE THIS. WONDERING IF THERE IS MORE TO THIS RECALL THAN WHAT THEY ARE WILLING TO ADMIT.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10991688May 25, 2017ENGINE
ENGINE RATTLES BETWEEN 1000 TO 2000 RPMS.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10985410May 12, 2017AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
I WAS DRIVING DOWN A CITY STREET (35MPH) WHEN I WAS CUT OFF BY ANOTHER CAR MAKING A TURN IN FRONT OF ME AND WE COLLIDED. I T-BONED HIS CAR AND MY AIR BAGS DIDNT GOT OFF. MY CAR STALLED COMPLETELY AND NOTHING ABOUT THE VEHICLE SAFETY EQUIPMENT REACTED TO THE CRASH. THE SYSTEM (CLUSTER AND SCREEN) DIDNT SHOW THAT THERE HAD BEEN ANY IMPACT AND THE CAR WAS READY TO DRIVE. I REPORTED THIS TO KIA OF DOWNTOWN LA (THE DEALER) AND KIAUSA CORPORATE WHERE THEY OFFERED TO CHECK THE CAR OUT AND SEE IF THE CAR REACTED THE WAY IT WAS SUPPOSE TO. AT THE END OF THEIR INSPECTION THEY CLAIMED THAT MY CAR DID WHAT IT WAS SUPPOSE TO AND DIDNT DEPLOY THE AIRBAGS AS THE CAR DETERMINED THAT IS DIDNT NEED TO. I ASKED WHY DIDNT THE CAR SHOW ANYWHERE THAT THERE WAS IMPACT AND IF THE SENSORS EVEN DETECTED ANYTHING AS THERE WAS NO MESSAGED ANYWHERE. THEY CLAIM IT DOESNT SUPPOSE TO. A FEW WEEKS AFTER IT WAS REPAIRED I STARTED GETTING MESSAGES IN THE CLUSTER "CHECK AIR FLAP SYSTEM". TOOK IT BACK AND FOURTH TO THE DEALER WHERE I FINALLY OPENED A BBB CLAIM. IN MY CLAIM I ALSO REPORTED A DELAY REACTION WHEN ACCELERATING AND WAS TOLD THAT HYBRIDS WORK THAT WAY AND THE RESPONSE TIME IS SLOWER THAN REGULAR GAS CARS. THE PROBLEM IS WHEN TURNING AFTER A COMPLETE STOP THE CAR DOESNT MOVE FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN TAKES OFF. OCCASIONALLY, THE CAR WONT TURN OFF, AND ASKS ME TO SHIFT TO P (PARK) WHEN IT IS IN PARK. WHEN THAT HAPPENS I AM FORCED TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY HAVE TO "RESET" THE CAR TO FORCE IT TO TURN OFF (NO ACTUAL SOLUTION BUT TO UNPLUG THE BATTERY AND PLUG IT BACK IN IS WHAT THEY DO) ACCORDING TO KIA I CANT PROVE THAT THE AIRBAGS DONT WORK AS I AM NOT AN EXPERT AND SAME WITH THE DRIVE TRAIN. UNFORTUNATELY THE ONLY WAY OF FINDING OUT IS IF THIS CAR IS INVOLVED IN ANOTHER ACCIDENT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
- Crash:
- Yes
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10982951May 1, 2017ENGINE
MY CARS ENGINE STARTED MAKING A KNOCKING NOISE DURING IDLE AND AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THIS IS VERY CONCERNING BECAUSE I DO NEED MY CAR EVERYDAY TO GET MY 18 MONTH OLD DAUGHTER TO DAYCARE AND THEN TO WORK. THE DEFAULT ANSWER FROM THE DEALERSHIP IS "WE DON'T HEAR ANYTHING" WHICH IS TOTAL BS, YOU CAN CLEARLY HEAR IT KNOCKING. I DON'T WANT MY CARS ENGINE TO HAVE A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC WHEN I AM WITH MY DAUGHTER. THAT COULD CAUSE US TO BE IN A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT WHICH I DREAD. KIA NEEDS TO OWN UP TO THE PROBLEM AND GET IT FIXED AND STOP WORRYING ABOUT THE MONEY THEY WILL LOSE DUE TO FIXING IT. I AM GLAD NHTSA EXISTS, IT KEEPS BIG POWERFUL COMPANIES LIKE KIA IN CHECK. ANY HELP WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).'*JB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10978923April 17, 2017ENGINE
ON THE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 60MPG, ENGINE STARTED KNOCKING AS ACCELERATION INCREASED. THEN ACCELERATION WOULD NOT INCREASE AND THE CAR HOVERED AT 60MPH. AFTER A FEW MINUTES AND THE KNOCKING CONTINUING, THE CAR DECREASED TO 40 MPH. THEN THE WARNING CAME ON AND SAID "HYBRID SYSTEM NOT CHARGED PULL OVER AND TURN OFF ENGINE". THEN I PULLED OFF TURNED OFF THE CAR AND ATTEMPTED TO RESTART IT. IT CONTINUED TO PRESENT WITH THE SAME WARNING. NO ENERGY FLOW THROUGH THE ENGINE. I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO MY HOME. I NOTICED RECALLS FOR MY EXACT VEHICLE WITH DIFFERENT VIN #'S AND DESCRIBING THE EXACT SAME ISSUES. A FRIEND OF MINE SENT ME A COPY OF A RECALL NOTICE AFTER I DESCRIBED WHAT OCCURRED AND IT IS ALL THE SAME THINGS THEY DESCRIBE. KIA SAYS MY VIN# IS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST. KIA REFUSES TO FIX THE ISSUE EVEN THOUGH IT IS UNDER 60,000 MILE WARRANTY, CLAIMING THE PROBLEM IS DUE TO MAINTENANCE. I PURCHASED THE CAR IN JANUARY 2017 AND IT IS NOW ONLY APRIL 2017. A WHOLE THREE MONTHS. A CAR I JUST PURCHASED SHOULD NOT HAVE THESE ISSUES.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10970990April 6, 2017UNKNOWN OR OTHER
24,000 MILES. CLICKING/ TICKING NOISE COMING FROM BEHIND THE DASH ON THE DRIVER SIDE/CENTER OF DASH. NOISE STARTS WHEN CAR IS STARTED AND CEASES WHEN THE CAR IS TURNED OFF. NOISE IS CONTINUOUS DURING DRIVING. NOISE DOES NOT CHANGE IN VOLUME OR PACE DURING DRIVING.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10970108April 3, 2017UNKNOWN OR OTHER
SUNROOF EXPLODED OUT JUST DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. NOTHING HIT IT OR WAS THROWN THROUGH IT.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10956317February 22, 2017VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE SUN ROOF SUDDENLY FRACTURED AND THE GLASS SHATTERED INTO PIECES. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUN ROOF NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10954560February 14, 2017ENGINE
AT ABOUT 30,000 MILES THE ENGINE DEVELOPED A KNOCK THAT COULD BE HEARD AT LOW RPM WHILE DRIVING OR STANDING STILL. I TOOK IT TO THE KIA DEALER AND I'M WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM THEM, THEY HAVE HAD THE CAR FOR TWO DAYS AND DON'T KNOW HOW THEY ARE GOING TO FIX IT. THE SERVICE ADVISOR DID SAY IT WAS COVERED BY THE RECALL, BUT I CAN'T FIND ANYTHING ABOUT A RECALL FOR THE OPTIMA 2.4L GDI ENGINE
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10949906February 6, 2017FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
CAR HIT A GUARD RAIL AND EXPLODED IN FIRE. DRIVER DIED FROM BURNS. ON INTERSTATE 8 AT MP-107, MARICOPA COUNTY, AZ. CUT OFF BY A NON-IMPACT VEHICLE. DRIVER STEERED TO AVOID CONTACT AND HIT GUARD RAIL. DRIVER SURVIVED IMPACT BUT LATER DIED OF BURNS. ABOUT 75 MPH. PASSENGER SURVIVED BUT RECEIVED SERIOUS BURNS.
- Crash:
- Yes
- Fire:
- Yes
- Injuries:
- 2
- Deaths:
- 1
- #10943908January 9, 2017ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, ENGINE STALLS IN MIDDLE OF BUSY HIGHWAY. WAS ABLE TO GET VEHICLE TO SIDE OF ROAD IN THE RAIN. VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND WAS TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER CALLS TO SAY ENGINE IS BLOWN AT 37K MILES. DEALER WAS LAST TO PERFORM OIL CHANGE. NO ISSUES WERE NOTED AT THAT TIME. AWAITING TO HEAR IF ENGINE IS COVERED BY EXTENDED ENGINE WARRANTY THAT WAS ISSUED BY KIA AS THEY ARE WELL AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND HAS KNOWN FOR SEVERAL YEARS. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10939181January 3, 2017STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD JOLT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO DIAGNOSE OR REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10939307January 3, 2017SEATS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT FELL BACK WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FOUR DIFFERENT DEALERS, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REMEDIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10937364December 24, 2016ENGINE
AT A STOP LIGHT WHEN I WENT TO ACCELERATE CAR HAD A HESITATION AND SMOKE CAME OUT THE EXHAUST PIPE. NO ENGINE, OR OIL LIGHT CAME ON. THE CAR DROVE AND RAN AS IT ALWAYS HAS. GOT HOME CALL KIA OF DAYTON FOR AN APPOINTMENT. TOOK CAR IN, COUPLE DAYS LATER I WAS CALLED AND TOLD I HAD SLUDGE BUILT UP AND NEEDED A NEW ENGINE AND THEY WILL SUBMIT IT TO KIA FOR APPROVAL. KIA DENIED REPAIRS. I LOOKED UP ONLINE AND READ SEVERAL COMPLAINTS WITH THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM WITH SAME YEAR AND AROUND SAME MILEAGE. I EVEN SEEN WHERE A CLASS ACTION SUIT WAS FILED OVER IT. KIA IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE BUT WONT RECALL NOR FIX IT.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10919846October 28, 2016ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH CAME ON, THE RPM'S DROPPED AND THE CAR SHUT OFF AND WOULD NOT RESTART. GOT IT TOWED TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP THEY CALLED SAID IT WAS MY STARTER. MY FIANCE STOPPED BY THERE SAID IT'S NO WAY IT WAS THE STARTER. THE SERVICE TECH PUT A BREAKER BAR ON THE MOTOR AND IT WAS LOCKED UP TIGHT. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10918888October 25, 2016ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE ENGINE OIL INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS BURNING OIL EXTREMELY FAST. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO LOW MAINTENANCE OF HAVING THE OIL CHANGED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT SHE NEEDED TO PROVIDE ALL DOCUMENTS OF PREVIOUS OIL CHANGE MAINTENANCE. DUE TO NOT HAVING THE OIL CHANGES PERFORMED AT A KIA CERTIFIED DEALER, THE CONTACT WAS OUT OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 45,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10917361October 19, 2016ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. A LOCAL DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO SLUDGE BUILD UP. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE ENGINE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE OWNER'S NEGLIGENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 59,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0