Kia Optima Complaints

7,843 consumer complaints on file.

#10970621April 4, 2017
STRUCTURE:BODY, VISIBILITY/WIPER
MY FOUR YEAR OLD DAUGHTER AND I WERE IN THE CAR AND WHILE DRIVING, THE SUNROOF EXPLODED. IT WAS SO LOUD, ALMOST LIKE A GUNSHOT. A SMALL AMOUNT OF GLASS ENTERED THE CAR. I WAS DRIVING STRAIGHT, SOUTHWARD, NEAR THE OSCEOLA EXIT ON I 55. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO SIGN OR EVIDENCE OF ANYTHING HITTING THE GLASS. WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE CLEAR AND THE TEMPERATURE IN OSCEOLA TODAY WAS A HIGH OF 76 AND LOW OF 68 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10970401April 4, 2017
AIR BAGS, STEERING
NO PREVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH STEERING IN THE YEAR VEHICLE WAS OWNED, WAS BOUGHT PREOWNED WITH 25K MILES ON IT, NOW WITH 28K MILES ON IT. ON DAY OF ACCIDENT, ROADS WERE DAMP, WHILE DRIVING ON ROAD LITTERED WITH NUMEROUS POT HOLES AND BUMPS, CAME AROUND A CORNER ON WHAT SEEMED TO BE BUMP FREE PAVEMENT, STEERING JERKED RIGHT, CAR VEERED INTO THE GRASSY TERRAIN ALONGSIDE ROAD, COULD NOT REGAIN CONTROL OF CAR AS STEERING WAS FIGHTING ME NO MATTER WHAT I DID, RAISE IN TERRAIN FORCED PASSENGER SIDE DOWN AN DRIVER SIDE OF CAR INTO AIR, CAR CAME TO REST NEAR SIDE OF ROAD ON IT'S PASSENGER SIDE, ALSO AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THIS CAR IS SUPPOSEDLY SAFE I BELIEVE I SURVIVED THANKS TO AN ANGEL ABOVE KEEPING ME SAFE.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10970045April 3, 2017
VISIBILITY/WIPER
DRIVING ON FREEWAY NEAR NORTH BEND WA. STATE WITH WIFE AND 2 GRANDKIDS IN CAR WHEN PANARAMIC SUNROOF EXPLODED. LARGE BLAST FROM NOWHERE AND NOBODY IN FRONT OF ME. IT SHOCKED US AND ALMOST MADE US WRECK. KIA OF AMERICA WAS HORIBLE TO WORK WITH AND TOOK NO RESPONSABILITY FOR THEIR DEFECT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10970108April 3, 2017
UNKNOWN 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
#10970145April 3, 2017
ENGINE
I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON A QUIET RESIDENTIAL STREET WHEN MY 2012 KIA OPTIMA EX SUDDENLY QUIT. I COASTED INTO AN OFFICE PARKING LOT WHERE I SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. I EXITED THE CAR, OPENED THE HOOD AND SAW THAT THE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. SUDDENLY, THE FLAMES HIT THE FUEL LINE AND THE ENGINE EXPLODED SHOOTING FLAMES 10 FEE HIGH. I WAS DESPARATELY TRYING TO GET EVERYTHING VALUABLE OUT OF THE CAR WHILE CALLING 911. IT TOOK 4 FIREFIGHTERS TO PUT OUT THE FLAMES . THANKFULLY, THE WHOLE AUTOMOBILE WASN'T CONSUMED. IT WAS DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS. THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAD 57,600 MILES ON IT AND WAS STILL UNDER MANUFACTURER WARRANTY.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10969626March 30, 2017
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ARE VERY DIM EVEN WITH NEW BULB REPLACEMENTS. FOUND THAT THE REFLECTIVE MATERIAL INSIDE THE HEADLIGHTS MELTED. NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT NEED TO USE THE HIGH BEAMS ALL THE TIME.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10969077March 28, 2017
ENGINE
I BOUGHT A 2012 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID I ALSO BOUGHT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY WITH MY VEHICLE. NOVEMBER 2016 MY WIFE AND TWO KIDS WERE ON THEIR WAY TO WORK AND SCHOOL WHEN THE CAR JUST SHUT DOWN WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 55 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT EVEN TURN. I CALLED THE CAR COMPANY I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM AND THEY TOLD ME THEY CAN'T WORK ON HYBRIDS SO I NEEDED TO FIND A KIA DEALERSHIP I FOUND ONE HUNDRED MILES AWAY I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO KIA DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THE STARTING BATTERY WAS BAD IN IT AND WOULD HAVE IT FIXED. THEY CALLED ME A FEW DAYS LATER SAYING IT WAS NOT THE BATTERY THAT IT NEEDS A NEW ENGINE. AND IT WOULD COST AROUND 8,000 TO FIX AND WARRANTY STATED THEY WOULD NOT FIX IT DUE TO ENGINE SLUDGE FOUND IN THE OIL PAN AND MOTOR. THE MAIN KIA PLACE GOT INVOLVED AND SAID THEY NEEDED OIL CHANGING RECORDS SO I WENT TO THE PLACE WHERE WE GET OUR OIL CHANGED AND THEY SAID THEY JUST BOUGHT THE PLACE SO I CONTACTED THE OLD OWNER AND HE STATED THAT HE HAD BURNED ALL OIL CHANGING RECORDS. I DONE SOME RESEARCH AND THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF THE SAME CAR HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND THE DEALERSHIPS ARE TELLING THEM THE SAME THING. SLUDGE WAS IN THE MOTOR, POOR MAINTENANCE ON OWNERS. I OWE 13,000 ON THIS CAR AND THEY WANT 8,000 FOR THE MOTOR TO BE PUT IN IT AND THIS CAR PUT MY FAMILY'S LIFE AT RISK WITCH YOU CAN'T PUT A PRICE ON WHEN THE CAR WAS SERVICED LIKE IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE. I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO OR WHO ELSE I CAN GO TO. I KNOW THIS IS A LONG CONFUSING STORY BUT IF YOU CAN HELP ANY WAY PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10968731March 27, 2017
STEERING
THE STEERING WHEEL HAS DEVELOPED A POPING OR CLICKING WHEN YOU TURN LEFT OR RIGHT. IT STOPS AFTER YOU'VE TURNED THE WHEEL MORE THAN A 1/4 TURN BUT IT FEELS LIKE THE STEERING IS NOT RESPONSIVE UNTIL YOU'VE GOTTEN PAST THAT INITIAL 1/4 WHEEL TURN. IT STARTED A WHILE BACK BUT SEEMS TO BE GETTING WORSE. IT WILL MAKE THE SOUND ANYTIME THE WHEEL IS TURNED IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU ARE DRIVING OR SITTING STILL.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10968777March 27, 2017
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED IN THE RAIN, THE FLOOD LIGHTS DID NOT TURN ON WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 87,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10968309March 24, 2017
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
CANNOT ADD FUEL BECAUSE THE PUMP STOPS FROM FILLING UP THE TANK. IT TOOK ME ABOUT 7 TIMES TO GET IN $7 WORTH OF GAS. EVEN THOUGH THIS CAR ONLY HAS 25,830 MILES ON IT. IT HAS HARDLY BEEN USED. WE PUT GAS IN ABOUT EVERY 3 OR 4 WEEKS - NOT THAT OFTEN.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10967262March 20, 2017
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
THE ORANGE SQUARE WRENCH LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD CAME ON BUT AS SOON AS THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF WOULD GO AWAY. NO TROUBLE CODES SHOWED UP. IT HAPPENED 3 TIMES IN A WEEK SO ONCE IT POPPED ON, WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO DIAGNOSE WHILE IT WAS STILL RUNNING. WHILE DRIVING THERE, THE CAR HAD VERY LITTLE POWER-MAKING THE LEFT TURN INTO THE DEALERSHIP (CROSSING HEAVY ONCOMING TRAFFIC) WAS SCARY SINCE THE GAS PEDAL WAS TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE WAS BARELY MOVING. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE DRIVE MOTOR TEMP SENSOR IN THE HYBRID SYSTEM WAS GOING OUT AND THE CAR WAS IN SAFE MODE AND HAD CODE P0A2B IN THE HISTORY. BECAUSE I AM THE 2ND OWNER OF THE CAR, KIA WILL NOT COVER THE REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH THE CAR IS UNDER 100,000 MILES. THEY DESIGNED THIS PART SO THE SENSOR CANNOT BE REPLACED-THE ENTIRE DRIVE MOTOR MUST BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $6251. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS THAT A CUSTOMER CAN BE LEFT FOOTING THE BILL FOR A FAULTY AND UNSAFE DESIGN. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT A OWNER HAS ANY CONTROL OVER.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10967069March 19, 2017
ENGINE
MY KIA HYBRID WAS BOUGHT NEW IN 2013. IT WAS A 2012 MODEL. HAD IT SERVICED EVERY 7500 MILES WITH AMSOIL 25,000 MILE OIL. WAS WELL PLEASED UNTIL AT 114,000 MILES AFTER JUST HAVING SERVICED, THE ENGINE FAILED. HAD IT TOWED TO A DIFFERENT DEALER THAN WHERE I PURCHASED AS IT WAS CLOSER. WELL TO SAY THE LEAST A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. KIA SADI NO LONG BLOCKS WERE AVAILABLE AND WOULD SEND SHORT BLOCK FORM KOREA. NO RECALL ON HYBRIDS BUT IT IS THE SAME 2.4 ENGINE THAT HAS FAILED FOR MANY. LONG STORY SHORT, IT TOOK 63 DAYS TO GET A SHORT BLOCK WHICH COST ME 3156.00 TO INSTALL. TO SAY THE LEAST I HAVE RETAINED AND ATTORNEY AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET ANOTHER CALSS ACTION SUIT AS THE ROD WAS LAYING IN THE OIL PAN JUST LIKE THE RECALLS. I AM HAPPILY DRIVING A NEW HONDA!!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10966075March 15, 2017
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND MY 2012 KIA OPTIMA LOST POWER WITH NO WARNING SIGNS. I HAD IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC ONLY TO FIND THAT THE MOTOR WAS LOCKED UP. DID I MENTION THAT I HAD JUST BOUGHT THE CAR FROM BOYLES AUTO SALES IN JASPER, ALABAMA ON FEBRUARY 3, 2017 AND THE CAR QUIT ON FEBRUARY 26, 2017 NOT EVEN 30 DAYS SINCE THE PURCHASE OF MY CAR. UNFORTUNELY, SINCE WE PAID CASH FOR THE CAR THE DEALER BASICLY TOLD US HE WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING. SO NOW I AM WITHOUT A VEHICLE AND HAVING TO FIND MORE MONEY TO REPLACE THE MOTOR IN THE CAR THAT THIS DEALER SOLD ME. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH I HAVE LEARNED THAT KIA HAS PROBLEMS WITH THE KIA OPTIMA'S FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND THE 2012 THAT I PURCHASED IS INCLUDED. THE MECHANIC TOLD US THAT ALL THE COMPONENTS OF THE CAR THAT SHOULD HAVE OIL, WATER, ANY TYPE OF FLUID WAS FINE BUT THAT SOMETHING INTERNAL HAD STOPPED OPERATING AND CAUSED THE MOTOR TO LOCK UP.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10966161March 15, 2017
ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING ON A BUSY INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, SUDDENLY A BATTERY WARNING LIGHT FLASHED ACROSS MY DASHBOARD AND MY VEHICLE BEGAN LOSING POWER. I DRIFTED TO THE RIGHT WITHIN SPEEDING TRAFFIC TRYING TO REACH THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. I DIDN'T MAKE AND MY VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND COULD NOT BE RESTARTED IN THE MIDDLE OF AN EXIT OFF RAMP. ONCOMING TRAFFIC WAS SWERVING AND COMING TO ABRUPT STOPS TO AVOID SLAMMING INTO THE REAR OF MY VEHICLE. I GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND STOOD ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, IN FEAR OF BEING KILLED INSIDE THE VEHICLE. A POLICE OFFICER PUT OUT FLARES AND THEN STATE HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION EMERGENCY TOW, MOVED MY VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD, OUT OF THE WAY OF SPEEDING TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED BY KIA ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TO THE NEAREST KIA DEALERSHIP. THEY HAVE DIAGNOSED MY VEHICLE WITH "SLUDGE" IN THE ENGINE AND BURNT OUT STARTER, REQUIRING A NEW ENGINE AND STARTER. I HAVE PROVIDED ALL SERVICE RECORDS OF OIL CHANGES CONDUCTED AS REQUIRED WHICH WERE ALL PROVIDED BY KIA. CAR IS BRAND NEW UNDER WARRANTY, TWO YEARS OLD, WITH 18,561 MILES AND NO HISTORY OF WARNING LIGHTS. I WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE 2-3 BUSINESS DAYS FOR A DECISION. IT'S BEEN 6 BUSINESS DAYS AND I HAVEN'T RECEIVED A LOANER/REPLACEMENT VEHICLE NOR APPROVAL FOR THE REPAIR.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10965839March 14, 2017
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
LEATHER ON DOOR HANDLES ARE PEELING.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10965933March 14, 2017
ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE THE CONTACT'S AUNT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ROLL, SO THE DRIVER STEERED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND APPLIED THE BRAKES TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE PASSENGER OF THE VEHICLE LIFTED THE HOOD AND NOTICED FLAMES. BOTH OCCUPANTS MOVED AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FILED A REPORT AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CONTACT'S INSURANCE COMPANY WAS UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10965964March 14, 2017
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
WHILE DRIVING DURING THE DAY, ON THE HIGHWAY, I HEARD A LOUD BOOM, SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT. LOOKED IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR AND SAW BLACK STUFF FLYING OFF THE BACK END OF THE CAR INTO THE STREET. THEN HEARD WIND AND FELT WET, SO OPENED THE INTERIOR SHADE TO MY SUNROOF AND THERE ARE A HUGE OPEN HOLE IN THE MIDDLE OF MY SUNROOF.. THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY, NO OTHER CARS AROUND ME. IT WAS RAINING, BUT A LIGHT MIST TYPE RAIN. THE SOUND THAT I HEARD SOUNDED LIKE A EXPLOSION OR GUNSHOT AND THE ROOF'S GLASS WAS MISSING AND SOME CAME INTO THE CAR WHEN I OPENED THE SHADE. THE GLASS LOOKS AS IF IT BLEW OUT FROM INSIDE.. IT WAS MUSHROOMED NOT CAVED IN.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10965957March 14, 2017
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN EXPLOSION. THE CONTACT PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT AND NOTICED THAT THE ENTIRE SUN ROOF HAD SHATTERED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,039.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10960322March 13, 2017
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
CAR WE'RE NOT KEEP RUNNING IT CUTS OFF ENGINE LOCKED UP.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10960393March 13, 2017
ENGINE
I JUST RECENTLY HAD MY LOCAL DEALER DUE MY ROUTINE OIL CHANGE ON MY 2013 KIA OPTIMA EX. ABOUT TWO WEEKS FROM WHEN THIS WAS DONE. I STARTED TO NOTICE SOME SLUGGISH IN MY ENGINE PERFORMANCE AND THEN AFTER HEARING A LOW KNOCKING SOUND FROM THE ENGINE. I DECIDED TO CHECK THE ENGINE OIL LEVEL TO SEE IF I WAS LOW DUE TO A PAST EXPERIENCE WITH A CAR HAVING A BAD VALVE COVER GASKET. SO, WHEN I CHECKED MY OIL LEVEL ON THE DIPSTICK IT WAS BETWEEN THE LOW AND FULL LINE. THINKING THAT THIS WAS JUST MAYBE DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE DEALER HAD NOT PUT ENOUGH OIL IN DURING THE OIL CHANGE. I JUST BOUGHT TWO QUARTS OF 5W20 ENGINE OIL TO BRING THE OIL BACK TO THE FULL LINE ON THE DIPSTICK AND NOT VISUALLY SEEING ANY SIGNS OF OIL LEAKING ANYWHERE. HOWEVER, JUST ONE WEEK FROM WHEN I ADDED THE TWO QUARTS OF OIL. I STARTED TO HEAR THE KNOCKING SOUND AGAIN AND TO FIND OUT THAT I AM DOWN 1 QUART OF OIL. I DECIDED THEN TO PARK MY CAR UNDER A PIECE OF CARDBOARD FOR A DAY AND DO A THOROUGH LOOK FOR ANY SIGNS OF OIL LEAKING IN THE ENGINE BUT, I DID NOT COME ACROSS ANY OIL LEAKING ANYWHERE. I DECIDED THEN TO DO SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET TO SEE IF OTHER KIA OWNERS WERE HAVING THIS ISSUE AND FOUND THAT MANY OTHER KIA OWNERS WITH THIS GDI MOTOR ARE HAVING THIS SAME ISSUE WITH SOME OWNERS HAVE THE MOTOR SEIZE DUE TO THE ENGINE OIL BEING LOST IN THE ENGINE BY DEFECTIVE CONNECTING RODS THAT FAIL IN THE ENGINE. I HAVE EVEN FOUND OUT THAT HYUNDAI HAS A RECALL ON THIS SAME ENGINE THAT IS BEING USED IN MY 2013 KIA OPTIMA. MY CONCERN NOW IS THAT IF KIA ENDS UP ACKNOWLEDGING THIS EVENTUALLY AS A RECALL THAT THE WARRANTY WILL BE MORE THAN 10 YEARS OR 120, 000 MILES AS WITH MY HIGHWAY TRAVEL COMMUTE DAILY TO WORK I AM OVER THIS MILEAGE. I WILL BE MAKING AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE KIA DEALER TOMORROW TO SEE WHAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO DO AND WHAT IT MIGHT COST BEFORE I LOSE MY ENGINE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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