Kia Optima Complaints

7,843 consumer complaints on file.

#10871700May 31, 2016
ENGINE
THE KIA OPTIMA I PURCHASED HAD LOW MILEAGE ONLY 46K BOUGHT IT ON MARCH 2016 WITH CARFAX SERVICE RECORDS SHOWING UP TO 26K MILES ON 5/4/15. APPERANTLY MY ENGINE HAD SLUDGE AND KIA IS VOIDING THERE MANUFACTURER WARRANTY DUE TO LACK OF MAINTENANCE. MY TURBO AND ENGINE NEED TO BE REPLACED, I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT WITH IN A YEAR A CAR CSNIBEAT DEVELOPED SO MUCH SLUDGE, SEEMS THE CAR HAD ALREADY STARTED COLLECTING SLUDGE EVEN WITH REGULAR OIL CHANGES. KIA NEEDS TO TAKE ACTION AND HONOR THERE WARRANTY. NOW I CAN GO PASSED 40 MILES PER HOUR ON THE FREEWAY BECAUSE LACK OF POWER
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10871474May 30, 2016
AIR BAGS
MY AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON A FEW MONTHS AGO WHEN I WAS DRIVING TO WORK THE LIGHT CAME ON AND HAVE NOT GONE OFF YET. I TOOK IT TO GET A DIAGNOSE AND WAS TOLD IT WAS A SENSOR IN THE SEAT AND I SHOULD HAVE IT REPLACED. WELL I HAD SOMEONE PUT IN A DIFFERENT SEAT AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT DID NOT GO OFF. NOW IT'S TIME FOR MY INSPECTIONS AND I CAN'T EVEN GET IT DONE BECAUSE THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS STILL ON.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10871225May 27, 2016
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE DRIVER WAS DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY WITH A LOUD NOISE. THE CONTACT COASTED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESUME DRIVING. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS WEAR AND TEAR IN THE STEERING AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,853.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10871046May 26, 2016
ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE AN UNKNOWN PART NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10870505May 24, 2016
ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE NUMBER TWO CYLINDER WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10870543May 24, 2016
STEERING
CLICKING NOISE AND PULLING WHEN I TURN OR HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD. SOUNDS LIKE MY STEERING WOULD COME APART. LOTS OF PLAY IN THE STEERING WHEEL. VERY UNSAFE. I DRIVE THE INTERSTATE TO WORK EVERYDAY AND I AM NORMALLY TRAVELING BETWEEN 70 AND 75. I FEAR MY CAR IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN WITH THE DEFECTIVE STEERING.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10870546May 24, 2016
STEERING
I NOTICED WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THAT YOU HAVE TO FIGHT TO KEEP IT ON THE ROAD. IT VEERS TO THE LEFT AND WHEN CORRECTED, THEN VEERS TO THE RIGHT, THIS CONTINUES AS LONG AS YOU ARE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS BETWEEN 50 AND 75 MILES AN HOUR. WHEN YOU SLOW DOWN THE CAR FEELS LOOSE AND SWAYS EASILY FROM LEFT TO RIGHT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10870289May 23, 2016
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
CAR WAS RUNNING AND SAT AT A RED LIGHT. WENT TO GO... MY RPMS SHOT DOWN TO 0, BATTERY AND OIL LIGHT CAME ON AND CAR DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. EVERYTHING IN THE CAR WORKED. LIGHTS, WINDOWS, WIPERS..... THE CAR STILL WOULDNT TURN. THINK ITS THE ALTERNATOR. I THINK YOU SHOULD RECALL THEM AND GET THEM FIXED. THERES ALOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT FAULTY ALTERNATORS ON THESE OPTIMAS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10870457May 23, 2016
ENGINE
LIGHT TAPPING SOUND WAS HEARD FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 DAYS. ON THE FOURTH DAY, WHEN ACCELERATING TO MERGE ONTO A HIGHWAY, THE CAR SHUT OFF COMPLETELY AND SMOKE CAME FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT. CAR WAS TOWED TO MECHANIC AND DIAGNOSED WITH SEIZED ENGINE. COMPLETE REPLACEMENT OF ENGINE WAS ONLY RECOURSE. THE CAR WAS REGULARLY SERVICED WITH OIL CHANGES AND NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE LIT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10870024May 20, 2016
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE STEERING COLUMN BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN WHEN CHANGING LANES. IN ADDITION, A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE DISRUPTED THE CONTACT'S STEERING CAPABILITY. IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN COUPLER IN THE STEERING LINKAGE MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 119,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10865547May 18, 2016
ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT TWO CYLINDERS HAD NO COMPRESSION AND THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE ENGINE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPLACED DUE TO THE SAME FAILURE. THE CONTACT OBSERVED STEAM COMING FROM THE ENGINE DURING THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V568000 (ENGINE); HOWEVER, THE VIN, YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL WERE NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 10,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10865613May 18, 2016
STEERING
I HAVE HAD MY (2012) KIA OPTIMA SINCE 2012. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY HORRIBLE PROBLEMS UNTIL NOW. THE STEERING WHEEL CLICKS AND YOU CAN HEAR AND FEEL ANY BUMPS BECAUSE WHEN YOU EVEN HIT A SMALL HOLE IN THE ROAD THE STEERING WHEEL WILL ALSO CLICK AND MAKE A LOUD NOISE. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY WORK OR REPAIRS DONE TO THE CAR OTHER THAN THE NORMAL OIL CHANGES, TIRE ROTATION, NEW TIRES AND ALIGNMENT, BRAKE REPLACEMENT. I HAVE TAKEN CARE OF MY VEHICLE AND TO BE TOLD THAT THE STEERING WHEEL CLICKING IS SOMETHING THAT ISN'T COVERED OR THAT NO ONE IS LOOKING INTO FOR A RECALL IS SOMETHING I DON'T UNDERSTAND. I HAVE ALWAYS BACKED KIA AND EVEN BOUGHT 2 FOR MY KIDS, BUT NOW I AM STARTING TO WONDER ABOUT THE QUALITY OF THE CAR. I HAVE READ 63 OTHER COMPLAINTS WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS AND STILL NOTHING FROM THE COMPANY WITH A RECALL. I GUESS IT TAKES SOMEONE GETTING KILLED OR SERIOUSLY INJURED TO GET SOMETHING DONE ABOUT THE STEERING. I COULD SEE IF IT WAS A INTERIOR LIGHT BUT WAKE UP PEOPLE THERE IS A STEERING PROBLEM. HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF IT WAS YOU OR SOMEONE THAT'S CLOSE TO YOU IN A VEHICLE THAT HAS FAULTY STEERING AND SOMETHING HAPPENED TO THEM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10865488May 17, 2016
STEERING
THE STEERING MAKING KNOCKING SOUND WHILE STILL AND DRIVING AND WHILE BRAKING THE STEERING STARTS SHAKING AND MAKES THE KNOCKING SOUND. MOST PEOPLE SAID ITS A PLASTIC COUPLING THAT GETS REPLACED FOR $400 AND I CAN'T KEEP PAYING THAT MUCH MONEY EACH TIME IT GETS MESSED UP THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I'VE GOTTEN FIX THREE MONTHS THE NOISE CAME BACK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10864996May 15, 2016
AIR BAGS
MY COMPLAINT REGARDS THE AIR BAG SYSTEM. THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON IN 2015 AND HAS REMAINED ON. MY CAR WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION WITH THE LIGHT ON AND WHILE KIA RECALLED THE 2008 MODELS, THEY HAVE NOT RECALLED THE 2009 MODELS DESPITE MULTIPLE REPORTS OF ISSUES WITH BOTH THE AIR BAGS AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT. LAST YEAR, THE DEALER FOUND A LOOSE SENSOR THAT THEY RECONNECTED, IN ORDER FOR THE CAR TO PASS INSPECTION. HOWEVER, THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON THE NEXT DAY. AT THIS POINT, I DON'T KNOW IF MY AIR BAGS ARE FUNCTIONING PROPERLY AND I'M STUCK BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WON'T PASS INSPECTION. THE DATE IS ESTIMATED AS IT HAPPENED BETWEEN JUNE 2014 AND JUNE 2015 WHEN I WAS UP FOR MY NEXT INSPECTION.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10864876May 14, 2016
STEERING
WHILE STEERING AT SLOW AND HIGH SPEEDS THE STEERING WHEEL MAKES A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE THAT CAN BE HEARD AND FELT. THE STEERING WHEEL OFTEN GETS STUCK AND REQUIRES ADDITIONAL FORCE TO GET IT TO MOVE. THE STEERING WHEELS SOMETIMES JERKS ITSELF AND OVERSTEERS IN THE DIRECTION I'M TURNING IT IN. IT STARTED ABOUT A MONTH AGO AND WAS HAPPENING INTERMITTENTLY BUT NOW IT'S HAPPENING ALL THE TIME.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10864925May 14, 2016
VISIBILITY/WIPER
ON 5/13/16 I WALKED OUT TO MY CAR WITHOUT NOTICE AND GOT IN. AS OF THEN I NOTICED A LONG CRACK STARTING AT THE BOTTOM RUNNING UPWARDS OVER HALF WAY AND OUT TO THE MIDDLE CRACKS. I CALLED THE POLICE TO GET A REPORT BUT THE OFFICER SAID IT HAD NOT BEEN HIT FROM THE OUT SIDE AND TAKE IT TO KIA. I TOOK IT THERE AND I WAS TOLD I WAS HIT BY SOMETHING LIKE A ROCK OR BALL. THE MAN AT KIA SAID TAKE IT TO MY INSURANCE COMPANY. I TOOK IT THERE AND THE AGENT SAID IT WAS HIT BUT I HAD TO PAY $100.00 BEFORE IT COULD BE FIXED. A MAN FROM THE GLASS REPAIR CAME TO LOOK AT IT AND HE SAID IT HAS BEEN BROKEN FROM THE INSIDE AND HE COULD TELL BETTER WHEN THE OLD ONE HAS BEEN REMOVED. HE CAME OUT ON 5/3/16 TO REPLACE IT AND HE SAID THAT WHOEVER TOLD ME THAT WINDOW WAS BROKEN ON THE OUTSIDE DID NOT KNOW WHAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT. AFTER LOOKING AT IT VERY CLOSE HE SAID THAT WHAT BROKE IT AND MADE THE CRACKS WAS THE LAMINATED PLASTIC THAT HOLDS THE TWO PIECES OF GLASS TOGETHER AND IT WAS A DEFECT IN THE GLASS. KIA ALWAYS TELLS ME WHEN I HAVE A PROBLEM, THAT IN NO WAY THE PROBLEMS WAS FROM KIA'S MAKING THE CAR. THIS IS MY THIRD PROBLEM WITH THAT CAR THAT THEY TELL ME THEY EITHER CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM LIKE WITH THE TRUNK OPENING UP, THE BATTERY THEY REPLACED ON ME BY TAKING OUT ALMOST A NEW ONE AND REPLACING IT WITH A OLDER ONE. NOW I HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET $100.00 WHEN IT WAS NO ONES FAULT ABOUT THE GLASS BUT KIA BECAUSE I STILL HAVE SEVEN MONTHS WARRANTY LEFT ON THE GLASS AND THEY DID NOT WANT TO HAVE TO INSTALL A NEW ONE SO THEY COULD SAVE MONEY AND TIME AND KEEP PEOPLE THINKING THAT KIA IS NUMBER 1. THIS KIA WITH UNDER 19,000 MILES IS JUNK TO ME AND WITH SOME RECALLS ON THE MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR OF THIS ONE, NOT BUT ONE SINGLE RECALL WAS EVER MADE BUT YOU DID NOT HAVE TO HAVE IT DONE. ON THIS AND OTHER KIA'S THEY SHOULD MAKE KIA AMERICA REBUY ALL THOSE CARS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10864683May 12, 2016
SUSPENSION, STRUCTURE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE LOWER SUBFRAME DETACHED DUE TO CORROSION INSIDE THE SUBFRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V183000 (SUSPENSION). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10864345May 11, 2016
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR FAILED TO UNLOCK FROM EITHER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE WAS PERSISTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE SAME FAILURE OCCURRED ON THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 147,433.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10864500May 11, 2016
ENGINE
ONE MORNING I TURNED THE CAR ON AND SAW BUNCH OF WHITE LIGHT BLUE SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE TAIL PIPE AFTER RUNNING THE ENGINE FOR FEW MINUTES SMOKE WENT AWAY DROVE IT AROUND NOTHING DROVE GOOD SO MONDAY I CALLED WEST COVINA KIA TOLD ABOUT THE SMOKE AND SAID IT WAS A BAD BATCH OF GAS SO THEY SAID PUT EJECTOR CLEANER IN THE TANK AND THAT SHOULD HELP IT OUT SO I DID RAN GOOD FOR A WHILE AND THE SMOKE STARTED UP AGAIN BUT NOW THE ENGINE MADE A RATTLING SOUND SO CALLED KIA OF WEST COVINA AND SAID BRING IT IN SO LEFT IT THERE THEY DID A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND SAID I HAD SLUDGE IN MY ENGINE AND THAT THE ENGINE WAS STARVING FOR OIL SO THE BAD NEWS IS NO RECEIPT NO WARRANTY IT WOULDN'T BE COVERED SO THIS HAS TO COME OUT OF MY POCKET AND I NEED A NEW ENGINE WHICH IT'S GOING TO COST ME $6500 I DID MY OIL CHANGES BUT CAN'T SHOW PROOF OF IT SO I'M STUCK WITH THE BILL I DON'T THINK IT'S RIGHT THEY KNOW THEY HAVE DEFECTIVE ENGINES .I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS ISSUE, MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND I ONLY HAVE 19.000 MILES ON IT HAVE IT FOR 2 YEARS THERE SHOULDN'T BE PROBLEMS ON THIS NEW CARS BUT THIS GUY'S FOUND A LOOP HOLE AND NOW THEY ARE SCREWING WITH CONSUMERS THEY SHOULD MAN UP ABOUT THEIR FAULTY ENGINES THEY SHOULD RECALL THE ENGINES
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10864167May 10, 2016
POWER TRAIN
WHEN I AM DRIVING MY 2010 KIA OPTIMA AND GO TO SLOW DOWN AT 20 MPH (ONLY AT 20 MPH AND ONLY WHEN SLOWING DOWN) MY CAR DOES A JERK OR LURCHING MOTION, WITH A HARD DOWN SHIFT TO 1ST GEAR.THIS HAPPENS NO MATTER WHERE IM DRIVING. FROM WHAT IVE BEEN TOLD THERES A TRANSMISSION UPDATE SOFTWARE WHICH WHEN UPDATED. AFTER BEING UPDATED THE DEALER HAS TO RSET/LEAR THE RELEARN PROCEDURE. BOTH STEPS MUST BE DONE TO ELIMINATE THE LURCHING/JERKING. I FEEL THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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