Kia Optima Complaints
7,843 consumer complaints on file.
- #10979991April 23, 2017UNKNOWN OR OTHER
IN JUNE 2014MY DATE BELOW OF CRASH ON THE DAY IS APPROXIMATELY , I WAS DRIVING MY BRAND NEW 2013 KIA OPTIMA, I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK AND MY ENGINE STALLED AND LOST COMPLETE POWER LOCKING UP EVERY CONTROL IN THE CAR. IT HAPPENED ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY IN JACKSONVILLE, NC AND LEFT ME STRANDED I WAS HIT IN MY REAR END BY 2 CARS CAUSING A 3 CAR CRASH. AT THE TIME KIA WOULD TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY. NOW IN 2016 THAT THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE ENGINE CAUSING STALLING AND LOSING POWER OF THE ENGINE AND CONTROL OF THE CAR. IN TOP OF THIS RECALL I JUST FOUND OUT THEY KNOWINGLY SOLD THIESE CARS WHILE KNOWING IT HAD THIS DEFECT WHICH COULD CAUSE A CRASH OR CASTROPHIC PROBLEMS. WHICH IN MY CASE IT DID CAUSE A A 3 CAR CRASH.
- Crash:
- Yes
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 3
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10980032April 23, 2017ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE IGNITION WANT TURN ALL TO WAY OFF I HAVE TO TURN IT OFF AND ON 2 OR 3 TIMES BEFORE IT WILL TURN COMPLETELY OFF SO I CAN REMOTELY LOCK THE DOOR. THE DRIVER SIDE REAR DOOR ACTUATOR WORK WHEN IT GET READY I HAVE TO UNLOCK THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR WITH KEY AND MANUALLY LOCK AND UNLOCK THE DOOR.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10979742April 21, 2017AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
TAKATA RECALL AS SOON AS I TURN THE KEY THE AIRBAG LIGHT SHOWS UP, STEADY. IT IS ON ALL THE TIME, WHETHER I AM STATIONARY OR IN MOTION. I HAVE NO IDEA IF THE AIRBAGS EVEN WORK. THERE ARE ALSO ISSUES WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AS THE DOOR OFTEN UNLOCKS ON ITS OWN, ALARM GOES OFF ON IT'S OWN, LIGHTS FLASH INSIDE EVERY TIME I MAKE A TURN, LEFT OR RIGHT AND THE RADIO SPAZZES OUT
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10979589April 20, 2017UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I HAD MY PASSENGER REARVIEW MIRROR BROKEN HANGING BY THE WIRES. THEY REPLACED IN DEALER AFTER I INSISTED ON A REPLACEMENT. BEFORE THEY REPLACED, I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE DRIVERS REAR VIEW MIRROR. LOOKS LIKE THEY ARE TOO FRAGIL. WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH IT?
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10979229April 19, 2017ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SHOOK WHENEVER THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AND A LOUD RATTLING NOISE WAS HEARD UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FOURTH PISTON FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE SLUDGE IN THE OIL PAN CAUSED SLUDGE TO ENTER THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE DID NOT RECEIVE AN OFFICIAL DIAGNOSIS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE REPAIR WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY DUE TO THE SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10979262April 19, 2017ENGINE
I HAVE WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY A D MY ENGINE JUST TURNED OFF AND ALL THE ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON ON THE DASHBOARD. I WAS TOLD BY DEALER MY ENGINE GAVE OUT AND IT IS COVERED BASED ON THE RECENT RECALL
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10979303April 19, 2017ENGINE
MY ENGINE STARTED KNOCKING AT 82,000MILES LOST POWER ON RODE HAD CAR TOWED HOME
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10979329April 19, 2017ENGINE
AFTER FUELING THE VEHICLE UP, AND STARTED TO HEAD DOWN A BUSY ROADWAY THE ENGINE OF MY VEHICLE SEIZED UP AND WOULD NOT START AGAIN. THE ONLY REASON BOTH THE DEALERSHIP AND MANUFACTURER ARE GIVING ME ITS BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF MAINTENANCE BUT THE CAR WAS BOUGHT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT ON DECEMBER 16 2016, AND I WAS TOLD THAT EVERYTHING WAS FUNCTIONING. THIS SAME PROBLEM IS CURRENTLY GOING ON WITH THE 2011-2014 VERSION OF THIS VEHICLE BUT THE COMPANY REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE LATER VERSION MY HAVE THIS DANGEROUS ISSUE.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10979162April 18, 2017ENGINE
WHILE TRAVELING IN A 65MPH ZONE THE VEHICLE STALLED WITH OUT INDICATION OR DASH LIGHTS. VEHICLE LOST STEERING AND CONTROL, PUTTING MYSELF AND OTHERS AT RISK OF DANGER. STOPPED THE VEHICLE. WHILE TRYING TO START THE VEHICLE, TURNED THE KEY AND ALL DASH LIGHTS WERE PRESENT BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START, CLICK OR TURN OVER. ISSUE RESULTED AS AN ENGINE FAILURE.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10979171April 18, 2017EXTERIOR LIGHTING
LOW BEAMS ARE VERY DIM DUE TO INTERNAL HEAD LIGHT CUP CHROME WORN OUT , CAN'T SEE MORE THAN 3 FEET AHEAD AT NIGHT , UNLESS I USE HI BEAMS .
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10978841April 17, 2017ENGINE
I WAS ON INTERSTATE 65 I WAS GOING ABOUT 55MPH AND BEGAN TO ACCELERATE WHEN THE VEHICLES ENGINE STALLED. THERE WERE CARS COMING FROM BEHIND I QUICKLY GOT OVER INTO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND CAME TO A STOP. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS THAT CAME ON PRIOR TO THIS OCCURRING. I NEVER HEARD ANY TYPE OF KNOCKING FROM THE ENGINE EITHER. IT WAS A TERRIFYING MOMENT HAVING THE CAR STOP FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON. 4 DAYS LATER THERE AS WAS AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF A RECALL FROM KIA REGARDING THE CONNECTOR ROD. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THE MOTOR IS LOCKED UP BUT NO ONE HAS TOLD ME WHY. KIA CORPORATION HAS BEEN SLOW TO RESPOND. THEY HAVE SAID THAT ITS NOT AN OFFICIAL RECALL UNTIL THE END OF MAY. THEY HAVE PROVIDED ME WITH A CASE NUMBER BUT THE CASE SPECIALIST HAS YET TO CALL ME BACK.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10978900April 17, 2017STEERING
WE PURCHASED OUR 2015 KIA OPTIMA NEW IN CORPUS CHRISTI, TX. AT ABOUT 11,000 MILES OUR PROBLEM STARTED. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL GETS REAL JERKY AND LOCKS UP. I HAVE TO JERK IT TO GET IT TO RELEASE AND THEN IT GOES THE OTHER DIRECTION. I HAVE TO KEEP BOTH HANDS ON THE WHEEL TO CONTROL IT. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION BECAUSE IT COULD EASILY CAUSE A TERRIBLE HEAD ON ACCIDENT. OUR DEALER SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM AFTER DRIVING IT A COUPLE MILES. THIS IS VERY UNSAFE, STRESSFUL, AND MAKES MY SHOULDERS HURT SEVERELY. WE ARE VERY UNHAPPY AND NEED THIS FIXED. IT IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND I KNOW THERE ARE OTHER CARS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. SAFETY ISSUES SHOULD NOT HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE DIES TO GET THEM FIXED.
- 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
- #10978698April 16, 2017ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
OPEN CAR DOOR AND NOTICED A BURNING SMELL OF ELECTRICAL, SMOKE COMING FROM DOOR SILL.BY THE TIME I GOT COVER OFF SMOKE AND FLAME COMING FROM THE LETTERING THAT LIGHTS UP WHEN DOOR OPENS. THE CAR WAS PARKED IN GARAGE.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- Yes
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10972371April 14, 2017ENGINE
I WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK, AND AT THE LIGHT I NOTICED MY ENGINE STARTED KNOCKING A LITTLE BUT THERE WAS NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, OIL LIGHT, ETC NOTIFYING ME OF ANY PROBLEM. I GAVE IT A LITTLE GAS TO GET UP THE HILL AND MY CAR SHUT OFF ALMOST INSTANTLY AND I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC HELPLESSLY TRYING TO GET OVER. I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO A KIA DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC AND WAS TOLD THE ENGINE WAS BLOWN AND KIA WASNT HONORING MY ENGINE REPLACEMENT.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10972377April 14, 2017ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
TAKATA RECALL: DRIVING THE CAR DOWN A CITY STREET WHEN IT SUDDENLY CEASED TO ACCELERATE. THE POWER STEERING STOPPED AS IT COASTED INTO A SIDE STREET TO GET OFF THE BUSY ROAD. I COULD SMELL WIRES BURNING AS A ELECTRICAL FIRE.I IMMEDIATELY GOT MYSELF AND FAMILY OUT OF THE CAR AFRAID IT WAS ON FIRE. THE INSIDE OF THE CAR FILLED WITH ELECTRICAL SMELL AND SMOKE. I CALLED THE 360 KIA TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP SINCE I BOUGHT A "GOLD" WARRANTY WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE THEY LITERALLY LOST MY CAR FOR SIX DAYS AND THEN CALLED ME WANTING MY SERVICE RECORDS STATING THE CAR HAD NO OIL IN THE MOTOR. THIS IS A OUTLANDISH LIE! MY CAR HAD PLENTY OF OIL IN IT ...I NEVER SAW A ENGINE LIGHT COME ON INDICATING THAT I HAD MOTOR PROBLEMS NOR DID I SMELL OIL . THIS WAS A "SUDDEN " MALFUNCTION. MY CAR NEVER RAN HOT NOR DID MY GAUGES EVER INDICATE A PROBLEM. I HAD THE CAR FOR RIGHT AT 40K MILES AND HAD A OIL CHANGE DUE AGAIN AT THE END OF APRIL.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10978598April 14, 2017ENGINE
ENGINE FAIL LOCKED UP 82,000
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10972218April 13, 2017ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, A RATTLING NOISE WAS PRESENT COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE SEIZED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10972163April 12, 2017ENGINE
VEHICLE SIZED ON THE HYW WHILE APPROXIMATELY 65MPH. IT WAS TOWED TO KIA, WHO STATED THEY WOULD REPLACE THE ENGINE WITH A NEW ONE. HOWEVER THEY REPLACED IT WITH A MANUFACTURER OR MODIFIED ENGINE. MY CAR NOW VIBRATES AND HAS INCONSISTENT FULE INJECTION. I HAVE REPORTED TO THIS TO THE SERVICE MANAGER AND TO KIA CORPORATION. I HAVE YET TO HEAR BACK FROM EITHER ABOUT CORRECTING THE ISSUE.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10971816April 11, 2017ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WHILE THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 67,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0