Kia Optima Complaints (2015)
1,022 consumer complaints on file.
- #11268111October 12, 2019ENGINE
MY ENGINE SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWN A STATE HIGHWAY, GOING ABOUT 70. I WAS ABLE TO ROLL DOWN TO AN EXIT AND PARK ON THE SIDE OF THE EXIT. I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED BACK HOME. I HAD BOTH MY BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR TESTED AND A DIAGNOSTIC TEST RAN AND NOTHING CAME BACK WRONG. OIL IS REGULARLY CHANGED AND UPKEPT.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11268026October 11, 2019ENGINE
AFTER SEVERAL TRIPS TO MY DEALERSHIP ABOUT ENGINE PROBLEMS, FROM ENGINE SMOKE, LOSS OF POWER, ENGINE KNOCKING, CHUGGING WHEN I'M DRIVING AS IF IT WERE GOING TO STALL. THEY TURNED ME DOWN SO I'VE HAD NO OTHER OPTION THAN TO DEAL WITH IT . NOW MY CAR IS BURNING OIL, ABOUT A QUART A WEEK. IT CONSTANTLY SMELLS OF BURNING OIL AND THE CHUGGING WHEN DRIVING THE CAR HAS GOTTEN WAY WORSE TO WHERE IT FEELS LIKE MY CAR IS ABOUT TO COMPLETELY STALL AND SHUT OFF. I COULD DRIVE IT 5 MINUTES OR FOR AN HOUR AND IT ACTS THE SAME. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE EVEN DRIVING THIS CAR ANYMORE. PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11267797October 10, 2019FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
FUEL LEVEL INDICATOR ON DASHBOARD SHOWS WRONG A GAS LEVEL CONSTANTLY , FUEL PUMP ISSUE WHICH SENDS WRONG INFO TO THE DASHBOARD
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11266870October 7, 2019EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA OPTIMA. AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE TO RICART KIA (4255 S HAMILTON RD #210, GROVEPORT, OH 43125, 614-836-6503), THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT WATER HAD ACCUMULATED IN THE PASSENGER SIDE TAIL LIGHT, WHICH LED TO THE TAIL LIGHT NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD CONTINUE TO OCCUR AND RECOMMENDED THAT HE FILE A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA TO HAVE THE DEFECT PLACED UNDER RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11266602October 6, 2019ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I HAVE A 2015 KIA OPTIMA PURCHASED IN OCTOBER 2017 WITH 34K MILES APPROX. I AM CONSTANTLY PUTTING OIL IN MY CAR AND IT SEEMS TO EVAPORATE IN 2-3 DAYS. THERE IS NO LEAK AND WE HAVE NO IDEA WHY THE CAR IS CONSUMING SO MUCH OIL. LATELY THE CAR HAS BEEN KNOCKING AND WHEN ACCELERATING TO MERGE ONTO HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE STARTS TO SPUTTER AND BEGINS TO STALL. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THIS VEHICLE WITH MY CHILDREN AND NO LONGER USE THIS VEHICLE ON A DAILY BASIS. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, I FIND THAT THIS YEAR VEHICLE HAS THE MOST OVERALL CONSUMER COMPLAINTS AND THERE STILL HAS YET TO BE A RECALL ON THE ENGINE? I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY KIA SKIPPED THIS YEAR?? LET ALONE BLAME CONSUMERS THAT IT'S THEIR FAULT FOR NOT FOLLOWING THE MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE, YET WHEN TOLD THE SCHEDULE HAS BEEN FOLLOWED, WILL FIND SOME OTHER LAME EXCUSE SO THE MANUFACTURER IS NOT AT FAULT. WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE TO HAVE THIS ENGINE RECALLED? WE AS CONSUMERS, MYSELF, A SINGLE HARD WORKING PARENT, DO NOT HAVE THE MEANS TO BUY ANOTHER VEHICLE JUST BECAUSE KIA SAYS IT'S NOT THEIR FAULT. THIS PROBLEM STARTED BEGINNING OF APRIL 2019, MY VEHICLE HAS 52K.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11266470October 5, 2019ENGINE
WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AFTER TAPPIN MY BREAKS TO SLOW DOWN, WHEN WE WENT TO ACCELERATE TO THE SPEED AGAIN MY CAR STARTED FLASHING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND WOULDN'T GO OVER 2000 RPMS. NOW IN A LIMP MODE. GOT THE VEHICLE HOME AND SURE ENOUGH THERE IS METAL IN MY ENGINE.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11265430October 1, 2019ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA OPTIMA. THE VEHICLE LOST MOTIVE POWER AND STALLED WHILE DRIVING THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED DUE TO ENGINE FAILURE THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. CAR PROS KIA HUNTINGTON BEACH, 18835 BEACH BLVD, HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA 92648, (714) 274-4632, WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED OR MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11258833September 29, 2019STRUCTURE:BODY
THE ANTENNA SHARK COVER BLEW OFF WHILE DRIVING. THESE SCREWS LOOK CHEAP AND UNSAFE IT FLEW OFF ON HIGHWAY..
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11258565September 27, 2019ENGINE
BURNING OIL, ENGINE WENT INTO LIMP MODE IN TRAFFIC, CAR WON'T RUN
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11258417September 26, 2019UNKNOWN OR OTHER
INTERMITENT EBGINE LIGHT AND GOES ON AND OFF. HAD IN A LOCAL SHOP AND THEY STATE ITS A CALAYTIC CONVERTER. THE VEHICLE DOES HAVE SLIGHT TICK ONLY WITH EXCILARATION ON AN UPHILL CLIMB BUT NOT HARDLY NOTICEABLE. NO LOSS OF POWER OR OTHER ISSUE. CAR HAS APPROXIMATELY 76,700 MILES.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11258191September 25, 2019SERVICE BRAKES, POWER TRAIN
MY BRAKES AND TRACTION LIGHTS COMES ON RANDOMLY. IT STARTED HAPPENING A YEAR AGO. IT HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 5 TIMES SINCE LAST YEAR. IT HAPPENS SOMETIMES WHILE I'M DRIVING, IT JUST COMES ON AND SOMETIMES WHEN I GET IN AND START THE CAR THEY COME ON.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11256419September 18, 2019ENGINE
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN MY ENGINE COMPLETELY FAILED. THERE WAS NO WARNING OR INDICATION THAT A COMPLETE FAILURE WAS GOING TO OCCUR. I HAD NO PROPULSION AND HAD TO COAST TO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY TO AVOID OTHER VEHICLES. I OWNED THE VEHICLE AS THE ONLY OWNER (PURCHASED VEHICLE BRAND NEW) FOR ONLY THREE YEARS WHEN FAILURE OCCURRED. NO ONE EXPECTS THEIR VEHICLE TO FAIL IN A THREE YEAR TIME PERIOD FROM DATE OF PURCHASE. THE MILEAGE AT THE TIME OF FAILURE WAS AROUND 180,000 AND PAST THE WARRENTY. I DRIVE FOR UBER AND PURCHASED THE VEHICLE TO DRIVE FOR UBER. A NEW VEHICLE FAILING IN A THREE YEAR TIME SPAN (FROM TIME OF PURCHASE) BECAUSE THE ENGINE COMPLETELY FAILED IS UNREASONABLE. KIA ISSUED A SOFTWARE UPGRADE ON MY VEHICLE AFTER MY ENGINE FAILED THAT ADDRESSES THE EXACT TYPE OF FAILURE THAT OCCURRED TO MY VEHICLE (INDICATING THAT KIA WAS AWARE THAT THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THEIR PRODUCT.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11255888September 16, 2019ENGINE
NEARING 60,000 MILES, THE CAR STARTED TO MAKE A WEIRD ENGINE NOISE. THE KIA DEALERSHIP FOUND THAT THE CONNECTING ROD WAS BAD AND THE ENGINE NEEDED REPLACED. THIS ISSUE IS VERY WELL KNOW AND WIDESPREAD. THE KIA DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THAT THE ENGINE COULD CATCH FIRE, SHOULD THE ENGINE BLOW. THE DEALERSHIP FELT THAT IT WAS A MANUFACTURE ISSUE BUT KIA CORP. DECLINED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE, WHICH IS THE ONLY OPTION AVAILABLE TO REPAIR THE ISSUE. THE REASON GIVEN WAS THAT THE OIL WAS NOT AT THE RECOMMEND LEVEL. I HAD THE OIL CHANGED LAST SUMMER AND THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT THE OIL WAS LOW; NO SERVICE LIGHT OR OIL LEVEL LIGHT. TO AVOID PUTTING MY 6YR. OLD AT RISK, I HAD TO CHOOSE TO PAY $5500 TO HAVE THE ENGINE REPLACED. THIS IS A LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT EFFECTS MY CHILD'S DAY-TO-DAY. I HAVE ALSO COME TO LEARN THAT THE ENGINE INSTALLED IS RE-MANUFACTURED AND ONLY HAS A 12-MONTH WARRANTY. DESPITE KIA'S REASONING, THIS ISSUE SEEMS TO BE FAR TOO COMMON FOR HYUNDAI/KIA OWNERS, PLUS THEY HAVE ALREADY ISSUED A RECALL FOR OLDER MODELS WITH THE SAME ENGINE. AT THE VERY LEAST, THE RE-MANUFACTURED ENGINES SHOULD CARRY A LONGER WARRANTY.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11255726September 16, 2019ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING CAR SHUT OFF. STARTED SMOKING AND NOW WILL NOT START
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11254620September 11, 2019STEERING
POWER STEERING DISENGAGES WHILE DRIVING
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11253643September 6, 2019ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED WITHOUT WARNING AND MADE AN ABNORMAL KNOCKING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO UNIVERSITY KIA (5105 DURHAM-CHAPEL HILL BLVD, DURHAM, NC 27707) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED DUE TO METAL SHAVINGS IN THE OIL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,673. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11252997September 3, 2019ENGINE
MY CAR IS KNOCKING AND WONT GO OVER LIKE 35MPH WITHOUT SHAKING AND KNOCKING SOUNDS.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11246341August 26, 2019EXTERIOR LIGHTING
LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS DO NOT WORK ON MY 2015 KIA OPTIMA. THEY DON'T WORK IN MOTION OR SITTING STILL. IHAVE TO KEEP HIGH BEAMS ON AT NIGHT. SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH ALL KIA VEHICLES, YET THE PROBLEM ISN'T BEING ADDRESSED.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11245965August 23, 2019ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
ENGINE LIGHT PLUS TRIANGLE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AND OFF PART WAS REPLACED LIGHT STAYED OFF FOR 1 DAY CAME BACK ON AND LOSSES POWER I HAVE MY GRANDCHILDREN THIS HAPPENED IN TRAFFIC KEEP TAKING TO DEALERSHOP THEY CLAIM RHEY ARE QAITING ON QORS FROM MANUFACTURERS NO WORD FOR 2 MONTHS NOW THEY HAVE BEEN DODGING MY CALLS BY PUTTING ME ON HOLD OR DROPPING MY CALLS
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11245881August 22, 2019STEERING
STICKY FEELING IN THE STEERING AT ANY SPEED. TAKES A LITTLE MORE THAN NORMAL FORCE TO MOVE STEERING WHEEL IN ANY DIRECTION.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0