Kia Optima Complaints
7,843 consumer complaints on file.
- #11197321April 19, 2019ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, WHITE SMOKE APPEARED FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO STONES KIA (1222 N WOODRUFF AVE, IDAHO FALLS, ID 83401, (208) 524-2400) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS REBUILT IN 2015. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DECLINED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED DUE TO THE ENGINE PREVIOUSLY BEING REBUILT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V224000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11202532April 19, 2019ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
OIL LIGHT SENSORS AREN'T WORKING
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11197091April 18, 2019ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING DASH LIGHTS CAME ON AND OFF.. LOST ACCELERATION POWER. ITERMITTEN POWER. CAME TO A STOPLIGHT LOST ACCELERATION TRIED TO PRESS GAS TO ACCELERATE AND SOUNED LIKE POTS AND PANS BANGING WHILE ACCELERATION HEAR A LOUD BANG AND SHATTERING METAL. MMANAGED TO PULL OVER ON HIGHWAY ..OPENED HOOD AND SAW OIL SUBSTANCE ALL OVER ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND AROUND FIREWALL. PARTS WERE RECOVERED. TOWED. KIA SHOP NOTIFIED AS IT WAS SERVICE FOR THE WARRANTY SHARDS BACK IN OCTOBER OF 2017 AND CLAIMED NO ISSUES. OIL WAS CHANGED.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11197210April 18, 2019ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
* OCTOBER 2017 WHILE DRIVING IN THE FREEWAY CAR SLOWED DOWN. GOT OFF FREEWAY AND TURNED OFF CAR. CAR WOULD NOT START ANYMORE. KIA REPLACED HIGH VOLTAGE FUSE, HYBRID BATTERY, POWER RELAY. * MARCH 2018 CAR WAS TAKEN IN DUE TO HEV AND ENGINE LIGHT ON WHILE DRIVING. CAR DID NOT ACCELERATE. KIA REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION. * MARCH 2018 CAR WAS RETURNED AFTER TRANSMISSION CHANGE AND 2 DAYS LATER WHILE DRIVING CAR GAVE HEV AND ENGINE LIGHT ON. KIA SAID IT WAS A "LOOSE WIRE" FROM TRANSMISSION. * MARCH 2018 CAR GAVE HEV AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON WHILE DRIVING AND KIA REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AGAIN (2ND TIME IN 1 MONTH). * APRIL 2018 CHECK ENGINE AND HEV CODE CAME OUT WHILE DRIVING AND KIA REPLACED THE COMPUTER FROM ENGINE. *MARCH 2019 HEV AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WHILE DRIVING ON KIA REPLACED THE MAIN HARNESS.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11197221April 18, 2019AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STEERING
2012 KIA OPTIMA WITH 43000 MILES # AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON AND CHECKING DIFFERENT SEATING POSITION/ RESTARTING THE IGNITION THE WARNING LIGHT STILL STAYS ON. # STEERING WHEEL FEELS STICKY WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT, WHICH NEEDS IMMEDIATE CORRECTION BY MOVING LEFT /RIGHT. IF NOT IT KEEPS GOING TOWARDS ONE DIRECTION CONSTANTLY. DEALERSHIP RECOMMENDED TO GET THE WHEEL ALIGNMENT DONE, BUT NO IMPROVEMENT AS PER STEERING WHEEL EVEN AFTER GETTING ALIGNMENT DONE.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11196933April 17, 2019ENGINE
RECALL, STEERING WHEEL KNOCK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11197048April 17, 2019EXTERIOR LIGHTING
2011 KIA OPTIMA HEADLIGHTS BECAME EXTREMELY DIM CREATING VISIBILITY AND SAFETY CONCERNS DURING NIGHT TRAVEL. I CHANGED THE LID BULBS HOPING TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM BUT SAME ISSUE STILL REMAINED. HIGH BEAMS WORK AS THEY SHOULD AND FOG LIGHTS PUTS OUT MORE ILLUMINATION THAN LOW BEAM. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP (FRED ANDERSON KIA RALEIGH NC) FOR DIAGNOSTIC. DIAGNOSTIC REVEALED THAT THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES HAD TO BE REPLACED. PRICE TO REPLACE ASSEMBLY IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR WHAT APPEARS TO BE A ONGOING PROBLEM WITH SAME YEAR AND MODEL VEHICLE.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11197071April 17, 2019ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING, MY DASHBOARD LIT UP AND MY CAR SHUT OFF. WHILE I'M TRAFFIC. I WAS GOING ABOUT 55MPH. I WAS NOT ABLE TO ACCELERATE OR BREAK. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO COAST INTO A NEAR BY PARKING LOT WHERE IT PARKED MY CAR. FROM THERE I TRIED TO RESTART MY CAR, BUT IT NEVER CAME BACK ON.I ATTEMPTED TO TURN IT ON, BUT ALL I HEARD WAS A CLICKING SOUND. IT'S NOT MY BATTERY AS I HAD IT CHECKED NOR DID ANY CODES COME UP ON MY COMPUTER WHEN I HOOKED MY CAR UP. HAD IT TOWED TOWED HOME AND HAVING A MECHANIC LOOK AT IT IN THE MORNING
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11196607April 16, 2019UNKNOWN OR OTHER
WHEN I GET IN THE CAR SOMETIMES IT CRANKS RIGHT UP WITH NO PROBLEM BUT ON THAT SAME DAY OR THE NEXT I CAN TRY AND FRANK IT BUT IT WON'T FRANK IT JUST CLICKS THE DASH BOARD WILL LIGHT UP AND EVERYTHING AND AFTER TWO OR THREE ATTEMPTS IT IT WILL CRANKS UP AND HAVE NO PROBLEMS FOR A FEW HOURS THEN I CHECK IT AND THEN IT MIGHT FRANK RIGHT UP AND MIGHT JUST CLICK A FEW TIMES AND THEN CRANK RIGHT UP I THINK ITS IN THE IGNITION SWITCH I DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON ABOUT 4 MONTHS
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11196690April 16, 2019ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED OIL LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KIA OF DES MOINES (LOCATED AT 4475 MERLE HAY RD, DES MOINES, IA 50310, (515) 270-0706) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE OIL FEED LINE THAT ENTERED THE TURBO NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11196710April 16, 2019ENGINE
A MONTH AFTER DOING THE RECALL FOR THE ENGINE UPDATE, THE HARNESS HAS TO COMPLETELY REPLACED. I WAS ON THE EXPRESSWAY WENT IT STARTED SHAKING AND WOULD NOT GO OVER 63 MPH. THE ENGINE LIGHT KEPT BLINKING.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11196807April 16, 2019STRUCTURE:BODY
WE HAVE OWNED THE CAR ABOUT 2.5 YEARS. 2 DAYS AGO I TOOK IT THROUGH A TOUCH LESS CAR WASH. TODAY I NOTICED THE ANTENNA COVER/ SHARK FIN IS MISSING. I'M NOT SURE IF IT CAME OFF DURING THE WASH OR WHEN I WAS DRIVING. IT APPEARS THE PLASTIC SCREW HOLES HAVE ALL BROKEN OFF. THE CIRCUIT BOARD FOR THE ANTENNA IS EXPOSED. LOOKS TO BE A BIG FLAW IN MANUFACTURING.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11196176April 15, 2019STEERING
THE PROBLEM STARTED WITH THE VEHICLE SOLELY BEING STATIONARY. THE STEERING WHEEL JUST HAD MORE GIVE BEFORE IT WOULD ENGAGE THE TIRES. IT'S CONSISTENTLY GOTTEN WORSE TO WHERE NOW, WHILE DRIVING, HITTING A BUMP ON ANY KIND OF ROAD CAUSES THE STEERING WHEEL TO MAKE A VERY LOUD RATTLING NOISE. THE NOISE HAS GOTTEN LOUDER AND LOUDER. IT SEEMS TO BE LESS EXTREME IF YOU HIT A BUMP WHILE TURNING. MY VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 60K MILES ON IT.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11196419April 15, 2019ENGINE
TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALER IN CAMP SPRINGS, MARYLAND TO HAVE AN ANALYSIS DONE AND TO INSTALL A NEW AIR BAG RECALL FROM DMV. ONE OF THE ISSUES WAS TO CHECK MY FLUIDS AND TO SEE WHY MY CAR HESITATES AND MAKES A CLANKING NOISE AFTER DRIVING A PERIOD OF TIME. NOW, IT DIDN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. JUST WHEN IT WAS DRIVEN FOR A FEW HOURS STRAIGHT. ONE OF THE DEALERS SERVICE REP REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE WAS BURNING OIL. AFTER READING THE REPORT, I WOULD CONSTANTLY CHECK THE OIL. WHEN I FIRST NOTICE THE CLACKING NOISE, I WOULD CHECK THE OIL. THERE WAS PLENTY OF OIL IN THE CAR, HOWEVER, MY COOLANT CONTAINER WAS LOW. PURCHASED COOLANT FOR THE VEHICLE. A MONTH LATER, THE CONTAINER WAS ALMOST EMPTY AGAIN. APPARENTLY, THE COOLANT WAS LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE. NOW I HAVE AN ENGINE PROBLEM.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11196477April 15, 2019UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I OWN A 2015 KIA OPTIMA. I HAVE A PANORAMIC SUNROOF THAT STRETCHES HE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE CAR. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY DURING A VERY BRUTAL WINTER WHERE WE HAD TEMPERATURES IN THE MINUS CATEGORY A FEW TIMES. WHILE DRIVING ON THE BELTWAY DOING APPROX. 55MPH, THERE WAS A LOUD SOUND THAT SOUNDED LIKE A GUN SHIT. WHEN I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY GET SOMEWHERE SO I COULD SEE WHAT HAPPENED, I NOTICED THAT MY SUNROOF HAD EXPLODED AND SHATTERED. THE COVER WAS NOT OPEN BECAUSE IT WAS WINTER, SO LUCKILY THE SHATTERED GLASS COLLECTED INTO ON TOP OF THE COVER, OTHERWISE IT WOULD HAVE BLOWN THROUGHOUT MY CAR AND WHOEVER WAS IN IT AT THE TIME CAUSING PHYSICAL HARM. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT THEY HAD HEARD IT HAPPENED BEFORE, AND BECAUSE OF THE TEMPERATURE SOMETHING MADE THE GLASS EXPAND.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11196067April 13, 2019ENGINE
I WAS DRIVING THAN SUDDENLY ALL MY LIGHTS CAME ACROSS MY DASHBOARD.THSN MY CAR CAR BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN SO I PULLED OVER!THANK IT CUT OFF
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11195843April 12, 2019POWER TRAIN
I LITERALLY JUST HAD MY ENGINE REPLACED (BLEW IN AUGUST AT 85K MILES, DEALERSHIP HAD MY CAR FOR SIX MONTHS WHILE I WAITED ON AN ENGINE, COST $7K). I GOT MY CAR BACK IN MID-FEBRUARY. ON MARCH 25TH, I WAS AT A STOP LIGHT, AND WHEN I ACCELERATED, THE CAR LAGGED AND LURCHED FORWARD. THIS CONTINUED ANY TIME I SHIFTED INTO D OR R, OR CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. I WAS OUT OF TOWN AND THE CAR WAS PARKED FOR TWO WEEKS. MY PARTNER DROVE IT YESTERDAY (4/11/19), CHECKED FLUIDS, AND OBSERVED THE LURCH. AS HE WAS ARRIVING HOME, THE CAR LURCHED TO A STOP AND GAVE A "HYBRID SYSTEM WARNING! SAFELY STOP AND DO NOT DRIVE! WE DROPPED IT AT THE DEALERSHIP. I BOUGHT THE CAR FOR $9K, SUNK ANOTHER $7K INTO THE CAR, AND AM NOW EXPECTED TO PAY $5K MORE ON A TRANSMISSION THAT DIDN'T HAVE ANY ISSUES BEFORE. KIA HAS ALREADY STATED THAT REPAIRS AT THEIR DEALERSHIPS AREN'T BEING PERFORMED CORRECTLY. THIS IS GETTING RIDICULOUS. I HAD TO VDEAL WITH MASSIVE ECONOMIC HARDSHIP OVER THE SIX MONTHS I DIDN'T HAVE A CAR, AND NOW ITS GOING TO START ALL OVER AGAIN AND I WILL BE $20K IN THE HOLE ON THIS CAR. THIS IS NOT HOW GOOD, SAFE VEHICLES ARE BUILT.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11195666April 11, 2019UNKNOWN OR OTHER
WHILE I WAS DRIVER ON THE STREET. A WARNING CHECK HEV SYSTEM LIGHT CAME ON. THEN THE CAR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM JUST SHUTDOWN AND I LOST ALL POWER. THE CAR WENT FROM WORKING PERFECT TO COMPLETELY OUT OF POWER IN 30 SECOND.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11195570April 11, 2019ENGINE
DRIVING CAR JUST SHUT OFF IN HEAVY TRAFFIC ON RD AVERAGE SPEED 40 NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON RESTARTED STALLED ALL THE WAY HOME AND HUGE KNOCKING SOUND
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11195392April 10, 2019STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD, A RATTLING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO REFERRED THE CONTACT TO A DEALER. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 143,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0