Kia Optima Complaints

7,843 consumer complaints on file.

#10947428January 24, 2017
ENGINE
CAR STALLED OUT AT 55 MPH WHILE EXITING OFF RAMP FROM HIGHWAY DURING MORNING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC WITH FAMILY INSIDE. DASH LIT UP WITH ALL WARNING LIGHTS (BATTERY, OIL, CHECK ENGINE). WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR AGAIN AND CONTINUED DRIVING. THAT SAME AFTERNOON WHILE DRIVING HOME, STARTED HEARING A KNOCKING NOISE UNDER HOOD WHILE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. ONCE GREEN, I ACCELERATED IN WHICH THE KNOCKING BECAME FASTER/LOUDER. PULLED OVER AND LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD INCLUDING CHECKING THE OIL. DIP STICK SHOWED NORMAL LEVEL WITHOUT ANY SIGN OF DEBRIS. DROVE 1/2 A MILE TO MY HOUSE AT 30 MPH (POSTED SPEED LIMIT) IN WHICH THE KNOCKING WAS VERY DISTINCT. PARKED THE CAR. TODAY, HAD THE CAR TOWED BY AAA TO DEALERSHIP AFTER I CALLED AHEAD TO INFORM THEM OF THE ISSUE. PROVIDED A COPY OF THE EXTENDED WARRANTY LETTER THAT I HAD RECEIVED IN THE MAIL 6 MONTHS PRIOR REGARDING THE SHORT BLOCK ISSUE/FAILURE. APPEARS THAT THIS IS A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE (AT 75K MILES) AND NOW DEALERSHIP IS WANTING ALL RECORDS RELATED TO OIL CHANGES. CAR CURRENTLY IN SHOP AWAITING FURTHER INSPECTION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10947070January 23, 2017
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE RPMS INCREASED RAPIDLY WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE REMOTE PUSH TO START STOPPED WORKING AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10947131January 23, 2017
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I HAVE A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON THE CAR. THE FOUND OUT THAT IS RELATED TO ENGINE TIMING ISSUE. WHICH IS STRANGE THAT A CAR WITH ONLY 60K MILES WOULD HAVE ENGINE RELATED ISSUES. I HAVE ALSO HAD SEVERAL ISSUES WITH CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS THIS PAST YEAR. I HAVE ALSO HEARD THAT THE ENGINE IN MY CAR WAS USED IN OTHER HYUNDAI MODELS AND MAY HAVE BEEN RECALLED. PLEASE INVESTIGATE ISSUE AND RESPOND BACK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10946791January 20, 2017
ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10946633January 20, 2017
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE BACKUP CAMERA FAILED. IT STOPPED WORKING WHEN BACKING UP IN THE DRIVEWAY. KIA DID NOT COVER REPLACEMENT UNDER WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH KIA ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN SAYING TO REPLACE THE CAMERA IN AREAS THAT HAVE HIGH HUMIDITY AND COLD WEATHER WITH AN IMPROVED PART. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS SAFETY ISSUE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10946316January 19, 2017
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY, STRUCTURE:BODY
SUNROOF SHATTERED WHILE DRIVING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10946348January 19, 2017
POWER TRAIN, STEERING
SOMETIMES HAVE TROUBLE WITH THE STEERING, IT DOESN'T LOCK UP BUT IT GETS STUCK AND DOESN'T RESPOND TO SMALL MOVEMENTS (FEELS LIKE THE STEERING WHEEL IS A FIGHT AGAINST THE MOVEMENT) WHEN DRIVING LONGER DISTANCE IN A STRAIGHT LINE.... I ALSO HAVE SOME PROBLEMS WITH THE SHIFTING WHEN I'M DRIVING SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 20 AND 30 MPH AND FEATHERING THE GAS PEDAL (USUALLY HAPPENS WHEN GOING UP AN INCLINE). LIKE THE CAR DOESN'T KNOW WHAT GEAR IT SHOULD BE IN AND SLIPS BETWEEN GEARS.... HOPE THIS HELPS YOU AND YOU COULD HELP ME THANK YOU *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10946344January 19, 2017
STEERING
WHILE SITTING STILL OR MOVING, THE POWER STEERING DEVELOPS HARD CATCHES THAT TEMPORARILY LOCK THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS PROBLEM INTENSIFIES ON ROUGH SURFACES, AS WELL AS THE ENTIRE STEERING ASSEMBLY WILL SHAKE. THESE PROBLEMS WORSEN AS THESE ISSUES PROGRESS WITH TIME. THE ONLY FIX FOR THIS ISSUE IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE POWER STEERING ASSEMBLY $$$. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10946214January 18, 2017
SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT HIGHER SPEEDS AND ATTEMPTING TO REDUCE THE SPEED BY DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE WOULD REDUCE SPEED AS NORMAL TIL AROUND 20 MPH. THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY JERK FORWARD. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, BUT IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10945595January 17, 2017
STEERING
I HAVE HAD MY 2015 KIA FOR ALMOST 2 YEARS AND JUST STARTED TO NOTICE MY STEERING WOULD STICK WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHER SPEEDS. I HAVE TO JERK ON THE STEERING WHEEL AT HIGH SPEEDS AND IT FEELS VERY UNSAFE! I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE, ALSO HAD THEM LOOK AT THE PROBLEM I WAS ENCOUNTERING. I WAS TOLD THERE WAS A KNOWN ISSUE FOR THIS YEAR CAR JUST NOT MY CAR. ALSO THAT I WOULD HAVE TO WAIT AND CONTINUE DRIVING MY VEHICLE AS UNSAFE AS IT MAY SEEM UNTIL THERE WAS A RECALL. I WAS NOT VERY HAPPY. I COULD BE ON THE HIGHWAY OR ANY OTHER LOCATION, ANYTIME I GO OVER 45 I NOTICE THIS ISSUE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10945857January 17, 2017
STEERING
COLUMN SHAKED AND RATTLED WHEN I WENT OVER BUMPS OR MADE TURNS, THE DEALER, CLASSIC KIA IN LEWISVILLE TX, CHARGED ME $689 TO REPAIR. PER MY INTERNET SEARCH THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND TAKES APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES TO REPAIR AND THE PART COST A MAX OF $15
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10945179January 13, 2017
AIR BAGS
THE AIR BAG WENT OFF WHILE MY WIFE WAS REACHING FOR HER SEAT BELT AND SCRAPPED AND BURNED HER ARM. IT SOUNDED LIKE A GUN GOING OFF. I RUSHED HER HOME AND TOOK CARE OF HER WOUNDS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10944457January 11, 2017
AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS
WAS HIT HEAD ON BY A SLIDING VEHICLE WITH BALD TIRES. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND SEAT BELTS DID NOT HOLD US IN PLACE.WE WERE DOING ABOUT 15 MI.PER HOUR OR LESS ON A MT PASS BECAUSE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS DOING ABOUT 45 MI. PER HOUR OR MORE WHEN HIT US. HIGHWAY PATROL INVESTIGATED ACCIDENT.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10943813January 9, 2017
STRUCTURE:BODY
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL LOUD SOUND FROM THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRAME FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED PER AN UNKNOWN RECALL; HOWEVER, THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 178,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10943930January 9, 2017
ENGINE
2015 KIA OPTIMA WAS OUT OF OIL @ 22,000 MILES AND NO INDICATOR LIGHT HAD GONE ON WHEN IT WAS TAKEN TO AN OIL CHANGE. THE OIL CHANGE PLACE WAS THE ONE THAT INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD NO OIL IN IT. IT STARTED MAKING SOME RATTLING NOISE SPECIALLY GOINT UPHILL SO I TOOK IT IN TO KIA SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THEY DIAGNOSED IT WITH "SLUDGE" IN THE ENGINE AND ENGINE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. I HAD TO PROVE 3 PREVIOUS RECEIPTS OF OIL CHANGES OTHERWISE THE WARRANTY WOULD NOT COVER IT. I DO NOT HAVE THOSE RECEIPTS AND 16 DAYS LATER TOOK IT TO THE SAME PLACE I DID MOST RECENT OIL CHANGE BECAUSE OIL LIGHT HAD TURNED ON. THE VEHICLE AGAIN HAD NO OIL IN IT. THE TOPPED IT OFF BUT MENTIONED THAT IT WAS NOT NORMAL FOR SUCH A RECENT MODEL TO BE BURNING OIL. VEHICLE IS STILL RUNNING BUT MAKES RATTLING NOISE ONCE IN A WHILE, PRODUCES WHITE SMOKE OUT OF EXHAUST PIPE AND I HAVE TO PUT OIL IN IT EVERY COUPLE OF DAYS. I CANNOT AFFORD TO BUY A NEW ENGINE. I AM A SINGLE MOM AND NEEDS A RELIABLE VEHICLE TO GET TO WORK.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10943908January 9, 2017
ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, ENGINE STALLS IN MIDDLE OF BUSY HIGHWAY. WAS ABLE TO GET VEHICLE TO SIDE OF ROAD IN THE RAIN. VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND WAS TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER CALLS TO SAY ENGINE IS BLOWN AT 37K MILES. DEALER WAS LAST TO PERFORM OIL CHANGE. NO ISSUES WERE NOTED AT THAT TIME. AWAITING TO HEAR IF ENGINE IS COVERED BY EXTENDED ENGINE WARRANTY THAT WAS ISSUED BY KIA AS THEY ARE WELL AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND HAS KNOWN FOR SEVERAL YEARS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10943956January 9, 2017
SEAT BELTS
SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RELEASE,IT GOT TIGHTER ANN WOULD NOT RELEASE WHILE IN LOWE'S PARKING LOT. THERE WERE 4 PEOPLE AND AN OFF DUTY POLICEMAN TRIED TO HELP AND FINALLY STATED THAT THE BELT WOULD HAVE TO BE CUT AND THEY DID. I WAS IN DIRE STRESS AND BREATHING PROBLEM AND IN DIRE NEED OF IMMEDIATE RELEASE. A DEFINITE SAFETY ISSUE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10944010January 9, 2017
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
THE ENGINE SHIFTS REALLY HARD AND MY CAR WILL SHUT DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY AND TODAY WHILE DRIVING SEVERAL OF MY WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON IN THE CAR AND ONE ADVISED ME TO STOP THE CAR AND DO NOT DRIVE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10939963January 5, 2017
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 KIA OPTIMA. AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE IN THE DRIVEWAY FOR 15 HOURS, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE AND EXPLODED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE WAS BELIEVED TO BE DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,700. UPDATED 03/17/17*LJ UPDATED 08/29/2017*JS
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10939698January 4, 2017
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A FAILURE IN WHICH THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOOSELY CONNECTED AND NOT ALIGNED. IN ADDITION, THE STEERING WHEEL MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT AN ALIGNMENT WAS UNABLE TO BE COMPLETED BECAUSE THERE WAS A RECALL THAT NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED FIRST FOR THE STEERING. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED TO CALL A DEALER. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INDICATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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