Kia Optima Complaints (2012)

1,029 consumer complaints on file.

#10971072April 7, 2017
ENGINE
I WAS DRIVING LONG DISTANCE AND I HEARD KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM MY ENGINE, IT BECAME LOUDER AND LOUDER SO I COULDN'T DRIVE ANYMORE. THE ENGINE KNOCKED OFF.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10971230April 7, 2017
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
TAMARA RECALL. WHILE DRIVING DOWN FREEWAY THE CAR TURNED COMPLETELY OFF. ALSO THE BACK WINDOWS DON'T ROLL UP OR DOWN ALL THE TIME WITH THE SWITCH. DEFECTIVE SWITCHES.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10970145April 3, 2017
ENGINE
I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON A QUIET RESIDENTIAL STREET WHEN MY 2012 KIA OPTIMA EX SUDDENLY QUIT. I COASTED INTO AN OFFICE PARKING LOT WHERE I SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. I EXITED THE CAR, OPENED THE HOOD AND SAW THAT THE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. SUDDENLY, THE FLAMES HIT THE FUEL LINE AND THE ENGINE EXPLODED SHOOTING FLAMES 10 FEE HIGH. I WAS DESPARATELY TRYING TO GET EVERYTHING VALUABLE OUT OF THE CAR WHILE CALLING 911. IT TOOK 4 FIREFIGHTERS TO PUT OUT THE FLAMES . THANKFULLY, THE WHOLE AUTOMOBILE WASN'T CONSUMED. IT WAS DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS. THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAD 57,600 MILES ON IT AND WAS STILL UNDER MANUFACTURER WARRANTY.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10969077March 28, 2017
ENGINE
I BOUGHT A 2012 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID I ALSO BOUGHT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY WITH MY VEHICLE. NOVEMBER 2016 MY WIFE AND TWO KIDS WERE ON THEIR WAY TO WORK AND SCHOOL WHEN THE CAR JUST SHUT DOWN WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 55 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT EVEN TURN. I CALLED THE CAR COMPANY I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM AND THEY TOLD ME THEY CAN'T WORK ON HYBRIDS SO I NEEDED TO FIND A KIA DEALERSHIP I FOUND ONE HUNDRED MILES AWAY I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO KIA DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THE STARTING BATTERY WAS BAD IN IT AND WOULD HAVE IT FIXED. THEY CALLED ME A FEW DAYS LATER SAYING IT WAS NOT THE BATTERY THAT IT NEEDS A NEW ENGINE. AND IT WOULD COST AROUND 8,000 TO FIX AND WARRANTY STATED THEY WOULD NOT FIX IT DUE TO ENGINE SLUDGE FOUND IN THE OIL PAN AND MOTOR. THE MAIN KIA PLACE GOT INVOLVED AND SAID THEY NEEDED OIL CHANGING RECORDS SO I WENT TO THE PLACE WHERE WE GET OUR OIL CHANGED AND THEY SAID THEY JUST BOUGHT THE PLACE SO I CONTACTED THE OLD OWNER AND HE STATED THAT HE HAD BURNED ALL OIL CHANGING RECORDS. I DONE SOME RESEARCH AND THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF THE SAME CAR HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND THE DEALERSHIPS ARE TELLING THEM THE SAME THING. SLUDGE WAS IN THE MOTOR, POOR MAINTENANCE ON OWNERS. I OWE 13,000 ON THIS CAR AND THEY WANT 8,000 FOR THE MOTOR TO BE PUT IN IT AND THIS CAR PUT MY FAMILY'S LIFE AT RISK WITCH YOU CAN'T PUT A PRICE ON WHEN THE CAR WAS SERVICED LIKE IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE. I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO OR WHO ELSE I CAN GO TO. I KNOW THIS IS A LONG CONFUSING STORY BUT IF YOU CAN HELP ANY WAY PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10967262March 20, 2017
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
THE ORANGE SQUARE WRENCH LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD CAME ON BUT AS SOON AS THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF WOULD GO AWAY. NO TROUBLE CODES SHOWED UP. IT HAPPENED 3 TIMES IN A WEEK SO ONCE IT POPPED ON, WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO DIAGNOSE WHILE IT WAS STILL RUNNING. WHILE DRIVING THERE, THE CAR HAD VERY LITTLE POWER-MAKING THE LEFT TURN INTO THE DEALERSHIP (CROSSING HEAVY ONCOMING TRAFFIC) WAS SCARY SINCE THE GAS PEDAL WAS TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE WAS BARELY MOVING. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE DRIVE MOTOR TEMP SENSOR IN THE HYBRID SYSTEM WAS GOING OUT AND THE CAR WAS IN SAFE MODE AND HAD CODE P0A2B IN THE HISTORY. BECAUSE I AM THE 2ND OWNER OF THE CAR, KIA WILL NOT COVER THE REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH THE CAR IS UNDER 100,000 MILES. THEY DESIGNED THIS PART SO THE SENSOR CANNOT BE REPLACED-THE ENTIRE DRIVE MOTOR MUST BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $6251. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS THAT A CUSTOMER CAN BE LEFT FOOTING THE BILL FOR A FAULTY AND UNSAFE DESIGN. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT A OWNER HAS ANY CONTROL OVER.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10967069March 19, 2017
ENGINE
MY KIA HYBRID WAS BOUGHT NEW IN 2013. IT WAS A 2012 MODEL. HAD IT SERVICED EVERY 7500 MILES WITH AMSOIL 25,000 MILE OIL. WAS WELL PLEASED UNTIL AT 114,000 MILES AFTER JUST HAVING SERVICED, THE ENGINE FAILED. HAD IT TOWED TO A DIFFERENT DEALER THAN WHERE I PURCHASED AS IT WAS CLOSER. WELL TO SAY THE LEAST A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. KIA SADI NO LONG BLOCKS WERE AVAILABLE AND WOULD SEND SHORT BLOCK FORM KOREA. NO RECALL ON HYBRIDS BUT IT IS THE SAME 2.4 ENGINE THAT HAS FAILED FOR MANY. LONG STORY SHORT, IT TOOK 63 DAYS TO GET A SHORT BLOCK WHICH COST ME 3156.00 TO INSTALL. TO SAY THE LEAST I HAVE RETAINED AND ATTORNEY AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET ANOTHER CALSS ACTION SUIT AS THE ROD WAS LAYING IN THE OIL PAN JUST LIKE THE RECALLS. I AM HAPPILY DRIVING A NEW HONDA!!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10966075March 15, 2017
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND MY 2012 KIA OPTIMA LOST POWER WITH NO WARNING SIGNS. I HAD IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC ONLY TO FIND THAT THE MOTOR WAS LOCKED UP. DID I MENTION THAT I HAD JUST BOUGHT THE CAR FROM BOYLES AUTO SALES IN JASPER, ALABAMA ON FEBRUARY 3, 2017 AND THE CAR QUIT ON FEBRUARY 26, 2017 NOT EVEN 30 DAYS SINCE THE PURCHASE OF MY CAR. UNFORTUNELY, SINCE WE PAID CASH FOR THE CAR THE DEALER BASICLY TOLD US HE WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING. SO NOW I AM WITHOUT A VEHICLE AND HAVING TO FIND MORE MONEY TO REPLACE THE MOTOR IN THE CAR THAT THIS DEALER SOLD ME. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH I HAVE LEARNED THAT KIA HAS PROBLEMS WITH THE KIA OPTIMA'S FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND THE 2012 THAT I PURCHASED IS INCLUDED. THE MECHANIC TOLD US THAT ALL THE COMPONENTS OF THE CAR THAT SHOULD HAVE OIL, WATER, ANY TYPE OF FLUID WAS FINE BUT THAT SOMETHING INTERNAL HAD STOPPED OPERATING AND CAUSED THE MOTOR TO LOCK UP.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10965839March 14, 2017
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
LEATHER ON DOOR HANDLES ARE PEELING.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10950140February 7, 2017
ENGINE
LOUD KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM ENGINE, THEN CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. MADE TO DEALERSHIP AND DISCOVERED A BAD OIL PUMP CAUSED METAL TO FLOW INTO THE ENGINE AND WEAR THE CONNECTING RODS AND DESTROY THE ENGINE. KIA KNEW THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE 2012 KIA OPTIMA 2.4L ENGINE AND YET DID NOTHING TO RECTIFY THE ISSUE. NOW THEY WANT ME TO PAY $6000 FOR A NEW ENGINE WHEN THEY KNEW THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE 2012 OPTIMA ALL A LONG.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#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
#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
#10946316January 19, 2017
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY, STRUCTURE:BODY
SUNROOF SHATTERED WHILE DRIVING. *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
#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
#10939306January 3, 2017
ENGINE
LOUD BANGING NOISE FROM THE MOTOR THEN LOUD BAND AND 2 PARTS FLEW OUT THE BOTTOM ANT IT STARTED SPILLING OIL EVERYWHERE
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10927841November 25, 2016
ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS EXCESSIVE SMOKE AND A PREMATURE BUILD UP OF ENGINE SLUDGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER MORE THAN TWICE FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND ADVISED THAT THE MOTOR BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION. THE MANUFACTURER PROVIDED NO SOLUTION TO PREVENT THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10927419November 22, 2016
POWER TRAIN, STEERING, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I TOOK CAR IN FOR THE CLICKING NOISE IN STEERING WHEEL. WHILE CAR WAS UP INAIR ON STANDS. THE REP STATED THEIR WAS A SMALL LEAK COMING FROM THE TURBO OIL FEED LINE. HOWEVER IT WAS NOT COVER UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE ITS NOT THE TURBO. I TOLD THE IT IS IF ITS FEEDING THE OIL. I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE PROBLEM AND FOUND THAT IT IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH ALL OF THEIR CARS AND THEY ARE REFUSING TO FIX THE ISSUE. I TOLD THE REP THAT IF THE OIL CAUSES A BURNING SMELL IT CAN CAUSE A FIRE. I WAS TOLD THE MANAGER WOULD CALL ME BUT NOW THEY ARE NOT TAKING MY CALLS ABOUT REPLACING THE LINE TO THE TURBO.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10927225November 21, 2016
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING COLUMN VIBRATED AND A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN WOULD NEED TO BE REMOVED IN ORDER TO DIAGNOSE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,827. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10926294November 15, 2016
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL MADE A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE AND BEGAN TO SHAKE UNCONTROLLABLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,696.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10925707November 14, 2016
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL CLICKING SOUND IN THE STEERING COLUMN. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE LOCK IN THE STEERING WHEEL FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 85,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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