Kia Optima Complaints

7,843 consumer complaints on file.

#10049492December 9, 2003
SUSPENSION
MY 2004 KIA OPTIMA PULLS TO THE LEFT. IT WILL PULL YOU INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. YOUR WEB PAGE DOESNOT HAVE KIA LISTED AS A VEHICLE CHOICE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10046477November 6, 2003
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
POWER LOCK DOORS FAILED, WHICH TWICE TRAPPED THE DRIVER INSIDE THE VEHICLE. I HAD TO RESTART THE ENGINE, ROLLED DOWN THE POWER WINDOW, TAKE THE KEY OUT AND INSERT IT INTO THE DOOR TO UNLOCK IT FROM THE OUTSIDE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10048165November 5, 2003
AIR BAGS
PROBLEMS WITH AIR BAG EQUIPMENT ON 2002 KIA OPTIMA. *MR A LARGE PIECE OF RUBBER HAD COME OFF THE TIRE OF A SEMI-TRUCK AND WHEN THE CONSUMER TRIED TO AVOID HITTING IT, HE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND HIT A WALL DIVIDER. *SCC *JB
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10044891October 28, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND HIT THE GUARD RAIL. THE DRIVER WAS INJURED AND TRANSPORTED BY AMBULANCE TO THE HOSPITAL. INJURIES UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR ANALYSIS. MECHANIC DETECTED BOTH FRONTAL UPPER BALL JOINTS CRACKED. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10043431October 23, 2003
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:FUEL GAUGE SYSTEM
APPROXIMATELY 2 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE, THE GAS DIAL WOULD NOT READ FULL EVEN WHEN THE TANK WAS PRACTICALLY OVERFLOWING WITH GAS. TOOK TO THE DEALER WHO SAID IT WAS CORRECTED, HOWEVER PERIODICALLY IT WILL GO WEEKS WITHOUT READING A FULL TANK OF GAS. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON PERIODICALLY FOR NO REASON AT ALL. HAVE TAKEN TO DEALER WHO CAN NOT FIND PROBLEM IN SYSTEM. *LA
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10041657October 12, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
2001 KIA OPTIMA WITH APPROXIMATELY 57,000 MILES HAS BEEN REGULARLY MAINTAINED AT KIA DEALERSHIPS SINCE PURCHASE IN JAN 2002 (USED). SINCE JUNE 2003 CAR HAS BEEN SERVICED FOR NUMEROUS RECALL ITEMS. CAR HAS HAD MANY PROBLEMS SINCE THEN. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUOUSLY LIT. ENGINE SURGES OR STALLS WHILE DRIVING. CAR FAILS TO ACCELERATE THEN SURGES. VERY HIGH RPM WITH NO ACCELERATION. ENGINE COILS MISFIRE. DIFFICULTY STARTING OCCASIONALLY. AFTER FOUR MONTHS OF FREQUENT TRIPS TO DEALERSHIP SERVICE AREA, (JUNE-OCTOBER 2003) SERVICE MANAGER CALLS TO TELL OWNER TO CONTACT INSURANCE COMPANY BECAUSE THERE IS SAND/SUGAR IN GAS TANK THAT HAS CAUSED ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS. THEY CLAIM THE CAR FALLS OUT OF WARRANTY BECAUSE OF THIS. CUSTOMER DISAGREES THAT SAND/SUGAR IS CAUSE BECAUSE PROBLEMS HAVE PERSISTED FOR FOUR MONTHS. CAR CURRENTLY IN SHOP FOR PAST 10 DAYS. DEALERSHIP SERVICE AREA WILL NOT DO ANY MORE WORK UNTIL INSURANCE PEOPLE COME. NEEDLESS TO SAY THE CUSTOMER IS NOT HAPPY. *LA
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10042023September 30, 2003
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 55 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT WARNING CONSUMER'S VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED UP TO 75 MPH OR MORE, RESULTING IN A COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, WAS NOT TRANSPORTED BY AMBULANCE NOR WAS THERE ANY FATALITY. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10040353September 23, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
CONSUMER TURNED ON THE IGNITION SWITCH AND HEARD A CLICKING NOISE, AND THEN LIGHTS/RADIO, AND AIR CONDITIONER WENT OFF. A BURNING SMELL CAME FROM THE AIR CONDITIONER VENTS. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. DEALER STATED NOTHING COULD BE FOUND WRONG WITH THE CAR. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10040222September 15, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
PROBLEMS WITH BATTERY, ALTERNATOR AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS.*MR CONSUMER HAD NUMEROUS FAILURES AND REPAIRS AND THE RESULTS DIDN'T WORK. ONCE THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED, THE CONSUMER WAS TRAPPED INSIDE THE VEHICLE FOR ONE AND A HALF HOURS BECAUSE THE DOORS LOCKS MALFUNCTIONED DUE TO THE ALTERNATOR SHUTTING DOWN. THE DOORS WOULDN'T UNLOCK. THE CONSUMER WOULD LIKE A REFUND. *PH *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10036966September 1, 2003
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
FEB. 14, 2003, DRIVING A 2002 OPTIMA KIA AND APPLIED BRAKES HARD ABOUT 70 MPH AND CAR WAS COMPLETLY UNCONTROLLABLE SENDING ME OFF THE ROAD INTO VARIOUS TREES EVENTUALLY HITTING A TREE HEAD ON. CAR CAUGHT FIRE AND COMPLETELY BURNT DOWN. I WAS SENT TO A TRAUMA UNIT AT FOREST GENERAL IN HATTIESBURG MS WITH A PUNCTURED LUNG , SPLEEN REMOVED AND EXTREME DAMAGE TO THE RIBS WHICH I AM PRESENTLY IN PAIN MANAGEMENT FOR AND ON LTD. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10033356August 23, 2003
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:SWITCH/WIRING
WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT WORK IN SNOW MUST BE REPAIRED OFTER .WINDOWS REGULATORS NEED TO BE REPLACED HOWEVER DEALER THAT IS SUPPOSE TO FIX THESE PROBLEMS SEEMS TO BE UNABLE TO DO SO .KIA NEEDS TO FIND SOMEONE WHO WILL REPAIR THESE PROBLEMS . VEHICLE HAS BEEN PLACED IN SHOP 5 TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10028547July 18, 2003
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC, EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL
WHILE SLOWING DOWN TO EXIT OFF MASS PIKE, I WAS DOING ABOUT 30-35 AND SO WERE THE OTHER CARS, I BRAKED TO CONTINUE TO SLOW - THE CAR DID NOT STOP AND APPLIED THE BRAKES ALL THE WAY DOWN AND THE CAR STILL DID NOT STOP AND I PANICKED KNOWING THE CAR WAS NOT STOPPING AND FINALLY MADE IMPACT INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. *JB
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10029655July 18, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAS FAILED TWO TIMES IN THE LAST WEEK. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10025993July 13, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
THIS VEHICLES ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CONTINUES TO FAIL ALONG WITH NONWORKING LIGHTS, AIR CONDITIONER, LOCK FAILURE, BATTERY AND ALTRENATOR FAILURE. CAR HAS BEEN WORKED ON FOR SAME PROBLEMS MORE THAN 5 TIMES. CAR HAS HAD (THAT I KNOW OF) 3 BATTERIES AND 2 ALTERNATORS. ONCE THE LOCKS ON THE CAR FAILED AND I WAS TRAPPED INSIDE VEHICLE FOR MORE THAN AN HOUR. LOCKS WOULD AUTOMATICALLY RELOCK FASTER THAN YOU COULD OPEN THE DOOR.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10026957July 11, 2003
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
VEHICLE TRANSMISSION SLIPS WHILE DRIVING.*MR THE AIR CONDITION, AUTO CHECK LIGHT AND AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS DO NOT REMAIN UNLOCKED TRAPPING THE DRIVER.*TS *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10020412June 27, 2003
VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR
THE DESIGN OF THE LARGE OVER VIEW MIRROR, ONLY ALLOWED THE CONSUMER TO SEE HALF OF THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. *JB THE FRONT WINDSHIELD VISIBILITY TO THE RIGHT WAS BLOCKED BY THE FRONT REARVIEW MIRROR DUE TO LARGE SIZE OF THE MIRROR AND INABILITY TO LOWER THE DRIVERS SEAT ENOUGH AND ALMOST HIT THE OTHER VEHICLE. THE REAR VIEW MIRROR BLOCKED THE VISIBILITY OF THE RIGHT HALF OF THE WINDSHIELD AND DID NOT SEE THE VEHICLE TRAVELING FROM RIGHT TO LEFT UNTIL IT WAS IN FRONT OF THE CONSUMER. SCC *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10020418June 27, 2003
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:HIGH/LOW BEAM DIMMER SWITCH
THE VEHICLE CAME EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOMATIC SWITCH TO TURN THE HEADLIGHTS ON OR USE THE MANUAL SWITCH. WHEN THE AUTOMATIC SWITCH WAS USED, THE HIGH BEAMS WERE INOPERATIVE. *JB IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO TURN ON THE HIGH BEAMS. THE DEALER STATED IT WAS NORMAL. ALSO, THE POSITION OF THE REAR VIEW MIRROR SIZE/HEIGHT OF THE DRIVER SEAT LIMITED FRONT VIEW ON THE RIGHT OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE CONSUMER ALMOST HIT A PASSING VEHICLE AS HE WAS GOING INTO THE DEALERS LOT AND COULD NOT SEE IT UNTIL IT WAS DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. *SCC *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10023514June 21, 2003
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
I'VE TAKEN MY 2001 KIA OPTIMA INTO THE SHOP GOING AT LEAST 6 TIMES. MY BRAKES ARE A PROBLEM. THEY SQUEAK AND MY FRONT END VIBRATES. THE DEALER, GALEANA KIA, SAYS THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR, JUST BRAKE DUST. THEY'VE TRIED TO FIX IT, BUT THE PROBLEM COMES BACK. KIA GAVE ME 500 DOLLARS (CUSTOMER SATISFACTION MONEY) AND THEY SAID THEY'D FIX THE PROBLEM. I TOOK THE MONEY, BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. BOUGHT CAR WITH 18 MILES ON IT... AND STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS RIGHT AWAY. CAR NOW HAS 20 THOUSAND MILES. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10023272June 17, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY 2001 KIA OPTIMA HAS BECOME THE MODERN AGE , THIS VEHICLE HAS A MIND OF IT'S OWN. THE POWER LOCKS SHUTS OPEN AND LOCKS ON IT'S OWN, THE VEHICLE IS NOT RELIABLE WHEN CROSSING A HIGHWAY ON OUR STREET. VEHICLE STALLS AT THE POINT OF ACCELERATION AND DOES NOT RESPOND TO PRESSING OF GAS PEDAL. WHEN CAR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILS AND YOU ARE IN THE VEHICLE THE POWER LOCKS DO NOT OPERATE CAUSING DRIVER AND PASSENGERS TO BE LOCKED IN VEHICLE. I WAS RECENTLY LOCKED IN MY VEHICLE WITH MY DAUGHTER FOR EXACTLY 4 HOURS WHEN THE POWER FINALLY RETURNED AND I WAS ABLE TO GET OUT. I CONTACTED KIA MOTORS CORP. AND WAS SIMPLY NOT TAKEN SERIOUS WITH THIS COMPLAINT. I HOPE THAT YOU FOLLOW UP WITH MANUFACTURES POSSIBLE DEATH TRAP AND THAT NO LOSES THEIR LIFE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10021932May 30, 2003
VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:INTERIOR
THE LOCATION OF THE DRIVER SIDE MIRROR AND SUN VISOR IS OBSTRUCTING THE VIEW THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. THIS RESULTS IN POOR VISIBILITY, ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. SEAT CANNOT BE LOWERED TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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