Kia Optima Complaints

7,843 consumer complaints on file.

#11576145March 8, 2024
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11576196March 8, 2024
STRUCTURE:BODY
Paint has began chipping and p Delamanating starting on the driver side column and hood.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11576204March 8, 2024
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Was driving on the road on the way back to work from lunch, started hitting the brakes at an upcoming stop light, and the car shut down. There was no lights indicating anything prior to the incident. I tried starting it again and it started smoking, I then opened the hood and all the smoke poured out. The engine bay smelled like something electrical melting or of some sort. I towed it to the dealership I work at and had my ex-kia technician coworkers look at it and said they've never seen anything like it, but did confirm the smell was electrical. OBD II reader was not reading anything at all. I was letting it sit for a while waiting for the recall to have some sort of remedy, but I've grown tired waiting so I decided to file a complaint. And I will reiterate again that NONE of the lights came on at all until my car decided to break down.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11576233March 8, 2024
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal burning odor detected inside the vehicle. There was smoke coming from under the hood. The contact pulled over and checked the oil, antifreeze, and other fluids. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who cleaned and changed the 02 sensor and informed the contact to keep the vents closed. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 144,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11576289March 8, 2024
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine seized. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact was informed that there was a recall for the engine replacement. The vehicle was repaired; however, the vehicle failed to start after the recall repair was completed. The vehicle has remained with the dealer since August 2023. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11576017March 7, 2024
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Unknown. The vehicle has this recall and Kia still doesn’t have a solution. It’s been more than 6 months and I want to ensure my car is safe to drive. I am unsure if there are any issues with my car, I am simply just wanting a remedy for this part if the car is being recalled.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11575868March 6, 2024
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ENGINE
The last recall that was fixed is occuring again . Car loosing power warning signal popping up Sometimes smells like matches after parked.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11575441March 5, 2024
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
In case of a vehicle lockout and keys are locked in the trunk when car is opened by locksmith there is no way to unlock the trunk from inside of the car the locks become disabled and you have to reset the master switch very inconvenient for emergencies. There is no trunk release or emergency Button to open the trunk from inside the vehicle. 2018 kia optima lx
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11575468March 5, 2024
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, ENGINE, VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the brakes were making an abnormal noise. There was an abnormal odor of fuel detected. The windshield was fogging up. The engine warning light was illuminated and turned on and off. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 5,500. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11575573March 5, 2024
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
HI, I own a 2015 KIA OPTIMA. Sometimes when I drive it, I get a burning smell from the dashboard/engine after driving it after a while. I received A KIA recall notice regarding an electrical short circuit in November 2023. The notice said that the electrical short circuit could cause a fire, which I think is the cause of the burning smell. When I called KIA to bring the car in, they said there is no remedy to fix it yet. So I receive the notices in November 2023 and at the time of writing it is March 5th 2024, five months after and KIA does still does not have a remedy to fix the problem. I think this is a major safety issue that is not solved in a timely manner as there is potential risk of fire every time I drive my car. I hope NHTSA can step in and have KIA expedite a remedy to fix this hazard that can lead to potential injury and/or death. Thank you Concerned KIA owner
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11575628March 5, 2024
STEERING
The Steering wheel is making a lot of clicking noise when turning or going over bumpy roads. I have takin my car to several independent car shops only for them to tell me that this has been a common problem for this specific model as they have seen similar Kia optima’s and Hyundai’s with this issue. I was advised that if left alone, the problem can make the steering go bad and become a dangerous safety concern. I have contacted the Kia dealership and they stated they want $150 diagnostic fee to look at it, even though they admitted that they’ve had customers bring their Kia’s in for similar issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11575335March 4, 2024
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Optima. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start up after not being drive for a while. The check engine warning was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer to be diagnosed with an unknown result. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11575350March 4, 2024
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11575361March 4, 2024
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Snow White Pearl paint is flying off of my car in big splotches.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11575425March 4, 2024
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Electrical issue then engine leading to car going up in flames
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11575160March 3, 2024
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Clear coat paint is peeling rapidly on the driver side door. This is the only affected area and this car has never been in an accident, so it’s the original manufactured part. Car has 59K miles on it
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11575001March 2, 2024
STEERING
I am writing to bring a critical safety concern to your attention regarding my 2017 Kia Optima LX. The steering wheel of my vehicle frequently loses power, necessitating a restart of the engine for it to function properly again. This issue occurs randomly, but consistently takes place during steering wheel turns. On one alarming occasion while navigating a winding canyon road, the steering lost power, compelling me to slam on the brakes to prevent the car from falling off the cliff. Another incident occurred while making a right turn, resulting in me slamming on the brakes to avoid colliding with oncoming cars, narrowly escaping a potential rear-end accident. When the steering loses power, it remains functional but demands significant physical effort. Unfortunately, in attempting to steer during one episode, I strained a muscle, leading to a week of suffering. Despite the severity of this safety concern, Kia refuses to address the issue unless they can replicate it during a service visit. The problem occurs randomly, ranging from three times a day to once a month, with no warning signs prior to power loss. Kia has acknowledged this issue, evident in the warranty extension they provided up to 150k miles (attached). Regrettably, when I take the car to the dealership, they decline to address the problem due to an inability to replicate it. I believe this recurring steering malfunction poses a serious risk to my safety and the safety of others on the road. Your intervention in investigating this matter would be greatly appreciated to ensure the well-being of Kia Optima LX drivers. Attached, please find the mentioned warranty extension letter from Kia and an image displaying the MDPS warning light illuminated during instances when the steering lost power. Thank you for your prompt attention to this urgent matter. The contact stated Kia inspected the vehicle but was unable to replicate the issue during their inspection. However, they recommended replacing the assembly column as a potential solution, but the cont
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11575005March 2, 2024
ENGINE
The engine code p1326 code popped up after coming to a stop the same code associated with the Kia engine recall but my vin isn’t covered
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11575062March 2, 2024
ENGINE, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I like kids however I purchased a Kia used in 2021, I started to notice that all consumption was going out fast before oil changes was due. I still have this ongoing problem but they say there's no recall on these GDI motors however other people I see informs or experiencing the same issues. I now have to try to get an appointment with Kia for an oil change before it's time for the oil change and to do a oil consumption test and then hopefully the main factors or kia will replace this motor even though there's no warranty on the car. I might also have a issue with the front collision feature because I have been noticing in the past few weeks that this feature comes on even when there's no car in front of me it will start to break however it says that my car is not a part of a software upgrade so I got to ask them about that as well. There is definitely a issue with the GDI motors and Kia really needs to recall them all and replace the motors it should not burn all the way that it does I've never had any car of any brand or manufacturer burn oil the way that this car is burning oil. I cannot financially afford to go out here and trade this car in and get another car with the type of payment that I have for this car since I had my bank finances car.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11575103March 2, 2024
STRUCTURE:BODY
My paint started fading then the exterior metal layer on the roof started to chip off
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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