Kia Optima Complaints

7,843 consumer complaints on file.

#11547008September 27, 2023
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
Twice while driving in rain my front end collision warning has taken control from me and slammed on the brakes bringing my car to a full stop. There was no vehicle or object in front of me either time. The second time I narrowly missed being rear ended.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11547009September 27, 2023
ENGINE
My car does not accelerate easily and struggles with basic speed. I took it to a mechanic and am being told that my turbocharger has failed and must be replaced because there is fuel in my oil and there may be damage to my engine as a result that would require me to replace the engine. This is the second time in less than 2 years that this has happened since I have owned this vehicle. The mechanic says the engine could seize up or catch fire at any point and that I will have to have the oil drained, flushed, and replaced, hopefully have the fuel leak found and repaired, then the turbo replaced. Only once all of that has been done will I know if the engine will still be operable. The first time this happened it was repaired at a Kia dealership in Denton TX under warranty. The vehicle is no longer under warranty and should not have this problem every year.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11546513September 26, 2023
ENGINE
vehicle stated was consuming a large amount of oil by burning it. this was able to be determined by the lack of oil or residue anywhere on the engine or engine compartment. It was then taken to the dealership were it was determined an engine oil consumption test needed to be done. the test was done and was determined that it needed an upper engine combustion cleaning to correct issue. The vehicle was then scheduled to have this procedure done. upon completion of this procedure the vehicle continued to burn oil as it could be seen out of the tailpipe upon acceleration. a second oil consumption test was performed and was found to be within dealer specs of acceptable oil consumption at 1qt per 1000 miles. When the next oil change was done by an independent garage, it was noted that the vehicle was now leaking oil from what appeared to be the oil drain plug. The dealer was then informed with pictures of the oil leak. The vehicle began leaking more and more oil now at a rate of 1/2 qt a day as of writing this the independent garage inspected again and found that there was a crack in the oil pan just to the side of the oil drain plug. After doing some research it appears to be a very common problem. The vehicle in question is supposed to be taken into dealership to have the issue checked out on the 4th of October 2023. todays date is 9/26/2023.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11546598September 26, 2023
ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, AIR BAGS
Unknown
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11546420September 25, 2023
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the trunk door locking mechanism had failed and the door would not remain securely closed. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V594000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 60,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11546440September 25, 2023
ENGINE
I bought my car in August of 2022 with roughly 66,000 miles on it. It now has 71,000 miles on it which per the manual would only needed one oil change. I’ve had to do three and top off my oil every 500-700 miles with 1.5-2qt of oil each time. Which is way over the criteria for KIA’s “normal” oil consumption. This has caused my spark plugs to foul out costing me more money in repairs. I have only put 5,000 miles on this car in the whole year I have owned it.The oil consumption rate of this car is insane.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11546157September 23, 2023
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
In March 2023 car stopped in the middle of an intersection with no warning. “Hybrid system warning” on dashboard lit up as well as all other lights. Dealer said repair was under warranty because of faulty spark plugs which were a safety recall. Prior to this all safety recalls were taken to dealer yet the problem still occurred. On July 2, 2023, the car stopped on the freeway. All lights lit up and the “Hybrid system warning” came up. The car began to smoke. The car was towed to Kia dealer they said the water pump needed to be replaced. The water pump was replaced with a certified Kia part. The car still would not turn on. Kia replaced the battery and said the engine needed to be replaced for $9000. They said we were out of warranty (10 years by 2 months). This engine failure seems to be related to the safety recalls that Kia “fixed.” I also have documentation that the warranty should be extended to 15 years or 150,000 miles but the delay refuse to make repairs under the warranty.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11546060September 22, 2023
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle lost motive power. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated he had scheduled a service appointment for an unknown recall repair on the fuel pump. The contact stated that the dealer informed him that the recall repair could not be completed until the fuel neck was repaired. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 77,700.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11545756September 21, 2023
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
The engine was has blown twice the first day 95000 miles and again at under 6000 miles. And there is still a bad knock and major vibration and ticking noise coming from the car. We told the car we no longer have faith in this car and didn't want it no more and all he did was see if he could get us another loan to trade it in. We're now scared to really ride in to and can't get no one to help us on this my man is about to lose his job over this car
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11545834September 21, 2023
ENGINE, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Engine needed to be replaced as part of the recall for knock, however they said because the repair was done on a subsequent work order and the first one was for a failed AEB module that none of the repairs are covered. I'm out over $13,000 for what should have been warrantied
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11545569September 20, 2023
ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Excessive shaking of engine, stalled out while driving on highway, knocking in the engine.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11545624September 20, 2023
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Car will NOT go pat 60mph and i haven’t had this car just over 6 months. And the camshaft sensors are gone out. Smoke comes out the pipe when mash on gas…. It is really a bad vehicle. And Southeast auto refuses to fix it. I really honestly think the motor is bad in it. Because I been having issues with it since I had it
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11545378September 19, 2023
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact stated that she was able to restart the vehicle and proceeded to her destination. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that there was contamination in the fuel system. The contact was informed that the fuel system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the fuel system had been replaced less than three years ago. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 74,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11545476September 19, 2023
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed that the vehicle had needed an oil change frequently. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle had been diagnosed by the dealer and confirmed that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to contact the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11545497September 19, 2023
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Own a 2013 Kia Optima SXL with snow white paint. It is peeling horribly around the windshield pillars, and the roof. There are a few other smaller spots starting to chip away as well. This vehicle has been almost exclusivly garage kept. I have read this is a common issue experience by Kia owners with this paint specifically. Please investigate and issue a proper recall for these vehicle owners.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11545528September 19, 2023
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
I was driving at night and the headlights suddenly turned off for about 5 seconds and then it will come back on. Don't know whats going on with its headlight.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11545195September 18, 2023
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
My vehicle came up with a check engine light blinking. I took it to a Kia dealership where they put the ksds update in. A week after driving it, I started experiencing loss of power and the check engine light came back on. But this time not blinking. My car accelerates slowly, it is a struggle to get to 30 mph. My engine is making loud noises as if I am flooring the gas pedal when going 10 mph. Hills are impossible and dangerous to drive up. I took it in where the man told me my oil was empty, when just the day before it was full. I ran the code reader which came up p0010 for a camshaft. Now I’m being told it’s the entire top motor needing replacement due to “no oil”. I saw online recalls for this exact issue on the engine. It states of a lifetime engine warranty for this qualifying engine problem. I called the dealership where the lady informed me that there is a third party company that makes warranty coverage decisions, and that they make the decision on if it’s covered based on how much they will have to pay. If it’s a lot, it’s on me. Basically my engine failure qualifies but they don’t want to pay the amount of repairs. So I’m stuck with paying thousands for a hazardous car that I’ve only had for 8 months.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11545229September 18, 2023
ENGINE
NO ACCIDENTS!!! To the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Subject: Concerns regarding Kia America's handling of vehicle recalls I am writing to express deep concerns regarding the service and responsiveness of Kia America, particularly in relation to several recalls on my vehicle. There are currently eight outstanding recalls on my vehicle. To address these issues, I brought my car to Kia Jim Ellis in Kennesaw, GA. Following the inspection, I was presented with an estimate of approximately $3,000 for engine repairs. Surprisingly, upon the car's return, I found it had less than a quart of oil. While the dealership did later acknowledge this oversight, such a lapse is deeply concerning. Additionally, the written report from the dealership noted that one of the required parts for the recall repair was missing and had been ordered. However, this was not verbally communicated to me, and the car was handed back as if all repairs had been completed without any cautionary note or indication of when the missing part would be installed. A particular recall that has caused me significant concern pertains to the engine. I've understood that the defect can lead to the engine locking up, which could pose a serious hazard on the roads. Despite expressing my apprehension, the service technician simply advised me to return the vehicle if any noticeable issues arise, including if the engine locks up. For clarity and emphasis on the importance of the recalls, I provided the technician with a detailed letter. Furthermore, I've encountered hurdles when attempting to communicate with Kia America's support at 800-333-4542. After documenting my concerns, a representative transferred my call to a supervisor for resolution. Regrettably, the supervisor expected me to reiterate the previously documented issues and disconnected the call when I referenced the ticket. Dear Kia, recalls have been created to avoid accidents
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11545021September 17, 2023
STRUCTURE:BODY, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, POWER TRAIN
Pearl white paint peeling in chunks of hood. All four window regulators went out within six months. Transmission had to be replaced Hard shift rear end Motor replaced
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11544556September 14, 2023
ENGINE
Smart choice auto financial in Indiana sold me a vehicle with a defaulted engine. Purchased car 9/20/2022 I have been consistently changing an add oil, to up keep the vehicle til I receive help . Vehicle have been attempted to be fix 6times, 3 by dealership I purchased from, an three different kia dealership. Not yet acknowledged the so call life time warranty, I was told engine had to go out . At this point 9/14/ 2023 the engining knocking, smoking, engine light on. So I took it to another kia dealership am it's there as we speak. Waiting I fro
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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