Auto Recall Watch
U.S. public vehicle records

2016 Kia OPTIMA problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

756 owner complaints analyzed

5 distinct recall campaigns

68,043 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2016 model year. Data updated: . 282 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 425 of 756 complaints (56.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Engine operation749.8%
Electrical and battery issues526.9%
Braking behavior486.3%
Transmission and shifting354.6%
Steering behavior324.2%
Fuel system concerns131.7%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Engine
425
Unknown Or Other
121
Electrical System
100
Power Train
72
Fuel/Propulsion System
53
Exterior Lighting
44
Structure:Body
39
Vehicle Speed Control
28
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Engine425
Unknown Or Other121
Electrical System100
Power Train72
Fuel/Propulsion System53
Exterior Lighting44
Structure:Body39
Vehicle Speed Control28

Engine: 425; Unknown Or Other: 121; Electrical System: 100; Power Train: 72; Fuel/Propulsion System: 53; Exterior Lighting: 44; Structure:Body: 39; Vehicle Speed Control: 28

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
47
25,000 to 49,999
45
50,000 to 74,999
71
75,000 to 99,999
45
100,000 to 149,999
62
150,000 and above
12
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,00047
25,000 to 49,99945
50,000 to 74,99971
75,000 to 99,99945
100,000 to 149,99962
150,000 and above12

Under 25,000: 47; 25,000 to 49,999: 45; 50,000 to 74,999: 71; 75,000 to 99,999: 45; 100,000 to 149,999: 62; 150,000 and above: 12

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (71). 474 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2016
3
2017
19
2018
30
2019
63
2020
60
2021
67
2022
109
2023
162
2024
121
2025
76
2026
46
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20163
201719
201830
201963
202060
202167
2022109
2023162
2024121
202576
202646

2016: 3; 2017: 19; 2018: 30; 2019: 63; 2020: 60; 2021: 67; 2022: 109; 2023: 162; 2024: 121; 2025: 76; 2026: 46

Pattern summary

Engine leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 74 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 52 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 48 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10934131 · 2016-12-09 (December 9, 2016)

WHEN STARTING FROM A DEAD STOP, THE CAR HESITATES UP TO 6 OR 7 SECONDS. I THINK IT HAS STALLED, THEN IT STARTS AGAIN BY ITS SELF. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WHEN PULLING OUT INTO AN INTERSECTION. IT DOES THIS CONSTANTLY.

Owner-reported narrative. 25 miles reported. Look up ODI 10934131 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10958641 · 2017-03-04 (March 4, 2017)

FROM A DEAD STOP DRIVING AROUND, RELEASING THE BRAKE PETAL FROM A STOP AND GETTING READY TO GET GOING, THE CAR SHUTTERS A BIT AND/OR BOTH THE ENGINE FEELS LIKE IT'S GONNA STALL. HESITATION TO GET GOING.. DOES IT IN ALL 3 DRIVE MODES. DEALERS SAYS NPF.. OF COURSE AND SAID MAYBE QUALITY OF GAS, I USE TOP TIER GAS ONLY.

Owner-reported narrative. 600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10958641 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10939963 · 2017-01-05 (January 5, 2017)

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

Owner-reported narrative. 10,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10939963 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11025159 · 2017-09-23 (September 23, 2017)

TAKATA RECALL CAR STARTS TO STALL AND IDLE WHEN ON THE ROAD AND IN TRAFFIC. CAR STARTS TO BACK UP AND REVERSE WITHOUT NOTICE OR WARNING. ENGINE, BATTERY COMES ON AUTOMATICALLY AND I HAVE TO TURN OFF IGNITION AND RESTART VEHICLE.

Owner-reported narrative. 20 miles reported. Look up ODI 11025159 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10992015 · 2017-05-28 (May 28, 2017)

WHEN DECELERATING/BRAKING, THE CAR JERKS HARSHLY FORWARD AT 52,42, 32 MPH. ON WET HIGHWAYS A WHEN IT JERKS THE REAR OF THE CAR FISHTAILS. KIA KNOWS THE FAULT IS BECAUSE OF THE DUAL CLUTCH TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFT TIMING AND HAS NO SOLUTION. I BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES ON THIS. FISHTAILING ON WET HIGHWAYS HAS A SERIOUS RISK OF AN ACCIDENT. THEY JUST SAY LIVE WITH IT EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE NUMEROUS SIMILAR COMPLAINTS AND FELT THE PROBLEM WITH ME ON A TEST DRIVE IN MY CAR AND OTHER CARS OF SAME MODEL IN THE NEW CAR LOT. IT IS TIME TH…

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10992015 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10937252 · 2016-12-23 (December 23, 2016)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY AND THE ENGINE RPMS DRASTICALLY INCREASED TO 6 OR 7. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THERE WAS A BURNING ODOR COMING FROM THE ENGINE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CVT VALVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NUMBER 75 ON THE WAITING LIST FOR THE REPAIRS AND PROVIDED A LOANER VEHICLE. T…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10937252 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10984188 · 2017-05-08 (May 8, 2017)

THIS VEHICLE SUFFERS FROM A HESITATION DURING TAKE OFF. ACCORDING TO KIA THIS HESITATION COME FROM A 7 SPEED DUAL CLUTCH TRANSMISSION(DCT). WHICH CAUSES THE VEHICLE THE DRIVER TO FEEL A SHUDDER SENSATION. THIS VEHICLE HAS A DOUBLE CLUTCH. I HAVE TAKEN MY 2016 KIA OPTIMA DEALERS FOR REPAIR TO THIS PROBLEM WITHOUT ANY SOLUTION. RUNS ROUGH.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10984188 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11141309 · 2018-10-18 (October 18, 2018)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME LOOSE AND THE TRACTION CONTROL AND POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT, A CLICKING NOISE WAS DETECTED. IN ADDITION, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD ONLY ALLOW THE CONTACT TO TURN APPROXIMATELY ONE INCH TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT, AND THE STEERING WHEEL EVENTUALLY SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SOUTH SHORE KIA (1128 SUNRISE HWY, COPIAGUE, NY 11726, [phone removed]) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT …

Owner-reported narrative. 2,843 miles reported. Look up ODI 11141309 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11173769 · 2019-02-03 (February 3, 2019)

I WAS INVOLVED UN A REAR END COLLISION. I WAS STRUCK FROM BEHIND WHILE STOPPED @ A TRAFFIC LIGHT. SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE REAR END OF THE CAR. NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED FROM THE IMPACT. I ENDED UP HITTING MY HEAD VERY HARD ON THE STEERING WHEEL. NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED @ ALL FROM THE COLLISION.

Owner-reported narrative. 61,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11173769 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11041843 · 2017-10-31 (October 31, 2017)

I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING ISSUES WITH MY 2016 KIA OPTIMA SINCE I PURCHASED IT ON SEPTEMBER, 5TH 2016. A SHORT TIME AFTER OWNING MY NEW VEHICLE, FIRST THE CAR STARTED TO HESITATE WHEN STARTING AS IF IT WAS STRUGGLING TO START, THE PUSH BUTTON WOULD TURN RED AND THE INDICATOR LIGHTS WOULD LIGHT UP ON THE DASHBOARD AS IF THE KEY WAS NOT RECOGNIZED IN THE CAR. THE CAR WOULD ALSO SELF ACCELERATE. ON OR AROUND AUGUST 16TH OR 17TH THE CAR STALLED OUT WHILE IT WAS BEING DRIVEN,WE ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE CAR AND IT TURNED ON LIKE NORMAL SO THE TOW WAS C…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11041843 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11434039 · 2021-09-23 (September 23, 2021)

2016 Optima with 111K miles: 7/17/19 car received ECU upgrade for the KSDS system. After upgrade, on 5/23/2020 at 90K miles, the car started to shake/knock, engine light came on, car went in to limp mode, car was taken back to the Kia dealer, code was recorded as P1326, another update was performed, and due to excessive damage bearings were replaced. Car performed ok until 9/22/21, again the car started to shake violently (bucking), loud knocking sound, engine light came on, went into limp mode, was pulled over immediately, dealership contact…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11434039 at NHTSA ↗

Explore the data

Vehicle analysis explorer

Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.

Data completeness

756 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.

37.3%Usable mileage282 / 756 records
100.0%Valid incident date756 / 756 records
100.0%Valid filing date756 / 756 records
100.0%Ordered incident and filing dates756 / 756 records

Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.

Problems by model year

Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.

Component complaint heatmap
Component200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020
Engine
74.5%
ODI 10460873 · 62,000 mi

AFTER A RECENT OIL CHANGE, THE CAR WAS RUNNING HORRIBLY, MAKING A KNOCKING SOUND. HAD AN EPISODE WHERE THE OIL LIGHT WAS FLASHING ON AND OFF AND THE ENGINE ABOUT DIED, SO I HAD MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE VEHICLE TO GET CHECKED FOR MONDAY MORNING. THE SATURDAY BEFORE, WHILE RUNNING ERRANDS, HAD THE EPISODE OCCUR AGAIN, BUT THIS TIME, THE ENGINE LOCKED UP AND IT HAS BEEN SITTING AT THE DEALERSHIP EVERY SINCE BECAUSE ALTHOUGH I HAVE A MANUFACTURER WARRANTY, KIA WON'T HONOR IT WITH ALL MY OIL CHANGE RECEIPTS. I AM FRUSTRATED, BECAUSE I KNOW OTHERS…

Look up ODI 10460873 at NHTSA ↗

169.6%
ODI 10462303 · 98,000 mi

I CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND PROCEEDED TO TURN LEFT WHEN I NOTICED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND AS I PULLED OVER THERE I NOTICED A THICK CLOUD OF BLUE SMOKE OUT OF MY REAR VIEW MIRROR. I OPENED THE HOOD AND SAW FLAMES AT THE BACK OF THE ENGINE AROUND THE TRANSMISSION AND AIRCONDITIONER AREA OF THE CAR. FLAMES CONTINUED UNTIL THE INTERIOR BEGAN BURNING AND WINDSHIELD BROKE. *JS

Look up ODI 10462303 at NHTSA ↗

1913.2%
ODI 10458486

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND A FATALITY WAS REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 06/12/12*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED A RECALL CAME IN THE MAIL ON APRIL 12. 2012. PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. UPDATED 0…

Look up ODI 10458486 at NHTSA ↗

1412.1%
ODI 10458183 · 18,970 mi

THE FIRST SIGNS OF ANY TROUBLE WITH THE VEHICLE STARTED IN FEBRUARY/MARCH OF 2011 WHEN THE SHIFTING ON THE VEHICLE WAS ERRATIC ON TAKEOFF AND ESPECIALLY BAD WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SLOWING DOWN, ROUGHLY SHIFTING IN AND OUT OF GEAR. IT TOOK TWO OCCASIONS TO "FIX" THE ISSUE EVEN THOUGH A FEW WEEKS LATER THE SHIFTING APPEARED TO SUBSIDE IT STILL HAD THE OCCASIONAL ISSUE ON TAKE-OFF. THE ISSUE PROGRESSIVELY GOT TO THE POINT WHEN I LOST TOTAL ENGINE POWER WHILE CROSSING LANES OF TRAFFIC, ALMOST GETTING HIT. I STEPPED ON THE ACCELERATOR BUT NO MATTER …

Look up ODI 10458183 at NHTSA ↗

912.0%
ODI 10861976 · 80,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING HOME ONE DAY IN DECEMBER 2015, EACH TIME I APPROACHED A STOP LIGHT, YIELD SIGN OR SLOWED TO A LOW SPEED (LESS THAN 15 MPH), MY VEHICLE WOULD SHUT-OFF MULTIPLE TIMES. MY IN MOTION SPEED WAS APPROX 45 MPH WHEN NOT APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT OR YIELD SIGN. IT HAPPENED BOTH WHEN I WAS TURNING AND GOING STRAIGHT ON MAIN ROADS WITH 2-4 LANES. THE DEALERSHIP AND ANOTHER ASME CERTIFIED MECHANIC BOTH STATE ENGINE FAILURE, WHICH SEEMS TO BE A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM WITH 2.4L ENGINES MANUFACTURED BY KIA AND HYUNDAI AROUND THIS YEAR UP TO 2015.

Look up ODI 10861976 at NHTSA ↗

25643.2%
ODI 10512071 · 12,500 mi

SUDDEN ACCELERATION! HAPPENED APPROXIMATELY 6 MONTHS AGO AND AGAIN ON MAY 10TH. GOING SLOWLY TOWARDS A STOP SIGN WHILE BRAKING TO STOP, THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATES AND LUNGES FORWARD. STEPPED ON THE BRAKE BUT CAR KEEPS GOING. PUT SHIFT LEVER IN NEUTRAL WITH ENGINE RACING AND AFTER ABOUT 2 SECONDS THE ENGINE SLOWLY DROPS TO IDLE. NO ACCIDENTS CAUSED BECAUSE NO ONE WAS IN FRONT OF ME. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION! TOOK CAR TO THE DEALER ON MAY 15TH AND THEY COULD FIND NO CODES PRESENT AND SAID THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. *TR

Look up ODI 10512071 at NHTSA ↗

39843.3%
ODI 10463247 · 970 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A CURB, CAUSING THE FRONT AND REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRES TO DEFLATE. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE CHECK ENGINE AND ACTUATOR WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING HOWEVER, THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 970.

Look up ODI 10463247 at NHTSA ↗

61244.3%
ODI 10511798 · 6,600 mi

DRIVING DOWN INTERSTATE, ENGINE MADE LOUD, CLANKING NOISE. PUSHED ON GAS AND NOISE GOT LOUDER AND THE CAR SLOWED DOWN. CAR DID NOT RESPOND WHEN GAS PEDAL APPLIED. TURNED ON HAZARD LIGHTS AND WORKED WAY OVER TO OUTER LANE AND FINALLY TO SIDE OF ROAD. WAS ALMOST REAR-ENDED WHEN HAPPENED; CAR SLOWED WAY DOWN. TOWED TO DEALERSHIP WHERE PURCHASED. REPLACED FUEL PUMP BUT NOISE STILL OCCURRING. A WEEK LATER, INFORMED HAD TO REPLACE ENGINE. WEEK LATER ENGINE, AND NOW PARTS, WERE ON BACK ORDER. FOLLOWING WEEK, INFORMED BY DEALERSHIP, KIA WOULD…

Look up ODI 10511798 at NHTSA ↗

28348.3%
ODI 10560127 · 5,000 mi

MY KIA OPTIMA 2014 STARTED A NOISE NEAR THE ENGINE THAT SOUNDS LIKE A CLAPPING NOISE. THE FIRST KIA DEALER I TOOK IT TO SAID THAT IT IS NOT TO WORRY AND IS PART OF THE KIA ENGINEERING DESIGN. THE SECOND KIA DEALER I TOOK IT TO SAID THAT THE NOISE IS BAD NEWS AND AFTER FURTHER DIAGNOSTICS, THEY DETERMINED THAT THE ENTIRE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. JUST 5,000 MILES INTO THE LIFE OF MY BRAND NEW KIA OPTIMA 2014. I WANT PEOPLE TO BE AWARE THAT IF YOU HEAR A CLAPPING NOISE NEAR THE TOP OF THE ENGINE THAN PLEASE TAKE IT INTO A KIA DEALER IMMEDIATE…

Look up ODI 10560127 at NHTSA ↗

62261.7%
ODI 10682178 · 10,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE NOISE WAS EMITTING FROM THE ENGINE. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSED OR REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000.

Look up ODI 10682178 at NHTSA ↗

42556.2%
ODI 10934131 · 25 mi

WHEN STARTING FROM A DEAD STOP, THE CAR HESITATES UP TO 6 OR 7 SECONDS. I THINK IT HAS STALLED, THEN IT STARTS AGAIN BY ITS SELF. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WHEN PULLING OUT INTO AN INTERSECTION. IT DOES THIS CONSTANTLY.

Look up ODI 10934131 at NHTSA ↗

16464.3%
ODI 10986336 · 3,300 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER A COMPLETE STOP AND WHEN ATTEMPTING TO COMPLETE A TURN, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, BUT A FAILURE CODE WAS UNABLE TO BE LOCATED. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO TEST DRIVEN, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,300.

Look up ODI 10986336 at NHTSA ↗

13156.5%
ODI 11217052 · 18,000 mi

WHEN I GOT IN MY CAR THE CHECK ENGINE CAN ON. I STARTED DRIVING MY CAR TO WORK, BECAUSE I WAS NOT SURE WHY THIS LIGHT CAME ON BECAUSE THIS WAS/IS A NEW CAR. I HAVE LESS THAN 19K MILES ON MY CAR. AS I ATTEMPTED TO GET ON THE HIGHWAY THE CAR REFUSED TO SPEED UP. THE MAX THAT I COULD DRIVE WAS 60 MPH. I HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BECAUSE MY CAR WOULD NOT PICK UP SPEED. SO I CALLED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT, WHO INFORMED ME THAT WHEN I BROUGHT MY CAR IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE IN JANUARY THAT THEY HAS PLACE A SAFTEY FEATURE ON MY CAR TO KEEP T…

Look up ODI 11217052 at NHTSA ↗

8942.8%
ODI 11223068 · 2,000 mi

I BOUGHT MY 2019 OPTIMA BRAND NEW BACK IN NOVEMBER. IT IS NOW JUNE AND I HAVE HAD IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES FOR RANDOMLY NOT STARTING ON ME. I GET THE SAME ANSWER EVERY TIME. THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS, NOTHING COMES UP ON THE COMPUTER WHEN THEY PLUG IT IN. THEY SAY, "IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN, CALL US AND WELL TAKE IT IN". BUYING THIS CAR BRAND NEW AND MY PAYMENTS BEING THAT OF A RANGE ROVER, I AM EXTREMELY UPSET. TO TOP IT OFF, THE BACK WINDSHIELD IS SLIPPING DOWN. I AM OVER THIS CAR AND I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER KIA AGAIN. BUT, MY FI…

Look up ODI 11223068 at NHTSA ↗

9967.8%
ODI 11421398

Owner's manual states the 1.6Turbo requires 4.75 qrts of oil with filter change. The car reads full after adding 4 qrts. Still reading full after double checking after 250 miles. .Owner's manual typo? . Incorrect dipstick during final assembly? .Following the manual could lead to overfilling/foaming issues and thus engine failure/safety issues. Perhaps a TSB needs to be done? Note: I used a Fram filter. Slightly smaller dimensions than original but in no way accounting for 3/4 qrts.

Look up ODI 11421398 at NHTSA ↗

Electrical System
2012.9%
ODI 10207631 · 26,616 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE TPMS ILLUMINATED, WHICH INDICATED THAT THE TIRE PRESSURE WAS LOW. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS A SENSOR MALFUNCTION FOR THE DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRE. THEY REPLACED THE SENSOR; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE DEALER INSTALLED A NEW TPMS INDICATOR, BUT THE FAILURE STILL CONTINUED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK SEVERAL TIMES AND EACH TIME THE DEALER WOULD REPLACE THE …

Look up ODI 10207631 at NHTSA ↗

116.6%
ODI 10368330 · 108,000 mi

WHILE PARKING 2007 OPTIMA I WAS UNABLE TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK OR TAKE OUT THE KEY. THE SHIFTER LINKAGE AND CABLE HAD BROKEN. I USED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO KEEP THE VEHICLE FROM ROLLING. I TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER (SUMMIT KIA, WATERFORD, MI) THEY REPLACED THE VEHICLE SHIFTING LINKAGE AT A COST OF $750.00. THE DEALER STATED THE CABLE BROKE AND WHEN I ASKED IF THE PART WAS DEFECTIVE THEY STATED THAT IT WAS NOT UNUSUAL TO HAVE TO REPLACE THIS ON THE 2007 KIA OPTIMA. THE VEHICLE HAS 108,000 MILES. IN 40 YEARS AND MANY VEHICLES I HAVE NEVER HAD TH…

Look up ODI 10368330 at NHTSA ↗

139.0%
ODI 10233048 · 50 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING OR IN MOTION, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, WHICH INDICATED THAT IT WAS DEACTIVATED. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SENOR DOES NOT OPERATE WHEN THE OCCUPANT SEATED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT WEIGHS LESS THAN 105 POUNDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE SENSOR WAS OPERATING PROPERLY. THE FAILURE CONTINUED AND THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED WITH THE AIR BAG. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WA…

Look up ODI 10233048 at NHTSA ↗

1210.3%
ODI 10360753 · 914 mi

MY CONCERN INVOLVES ILLUMINATION OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. WHEN DRIVING ON A BRIGHT DAY, THE PANEL ILLUMINATION IS SO DIM THAT THE ODOMETER CANNOT BE SEEN WITHOUT MOVING MY HEAD ALMOST NEXT TO THE STEERING WHEEL. THE SPEEDOMETER, AND OTHER GAUGES, ARE ALSO DIMLY ILLUMINATED. AT NIGHT AND ON OVERCAST DAYS, THE PROBLEM IS LESS SEVERE. *TR

Look up ODI 10360753 at NHTSA ↗

1317.3%
ODI 10554972 · 40,000 mi

WE HAVE BEEN HAVING ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH OUR 2010 KIA OPTIMA, WHICH CURRENTLY HAS 45000 MILES ON IT. THE TPMS, (!) AND THE AIRBAG "OFF/ON" LIGHTS ALL GO OFF AND ON CONTINUALLY. THEY WILL BE ON FOR A FEW DAYS, THEN GO OFF AND STAY OFF FOR AN UNDETERMINED AMOUNT OF TIME. THE BRAKES ALSO JERK OUR CAR VERY ROUGHLY FORWARD WHEN WE ARE BRAKING. EVEN IF WE ARE GOING 5 MPH, WE PRESS ON THE BRAKES, THEN THE CAR GIVES A BIG JERK BEFORE IT COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP. *TR

Look up ODI 10554972 at NHTSA ↗

6310.6%
ODI 10432995

DEFECTIVE KEY FOBS. THEY CANNOT BE REPROGRAMMED AND YOU BECOME STRANDED WITH NO WAY OF STARTING THE AUTO. DEALERSHIP HAS TRIED FOUR TIMES TO REPROGRAM THE KEY FOB WITHOUT SUCCESS. THERE IS NO WAY TO START OR OPERATE THE CAR WITH THE MECHANICAL KEY. CAN BECOME A DANGEROUS SITUATION IF YOU ARE IN AN ISOLATED AREA! *TT

Look up ODI 10432995 at NHTSA ↗

12113.2%
ODI 10452528 · 200 mi

UPON THE PURCHASE OF MY 2012 KIA OPTIMA SX I NOTICED A PULL TO THE LEFT IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DEALERSHIP IS APPROX. 80 MILES FROM MY HOME, DRIVING HOME I NOTICED THE TUG AND THE CAR'S INCLINATION TO VEER LEFT. I FELT A CONSTANT PRESSURE ON THE WHEEL TO VEER. I TOOK THE CAR BACK WITHIN A WEEK OR TWO AND HAD THE SERVICE DEPT. CHECK THE VEER. OF COURSE, I WAS TOLD THERE IS NO VEER. THE CAR CONTINUES TO STRAY, NOW AT 3500 MILES. THE CAR WILL BE GOING IN FOR SERVICE NEXT WEEK FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AND FOR MAINTENANCE. I HAVE SPOKEN TO ANO…

Look up ODI 10452528 at NHTSA ↗

14310.3%
ODI 10534335 · 11,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM FAILED AND WOULD NOT BLOW COLD AIR. THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO ADVISED THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT THEY HAD NOT DETERMINED A REMEDY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 11,000.

Look up ODI 10534335 at NHTSA ↗

5910.1%
ODI 10706237 · 7,800 mi

WE HAD TAKEN OUR CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR A REGULAR OIL CHANGE. THEY ADVISED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL AND FIXED WHATEVER THE PROBLEM WAS. WE FOUND THE FUSE COVER ON THE DASHBOARD. 1 DAY LATER, THE SYMBOLS ON THE DASHBOARD BEGAN TO LIGHT UP AND THE CAR FROZE, LOCKED AND DIED. I WAS ABLE TO GET IT OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE ALTERNATOR. THIS CAR HAS 7800 MILES ON IT AND IS A YEAR OLD. IT WAS FORTUNATE I WAS NOT ON A HIGHWAY. THERE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I COULDN'T EVEN GET MY FLASHERS ON…

Look up ODI 10706237 at NHTSA ↗

12812.7%
ODI 10779703 · 500 mi

THE BLUE TOOTH FOR THE PHONE IF ALLOWED TO RING CAN CAUSE ONE TO LOOSE CONTROL. THE RING CAN GO WELL PAST 100 DB. IF WE FORGET TO TURN OUR BLUE TOOTH OFF IT ACTUALLY HURTS.

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10013.2%
ODI 10939963 · 10,700 mi

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

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239.0%
ODI 11019438 · 4,700 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO JEFF WYLER KIA (LOCATED AT 5815 DIXIE HWY, FAIRFIELD, OH 45014) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED, BUT THE TECHNICIAN COULD NOT FIND A FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WOULD GET BACK WITH THE CONTACT. …

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3113.4%
ODI 11165394

THIS HAS OCCURRED ON 3 TIMES SO FAR. I WAS AT A GAS STATION FILLING UP THE TANK, THE KEY WAS IN THE IGNITION, THE CAR WAS IN PARK, THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING, AND MY CAR DOOR WAS CLOSED. WHEN I FINISHED GETTING GAS, I TRIED TO OPEN THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR AND IT WAS LOCKED. ALL DOORS WERE LOCKED. I WAS 20 MILES FROM HOME FORTUNATELY SOMEONE WAS AT HOME TO BRING A SPARE KEY FOR ME TO OPEN THE TRUNK, PUSH THE REAR PASSENGER SEATS DOWN AND CLIMB THRU TO THE FRONT TO TURN THE IGNITION OFF AND UNLOCK THE DOOR. THE SAME SCENARIO OCCURED THIS PAST WEEK WH…

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2210.6%
ODI 11223068 · 2,000 mi

I BOUGHT MY 2019 OPTIMA BRAND NEW BACK IN NOVEMBER. IT IS NOW JUNE AND I HAVE HAD IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES FOR RANDOMLY NOT STARTING ON ME. I GET THE SAME ANSWER EVERY TIME. THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS, NOTHING COMES UP ON THE COMPUTER WHEN THEY PLUG IT IN. THEY SAY, "IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN, CALL US AND WELL TAKE IT IN". BUYING THIS CAR BRAND NEW AND MY PAYMENTS BEING THAT OF A RANGE ROVER, I AM EXTREMELY UPSET. TO TOP IT OFF, THE BACK WINDSHIELD IS SLIPPING DOWN. I AM OVER THIS CAR AND I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER KIA AGAIN. BUT, MY FI…

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128.2%
ODI 11462706

After changing the bulbs and fuses . The lights flicker and sometimes don’t come on at all .

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Unknown Or Other
95.8%
ODI 10327423

2006 KIA OPTIMA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO A TELEPHONE REQUEST FOR THE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND FILING AN INJUNCTION TO RECOVER DAMAGES FOR FALSE ODOMETER READINGS AND/OR FRAUD *TGW THE ODOMETER MOVED SLOW. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER USED A HAND HELD DEVICE AND STATED NOTHING INDICATED A MALFUNCTION. *JB

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42.4%
ODI 11040608

BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE VISORS FAILED AND ARE FLOPPING. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE VISOR IS OBSTRUCTING MY VIEW, AND HITTING MY HEAD. I CAN'T SEE. THE FAULTY PART HAS BEEN RE-DESIGNED....WHY NO RECALL??? I HAVE INSTRUCTED MY FAMILY THAT IF I AM INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT TO SUE KIA SINCE THEY HAVE KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM FOR YEARS!!! PASSEGER SIDE 2010, DRIVER'S SIDE 10/2017. I AM HOLDING THE VISORS UP WITH BUNGEE CORDS!!!! THIS IS A KNOW PROBLEM WITH THESE KIAS!!!!!

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85.6%
ODI 10560769 · 123,000 mi

THERE IS CURRENTLY A RECALL ON THE SAME YEAR MAKE AND MODEL OF MY CAR, YET MY CAR IS NOT COVER. I WAS TOLD THAT MY CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED BECAUSE IT WAS MANUFACTURED IN A DIFFERENT AREA. HOWEVER I AM HAVING THE SAME ISSUE THAT IS CAUSED BY THE RECALL ON THE PART THAT IS CURRENTLY OUT. I WANTED TO FILE A FORMAL COMPLAINT BECAUSE THE COST TO HAVE THIS PART FIXED NOT AFFORDABLE FOR ME AT THIS MOMENT AND I FEEL IT IS UNJUST THAT I HAVE TO PAY THE OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES SEEING THAT THERE IS A KNOWN PROBLEM REGARDING THIS PART AND THIS ISSUE WITH THIS …

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21.7%
ODI 10609060 · 71,936 mi

KIA OPTIMA IGNITION SWITCH ISSUES, STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND COULDN'T TURN CAR ON AND WHEELS LOCKED. HAD TO HAVE IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED. *JS

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45.3%
ODI 10934080 · 118,000 mi

WHEN ACCELERATING OR SLOWING DOWN MY VEHICLE JERK EVEN WHEN I'M ON THE HIGHWAY AND HAVE THE CRUISE CONTROL SET IT WILL DO THE SAME THING. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT I NEED TO DO OR IF THERE IS ANY KIND OF RECALL ON THIS BECAUSE I REALLY CAN'T AFFORD TO TAKE IT AND HAVE IT LOOKED AT. I HAVE SEEN MULTIPLE REPORTS OF THE SAME PROBLEM AND WITH ALL OF THE REPORT I DON'T SEE HOW KIA HAS NOT DONE ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

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396.6%
ODI 10387028

CAR PULLS TO LEFT 100% OF THE TIME. CAR HAS BEEN INSPECTED BY KIA SERVICE AND MEETS ALL FACTORY SPECS. THIS APPEARS TO BE A DESIGN FLAW. KIA REQUIRES ALL 2011 OPTIMA'S TO BE REALIGNED PRIOR TO BEING SOLD. CUSTOMER SERVICE REP. SAID THAT ONE OF HER TEC. REPS. DRIVES A 2011 OPTIMA AND IT ALSO PULLS LEFT.

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879.5%
ODI 10460082 · 1 mi

THE VEHICLE STEERING SEEMS TIGHT WHICH IS FINE, BUT WHEN ACCELERATING BETWEEN 30-45 MPH THE VEHICLE VEERS OFF TO THE LEFT. I AM READING THAT THIS IS NOT NORMAL FOR THIS VEHICLE. THIS IS AN ISSUE AND I BELIEVE NEEDS TO BE FIXED. *TR

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18613.4%
ODI 10537029 · 8,000 mi

STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT SEEM TO REACT WELL WITH TURNING OF THE VEHICLE. PARKING THE VEHICLE IS UNEVEN AND NOT ALIGNED TO THE CENTER OF PARKING STALLS. STEERING WHEEL IS LOOSE AS IF STEERING A BOAT ON A WATERWAY. *TR

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8815.0%
ODI 10703965 · 10,000 mi

THE PROBLEM IS SPORADIC BUT HAPPENS FREQUENTLY. IF I PRESS THE GAS PEDAL TO INCREASE MY SPEED, WHETHER FROM A STOPPED POSITION, OR TO PULL INTO A BUSY ROADWAY, OR TO INCREASE MY SPEED TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE, THE CAR WILL START TO GO THEN CHOKE, SO THAT NO MATTER HOW HARD I PRESS THE GAS PEDAL, THE RPM STAY THE SAME AND THE VEHICLE LOSES POWER AND WILL NOT SPEED UP. IF KIA DOESN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT IS CAUSING THIS - BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN OTHER PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT OPTIMA VEHICLE YEARS COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS - SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET KILLED. I HAVE…

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13913.8%
ODI 10670519 · 121 mi

PAINT ON HOOD ROOF TRUNK HAD SPOTS IN PAINT ORANGE PEEL IN PAINT ON PASSENGER SIDE OF CAR

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12116.0%
ODI 11003963 · 6 mi

SINCE I HAD THE CAR IN AUG2016 BRAND NEW WHEN I GIVE IT GAS THE VALVES PING AND PEAK EXTREMELY BAD NOT MATTER WHAT FUEL I USE ALSO THE AC KEEPS LOOSING POWER IT WILL BLOW FINE THEN IT ALMOST GOES OFF WHILE STILL DRIVING THE SAME SPEED. ALSO SOMETIMES WHEN THIS HAPPENS I HAVE A MISS OR HESITATION IN THE ENGINE. THERE HAS ALSO BEEN A POP NOISE IN THE BACK END WHEN I STOP OR SLOW DOWN SINCE I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR 6 TIMES TO THE LOCAL DEALER IN CHAS WV WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR AND THEY KEEP SAYING THEY CAN'T DIGNOSE THE PR…

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3312.9%
ODI 10971009 · 1,980 mi

WE LEASE A 2017 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID WITH TECHNOLOGY PACKAGE. IT HAS 1986 MILES AND IS THREE MONTHS OLD. LAST WEEK THE CAR WHILE IN MOTION JUST STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC ON A MAJOR ROADWAY WITH NO WARNING. MY WIFE WAS ABLE GET OFF THE ROAD BY CONSTANTLY RESTARTING THE CAR. AFTER ALMOST ONE WEEK WE FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS A FAILURE OF THE BATTERY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM WOULD NOT CHARGE THE MAIN BATTERY.

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3715.9%
ODI 11154609 · 25,000 mi

THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY. THERE IS NO EMERGENCY TRUNK RELEASE FROM THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE EXCEPT FROM INSIDE OF THE TRUNK. MY KEYS WERE STUCK INSIDE THE TRUNK THERE IS NO WAY TO OPEN IT. THE TRUNK RELEASE BUTTON FROM THE DRIVER SIDE DID NOT RESPOND. THE TRUNK RELEASE BUTTON FROM THE TRUNK ITSELF DOES NOT RESPOND. THE REAR SEATS CANNOT FOLD FROM THE INSIDE EITHER, BECAUSE IT CAN ONLY BE ACCESSED FROM THE TRUNK

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4220.2%
ODI 11223068 · 2,000 mi

I BOUGHT MY 2019 OPTIMA BRAND NEW BACK IN NOVEMBER. IT IS NOW JUNE AND I HAVE HAD IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES FOR RANDOMLY NOT STARTING ON ME. I GET THE SAME ANSWER EVERY TIME. THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS, NOTHING COMES UP ON THE COMPUTER WHEN THEY PLUG IT IN. THEY SAY, "IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN, CALL US AND WELL TAKE IT IN". BUYING THIS CAR BRAND NEW AND MY PAYMENTS BEING THAT OF A RANGE ROVER, I AM EXTREMELY UPSET. TO TOP IT OFF, THE BACK WINDSHIELD IS SLIPPING DOWN. I AM OVER THIS CAR AND I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER KIA AGAIN. BUT, MY FI…

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1611.0%
ODI 11441181

When I accelerate the car jerks as if is going to cut off. I have taken it to the dealer, and they can not find any thing wrong. After searching the internet, I find I am not the only one with this issue. I just want my car fixed so that I feel safe driving it.

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Steering
10.6%
ODI 10464270 · 116,039 mi

2006 KIA OPTIMA NEEDED A NEW TIMING BELT WITHIN THE NEXT FEW THOUSAND + MILES (NEEDS TO BE CHANGED EVERY 60,000 MILES OR SOONER), BUT ONE THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY JUST CAME OFF AND THEN THE BELT CAME OFF A COUPLE PULLEYS BECAUSE OF THIS. THE BELT ACTUALLY LOOKS FINE, BUT THE PULLEY FAILURE CAUSED THE BELT TO COME OFF. THIS BELT RUNS SEVERAL THINGS SO THE INITIAL LOOSE PULLEY CAUSED THE CAR TO LOSE POWER STEERING, BATTERY LIGHT TO TURN ON, THE A/C FAILED, ETC., AND THEN THE INNER PART OF THE PULLEY CAME OFF AND THE OUTER RING (MAGNETIZED) FELL AN…

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21.2%
ODI 10535335 · 82,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN WHEN PLACED IN THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE STEERING WHEEL UNEXPECTEDLY SEIZED. AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS, THE IGNITION KEY BEGAN TO TURN AND THE STEERING WHEEL UNLOCKED. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.

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42.8%
ODI 10225780 · 1 mi

HAD IN POSSESSION FOR 2 DAYS A 2007 KIA OPTIMA, PULLED TO THE RIGHT. COULDN'T BE FINANCED. RECEIVED A 2008 KIA OPTIMA RIGHT OFF OF DELIVERY TRUCK,IT PULLS TO THE RIGHT EVEN WORSE. TOLD DEALERSHIP OF PROBLEM. TOLD IT WAS MOST LIKELY LOW TIRE PRESSURE AND SENT IT FOR AN ALIGNMENT. STILL PULLS TO RIGHT. I WAS TOLD AS A JOKE TO TURN ON BLINKER IF I WAS TO LET GO OF WHEEL! THE FRONT END OF BOTH NEW CARS, FROM 2 DIFFERENT YEARS, LOOKING DOWN ON THE HOOD, ARE TWEAKED. THE DRIVERS SIDE IS FLUSH AND PASSENGER SIDE IS OFF AND SITS FUNNY. NO ACCIDENTS YE…

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76.0%
ODI 10562910 · 23,233 mi

AFTER THE PROBLEMS WITH THE ROTOR AND PADS WHICH [XXX] SAYS HE DID REPLACE BOTH BACK PADS WITH GENERIC PADS EVEN THOUGH MY RECEIPT SHOWED SOMETHING DIFFERENT; I WENT TO GET THE CAR APPRAISE TO SEE HOW MUCH I COULD GET FOR IT ON A TRADE-IN VEHICLE, I WAS TOLD THE CAR NEED FRONT BUSHINGS SO THAT KNOCKED $900 ON THE AMOUNT THEY WOULD GIVE ME FOR IT. BUSHINGS, ON A CAR BARELY DRIVEN AND I HAVE A 10 YEAR WARRANTY THAT COMES WITH IT, A 10 YEAR WARRANTY I PURCHASE AND A 5 YEAR WARRANTY ON THE TIRES. CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS? I CAN'T. I GUESS IF I DR…

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22.7%
ODI 10562433 · 63,150 mi

WHILE SITTING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, A VEHICLE REAR-ENDED MY 2010 KIA OPTIMA. THE DRIVER HIT MY KIA SO HARD, I HIT THE MUSTANG IN FRONT OF ME. NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UPON EITHER IMPACT. KIA WAS DRIVABLE, BUT THERE WERE NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCES IN THE WAY THE CAR DROVE (I.E. STARTED PULLING TO THE RIGHT, WHEEL SHAKING, ETC). THIS WAS THE EVENING OF 01/23/2014. ON 01/29/2014, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND COLLIDED WITH A PARKED VEHICLE (TOTALING THE KIA) @ 28-30 MPH. AGAIN AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND THE IMPACT LIFTED ME UP AND MY HEAD SHATTERED THE…

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9916.7%
ODI 10384874 · 74 mi

SINCE THE DAY THE CAR WAS DRIVEN OFF THE LOT, ON THE EXPRESSWAY, IT PULLED TO THE LEFT. BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER, AND AN ALIGNMENT WAS PERFORMED. DEALER DECLARED THAT IT WAS FIXED. ON THE DRIVE HOME, THE PULL TO THE LEFT PERSISTED AS IT HAD DONE PREVIOUSLY. RETURNED THE CAR TO THE SAME SERVICE DEALER. ANOTHER ALIGNMENT WAS PERFORMED. I SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED THAT THE DEALER PERFORM A THOROUGH TEST DRIVE TO ENSURE THAT THE ISSUE WAS REPAIRED. THE GENERAL MANAGER PROMISED THIS WOULD HAPPEN, AND ALSO PROMISED THAT THE SERVICE MANAGER WOULD …

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18620.2%
ODI 10446929 · 150 mi

I PURCHASED A 2012 KIA OPTIMA ON 1-13-12 AND IMMEDIATELY DISCOVERED IT PULLED TO THE LEFT. THE DEALER HAS ADMITTED THEY DO NOT KNOW HOW TO FIX IT AND TODAY (2-5-2012) THE DEALER BOUGHT IT BACK. I LOST $5,000 BY SELLING IT BACK BUT I AM JUST GLAD TO NOT HAVE TO DRIVE THE CAR ANY MORE. KIA SHOULD HAVE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM OR BUY THE CARS BACK AT THE SELLING PRICE. THE CUSTOMER SHOULD NOT BE STUCK WITH AN UNSAFE VEHICLE OR FORCED TO DRIVE IT TO AVOID THE LOSS. THIS PULL LEFT ISSUE IS WELL DOCUMENTED ON THE KIA FORUM SITE. I JUST WISH I HAD CHEC…

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21315.4%
ODI 10484776 · 25 mi

NEW VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WILL NOT TRACK IN A STRAIGHT LINE. THE VEHICLE WANDERS (DRIFTS) LEFT OR RIGHT. I CONSTANTLY HAVE TO NUDGE THE STEERING WHEEL SLIGHTLY LEFT OR SLIGHTLY RIGHT TO KEEP THE VEHICLE SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LANE. THIS IS A DANGEROUS CONDITION. I NO LONGER TAKE A MUG OF COFFEE WITH ME AS I DRIVE TO WORK. I HAVE TO KEEP MY EYES DIRECTLY ON THE ROAD AHEAD, ONLY GLANCING BRIEFLY IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR OR SIDE MIRRORS TO CHECK TRAFFIC. IT ALSO DOES THIS AT LOW SPEEDS ON RESIDENTIAL STREETS. HELP! I AM TAKING IT BACK TO THE…

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9416.0%
ODI 10561751 · 100 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 50 MPH WHEN THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN FOR INSPECTION OR DIAGNOSIS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100.

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696.8%
ODI 10651606

AS THE FIRST OWNER OF THE CAR, I HAVE EXPERIENCED STEERING ISSUES THAT COULD BE DESCRIBED AS FEELING AS IF THE STEERING DOES NOT PROPERLY CENTER. I CONSTANTLY HAVE TO MAKE STEERING ADJUSTMENTS TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT TO KEEP THE CAR GOING STRAIGHT DOWN THE ROAD. THE ISSUE BECOMES MORE PRONOUNCED AS THE VEHICLE SPEED INCREASES. THIS RESULTS IN A FEELING OF LACK OF SAFETY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, ESPECIALLY IN MODERATE - HIGH TRAFFIC SITUATIONS OR ON NARROW ROADS. I INFORMED THE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT AT THE DEALERSHIP FROM WHICH I PURCHASED THE …

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243.2%
ODI 11141309 · 2,843 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME LOOSE AND THE TRACTION CONTROL AND POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT, A CLICKING NOISE WAS DETECTED. IN ADDITION, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD ONLY ALLOW THE CONTACT TO TURN APPROXIMATELY ONE INCH TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT, AND THE STEERING WHEEL EVENTUALLY SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SOUTH SHORE KIA (1128 SUNRISE HWY, COPIAGUE, NY 11726, [phone removed]) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT …

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114.3%
ODI 11277726

I WAS DRIVING TODAY AND THE STEERING LOCKED UP WHILE I WAS MOVING.

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125.2%
ODI 11265744 · 22,500 mi

I PURCHASED A BRAND NEW 2018 KIA OPTIMA IN NOVEMBER 2018. I HAVE PUT APPROXIMATELY 22,500 MILES ON IT AND HAVE BEEN KEEPING UP WITH UPDATED OIL CHANGE MAINTENANCE PER THE SCHEDULE RECOMMENDED BY THE DEALER. ON SATURDAY 9/28 I DROPPED THE CAR OFF FOR A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE, AND AS I DROVE IT OFF THE LOT IT SPUTTERED AS IF IT WAS GOING TO DIE, BUT IT DIDN'T. THE CAR CONTINUED TO RUN AND IT GOT ME HOME. THE NEXT DAY, SUNDAY 9/29, IT DROVE WITHOUT PROBLEMS FOR ABOUT AN HOUR, BUT WHILE DRIVING THE CAR COMPLETELY POWERED DOWN AND STOPPED WORKING. IT WA…

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62.9%
ODI 11280619 · 33,000 mi

LANE SAFETY CONTROL SYSTEM MAKES UNUSUAL TURNS WHILE I'M DRIVING RESULTING ME HAVING TO CORRECT. IN SOME SITUATIONS VEHICLE ALMOST TURNED INTO CARS IN NEARBY LANE. INCIDENTS HAVE HAPPENED BOTH ON SURFACE STREETS AT SPEEDS LESS THAN 55 MILES PER HOUR AND ON THE FREEWAY AT SPEEDS EXCEEDING 55 MILES PER HOUR

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21.4%
ODI 11560695

Steering wheel bearing broken. Had replaced in November and again now needs to be replaced. Major safety concern that Kia should fix properly so the car runs efficiently

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Air Bags
3220.6%
ODI 10237038 · 46,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA OPTIMA. ON AUGUST 3, 2008, THE CONTACT WAS INVOLVED IN A THREE VEHICLE CRASH. HER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE PRECEDING VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. ON TWO OCCASIONS, THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER BECAUSE THE AIR BAG LIGHT KEPT ILLUMINATING. DURING THE FIRST REPAIR, THE DEALER REPLACED A WIRE SHORTAGE. DURING THE SECOND REPAIR, THE WIRING HARNESS WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE TOW YARD. THE MANUFACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN.…

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4929.3%
ODI 10212517 · 11,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES FAILED. THE CONTACT VEERED OFF THE ROAD, DROVE INTO THE EMBANKMENT, AND STRUCK A TREE. THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE SPUN AROUND AND A TREE CRASHED THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE FLIPPED OVER AND LANDED UPRIGHT. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS PRESUMED TO BE COMPLETELY DESTROYED. KIA STATED THAT THEY WOULD SEND OUT A REPRESENTATIVE TO DETERMINE WHY THE AIR BAGS AND ANTILOCK BRAKES FAILED. THE WIFE SUSTAINED BRU…

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4430.6%
ODI 10334030 · 32,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING WITH AN OCCUPANT IN THE PASSENGER'S SEAT, THE CONTACT NOTICED THE PASSENGER'S AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT WAS NOT ILLUMINATED, INDICATING THE AIR BAG WAS NOT ON. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE MUST BE STARTED PRIOR TO HAVING AN OCCUPANT IN THE PASSENGER'S SEAT IN ORDER FOR THE PASSENGER AIR BAG TO FUNCTION CORRECTLY. THERE WERE NO REPAIRS MADE TO THE VEHICLE. …

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2824.1%
ODI 10439921 · 38,076 mi

TL* THE DRIVER OWNS A 2009 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO HER. THE DRIVER'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A BUILDING AS A RESULT AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER WAS TAKEN TO A HOSPITAL VIA AMBULANCE TO TREAT NECK INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED HOME. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING A RESPONSE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 38,076.

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1621.3%
ODI 10415342 · 5,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A RESIDENTIAL DRIVEWAY AND AS HE CLOSED THE DOOR, ALL OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO ADVISED THAT THEY WOULD REPLACE THE AIR BAGS UNDER WARRANTY. THE PARTS WERE ON BACKORDER AND THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THEY WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO ADVISED THAT THEY WOULD REPAIR THE VEHICLE UNDER THE WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 09/15/11 *BF …

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315.2%
ODI 10448847

I WAS TRAVELING 55MPH BEHIND A VEHICLE WHO SUDDENLY SWERVED OUT OF THE WAY INTO THE RIGHT HAND LANE. THERE WAS A CAR STOPPED IN THE LEFT HAND LANE, UNABLE TO STOP IN TIME I STRUCK THE BLACK JEEP LIBERTY IN THE REAR BUMPER MORE TOWARD THE DRIVER SIDE WITH THE THE PASSENGER FRONT BUMPER OF MY CAR. ( KIA OPTIMA) MY AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND I DID STRIKE MY HEAD, ALTHOUGH I AM NOT SURE IF I HIT IT ON THE WINDSHIELD OR ON THE GLASS TOP. MY CONCERN IS MY SEATBELT DID NOT ENGAGE PROPERLY ALLOWING ME TO STRIKE MY HEAD. AND AGAIN THAT THE AIRBAGS DID…

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475.1%
ODI 10461910 · 6,900 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT A TRAFFIC STOP, THE VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE SEAT BELT DID NOT RETRACT TO LOCK HER IN, WHICH CAUSED HER TO STRIKE HER HEAD ON THE PILLAR NEXT TO THE WINDSHIELD. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BRUISES AND CONTUSIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 6,900.

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604.3%
ODI 10523248

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER WAS TAKEN TO A HOSPITAL FOR TREATMENT OF NECK INJURIES. IT WAS UNKNOWN IF A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN IMPOUND LOT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED FOR THE CAUSE OF THE AIR BAG FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. *TR

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162.7%
ODI 10617634 · 2,675 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS CRASHED INTO ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE BY A FIRE TRUCK. THE FRONTAL, SIDE, AND REAR AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE SPUN AROUND THREE TIMES AND CAME TO REST ON A CURB FACING ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER REQUESTED THAT THE CONTACT SEND THEM PHOTOS AND THE POLICE REPORT. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000. UPDATED 09/05/14*LJ UPDATED 12/3/2014 *…

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252.5%
ODI 10874683 · 28,000 mi

THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN FATAL ACCIDENT VEHICLE COLLIDED WITH A STANDING TREE THEN OVERTURN ONTO IT ROOF THE FRONTAL AIRBAGS DRIVER AND PASSENGER NEVER DEPLOYED VERY CONCERNING

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233.0%
ODI 10837282 · 800 mi

I WAS INVOLVE IN A BAD ACCIDENT WITH 10K IN FRONT END DAMAGE AND MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND HALF OF THE AIR BAG SENSOR CAME APART IN THE DAMAGE

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52.0%
ODI 11021617 · 300 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO WESELOH KIA CARLSBAD (LOCATED AT 5331 PASEO DEL NORTE, CARLSBAD, CA 92008 AT [phone removed]) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT WAS DEFECTIVE AND CAUSED THE LIGHT TO REMAIN ILLUMINATED. THE VOLTAGE ALTERNATOR ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE INADVERTENTLY DRIFTED TO THE RIGHT AND LEFT. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN BACK TO WESELOH KIA CARL…

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93.9%
ODI 11122109

TL* THE CONTACTS DAUGHTER WAS A PASSENGER IN A 2018 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE FRONTAL DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER AND THE DRIVER WERE INJURED AND TREATED AT A HOSPITAL. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WERE UNKNOWN.

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125.8%
ODI 11244735 · 46 mi

PURCHASED 2019 KIA OPTIMA EX ON 4/27/2019 FROM A KIA DEALERSHIP IN HAGERSTOWN,MD. AFTER RESEARCH ON THIS WEBSITE WE FIND OUT THAT THERE IS AN INVESTIGATION FOR AIRBAGS NOT DEPLOYING ON THIS VEHICLE IN CRASHES. THIS INVESTIGATION WAS INITIATED BEFORE THE PURCHASE OF THIS VEHICLE. HOW IS A DEALERSHIP ALLOWED TO SELL A VEHICLE WITH A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE? A DEALERSHIP/MANUFACTURER SHOULD HAVE TO LET THE PURCHASER KNOW BEFORE THEY BUY THE VEHICLE. WE WOULD HAVE NEVER PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IF WE WOULD HAVE KNOWN THIS!

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74.8%
ODI 11374574 · 21,148 mi

AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AND STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE.*DT*JB*DT*DT*DT

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Power Train
106.5%
ODI 10347956 · 64,200 mi

THE SUN VISOR DOES NOT STAY UP. THE SUN VISOR ON THE DRIVER SIDE IS VISION IMPAIRMENT. THE SWITCH FOR THE BOTH SEATS DOES NOT WORK. THE WHEEL BEARING IS BAD. THE TIRE PRESSURE WHEEL SENSOR AND THE TRANSMISSION SPEED ADJUSTMENT SENSOR ARE BAD ON THIS 2006 KIA OPTIMA , CONSTANTLY BULBS FOR TAILLIGHT BLOW. *TR

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106.0%
ODI 10233969

2007 KIA OPTIMA WITH SEVERAL SAFETY ISSUES. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED IN FEBRUARY 2008, 5 WEEKS AFTER THE CAR WAS PURCHASED. IN APRIL MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE #1 ENGINE BRACKET BOLT WAS MISSING. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED THE TPMS LIGHT ILLUMINATED OCCASIONALLY. *JB

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1611.1%
ODI 10606605 · 171,001 mi

MY 2008 KIA OPTIMA WAS A GOOD CAR WIITH NO PROBLEMS AT ALL SO WHEN MY CAR CUT OFF ON I 95 DURING RUSH HR. I WAS SCARED TO DEATH. AS I WAS ENTERING THE RAMP FOR I-95 MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON . I HAD A CLICKIN NOISE IN ENGINE BUT WITHIN LESS THEN 2 MIN. AS I MERGED INTO TRAFFIC MY ENGINE SHUT OFF AND WOULD NOT TURN BACK ON. AFTER GETTING IT TOWED TO DEALER ,EVERYONE INCLUDING DEALER THOUGHT IT WAS THE STARTER OR ALTERNATOR BECAUSE OIL WAS FINE AND NOTHIN WAS WRONG.. THE DEALER SAID HE COULDNT FIND ANYTHING THAT SHOULD HAVE CAUSED ENGINE TO …

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2925.0%
ODI 10440377 · 54,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE JERKED FORWARD WITH EXTREME FORCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE COMPUTER WOULD NEED TO HAVE A RE-LEARN PROCEDURE PERFORMED. AFTER THE PROCEDURE, THE FAILURE CONTINUED AND WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED AND WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER A THIRD TIME. THE TECHNICIANS STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE T…

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2432.0%
ODI 10334436 · 1,750 mi

TL* THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING A RENTED 2010 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONSUMER STATED SHE STOPPED THE VEHICLE WHILE THE GEAR WAS IN DRIVE, TURNED OFF THE IGNITION AND ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION, BUT IT WOULD NOT RELEASE. THE GEAR SHIFT HAD LOCK UP AND SHE WAS UNABLE TO MOVE THE GEAR INTO NEUTRAL OR THE PARK POSITION. SHE STATED THE MANUAL READ TO START CAR, THE GEAR SHIFT MUST BE IN THE PARK POSITION AND THE FOOT MUST BE ON THE BRAKE. THE CONSUMER STATED AS SHE SLIGHTLY MOVED THE KEY, THE VEHICLE STARTED WITH HIGH SPEED AND CRASHED HEAD …

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233.9%
ODI 10397675 · 3,600 mi

ON 4/11/11, WE WERE DRIVING TO WORK AND HAD GONE FOUR MILES FROM OUR HOUSE, WHEN WE THOUGHT WE HAD HIT A DEER! THE CAR MADE A VERY LOUD SOUND AND LURCHED VIOLENTLY, AT HIGHWAY SPEED, FRIGHTENING US BOTH. THE LURCHING WAS SO VIOLENT THAT IT MAY WELL HAVE CAUSED OTHER DAMAGE. WE WERE EXTREMELY FORTUNATE NOT TO HAVE CRASHED. WE THEN FOUND THAT THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT GEAR. THE TRANSMISSION HAD GONE OUT OF OUR 2011 KIA OPTIMA EX. WE BOUGHT THE KIA NEW AT O'BRIEN AUTO PARK IN CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS, ON 1/8/11. THE CAR HAD 3600 MILES ON IT AT THE TIM…

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535.8%
ODI 10469678 · 13,800 mi

WAS SITTING AT LIGHT AND WENT TO TAKE OFF CAR FELT LIKE IT DIDN'T WANT TO SHIFT INTO GEAR AND HAD A LOUD ROUGH GRINDING NOISE, ALL LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD CAME ONE. BRAKE LIGHT, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, COOLANT, ETC AND NONE OF THE GAUGES WERE WORKING. I STOPPED AT THE STORE AND WENT TO LEAVE THE CAR WOULD START UP BUT WOULDN'T GO INTO GEAR, IT WAS STUCK IN PARK. I HAD TO GET IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT. I HAD JUST HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM 1 WEEK AGO WHERE ALL THE LIGHTS WERE ON AND THE GAUGES WEREN'T WORKING AND THE DEALERSHIP HAD…

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644.6%
ODI 10476362

2013 KIA OPTIMA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE STEERING TO THE RIGHT *TGW THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED, SOMETIMES THE BELT MADE A SQUEAKY NOISE. HE ALSO NOTICED A SLIGHT HESITATION WHEN PULLING OFF FROM A RED LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. *JB THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE VEHICLE DID NOT COME WITH A KEY TO OPEN THE TRUNK. UPDATED 01/22/13 THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE HAS MANY SERIOUS ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER PROBLEMS. UPDATED 06/27/2017*JS

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193.2%
ODI 10638606 · 2,680 mi

WHEN LEAVING A STOP SIGN .RED LIGHT OR A DRIVE WAY . SOME TIMES THE CAR WON'T GO WHEN GAS PEDAL IS PRESSED.HAS A DELAY OF ABOUT 2 SECONDS .HAVE TO FLOOR THE GAS PEDAL TO MAKE IT GO. VERY BAD WHEN OTHER CARS ARE BEHIND ME. BOUGHT CAR MAY 30 2014 . HAD 5 OR 6 INCIDENTS ALREADY. DEALER CAN'T DUPLICATE PROBLEM CAN'T GET IT FIXED. SUSPECT ECONOMY SYSTEM IS PROBLEM. THE INTERNET HAS SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. *TR

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484.8%
ODI 10779782 · 1,680 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE IN PARK WITH THE VEHICLE TURNED OFF, THE VEHICLE ROLLED AWAY INTO A LAKE. AFTER RETRIEVING THE VEHICLE FROM THE LAKE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS NO LONGER SHIFTED COMPLETELY INTO THE PARK POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,680.

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729.5%
ODI 10934131 · 25 mi

WHEN STARTING FROM A DEAD STOP, THE CAR HESITATES UP TO 6 OR 7 SECONDS. I THINK IT HAS STALLED, THEN IT STARTS AGAIN BY ITS SELF. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WHEN PULLING OUT INTO AN INTERSECTION. IT DOES THIS CONSTANTLY.

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218.2%
ODI 11311542 · 34,000 mi

MISSFIRE ON CYLINDER 3, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, CODE P0303. AT 34,900 MILES.

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187.8%
ODI 11063913 · 14,770 mi

SATURDAY, JANUARY 20, 18:55(APPROXIMATELY) AMHERST MASSACHUSETTS, 39 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT PARKED CAR, PULLED KEYS AND EXITED CAR TO HELP MY MOTHER EXIT. PARKED ON INCLINE, VEHICLE STARTED ROLLING BACK DOWN DRIVEWAY HAD KEYS IN POCKET AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION VEHICLE TRIED MOVING BACK TO DRIVER DOOR WHICH HAD LOCKED OR WAS STUCK USED ALL STRENGTH TO TRY TO KEEP VEHICLE STATIONARY, WITHOUT MUCH H SUCCESS FINALLY, MOTHER WAS ABLE TO OPEN DRIVER DOOR FROM INSIDE I AM 53, WITH MILLIONS OF MYLES UNDER MY BELT....MOTHER IS 73 BOTH OF US STRAINED…

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178.2%
ODI 11186816

I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE FOR A LITTLE OVER TWO MONTHS. IT CURRENTLY HAS 1600 MILES ON IT. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED ONCE AND I AM STILL EXPERIENCING STUDDERING AND SHAKING. HAVE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT ON 3/15. EVEN HAVE KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE INVOLVED.

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2718.5%
ODI 11498453

On Thursday, I was leaving to drive my son 5 miles up the road and my check engine light started flashing with no warning. My car slowed down and started jerking. I took it to auto zone (on limp mode) to receive a code and it came back with p1326. My car only has 64,216 miles and I also just recently got the oil changed. I have not taken it to a dealer yet but I wanted to report this because my car is only 2 years old and shouldn’t have engine/power train issues.

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Structure:Body
63.9%
ODI 10436371 · 45,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO UNLOCK AND OPEN THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR FROM THE INTERIOR OR EXTERIOR. AFTER APPROXIMATELY TWENTY ATTEMPTS, THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY UNLOCK AND OPEN THE DOOR. THE FAILURE HAD SINCE RECURRED ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.

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31.8%
ODI 10486014 · 145,404 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA OPMITA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE TRUNK LOCK FAILED PREVENTING HIM FROM UNLOCKING OR LOCKING THE TRUNK. THE CONTACT HAD TO UNLOCK THE TRUNK FROM INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY ADVISED THAT THE LOCK SYSTEM FAILED, BUT THEY WERE NOT SURE IF THE ENTIRE SYSTEM HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 145,404.

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42.8%
ODI 10521781 · 689,000 mi

WHILE TRAVELING AT THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT OF 55 MPH A DEER RAN INTO THE SIDE OF MY 2008 KIA OPTIMA WHICH IS EQUIPPED WITH SIDE AIR BAGS IN WHICH THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WAS PUSHED IN ON THE DRIVER AND THE DRIVERS SIDE WIDOW WAS DESTROYED INFLICTING CUTS ON THE DRIVER AND WITH THE ENTIRE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE VEHICLE RECEIVED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE INCLUDING THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE SIDE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THE DRIVER EVEN WITH THE SEVERITY OF THE IMPACT OF WHICH KIA NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS WAS CONTACTED AND THE EXPLANATION W…

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10.9%
ODI 10789825 · 95,000 mi

WHILE HITTING SEVERAL TREES IN MY KIA OPTIMA, GOING ABOUT 45MPH, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. MY INSURANCE COMPANY SAID FROM THEIR EXPERIENCE AND FROM LOOKING AT THE DAMAGE OF THE CAR, THEY ALSO THINK THE AIR BAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. HOWEVER, NOBODY WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED, NO THANKS TO THE AIR BAGS.

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22.7%
ODI 10749374 · 80,000 mi

VARIOUS DOORS WILL NOT PROPERLY LOCK/UNLOCK FROM THE ELECTRIC SWITCH AND THE KEY FOB. THIS IS AN INTERMENT FAILURE AFFECTING MULTIPLE DOORS IN THE VEHICLE. DIFFERENT DOORS LOCKS ARE FAILING AT DIFFERENT TIMES, BOTH LOCKING AND UNLOCKING. BASED ON MY RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, THIS AFFECTS A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF 2005 TO 2010 OPTIMAS. THIS DEFECT COULD CAUSE OCCUPANTS TO BE TRAPPED IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT OR EMERGENCY.

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183.0%
ODI 10425614 · 5,200 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER A STORM HER VEHICLE WAS FLOODED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THERE WERE VENTS ON THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE WHICH WERE DESIGNED TO LET WATER OUT BUT SINCE IT WAS SITTING IN THE WATER IT SEEPED INTO THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 5,200.

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343.7%
ODI 10505723 · 14,518 mi

I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY DURING RUSH HOUR WHEN I HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION AND SOUND OF GLASS RATTLING. AT FIRST I THOUGH I HAD A BLOWOUT ON ONE OF MY TIRES, SO I MANAGE TO PULL OVER TO THE EMERGENCY LANE. I THEN DID A WALK AROUND OF MY CAR AND SAW THE BUSTED SUNROOF. THERE WAS NOTHING OVERHEAD NOR DID I SEE ANY FLYING ROCKS OR DEBRIS AT THE TIME OF THE EXPLOSION. THERE WAS NOTHING OTHER THAN THE EXPLOSION. THE GLASS WAS BUBBLED UP LIKE IT BLEWOUT AND NOT IN. THERE WAS A HOLE THE SIZE OF A BASKETBALL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SUNROOF. THERE WERE NO ROC…

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1198.6%
ODI 10566798 · 14,000 mi

THE SUNROOF ON MY 2013 KIA OPTIMA EXPLODED OUT WARDS RAINING BROKEN GLASS DOWN ON MY HEARD. THE CAR WAS NOT STRUCK BY ANY OBJECT AND NO CARS WERE AHEAD OF ME ON THE ROAD. THERE WAS A SLIGHT CREAKING NOISE AND THEN A VIOLENT EXPLOSION LEAVING AN UP TURNED CRATER IN THE GLASS ROOF. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER AND THEY DENY ANY KNOWLEDGE OF PROBLEMS WITH ANY SUNROOFS DISPUTE THE RECALL ON SIMILAR ROOFS ON OTHER KIA AND HYUNDAI MODELS. *TR

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488.2%
ODI 10565194 · 1,000 mi

DRIVING SOUTHBOUND ON I-95 IN VIRGINIA, I HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION LIKE A GUNSHOT. MOMENTS LATER, I HEARD THE SOUND OF AIR RUSHING PAST FROM ABOVE MY HEAD AND DEBRIS VIBRATING ON THE INTERIOR SUNROOF SCREEN. I LATER FOUND THAT IT WAS BROKEN GLASS CRACKLING AND FALLING AGAINST THE INTERIOR SUNROOF SCREEN. I PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY TO CHECK THE ROOF FOR DAMAGE. WHAT I FOUND WAS A GAPING HOLE (8-12 INCHES IN DIAMETER) IN THE GLASS OF THE FRONT SUNROOF. I WAS NOT NEAR ANY OVERPASS OR WORK TRUCKS, NOR DID I EVER OBSERVE ANYTHING STRIKING THE CAR …

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757.4%
ODI 11056174 · 25,240 mi

WAS AT LIGHT THEN PROCEEDED ONCE LIGHT TURNED GREEN TRAVELING ON LEFT LANE ON A 2 LANE CITY ROAD. USED TURNING SIGNAL TO MOVE TO RIGHT LANE WHEN ANOTHER CAR THAT HAD TURNED AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHT ON TO THE ROAD I WAS TRAVELING ON. I DID NOT SEE THE CAR AFTER TURNING TO LOOK DUE TO THE BLIND SPOT IN REAR OF MY CAR. AT THE TIME I HIT THE OTHER CARS FRONT LEFT FENDER/TIRE AREA CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE TO BOTH CARS. I WAS TICKETED FOR IMPROPER LANE CHANGE EVEN THOUGH I TURNED MY SIGNAL ON & LOOKED. I NOW HAVE TO GO TO TRAFFIC SCHOOL TO KEEP POINTS O…

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395.2%
ODI 10992202 · 4,300 mi

ON MAY 30, 2017 AT APPROXIMATELY 1200HRS EST, WHILE DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS WITH VERY LIGHT TRAFFIC THE SUNROOF EXPLODED. COMPLETE INSPECTION WAS NEGATIVE FOR THE ANY EXTERIOR DEBRIS AS CAUSE. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON HIGHWAY. PHOTOS ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.

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52.0%
ODI 11233869 · 44,000 mi

WHILE MY SIGNIFICANT OTHER AND I WERE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY OUR CAR BEGAN SMOKING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, THEN SMOKE BEGAN COMING THROUGH THE AIR VENTS INSIDE THE CAR; WITHIN SECONDS WE SEEN FLAMES COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND IMMEDIATELY EVACUATED THE VEHICLE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WITH NO WHERE TO PULL OVER. WITHIN MINUTES THE ENTIRE CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THERE WAS NO WARNING, OUR CAR WAS REGULARLY MAINTAINED, THERE WERE NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS OR OTHERS DISPLAYING ON THE DASH, NO LEAKS OR OVERHEATING TO CAUSE THIS.

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73.0%
ODI 11153087 · 7,418 mi

TAKATA RECALL. I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE I WAS COMING OFF THE HIGHWAY, SLID ON WATER AND CRASHED INTO A STEEL POLE. THE BREAKS DID NOT WORK AT ALL AND WHEN I GOT OUT TO LOOK AT THE DAMAGE THE BREAK PADS WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET LIKE THEY HAD JUST FALL OFF. NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND MY FRIEND'S HEAD CRACKED THE WINDSHIELD. CAR WAS TOTALED.

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146.7%
ODI 11271129 · 2,500 mi

I WAS REAR ENDED ON THE FREEWAY. TRAFFIC CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP, BUT THE CAR BEHIND ME WAS GOING 40-50MPH AND DID NOT STOP IN TIME AND REAR ENDED ME AND PUSHED ME INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.

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10.7%
ODI 11286741 · 6,300 mi

THERE IS A VERY LIMITED AND INADEQUATE SPACE BETWEEN THE THE BOTTOM OF THE DASHBOARD AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WHICH CAN IMPEDE A DRIVER FROM MAKING AN EMERGENCY STOP.THE SAME LACK OF SPACE BETWEEN THE DASHBOARD AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE PEDAL.NOTHING HAPPENED IT IS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS.

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Fuel/Propulsion System
53.2%
ODI 10475367 · 58,000 mi

MY VEHICLE KEEPS ACCELERATING AND SLOWING DOWN RANDOMLY BETWEEN GEARS. CAN ACCELERATE ON. ITS OWN AND SLOW DOWN WHEN MORE PRESSURE IS APPLIED TO GAS PEDAL. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS NOT ON FOR A MONTH AND NOW IT HAS APPEARED. THIS CAN CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT.IF A LESS CAPABLE PERSON WAS DRIVING. MANY OTHER KIA OWNERS OF THIS.MODEL REPORT. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION SENSOR HAS BEEN THE ISSUE FOR COUNTLESS OWNERS OF THIS MODEL AND HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY THE DEALER. I HAVE HAD A DIAGNOSTIC TEST DONE AND. IT SHOWED THE SAME CODES POINTING TO…

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21.2%
ODI 11183310 · 146,000 mi

THE CADILLAC CONVERTER IS GATHERING SOOT BUILD UP ACCORDING TO THE GARAGE. NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. IS CAUSING THE ENGINE LIGHT TO STAY ON.

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32.1%
ODI 11161480

2008 KIA OPTIMA FUEL PUMP BODY FAILURE. THE PUMP BODY CRACKS AND THE COMPUTER SETS EVAPORATED. LEAKAGE CODE. WE LOOKED AT SEVERAL OF THESE FROM A SALVAGE YARD AND ALL HAD THE SAME PROBLEM.THIS SHOWS A PATTERN OF DEFECTS AND IS HIGHLY DANGEROUS IF THIS CAR IS IN AN ACCIDENT AS THE FUEL WILL BURST OUT OF THE TANK AS A RESULT THIS FUEL SENDER CRACKING.

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10.9%
ODI 11312041 · 140,000 mi

DRIVING AT 70 MPH, ENGINE DIED AND CAR STARTED SMOKING. PULLED TO SHOULDER, FRONT END OF CAR CAUGHT FIRE. FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED WITH FOAM. CAR A TOTAL LOSS.

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11.3%
ODI 10934080 · 118,000 mi

WHEN ACCELERATING OR SLOWING DOWN MY VEHICLE JERK EVEN WHEN I'M ON THE HIGHWAY AND HAVE THE CRUISE CONTROL SET IT WILL DO THE SAME THING. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT I NEED TO DO OR IF THERE IS ANY KIND OF RECALL ON THIS BECAUSE I REALLY CAN'T AFFORD TO TAKE IT AND HAVE IT LOOKED AT. I HAVE SEEN MULTIPLE REPORTS OF THE SAME PROBLEM AND WITH ALL OF THE REPORT I DON'T SEE HOW KIA HAS NOT DONE ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

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233.9%
ODI 10947131

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

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424.6%
ODI 10466784 · 12,738 mi

FOR 3 TO 5 SECONDS, NO RESPONSE FROM ENGINE AT IDLE WHEN ACCELERATOR DEPRESSED AND THE CAR IS STOPPED (E.G., FOR TRAFFIC SIGNAL). THEN, WITHOUT WARNING, THE ENGINE WENT FROM IDLE (ABOUT 800 RPM) TO RAPID (SURGING) ACCELERATION, OFTEN WITH SCREECHING TIRES. THIS OCCURRED EACH TIME I STARTED FROM A STOPPED POSITION DURING A 493-MILE TRIP. THERE WAS NO PROBLEM AFTER I REACHED MY TARGET DRIVING SPEED. *TR

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936.7%
ODI 10584219 · 10,000 mi

THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES NOW, AND JUST THE THIRD THIS PAST WEEKEND SO I AM FINALLY WRITING A COMPLAINT. MY KIA HAS A FAULTY MAP SENSOR, THE DEALER SAYS, AND WHEN IT GOES OUT (ABOUT EVERY 2 MONTHS) MY CAR COMPLETELY DIES ON ME; I HAVE NO ACCELERATION, BRAKES LOCK UP AND MY POWER STEERING IS GONE. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION SINCE TWO OF THE THREE OCCURRENCES HAVE BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY. WHEN IT HAPPENS, I AM FORCED TO YANK THE STEERING WHEEL TO A SHOULDER AND LET THE CAR COME TO A STOP. SOMETIMES IT RESTARTS, SOMETIMES IT DOES NOT.…

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427.2%
ODI 10638606 · 2,680 mi

WHEN LEAVING A STOP SIGN .RED LIGHT OR A DRIVE WAY . SOME TIMES THE CAR WON'T GO WHEN GAS PEDAL IS PRESSED.HAS A DELAY OF ABOUT 2 SECONDS .HAVE TO FLOOR THE GAS PEDAL TO MAKE IT GO. VERY BAD WHEN OTHER CARS ARE BEHIND ME. BOUGHT CAR MAY 30 2014 . HAD 5 OR 6 INCIDENTS ALREADY. DEALER CAN'T DUPLICATE PROBLEM CAN'T GET IT FIXED. SUSPECT ECONOMY SYSTEM IS PROBLEM. THE INTERNET HAS SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. *TR

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464.6%
ODI 11090116 · 46,000 mi

MY 2015 KIA OPTIMA WITH 46,000 MILES STARTED SMOKING AND RUNNING ROUGHLY; I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE SERVICE MANAGER THEN GUNNED THE ENGINE VERY HARD UNTIL THE ENGINE SEIZED UP. LATER THEY TOLD ME THE ENGINE NEEDED REPLACEMENT FOR 7K AND THEY WOULD NOT COVER IT BECAUSE I DID NOT GET OIL CHANGES WITH THEM. I TOLD THEM I CHANGE MY OWN OIL OR GET IT DONE AT A LOCAL PLACE IN TOWN BECAUSE I DON'T FEEL LIKE WAITING FOR 3-4 HOURS FOR OIL CHANGES AT THE KIA IN GLENDALE CA WHERE BTW THE SERVICE IS TERRIBLE. THIS ENGINE SHOULD BE RECALLED L…

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537.0%
ODI 11016121

SHUTTER/HESITATION UPON TAKE OFF. I SIGNED MY LEASE ON 9/29 AND WAS AT THE SERVICE DEPT FIRST OF 7 TIMES ON 10/4. AT FIRST I WAS TOLD THE CAR HAD TO "LEARN THE WAY I DRIVE" THAT THERE WERE NO ISSUES WITH MY CAR. SINCE THEN THE DEALER HAS "RESET" THE TRANSMISSION, CHANGED FUEL INJECTORS, REPLACED TRANSMISSION, AND NOW HAS DONE 'SEVERAL UPDATES' (SERIOUSLY?) THIS CAR HAS NEARLY CAUSED ACCIDENTS ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. WHEN I ASKED THE TECH IF HE WOULD DRIVE HIS FAMILY IN THIS CAR I GOT NO RESPONSE. I HAVE ASKED ON THE LAST 2 TRIPS TO THE DEALER F…

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207.8%
ODI 11118626 · 11,000 mi

WHILE ON AN HOUR'S DRIVE THE BSD (BLING SPOT DETECTION SYSTEM) CEASED TO OPERATE. THE ACTUATOR SWITCH WAS ILLUMINATED, BUT AN ERROR EXCLAMATION POINT APPEARED ON THE DASH NOTING THE BSD FAILURE. I DROVE ON FURTHER UNTIL I CAME TO STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. THIS HAD HAPPENED A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, ALSO. I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND PULLED THE KEY. I WAITED 30 SECONDS AND RESTARTED THE CAR. THEY SYSTEM CAME BACK ONLINE. FURTHER ALONG ON THE DRIVE IT HAPPENED AGAIN, AS I WAS DRIVING ON A HILLY ROAD. WHEN I WENT TO GIVE THE CAR MORE GAS, THE CAR DID …

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135.6%
ODI 11416530

WHEN DRIVING THIS VEHICLE RATTLES AND SHAKES IT HAS A BURNING SMELL/GAS SMELL. IT CUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING. LOOSES OIL.OIL AT LOW LEVEL BEFORE DUE. THIS MAKE AND MODEL IS NO LONGER BEING MANUFACTURED. IT HAS A KNOWN HISTORY OF ENGINE PROBLEMS. WHY WERE CONSUMERS ALLOWED TO BUY THIS CAR. PROBLEMS ARE ACTIVE AND ONGOING. STARTED ABOUT A YEAR OR CLOSE TO A YEAR AFTER PURCHASE. IT IS A LEMON . THE DEALER WANTS TO DIAGNOSE THE ENGINE, BUT THEY ALREADY KNOW THE ENGINE IS NO GOOD.

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167.7%
ODI 11556499

The morning of 9/26/2023 as I was driving on the freeway road and I experienced an intermittent reduction in engine power and had to pull over on the side of the freeway road. This was a very traumatizing experience and I was very lucky that I was not hit while awaiting to be towed. After my mechanic inspected my vehicle we received error code P1233 and advised me to call the dealership as this is something covered under an extended warranty. I scheduled an appointment for 9/27/2023 however, I dropped my car off on 9/26/2023 since I was able …

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117.5%
ODI 11430771

Fuel line had a quick detachment have to be replaced

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Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.

Failure mileage by component

Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.

Component failure mileage distribution
ComponentMileage range (25th–75th percentile)MedianUsable recordsExamples
Engine59,000–110,000 mi88,000 mi129
ODI 10934131 · 25 mi

WHEN STARTING FROM A DEAD STOP, THE CAR HESITATES UP TO 6 OR 7 SECONDS. I THINK IT HAS STALLED, THEN IT STARTS AGAIN BY ITS SELF. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WHEN PULLING OUT INTO AN INTERSECTION. IT DOES THIS CONSTANTLY.

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ODI 10937252 · 1,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY AND THE ENGINE RPMS DRASTICALLY INCREASED TO 6 OR 7. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THERE WAS A BURNING ODOR COMING FROM THE ENGINE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CVT VALVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NUMBER 75 ON THE WAITING LIST FOR THE REPAIRS AND PROVIDED A LOANER VEHICLE. T…

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ODI 10958641 · 600 mi

FROM A DEAD STOP DRIVING AROUND, RELEASING THE BRAKE PETAL FROM A STOP AND GETTING READY TO GET GOING, THE CAR SHUTTERS A BIT AND/OR BOTH THE ENGINE FEELS LIKE IT'S GONNA STALL. HESITATION TO GET GOING.. DOES IT IN ALL 3 DRIVE MODES. DEALERS SAYS NPF.. OF COURSE AND SAID MAYBE QUALITY OF GAS, I USE TOP TIER GAS ONLY.

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Unknown Or Other18,250–63,550 mi36,000 mi23
ODI 11003963 · 6 mi

SINCE I HAD THE CAR IN AUG2016 BRAND NEW WHEN I GIVE IT GAS THE VALVES PING AND PEAK EXTREMELY BAD NOT MATTER WHAT FUEL I USE ALSO THE AC KEEPS LOOSING POWER IT WILL BLOW FINE THEN IT ALMOST GOES OFF WHILE STILL DRIVING THE SAME SPEED. ALSO SOMETIMES WHEN THIS HAPPENS I HAVE A MISS OR HESITATION IN THE ENGINE. THERE HAS ALSO BEEN A POP NOISE IN THE BACK END WHEN I STOP OR SLOW DOWN SINCE I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR 6 TIMES TO THE LOCAL DEALER IN CHAS WV WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR AND THEY KEEP SAYING THEY CAN'T DIGNOSE THE PR…

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ODI 11013548 · 18,000 mi

THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE MAKES RUMBLING/RATTLING NOISE WHEN DRIVING. IT IS SPORADIC BUT SOUNDS LIKE IT IS COMING FROM SOMETHING RELATED TO THE TIRES. IT IS HARD TO TAKE FOR A DIAGNOSE BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. IT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING VIBRATING UNDER THE HOOD. I CHECKED AND EVERYTHING IS INTACT. THIS ISN'T A ONE TIME THING, IT HAPPENS OFTEN.

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ODI 11034469 · 27,900 mi

ON WEDNESDAY MORNING DRIVING TO MY WORK THE SUNROOF EXPLODED WAS A BIG SOUND ,THIS EXPLOSION TERRIFIES ME AND THANKS GOD I DIDN'T LOST IT THE CONTROL OF THE CAR. IMMEDIATELY I DROVE TO THE RIGHT SIDE TO STOP THE CAR AND TRYING FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPENED.I SAW BIG HOLE AT THE SUNROOF ,I DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO . I CALLED TO MY INSURANCE AND EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPEN IF I NEED TO CALL TO POLICE FOR THIS INCIDENT,THEY SAID IS NOT NECESSARY BUT WE NEED TO KIA DEALER BECAUSE COULD A FACTORY PROBLEM. KIA SAID BRING THE CAR TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION.IS ONE …

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Electrical System35,667–100,750 mi65,798 mi36
ODI 10939963 · 10,700 mi

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

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ODI 11003942 · 4,226 mi

PURCHASED A 2016 KIA OPTIMA EX WITH THE PREMIUM PACKAGE WITH LESS THAN 30 ODOMETER MILES IN APRIL 2017 FROM A KIA DEALER (VIN [XXX]). AT 4200 MILES THE CAR STALLED AND LOST ALL POWER WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY DURING RUSH HOUR. SCREEN FLASHED "ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM - POSSIBLE ENGINE CONDITION. " TOOK VEHICLE TO THE KIA DEALER ON 07/08/2017 WHO INDICATED THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR NEEDED ADJUSTING AND CLEANING. THEY ASSURED ME ALL WAS GOOD AND THEY HAD RESOLVED THE ISSUE. LESS THAN 24 HOURS LATER THE CAR STALLED AGAIN ON THE HIGHW…

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ODI 11061513 · 11,145 mi

MY OPTIMA SEEMS TO HESITATE OR STUDDER WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. IT REMINDS ME OF A GEAR SLIPPING BUT MY CAR ONLY HAS 11,145 MI ON IT SO THERE'S NO WAY THAT'S POSSIBLE. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING OBSERVATION FOR MONTHS NOW. I'VE ALSO HAD ONE OF MY MIRRORS NOT GO BACK TO NORMAL POSITION AFTER I MOVED THE CAR FROM R AND BEGAN TO DRIVE. I HAD TO PULL OVER, PLACE THE CAR BACK IN R, AND FLIP BACK TO D FOR THE MIRROR TO GO BACK TO PLACE. LASTLY I'VE NOTICED MY DRIVER SEAT SEAT WARMER BUTTON ISN'T LIGHTING UP LIKE IT USED TO. WHEN ON HIGH, ONLY 2 L…

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Power Train9,250–75,388 mi45,958 mi30
ODI 10934131 · 25 mi

WHEN STARTING FROM A DEAD STOP, THE CAR HESITATES UP TO 6 OR 7 SECONDS. I THINK IT HAS STALLED, THEN IT STARTS AGAIN BY ITS SELF. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WHEN PULLING OUT INTO AN INTERSECTION. IT DOES THIS CONSTANTLY.

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ODI 10958641 · 600 mi

FROM A DEAD STOP DRIVING AROUND, RELEASING THE BRAKE PETAL FROM A STOP AND GETTING READY TO GET GOING, THE CAR SHUTTERS A BIT AND/OR BOTH THE ENGINE FEELS LIKE IT'S GONNA STALL. HESITATION TO GET GOING.. DOES IT IN ALL 3 DRIVE MODES. DEALERS SAYS NPF.. OF COURSE AND SAID MAYBE QUALITY OF GAS, I USE TOP TIER GAS ONLY.

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ODI 10992015 · 100 mi

WHEN DECELERATING/BRAKING, THE CAR JERKS HARSHLY FORWARD AT 52,42, 32 MPH. ON WET HIGHWAYS A WHEN IT JERKS THE REAR OF THE CAR FISHTAILS. KIA KNOWS THE FAULT IS BECAUSE OF THE DUAL CLUTCH TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFT TIMING AND HAS NO SOLUTION. I BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES ON THIS. FISHTAILING ON WET HIGHWAYS HAS A SERIOUS RISK OF AN ACCIDENT. THEY JUST SAY LIVE WITH IT EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE NUMEROUS SIMILAR COMPLAINTS AND FELT THE PROBLEM WITH ME ON A TEST DRIVE IN MY CAR AND OTHER CARS OF SAME MODEL IN THE NEW CAR LOT. IT IS TIME TH…

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Fuel/Propulsion System54,647–103,250 mi72,708 mi12
ODI 11025159 · 20 mi

TAKATA RECALL CAR STARTS TO STALL AND IDLE WHEN ON THE ROAD AND IN TRAFFIC. CAR STARTS TO BACK UP AND REVERSE WITHOUT NOTICE OR WARNING. ENGINE, BATTERY COMES ON AUTOMATICALLY AND I HAVE TO TURN OFF IGNITION AND RESTART VEHICLE.

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ODI 11154465 · 57,529 mi

THE CAR STUMBLES TO START AND WHEN I ACCELERATE IT FLUTTERS UNTIL PICKING UP SPEED. THIS HAPPENED ON HIGHWAY 43.

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ODI 11252716 · 123,000 mi

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS BLINKING, THERE IS A NOTICEABLE DECREASE IN POWER, AND IT JERKS OUT OF FIRST GEAR. TOOK IT TO AUTOZONE FOR A FREE DIAGNOSTIC WHICH WAS P1326. ALL FLUID ARE IN ORDER. MILAGE IS 123,000. THIS HAPPENED WHEN I WAS DRIVING HE FR WORK.

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Exterior Lighting35,000–69,750 mi56,000 mi23
ODI 11123907 · 55,300 mi

WHILE DRIVING WITH MY AUTOMATIC HEADLIGHTS ON AT NIGHT, THE LIGHTS HAVE TURNED OFF SEVERAL TIMES WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THE LIGHTS TURNED OFF FOR A FEW SECONDS EACH TIME THEN TURNED ON AGAIN.

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ODI 11142250 · 35,000 mi

HEADLIGHT MALFUNCTION SHUT OFF PROBLEM. AT NIGHT WHEN IN MOTION ON VARIOUS CITY STREETS THE FRONT AND REAR LIGHTS WILL, SUDDENLY AND RANDOMLY, WITH NO DRIVER INPUT WHATSOEVER, SHUT OFF COMPLETELY BOTH IN THE BACK AND IN THE FRONT OF THE CAR! THE HEADLAMPS AND REAR LAMPS WILL, AT THAT POINT STAY COMPLETELY OFF WITH ABSOLUTELY NO EXTERIOR LIGHTING FUNCTION EXCEPT THE BRAKE LIGHTS!! THE ONLY WAY TO GET REAR AND HEAD LAMPS BACK IS TO TURN THE HEADLIGHTS SWITCH OFF AND THEN ON AGAIN. THIS MALFUNCTION SO FAR HAS OCCURRED WHEN HEADLIGHT SWITCH IS IN A…

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ODI 11145189 · 62,000 mi

HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY: WIRING HARNESS MELTING, BULBS BURNING OUT EVERY 3 MONTHS OR SO. A SAFETY HAZARD POTENTIALLY A FIRE HAZARD. DRIVING VISIBILITY AT NIGHT WITH LIGHTS ON DIM CREATES A TREMENDOUS SAFETY HAZARD.

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Structure:Body13,250–56,900 mi40,000 mi12
ODI 10992202 · 4,300 mi

ON MAY 30, 2017 AT APPROXIMATELY 1200HRS EST, WHILE DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS WITH VERY LIGHT TRAFFIC THE SUNROOF EXPLODED. COMPLETE INSPECTION WAS NEGATIVE FOR THE ANY EXTERIOR DEBRIS AS CAUSE. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON HIGHWAY. PHOTOS ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.

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ODI 11039683 · 1 mi

I GOT CAR ACCDINET AND THREE AIRBAG JUST POP OUT SO THAT MEANT NEED REPLACE?

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ODI 11121826 · 8,000 mi

I WAS REAR ENDED WHILE STOPPED IN BREAKDOWN LANE OF A SECONDARY HIGHWAY (40 MPH) PROBLEM THAT I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS IS THE INADEQUATE CUSHIONING IN THE HEADRESTS OF THIS CAR AND PROBABLY MANY OTHERS. SUFFERED A CONCUSSION THE EFFECTS OF WHICH ARE STILL ONGOING. I THINK THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE STANDARDS APPLIED TO HEADRESTS TO HAVE ENERGY ABSORBING CUSHIONING. *TR

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Vehicle Speed Control9,550–69,545 mi37,028 mi18
ODI 10937252 · 1,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY AND THE ENGINE RPMS DRASTICALLY INCREASED TO 6 OR 7. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THERE WAS A BURNING ODOR COMING FROM THE ENGINE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CVT VALVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NUMBER 75 ON THE WAITING LIST FOR THE REPAIRS AND PROVIDED A LOANER VEHICLE. T…

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ODI 10959736 · 200 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A FEW SECONDS DELAY IN ACCELERATION. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS A SENSOR DELAY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200.

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ODI 11003963 · 6 mi

SINCE I HAD THE CAR IN AUG2016 BRAND NEW WHEN I GIVE IT GAS THE VALVES PING AND PEAK EXTREMELY BAD NOT MATTER WHAT FUEL I USE ALSO THE AC KEEPS LOOSING POWER IT WILL BLOW FINE THEN IT ALMOST GOES OFF WHILE STILL DRIVING THE SAME SPEED. ALSO SOMETIMES WHEN THIS HAPPENS I HAVE A MISS OR HESITATION IN THE ENGINE. THERE HAS ALSO BEEN A POP NOISE IN THE BACK END WHEN I STOP OR SLOW DOWN SINCE I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR 6 TIMES TO THE LOCAL DEALER IN CHAS WV WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR AND THEY KEEP SAYING THEY CAN'T DIGNOSE THE PR…

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Complaint and recall timeline

Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.

10 reports2024-112026-10

Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.

Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
Monthly complaint and recall timeline
MonthComplaintsCampaigns announcedExamples
2024-1110None
ODI 11623392

The front and rear windows come down unexpectedly. The power controls do not control the windows. This is especially dangerous when younger children are riding in the car and can reach their hands out the windows because the windows just come down. I have to manually lift my windows up

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ODI 11623469

THE CAR WAS BOUGHT WITH 88K MILES AND USES OIL BADLY AND ITS GOT 92K MILES AND ITS BASICLY NEW I SEEN RECALLS FOR SUCH PROBLEM

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ODI 11623502

The window regulators in my 2016 Kia Optima have/are failing. The white drum gear that rolls the window up/down shreds and the window falls. My safety is put at risk with this due to the fact that if the window glass were to drop abruptly, it would shatter. To add to the matter, I was out of town this past weekend when another one of my windows failed and had I had not known how to pull the door apart and pull the window back up and tape it, I could have been at major risk of robbery or more. The problem has been reproduced 3/4 times on my car…

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2024-123None
ODI 11628213 · 110,000 mi

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The vehicle was towed to the local mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle with engine failure. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer who confirmed the engine failure and informed the contact that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 110,000.

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ODI 11631191 · 149,020 mi

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated that after having a routine oil change and tire maintenance, the vehicle began making an abnormal clunking sound. The vehicle failed to start. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The message that the automatic brake was disabled was displayed. Additionally, several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact called an independent mechanic and was referred to the dealer. The contact called the local dealer, and the vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where an unknown …

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ODI 11632732

While driving on the highway, the roof antenna assembly flew off our car. Inspection of the area shows that the screws that were supposed to hold the antenna on had all become sheared off. It looks like there is a recall for this exact issue covering 2016 Kia Optimas produced through June 1, 2016 (SA272), but our Optima was produced on June 23, 2016 and is therefore not covered according to Kia.

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2025-014None
ODI 11634302

The car is leaking a massive amount of oil. This was accompanied by a warning light for low oil levels. Problems started in the summer/fall of 2024. It is available for inspection upon request. An independent mechanic has confirmed the leak and replaced the spark plugs in September 2024 ago, and the oil was changed as part of regular maintenance in October 2024, but the car is still leaking oil (just had to add 2.5 quarts of oil after the check oil light came on again). The mechanic suggested I check for related recalls and report the issue.

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ODI 11635964

Driving down the road trying to accelerate. My rpm's wouldn't go over 2000. The engine started fluttering and the accelerator stopped working. Went to take to local repair shop and they stated it was an issue with the engine. problem listed after a scan: OBD P1326 Recall NUMBER: PI1802W/X (Rev 2, 01/28/2019) With this stated. My vehicle under the same Year, Model, Engine, and Production Date are all calling for a recall but my VIN doesn't have a recall. So I am wanting to enquire why my vehicle doesn't have this recall.

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ODI 11638652

The car has been burning a qt of oil every 4-5 days. Now it stalls when changing gears and won't go faster than 45 MPH.

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2025-027None
ODI 11640624

My 2016 KIA Optima is burning 5quarts of oil very fast every 2,000 miles. When I put oil in my car then 2 weeks later or a few weeks past, my car empty from oil

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ODI 11640837

Was driving going 50mph and all of a sudden with traffic accelerator stopped working. The oil engine and battery light all came on. When I tried jump starting it it began to smoke.

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ODI 11641797 · 147,000 mi

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle lost automotive power. The check engine and the engine oil warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle warranty had expired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 1…

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2025-039None
ODI 11645985

Engine started making a knocking noise. Took the car to a machine that agreed this is the same issue that other Kia's have had. Those Kia's engines were on recall but for my year, it is not on recall. Even though it's the same exact issue. Car maintenance is up to date.

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ODI 11646096

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND LOST ENGINE POWER WHILE ENTERING TRAFFIC ON THE FREEWAY, ALMOST GOT REARENDED BUY A VEHICLE FROM BEHIND, VERY SCARRY! CAR IS AT THE KIA DEALER GETTING DIAGNOSED.

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ODI 11646501 · 48,889 mi

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to operate properly. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local Good Year Service Center where it was diagnosed and determined that the battery, alternator, and drive belt needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, several miles later the engine seized. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. In addition, the contact stated that all four windows shattered,…

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2025-047None
ODI 11652078

The antenna fin flew off while I was driving on the highway.

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ODI 11652949

paint peeling, chipping, and bubbling.

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ODI 11653514

Unknown

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2025-057None
ODI 11658753

Have a shake during accelerating 35-40 mph and then again at 70 mph. There is an axle, recall on 2016 kia optima. for certain months, my is not included. how is the recall determined. Have not had it checked out yet. It seems to be getting worst, will check soon.

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ODI 11661093

The check engine light came on in the car. Upon having it checked at a local automotive shop, we discovered that the thermostat assembly is malfunctioning. This can cause the engine to overheat and shut off at any time which of course would be a severe danger. Additionally, a bad thermostat assembly in Kia vehicles can lead to engine overheating or overcooling, potentially causing engine damage and even a fire risk. Upon searching, this appears to be a common issue with the 2016 Kia Optima.

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ODI 11661385

I went to the Garden Grove Kia to get my new 2016 kia optima repaired for their knock sensor settlement repair. By their own terms of the agreement all original and subsequent ow ers can get vehicles repaired. They took my vehicle information, I gave them all details of my ownership of the vehicle and they said they would fix it. The next day I rented a trailer to take the vehicle to get repaired (vehicle still runs but don't think it's safe to drive like that) and upon arriving, a worker comes out and tells me that they will not repir the vehi…

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2025-065None
ODI 11665959

A month in after purchasing the check engine light came on. My car did not want to accelerate, started shaking and having jerking movement while driving on the freeway with my newborn and 3 other children in the car with me. Got stranded 3 hours away from home. Car has been in the shop going on 30 days. Spark plugs changed, coolant thermostat changed and now the engine was reported that it has failed. Still in the shop currently.

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ODI 11665961

My paint has begun bubbling up and feeling out of nowhere. I’ve always taken good care of my car yet spots are beginning to pop up along the passanger side. The paint continues to peel more as time goes on. I’ve found many complaints online of people saying they’ve had the same issue with their kia in the Snow White Pearl color I have, but there’s no recall and kia refuses to pay for it.

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ODI 11668063

3 of windows do not roll up.

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2025-079None
ODI 11672313

I own a 2016 Kia Optima EX with VIN [XXX] . The engine failed at 85,763 miles due to a rod bearing seizure. This matches the known defect in Kia’s 2.4L GDI engines, which has been the subject of recalls and service campaigns in the past. Despite being covered under Kia’s extended engine warranty, Kia America denied my engine replacement claim. They cited "vehicle reconditioning" and "multiple ownership" as reasons , neither of which are valid grounds to void warranty coverage, especially for a known defect. A certified Kia dealership (Mark Ki…

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ODI 11672345

Several safety-critical systems failed on this vehicle. The engine (Theta II 2.4L GDI) failed due to rod bearing wear, causing sudden power loss on the highway. The vehicle entered limp mode, once at 50 mph in 2018 and again at 70 mph in 2025, and had to be pulled over quickly to avoid collision. Additional issues: all four windows failed at different times, leaving them stuck open and creating safety risks in weather or emergencies. The trunk latch failed, causing unsecured cargo risk. ABS, TPMS, and traction control warning lights illuminate…

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ODI 11673169

1) Rear passenger window failed a couple months ago. I believe it was regulator, not 100% sure. Cost me a couple hundred to fix. Now, few months later, the driver side rear window has failed. I rarely use the windows so I believe the failing parts are Kia known manufacturing defect. The dealer acknowledged that it’s a known problem with the vehicles like mine and even suggested the other one is going to fail soon. Now it has. If the dealership is aware then it’s likely a Kia flaw. If it’s a know manufacturing flaw, shouldn’t Kia should be fixi…

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2025-089None
ODI 11678323

I have pictures

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ODI 11679734

My 2016 Kia Optima EX (VIN [XXX] , 2.4L I4 DI) suffered sudden engine bearing failure and complete engine seizure after approximately three months of use. After inspection, the Kia Scottsdale dealership confirmed that my vehicle’s VIN was eligible under the engine replacement warranty and submitted a request for assistance.However, Kia America denied the request. This defect is identical in nature to the known dangerous defect covered under Kia Safety Recall SC147 (NHTSA 17V-224) and related recalls for earlier Optima model years, involving con…

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ODI 11679889 · 100,000 mi

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, there was a misfire coming from the engine, and the vehicle was shaking. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The vehicle was diagnosed with engine failure due to piston rings failure, causing coolant intrusion into the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the ignition coil, cylinder #1, and spark plugs were replaced. The dealer was co…

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2025-095None
ODI 11684762

Window regulator assembly failed twice within 20k miles. Attached is the first repair. Dealership only repaired motor but not full assembly and it failed again.

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ODI 11684788

The headlights and brake lights have been VERY dim for a while. I've had to replace both headlights and brake lights an excessive amount in the last several years. This year alone since December 2024, I've had to replace my headlights 3 separate times. I do not drive more than 10,000 miles per year, or use my vehicle on roads that would lead me to believe the issue is from road conditions.

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ODI 11689112

In 2024 the window regulator went in the drivers side back window costing me $700 and on 9/22/2025 the drivers side front window regulator just went costing me another $700. I see many are having this issue but no recall

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2025-104None
ODI 11691181

Engine sludge and failure. Engine part failure p0010 began happening within 1 year of Kia engine replacement. It is available for inspection. This creates a problem with acceleration in the vehicle, putting my family's and my safety at risk. This problem has been confirmed by the dealer. The check engine light is one. This part failure and engine sludge (despite consistent maintenance) has caused engine failure again, just 3 years after replacement.

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ODI 11691183

All window regulators failed before 100K miles. This does not allow for windows to open in case of emergency, This problem has been personally confirmed by dealer and also in service bulletin SA418. This is a common problem in this car make/model/year. This component has been known to the manufacturer for defect. No warning lights, just instant lack of window use.

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ODI 11694035

The body paint is cracking and falling down. Since five years ago this problem started.

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2025-117None
ODI 11697290

Hear the driveshaft clicking and doesn’t accelerate like it should

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ODI 11697872

Car stop accelerating when I went to get my oil change the shop reported my engine eating up my oil found out kia have a recall on engine

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ODI 11698745

My engine blew up and started smoking while driving

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2025-123None
ODI 11704086

My 2016 Kia Optima is experiencing severe internal engine oil consumption that matches known issues Kia has recalled and extended warranties for. The vehicle loses 1–3 quarts of oil every few days with no external leaks. A repair shop found a P0304 cylinder 4 misfire, P0010 cam actuator code, and spark plug damage caused by oil entering the combustion chamber. They confirmed internal engine damage and abnormal oil consumption. The Kia dealership refused to assist due to mileage, even though this issue matches the engine defects covered under K…

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ODI 11705384 · 70,000 mi

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, a knocking sound coming from the engine compartment was heard, and the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact further stated that while driving at approximately 80 MPH, with the cruise control mode engaged, the vehicle started to stall and failed to exceed 30 MPH. The contact stated that the cruise control became inoperable, and the check engine warning was flashing. The vehicle was restarted; however, the vehicle continued to hesitate a…

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ODI 11707061

Engine brocked the pistones brock stock engine and pay for new engine

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2026-013None
ODI 11709938

Car is burning a lot of oil, took to dealer went through several tests and they claim burning 1.5 quarts was within limit for 1000 miles. Then started getting misfire codes and car went into limp mode a couple of times. They said to replace spark plugs because they were fouled and clean injection. Performed those requested actions, then 45k later getting misfire codes again, took to another dealer they said plugs are fould and clean injection again. Asked them to provide a permanent fix for the issue so the car does not keep fouling out the pl…

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ODI 11711035

While driving my 2016 Kia Optima, the vehicle experienced a sudden and complete loss of engine power and stalled without warning. At the time, I was Door Dashing for income. The engine seized and the vehicle came to an immediate stop in the middle of 4925 Wolf Creek Dr SW, Atlanta, GA, a narrow two-lane road with limited street lighting. I was forced to remain stopped in the roadway in darkness for over an hour while multiple oncoming vehicles passed by, creating a serious safety risk. The vehicle could not be restarted and had to be left on t…

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ODI 11714650

My 2016 Kia Optima experienced a sudden catastrophic engine failure in July 2025. The failure is consistent with widely reported Theta II engine rod bearing defects that cause engine seizure and stalling. The vehicle did not receive the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) update prior to my ownership, and I was never notified of this critical safety-related update. The engine failure occurred without warning and could have resulted in loss of power while driving, creating a serious safety risk. This vehicle model year has a documented histo…

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2026-027None
ODI 11714744

The engine is a problem and all I’m ever told us “ this vehicle is know to have engine problems. This is dangerous to have in the road. Kia is aware of this. Why sale the vehicle knowing this and not disclosing this info to the consumer upon purchase. There is no truth in lending. It’s plain sight robbery. What if I’m far from home and stranded because vehicle set fire or broke down in hazardous condition weather. I constantly needing oil changes because of this engine. The dealership is aware. They tell me to trade it in or get rid of it becau…

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ODI 11715316

The engine stalled without warning while I was pulling out of my driveway into the street, creating an unsafe condition due to sudden loss of power. After waiting briefly, the vehicle restarted and was moved back into the driveway. It was towed the following day due to loss of confidence in safe operation. The vehicle was diagnosed with engine failure consistent with known defects affecting Kia Optima vehicles equipped with Theta II engines. Kia denied coverage under the extended engine warranty / class action settlement solely because the KSD…

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ODI 11715623

In order to repair the recalled equipment on the vehicle the dealerships and Kia want us to pay for them to open the trunk ($280/hour service fee to remove the back seat to gain access to the trunk and then return the back seat once completed). If the trunk latch was NOT broken to begin with they would not have to remove and replace the back seat of the car at $280/hour you would be able to push the button and open it. I don’t feel it is the car owner responsibility to pay for that access to the trunk.

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2026-036None
ODI 11721839

Engine oil light doesn’t work. Oil light flashed a couple of times in separate instances. Checking oil dip stick which smells like burning oil and dip stick hardly showed any oil left.

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ODI 11722291

2016 Kia Optima engine locked up, vehicle stalled on interstate,heard a rod bearing sound, left me in limp mode trying to get out the way of 18 wheelers traveling behind me. Towed into Kia dealership which confirmed the engine locked up which has a recall #PI1802B KSDS, but denied to cover it because I didn't have this recall done. I also called Kia Customer Service, they denied me too and just gave me a case #[XXX]. I explained to them that I never received notice of this recall. So how could I prepare for something like this to happen while t…

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ODI 11723153

These cars have a known issue for burning oil the motor thats in my car was recalled for same issue but they are not trying fix my car under that recall of the bad motor that they did recall

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2026-047None
ODI 11729768

My rear passenger side window would not go up or down & the motor would run when the button was pressed. That was in January 2026. Now April 2026, my driver's side rear window will not go up or down.

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ODI 11731203

FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS, IVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS RELATING TO MY ENGINE BURNING OIL TO FAST, ENGINE SHAKING AND NOT ACCELERATING LIKE ITS SPPOSE TO... YOU HAVE A RECALL ON 2016 OPTIMAS BUT ONLY THE HYBRID (HEV). WHICH WE ALL KNOW ITS NOT RIGHT. WHY ONLY DO IT FOR CERTAIN OPTIMAS KNOWING WE ARE ALL (ALL OPTIMAS) ARE GOING THROUGH THE SAME THING!! SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, IN AND OUT OF DEALERSHIPS AND AUTO SHOPS AND NOW IM MENTALLY DRAINED , UPSET, CONFUSED AND OVERALL FEEL MANIPULATED BY KIA... NICE CARS BUT DOES NOT KEEP ITS VALUE.. CAN SOMEONE…

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ODI 11731430

The Kias have been recalled for a failure to adhere the shark fin antenna. This has been recalled in some models. My 2016 has fallen off and is not on the recall list. Please include.

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2026-057None
ODI 11736596

I purchased a Kia Optima 2016, in December of 2025. At the time the car wouldn't go over 60 mph. I hauled the car to Kia to have it inspected. The Kia dealership informed me that there is a recall on that particular car for an engine replacement. They tested the car and later informed me that they believed I purchased the car knowing it had a recall and wanted the engine replaced for free so I could sell the car. The car is not for sale, and I had/have no intentions on selling the car. I went ahead and paid $6100 for the engine to be replaced. …

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ODI 11738122

Issue 1: High oil consumption in the engine due to poor engine design, according to the auto repair center. 5 quarts of oil are added to the engine once every 2-3 weeks. All oil leaks were previously repaired, but oil is still burning off. Issue 2: The engine has misfired more than once, with a puff of smoke coming out of the exhaust. Issue 3: Twice in the past 1.5-2 years, multiple spark plugs have failed, causing a breakdown. This is a Theta II engine, but it is not in the class action settlement.

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ODI 11738585

UNKNOWN THE AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY WHEN THE CAR HIT OTHER DRIVER FROM BEHIND.

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2026-065None
ODI 11741833 · 166,834 mi

The contact owned a 2016 KIA OPTIMA. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH occupied with her husband the contact heard a noise coming from the rear of the vehicle and smoke coming from the rear of the vehicle as you looked in the drive side rear view mirror and while depressing the brake pedal attempting to come to a complete at the traffic light, the brakes failed to work a intended. No warning light illuminated. The contact mention she kept trying to depress the brake pedal, however the vehicle kept accelerating causing the vehicle …

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ODI 11742694

The car returned P1326 and had multiple misfires and audible knocking, the dealers will indeed fight the already existing class action warranties. Was sent home and told to “drive the fuck out of it”, to which the car did not make it home and blew gasoline into my cabin while driving on the highway. Almost passed out, and am still fighting Kia to actually address the defective rod bearings. I personally would fight tooth and nail over a 5 dollar problem, but this is something they do nationwide and can cause serious injury or death. If it weren…

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ODI 11744474

the engine. I was at a stop sign when the car stop responding to me pressing the accelerator and would not go. Upon further inspection it was noted that my car had no oil in it. I am diligent in getting my oil changed every 3 months or 3,000 miles. My engine had "seized" and i am being advised to purchase a new engine or purchase a new car. While trying to get my car to acclerate i was almost hit 4 times in a matter of 10 mins.

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2026-074None
ODI 11747946

I had just stopped at stop sign and I turned right. My speed was approximately 40 mph and there was a LOUD POP. I immediately hit the brakes and had NO BRAKES. I got car off road and smoke was already coming from under hood. It caught fire immediately and burned up. Total loss . About 6 months prior to it burning I had a good bit of front end work done on it with bearing issues. Also put a new set of tires at same time . The coils and plugs were changed often because it would misfire. I purchased car July 2025. All my documents were burn…

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ODI 11748217

Code was on and off for a cylinder 2 misfire was off at this point (intermittent misfire) ecl was off car stalled out at 3rpms while driving, tiny puff of smoke once came from between the air intake and the engine, and also no crank no start but car has power. I’ve kept up with the oil changes every 3000 miles car had fluids in it and nothing looked bad all 4 spark plugs were burnt and i replaced them and still no success.

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ODI 11750007

NHTSA Bulletin TSB BOD300 My KIA 2016 Optima Turbo has all four windows impacted by the defective gear. I've opened a case with KIA and it's case number 25563361. None of my windows roll up or down. This presents several very serious safety issues. The dealer has had my vehicle for over 2 weeks. Why has KIA not been forced to issue a recall on these defective gears?

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2026-085None
ODI 11754979

The engine assembly completely seized and the vehicle is currently stored at an independent repair shop . While traveling at high speed on Interstate 4 on July 24, 2026, the vehicle suffered a sudden, catastrophic loss of power and stalled in live traffic, creating an immediate threat of a high speed rear end collision. An independent service center officially confirmed the engine seizure after a dealership failed to perform an inspection during an eight hour wait, and no law enforcement or insurance inspections have occurred. Prior symptoms in…

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ODI 11756816

Window falls into the door. The rear two windows have been repaired 3 times. They are currently both broken again along with the front drivers side. I currently have three windows being help up by tape. They are taped to the frame of the door to stop the window from falling into the door. I don't know why this wasn't a recall. I see there is a TSB BOD300. The dealership repaired once but never informed me about the known defect.

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ODI 11758353

Blower motor is drawing excessive electricity, which in turn burns the fuse and junction pin, which in turn can start a fire in the car. Kia of Irvine suggested redoing all electrical wiring in the car, but that will not solve the issue. As soon as you turn on the AC, the blower motor will use so much electricity and amperage, so the blower motor fuse and junction pins on the fuse box starting to burn. Wanting to charge almost $7000 to fix this issue, which is double the price value of the car, and risking to end up in this situation again, a…

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2026-092None
ODI 11766692

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving 25 MPH, the vehicle shut off without warning. Soon after the failure, the engine caught fire; however, the fire dissipated independently. The insurance agent was contacted and arrived at the scene to inspect the vehicle. The contact was initially informed that the vehicle was safe to drive; however, the engine failed to start after several attempts. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to a dealer where a mechanic discovered that the knock sensor was inoperable and h…

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ODI 11767467

3 times windows different ones has stopped rolling up/down. 3 motors purchased and installed.

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2026-10 (partial)0None

No examples available for this selection.

Emerging complaint spikes

Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.

This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.

No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.

Equal-age model-year comparison

Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.

Age 0Age 1Age 249 reports

2019: 49 complaints · 2020: 30 complaints

Equal observation windows
Model yearThrough age 0Through age 1Through age 2
2019133049
202071430
Date coverage across each selected cohort
Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
YearIncident dates usedFiling date fallbacksExcluded dates
201920800
202014501

Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.

Components reported together

Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.

Component co-occurrence matrix
ComponentEngineUnknown Or OtherElectrical SystemPower TrainFuel/Propulsion SystemExterior LightingStructure:BodyVehicle Speed Control
Engine—
27
ODI 11003963 · 6 mi

SINCE I HAD THE CAR IN AUG2016 BRAND NEW WHEN I GIVE IT GAS THE VALVES PING AND PEAK EXTREMELY BAD NOT MATTER WHAT FUEL I USE ALSO THE AC KEEPS LOOSING POWER IT WILL BLOW FINE THEN IT ALMOST GOES OFF WHILE STILL DRIVING THE SAME SPEED. ALSO SOMETIMES WHEN THIS HAPPENS I HAVE A MISS OR HESITATION IN THE ENGINE. THERE HAS ALSO BEEN A POP NOISE IN THE BACK END WHEN I STOP OR SLOW DOWN SINCE I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR 6 TIMES TO THE LOCAL DEALER IN CHAS WV WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR AND THEY KEEP SAYING THEY CAN'T DIGNOSE THE PR…

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ODI 11041843 · 2,000 mi

I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING ISSUES WITH MY 2016 KIA OPTIMA SINCE I PURCHASED IT ON SEPTEMBER, 5TH 2016. A SHORT TIME AFTER OWNING MY NEW VEHICLE, FIRST THE CAR STARTED TO HESITATE WHEN STARTING AS IF IT WAS STRUGGLING TO START, THE PUSH BUTTON WOULD TURN RED AND THE INDICATOR LIGHTS WOULD LIGHT UP ON THE DASHBOARD AS IF THE KEY WAS NOT RECOGNIZED IN THE CAR. THE CAR WOULD ALSO SELF ACCELERATE. ON OR AROUND AUGUST 16TH OR 17TH THE CAR STALLED OUT WHILE IT WAS BEING DRIVEN,WE ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE CAR AND IT TURNED ON LIKE NORMAL SO THE TOW WAS C…

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ODI 11352045 · 76,337 mi

AIR CONDITIONING GOING OUT WITH POSSIBLE BREAKDOWN AT SEVENTY THOUSAND MILES AIR CONDITIONER TURNS ON BUT DON'T BLOW AIR

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43
ODI 11061513 · 11,145 mi

MY OPTIMA SEEMS TO HESITATE OR STUDDER WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. IT REMINDS ME OF A GEAR SLIPPING BUT MY CAR ONLY HAS 11,145 MI ON IT SO THERE'S NO WAY THAT'S POSSIBLE. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING OBSERVATION FOR MONTHS NOW. I'VE ALSO HAD ONE OF MY MIRRORS NOT GO BACK TO NORMAL POSITION AFTER I MOVED THE CAR FROM R AND BEGAN TO DRIVE. I HAD TO PULL OVER, PLACE THE CAR BACK IN R, AND FLIP BACK TO D FOR THE MIRROR TO GO BACK TO PLACE. LASTLY I'VE NOTICED MY DRIVER SEAT SEAT WARMER BUTTON ISN'T LIGHTING UP LIKE IT USED TO. WHEN ON HIGH, ONLY 2 L…

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ODI 11210573

I'VE BEEN HAVING CAR PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR FOR A OVER A YEAR, THE STEERING WHEEL GET STUCK, MY BRAKES WASN'T WORKING GOOD, SO I GOT NEW BREAKS, HOWEVER MY CAR STILL DOESN'T MAKE A QUICK COMPLETE STOP, I'M ALSO HAVING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, MY HEADLIGHTS BULB HAVE TO BE CHANGED ONCE A WEEK, I ALSO HAVE TO CHANGED MY OIL EVERY WELL, TODAY MY CAR IS AT THE DEALERSHIP WAITING ON A ENGINE, IT'S BEEN THERE FOR OVER THREE MONTHS.

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ODI 11242159 · 43,000 mi

MY CAR STALLED WHILE WAITING AT A STOPLIGHT. WHEN GOING TO ACCELERATE I WAS UNABLE TO. HOWEVER, I LOOKED AT THE CURRENT RECALLS FOR MY CAR. THE YEAR, MODEL, MANUFCATURE DATE MEET THE CRITERIA FOR THE AXEL RECALL. BUT MY VIN # DOESN'T SHOW ANY EXISTING RECALLS.

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34
ODI 10934131 · 25 mi

WHEN STARTING FROM A DEAD STOP, THE CAR HESITATES UP TO 6 OR 7 SECONDS. I THINK IT HAS STALLED, THEN IT STARTS AGAIN BY ITS SELF. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WHEN PULLING OUT INTO AN INTERSECTION. IT DOES THIS CONSTANTLY.

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ODI 10958641 · 600 mi

FROM A DEAD STOP DRIVING AROUND, RELEASING THE BRAKE PETAL FROM A STOP AND GETTING READY TO GET GOING, THE CAR SHUTTERS A BIT AND/OR BOTH THE ENGINE FEELS LIKE IT'S GONNA STALL. HESITATION TO GET GOING.. DOES IT IN ALL 3 DRIVE MODES. DEALERS SAYS NPF.. OF COURSE AND SAID MAYBE QUALITY OF GAS, I USE TOP TIER GAS ONLY.

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ODI 10984188

THIS VEHICLE SUFFERS FROM A HESITATION DURING TAKE OFF. ACCORDING TO KIA THIS HESITATION COME FROM A 7 SPEED DUAL CLUTCH TRANSMISSION(DCT). WHICH CAUSES THE VEHICLE THE DRIVER TO FEEL A SHUDDER SENSATION. THIS VEHICLE HAS A DOUBLE CLUTCH. I HAVE TAKEN MY 2016 KIA OPTIMA DEALERS FOR REPAIR TO THIS PROBLEM WITHOUT ANY SOLUTION. RUNS ROUGH.

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43
ODI 11016121

SHUTTER/HESITATION UPON TAKE OFF. I SIGNED MY LEASE ON 9/29 AND WAS AT THE SERVICE DEPT FIRST OF 7 TIMES ON 10/4. AT FIRST I WAS TOLD THE CAR HAD TO "LEARN THE WAY I DRIVE" THAT THERE WERE NO ISSUES WITH MY CAR. SINCE THEN THE DEALER HAS "RESET" THE TRANSMISSION, CHANGED FUEL INJECTORS, REPLACED TRANSMISSION, AND NOW HAS DONE 'SEVERAL UPDATES' (SERIOUSLY?) THIS CAR HAS NEARLY CAUSED ACCIDENTS ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. WHEN I ASKED THE TECH IF HE WOULD DRIVE HIS FAMILY IN THIS CAR I GOT NO RESPONSE. I HAVE ASKED ON THE LAST 2 TRIPS TO THE DEALER F…

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ODI 11025159 · 20 mi

TAKATA RECALL CAR STARTS TO STALL AND IDLE WHEN ON THE ROAD AND IN TRAFFIC. CAR STARTS TO BACK UP AND REVERSE WITHOUT NOTICE OR WARNING. ENGINE, BATTERY COMES ON AUTOMATICALLY AND I HAVE TO TURN OFF IGNITION AND RESTART VEHICLE.

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ODI 11252716 · 123,000 mi

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS BLINKING, THERE IS A NOTICEABLE DECREASE IN POWER, AND IT JERKS OUT OF FIRST GEAR. TOOK IT TO AUTOZONE FOR A FREE DIAGNOSTIC WHICH WAS P1326. ALL FLUID ARE IN ORDER. MILAGE IS 123,000. THIS HAPPENED WHEN I WAS DRIVING HE FR WORK.

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8
ODI 11219131

I JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR A MONTH AGO AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO WORK IN IT AS A LYFT DRIVER BECAUSE THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING WRONG WITH IT IT'S BEEN IN THE SHOP MORE THAN I'VE DROVE IT IT MAKES A KNOCKING NOISE AND I'M NOT SAFE IN THE VEHICLE I DID A HISTORY CHECK ON IT AND COME TO FIND OUT THEIR ARE A BUNCH OF RECALLS ON IT CAN ANYONE HELP ME PLEASE?I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET AND HIGHWAYS.

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ODI 11320229 · 41,000 mi

SO I JUST TOOK MY WIFES CAR TO OUR LOCAL MECHANIC WHO NORMALLY DOES OUR OIL CHANGES. THE PRIOR WEEKEND I MOVED HER CAR TO MOW THE LAWN AND HER OIL LIGHT CAME ON THEN WENT RIGHT OFF. I LET IT GO BECAUSE WE WHERE DUE FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND DIDNT THINK ANYTHING OF IT( CONSIDERING IT'S A 2016 AND THOUGHT MAYBE THE OIL LIGHT WOULD COME ON STATING IT NEEDS AN OIL CHANGE). SO THE NEXT WEEK MY WIFE TELLS ME THAT HER OIL LIGHT CAME ON TWICE IN 1 DAY, I SAID OK I'LL CHECK THE OIL AFTER WORK AND ENGINE HAS COOLED DOWN. I CHECKED IT AND HAD NO OIL, GREAT! S…

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ODI 11385158 · 103,000 mi

MID SEPTEMBER, 2020, I BEGAN TO NOTICE THAT MY HEADLIGHTS WOULD TURN OFF AS I WAS DRIVING. THEY WOULD CUT OFF FOR NO MORE THAN 15 SECONDS AND TURN BACK ON. I DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING OF IT, UNTIL I STARTED HAVING ISSUES WITH OTHER COMPONENTS OF MY 2016 KIA OPTIMA. ON 11/30/2020 I WAS DRIVING AT 30MPH THROUGH A RESIDENTIAL AREA. AS I WAS APPROACHING A STOP SIGN, MY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE, THE CAR BEGAN TO JUMP AND HESITATE. NO MATTER HOW FAR DOWN I PUSHED THE GAS, THE CARE WAS JUMPING/SHAKING AND WOLD NOT ACCELERATE OVER 2…

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4
ODI 11309450 · 110,000 mi

ON 1/12/2020, I WAS DRIVING MY CAR 2016 KIA OPTIMA FROM ALPHARETTA TO DECATUR TO ATTEND CHURCH. I PULLED INTO THE PARKING LOT OF THE CHURCH AND PARKED. A FEW SECONDS AFTER I PARKED, I BEGAN SEEING LOTS OF SMOKE COMING FROM THE RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. THE POLICE MEN WHO WERE IN THE PARKING LOT DIRECTING TRAFFIC ASKED ME TO GET OUT OF THE CAR QUICKLY AND BEGAN ATTEMPTING TO QUENCH THE FIRE WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. SHORTLY AFTER, THE DEKALB FIRE DEPT ARRIVED AND FOUGHT TO PUT OUT AND CONTAIN THE FIRE. IT WAS THEN TOWED TO THE TOW YARD. I…

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ODI 11551378

The body shop later informed me that there is a recall for engine fire recently,but my year/make is not listedin the info obtained online. The car started stalling while driving down the off. Smoke started coming through the vents. I pulled over to the side of the highway. A passerby told me that the car was on fire. Called 911. To note I had just picked the car up from Jim marsh Kia for battery replacement and problems with steering after the car was stolen in July. I had no previous issues with my car other than routine maintenance which I ha…

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ODI 11587870

I was told that my engine had a recall on it so I had an upcoming appointment with Kia in like 2 weeks for them to check my engine but the car didn’t make it. I was driving my car on interstate 20 my car had began to have a bad chemical smell and started smoking so I pulled over on the interstate and my car was in flames. Me and my daughter was in the car we could have lost our lives thank God we were able to make it out just in time. The fire department came and made a report on the incident. It wasn’t any engine light on at the time. I have c…

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20
ODI 10937252 · 1,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY AND THE ENGINE RPMS DRASTICALLY INCREASED TO 6 OR 7. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THERE WAS A BURNING ODOR COMING FROM THE ENGINE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CVT VALVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NUMBER 75 ON THE WAITING LIST FOR THE REPAIRS AND PROVIDED A LOANER VEHICLE. T…

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ODI 11003963 · 6 mi

SINCE I HAD THE CAR IN AUG2016 BRAND NEW WHEN I GIVE IT GAS THE VALVES PING AND PEAK EXTREMELY BAD NOT MATTER WHAT FUEL I USE ALSO THE AC KEEPS LOOSING POWER IT WILL BLOW FINE THEN IT ALMOST GOES OFF WHILE STILL DRIVING THE SAME SPEED. ALSO SOMETIMES WHEN THIS HAPPENS I HAVE A MISS OR HESITATION IN THE ENGINE. THERE HAS ALSO BEEN A POP NOISE IN THE BACK END WHEN I STOP OR SLOW DOWN SINCE I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR 6 TIMES TO THE LOCAL DEALER IN CHAS WV WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR AND THEY KEEP SAYING THEY CAN'T DIGNOSE THE PR…

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ODI 11041843 · 2,000 mi

I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING ISSUES WITH MY 2016 KIA OPTIMA SINCE I PURCHASED IT ON SEPTEMBER, 5TH 2016. A SHORT TIME AFTER OWNING MY NEW VEHICLE, FIRST THE CAR STARTED TO HESITATE WHEN STARTING AS IF IT WAS STRUGGLING TO START, THE PUSH BUTTON WOULD TURN RED AND THE INDICATOR LIGHTS WOULD LIGHT UP ON THE DASHBOARD AS IF THE KEY WAS NOT RECOGNIZED IN THE CAR. THE CAR WOULD ALSO SELF ACCELERATE. ON OR AROUND AUGUST 16TH OR 17TH THE CAR STALLED OUT WHILE IT WAS BEING DRIVEN,WE ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE CAR AND IT TURNED ON LIKE NORMAL SO THE TOW WAS C…

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Unknown Or Other
27
ODI 11003963 · 6 mi

SINCE I HAD THE CAR IN AUG2016 BRAND NEW WHEN I GIVE IT GAS THE VALVES PING AND PEAK EXTREMELY BAD NOT MATTER WHAT FUEL I USE ALSO THE AC KEEPS LOOSING POWER IT WILL BLOW FINE THEN IT ALMOST GOES OFF WHILE STILL DRIVING THE SAME SPEED. ALSO SOMETIMES WHEN THIS HAPPENS I HAVE A MISS OR HESITATION IN THE ENGINE. THERE HAS ALSO BEEN A POP NOISE IN THE BACK END WHEN I STOP OR SLOW DOWN SINCE I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR 6 TIMES TO THE LOCAL DEALER IN CHAS WV WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR AND THEY KEEP SAYING THEY CAN'T DIGNOSE THE PR…

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ODI 11041843 · 2,000 mi

I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING ISSUES WITH MY 2016 KIA OPTIMA SINCE I PURCHASED IT ON SEPTEMBER, 5TH 2016. A SHORT TIME AFTER OWNING MY NEW VEHICLE, FIRST THE CAR STARTED TO HESITATE WHEN STARTING AS IF IT WAS STRUGGLING TO START, THE PUSH BUTTON WOULD TURN RED AND THE INDICATOR LIGHTS WOULD LIGHT UP ON THE DASHBOARD AS IF THE KEY WAS NOT RECOGNIZED IN THE CAR. THE CAR WOULD ALSO SELF ACCELERATE. ON OR AROUND AUGUST 16TH OR 17TH THE CAR STALLED OUT WHILE IT WAS BEING DRIVEN,WE ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE CAR AND IT TURNED ON LIKE NORMAL SO THE TOW WAS C…

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ODI 11352045 · 76,337 mi

AIR CONDITIONING GOING OUT WITH POSSIBLE BREAKDOWN AT SEVENTY THOUSAND MILES AIR CONDITIONER TURNS ON BUT DON'T BLOW AIR

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11
ODI 11140608 · 30,000 mi

IN AUGUST 2018 I NOTICED THAT THE CAMERA ON THE FRONT GRILLE OF MY 2016 KIA OPTIMA WAS PRODUCING A BLURRY IMAGE. IT DID NOT DO THIS THE NIGHT PRIOR WHEN I USED THE CAMERA TO PARK IN MY GARAGE (WHERE I DID NOT HIT OR BUMP ANYTHING, I WAS NOT EVEN NEAR THE WALL AT THE FRONT OF THE GARAGE). THE LENS HAD A CRACK. SOME CONTEXT: THIS HAPPENED BEFORE IN 2017 AND THE KIA DEALERSHIP IN MCDONOUGH, GA REPAIRED IT AS A WARRANT ITEM. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE NAMED JOSE CAMACHO SAID THEY THEY WOULD COVER IT AS A …

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ODI 11363388

THE CLUSTER STARTED BLINKING OUT WHILE DRIVING THEN EVENTUALLY GOES OUT COMPLETELY. AT THE START OF THE PROBLEM IT WOULD GO OUT AT TIMES THEN POP BACK ON FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS.

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ODI 11382983 · 91,000 mi

MY OIL PRESSURE LIGHT CONTINUES TO TURN ON AND OFF EVEN AFTER REPLACED PARTS! BURNING AT LEAST 2 QUARTS OF OIL PER WEEK! BRAKE LIGHTS STOP WORKING IF HEADLIGHTS ARE ON! HAD TO START USING SUPER TO ELIMINATE A RATTLE WHILE ACCELERATING UPHILL! ENGINE SHAKES!!

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3
ODI 11493689 · 110,000 mi

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated upon activating the heater while driving, she smelled an abnormally strong gasoline odor. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact related the failure to Kia Independent Recall Campaign Number SC172 (High Pressure Fuel Pump Outlet Inspection). Additionally, the contact stated while driving and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated to respond and then lunged forward abruptly. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had been reo…

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ODI 11545021

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

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ODI 11738122

Issue 1: High oil consumption in the engine due to poor engine design, according to the auto repair center. 5 quarts of oil are added to the engine once every 2-3 weeks. All oil leaks were previously repaired, but oil is still burning off. Issue 2: The engine has misfired more than once, with a puff of smoke coming out of the exhaust. Issue 3: Twice in the past 1.5-2 years, multiple spark plugs have failed, causing a breakdown. This is a Theta II engine, but it is not in the class action settlement.

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4
ODI 11462612

There is a known issue with this motor burning oil in the engine at an excessive rate. This caused my car to shut down on the California freeway from 65 mph. Warranty wont cover, dealership says its a manufacturer issue that is known and the manufacturer isn't replacing the problem engines. This is a life safety matter

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ODI 11700454

While driving, the vehicle suddenly developed a loud knocking noise from the engine. Within one block the vehicle began smoking heavily from under the hood. I pulled over, opened the hood, and flames were visible. This is a 2016 Kia Optima with the 2.4L Theta II engine. Approximately one year ago the original engine seized and was replaced by a Kia dealer under the Theta II engine recall (SC172/SC147) and class-action settlement. This is the second catastrophic failure of a Theta II engine in this vehicle. The replacement engine has now failed …

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ODI 11742694

The car returned P1326 and had multiple misfires and audible knocking, the dealers will indeed fight the already existing class action warranties. Was sent home and told to “drive the fuck out of it”, to which the car did not make it home and blew gasoline into my cabin while driving on the highway. Almost passed out, and am still fighting Kia to actually address the defective rod bearings. I personally would fight tooth and nail over a 5 dollar problem, but this is something they do nationwide and can cause serious injury or death. If it weren…

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1
ODI 11653514

Unknown

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6
ODI 11290817 · 68,000 mi

THERE WAS A NEW VIBRATION SOUND WHEN WE STARTED DRIVING OUR CAR YESTERDAY. IT SOUNDED LIKE A PANEL WAS A LITTLE LOOSE OR SOMETHING. WITHIN 15 MINUTES OF DRIVING IT ON THE INTERSTATE WE HEARD AN EXPLOSION AND IT WAS THE SUNROOF BURSTING INTO PIECES. FREAKED US OUT WITH THE LOUD NOISE. WE

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ODI 11545021

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

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ODI 11553421

My 2016 Optima has the Pearl White paint. In April 2018 I noticed that it started peeling on the hood. The dealership told me that since I was past the 36k mile warranty (I was at 39k miles then) that I would have to cover the cost out of pocket. It's sad that the vehicle was not even 2 years old and that the paint was coming off and the dealership basically told me "oh well". I am now scared to hand wash the vehicle for fear of it getting any worse. If Kia knew/knows there was an issue with the paint, why don't they just make it right? It's no…

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2
ODI 11003963 · 6 mi

SINCE I HAD THE CAR IN AUG2016 BRAND NEW WHEN I GIVE IT GAS THE VALVES PING AND PEAK EXTREMELY BAD NOT MATTER WHAT FUEL I USE ALSO THE AC KEEPS LOOSING POWER IT WILL BLOW FINE THEN IT ALMOST GOES OFF WHILE STILL DRIVING THE SAME SPEED. ALSO SOMETIMES WHEN THIS HAPPENS I HAVE A MISS OR HESITATION IN THE ENGINE. THERE HAS ALSO BEEN A POP NOISE IN THE BACK END WHEN I STOP OR SLOW DOWN SINCE I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR 6 TIMES TO THE LOCAL DEALER IN CHAS WV WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR AND THEY KEEP SAYING THEY CAN'T DIGNOSE THE PR…

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ODI 11041843 · 2,000 mi

I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING ISSUES WITH MY 2016 KIA OPTIMA SINCE I PURCHASED IT ON SEPTEMBER, 5TH 2016. A SHORT TIME AFTER OWNING MY NEW VEHICLE, FIRST THE CAR STARTED TO HESITATE WHEN STARTING AS IF IT WAS STRUGGLING TO START, THE PUSH BUTTON WOULD TURN RED AND THE INDICATOR LIGHTS WOULD LIGHT UP ON THE DASHBOARD AS IF THE KEY WAS NOT RECOGNIZED IN THE CAR. THE CAR WOULD ALSO SELF ACCELERATE. ON OR AROUND AUGUST 16TH OR 17TH THE CAR STALLED OUT WHILE IT WAS BEING DRIVEN,WE ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE CAR AND IT TURNED ON LIKE NORMAL SO THE TOW WAS C…

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Electrical System
43
ODI 11061513 · 11,145 mi

MY OPTIMA SEEMS TO HESITATE OR STUDDER WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. IT REMINDS ME OF A GEAR SLIPPING BUT MY CAR ONLY HAS 11,145 MI ON IT SO THERE'S NO WAY THAT'S POSSIBLE. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING OBSERVATION FOR MONTHS NOW. I'VE ALSO HAD ONE OF MY MIRRORS NOT GO BACK TO NORMAL POSITION AFTER I MOVED THE CAR FROM R AND BEGAN TO DRIVE. I HAD TO PULL OVER, PLACE THE CAR BACK IN R, AND FLIP BACK TO D FOR THE MIRROR TO GO BACK TO PLACE. LASTLY I'VE NOTICED MY DRIVER SEAT SEAT WARMER BUTTON ISN'T LIGHTING UP LIKE IT USED TO. WHEN ON HIGH, ONLY 2 L…

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ODI 11210573

I'VE BEEN HAVING CAR PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR FOR A OVER A YEAR, THE STEERING WHEEL GET STUCK, MY BRAKES WASN'T WORKING GOOD, SO I GOT NEW BREAKS, HOWEVER MY CAR STILL DOESN'T MAKE A QUICK COMPLETE STOP, I'M ALSO HAVING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, MY HEADLIGHTS BULB HAVE TO BE CHANGED ONCE A WEEK, I ALSO HAVE TO CHANGED MY OIL EVERY WELL, TODAY MY CAR IS AT THE DEALERSHIP WAITING ON A ENGINE, IT'S BEEN THERE FOR OVER THREE MONTHS.

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ODI 11242159 · 43,000 mi

MY CAR STALLED WHILE WAITING AT A STOPLIGHT. WHEN GOING TO ACCELERATE I WAS UNABLE TO. HOWEVER, I LOOKED AT THE CURRENT RECALLS FOR MY CAR. THE YEAR, MODEL, MANUFCATURE DATE MEET THE CRITERIA FOR THE AXEL RECALL. BUT MY VIN # DOESN'T SHOW ANY EXISTING RECALLS.

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11
ODI 11140608 · 30,000 mi

IN AUGUST 2018 I NOTICED THAT THE CAMERA ON THE FRONT GRILLE OF MY 2016 KIA OPTIMA WAS PRODUCING A BLURRY IMAGE. IT DID NOT DO THIS THE NIGHT PRIOR WHEN I USED THE CAMERA TO PARK IN MY GARAGE (WHERE I DID NOT HIT OR BUMP ANYTHING, I WAS NOT EVEN NEAR THE WALL AT THE FRONT OF THE GARAGE). THE LENS HAD A CRACK. SOME CONTEXT: THIS HAPPENED BEFORE IN 2017 AND THE KIA DEALERSHIP IN MCDONOUGH, GA REPAIRED IT AS A WARRANT ITEM. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE NAMED JOSE CAMACHO SAID THEY THEY WOULD COVER IT AS A …

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ODI 11363388

THE CLUSTER STARTED BLINKING OUT WHILE DRIVING THEN EVENTUALLY GOES OUT COMPLETELY. AT THE START OF THE PROBLEM IT WOULD GO OUT AT TIMES THEN POP BACK ON FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS.

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ODI 11382983 · 91,000 mi

MY OIL PRESSURE LIGHT CONTINUES TO TURN ON AND OFF EVEN AFTER REPLACED PARTS! BURNING AT LEAST 2 QUARTS OF OIL PER WEEK! BRAKE LIGHTS STOP WORKING IF HEADLIGHTS ARE ON! HAD TO START USING SUPER TO ELIMINATE A RATTLE WHILE ACCELERATING UPHILL! ENGINE SHAKES!!

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11
ODI 11105163 · 19,540 mi

VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, STOPPED, IN THE WEST CONSHOHOCKEN MUNICIPAL COMMUNITY BUILDING PARKING LOT, 112 FRONT STREET, WEST CONSHOHOCKEN, PA. THE CAR WAS IN PARK WITH EMERGENCY BRAKE ENGAGED. I WENT TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND WHEN I PRESSED THE IGNITION BUTTON, A LOUD EXPLOSION SOUND CAME FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND THEN A LOUD JACK HAMMER SOUND STARTED. CAR SHOT BACKWARDS IN REVERSE AND ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD WERE FLASHING AND A BELL RINGING. I PUMPED THE BRAKES TO STOP THE CAR AND IT WOULD NOT STOP. IN HAD JUST BEEN TURNED OFF, AND WAS ALREA…

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ODI 11446382

#1Headlights & break lights going out often. Bulbs can’t be replaced anymore due to wiring burnt ( 1 headlight ) Took it in and they didn’t even look at it. Have do Documents to back that up #2 Engine light coming on, diagnostic testing indicated spark plugs need to be replaced . Had to do this two times with oil on plugs Took it in and they NEVER look at the spark plugs #3 car burning excessive amount of oil anywhere from 1 quart a week to 3 1/2 quarts after driving 600 miles. Took it into the shop for oil consumption testing only to b…

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ODI 11474792

My name is E........ M........ and I'm writing this email/complaint in hopes it can be resolved or you can pass this email along to the appropriate person or persons to have this matter looked into. We purchased a used 2016 Kia Optima a few years back and have had nothing but trouble, from electrical issues, recalls, transmission issues, oil consumption, and smoke coming through the air vents!!!! and there's more, the last time we had an issue and took it to a dealer for problems shifting, hard shifts, loss of power, and smoking, we were told t…

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6
ODI 11360206 · 46,000 mi

MY 2016 KIA OPTIMA BURSTED INTO FLAMES WHILE STATIONARY IN FRONT OF MY HOME.

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ODI 11434314

Since purchasing this car I’ve had to have electrical repairs done every year. If it’s not the seat it’s the window. If it’s not the window it’s the dash. A couple of days ago my husband said he noticed that the oil in the car was running low really fast. We had just done an oil change on the car not even 30 days prior to this. We were driving late at night back from a work trip when al of a sudden the check engine light came on and the motor started to shake and a thudding noise was getting louder. We were able to pull over and saw that there …

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ODI 11531041

On July 4th, my vehicle lost engine power and flashed a quick prompt of "engine warning" before turning off completely, smoke from under the hood which resulted in a fire. I was able to extinguish it fortunately. I have since discovered there are three open recalls, which I received no notification about. I frequently check for recalls and all sites say there are none.

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9
ODI 11079756

WHEN. I'M DRIVING THE CAR SHUTS OFF BUT COMES RIGHT BACK ON AND SOMETIMES THE RADIO JUST SHUTS OFF AND COMES BACK ON PLUS ALL THE LIGHTS INSIDE GOES OFF.

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ODI 11229286 · 94,300 mi

THE DRIVERS SIDE RUNNING LIGHT WENT OUT ONE DAY AND MY CAR ALERTED THAT IT WAS OUT. I CHANGED THE BULB AND THAT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THE FUSE APPEARED OK, HOWEVER I REPLACED IT JUST TO BE SURE. THERE WAS STILL NO CHANGE. CHECKED THE POWER TO THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY AND I HAVE POWER ALL THE WAY UP UNTIL IT ENTERS THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY AND THEN THERE IS NO POWER TO THE RUNNING LIGHT ONLY. THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE REPLACED FOR A WHOPPING $360.

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ODI 11353615 · 106,000 mi

THE HEADLIGHTS WILL RANDOMLY TURN THEMSELVES ON AND OFF IN DAY AND NIGHT TIME. THIS ONLY HAPPENS IN THE 'AUTO' OPTION FOR THE HEADLIGHTS. I HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS OTHER REPORTS ON THIS ON HERE. IN ADDITION TO THAT THE CAR DOESN'T RESPOND TO THE KEY FOB MOST OF THE TIME EVEN WITH BRAND NEW BATTERY IN THE FOB. STEP DAD HAS THE SAME CAR WITH SAME ISSUES WITH THE KEY FOB.

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2
ODI 11518806

Soonroof/Moonroof closed rattle noise. When the Soonroff/Moonroof is closed at highway speeds or windy weather it make a rattle noise to inside of the car, i try to do their reset method and nothing worked, i being looking in kia forums and most of the people had complained about this issue, and that kia doesnt wants to fix. I will like an investigation of this issue and if you can start a repair campaign recall due this soonroof parts are really pricey. And i think is a manufacturer problem.

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ODI 11551378

The body shop later informed me that there is a recall for engine fire recently,but my year/make is not listedin the info obtained online. The car started stalling while driving down the off. Smoke started coming through the vents. I pulled over to the side of the highway. A passerby told me that the car was on fire. Called 911. To note I had just picked the car up from Jim marsh Kia for battery replacement and problems with steering after the car was stolen in July. I had no previous issues with my car other than routine maintenance which I ha…

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3
ODI 11286250

LETTER FROM CONGRESSMAN EARL L BUDDY CARTER ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT, REGARDING ISSUES WITH A KIA PURCHASED IN SAVANNAH, GEORGIA. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED VARIOUS ISSUES INCLUDING THE BATTERY BEING REPLACED 5 TIMES IN 8 MONTHS, MULTIPLE ENGINE ISSUES, ELECTRICAL ISSUES AND A LACK OF ACCELERATION. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED, WHILE DRIVING WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, THE VEHICLE WOULD SPEED UP TO CATCH UP TO THE DESIGNATED SPEED AND COME IN TO CLOSE CONTACT WITH THE VEHICLE AHEAD. THE FAILURE IS INTERMITTENT. *J…

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ODI 11327625 · 55,000 mi

THE DRIVER DOOR LOCK DOES NOT WORK. IT IS THE ONLY DOOR THAT WILL NOT LOCK SOMETIMES. OTHER TIMES IT IS THE ONLY DOOR THAT WILL NOT UNLOCK. THE CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT ALWAYS WANT TO WORK. IT WILL SAY CRUISE BUT WILL NOT LET ME SET IT.

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ODI 11673169

1) Rear passenger window failed a couple months ago. I believe it was regulator, not 100% sure. Cost me a couple hundred to fix. Now, few months later, the driver side rear window has failed. I rarely use the windows so I believe the failing parts are Kia known manufacturing defect. The dealer acknowledged that it’s a known problem with the vehicles like mine and even suggested the other one is going to fail soon. Now it has. If the dealership is aware then it’s likely a Kia flaw. If it’s a know manufacturing flaw, shouldn’t Kia should be fixi…

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Power Train
34
ODI 10934131 · 25 mi

WHEN STARTING FROM A DEAD STOP, THE CAR HESITATES UP TO 6 OR 7 SECONDS. I THINK IT HAS STALLED, THEN IT STARTS AGAIN BY ITS SELF. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WHEN PULLING OUT INTO AN INTERSECTION. IT DOES THIS CONSTANTLY.

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ODI 10958641 · 600 mi

FROM A DEAD STOP DRIVING AROUND, RELEASING THE BRAKE PETAL FROM A STOP AND GETTING READY TO GET GOING, THE CAR SHUTTERS A BIT AND/OR BOTH THE ENGINE FEELS LIKE IT'S GONNA STALL. HESITATION TO GET GOING.. DOES IT IN ALL 3 DRIVE MODES. DEALERS SAYS NPF.. OF COURSE AND SAID MAYBE QUALITY OF GAS, I USE TOP TIER GAS ONLY.

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ODI 10984188

THIS VEHICLE SUFFERS FROM A HESITATION DURING TAKE OFF. ACCORDING TO KIA THIS HESITATION COME FROM A 7 SPEED DUAL CLUTCH TRANSMISSION(DCT). WHICH CAUSES THE VEHICLE THE DRIVER TO FEEL A SHUDDER SENSATION. THIS VEHICLE HAS A DOUBLE CLUTCH. I HAVE TAKEN MY 2016 KIA OPTIMA DEALERS FOR REPAIR TO THIS PROBLEM WITHOUT ANY SOLUTION. RUNS ROUGH.

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3
ODI 11493689 · 110,000 mi

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated upon activating the heater while driving, she smelled an abnormally strong gasoline odor. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact related the failure to Kia Independent Recall Campaign Number SC172 (High Pressure Fuel Pump Outlet Inspection). Additionally, the contact stated while driving and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated to respond and then lunged forward abruptly. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had been reo…

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ODI 11545021

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

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ODI 11738122

Issue 1: High oil consumption in the engine due to poor engine design, according to the auto repair center. 5 quarts of oil are added to the engine once every 2-3 weeks. All oil leaks were previously repaired, but oil is still burning off. Issue 2: The engine has misfired more than once, with a puff of smoke coming out of the exhaust. Issue 3: Twice in the past 1.5-2 years, multiple spark plugs have failed, causing a breakdown. This is a Theta II engine, but it is not in the class action settlement.

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11
ODI 11105163 · 19,540 mi

VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, STOPPED, IN THE WEST CONSHOHOCKEN MUNICIPAL COMMUNITY BUILDING PARKING LOT, 112 FRONT STREET, WEST CONSHOHOCKEN, PA. THE CAR WAS IN PARK WITH EMERGENCY BRAKE ENGAGED. I WENT TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND WHEN I PRESSED THE IGNITION BUTTON, A LOUD EXPLOSION SOUND CAME FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND THEN A LOUD JACK HAMMER SOUND STARTED. CAR SHOT BACKWARDS IN REVERSE AND ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD WERE FLASHING AND A BELL RINGING. I PUMPED THE BRAKES TO STOP THE CAR AND IT WOULD NOT STOP. IN HAD JUST BEEN TURNED OFF, AND WAS ALREA…

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ODI 11446382

#1Headlights & break lights going out often. Bulbs can’t be replaced anymore due to wiring burnt ( 1 headlight ) Took it in and they didn’t even look at it. Have do Documents to back that up #2 Engine light coming on, diagnostic testing indicated spark plugs need to be replaced . Had to do this two times with oil on plugs Took it in and they NEVER look at the spark plugs #3 car burning excessive amount of oil anywhere from 1 quart a week to 3 1/2 quarts after driving 600 miles. Took it into the shop for oil consumption testing only to b…

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ODI 11474792

My name is E........ M........ and I'm writing this email/complaint in hopes it can be resolved or you can pass this email along to the appropriate person or persons to have this matter looked into. We purchased a used 2016 Kia Optima a few years back and have had nothing but trouble, from electrical issues, recalls, transmission issues, oil consumption, and smoke coming through the air vents!!!! and there's more, the last time we had an issue and took it to a dealer for problems shifting, hard shifts, loss of power, and smoking, we were told t…

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5
ODI 11016121

SHUTTER/HESITATION UPON TAKE OFF. I SIGNED MY LEASE ON 9/29 AND WAS AT THE SERVICE DEPT FIRST OF 7 TIMES ON 10/4. AT FIRST I WAS TOLD THE CAR HAD TO "LEARN THE WAY I DRIVE" THAT THERE WERE NO ISSUES WITH MY CAR. SINCE THEN THE DEALER HAS "RESET" THE TRANSMISSION, CHANGED FUEL INJECTORS, REPLACED TRANSMISSION, AND NOW HAS DONE 'SEVERAL UPDATES' (SERIOUSLY?) THIS CAR HAS NEARLY CAUSED ACCIDENTS ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. WHEN I ASKED THE TECH IF HE WOULD DRIVE HIS FAMILY IN THIS CAR I GOT NO RESPONSE. I HAVE ASKED ON THE LAST 2 TRIPS TO THE DEALER F…

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ODI 11252716 · 123,000 mi

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS BLINKING, THERE IS A NOTICEABLE DECREASE IN POWER, AND IT JERKS OUT OF FIRST GEAR. TOOK IT TO AUTOZONE FOR A FREE DIAGNOSTIC WHICH WAS P1326. ALL FLUID ARE IN ORDER. MILAGE IS 123,000. THIS HAPPENED WHEN I WAS DRIVING HE FR WORK.

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ODI 11462891

Four times in less than one year, car stutters, or stalls completely, check engine light flashes, and I have to maneuver to highway shoulder or slow lane to get towed. Very unsafe. Kia keeps it for a week , forces a software update repeatedly, sends me on my way and a few months later the sane thing again. Error codes always indicate engine knock amongst other things/an issue they know is theirs but “have to exhaust all options before they will approve replacement” according to service mgr. I have a car that I don’t feel safe driving because I …

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1
ODI 11759385

Vehicle was purchased in 2023. AC blower failure occurred for the first time in June 2024 and was repaired by PepBoys. On 4/2/2025 the ve3hicle had an active recall event when the engine seized on the highway because of a faulty oil pump/filter, Engine was replaced 4/17/2025 under that recall. Kia advised at the time that the wiring harness should be replaced due to electrical issues at the time but said that there was no recall for that work. At the time, there were no electrical failures of steering, brakes, all power etc. Nor did we know tha…

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1
ODI 11545021

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

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4
ODI 11067114 · 7 mi

WHEN THE CAR ENCOUNTERS A HILL AND NEEDS TO DOWNSHIFT, EITHER TO CLIMB OR TO HOLD BACK THE SPEED WHEN IT DESCENDS, THE CRUISE CONTROL REMEMBERS THE DOWNSHIFT AND WILL NOT RETURN TO HIGH GEAR UNTIL A) IT IS MANUALLY OVERRIDDEN, BUT WILL STILL DOWNSHIFT UP TO 2 GEARS, WHEN THE LEVER IS PLACED BACK TO AUTOMATIC OR, B) WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL IS TURNED OFF. THE CRUISE CONTROL ALSO BELATEDLY REACTS TO LOSS OF SPEED CONTROL AND OVERCORRECTS WITH TOO MUCH POWER, RESULTING IN A CRUDE RIDE, AS WELL. THE WORKLOAD IS INCREASED DEALING WITH GETTING T…

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ODI 11283209 · 73,550 mi

P1326 ENGINE CODE CAME ON WHILE DRIVING 60MPH ON THE INTERSTATE. LUCKILY WAS IN FAR LEFT LANE WHEN ENGINE SHUT OFF AND WAS SAFELY ABLE TO GET OFF FREEWAY TO A NEARBY GAS STATION.

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ODI 11400426 · 41,916 mi

WAS EXITING THE FREEWAY, CAME TO A STOPLIGHT, AND AS CONTINUING WITH DRIVING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STARTS BLINKING AND WAS NOT ABLE TO ACCELERATE, AS IF IT WAS SLIPPING. CAR WOULD NOT GO OVER AROUND 30 MPH UNTIL FEELING THE CAR NOT ABLE TO ACCELERATE AGAIN. I USED A CODE READER AND GOT CODE P1326, WHICH I HAD LOOKED UP AND SAYS IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH A KNOCK SENSOR DETECTION SYSTEM. HAD BRING MY CAR IN TO GET IT CHECKED OUT AND WAS TOLD MY CAR HAD LOW OIL, ABOUT 2 QUARTZ. I DO REGULAR OIL CHANGES THOUGH AND HAD DONE AN OIL CHANGE A FEW WE…

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Fuel/Propulsion System
43
ODI 11016121

SHUTTER/HESITATION UPON TAKE OFF. I SIGNED MY LEASE ON 9/29 AND WAS AT THE SERVICE DEPT FIRST OF 7 TIMES ON 10/4. AT FIRST I WAS TOLD THE CAR HAD TO "LEARN THE WAY I DRIVE" THAT THERE WERE NO ISSUES WITH MY CAR. SINCE THEN THE DEALER HAS "RESET" THE TRANSMISSION, CHANGED FUEL INJECTORS, REPLACED TRANSMISSION, AND NOW HAS DONE 'SEVERAL UPDATES' (SERIOUSLY?) THIS CAR HAS NEARLY CAUSED ACCIDENTS ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. WHEN I ASKED THE TECH IF HE WOULD DRIVE HIS FAMILY IN THIS CAR I GOT NO RESPONSE. I HAVE ASKED ON THE LAST 2 TRIPS TO THE DEALER F…

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ODI 11025159 · 20 mi

TAKATA RECALL CAR STARTS TO STALL AND IDLE WHEN ON THE ROAD AND IN TRAFFIC. CAR STARTS TO BACK UP AND REVERSE WITHOUT NOTICE OR WARNING. ENGINE, BATTERY COMES ON AUTOMATICALLY AND I HAVE TO TURN OFF IGNITION AND RESTART VEHICLE.

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ODI 11252716 · 123,000 mi

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS BLINKING, THERE IS A NOTICEABLE DECREASE IN POWER, AND IT JERKS OUT OF FIRST GEAR. TOOK IT TO AUTOZONE FOR A FREE DIAGNOSTIC WHICH WAS P1326. ALL FLUID ARE IN ORDER. MILAGE IS 123,000. THIS HAPPENED WHEN I WAS DRIVING HE FR WORK.

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4
ODI 11462612

There is a known issue with this motor burning oil in the engine at an excessive rate. This caused my car to shut down on the California freeway from 65 mph. Warranty wont cover, dealership says its a manufacturer issue that is known and the manufacturer isn't replacing the problem engines. This is a life safety matter

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ODI 11700454

While driving, the vehicle suddenly developed a loud knocking noise from the engine. Within one block the vehicle began smoking heavily from under the hood. I pulled over, opened the hood, and flames were visible. This is a 2016 Kia Optima with the 2.4L Theta II engine. Approximately one year ago the original engine seized and was replaced by a Kia dealer under the Theta II engine recall (SC172/SC147) and class-action settlement. This is the second catastrophic failure of a Theta II engine in this vehicle. The replacement engine has now failed …

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ODI 11742694

The car returned P1326 and had multiple misfires and audible knocking, the dealers will indeed fight the already existing class action warranties. Was sent home and told to “drive the fuck out of it”, to which the car did not make it home and blew gasoline into my cabin while driving on the highway. Almost passed out, and am still fighting Kia to actually address the defective rod bearings. I personally would fight tooth and nail over a 5 dollar problem, but this is something they do nationwide and can cause serious injury or death. If it weren…

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6
ODI 11360206 · 46,000 mi

MY 2016 KIA OPTIMA BURSTED INTO FLAMES WHILE STATIONARY IN FRONT OF MY HOME.

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ODI 11434314

Since purchasing this car I’ve had to have electrical repairs done every year. If it’s not the seat it’s the window. If it’s not the window it’s the dash. A couple of days ago my husband said he noticed that the oil in the car was running low really fast. We had just done an oil change on the car not even 30 days prior to this. We were driving late at night back from a work trip when al of a sudden the check engine light came on and the motor started to shake and a thudding noise was getting louder. We were able to pull over and saw that there …

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ODI 11531041

On July 4th, my vehicle lost engine power and flashed a quick prompt of "engine warning" before turning off completely, smoke from under the hood which resulted in a fire. I was able to extinguish it fortunately. I have since discovered there are three open recalls, which I received no notification about. I frequently check for recalls and all sites say there are none.

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5
ODI 11016121

SHUTTER/HESITATION UPON TAKE OFF. I SIGNED MY LEASE ON 9/29 AND WAS AT THE SERVICE DEPT FIRST OF 7 TIMES ON 10/4. AT FIRST I WAS TOLD THE CAR HAD TO "LEARN THE WAY I DRIVE" THAT THERE WERE NO ISSUES WITH MY CAR. SINCE THEN THE DEALER HAS "RESET" THE TRANSMISSION, CHANGED FUEL INJECTORS, REPLACED TRANSMISSION, AND NOW HAS DONE 'SEVERAL UPDATES' (SERIOUSLY?) THIS CAR HAS NEARLY CAUSED ACCIDENTS ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. WHEN I ASKED THE TECH IF HE WOULD DRIVE HIS FAMILY IN THIS CAR I GOT NO RESPONSE. I HAVE ASKED ON THE LAST 2 TRIPS TO THE DEALER F…

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ODI 11252716 · 123,000 mi

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS BLINKING, THERE IS A NOTICEABLE DECREASE IN POWER, AND IT JERKS OUT OF FIRST GEAR. TOOK IT TO AUTOZONE FOR A FREE DIAGNOSTIC WHICH WAS P1326. ALL FLUID ARE IN ORDER. MILAGE IS 123,000. THIS HAPPENED WHEN I WAS DRIVING HE FR WORK.

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ODI 11462891

Four times in less than one year, car stutters, or stalls completely, check engine light flashes, and I have to maneuver to highway shoulder or slow lane to get towed. Very unsafe. Kia keeps it for a week , forces a software update repeatedly, sends me on my way and a few months later the sane thing again. Error codes always indicate engine knock amongst other things/an issue they know is theirs but “have to exhaust all options before they will approve replacement” according to service mgr. I have a car that I don’t feel safe driving because I …

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—0
2
ODI 11309450 · 110,000 mi

ON 1/12/2020, I WAS DRIVING MY CAR 2016 KIA OPTIMA FROM ALPHARETTA TO DECATUR TO ATTEND CHURCH. I PULLED INTO THE PARKING LOT OF THE CHURCH AND PARKED. A FEW SECONDS AFTER I PARKED, I BEGAN SEEING LOTS OF SMOKE COMING FROM THE RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. THE POLICE MEN WHO WERE IN THE PARKING LOT DIRECTING TRAFFIC ASKED ME TO GET OUT OF THE CAR QUICKLY AND BEGAN ATTEMPTING TO QUENCH THE FIRE WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. SHORTLY AFTER, THE DEKALB FIRE DEPT ARRIVED AND FOUGHT TO PUT OUT AND CONTAIN THE FIRE. IT WAS THEN TOWED TO THE TOW YARD. I…

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ODI 11587870

I was told that my engine had a recall on it so I had an upcoming appointment with Kia in like 2 weeks for them to check my engine but the car didn’t make it. I was driving my car on interstate 20 my car had began to have a bad chemical smell and started smoking so I pulled over on the interstate and my car was in flames. Me and my daughter was in the car we could have lost our lives thank God we were able to make it out just in time. The fire department came and made a report on the incident. It wasn’t any engine light on at the time. I have c…

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8
ODI 11154465 · 57,529 mi

THE CAR STUMBLES TO START AND WHEN I ACCELERATE IT FLUTTERS UNTIL PICKING UP SPEED. THIS HAPPENED ON HIGHWAY 43.

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ODI 11252838 · 35,555 mi

EVER SINCE I HAD MY CAR SERVICED ABOUT 3 WEEKS AGO MY CAR HAS BEEN SLUGGISH AND ACCELERATION HAS WEAKENED, ALSO I'M GETTING POORER GAS MILEAGE. THE RECALL THAT WAS FIXED HAS GREATLY REDUCED THE PERFORMANCE OF MY VEHICLE.

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ODI 11292234 · 75,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR THE FUEL CONSUMPTION IN THE MOTOR WOULD BOG THE ENGINE DOWN TO WHERE IT WOULD BARELY GO OVER 40 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. AT THIS TIME THE ENGINE TROUBLE INDICATOR LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND NOT GO OFF. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP IN MT. HOPE, WV.. THE MECHANIC CHANGED OUT THE SENSOR THAT SHOWED UP ON HIS METER AND THE ENGINE SEEMED TO DO GOOD WHILE IN THE SHOP BUT WHEN THEY BACKED IT OUT OF THE SHOP BAY, ANOTHER SENSOR LIGHR CAME ON. WE HAD ALREADY PAID THE DEALERSHIP $206, THEY WOULD NOT RETURN OUR MONEY

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Exterior Lighting
8
ODI 11219131

I JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR A MONTH AGO AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO WORK IN IT AS A LYFT DRIVER BECAUSE THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING WRONG WITH IT IT'S BEEN IN THE SHOP MORE THAN I'VE DROVE IT IT MAKES A KNOCKING NOISE AND I'M NOT SAFE IN THE VEHICLE I DID A HISTORY CHECK ON IT AND COME TO FIND OUT THEIR ARE A BUNCH OF RECALLS ON IT CAN ANYONE HELP ME PLEASE?I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET AND HIGHWAYS.

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ODI 11320229 · 41,000 mi

SO I JUST TOOK MY WIFES CAR TO OUR LOCAL MECHANIC WHO NORMALLY DOES OUR OIL CHANGES. THE PRIOR WEEKEND I MOVED HER CAR TO MOW THE LAWN AND HER OIL LIGHT CAME ON THEN WENT RIGHT OFF. I LET IT GO BECAUSE WE WHERE DUE FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND DIDNT THINK ANYTHING OF IT( CONSIDERING IT'S A 2016 AND THOUGHT MAYBE THE OIL LIGHT WOULD COME ON STATING IT NEEDS AN OIL CHANGE). SO THE NEXT WEEK MY WIFE TELLS ME THAT HER OIL LIGHT CAME ON TWICE IN 1 DAY, I SAID OK I'LL CHECK THE OIL AFTER WORK AND ENGINE HAS COOLED DOWN. I CHECKED IT AND HAD NO OIL, GREAT! S…

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ODI 11385158 · 103,000 mi

MID SEPTEMBER, 2020, I BEGAN TO NOTICE THAT MY HEADLIGHTS WOULD TURN OFF AS I WAS DRIVING. THEY WOULD CUT OFF FOR NO MORE THAN 15 SECONDS AND TURN BACK ON. I DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING OF IT, UNTIL I STARTED HAVING ISSUES WITH OTHER COMPONENTS OF MY 2016 KIA OPTIMA. ON 11/30/2020 I WAS DRIVING AT 30MPH THROUGH A RESIDENTIAL AREA. AS I WAS APPROACHING A STOP SIGN, MY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE, THE CAR BEGAN TO JUMP AND HESITATE. NO MATTER HOW FAR DOWN I PUSHED THE GAS, THE CARE WAS JUMPING/SHAKING AND WOLD NOT ACCELERATE OVER 2…

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1
ODI 11653514

Unknown

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9
ODI 11079756

WHEN. I'M DRIVING THE CAR SHUTS OFF BUT COMES RIGHT BACK ON AND SOMETIMES THE RADIO JUST SHUTS OFF AND COMES BACK ON PLUS ALL THE LIGHTS INSIDE GOES OFF.

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ODI 11229286 · 94,300 mi

THE DRIVERS SIDE RUNNING LIGHT WENT OUT ONE DAY AND MY CAR ALERTED THAT IT WAS OUT. I CHANGED THE BULB AND THAT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THE FUSE APPEARED OK, HOWEVER I REPLACED IT JUST TO BE SURE. THERE WAS STILL NO CHANGE. CHECKED THE POWER TO THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY AND I HAVE POWER ALL THE WAY UP UNTIL IT ENTERS THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY AND THEN THERE IS NO POWER TO THE RUNNING LIGHT ONLY. THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE REPLACED FOR A WHOPPING $360.

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ODI 11353615 · 106,000 mi

THE HEADLIGHTS WILL RANDOMLY TURN THEMSELVES ON AND OFF IN DAY AND NIGHT TIME. THIS ONLY HAPPENS IN THE 'AUTO' OPTION FOR THE HEADLIGHTS. I HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS OTHER REPORTS ON THIS ON HERE. IN ADDITION TO THAT THE CAR DOESN'T RESPOND TO THE KEY FOB MOST OF THE TIME EVEN WITH BRAND NEW BATTERY IN THE FOB. STEP DAD HAS THE SAME CAR WITH SAME ISSUES WITH THE KEY FOB.

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1
ODI 11759385

Vehicle was purchased in 2023. AC blower failure occurred for the first time in June 2024 and was repaired by PepBoys. On 4/2/2025 the ve3hicle had an active recall event when the engine seized on the highway because of a faulty oil pump/filter, Engine was replaced 4/17/2025 under that recall. Kia advised at the time that the wiring harness should be replaced due to electrical issues at the time but said that there was no recall for that work. At the time, there were no electrical failures of steering, brakes, all power etc. Nor did we know tha…

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0—0
1
ODI 11385158 · 103,000 mi

MID SEPTEMBER, 2020, I BEGAN TO NOTICE THAT MY HEADLIGHTS WOULD TURN OFF AS I WAS DRIVING. THEY WOULD CUT OFF FOR NO MORE THAN 15 SECONDS AND TURN BACK ON. I DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING OF IT, UNTIL I STARTED HAVING ISSUES WITH OTHER COMPONENTS OF MY 2016 KIA OPTIMA. ON 11/30/2020 I WAS DRIVING AT 30MPH THROUGH A RESIDENTIAL AREA. AS I WAS APPROACHING A STOP SIGN, MY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE, THE CAR BEGAN TO JUMP AND HESITATE. NO MATTER HOW FAR DOWN I PUSHED THE GAS, THE CARE WAS JUMPING/SHAKING AND WOLD NOT ACCELERATE OVER 2…

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Structure:Body
4
ODI 11309450 · 110,000 mi

ON 1/12/2020, I WAS DRIVING MY CAR 2016 KIA OPTIMA FROM ALPHARETTA TO DECATUR TO ATTEND CHURCH. I PULLED INTO THE PARKING LOT OF THE CHURCH AND PARKED. A FEW SECONDS AFTER I PARKED, I BEGAN SEEING LOTS OF SMOKE COMING FROM THE RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. THE POLICE MEN WHO WERE IN THE PARKING LOT DIRECTING TRAFFIC ASKED ME TO GET OUT OF THE CAR QUICKLY AND BEGAN ATTEMPTING TO QUENCH THE FIRE WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. SHORTLY AFTER, THE DEKALB FIRE DEPT ARRIVED AND FOUGHT TO PUT OUT AND CONTAIN THE FIRE. IT WAS THEN TOWED TO THE TOW YARD. I…

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ODI 11551378

The body shop later informed me that there is a recall for engine fire recently,but my year/make is not listedin the info obtained online. The car started stalling while driving down the off. Smoke started coming through the vents. I pulled over to the side of the highway. A passerby told me that the car was on fire. Called 911. To note I had just picked the car up from Jim marsh Kia for battery replacement and problems with steering after the car was stolen in July. I had no previous issues with my car other than routine maintenance which I ha…

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ODI 11587870

I was told that my engine had a recall on it so I had an upcoming appointment with Kia in like 2 weeks for them to check my engine but the car didn’t make it. I was driving my car on interstate 20 my car had began to have a bad chemical smell and started smoking so I pulled over on the interstate and my car was in flames. Me and my daughter was in the car we could have lost our lives thank God we were able to make it out just in time. The fire department came and made a report on the incident. It wasn’t any engine light on at the time. I have c…

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6
ODI 11290817 · 68,000 mi

THERE WAS A NEW VIBRATION SOUND WHEN WE STARTED DRIVING OUR CAR YESTERDAY. IT SOUNDED LIKE A PANEL WAS A LITTLE LOOSE OR SOMETHING. WITHIN 15 MINUTES OF DRIVING IT ON THE INTERSTATE WE HEARD AN EXPLOSION AND IT WAS THE SUNROOF BURSTING INTO PIECES. FREAKED US OUT WITH THE LOUD NOISE. WE

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ODI 11545021

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

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ODI 11553421

My 2016 Optima has the Pearl White paint. In April 2018 I noticed that it started peeling on the hood. The dealership told me that since I was past the 36k mile warranty (I was at 39k miles then) that I would have to cover the cost out of pocket. It's sad that the vehicle was not even 2 years old and that the paint was coming off and the dealership basically told me "oh well". I am now scared to hand wash the vehicle for fear of it getting any worse. If Kia knew/knows there was an issue with the paint, why don't they just make it right? It's no…

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2
ODI 11518806

Soonroof/Moonroof closed rattle noise. When the Soonroff/Moonroof is closed at highway speeds or windy weather it make a rattle noise to inside of the car, i try to do their reset method and nothing worked, i being looking in kia forums and most of the people had complained about this issue, and that kia doesnt wants to fix. I will like an investigation of this issue and if you can start a repair campaign recall due this soonroof parts are really pricey. And i think is a manufacturer problem.

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ODI 11551378

The body shop later informed me that there is a recall for engine fire recently,but my year/make is not listedin the info obtained online. The car started stalling while driving down the off. Smoke started coming through the vents. I pulled over to the side of the highway. A passerby told me that the car was on fire. Called 911. To note I had just picked the car up from Jim marsh Kia for battery replacement and problems with steering after the car was stolen in July. I had no previous issues with my car other than routine maintenance which I ha…

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1
ODI 11545021

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

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2
ODI 11309450 · 110,000 mi

ON 1/12/2020, I WAS DRIVING MY CAR 2016 KIA OPTIMA FROM ALPHARETTA TO DECATUR TO ATTEND CHURCH. I PULLED INTO THE PARKING LOT OF THE CHURCH AND PARKED. A FEW SECONDS AFTER I PARKED, I BEGAN SEEING LOTS OF SMOKE COMING FROM THE RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. THE POLICE MEN WHO WERE IN THE PARKING LOT DIRECTING TRAFFIC ASKED ME TO GET OUT OF THE CAR QUICKLY AND BEGAN ATTEMPTING TO QUENCH THE FIRE WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. SHORTLY AFTER, THE DEKALB FIRE DEPT ARRIVED AND FOUGHT TO PUT OUT AND CONTAIN THE FIRE. IT WAS THEN TOWED TO THE TOW YARD. I…

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ODI 11587870

I was told that my engine had a recall on it so I had an upcoming appointment with Kia in like 2 weeks for them to check my engine but the car didn’t make it. I was driving my car on interstate 20 my car had began to have a bad chemical smell and started smoking so I pulled over on the interstate and my car was in flames. Me and my daughter was in the car we could have lost our lives thank God we were able to make it out just in time. The fire department came and made a report on the incident. It wasn’t any engine light on at the time. I have c…

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0—0
Vehicle Speed Control
20
ODI 10937252 · 1,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY AND THE ENGINE RPMS DRASTICALLY INCREASED TO 6 OR 7. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THERE WAS A BURNING ODOR COMING FROM THE ENGINE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CVT VALVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NUMBER 75 ON THE WAITING LIST FOR THE REPAIRS AND PROVIDED A LOANER VEHICLE. T…

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ODI 11003963 · 6 mi

SINCE I HAD THE CAR IN AUG2016 BRAND NEW WHEN I GIVE IT GAS THE VALVES PING AND PEAK EXTREMELY BAD NOT MATTER WHAT FUEL I USE ALSO THE AC KEEPS LOOSING POWER IT WILL BLOW FINE THEN IT ALMOST GOES OFF WHILE STILL DRIVING THE SAME SPEED. ALSO SOMETIMES WHEN THIS HAPPENS I HAVE A MISS OR HESITATION IN THE ENGINE. THERE HAS ALSO BEEN A POP NOISE IN THE BACK END WHEN I STOP OR SLOW DOWN SINCE I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR 6 TIMES TO THE LOCAL DEALER IN CHAS WV WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR AND THEY KEEP SAYING THEY CAN'T DIGNOSE THE PR…

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ODI 11041843 · 2,000 mi

I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING ISSUES WITH MY 2016 KIA OPTIMA SINCE I PURCHASED IT ON SEPTEMBER, 5TH 2016. A SHORT TIME AFTER OWNING MY NEW VEHICLE, FIRST THE CAR STARTED TO HESITATE WHEN STARTING AS IF IT WAS STRUGGLING TO START, THE PUSH BUTTON WOULD TURN RED AND THE INDICATOR LIGHTS WOULD LIGHT UP ON THE DASHBOARD AS IF THE KEY WAS NOT RECOGNIZED IN THE CAR. THE CAR WOULD ALSO SELF ACCELERATE. ON OR AROUND AUGUST 16TH OR 17TH THE CAR STALLED OUT WHILE IT WAS BEING DRIVEN,WE ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE CAR AND IT TURNED ON LIKE NORMAL SO THE TOW WAS C…

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2
ODI 11003963 · 6 mi

SINCE I HAD THE CAR IN AUG2016 BRAND NEW WHEN I GIVE IT GAS THE VALVES PING AND PEAK EXTREMELY BAD NOT MATTER WHAT FUEL I USE ALSO THE AC KEEPS LOOSING POWER IT WILL BLOW FINE THEN IT ALMOST GOES OFF WHILE STILL DRIVING THE SAME SPEED. ALSO SOMETIMES WHEN THIS HAPPENS I HAVE A MISS OR HESITATION IN THE ENGINE. THERE HAS ALSO BEEN A POP NOISE IN THE BACK END WHEN I STOP OR SLOW DOWN SINCE I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR 6 TIMES TO THE LOCAL DEALER IN CHAS WV WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR AND THEY KEEP SAYING THEY CAN'T DIGNOSE THE PR…

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ODI 11041843 · 2,000 mi

I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING ISSUES WITH MY 2016 KIA OPTIMA SINCE I PURCHASED IT ON SEPTEMBER, 5TH 2016. A SHORT TIME AFTER OWNING MY NEW VEHICLE, FIRST THE CAR STARTED TO HESITATE WHEN STARTING AS IF IT WAS STRUGGLING TO START, THE PUSH BUTTON WOULD TURN RED AND THE INDICATOR LIGHTS WOULD LIGHT UP ON THE DASHBOARD AS IF THE KEY WAS NOT RECOGNIZED IN THE CAR. THE CAR WOULD ALSO SELF ACCELERATE. ON OR AROUND AUGUST 16TH OR 17TH THE CAR STALLED OUT WHILE IT WAS BEING DRIVEN,WE ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE CAR AND IT TURNED ON LIKE NORMAL SO THE TOW WAS C…

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3
ODI 11286250

LETTER FROM CONGRESSMAN EARL L BUDDY CARTER ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT, REGARDING ISSUES WITH A KIA PURCHASED IN SAVANNAH, GEORGIA. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED VARIOUS ISSUES INCLUDING THE BATTERY BEING REPLACED 5 TIMES IN 8 MONTHS, MULTIPLE ENGINE ISSUES, ELECTRICAL ISSUES AND A LACK OF ACCELERATION. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED, WHILE DRIVING WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, THE VEHICLE WOULD SPEED UP TO CATCH UP TO THE DESIGNATED SPEED AND COME IN TO CLOSE CONTACT WITH THE VEHICLE AHEAD. THE FAILURE IS INTERMITTENT. *J…

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ODI 11327625 · 55,000 mi

THE DRIVER DOOR LOCK DOES NOT WORK. IT IS THE ONLY DOOR THAT WILL NOT LOCK SOMETIMES. OTHER TIMES IT IS THE ONLY DOOR THAT WILL NOT UNLOCK. THE CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT ALWAYS WANT TO WORK. IT WILL SAY CRUISE BUT WILL NOT LET ME SET IT.

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ODI 11673169

1) Rear passenger window failed a couple months ago. I believe it was regulator, not 100% sure. Cost me a couple hundred to fix. Now, few months later, the driver side rear window has failed. I rarely use the windows so I believe the failing parts are Kia known manufacturing defect. The dealer acknowledged that it’s a known problem with the vehicles like mine and even suggested the other one is going to fail soon. Now it has. If the dealership is aware then it’s likely a Kia flaw. If it’s a know manufacturing flaw, shouldn’t Kia should be fixi…

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4
ODI 11067114 · 7 mi

WHEN THE CAR ENCOUNTERS A HILL AND NEEDS TO DOWNSHIFT, EITHER TO CLIMB OR TO HOLD BACK THE SPEED WHEN IT DESCENDS, THE CRUISE CONTROL REMEMBERS THE DOWNSHIFT AND WILL NOT RETURN TO HIGH GEAR UNTIL A) IT IS MANUALLY OVERRIDDEN, BUT WILL STILL DOWNSHIFT UP TO 2 GEARS, WHEN THE LEVER IS PLACED BACK TO AUTOMATIC OR, B) WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL IS TURNED OFF. THE CRUISE CONTROL ALSO BELATEDLY REACTS TO LOSS OF SPEED CONTROL AND OVERCORRECTS WITH TOO MUCH POWER, RESULTING IN A CRUDE RIDE, AS WELL. THE WORKLOAD IS INCREASED DEALING WITH GETTING T…

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ODI 11283209 · 73,550 mi

P1326 ENGINE CODE CAME ON WHILE DRIVING 60MPH ON THE INTERSTATE. LUCKILY WAS IN FAR LEFT LANE WHEN ENGINE SHUT OFF AND WAS SAFELY ABLE TO GET OFF FREEWAY TO A NEARBY GAS STATION.

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ODI 11400426 · 41,916 mi

WAS EXITING THE FREEWAY, CAME TO A STOPLIGHT, AND AS CONTINUING WITH DRIVING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STARTS BLINKING AND WAS NOT ABLE TO ACCELERATE, AS IF IT WAS SLIPPING. CAR WOULD NOT GO OVER AROUND 30 MPH UNTIL FEELING THE CAR NOT ABLE TO ACCELERATE AGAIN. I USED A CODE READER AND GOT CODE P1326, WHICH I HAD LOOKED UP AND SAYS IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH A KNOCK SENSOR DETECTION SYSTEM. HAD BRING MY CAR IN TO GET IT CHECKED OUT AND WAS TOLD MY CAR HAD LOW OIL, ABOUT 2 QUARTZ. I DO REGULAR OIL CHANGES THOUGH AND HAD DONE AN OIL CHANGE A FEW WE…

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8
ODI 11154465 · 57,529 mi

THE CAR STUMBLES TO START AND WHEN I ACCELERATE IT FLUTTERS UNTIL PICKING UP SPEED. THIS HAPPENED ON HIGHWAY 43.

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ODI 11252838 · 35,555 mi

EVER SINCE I HAD MY CAR SERVICED ABOUT 3 WEEKS AGO MY CAR HAS BEEN SLUGGISH AND ACCELERATION HAS WEAKENED, ALSO I'M GETTING POORER GAS MILEAGE. THE RECALL THAT WAS FIXED HAS GREATLY REDUCED THE PERFORMANCE OF MY VEHICLE.

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ODI 11292234 · 75,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR THE FUEL CONSUMPTION IN THE MOTOR WOULD BOG THE ENGINE DOWN TO WHERE IT WOULD BARELY GO OVER 40 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. AT THIS TIME THE ENGINE TROUBLE INDICATOR LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND NOT GO OFF. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP IN MT. HOPE, WV.. THE MECHANIC CHANGED OUT THE SENSOR THAT SHOWED UP ON HIS METER AND THE ENGINE SEEMED TO DO GOOD WHILE IN THE SHOP BUT WHEN THEY BACKED IT OUT OF THE SHOP BAY, ANOTHER SENSOR LIGHR CAME ON. WE HAD ALREADY PAID THE DEALERSHIP $206, THEY WOULD NOT RETURN OUR MONEY

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1
ODI 11385158 · 103,000 mi

MID SEPTEMBER, 2020, I BEGAN TO NOTICE THAT MY HEADLIGHTS WOULD TURN OFF AS I WAS DRIVING. THEY WOULD CUT OFF FOR NO MORE THAN 15 SECONDS AND TURN BACK ON. I DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING OF IT, UNTIL I STARTED HAVING ISSUES WITH OTHER COMPONENTS OF MY 2016 KIA OPTIMA. ON 11/30/2020 I WAS DRIVING AT 30MPH THROUGH A RESIDENTIAL AREA. AS I WAS APPROACHING A STOP SIGN, MY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE, THE CAR BEGAN TO JUMP AND HESITATE. NO MATTER HOW FAR DOWN I PUSHED THE GAS, THE CARE WAS JUMPING/SHAKING AND WOLD NOT ACCELERATE OVER 2…

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Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.

Recurring narrative patterns

Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.

8 patterns with matching reports.

Warning lights and dashboard alerts

166 mentions · 22.0% of complaints

Median mileage: 95,727 mi (86 usable records).

ODI 10937252 · 1,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY AND THE ENGINE RPMS DRASTICALLY INCREASED TO 6 OR 7. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THERE WAS A BURNING ODOR COMING FROM THE ENGINE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CVT VALVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NUMBER 75 ON THE WAITING LIST FOR THE REPAIRS AND PROVIDED A LOANER VEHICLE. T…

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ODI 11073752 · 8,000 mi

WHEN DECELERATING, THE CAR JERKS AT EXACTLY 35 MPH WHETHER IM ON THE HIGHWAY OR IN THE CITY AND THIS HAPPENS . I HAVE BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES FOR THIS ISSUE AND THEY HAVE EVEN DROVE MY CAR THEMSELVES AND FELT THE SAME THING THAT I WAS FEELING AND ALL THEY SAY IS THAT WITHOUT A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT THRER IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT AND I JUST HAVE TO "LIVE" WITH IT. THIS IS RIDICULOUS AND KIA NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE BEFORE IT CAUSES ANY ACCIDENTS OR WORSE DEATH. I SPENT WAY TOO MUCH MONEY ON THIS CAR FOR IT TO BE HAVING THESE ISSU…

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ODI 11150768 · 71,000 mi

TAKATA RECALL - MY CAR IS STARTING TO STALL FOR SOME REASON BUT THERE ISN'T A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. MECHANICS CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHAT MIGHT BE CAUSING IT. THIS HAPPENS AS I DRIVE ON STREETS AND ON HIGHWAYS.

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Matching rule\b(warning light\w*|check engine|dashboard warning\w*|malfunction indicator)\b

Oil consumption or dilution

125 mentions · 16.5% of complaints

Median mileage: 93,815 mi (22 usable records).

ODI 11363294 · 100,000 mi

SOMETIMES WHEN I START THE CAR IT ONLY RUNS AT ABOUT 500RPM AND THE DIGITAL SPEEDOMETER STARTS GOING UP IN NUMBERS WHEN I'M IN PARK AND I HAVE NO POWER STEERING. I CAN PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE AND PARK OR OPEN THE DOOR AND IT STARTS ACTING NORMAL. IT ALSO ACTS LIKE IT'S GOING TO SHUT OFF WHEN I COME TO A STOP. I AM AWARE THAT THE RPMS DROP WHEN YOU STOP ALMOST LIKE A GAS SAVER BUT WITH IN THE LAST 20 THOUSAND MILES IT HAS GOTTEN REALLY ROUGH. IT BURNS OIL LIKE CRAZY THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THIS BUT CAN'T DO ANYTHING WITH THE ENGINE TELL IT THRO…

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ODI 11385158 · 103,000 mi

MID SEPTEMBER, 2020, I BEGAN TO NOTICE THAT MY HEADLIGHTS WOULD TURN OFF AS I WAS DRIVING. THEY WOULD CUT OFF FOR NO MORE THAN 15 SECONDS AND TURN BACK ON. I DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING OF IT, UNTIL I STARTED HAVING ISSUES WITH OTHER COMPONENTS OF MY 2016 KIA OPTIMA. ON 11/30/2020 I WAS DRIVING AT 30MPH THROUGH A RESIDENTIAL AREA. AS I WAS APPROACHING A STOP SIGN, MY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE, THE CAR BEGAN TO JUMP AND HESITATE. NO MATTER HOW FAR DOWN I PUSHED THE GAS, THE CARE WAS JUMPING/SHAKING AND WOLD NOT ACCELERATE OVER 2…

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ODI 11388348 · 91,176 mi

BURNING OIL AND ENGINE FAILURE

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Matching rule\b(oil consumption|burn\w* oil|consum\w* oil|oil dilution|gas(?:oline)? in (?:the )?oil)\b

Stalling or loss of power

86 mentions · 11.4% of complaints

Median mileage: 78,000 mi (37 usable records).

ODI 10934131 · 25 mi

WHEN STARTING FROM A DEAD STOP, THE CAR HESITATES UP TO 6 OR 7 SECONDS. I THINK IT HAS STALLED, THEN IT STARTS AGAIN BY ITS SELF. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WHEN PULLING OUT INTO AN INTERSECTION. IT DOES THIS CONSTANTLY.

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ODI 10958641 · 600 mi

FROM A DEAD STOP DRIVING AROUND, RELEASING THE BRAKE PETAL FROM A STOP AND GETTING READY TO GET GOING, THE CAR SHUTTERS A BIT AND/OR BOTH THE ENGINE FEELS LIKE IT'S GONNA STALL. HESITATION TO GET GOING.. DOES IT IN ALL 3 DRIVE MODES. DEALERS SAYS NPF.. OF COURSE AND SAID MAYBE QUALITY OF GAS, I USE TOP TIER GAS ONLY.

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ODI 11003942 · 4,226 mi

PURCHASED A 2016 KIA OPTIMA EX WITH THE PREMIUM PACKAGE WITH LESS THAN 30 ODOMETER MILES IN APRIL 2017 FROM A KIA DEALER (VIN [XXX]). AT 4200 MILES THE CAR STALLED AND LOST ALL POWER WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY DURING RUSH HOUR. SCREEN FLASHED "ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM - POSSIBLE ENGINE CONDITION. " TOOK VEHICLE TO THE KIA DEALER ON 07/08/2017 WHO INDICATED THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR NEEDED ADJUSTING AND CLEANING. THEY ASSURED ME ALL WAS GOOD AND THEY HAD RESOLVED THE ISSUE. LESS THAN 24 HOURS LATER THE CAR STALLED AGAIN ON THE HIGHW…

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Matching rule\b(stall\w*|loss of power|lost power|engine shut\w* off)\b

Hard or delayed shifting

32 mentions · 4.2% of complaints

Median mileage: 88,000 mi (15 usable records).

ODI 10992015 · 100 mi

WHEN DECELERATING/BRAKING, THE CAR JERKS HARSHLY FORWARD AT 52,42, 32 MPH. ON WET HIGHWAYS A WHEN IT JERKS THE REAR OF THE CAR FISHTAILS. KIA KNOWS THE FAULT IS BECAUSE OF THE DUAL CLUTCH TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFT TIMING AND HAS NO SOLUTION. I BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES ON THIS. FISHTAILING ON WET HIGHWAYS HAS A SERIOUS RISK OF AN ACCIDENT. THEY JUST SAY LIVE WITH IT EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE NUMEROUS SIMILAR COMPLAINTS AND FELT THE PROBLEM WITH ME ON A TEST DRIVE IN MY CAR AND OTHER CARS OF SAME MODEL IN THE NEW CAR LOT. IT IS TIME TH…

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ODI 11073752 · 8,000 mi

WHEN DECELERATING, THE CAR JERKS AT EXACTLY 35 MPH WHETHER IM ON THE HIGHWAY OR IN THE CITY AND THIS HAPPENS . I HAVE BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES FOR THIS ISSUE AND THEY HAVE EVEN DROVE MY CAR THEMSELVES AND FELT THE SAME THING THAT I WAS FEELING AND ALL THEY SAY IS THAT WITHOUT A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT THRER IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT AND I JUST HAVE TO "LIVE" WITH IT. THIS IS RIDICULOUS AND KIA NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE BEFORE IT CAUSES ANY ACCIDENTS OR WORSE DEATH. I SPENT WAY TOO MUCH MONEY ON THIS CAR FOR IT TO BE HAVING THESE ISSU…

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ODI 11206453 · 8,000 mi

I'VE BEEN HAVING AN ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE JERKING UPON TAKE OFF AS IF THE TRANSMISSION STRUGGLES TO ENGAGE, IT'S CAUSED ME SEVERAL NEAR ACCIDENTS DUE TO THE CAR NOT GOING WHEN IT'S SUPPOSED TO, HOW IT'S SUPPOSED TO.. THIS HAPPENS AT START UP WHEN FIRST SHIFTING INTO GEAR, AND AFTER STOPING THEN ATTEMPTING TO GO. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO KIA 3 TIMES. THE LAST TIME I TOOK IT THEY FELT THE ISSUE, THEN CLAIMED IT WAS DUE TO THE VEHICLE BEING EQUIPPED WITH A DOUBLE CLUTCH. NOT LETTING ME TAKE THE PAPERWORK THAT DESCRIBES THIS DOUBLE CLUTCH. I HAVE NEVER…

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Matching rule\b(hard shift\w*|rough shift\w*|delay\w* shift\w*|shift\w* hard|jerk\w*|lurch\w*)\b

Steering assistance concerns

15 mentions · 2.0% of complaints

Median mileage: 75,649 mi (8 usable records).

ODI 11141309 · 2,843 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME LOOSE AND THE TRACTION CONTROL AND POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT, A CLICKING NOISE WAS DETECTED. IN ADDITION, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD ONLY ALLOW THE CONTACT TO TURN APPROXIMATELY ONE INCH TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT, AND THE STEERING WHEEL EVENTUALLY SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SOUTH SHORE KIA (1128 SUNRISE HWY, COPIAGUE, NY 11726, [phone removed]) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT …

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ODI 11203303 · 20,000 mi

STEERING WHEEL LOCKS WHILE DRIVING. INITIALLY HAPPENED 1 YEAR AGO WHILE DRIVING. HAD TO USE SEVERE FORCE TO TURN THE WHEEL. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP, WHO SAID THEY DID SEE SOMETHING ON DIAGNOSTICS; HOWEVER, THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, SO THEY COULD NOT FIX THE CAR. THEY KEPT & DROVE THE CAR. THEY CHECKED THE COUPLING UNIT & CONTACTED KIA HOTLINE BUT STILL COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM, SO THEY RETURNED THE CAR TO ME. ON APRIL 14TH, WHILE BACKING OUT OF MY PARKING SPACE, THE WHEEL AGAIN LOCKED UP. I JIGGLED THE WHEEL AND IT RE…

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ODI 11217144 · 66,500 mi

ON THE EVENING OF MAY 17, I NEEDED A JUMP AFTER WORK. I WENT HOME, TURNED OFF MY CAR BUT WAS UNABLE TO START IT AGAIN SO I REPLACED THE BATTERY. I THOUGHT I HAD FIXED THE PROBLEM UNTIL THE NEXT DAY WHEN I WAS DRIVING 65MPH ON A LOCAL INTERSTATE WITH MY DAUGHTER IN THE CAR, ALL MY DASH LIGHTS CAME ON, I LOST NAVIGATION & RADIO AND MY POWER STEERING LOCKED UP. I WENT TO TURN ON MY HAZARDS AND THOSE DID NOT WORK EITHER. I CHECKED MY MIRRORS TO MAKE SURE NO ONE WAS GOING TO HIT ME AND I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE HIGHWAY AND PULL ONTO THE SHOULDER. I …

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Matching rule\b(power steer\w*|steering assist\w*|steering lock\w*|steering wheel lock\w*)\b

Battery drain and no-start mentions

9 mentions · 1.2% of complaints

Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).

ODI 11494955

I have been having issues with my vehicle randomly not wanting to start at first. There wasn’t any warning lights showing up. I have noticed that my vehicle is going through a LOT of oil. This is at least the 3rd time were I have had a few thousand miles left on my oil change but when I drive and press the break, the oil light comes on. When checked the oil is empty. These engines need to be throughly checked out by the manufacturers. I also had an issue with my Kia completely turn it off when I was driving with my child in the car. It would no…

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ODI 11496665

On Sept. 21, 2021, my Kia Optima Hybrid ex shut down and would not start. I took it to King of Hybrid EV Auto Repair where they ran a diagnostic test and found that there was an issue with the Hybrid System affecting the transmission and the High-voltage system. I paid $3,000.00 out-of-pocket. On October 26, 2022, while driving 75mph on Hwy 15 to Las Vegas, my car randomly shut down. The dash warning lights read "STOP VEHICLE TO CHARGE BATTERY". I was in an unsafe position with cars speeding past me. I was afraid that I would be rear-ended by a…

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ODI 11496667

On Sept. 21, 2021, my Kia Optima Hybrid ex shut down and would not start. I took it to King of Hybrid EV Auto Repair where they ran a diagnostic test and found that there was an issue with the Hybrid System affecting the transmission and the High-voltage system. I paid $3,000.00 out-of-pocket. On October 26, 2022, while driving 75mph on Hwy 15 to Las Vegas, my car randomly shut down. The dash warning lights read "STOP VEHICLE TO CHARGE BATTERY". I was in an unsafe position with cars speeding past me. I was afraid that I would be rear-ended by a…

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Matching rule\b(parasitic drain|battery drain\w*|dead battery|won.t start|would not start|no.start)\b

Brake response concerns

6 mentions · 0.8% of complaints

Median mileage: 92,000 mi (5 usable records).

ODI 11374179 · 35,168 mi

VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, DRIVING STRAIGHT IN LEFT LANE ON A CITY STREET IN EASTBOUND DIRECTION. ON ITS OWN, THE CAR STARTED TO ACCELERATE WHILE TURNING TOWARDS THE LEFT SIMULTANEOUSLY. DRIVER WAS DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH AND BASED ON AIR BAG MODULE, CAR SPED UP TO 55 MPH. THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE BRAKE SEEMED TO BE LOCKED OR STUCK BECAUSE NEITHER COMPONENT WORKED WHILE THIS MALFUNCTION OCCURRED. DRIVER TRIED TO PRESS THE BRAKE TO SLOW THE CAR DOWN, BUT BRAKE WOULD NOT PRESS DOWN. ALSO TRIED TO TURN STEERING WHEEL TO AVOID ONCOMING WESTBOUND TRAFFIC…

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ODI 11480143 · 40,000 mi

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was firm while depressed. The vehicle failed to stop immediately. The contact's daughter drove over a curve to stop the vehicle. The contact's daughter pulled into a parking lot and parked the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 40,000.

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ODI 11560323 · 92,000 mi

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop immediately. The contact depressed the brake pedal harder and the vehicle stopped. The vehicle was taken to the dealer the following day and the dealer was not able to identify a failure with the vehicle brakes although the transmission was adjusted. The contact stated that the failure continued. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer however, the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. There we…

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Matching rule\b(brake fail\w*|brakes fail\w*|brake pedal|braking distance|unintended braking|phantom braking)\b

Fuel smell or leak mentions

1 mentions · 0.1% of complaints

Median mileage: 139,302 mi (1 usable records).

ODI 11552770 · 139,302 mi

It started shaking really bad out of no where , then wasn’t going faster than 80 then down to 65 but wouldn’t go more than 80 with my foot all the way on the gas. As soon as I made it to work tonight the car cut off. I got a jump the car was still shaking & wouldn’t stay on if I let my foot off of the gas. I started it again without the cables but it cut right back off. I saw on cars.com it’s a recall for the similar thing, number Sc172. I have been having fuel leaks for a while and had my knock sensor replaced from a previous recall. Now I hav…

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Matching rule\b(fuel leak\w*|gas leak\w*|gas(?:oline)? smell|smell\w* (?:of )?(?:fuel|gas))\b