10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 3 / 4
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 5 / 2
- Average Mileage:
- 36,544 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
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« Read the previous 20 complaints
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 had numerous near misses because of this problem. I also see many people saying Kia is telling them this is the way the vehicle is supposed to behave - really"?? my car is currently at the dealer to hopefully have the problem diagnosed and fixed. They gave me a loaner car, which is a 2013 Kia Optima, and guess what" pulling out of the dealership in the loaner I was almost rear ended because the loaner also has this problem, but 10 times worse than my car. It happened at least 30 times between the dealer and where I work - about a 30 minute drive. Always when speed needs to be increased by way of the gears needing to upshift. Please please please someone pay attention to this - I hope Kia isn't waiting for someone to get killed before they look into this failure that is happening that their dealerships are writing off as normal function! just as I was ready to submit this complaint, my dealership called me back and surprise: "we are unable to duplicate the problem" and "no problem codes were detected." Please Kia, take notice of this problem before someone gets killed!!!
- Oak Ridge, NJ, USA
I was in a parking structure, stopped at a stop sign. I continued a few feet to my designated parking stall and when I turned the wheel the car accelerated at what felt and sounded like full throttle on it's own. The surge of the vehicle forced the car to crash into a concrete wall causing extensive damage to the vehicle and bodily injury to myself. The vehicle is only a few months old. This car has some very serious safety issues. Someone could have been killed. Now I am terrified to ever drive it again.
- Mckinney, TX, USA
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.
- Lake Charles, LA, USA
- Yuma, AZ, USA