10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 2 / 4
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 2 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 18,910 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
Head lights and brake lights keep shorting out making it hard for you to drive at night or even during the day. The anti lock brake jams and will cause you to slide if you are not carefully in the rain and snow
- New Castle, DE, USA
At about 1500 miles on the car, I have 2200 now, I started to notice a grinding and a rough contact in the brake pedal. When researching this it appears Kia has had aot of issues with the brakes on the stinger since introduction. Will be taking to dealership soon but per the research, Kia does not have fix other than replacing repeatedly.
- Keller, TX, USA
I've taken my car to get an oil change several times and told them how my brakes make a noise just when I back up and they keep saying my brakes alright but something isn't right to me...
- Jennings, LA, USA
The brake lights would not go off when I turned my car off. This ended up killing my battery. When I got the battery recharged it allowed the car to start without the brakes being pushed in. Also I noticed that the stopper had broken. This allowed the computer to think that the brakes were engaged even though the peddle wasn't pushed.
- Owenton, KY, USA
My daughter was driving down main street when everything shut off, electrical, motor, steering wheel locked up. She coasted to the side of the road, a man pulled over to help her after 20 mins the car was as able to start again. 3rd time this has happened. Very scary.
- Spanishfork, UT, USA
Both back brake lights went out at same time and we replaced lights and still does not work. Happened when I was driving home
- Dacula, GA, USA
My brakes and traction lights comes on randomly. It started happening a year ago. It has happened about 5 times since last year. It happens sometimes while I'm driving, it just comes on and sometimes when I get in and start the car they come on.
- Monroeville, AL, USA
I have a 2015 Kia Optima with 55K miles on it. Without warning driving to work I slowed down to enter the gate and heard my brakes grind metal on metal. I thought I would hear a squeal when my brake pads started wearing out way before I heard metal on metal. I immediately took my car to a mechanic and he told me that my squeal bars on each brake were bent back to where they did not come in contact with the brake pad. He stated that sometimes a stick or something could get up in the wheel and possibly bend one a little bit but seems unlikely that it would happen on both front brakes. It seems obvious that my car came from the factory that way but I have no proof. Even if I was hard on my brakes and the pads were worn I should have heard the squeal as a warning to replace the pads before I had to replace both of the original front pads and rotors on the same day.
- Elizabethtown, KY, USA
This car has given me problems first the engine went up just locked up. The brakes pulsate won't stop and I have changed the rotors and brakes 3 times. The dealer said nothing is wrong. Suspensions car rocks and bounces. Now the radio is out. And my window won't go up if put down. The was in motion for all.
- Laurel, MD, USA
If I push the proximity ignition button accidentlally the car will shut down, no brakes, not power steering. I am wondering if this should happen when I am travelling 70 mph on the interstate. The dealer did not give me any satisfactioon..."told me not to push the button" and "trade it in on a 2019." Some makes will not shut down if going over 5 pmh unless the button is pushed twice. Others, you must hold the button. I could not find anything in the manual and their customer service was no help. There have been deaths related to this problem according to some websites. I can't test the car myself. Was hoping the dealer would or tell me the situation with the button and speed. Can you help me?>.
- Morrow, OH, USA
Ever since I purchased my Kia Optima with only 14K miles on it pre-own from the dealer... the emergency brake (parking brake) has been loose and it has not been working correctly. When I park my vehicle on a downhill and apply parking brake with the neutral mode position just to see it's working, the vehicle slowly moves downhill even if the road is not that steep. It worries me that if I ever lose the breaks the emergency breaks won't stop the car. Fixing this problem on my own will cost me lots of money but I don't know if it came out of the factory like that. I've heard from other owners they have had the same problem.
- Bakersfield, CA, USA
Both ESC and auto hold lights occasionally go yellow at the same time. Usually goes back to normal after some period of time. This started maybe couple months ago. Brought to the dealer, but they couldn't detect any error codes.
- Buffalo Grove, IL, USA
I purchased my car in the greater san diego area back in June 31. 2015. Have approximately 8K miles on my vehicle and notice around 3K my car would jerk when coming to a complete stop. This has happened a few times approximately 3-4 time (average once a month).and today 10-27-2015, my car once again jerk but this time the engine made a unfamiliar sound. I will be taking it to the dealership as soon as possible.my car has received all schedule maintenance; per owner manuel. It has passed all Kia certifed dealer/mechanic inspection when taken in. Also, when the contact to purchase was signed it did not get a full inspection as the dealership was closing and the appropriate staff for inspection had left for the day. Notice when I got home the front passenger signal light did not work. Called the dealership to get my new car fixed and had to wait for approximately 3-5 days for the repair, at that point it also passed thier inspection.
- Chula Vista, CA, USA
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. While driving at approximately 55 mph, the brakes failed. As a result, the contact lost control of the vehicle and began driving on the sidewalk. The front passenger side tires exploded and destroyed the rim. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 6,200. Updated 8/31/15 updated 10/26/2017
- Pamdale, CA, USA
- Las Vegas, NV, USA