2.1

hardly worth mentioning
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
74,790 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.

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problem #20

Apr 202020

Optima

  • 200,000 miles
My low beam lights have no visibility and I have been researching online used headlight assembly because it costs $400 for both sides that I dont have I replaced my low and high beam bulbs the high beams work just fine but as I was doing research a high percentage of this make and model have the same reoccurring problem I seen where they have recalled 2011 and up for this problem but I guess decided to not worry about the older models I can understand that but that is my only means of transportation for work and my daughters now it is getting darker earlier and I can't afford to drive around with my bright lights on and the air bag light will not go off

- Richmond, KY, USA

problem #19

Jan 142020

Optima

  • 195,000 miles
Headlights very dim no matter what bulb you put it. Cannot see more than 3ft in front of you when driving at night. Visited do not stay up fall down blocking view

- Attleboro, MA, USA

problem #18

Dec 202012

Optima

  • 150 miles
The air bag light stays on all the time 1 the passenger airbag light will say on with an adult sitting in the seat!!1 visors do not stay up! headlights are very dim. I've changed them out to a few different types still dim cannot see at night

- Attleboro, MA, USA

problem #17

Oct 162015

Optima

  • 89,000 miles
Passenger sun visor stopped working and stays down affecting visibility on right side.

- Medina, OH, USA

problem #16

Oct 262015

Optima

  • 146,809 miles
Knage123575112607 I took my car in today because of a letter I received for a service campaign. There are all several problems regarding my brakes loss of fluids severe corrosion flaking or scaling of metal brake pipes and I was told the weather has caused that when I called the consumer Kia phone number. I have oil leak from the back of the engine and rogers very very rusty. Both front struts leaking. I took my car back to Kia summit place in waterford Michigan. This is where I bought my car. They told me that all of that corrosion was because I live in Michigan.

- Lake Orion, MI, USA

problem #15

Jun 232014

Optima

  • 118,000 miles
I bougjt this car in 2014. I have replaced both low-beam headlights, twice, a brake light, both rear blinkers, a front blinker, as well as both highbeams. I have never replaced even half the number of lights in the entire lifetime of ownership of any vehicle I have owned in the past. This is an obvious recall issue based on safety as well as quality if Kia cared. When the lights are working I have to drive with my high-beams on and I never get flashed or pulled over. It is extremely hard to see vs. Any other vehicle. I have had many friends and family in the car and have shared the story. And everyone says the same thing, its like the brights in this car is everyone else's regular lights. In fact, many people say the high-beams are not as bright as most vehicles low-beams. It is ridiculous and unfair that us owners have to spend $10-$35 on a bulb or two an average of every 5-8 weeks. Crazy....Kia step up and fix this quality and safety issue. Gov't I guess wont step in without someone dying first and it making the news because I see I am not the first by any means, and wont be the last!

- Arlington, TX, USA

problem #14

Sep 012014

Optima

  • 111,000 miles
The visor on the driver side of the car fails to stay upright limiting visibility. The headlights are so poor that it's almost impossible to see when driving on a dark road at night. It's to the point where I don't drive the vehicle at night because the road leading out provides little to no light and I would constantly have to ride with the bright on to be able to see including the fog lights. Both are safety concerns that could possibly lead to an accident or someone being seriously hurt. I've seen several complaints but no further actions have been initiated.

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #13

Aug 012011

Optima 4-cyl

  • 36,000 miles
Driver side visor ceased to remain upright when flipped up out of the way. Only way to keep from blocking my view was to flip it over to the left side. A few months later, same thing happened with the passenger side sun visor. Kia never recalled this item, but it has failed on thousands of their vehicles. Dealer wanted over $500 to repair. Instead, I searched online and found new replacement parts for $206.50. I ordered them and replaced the visors myself--I searched and found diagrams from Kia's parts inventory and found posts online from others who'd had to replace theirs who explained that you pop off the oval-shaped piece holding the arm of the visor with a butter knife (slip it underneath) or flat-blade screwdriver to access the screw underneath and unscrew to remove the old visor and screw in the new one in its place. My car was outside the warranty period and yet only had approximately 36,000 miles on it (I alternate driving another vehicle); this part should not have failed so soon. Given that so many of these failed so early on, Kia should recall and replace them free and they should reimburse those of us who've already replaced them or had them replaced.

- Littleton, CO, USA

problem #12

May 012013

Optima

  • 80,000 miles
After regular use, both sun visors have lost their tension. Also on the driver side the cylinder that clips into the holder at the top just cracked and broke off. They will not stay up, and just flop around. I can not see when I am approaching a stoplight if it is red/yellow/etc.if I push it to the side, it hits me over the side of the head when I make a turn. This is an extremely dangerous situation and Kia needs to step up and do the right thing here. To replace both would cost me about $200 or more, which I simply do not have.

- Nashville, TN, USA

problem #11

Feb 012013

Optima

  • 26,059 miles
Passenger side visor will not fold up out-of-the-way. There seems to be some sort of tension preventing the visor from being placed in the fold-up position.

- Johnson City, NY, USA

problem #10

Jan 012013

Optima

  • 75,000 miles
The contact owns a 2007 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the front driver's side sun visor would not remain upright, impairing the contact's visibility of the roadway. The contact noticed that the passenger's side sun visor also began to present the same failure. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The sun visors were not replaced. The failure was reported to the manufacturer. The failure mileage was 75,000. The current mileage was 77,000.

- Kearney, MO, USA

problem #9

Jun 032013

Optima 4-cyl

  • 62,000 miles
The visor on the driver side all of a sudden does not stay in the upright position. It just hangs obstructing my view. This should be recalled because I have read that this is a known problem for Kia Optima's. the dealership is going to charge me over $200 to replace it and I did nothing to break it. I just use the visor normally and do not hang anything from it. I was driving normally one day and it just fell down. My car is a little over 5 years old so it is no longer under warranty and I just finished paying it off so this is very upsetting. I feel that if the driver's view is obstructed then it should be recalled and replaced with a new working part. It is very distracting to drive with the visor down all the time. It gets in the way. Many people probably do not realize they can report this issue so I am providing some links for forums where people are stating similar problems. Please report this issue. This part needs to be recalled because it is a safety issue! www.carcomplaints.com/Kia/Optima/2006/accessories-interior/sun_visors_will_not_stay_folded_up.shtml

- Malverne, NY, USA

problem #8

Mar 272013

Optima 4-cyl

  • 76,000 miles
The contact owns a 2007 Kia Optima. The contact stated that both the driver and passenger side sun visors would fall from their housing sporadically. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was advised that the sun visors needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 76,000 and the current mileage was 76,450.

- Port Land, OR, USA

problem #7

Mar 052013

Optima

  • miles
Both sun visors are unable to stay in the upright position. I was unable to use both visors as they would hang loosely downward flapping about aimlessly while driving. I had to anchor them to the roof of the car to drive. Dealer states cost to repair is almost $500 and they need my car for the day. Parts must be ordered two weeks in advance.

- Tulare, CA, USA

problem #6

Jan 032012

Optima

  • miles
Both sun visors broke and will not operate

- Washington, DC, USA

problem #5

Feb 012013

Optima 4-cyl

  • 37,475 miles
The driver's side sun visor contains a defective component and doesn't remain in a locked position. When I try to move it to the locked position against the ceiling, it falls down into clear sight. This is great when the sun is in your eyes, but not during all other times. It severely decreases vision while driving. There are hundreds of complaints on the web and Kia should be aware of the issue, but they have offered no resolution or recall for their defective sun visor.

- Milwaukee, WI, USA

problem #4

Oct 192012

Optima

  • 83,000 miles
Kia is fully aware of a problem with their sun visors. A quick google search will turn up thousands of cases. The visor components break causing them to hang loose, obstructing vision. This is a safety hazard. The defect has existed for a long time (my wife?S 2003 sorrento experienced the issue in 2004) and it continues today. My 2007 Optima has both visors hanging presently. There is no recall on these visors, and the cost to repair them is 100-200 each.

- St Peters, MO, USA

problem #3

Oct 222012

Optima 4-cyl

  • 60,300 miles
The driver's side sun visor will no longer stay in the upright position. I droop about half way down obscuring vision. Must be held up by hand.

- Wauconda, IL, USA

problem #2

Sep 102012

Optima 4-cyl

  • 65,000 miles
Sunvisors both will not stay up.

- Panama City, FL, USA

problem #1

Apr 082010

Optima

  • 35,000 miles
My 2007 Kia Optima has had both sun visors break making them unable to remain in the upward position. Initially the passenger side visor broke and several months later the driver side broke. It made it difficult to see traffic lights when stopped at an intersection so I held them up with the extended visor in the visor. I would replace them but they are expensive and I feel that this problem should not have occurred because they were used normally, I do not attach anything to the visors and they were usually up. I have read many complaints on this issue and do not understand why there has not been a recall on the visors. This is a matter of safety in my opinion.

- Spokane, WA, USA