10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 14
Injuries / Deaths:
3 / 0
Average Mileage:
34,500 miles

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« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #67

Dec 182019

Optima

  • miles
I noticed the problem while driving roughly 65 mph. My vehicle pretty much went into limp mode. I was only able to travel at a certain top speed. Over heating then became a very drastic issue. I looked on the nhsta website for any known recalls there were some for my year and model but mine wasn't listed? I called a family mechanic and described in more greater detail about my issue from start to finish, he advised me not to drive the vehicle that it was displaying the exact qualities as the listed recall and I should call Kia motor company to have the look into my class of vehicles further. Long story short I was basically left homeless in a city and state pretty much beat on the whole idea of every getting my car back at the time of the incident it dropped below 28 degrees outside. I was approximately 200 miles from home. Because of this corporations negligence. I lost more than a good night sleep I had to start back over again and I'm unfortunately an only child with no parents so it was very mind boggling.. I made repeated attempts to come to some sort of agreement with Kia to no avail. Some one went so far as to steal a safe out of my vehicle. Which I had professionally installed and vandalized the inside of my car beyond repair. Thanks Kia, for victimizing me to make your millions.

- Tulsa, OK, USA

problem #66

Jan 012019

Optima

  • miles
Peeling paint. Especially on the side of front window. Small patches elsewhere. Turbos at times failed

- Pomona, CA, USA

problem #65

Apr 142020

Optima

  • 48,000 miles
Sometimes upon starting my car it just sputters and sputters and sputters for several minutes like it's not gonna start then it kicks in and starts but I am concerned that one of these times it's not gonna end up starting and I will be stranded somewhere. It has been happening off and on periodically for the last five months

- Phoenix, AZ, USA

problem #64

May 232020

Optima

  • 70 miles
So from the start I bought the car $5000 cash from a dealership who promised a 3 month warranty 3 weeks into having the car I decided to take a road trip for my graduation party from high school I'm about 2 hours out from my city going down the highway car just stops accelerating and flashing a engine light while I'm on a one way highway tractor trailers and cars are going 80mph behind meanwhile my car can't accelerate luckily I was able to pull over without losing my life so I call the dealership and he hangs up and says there's nothing he can do there's no warranty at all and I'm just in shock I'm stranded on the highway with no one near me that I know so I end up paying the tow truck $600 to go back to my city take the car to mechanic he says it's the knock sensor he ' fixed' it on the way home from picking it up from the mechanic I was driving on the highway again the car does the same exact thing but this time it was worse because cars was right behind me almost hit me and swerved and almost took there own life and my car just won't accelerate anymore and sounds horrible knocking sound while cars are coming straight behind me I pulled over eventually got it towed back to the mechanic after paying him he says he's still trying to fix it I honestly just want to be safe in my car that was supposed to get me to college now im out of a car and college funds due to fixing the car and can't even go due to lack of safety on vehicle it was very traumatizing and impacting on my life.

- Roanoke, VA, USA

problem #63

Jul 012020

Optima

  • 54,000 miles
Had oil changed and drove about 500 feet from dealership when car shut down in middle of street. Traffic was heavy and about to run over me. Cars sliding on brakes to avoid my stalled car in the street. Tried to turn into parking lot to get off street but it was extremely hard top steer. Had to sit there in 100 degree heat. Finally had to get out of car when it was safe and run across street.called staff member from dealership to come and help me. He assisted me in getting car back into parking lot and said ABS hydraulic unit needed to be replaced. Quoted me $2341.84 to repair. I agreed and they fixed it only to find out that was not the problem after all. Now I am told I need horness wiring is burned out! another $2000 for wiring. This need to be investigated asap. It's no way with only 54000 miles, this should be happening. I need someone to contact me or Kia in baton rouge, la located on seigen lane. I have the print out but I cannot upload it. The car has been in the Kia dealership for about a month now. I don't think they can fix it because they are not sure exactly what is wrong with it. This has to be something that is wrong that Kia has not discovered yet. This car should be good for more than 54000 miles. Please help asap. Thank you.

- Baton Rouge, LA, USA

problem #62

Jul 022020

Optima 4-cyl

  • miles
Car turn off in the freeway with check engine light

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

problem #61

May 212020

Optima 4-cyl

  • 105,000 miles
On May 21, 2020, I'd taken my 2013 Kia Optima ex for a simple oil change at hawkinson Kia, matteson, il. The service dept. Tech conducted add'L inspections, as they usually perform, made recommendations, including serpentine belt replacement. I'd agreed to belt replacement. My camera display was working prior to this visit. No report of any camera problem was indicated on the inspection or recommendation reports or receipt. Afterwards, my camera display ceased operation, only displaying a black background with guidelines. Several times afterwards, I'd contacted the service dept. To complain of the issue. They'd suggested bringing vehicle back for diagnostic, which I complied and paid its fee on June 8, 2020. Dealership service dept. Then said it wasn't an issue they'd created/wasn't caused by installation of belt and that it recommended replacement of head unit [radio system] and camera at a cost of approx. $511. I'd complained several times to Kia's corporate customer service but did not receive any consideration nor resolution: Only to be told my vehicle's warranty has expired. The dealership service dept. Had several opportunities to visually notice any camera defect as it's tech(s) operated my vehicle by driving in and out of its service garage as the camera display is activated when vehicle is in reverse. Since issue with the rear-view camera was a 'known issue, ' at least according to Kia's technical service bulletin [grp. Ele, no. 077] issued in 2014, the camera, etc., should have been recalled and replaced at Kia's expense! I'd discovered that a host of other Kia owners had experienced and complained of similar rear-view camera issues when I'd conducted a web search about this defect. The rear-view camera is a safety feature! and should always work properly!

- Park Forest, IL, USA

problem #60

May 192020

Optima

  • 14,000 miles
I was driving on the hwy approx 1306hrs on may19, 2020. I heard a popped noise like a gun shot or a blow out tire. My steering wheel wasn't wobbling so I looked in my rear mirror to pull over and saw black glass sliding down my rear window. I heard air coming from my sunroof. I was scared nervous and my anxiety was on level 10. I called sharonville police not knowing what to say or do. It was raining and I tried to exit the hwy at the next exit but it was closed. I was only 10mins fri my house I decided to make it home where I felt safe. I was scared hearing the air blowing in the car hoping the glass wouldn't fly in the car. I was a wreck trying to control my vehicle. I made it home. I was scared to look at the sunroof. When I did I was shocked it was a big round hole in the middle of the sunroof. The glass was so thick and I didn't think a rock could break it. The glass was shattered around the big whole. I took pics and sent them to straight to geico. I never opened the sunroof to see if anything was in side of the shade. I feel like I should not have to pay a 500 deductible during this crisis that I don't have. Geico or jeff wyler Kia can not tell me if they found any object in my sunroof that would have cause the glass to break. It's a thick piece of glass. I'm scared to drive my car. If I didn't close the shade before I left home to get prepared for my surgery the next day it would have shattered in the vehicle. I'm scared to drive the car. I'm a wreck.

- Cincinnati, OH, USA

problem #59

Apr 022020

Optima

  • miles
The engine blew up on car was driving normally when car stopped and didnt want to power on. Engine started making noises. Went to dealer to have engine replaced but wont make it valid since they mention engine is not the original engine and was replaced.

- El Centro, CA, USA

problem #58

May 012019

Optima

  • 97,000 miles
After having work done on the last recall, I noticed there is a rattling near the steering wheel on every bump in the road I hit. It doesn't matter how big or small. The steering wheel shakes and the rattling has since then gotten louder and worse. I fear there is something loose either within the steering wheel and components or the bars underneath. I cannot seem to find exactly what it is but its on the front driver side of the car. It is only happening while the vehicle is in motion.

- Johnstown, CO, USA

problem #57

Jan 162020

Optima

  • 95,000 miles
The stereo system makes beep sounds when you push the buttons but the music sounds, radio, and phone won't come through speakers at all. I do know that the Kia soul had this same problem and was recalled for it our car has 95,000 miles on it so I don't know why this has happened

- Madisonville, KY, USA

problem #56

Nov 152019

Optima

  • 47,000 miles
2013 Kia Optima sport with approximately 47,000 miles loss of turbo. Pulled out of my garage and my car seemed sluggish. I noticed the engine light was on. As I accelerated my turbo did not seem to kick in and my car would rev up and not accelerate very well. Called Kia they said I have 5 year or 50,000 mile warranty. I told them I also have 10 year 100 mile powertrain warranty. Just ran a recall check and NHTSA states recall on long block engine and turbo recall on my sport model.

- Bakersfield, CA, USA

problem #55

Oct 282019

Optima

  • 65,000 miles
I was driving to work-freeway 65 when check engine light and oil light came on. The car dropped power and I could have had serious injuries to myself and others. I contacted Kia and they had it towed to dealer-dealer and Kia 800# give you the run around-they said there engineers told them we need to do oil comsumption test and told me to pick up this dangerous car and drive it. I have made numerous calls to Kia and they never call back- I even asked the service manager if he has driven my car and he said no. This is not taking care of your consumers/customers to even ask me to place my life in danger to keep driving this car-they are well aware of fires and the seriousness of driving this car and putting others in danger-my car has sat at Kia -independence, mo for 2 1/2 weeks and I also received no recall notice ever. My car had 5 recalls at the time it was towed the most serious recall is SC147 NHTSA 17V224 my car had 65,000 miles. There is no way I will drive that car until Kia resolves the issues, I also had large amount of white smoke- coming from tail pipe-dealer said car burning oil don, T know where, well that isn.T so true. Dealer aid motor needs replaced but it is out of there hands because engineers said oil test needs done.drive it come in every week so they can see how much oil it burns-I am glad they think our time isn.T important or our safety-this is there mistakes and they need to resolve it.

- Independence, MO, USA

problem #54

Nov 092019

Optima

  • 99,000 miles
The car started to make a ticking sound, while in motion on a city street, quickly took the car to a shop & was told that the part that had to get fixed has to do with the code PO1326

- Cromwell, CT, USA

problem #53

Oct 222019

Optima

  • 139,000 miles
My Kia Optima suddenly started to have issues with no starting the car right away. I changed the battery, and the issue is still present. I ran a diagnostic test and no code was detected. I started to ready online and it said it could have been a recall issue since many Kia Optima owners are experiencing this issue. A friend of mine who is a mechanic said he's never seen anything like this.

- Lawrence, KS, USA

problem #52

Oct 242019

Optima

  • 44,000 miles
Recently I have been having issues with my vehicle it will cut off while driving the and I am unable to apply the brakes, just last night while driving the vehicle it stalled out and started going slowly I could not apply brakes to the car and it started smoking from the dash and the engine with no other current conditions I had to throw the car in park with out being able to use the brakes in order to stop the vehicle this almost caused an accident and almost cost me my life I noticed from other complaints others are having the same issues with no current solution or problem this is very weird

- Newport News, VA, USA

problem #51

Jul 052019

Optima

  • 104,500 miles
I have owned my vehicle for 3 years. My airbag sensor light has come on fir I the 2nd time. I spoke with the manufacturer and they are showing no desire to look into the problem without the being a sizable expense to myself. Also my back up camera is showing signs of connection issues. Both I feel are a ssfety concern of driving the vehicle.

- Guttenberg, IA, USA

problem #50

Sep 162019

Optima

  • 15 miles
The engine light came on a sensor was replaced but it still comes

- Washington, DC, USA

problem #49

Jul 272019

Optima

  • 38,000 miles
My Kia has less than 40,000 miles and the line beside the turbo is leaking oil like crazy

- Rockport, IN, USA

problem #48

Aug 182019

Optima

  • 75,300 miles
While accelerating vehicle would lose power even though gas pedal was pressed. There were no rpms showing at all no matter what speed I was driving. Car would accelerate until engine power lost, I would let off the gas, car would shift hard and then I could accelerate again until just prior to next gear. Same thing would happen. Also, when this occurred, I lost all air conditioning cooling. Fan would blow but no cold air.. drove fine prior to this happening and drove fine after car sat over night. Haven't been able to duplicate issue but have video and pictures showing no RPM, but travelling/ accelerating

- Aurora, CO, USA

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