10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 4 / 2
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 3 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 49,250 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.
In accordance with Kia recall SC212, client had HECU/ABS module & multi fuse kit replaced/installed on September 10, 2021. The ABS warning light began to show on 10/6/2023. Client was told by licensed Kia dealer that the HECU needed to be replaced again due to fire risk. Dealer stated since there aren-??t any active recall campaigns on vehicle, repairs would need to be paid by client. Client is seeking reimbursement for having the HECU replaced the second time since the recall replacement failed.
- Saint Louis, MO, USA
Vehicle is making a humming noise while the car is off. Both the brake light and ABS lights are on. Based on year, make and model, vehicle is one of the cars included in: nhtsa ID-23V-652000, however VIN does not show an active recall. Repairs will have to come out of pocket since there is not a recall by VIN, even though vehicle is having the same symptoms as recall aforementioned.
- Saint Louis , MO, USA
While driving my car an Alan went off telling me to pull over and turn off the vehicle. Unfortunately, I had no steering, brakes or acceleration and me and my two little boys were almost hit. I checked and my car year, make and model had a recall for the exact issue and module but mine wasn-??t listed in the recall and I think it should be!
- Las Vegas, NV, USA
I was driving the Kia Optima 2014 down the highway. Without any warning or indication that something was wrong my tires locked up, causing the car to chirp twice and then the engine just died. I had to pay 250$ for a tow company to pick up the car and bring it home. The whole situation was very dangerous. Now I am having trouble with the Kia owner website. It will not even let me report the issue or schedule a maintenance appointment with any Kia Dealer to determine if this is due to a recall issue, or anything.
- Tigerton, WI, USA
The car caught fire last night and burned up while parked.
- Raymond, MS, USA
HEV Warning light comes on and says HEV malfunction, stop car. Within seconds the car shuts off and has no brakes and then stops in road construction, blocking up an entire lane of traffic, as there was no shoulder because of barricades. I panic as I can-??t get out without getting ran over. After sitting for 5 minutes, car restarts and drives away ok. Car has done this off and on for 2 years. After the first incident, I took it to Kia of New Bern who charged me $400 to -??update software-?? according to a TSB, even though it was under warranty. After getting the car back, the next day the warning came back on. I called Kia of New Bern and they said they will charge another diagnostics fee I couldn-??t afford, so I didn-??t go back. There are many others who have had the same issue with their KIA Hybrids. These cars are a danger to their drivers and the unknowing public who share the roads with them. KIA Should be ashamed of the amount of cars experiencing this issue and their lack of solutions to fix it.
- New Bern, NC, USA
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer for an unknown recall repair which included a system update and while driving 45 MPH after the recall repair, the vehicle experienced inadvertent braking, without another vehicle nearby. The contact coasted the vehicle until the vehicle regained normal acceleration functionality. The contact stated that the Forward Collision Avoidance, Traction Control, ABS, and Blind Spot Detection system's warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the mechanic linked the failure to the recall repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 64,000
- Ocean Springs, MS, USA
While driving around hand 35 miles per hour, I felt like the vehicles emergency brake came on. I had warning lights for AUTO HOLD, CHECK BRAKES, STABILITY CONTROL, E- BRALE, vehicle self diagshows electronic brake system Check ABS/ESC condition. Breaks feel tighter and car doesn't brake as before plus you could feel the stability system not working. This has occurred 6 times in the last 2 weeks
- Los Alamitos, CA, USA
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving at 30 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated and the vehicle stalled while driving. The contact manually pushed their vehicle to the side of the road and noticed smoke coming from the engine compartment. The contact opened the hood of the vehicle where more smoke was coming from the engine and fire coming from the passenger side of the engine. The contact ran to a nearby business to get a fire extinguisher to extinguish the fire. The contact was in process of the vehicle being towed to a local dealer. The contact concerned that NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V331000 ( service brakes, hydraulic) was related to the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
- Wahiawa, HI, USA
Traction control light has recently started coming on all the time and stays on. When you turn car off and it cools off then the light is off again. Another issue is when I place foot on brake the passenger side parking light comes on and the passenger brake light has had to be replaced 7 times since i bought car in February 2021
- Brunswick, MO, USA
I left the dealer lot at closing time 2/5/2021 the traction light and brake lights warnings were on the ABS light the car brakes skidded upon applying brakes driving at a slow speed the car shook while applying brakes and it felt as though the entire motor was going to fall out. Later my 17 year old whom has driven for 2 years was driving a few miles from home she said the steering went out the brakes went out she skid across to the other side of the road did not hit anything yet the entire engine and entire front end of the car came apart the frame and all. She could easily have been killed I would like this investigated thoroughly. I told her to drive slow and she was only going around the corner I had planned to take it back to the dealer the following Monday bjut was totalled before I did. She reported going 45 mph on a road when I had the issues I was driving about 35 to 45 on a regular road did not drive it on an interstate yet due to the uneasy ways it was handeling and I have never had a wreck in all my years of driving and 1 and a half hour drive each way to work for 40 years. The car also felt as though it was accelerating on its own also'
- Carriere, MS, USA
The contact owned a 2014 Kia Optima. The contact stated that she lost consciousness while driving at 65 mph which resulted in her vehicle rolling off the road and into an embankment and landed into a tree. The air bags did deploy upon impact. The contact had to be cut out of the vehicle through the driver side door and was immediately rushed to the hospital via ambulance. The contact sustained injuries to her back and chest; as well as lacerations to her right lower arm and lower abdominal area. The contact was uncertain if a police report was filed. The vehicle was totaled at the scene and was uncertain of its current whereabouts. The manufacturer nor the dealer had yet to be made aware of the failure. Prior to the failure, the contact had received a notice for NHTSA campaign number:17V224000(engine and engine cooling); however, she had not receive a notification for NHTSA campaign number: 20V519000(service brakes, hydraulic). The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.
- Tulsa, OK, USA
Hev light came on dashboard stating "check hybrid system. Stop vehicle and turn off engine". vehicle was in motion in city on traffic light and suddenly got that and car stopped in 15 sec and could not move anymore. Luckily it did not happen on highway cause 15 sec is not enough for safely stopping! witnesses helped to push the card to the shoulder approximately 100 feet. Electric brake system was locked as well cause of hev system stopped suppling the power. Kia concord replaced the safety plug assy-male 125 amps to 150 amps (part # K 37586 4R002). Car had only 82K. As far I see this is a common issue and if manufacturer in all cases upgrades it to higher fuse, then this is a reason for recall. Now I warry about next electrical issue that can cause that fuse.
- Concord, CA, USA
I was driving on the highway going 65 mph and an alert pops up. It said "possible bms condition." I immediately pulled to the side, but also noticed my car speed reducing. I safely got into the right shoulder and then the car steering wheel froze up. Another alert to check brakes went on. I pushed the brakes over and over to get the alert off. It then over a time span of 3-5 min started to slowly run low on electricity because the hazards lights were blinking slower. I got it towed and waiting to see what is the problem. Been looking it up and most likely it's the fuse in the back trunk under the cover underneath.
- Waco, TX, USA
While driving my check brake light will come on intermittently. Seems to happen more frequently when its warm outside. The traction control light always comes on at the same time. The brake light will go off after the car is turned off and restarted, the traction light will stay on for awhile. Sometimes it will go off after a few miles, others it takes a day to go off. Only difference I can see while driving is that before it comes on the brakes will grab harder than usual. The lights only come on when the car is in motion or immediately after coming to a stop. Never when in park. This started a few days after I purchased the car. I've had the car at the Kia dealership many times for this issue and they have never fixed the problem.
- Lexington Park, MD, USA
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Optima. While driving 60 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact mentioned that the failure occurred multiple times. The vehicle coasted to the side of the road. On one occasion, when the brake pedal was depressed, the vehicle failed to come to a complete stop. As a result, the vehicle crashed into a guardrail. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The contact sustained injuries to the right shoulder that required medical attention. The vehicle was towed to a local tow lot and then towed to Kia atlanta South (7310 jonesboro rd, morrow, ga 30260, (770) 968-3400); however, the cause of the failure could not be determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 67,000.
- Covington, GA, USA
Brake rear lights went out, changed brake switch and fuse and lights still not working. Only have 49800 miles on the car. Was on highway and a man stooed me and let me know they are not working
- Coon Rapids, MN, USA
I was trying to back in between2 vehicles in the church parking lot. And while doing so, with my foot on the brake the car lunched backwards with a jerking motion, like it was trying to do 2 different things atone time, at full rate of speed and doing so, it backed into the vehicle to my left, the car acted like it had a mind of it's own. I reported the accident and when the police arrived on the sight, he informed me that he had seen an issue like this happening on the news. I had never heard of and I went online to report this incident. I was not hurt and if my cousin wasn't in the car, I don't think anyone would've believed me. I think this needs to be looked into, I'm really scared to drive my vehicle.
- Terre Haute, IN, USA
- Woodbridge, VA, USA