10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
1,793 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 #12

Aug 302023

Optima

  • miles
i had engine light a code P200a on my 2017 kia optima ex 17,000 miles i have like a hesitation when accelerating, sometimes just sitting idling or sitting at a light feels like going to stall. i had some one check it they told me to bring it to the dealer because they looked it up and said it is like a recall on 2016 kia optimas there is a Technical Service Bulletin on the same condition that i have i went to the dealer and they said thats what it was the (VCMA)variable charge motion actuator on the intake manifold..i dont drive to much with the car i looked on line and a bunch of people say they had the same problem with my year and older models.thank you.ihad it fixed at the dealer on 8-30-23 case #15777155

- Ozone Park, NY, USA

problem #11

Jan 102023

Optima

  • miles
First I had an oil leak which I was advised to warm my car up to prevent from getting worse. At the time I was told it was minor. Then my oil light started coming up every 2 weeks and when checked there was no oil. Now 2 months later, my car has stopped and showed a blinking check engine light. When checked I was told a code of p1326 which is the knock sensor. I have only had my car 7 months and it-??s been problem after problem. Not to mention only a month after buying it was stolen. Due to no immobilizer So I-??m sure a lot of the issues are also a result of the dumb theif who decided to damage my car. Also my cruise control doesn-??t work a lot of the time.

- Burien, WA, USA

problem #10

Jun 072022

Optima

  • miles
On 6 June 2022 I was driving Eastbound Interstate 80 passing Fairfield, CA. Traffic was moderate, average traffic speed 65. The Kia-??s Adaptive Cruise was enabled and set to the maximum amount of safe distance. I recall the car directly in front of me changed lanes to pass a truck towing a trailer. I remember the Kia began to accelerate and I couldn-??t turn the wheel. Next memory was opening my eyes to the dust smoke of deployed air bags. I lost consciousness likely due to the sudden impact and air bags deployed. I was taken to a Fairfield hospital by ambulance where I spent 4 days. A slurry of tests ruled out loss of consciousness as the cause. No stroke, heart attack or seizure occurred. I was treated for bruised ribs due to the airbag. No doubt to me that this collision could have been catastrophic to this driver and others driving nearby. Witness reported that I sped up and clipped the truck/trailer while attempting to pass. What I believe happened: 1) the Adaptive Cruise accelerated when it determined there was room but failed to see the trailer and 2) the steering was unresponsive when I attempted to avoid a collision. The reaction time between car accelerating and getting knocked out had to be a mere three or four seconds. The vehicle was totaled, The insurance company, Mercury Insurance, released the vehicle

- Danville, CA, USA

problem #9

Oct 172022

Optima

  • miles
For the past 5-6 months I-??m have ongoing issues with my engine and excessive oil consumption. I-??ve completed the three oil consumption test per 1000 miles. On the last test(3rd check), I was told I passed and nothing further was needed. Approximately 1 month after that my engine light illuminated and my car violently shook upon acceleration and while sitting idle. Was informed it was my spark plugs and electric coil-?? oh and a routine oil change, which I paid to have repaired at approx. $650 this was in late August/Early September. Now here we are in late October and my oil lamp is on yet again! My car does not achieve speeds no higher than 50 mph. I-??ve been to the dealership 7 times since April 2022. There-??s an expense with owning cars but this is ridiculous. I-??m currently a few hundred miles shy of 80,000 miles

- Riverview, FL, USA

problem #8

Sep 232022

Optima

  • miles
I was driving with an SUV in front of me at 18-wheeler in front of them. This is on a road where the speed limit is 65 however there's a section on 301 where there's a traffic light. All three vehicles came to a slow normal stop and the adaptive cruise control was doing a good job of slowing the vehicle down without my input. But the SUV when we were at about stopping speed but had not yet come to a complete stop, the SUV switched to the left lane. At which point I was maybe 20 ft behind the 18-wheeler and all of a sudden the car is adaptive cruise control tried to accelerate the car back up to the setting of 65. It didn't register the 18-wheeler at all It just registered that the car in front of me had cleared the space and if I had not been paying attention and immediately applied the brakes to stop the car manually It absolutely would have accelerated directly into the back of the 18-wheeler. I was maybe 5 ft and it was still accelerating when I slammed on the brakes. I've been able to since reproduce the effects, it doesn't register 18 wheelers correctly in this specific situation as vehicles. I've even had the camera recalibrated in between tests. I have everything on video but unfortunately do not have access to the car's computer logs. I would be willing to send in my ECU for whatever is needed to identify this further.

- Savannah , GA, USA

problem #7

Aug 212022

Optima

  • miles
Hello I've been having my car for a year I told the dealership the problem but it seem as they don't want to fix it My car wouldn't go over 60miles and also my engine just locked up this doesn't make sense when they know these problems are a recall on this type of vehicles

- Dallas, TX, USA

problem #6

Mar 262022

Optima

  • miles
This has happened 3 times driving car almost comes to a complete stop. Acceleration dropped down to 20 MPH. Was told it was a knock sensor replace in March in May did it again. Replaced it against the very next day it did it again. Went online and said it was a recall but nothing is showing up here. I will contact Kia in the morning we could have been killed this happened in the expressway

- Lithonia , GA, USA

problem #5

Oct 152021

Optima

  • miles
While driving the car on the highway, when I try accelerating, the car suddenly acts as if it's in neutral and the engine roars without engaging a higher or lower gear and the car start losing power/speed. It takes like three to five seconds to engage a gear again; I have to lift my foot from the pedal a little bit and wait for it to lock on a higher or a lower gear for me to accelerate again.

- Cedar Park, TX, USA

problem #4

Oct 192020

Optima

  • 20,526 miles
Within a week both front and rear passenger wheel speed sensors failed. Resulting in a prompt on dash at start up and consistently displayed for aeb system service after vehicles automatic system scan an see difference in mileage in attached pictures. Kia technician said it is a common issue and sees atleast 4-5 vehicles per week with this part failure.

- Midland City, AL, USA

problem #3

Oct 292019

Optima

  • 45 miles
Driving on the expressway the vehicle was slow to accelerate into traffic had to push the gas to the floor to get vehicle to move almost hit in the rear. Came to a stop light once green pressed on the gas the car went to 25mph jerked and would not accelerate over 25mph. Someone can been killed.

- Lithonia, GA, USA

problem #2

Jun 012017

Optima 4-cyl

  • 500 miles
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the vehicle did not function when the accelerator pedal was depressed. The contact stated that the vehicle took multiple attempts to be operated normally. The failure occurred without warning. The contact stated that the failure recurred on several occasions. Lupient Kia of brooklyn park (7911 lakeland ave N, brooklyn park, mn) was contacted, but the cause of the failure could not be diagnosed or replicated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and did not assist. The failure mileage was approximately 500.

- Minneapolis, MN, USA

problem #1

Jun 242017

Optima

  • 450 miles
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Optima. While driving approximately 65 mph, the contact attempted to change lanes, but the vehicle did not accelerate. It took approximately four seconds for the vehicle to respond. The contact also stated that the failure occurred five other times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer (lupient imports Inc. In brooklyn park, Minnesota), but the failure could not be duplicated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 450.

- Minneapolis, MN, USA