5.3

fairly significant
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
18,000 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2001 Kia Optima engine problems

engine problem

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2001 Kia Optima Owner Comments

problem #3

Oct 132003

Optima 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 54,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

2001 Kia Optima with approximately 57,000 miles has been regularly maintained at Kia dealerships since purchase in Jan 2002 (used). Since June 2003 car has been serviced for numerous recall items. Car has had many problems since then. Check engine light continuously lit. Engine surges or stalls while driving. Car fails to accelerate then surges. Very high RPM with no acceleration. Engine coils misfire. Difficulty starting occasionally. After four months of frequent trips to dealership service area, (June-October 2003) service manager calls to tell owner to contact insurance company because there is sand/sugar in gas tank that has caused all of these problems. They claim the car falls out of warranty because of this. Customer disagrees that sand/sugar is cause because problems have persisted for four months. Car currently in shop for past 10 days. Dealership service area will not do any more work until insurance people come. Needless to say the customer is not happy.

- Marietta, GA, USA

problem #2

Sep 172002

Optima

  • miles
While driving at 40-50mph the vehicle hesitates and surge forward without warning. The dealer has inspected the vehicle and could not find the problem. Provide further information.

- Norwalk, CT, USA

problem #1

Jun 262002

Optima

  • miles
Consumer states the vehicle stalled out without warning. The dealer has been notified. Please provide additional information.

- Buffalo, NY, USA

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