1.7

hardly worth mentioning
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
99,496 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.

2006 Kia Optima engine problems

engine problem

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2006 Kia Optima Owner Comments

problem #7

Oct 102018

Optima

  • 240,000 miles

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

I have an 06 Optima (06.5/ ms) 2.4 engine but the problem im having juging from Kia internet forums is spread acros meney years and models it is an intermitant engine stall it can happen at any time ive had it happen at 65mph on interstate this is followed by a series of start stall then it will run fine for a while ive had a complete wire harness check reaced several sensors and other parts nothing has cured the problem it should be recalled and repaired by Kia before some one gets hurt not after.this is a totally random happening

- Cadiz, KY, USA

problem #6

Nov 012017

Optima 4-cyl

  • miles
2006 Kia Optima. Consumer writes in regards to clutch and engine light turn on and off.

- Winter Park, FL, USA

problem #5

Sep 102016

Optima

  • 103,083 miles
"first" time problem happened was July 3, 2016 with my 2006 Kia Optima. I was sb on hwy I25 in cs, co. Speedometer read 25mph as I was coming off the on-ramp. I accelerated to 40mph into flow of traffic. I felt a lurch & the vehicle automatically accelerated. Speed went from 40mph to about 60 mph without depressing accelerator. Breaking did not slow it down. I felt car was going out of control. My passenger reached over & turned ignition switch off & on quickly, to decelerate & accelerate. This helped car slow down when key was turned off to the first click & helped maintain an adjusted speed as traffic was in-front & in-back. We kept doing this until car slowed down enough to pull over to right shoulder. Key was completely turned off & car was at a complete stop. Car was towed to mechanics. Diagnostic was performed using engine analyzer. It was road tested multiple times & didn't it duplicate my experience. This happened again Sept.10, 2016 as I, again, entered hwy I25 so.I was driving alone. My speedometer was 40 mph, in heavy hwy traffic. I once again "felt" lurch of car. This time it "stuck" at 40 mph. It didn't slow down when I braked, it continued at 40 mph. I continued to brake & speed did slow a bit. My foot was totally down on break when it was still auto accelerating at the hwy exit ramp; now slowed to 26 mph as I continued holding brake down. Finally speed was down to 23mph as I drove into a parking lot (no cars were moving in & out at the time). I turned the key off completely; my foot was still on the brake & the car came to a lurching haul at that time in the middle of the parking lot. I waited about a minute & then started the engine again with my foot on the brake. I was able to pull into a parking slot. I started it & very slowly drove home, but not on the hwy. I maintained speed of 25-30mph. It was only about 1K between the 2 incidents.

- Colorado Springs, CO, USA

problem #4

Oct 252014

Optima 6-cyl

  • 66,961 miles

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

I went to go shopping, and at the second stop sign in my neighborhood I stopped. When I tried to drive the gas pedal when pushed would not let the engine go fast enough to go above 20 mph, then I noticed that the check engine light was on. I pulled over and checked my engine and its fluids, could not find any thing wrong. So I started the car up again, and everything seemed to work fine. So I drove off and the car worked like it should have. I then went to a auto parts store, and they used their meter to check engine codes. The code was P2135, code definition: Throttle pedal/position sensor 'A/B' voltage correlation.

- Callaway, FL, USA

problem #3

Oct 072014

Optima 4-cyl

  • 108,386 miles
My car stalled while driving then all sudden it stalled, I started again then stalled again. I called the tow truck and towed to the auto repair, my car has a vehicle recalls. The dealerships refused to fixed it the recalls, they told me I have to pay full costs about $5,000 for new engine. They won't fixed the recalls. I found out there was huge complaints against dealerships of Kia. I filed a lawsuits against the dealerships for refused to fix my car. 2 recalls air bags/engine. The dealerships don't want to fix the recalls, they force me to pay for huge repairs. I had to pay rental car and towing services.

- Oklahoma City, OK, USA

problem #2

Jul 032012

Optima

  • 116,039 miles
2006 Kia Optima needed a new timing belt within the next few thousand + miles (needs to be changed every 60,000 miles or sooner), but one the crankshaft pulley just came off and then the belt came off a couple pulleys because of this. The belt actually looks fine, but the pulley failure caused the belt to come off. This belt runs several things so the initial loose pulley caused the car to lose power steering, battery light to turn on, the A/C failed, etc., and then the inner part of the pulley came off and the outer ring (magnetized) fell and stuck to part of the car frame that is actually metal. My wife made it to work while the belt had to still be on but loose, and it now sits in her parking spot at her job (hospital parking ramp). I will probably have it towed tomorrow. This could have easily led to an extremely dangerous situation if it happened on the highway. I found the outer part of the lower pulley laying above the car frame close to the engine. If the car drove after this, engine damage would be most likely. I will hopefully have it towed to the nearest Kia dealership by tomorrow to see if I just need the pulley and belt or if the engine is damaged. This is unbelievable, because I found many people that had the same issue with the crankshaft pulley bolt breaking off and sometimes causing engine damage immediately afterward. As a consumer, I shouldn't have to go under the vehicle and tighten a factory tightened bolt every now and then. I hope that the newer bolts actually hold like a grade 8 american bolt, because that wouldn't fail. Rubber can't break steel, and I can't believe this obvious oversight by Kia hasn't been recalled or in a technical service bulletin!!!!

- Appleton, WI, USA

problem #1

May 122012

Optima 4-cyl

  • 62,000 miles
After a recent oil change, the car was running horribly, making a knocking sound. Had an episode where the oil light was flashing on and off and the engine about died, so I had made an appointment for the vehicle to get checked for Monday morning. The Saturday before, while running errands, had the episode occur again, but this time, the engine locked up and it has been sitting at the dealership every since because although I have a manufacturer warranty, Kia won't honor it with all my oil change receipts. I am frustrated, because I know others have had the same issue I have and haven't complained loud enough or whatever, but this is an issue with the engine, not me. No car should blow an engine at 62K. It's ridiculous.

- Fishers, IN, USA

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