10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
34,561 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.

2011 Kia Optima suspension problems

suspension problem

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2011 Kia Optima Owner Comments

problem #16

Dec 032020

Optima

  • miles

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

Lo qu pasa esq el carro tira gasolina Y lo emos arreglado 4 veses Y tira toda la gasolina ya isimos un reclamo Y nos nos quieren dar ninguna compensacin lo que ase ES que SE le tira la gasolina Y tengo miedo que SE yegue a quemar porque cada vez que le a pasado solo empieza a tirar gasolina no importa si est parado a conduciendo la ltima vez qu pas lo estbamos conduciendo Y me percat Y me regrese Y lo tengo en mi casa Y ya no lo eh vuelto a mover porque tengo miedo que SE queme estoy enviando una foto de la manguera un video de que ES lo Q le pasa tengo un video de pero no lo pude enviar.

- Des Moines, WA, USA

problem #15

Feb 112020

Optima

  • 79,000 miles
18V363 17220 it has made a loud clanking/knocking noise. It stalled then completly died once I got off the main highway and wouldnt crank again. It uses an awful lot of oil. Upon first oil change it had shards of metal in it. The place I got the vehicle from says they put new motor in it among other things but I havent seen in change in things other than it doesnt smoke under the hood while idling.

- Berry, AL, USA

problem #14

Jun 292020

Optima 4-cyl

  • 81,000 miles
The Kia Optima 2011 motor no longer works and smoke keeps coming out when it's on and turned off after driving from the exhaust on the drivers side. The accelerator pedal gets stuck and doesn't seem to want to make the change in transmission. I took the car to two different mechanics and both of them come out with the same diagnose. Was told that the car is a recalled car because it is to soon for the motor to be shutting down since it only has 81,000 miles and it's not an old car. The suspension is also not in properly.

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

problem #13

Feb 042019

Optima

  • 162,000 miles

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

I have had to change lower control arm inner and outer tie rod and cv axle 2 time because parts are cheap and slightest amount of force such as hitting a curb causes massive suspension damage. Both times car was running unber 20 miles an hour and hit a curb and it destroyed suspension. Second time tie rod broke while driving down the road and lost control and ended up hitting guard rail and same thing destroyed suspension.

- New Stanton, PA, USA

problem #12

Nov 292018

Optima 4-cyl

  • miles
2011 Kia Optima. Consumer writes in regards to airbag control unit safety recall.

- Rochester, NY, USA

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problem #11

Nov 222017

Optima

  • 97,000 miles
My car cut off in the middle of the street causing a accident

- Oakland, CA, USA

problem #10

Jul 242015

Optima

  • 108,000 miles

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

When driving on the highway 55mph or higher steering wheel has a loud knock and pulls left. It is very dangerous to drive because the steering wheel is uncontrollable. When in park and turning the wheel it makes the knocking noise also. Updated 10/07/15 updated 12/11/2017

- Williamston, NC, USA

problem #9

Jun 152012

Optima 4-cyl

  • 9,000 miles
We bought our car last year, 5 months after we got the car, when I was driving it the vehicle dynamic control (vdc) light turn on and the car shaking very bad and we can not handle the car right and the brake its not working well, its very very scary. The only thing that we can do we turn the vdc light off, its gonna be ok for couple days, and again it happens. After that I took the car to fairfax Kia in Virginia they didn't believe me and they said when they test drive the car it didn't happened to them, so it happens for me almost 7 times and every time they when I took it back to the service they said the same thing. I have no idea what should I do, somebody needs to fix this problem, if something happened to me what should I do? Kia motor in responsible for that.

- White Plains , MD, USA

problem #8

Nov 012011

Optima 4-cyl

  • 15,700 miles
First noticed abnormal tire ware on the outside edge of the front right tire, took to dealership. Was told that the vehicle was out of the adjustment period. So I had to pay for an alignment. Received the spec sheets after. The alignment was out.15 degrees rf, .01 degrees lf, .19 degrees lr, .13 degrees rr. Vehicle was set back to factory settings, and dealership blamed the mis alignment on Michigan roads. Car was set to have the alignment checked 1500 miles later or 30 days. 2nd time in the shop for alignment check and was out. 09 degrees lf, .11 degrees rf, .02 degrees lr, .04 degrees rr. Dealership set the alignment back to factory specs. Car again was set 30 days later or 1500 miles for another alignment check and was out once again..21 degrees lf, .13 degrees rf, .26 degrees lr, .02 degrees rr. At this time the mileage was 22300. After the 3rd time to the dealer and taking their advice to give them the chance to fix the problem. In the end, the dealer said that there was nothing wrong with the car, yet every time it was there the alignment had to be adjusted and put back to factory settings. As you can see by the number of degree changes, more than.05 degrees is astronomical when it comes to toe settings on any car. This car has a 100,000 mile warranty, yet Kia, nor the dealership is standing behind the product, they manufacture or sell!

- Whitmore Lake , MI, USA

problem #7

May 012011

Optima

  • 500 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the vehicle would veer towards the left while driving at various speeds. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer on numerous occasions and a camber kit was installed on the suspension but the failure continued. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a complaint was filed. The failure mileage was 500.

- San Diego, CA, USA

problem #6

Aug 192011

Optima 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 347 miles

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

The contact owns a 2011 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the vehicle consistently pulled to the left. The contact had the dealer perform an alignment twice and both the struts and the bolts were replaced. The dealer insisted that there was nothing wrong with the vehicle, but the contact believed there was some type of defect. The failure mileage was 347 and the current mileage was 3,672. Updated 12/12/11 updated 01/23/12

- Woonsocket, RI, USA

problem #5

Sep 022011

Optima 4-cyl

  • miles
I purchased my Optima sx turbo with less than 50 miles on it. I got the turbo with 274 hp because it was the closest I could get to a hot rod with four doors. I have send this information to Kia in hopes of resolution. The car's acceleration is fantastic, especially from 40-50 with gas peddle floored. Here is the problem. The front end rises and the weight shift makes the car feel like you are about to pull a wheelie. At this point I question the traction of the front tires. It cannot be the same as with no severe acceleration. This takes away the reason I bought the car with this specific engine. Also think about this scenario. A family is driving this car on the highway in the rain. They want to pass an 18 wheeler going up a grade. Acceleration is increased and with weight shifted back off the front wheels, they crash. The car needs either stiffer suspension or ability to change the suspension. When I floor it, the weight ratios over all wheels must not change.

- S. Burlington, VT, USA

problem #4

Oct 012011

Optima

  • miles
2011 Kia Optima. Consumer states problems with vehicle steering the consumer stated the steering would often veer to the left and then to the right.

- Washington, DC, USA

problem #3

May 182011

Optima 4-cyl

  • 111 miles
Purchased a 2011 Kia Optima LX on 5/18/11. Car constantly pulled left so bad that you would end up into oncoming traffic on a two lane road in you didn't continually correct to the right. Had the dealer align vehicle to factory specs with no change. Took car back to dealer who realigned to new specs received from Kia tech support. Vehicle now only has a tendency to pull left but will drift left if you take your hands off of the steering wheel. Dealer test drove the car again and claims the vehicle drives better than a new one on the lot. Dealer said they couldn't do anything else for me and referred me to Kia consumer relations.

- High Point, NC, USA

problem #2

May 022011

Optima

  • 325 miles
I am also having the left pull issue with my 2011 Kia Optima. I alerted the dealer as soon as it left the lot and took the car in for service on 5/2/11. Spoke with the service tech today (5/4) and he said that all of the alignment specs were within factory standards but the car is still pulling left. Currently awaiting guidance from Kia's corporate engineers. This presents a clear danger as the car will switch lanes unless constant pressure is put on the steering wheel.

- Catonsville, MD, USA

problem #1

Mar 012011

Optima

  • miles
Car pulls to left 100% of the time. Car has been inspected by Kia service and meets all factory specs. This appears to be a design flaw. Kia requires all 2011 Optima's to be realigned prior to being sold. Customer service rep. Said that one of her tec. Reps. Drives a 2011 Optima and it also pulls left.

- Pawleys Island, SC, USA

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