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.
2014 Kia Optima hybrid completely shut down while decelerating for a traffic light. The car displayed a fault on the screen as a "possible battery management system failure." When the car shut down. Had loss of steering control (electrical/optical steering). Had to slow to stop, place transmission selector in park before the car would allow restart. Engine warning light stayed on for 3 hours then extinguished by itself. Bms was updated at cost to customer.
While driving the car stalled resulting in a collision with a telephone pole. I had just made a turn & the car went dead. Steering and brakes locked up. Now my car is completely totaled not to mention the airbags never deployed. My fianc was ejected from the vehicle resulting in a fractured hip.
Kia Optima recall I was driving on the freeway and all of a sudden my engine turn off and everything else was on I got off the freeway and park at a hotel try to turn the car on again and it wouldn't turn on again I noticed that it was smoking from the hood of my car. Can you please help me out
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Optima. On several occasions, when attempting to start the vehicle by pressing the start push button, the vehicle would not immediately start. Occasionally, the contact would have to jiggle the transmission shifter to get the vehicle to start. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer (mathews Kia, 595 East main St, cartersville, ga) to be diagnosed, but the failure could not be duplicated. The failure was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and did not assist. The failure mileage was 25,000. Updated 11/29/18
- Rockmart, GA, USA
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Bought April/May 2014, by December 2014 the engine needed replaced. Electrical: Buttons don't work for proper functions (volume up will turn volume down, cruise control button was a completely different one on the steering wheel then it's supposed too & ac stopped working) while in motion or stopped but when car is turned off than back on it resets to normal.
A couple of months back, the rear, right side door wouldn't open or close properly. I also noticed, before the door issue, that the car seemed sluggish going uphill, and it seemed like I was going through gas, a lot quicker. A few weeks ago, while parked, my car battery had died. I had no warning, and was 4 hours from home. Luckily it was able to be jump started. Now, when I try to start the car, it won't start. I have to put it in drive, then back in park, before it will start. Now when I start the car, my gas guage drops to below, what I had when I parked. Over the next few days, it will make its way to normal.
The push to start buttons on Kia Optima's are not turning on the cars engines. I have seen this complaint all over the internet and it seems to be a very common issue among Kia Optima owners. The car will be turned off and parked, you will go to push the brake and start the car and you will get nothing from the engine. The lights and radio will work but the engine will not turn on. People have reported "hacks" to fix the issue such as waiting it out or a clever one is to put your foot on the brake move the gear shifter to drive and back to park 2 times and then push the start button and the car hopefully will start. It seems the problem progressively gets worse over time. I was in the waiting it out stage now I am in the gear shifting stage. All jokes aside this is a serious issue for a car that has only been on the market for 4 years. Simply google "Kia Optima won't start, " to see more people with the same exact issue as myself.
While driving about 70 mph my car has randomly stopped and cut off.. after sitting there I was able to restart. However I was barely able to get out of the way of other cars.
Car will not start occasionally- there are several internet comments about this happening to many Kia owners- some remedy is to start it in neutral- shift gear from park to drive back to park and then try to start it- wiggle gift shift etc- dealer claims they need to reproduce in order to repair but they are ignoring the fact that this is a safety issue if someone gets stranded - I have extended warranty yet they refuse to try to repair
WE STARTED REPORTING ISSUES THIS PAST JULY TO OUR DEALERSHIP, KIA RIVERGATE IN MADISON, TN. THEY HAVE HAD OUR CAR IN THREE TIMES AND KEEP TELLING US THERES THINGS "WE" NEED TO FIX.MY CAR IS STILL ON WARRANTY AND IS UNDER A TOTAL ENGINE RECALL. THE CAR STARTED WITH A KNOCKING SOUND IN THE ENGINE AND HAD ISSUES WHEN WE WOULD ACCELERATE. THE CAR DID NOT WANT TO ACCELERATE AT ALL CAUSING US TO STALL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY SEVERAL TIMES. THEY TOLD US NOTHING WAS WRONG BUT THEY REPLACED A SENSOR. THE CAR CONTINUED TO KNOCK AND STALL. I ASKED THEM IF IT WAS MY TRANSMISSION AND THEY SAID NO, IT'S FINE. THEY SAID WE COULD TRY REPLACING THE BATTERY AND THEY CHANGED THE OIL (AT OUR EXPENSE). THE CAR HAS HAD BATTERY REPLACED THREE TIMES BECAUSE THEY TOLD US THAT WAS THE ISSUE THE FIRST TWO TIMES. THE CAR HAS GOTTEN MUCH WORSE IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS. THE LAST TIME WE TOOK IT IN TO THEM THEY ARE NOW SAYING THAT IT MIGHT BE THE FUEL INJECTOR. ONCE AGAIN THEY ARE STATING THAT WE MUST PAY FOR IT. I'VE CALLED THEM BECAUSE THE CAR HAD HUGE CLOUDS OF SMOKE COMING OUT THE BACK AND IS SHAKING EVEN WORSE. ONCE AGAIN THEY SAID THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO. I TOLD THEM WE ARE HAVING TO ADD OL 3 TIMES A WEEK WITH NO SIGNS OF A LEAK. MY CAR IS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD AND I REPEAT, MY CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND IS ON A RECALL FOR SEVERAL ISSUES INCLUDING THE ENGINE. NOW MY CAR ISN'T DRIVABLE AT ALL. IT STARTED SHAKING TO THE POINT OF THROWING US FORWARD IN THE CAR AND SMOKES LIKE IT IS ON FIRE AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL NOT GO OFF AT ALL, SO YOU'RE TELLING ME THERE'S NOT AN ENGINE ISSUE? [XXX]. EVEN A FUEL INJECTOR WOULD BE CONSIDERED PART OF THE ENGINE BECAUSE IT HAS TO RUN THROUGH THE ENGINE TO MAKE THE CAR RUN. I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHY KIA IS NOT HONORING THEIR WARRANTIES OR RECALLS. MY NEXT STEP IS TO CALL AN ATTORNEY AND SUE KIA. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Optima. After the vehicle was parked, the contact was unable to restart the vehicle. The contact stated that the electrical system failed. The vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign number: 17V224000 (engine and engine cooling). The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed or repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer were contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 48,700.
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Optima. While driving various speeds, the temperature gauge moved sporadically without warning. The vehicle was taken to the dealer (kings Kia 9600 kings auto mall rd, cincinnati, oh 45249 (513) 677-6700) where it was diagnosed with a sporadic temperature gauge that needed replacement. The temperature gauge was replaced, but the failure recurred a week later. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where they replaced the thermostat. The contact stated that the issue persisted, but the check engine indicator illuminated and the sporadic temperature gauge continued to fail. The contact mentioned that the vehicle was at the dealer for three weeks. The instrument panel was replaced, but the failure continued. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 17V224000 (engine and engine cooling), but failed to notify the dealer of the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 49,500.
May 9th 2016, driving to work on I-44 heading to work, my vehicle without warning shuts off and dies, I start to see white smoke come from the engine compartment, I safely pull the car over to shoulder because it was still rolling. Exit the vehicle and open the hood, and the engine catches fire on the driver side of the engine. I have spoken to many certified mechanics all with the same answer that it was an electrical fire. I have since completed the total loss process with my insurance. I have contacted Kia Consumer Affairs who were absolutely zero help. The vehicle was still under warranty as it only had just over 36000 miles.
We had taken our car to the dealership for a regular oil change. They advised that there was a recall and fixed whatever the problem was. We found the fuse cover on the dashboard. 1 day later, the symbols on the dashboard began to light up and the car froze, locked and died. I was able to get it over to the side of the road. I was told that it was the alternator. This car has 7800 miles on it and is a year old. It was fortunate I was not on a highway. There probably would have been a serious accident. I couldn't even get my flashers on because the battery was completely dead. I asked why this would happen and if it could happen again and was given no concrete answer. I loved driving this car, but my confidence in this vehicle is now lost.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Aldie, VA, USA