10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 5
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 1
Average Mileage:
51,397 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 body / paint problems

body / paint problem

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2011 Kia Optima Owner Comments

problem #16

Nov 012018

Optima

  • miles

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

My Kia Optima is peeling paint around the top of the windshield. My car is beginning to rust. This is not normal. Reading online about this issue, and many people are seeing the exact same issue. My car is snow white in color.

- Marble Hill, MO, USA

problem #15

Jan 012019

Optima

  • miles
The paint is delaminating and peeling in the section just above the windshield. This started in 2019 and has steadily getting worse. My car color is "Snow White Pearl". I have attached pictures. I had assumed that this was due to the age of the car until I started looking for solutions to fix it and keep it from getting worse. I have found that this is apparently an issue with the paint and is not due to age as there are hundreds of testimonials of other KIA owners with the exact same issue, especially owners with the "Snow White Pearl" paint color.

- Jackson, MO, USA

problem #14

Apr 222021

Optima

  • 180,000 miles
I was driving my car on a highway at traffic time when I noticed a small gas odor my brakes got really hard after that I pulled to the emergency lane and when I pull the handle to open my hood smoke and flames immediately came out, the car its trash now police took it to impound because of the fluids the car was leaking and safety issues.

- Dallas, TX, USA

problem #13

Jun 302019

Optima

  • miles

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

Will produce photo from body shop when called.

- Miami, FL, USA

problem #12

Aug 032019

Optima

  • 123,000 miles
Engine died while driving on public street and would not restart and within minutes fire in engine compartment. Destroyed front of car and damaged interior

- Lakewood, NY, USA

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problem #11

Aug 012018

Optima

  • 96,453 miles
I was driving on the street at 40mph when I saw light smoke coming from under the hood I pulled over to get my two kids and myself out of the car shortly after we got out of the car flames started coming from under the hood I then called 911 for the fire department to come put the flames out when they finally did the whole car was burnt to a crisp

- Cerritos, CA, USA

problem #10

May 162018

Optima 4-cyl

  • 50,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2011 Kia Optima. While making a left turn, the contact's vehicle crashed into the driver's side of an oncoming vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. The front bumper was severely damaged and had to be replaced. There were no injuries and a police report was filed. The vehicle was able to be driven to the contact's residence. The contact received a recall notice for NHTSA campaign number: 18V363000 (air bags). The dealer (evergreen Kia, 9205 S western ave, Chicago, il 60643, (800) 556-5223) was notified. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 50,000. Updated 11/19/18

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #9

Nov 232016

Optima

  • 75,000 miles
My husband was driving a 2011 Kia Optima when the car veered off the road and burst into flames. My husband was killed upon impact with a tree.

- Nitro, WV, USA

problem #8

Dec 262017

Optima

  • 96,000 miles
While driving to work early in the morning, traveling at about 55-60 mph, without warning a startling sound like an explosion, once I realized it wasn't a tire blowout, I pulled over to find a hole in my roof. Thankfully I was alone and my children wasn't with me and no other vehicles were on the road at that time.

- Groveland, FL, USA

problem #7

Jun 012017

Optima

  • 50,000 miles
My passenger front door keeps going out of alignment. I have had it re-aligned many times. My body shop has informed me that the hinges need to be replaced. This is a safety issue, if the door is not aligned it may open at anytime. I have informed Kia, they have refused to assist me with this issue. Please assist me with this issue.

- Flushing, NY, USA

problem #6

Jan 012017

Optima

  • 76,700 miles

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

While driving on a highway on ramp the front half of the panoramic sunroof exploded. The sunroof and interior screen were both closed at the time. The remaining glass was pushed upward.

- Bristow, VA, USA

problem #5

Dec 022013

Optima

  • miles
The roof is rusting just above the windshield.

- Cleveland, OH, USA

problem #4

Mar 042014

Optima 4-cyl

  • 43,000 miles
Vehicle was driven a mile to a commuter rail station for a drop off and back home. Nothing unusual was noted during the short trip nor had any problems been observed in the days leading up to the incident. Shortly after parking the vehicle on the 5th floor of the parking garage and entering the residence, the complex fire alarms actuated and all residents were advised to evacuate without entering the community parking garage. Shortly thereafter, I was notified by the complex manager via my cell phone that my car was on fire in the garage. The entire front of the vehicle was burned and was declared a total loss by the insurance company. (allstate). The entire car would have burned if it hadn't been parked directly under a sprinkler head in the garage plus a speedy response from the fire department. An independent fire origin investigator was hired by the insurance company. His professional opinion was the fire started at the radiator fan assembly.

- Boynton Beach, FL, USA

problem #3

Dec 252013

Optima 4-cyl

  • 22,000 miles
Moonroof on our 2011 Kia Optima ex model exploded while traveling at 60 mph December 25th 2013 - evening. Outside temperature was 36 degrees F at the time. Incident also caused body and paint damage to our trunk as well as peppered vehicles behind us with glass fragments. Upon reviewing multiple forums on line it appears this is not an isolated incident for Kia/Hyundai as I learned multiple models made by this duo have also suffered similar scenario's. I'm sure NHTSA is quite aware that the Hyundai veloseter has recalled several thousand vehicles mfg. For this potential issue and we're coincidentally made during the same time frame our vehicle was assembled.

- Lacey, WA, USA

problem #2

May 052012

Optima 4-cyl

  • 5,000 miles
I was sitting in a turn lane, to turn left. There were two lanes to my right for traffic. I was waiting for a car coming from the opposite direction. I happened to look in my rear view mirror and it was completely taken up by this red object, which happened to be a car. Immediately I felt a terrible shock and my car was lifted up in the rear and the front end pointed at the road. This car drove me approximately 40 yds. Up the road. The air bags did not deploy...none of them and there was $12,000 worth of damage done to my car. I still have lower back pain and severe cramps on the left side of neck and head. Of course the driver was dui, no license, no insurance and left the scene of the accident. On 10/22/12 my wife had driven home from Florida to tn. She turned on a street heading up a hill toward our home. She was going approximately 25 miles per hour, when an older grey truck coming down the hill crowded her off the road. She swerved to her right and hit a 700 lb. Mailbox(cement & bricks) this accident tore the ride side front end back by 4 feet, also buckling the hood and popping rivets in the motor. The air bags again failed to deploy. There has to be something wrong with the 2011 Kia Optima's air bags. She bloodied her nose and had a gash in her right wrist. There4 is absolutely no sense of having air bags when they don't do as they supposed to. This must be explored and the reason found! thank you for your time and consideration in this matter.

- Eastridge, TN, USA

problem #1

Sep 102011

Optima

  • 5,200 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Optima. The contact stated that after a storm her vehicle was flooded. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated that there were vents on the bottom of the vehicle which were designed to let water out but since it was sitting in the water it seeped into the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but did not offer any assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 5,200.

- Palmdale, CA, USA

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