2004 KIA OPTIMA Complaints

View complaints related to 2004 KIA OPTIMA. The complaints found here are submitted by actual consumers with first hand experience. There are more than 220 complaints submitted for the 2004 KIA OPTIMA. You can submit your own complaint to the NHTSA or call the Hotline, Monday-Friday 8am to 8pm at (888) 327-4236, TTY: (800) 424-9153.

  • 2004 KIA OPTIMA
    - NEWBURGH HTS, OH

    DRIVERS DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE OR OUT, IT HAPPENED THREE TIMES AND THE STARTED WORKING AGAIN. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2004 KIA OPTIMA
    - AUSTIN, TX

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 35 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AFTER RECEIVING A JUMP START TO THE BATTERY. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE CRANK SHAFT SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WAS 80,034.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2004 KIA OPTIMA
    - MONTEVALLO, AL

    THE DRIVERS DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE OR THE INSIDE. I HAVE TO CRAWL IN FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE AND THEN WHEN I WANT TO GET OUT I HAVE TO CRAWL OVER AND EXIT FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE. TRIED TO UNLOCK IT WITH MY KEYLESS ENTRY AND NOW IT DOESN'T WORK. REPLACED BATTERIES BUT STILL NOT WORKING. MY SON KEPT TURNING THE KEY IN THE DOOR AND FINALLY GOT IT OPENED. THE NEXT TIME I DROVE IT THE SAME THING HAPPENED. I AM TIRED OF HAVING TO CRAWL IN AND OUT OF MY CAR. I ALWAYS ENJOYED DRIVING MY KIA BUT NOT ANYMORE. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2004 KIA OPTIMA
    - REGO PARK, NY

    DRIVER SIDE DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK. NEITHER THE KEY NOR THE DOOR LOCK KNOB ON THE INSIDE WORKS TO UNLOCK THE DOOR. UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE BEEN ENTERING AND EXITING THE DRIVER SIDE BY ENTERING THE CAR FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE. THERE ARE MANY OTHERS WHO HAVE THIS PROBLEM WITH ALL KIA MODELS AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE WEBSITE HTTP://VLANE.COM/DISCUSS-TOPIC/989/MY-DRIVERS-DOOR-IS-LOCKED-WILL-NOT-UNLOCK . THE PROBLEM IS A SAFETY HAZARD SINCE ONCE IN THE DRIVER SEAT, THE DRIVER CAN NOT EXIT THE CAR THROUGH THE DRIVER DOOR WHICH CAN PROVE TO BE A PROBLEM IN AN EMERGENCY. KIA IS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF OWNERS BY NOT ADDRESSING THE ISSUE. I AM AFRAID FOR MY SAFETY, MY FAMILY'S SAFETY WHILE DRIVING AND EMPHATICALLY PLEAD WITH YOU TO RECALL THESE KIA CARS TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2004 KIA OPTIMA
    - CINCINNATI, OH

    CAR WAS DIFFICULT TO START AFTER FUEL FILL-UP. IT GOT WORSE AFTER EACH FILL UP. TRIED PUTTING FUEL IN WHILE CAR WAS RUNNING, BUT IT WOULD JUST CUT OFF. MUST PUT FOOT ON BRAKE AND REV GAS AFTER PUTTING IN FUEL TO GET GOING. I WAS USING KROGER GAS, I SWITCHED TO SHELL GAS BUT THE PROBLEM PERSIST. ALSO ENGINE LIGHT HAS NEVER COME ON. I THINK THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE 2003 KIA. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2004 KIA OPTIMA
    - HUEYTOWN, AL

    WE JUST PURCHASED IS CAR LAST SATURDAY AND WENT TO THE STORE AND LOCKED THE DOORS THEN WHEN WE WENT TO UNLOCK THE DOORS WITH THE KEY ON THE DRIVER SIDE THE DRIVER DOOR WOULD NOT UNLOCK. I WOULD TURN THE KEY AND PULL THE HANDLE AND THE DOORS WOULD LOCK BACK. I HAD TO GET IN AND BACK OUT THROUGH THE PASSANGER SIDE. WHEN I GOT HOME MY SON FINALLY GOT IT TO UNLOCK AND OPEN AND EVERYTIME WE WOULD LOCK IT IT WOULD NOT UNLOCK OR OPEN. WE JUST HAVE TO KEEP WORKING WITH IT UNTIL IT FIANLLY UNLOCKS AND THE DOOR OPENS. SO NOW I AM AFRAID TO LOCK IT. I READ ONLINE OF MANY REPORTS OF THIS SAME PROBLEM AND IT WOULD REALLY BE NICE TO GET A RECALL FOR IT. *TT

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2004 KIA OPTIMA
    - COLORADO SPRINGS, CO

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2004 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR WAS INOPERABLE. ONCE LOCKED, IT COULD NOT BE OPENED FROM THE INTERIOR OR EXTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,580.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2004 KIA OPTIMA
    - STERLING, VA

    2004 KIA OPTIMA EX. THE DRIVER DOOR LOCK WILL NOT UNLOCK TRAPPING US IN CAR. MUST CRAWL OUT THROUGH PASSENGER SEATS. DOES NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. LOCKING MECHANISM IS MESSED UP ON DRIVERS SIDE. *TT

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2004 KIA OPTIMA
    - COLUMBUS, OH

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD MAKE A LOUD NOISE AND THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD VIBRATE VIOLENTLY. A LOCAL MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONTACT OF THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 09V183000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT). AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WAS THEN NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 67,000.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2004 KIA OPTIMA
    - NEWINGTON, CT

    I OWN A 2004 KIA OPTIMA. THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE BECAME DETACHED FROM THE SEAT UNDER NORMAL USE. I WAS PARKED AND LEANED FORWARD IN THE SEAT AND THE BUCKLE CAME OUT OF THE SEAT HOUSING WITH A BOLT AND 2 WASHERS ON IT. THERE APPEARS TO BE NO DAMAGE TO ANY OF THE COMPONENTS. I SEE THIS AS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND WILL HAVE THE CAR AT THE DEALER TOMORROW FOR A HOPEFULLY FREE REPAIR SINCE THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE PRETTY MUCH JUST FELL APART. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE