2008 KIA OPTIMA Complaints

2008 KIA OPTIMA STALLS WHILE IN MOTION. VEHICLE WILL SHUT ITSELF OFF. IT IS AS IF SOMEONE REACHES OVER AND TURNS THE KEY OFF. IT HAS HAPPENED WITH THE CAR STANDING STILL AND WITH THE CAR IN MOTION. STALLING USUALLY OCCURS WITHIN FIRST FEW MINUTES OF OPERATION AND WITH HOT OUTDOOR TEMPERATURES. FIRST VISIT TO KIA RESULTED IN REPLACED FUEL TANK (CODES FOR BAD ROLL OVER VALVE). PROBLEM WENT AWAY FOR ABOUT A YEAR THEN CAME BACK. CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 4 TIMES OVER THE LAST MONTH AND A HALF. SHOP CAN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, SO THEREFORE, CAN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. THE CAR IS SUBJECT TO SHUTTING ITSELF OFF AT ANYTIME WITH NO WARNING, THE LAST OCCURRENCE HAPPENED JUST BEFORE MY WIFE WAS TO MERGE ONTO A BUSY HIGHWAY. APART FROM FUEL TANK, DEALER HAS DONE NOTHING SUBSTANTIAL TO REPAIR THE ISSUE (COMPUTER UPDATE, TIGHTENED LOOSE WIRES). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING WITH AN OCCUPANT IN THE PASSENGER'S SEAT, THE CONTACT NOTICED THE PASSENGER'S AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT WAS NOT ILLUMINATED, INDICATING THE AIR BAG WAS NOT ON. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE MUST BE STARTED PRIOR TO HAVING AN OCCUPANT IN THE PASSENGER'S SEAT IN ORDER FOR THE PASSENGER AIR BAG TO FUNCTION CORRECTLY. THERE WERE NO REPAIRS MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 32,000.

I OWN A KIA 2008 OPTIMA. EVERY 3-5 DAYS THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSORS DO NOT DETECT A PERSON SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. I CAN DRIVE FOR MILES AND HAVE THE PERSON ADJUST THEIR POSITION AND IT STILL DOESN'T REGISTER. IT SEEMS TO OCCUR WITH PEOPLE BETWEEN 120-160 POUNDS. THEY ARE ALL OVER 5'5". I HAVE CONTACTED KIA CORPORATE CASE #[XXX] . BECAUSE IT HAPPENS EVERY THREE TO FIVE DAYS THEY WON'T DO ANYTHING UNTIL THE COMPUTER REGISTERS AN ERROR. THE COMPUTER DOESN'T THINK ANYONE IS THERE. IT DOESN'T THINK THERE IS AN ISSUE. THEY'VE BASICALLY TOLD ME WHEN IT HAPPENS TO TURN OFF THE CAR AND HAVE THE PERSON GET OUT OF THE CAR FOR 3 SECONDS AND THEN TRY IT AGAIN. THIS DOESN'T WORK WELL WHEN YOU ARE PICKING HS KIDS UP FROM SCHOOL. YOU CAN'T JUST STOP YOUR CAR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. I'VE DONE SOME RESEARCH. IT LOOKS LIKE KIA HAS BEEN AWARE OF THE PROBLEM SINCE 2006. I BELIEVE IT IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. IF THE SYSTEM DOESN'T IDENTIFY THE PERSON IN THE SEAT AND THERE IS A HEAD ON COLLISION THE AIRBAG IS NOT GOING TO DEPLOY. I HAVE VIDEO AND PICTURES OF IT RECURRING. KIA WILL DON'T ACCEPT IT AS EVIDENCE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I CALLED KIA ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WHEN LOCKED MY KEYS IN THE TRUCK OF MY 2008 KIA OPTIMA ACCIDENTLY. WHEN HE USED HIS INSTRUMENT TO OPEN THE DRIVER'S DOOR, THE ANTI-THEFT ALARM SOUNDED. HE WAITED UNTIL IT STOPPED AND ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE TRUNK WITH THE RELEASE BUT IT WOULD NOT OPERATE DUE TO THE CAR SHUUTING DOWN. WHEN I GOT IN THE VEHICLE AND CLOSED THE DOOR IT LOCKED AGAIN AND I WAS NOT ABLE TO GET OUT. I WAS LITERALLY TRAPPED INSIDE MY CAR. THERE IS NO WAY TO ACCESS THE TRUNK FROM THE INSIDE. YOU CAN ONLY FOLD THE BACK SEAT DOWN BY USING A RELEASE FOUND ONLY INSIDE OF THE TRUNK. IF I HAD BEEN ALONE OR THE DRIVER HAD LEFT, I WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAPPED INSIDE OF MY VEHICLE WITH NO MEANS OF EXIT. THE ANTI-THEFT DEVICCE MAY PROTECT THE CAR FROM BEING STOLEN BUT IT SURE DOES NOTHING TO PROTECT THE CONSUMER. WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I HAD A BABY INSIDE WITH ME OR IT WAS 100 DEGREES OUTSIDE AND I COULD NOT UNLOCK THE DOORS TO GET OUT? I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR AND WAS PROMPTLY TOLD THAT IT WAS REALLY MY FAULT FOR LOCKING MY KEYS IN THE TRUNK IN THE FIRST PLACE. THE ALSO EXPLAINED THAT THE 'NO ACCESS TO THE TRUNK FROM THE INSIDE' IS TO PROTECT AGAINST THIEVES BREAKING INTO MY CAR AND ENTERING THE TRUNK THROUGH THE BACKSEAT AND STEAL SOMETHING SUCH AS MY SUITCASE. WELL, I THINK IT WOULD BE EASIER TO REPLACE A SUITCASE THAN MY LIFE OR THE LIFE OF A CHILD. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I DEFINITELY DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS CAR!

HEAD LIGHTS ARE NOT ADJUSTED CORRECTLY,LEFT LIGHT IS LOW CAUSING A DARK SPOT ON THAT SIDE. THIS HAPPENS WHEN LOW BEAM IS USED. RIGHT SIDE SHINES OUT FURTHER,BUT IT TAKES EFFECT AT THE SOLID WHITE LINE AT THE RIGHT SIDE OF ROAD. I HAVE HAD ONE CLOSE CALL I DID NOT SEE THE PERSON TILL HE GOT INTO THE LIGHT OF THE RIGHT HEAD LIGHT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT TURNED THE IGNITION OFF AND ACTIVATED THE OPENING OF THE REAR TRUNK WHEN SUDDENLY THE RADIO UNIT BEGAN TO FUNCTION FOR APPROXIMATELY FIVE SECONDS. THE ENGINE WAS RESTARTED AND THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS PLACED INTO THE "DRIVE" POSITION, WHILE PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, THERE WAS UNCONTROLLABLE ACCELERATION. THE DRIVER TURNED THE IGNITION OFF AND PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. AFTER RESTARTING THE VEHICLE HE WAS ABLE TO RESUME NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 6,835.

FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DOES NOT ALWAYS ACTIVATE WHEN AN ADULT SITS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THE DASHBOARD LIGHT INDICATES THAT THE AIRBAG IS OFF. EVEN WITH AN ADULT WEIGHING ABOUT 115 POUNDS OCCUPIES THE SEAT. *TR

INDICATOR LIGHT FOR PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG HAS IRREGULAR PERFORMANCE. CAN'T DEPEND ON OPERATION OF PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG. HAVE MADE 4 OR 5 COMPLAINTS WITH DEALER AND NO RESOLUTION. LOOKING AT INTERNET IT APPEARS THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH VARIOUS MODEL YEARS ON THE KIA OPTIMA AND OTHER MODELS WITHIN THE KIA FAMILY. WOULD LIKE TO HAVE RESOLUTION PRIOR TO HAVING AN ACCIDENT WITH SOMEONE IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AND THE AIR BAG DOES NOT FUNCTION.

WE HAVE A 2008 KIA OPTIMA, WITH 12,000 MILES.. THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT MALFUNCTIONS. WHILE PEOPLE ARE SEATED, IT COMES ON, INDICATING THE AIR BAG IS OFF; WHICH MEANS, IN CASE OF ACCIDENT IT WILL NOT DEPLOY. IT HAS DONE THIS RECENTLY ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS WITH THREE DIFFERENT MEDIUM TO LARGE ADULTS. WE HAVE TAKEN THIS TO THE LOCAL KIA SERVICE TWICE AND HAVE BEEN TOLD EACH TIME, "YOU ARE NOT SITTING CORRECTLY." THEY EVEN SUPPLIED US WITH A "SERVICE BULLETIN" INSTRUCTING EMPLOYEES HOW TO RESPOND WHEN PEOPLE REPORT THIS CONCERN... INSTRUCTING THE CONSUMER HOW TO "SIT CORRECTLY." AFTER, MUCH CONVERSATION WITH THE LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP EMPLOYEES, EVERYONE, THE SERVICE MANAGER, TECH, AND COMPANY MANAGER AGREED THAT WE HAD A PROBLEM BUT THEY COULDN'T FIX IT. THEIR REASON WAS KIA WOULD NOT RECOGNIZE IT AS A PROBLEM AND WOULD NOT COVER IT UNDER THE WARRANTY. AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE MANAGER REPORTED TO ME THAT THE KIA REP WAS NOT PLEASED THAT THE EMPLOYEES HAD USED THE WORD "PROBLEM" WHEN REFERRING TO MY SITUATION. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN AND IT LEAVES ME WITH A CAR, THAT WHEN THE LIGHT COMES ON, I HAVE TO STOP AND MOVE THE PASSENGER TO THE BACK SEAT, AS THE AIRBAG WOULD NOT DEPLOY IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT. UPON CHECKING THE INTERNET, I HAVE DISCOVERED PAGES OF OTHERS REPORTING THIS SAME PROBLEM WITH THE SAME INANE INSTRUCTIONS OF "NOT BEING SEATED PROPERLY." IF THE KIA'S SENSOR IS THAT SENSITIVE, IT NEEDS TO BE FIXED. WE FEEL THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND THAT KIA NEEDS TO ADMIT THE PROBLEM AND FIX IT! *TR

EARLIER THIS YEAR WE PURCHASED A NEW 2008 KIA OPTIMA LX/EX 4D. YESTERDAY MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING SOUTH ON FLORIDA'S TURNPIKE HE WAS SLOWING DOWN TO GET OFF ON AN EXIT WHEN THE CAR MADE A LOUD NOISE AND IT STARTED PULLING TO THE RIGHT. HE TRIED VERY HARD TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE CAR BUT IT KEPT ON PULLING RIGHT. HE CRASHED INTO TWO PARKED VANS THAT WERE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD (COUNTY WORKERS). WHEN THE CAR FINALLY STOPPED HE NOTICED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL WAS FACING FORWARD WHILE THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE WAS FACING COMPLETELY TO THE RIGHT. SINCE THE ACCIDENT I HAVE CONTACTED THE KIA HEADQUARTERS AND REPORTED THE DEFECT. THEY TOLD ME THAT IT FIRST HAD TO BE EVALUATED BY A KIA SERVICE CENTER BUT THEY ARE REFUSING TO PAY FOR THE TOWING. THEY DO NOT WANT TO PROVIDE A RENTAL CAR AND THEY TOLD ME IT WILL BE AT LEAST FOUR DAYS BEFORE THEY CAN EVALUATE THE CAR. *TR