2011 KIA OPTIMA Complaints

PROBLEM WITH KIA DOOR SENSOR LIGHT STAYING ON WHEN ALL DOORS ARE SHUT TIGHT. I'VE GOTTEN (3) THREE JUMPS AND PURCHASED A NEW BATTERY BECAUSE THIS SENSOR IS DRAINING MY BATTERY. WHEN THE SENSOR IS ON IT WON'T ALLOW ME TO SECURE THE CAR. IF I USE THE CLICKER IT WON'T LOCK BECAUSE THE SENSOR LIGHT IS ON. I NEVER KNOW WHEN I GO TO THE CAR IF IT WILL ACTUALLY START OR NOT. I'M TRYING TO GET THE DEALERSHIP TO UNPLUG THE SENSOR. HAD TO CALL TOW TRUCK ON: JAN 1, JAN 17 AND JAN 19

THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS HAVE CONTINUOUSLY BECOME DIMMER OVER TIME. AFTER REPLACING THE BULBS A SECOND TIME, I DETERMINED THAT IT WAS CLEARLY NOT A BULB ISSUE. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO LIGHT DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE CAR, ONLY TO THE SIDES. THE HIGH BEAMS ARE FINE. AFTER READING ON LINE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS, I TOOK MY CAR TO A DEALER. BULLDOG KIA IN ATHENS, GA TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS IN FACT A SERVICE ISSUE (SHE WOULD NOT SAY RECALL), BUT BECAUSE NOTHING IN MY HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY WAS "BROKEN OR CRACKED" THEY COULDN'T REPLACE IT. AND SINCE I DIDN'T BUY THE BULB FROM KIA, THAT WAS THE PROBLEM. I PURCHASED THE EXACT BULB RECOMMENDED FOR THIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL. KIA WAS GOING TO CHARGE ME $1,000 TO REPLACE THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES. THE NEW ASSEMBLIES WOULD BE EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE ONES THAT ARE CURRENTLY BAD. NOTHING HAS BEEN CHANGED! IF YOU LOOK AT ANY KIA OPTIMA ON THE ROAD THAT IS MORE THAN 3 OR 4 YEARS OLD, YOU WILL SEE THE SAME DARK AREA IN FRONT OF THE CAR, WITH A LOT OF LIGHT SHOOTING OUT TO THE SIDES. SINCE THIS IS MY DAUGHTERS CAR FOR COLLEGE, I PURCHASED NEW HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES ON LINE FOR $285 AND REPLACED THEM MYSELF AND USED LED BULBS TO PREVENT THE "BURNING" OF THE CHROME PLATING INSIDE THE ASSEMBLY THAT APPARENTLY CAUSE THE OTHERS TO GO BAD. THIS IS A TREMENDOUS SAFETY HAZARD. ANYONE WHO REPLACES THE BULB THINKS THAT THEY ARE FIXING THE PROBLEM, AND THEREFORE ARE DRIVING IN INADEQUATE LIGHTING. PLEASE, PLEASE DO SOMETHING TO FORCE KIA TO RECALL AND REPLACE THESE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES BEFORE NEEDLESS ACCIDENTS HAPPEN CAUSING INJURY OR DEATH. MY DAUGHTER WAS OVERWHELMED BY THE ADDITIONAL VISION THAT SHE NOW HAS WITH HER NEW LED LIGHTS. SHE ONLY TOLD ME BECAUSE SHE HAD FRIENDS THAT DIDN'T FEEL SAFE RIDING IN HER CAR AT NIGHT. SO SHE BROUGHT IT TO MY ATTENTION. I AM APPALLED THAT KIA IS AVOIDING THIS MAJOR ISSUE. PLEASE TAKE ACTION ASAP. THANK YOU.

HEADLIGHTS ARE TOO DIM. USING LOW BEAM LIGHTS AT NIGHT DOES NOT ILLUMINATE THE ROAD AT ALL. HAVE REPLACED THE HEADLIGHT BULBS 3 TIMES AND IT DOES NOT FIX THE PROBLEM.

HI MY CAR HAS LOT OF SAFETY ISSUES.. I TOOK MANY TIMES TO KIA DEALER IN JERSEY CITY MY CAR DOOR GETS UNLOCKED WHILE IT'S IN DRIVING MODE WHICH MAKES ME FEEL UNSAFE I TOLD SO MANY TIMES TO THE DEALERS TO FIX IT THEY DO SOME TEMPORARY THINGS IN MY CAR AND THEY LIVE ME BUT AGAIN AFTER SOME DAYS THAT PROBLEM IS ARISING AGAIN... I AM FED UP WITH THIS SITUATION AS I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THE CAR...

DRIVING IN HEAVIER THAN NORMAL TRAFFIC ABOUT 45 MPH. STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND ENGINE CUT OFF. WAS ABLE TO RESTART, BUT WAS ONLY ABLE TO DRIVE LESS THAN HALF A MILE BEFORE THE ENGINE CUT OFF AGAIN. I COMPLETELY LOST POWER, BUT WAS ABLE TO COAST INTO A PARKING LOT. I WAITED APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES, ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE CAR (SUCCESSFULLY!) AND DROVE AROUND THE PARKING LOT BEFORE TRAVELING THE REMAINING 20 MINUTES HOME. CALLED AAA AND HAD THE CAR TOWED UPON ARRIVING HOME. THE MECHANIC WAS NOT ABLE TO REPLICATE THE ISSUE AND NOTHING WAS CORRECTED. BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR WERE IN PERFECT CONDITION. CAR HAS OCCASIONALLY BEEN HESITATING WHILE STARTING OR WHILE IDLING AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS SINCE THAT EVENT.

WAS DRIVING DOWN AND SUDDENLY THE CAR STARTS TO SLOW DOWN AND EVENTUALLY CUTS OFF. FOUND OUT THE ENGINE LOCKED EVEN THOUGH I GET THE RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HER FATHER WAS DRIVING AT 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF COMPLETELY WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT'S FATHER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD MADE ABNORMAL NOISES PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF TO SIDE OF THE ROAD AND HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THEIR HOME DUE TO VEHICLE NOT RESTARTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND REQUESTED THAT THE CONTACT PAY FOR A TOW TO A LOCAL DEALER TO HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED; THE CONTACT REFUSED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 145,362.

I HAVE A THETA II TURBOCHARGED ENGINE 6 SPEED MANUAL AND I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET TAKING MY SON TO WORK. ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR STARTED MAKING A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE AND WOULDN'T GO PAST 2ND GEAR. WE CALLED A TOW TRUCK HAD IT SENT TO MECHANIC THEY DID A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND 2 P CODES CAME BACK FROM CRANKSHAFT AND CONTROLS AND SEIZED ENGINE. SO I HAD IT TOWED INTO WESTON KIA DEALERSHIP. PLUS I HAD JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR IN APRIL. THE DEALERSHIP SHIP CALLED ME SAYING THEY WERE GOING TO REPLACE MY ENGINE AND WIRING AND COMPUTER AND SENSOR CHIP. ALSO MY PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT HAS BEEN BLINKING OFF 3 DAYS AFTER I BOUGHT IT AND STILL IS. MY EMERGENCY BRAKE DOESN'T WORK AND ROLLED WHILE IT WAS PULLED UP IN NEUTRAL AND HIT MY DAUGHTER AS SHE WAS RUNNING AROUND THE FRONT OF THE CAR TO THE PASSENGER SIDE RIGHT IN HER KNEE CAP. I GOT MY CAR BACK FROM WESTON AND IT DIDN'T FEEL RIGHT. SOMEONE PUT 380MILES ON MY CAR IT HAD A 1/2TANK OF GAS AND MY CLUTCH AND CLUTCH PEDAL AND GEAR SHIFT WAS WAY SHORTER AND 1/4 INCH OFF IN SHIFTER BOX. I WAS ON THE FREEWAY DRIVING 60 MPH WITH MY KIDS AND WE WERE LEAVING MY PARENTS HOUSE FROM XMAS. ALL OF A SUDDEN I ALMOST LIST CONTROL OF THE CAR MY CLUTCH PEDAL FELL TO THE FLOOR. I GOT US TO SAFETY ALMOST AVOIDING A HUGE WRECK AND HAD IT TOWED TO MY HOUSE. CALLED DEALERSHIP AND TOLD THEM AND HAD NOTICED ON INVOICE THEIR TECHNICIANS HAD TIGHTENED UP BY BOLTS AND FLYWHEEL. WELL I GO OUTSIDE AND THEIRS FLUID ALL OVER THE PAVEMENT UNDER THE CAR BUT NONE ON INSIDE. THEY PAID FOR A TOW TRUCK AND BY THE WAY SINCE REPLACING THE NEW ENGINE I WENT FROM 34 MILES TO THE GALLON TO 20 AND PASSENGER AIR BAG STILL ILLUMINATED OFF. MY DEFROST ISNT WORKING NOW AND MY ENGINE LIGHT BLINKED 3XS. THEY WANT ME TO PAY 1500 FOR NEW CLUTCH.THEIR TECH ADJUSTED MY FLYWHEEL BOLTS AND CLUTCH CABLE. 65.00 EMERGENCY BRAKE AND 125.00 FOR TEST. IT ALREADY HAD ONE. FUEL LEAK?

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA OPTIMA. WHEN THE CONTACT TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL, IT WOULD NOT TURN SMOOTHLY AND THERE WAS A DELAY IN THE VEHICLE RESPONDING WHEN MAKING TURNS. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT PAID TO HAVE THE FRONT END REPLACED AND BELIEVED THAT THE RACK AND PINION, TIE ROD, AND STRUTS WERE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. WHEN THE CONTACT RETRIEVED THE VEHICLE FROM THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT RESEARCHED ONLINE AND DISCOVERED HOW TO RESOLVE THE FAILURE WITH A $2.00 PART FOR THE STEERING PLASTIC COUPLER; HOWEVER, THE COST TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WAS OVER $1,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.

AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD ON MY WAY HOME MY CAR LOST POWER SO I HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AFTER A CAR ALMOST HIT ME FROM NOT BEING ABLE TO ACCELERATE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. I THEN TURNED MY CAR OFF AND IT WOULD NOT TURN BACK ON.