2002 KIA OPTIMA Complaints

View complaints related to 2002 KIA OPTIMA. The complaints found here are submitted by actual consumers with first hand experience. There are more than 110 complaints submitted for the 2002 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.

  • 2002 KIA OPTIMA
    - ROCHESTER, NH

    I JUST GOT MY 2002 KIA OPTIMA AND IT JUST RECENTLY STARTED HAVING ISSUES. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND MY CAR STARTED TO SLIGHTLY WANDER TO THE LEFT, I THOUGHT OK.. IT NEEDS AN ALIGNMENT. SO THEN IT STARTED JERKING TO THE RIGHT, SO BAD I GOT PULLED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND COULDN'T CONTROL IT. I PARKED MY CAR IN A PARKING LOT TIL MY BF COULD COME LOOK AT IT, AND I HAD HIM DRIVE IT HOME AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO HIM. HE LOOKED AT EVERY POSSIBILITY AT WHAT IT COULD BE AS HE IS A MECHANIC AND SAID LOWER CONTROL ARM. IT HAS BEEN SITTING IN MY YARD FOR A WEEK. IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. I FOUND OUT IT HAD A RECALL BACK IN 2009, SO I CALLED MY LOCAL KIA DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WAS PART OF THE RECALL BUT IT HAS BEEN FIXED- I'M WONDERING HOW IT WAS FIXED IF IT IS DOING THE SAME EXACT THING EVERYONE'S COMPLAINTS I HAVE SEEN IS DOING/ I AM AT A HALT NOT KNOWING WHAT TO DO WITH MY CAR, I HAVE SMALL CHILDREN AND REFUSE TO DRIVE THIS CAR. PLEASE HELP

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2002 KIA OPTIMA
    - MILWAUKEE, WI

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED, THE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS RUSTED OUT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2002 KIA OPTIMA
    - MINNEAPOLIS, MN

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2002 KIA OPTIMA
    - MARTINSBURG, WV

    DRIVING UP THE ROAD ,PUT ON BRAKES ,AXLE AND SUBFRAME BROKE CAUSING MY CAR TO SLIDE AND STOP IN MIDDLE OF ROAD.THANK GOD NO ONE HIT US.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2002 KIA OPTIMA
    - RIVERSIDE , CA

    I WAS DRIVING ON FREEWAY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON VEHICLE STOPPED ENGINE SHUT OFF I HAD TO COAST TO SIDE OF ROAD. IT QUIT SHIFTING AFTER IT STALLED. HAD TO BE TOWED HOME. KIA DEALER IN ONTARIO CALIFORNIA CAN'T FIND WHAT IS WRONG THEY WANT ME TO PAY 1600.00 TO CHANGE BATTERY CABLES, BATTERY AND FIX SHIFTER. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2002 KIA OPTIMA
    - WILLIAMSPORT, TN

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA OPTIMA. AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, FLAMES STARTED TO EMIT FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD DUE TO THE WIRING NEAR THE STARTER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 220,000.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2002 KIA OPTIMA
    - JENISON, MI

    DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, STEPPED ON BRAKES AND FRONT FRAME BROKE INTO TWO PIECES, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, NEARLY CAUSED A PILE UP ON THE ROAD. *JS

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2002 KIA OPTIMA
    - CANYON LAKE, TX

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ACTUATOR DOOR LOCKS FOR THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDOW WAS USED IN ORDER TO ENTER THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE THE FRONT PASSENGER ACTUATOR WAS REPAIRED PREVIOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2002 KIA OPTIMA
    - LINDEN , TN

    A FIRE STARTED INSIDE THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR PANEL FILLING THE CAR WITH HEAVY BLACK SMOKE MY WIFE OPENED THE DRIVERS SIDE ELECTRIC WINDOW TO GE RID OF THE SMOKE OUT OF THE CAR. SHE DROVE THE CAR INTO HER BACK YARD AND STARTED SCREAMING FOR HELP SINCE THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. HER HUSBAND RAN TO THE BACK YARD AND WAS ABLE TO OPEN THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AND SHE HAD TO CLIMB OVER THE GEAR SHIFT AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO GET OUT OF THE CAR. SHE WAS ON OXYGEN AT THE TIME. HER HUSBAND GOT A WATER HOSE AND PUT OUT THE FIRE. THE INVESTIGATION LED TO THE FIRE STARTING IN A ELECTRICAL ACTUATOR KIA NUMBER ACT " R ASSY KMC 9530-3C000. THE DOOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. I NOTIFIED KIA CORP HEADQUARTERS AT 1-877-220-3189 AND SENT PICTURES MY CASE # [XXX]. AS OF THIS DATE 07/24/2014 KIA HAS NOT GOT BACK WITH ME. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2002 KIA OPTIMA
    - WINONA, MN

    SUBFRAME IS RUSTING OUT AND MY TIRES ARE GETTING ABNORMAL WEAR AND MY FRONT TIRES ARE ANGLED IN. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE