2004 KIA OPTIMA Complaints

RY TIME IT RAINS AND OUR COUNTY DIRT ROAD GETS WET AND MUDDY. MUD SPLASHES UP INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND INTO THE EGR VALVE AND CAUSES IT TO MALFUCTION DUE TO THE WAY IT WAS DESINED. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERS SHOP AND WAS TOLD IT WAS A MAINTENCE PROBLEM AND THAT THE DEALER WOULD FIX IT ONLY ONCE AND AFTER THAT I WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR ANY REPAIR IF IT FAILS AGAIN. AS OF THIS DATE ( 03/24/05) THIS CAR HAD 23760 MILES OF A 100,000 MILE WARRANTY ON IT. *AK

WHILE I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE MY PASSENGER NOTICED THAT THERE WAS SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE DASHBOARD AREA. IN AN ATTEMPT TO GET OFF THE ROAD THE SMOKE HAD TURNED INTO FLAMES AT WHICH TIME I STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND I AND MY PASSENGER GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND CALLED 911. *JB

WHILE DRIVING, A FIRE STARTED FROM THE DASHBOARD. THE CAUSE OF FIRE WAS UNDETERMINED.

BOUGHT KIA OPTIMA ON JUNE 22, 2004 VIN# [XXX] AND HAVE SINCE HAD SEVEN SERVICE APPOINTMENTS, REPLACED TWO SETS OF DRIVE BELTS, REPLACED A LEAKING POWER STEERING RACK, REPLACED A LEAKING FUEL REGULATOR, MACHINED THE FRONT ROTORS, LOST TIME FROM WORK, LOST PRODUCTIVITY FROM WORK AS WELL AS JEOPARDIZED MY WIFE'S WORK FROM CAR POOLING FOR FIVE MONTHS, COMPLETED SCHEDULED ARBITRATION WITH THE BBB WITHOUT SUCCESS FOR FOUR PROBLEMS: ACCELERATION DELAY, LOW GRINDING BRAKE NOISE, LOW VIBRATION STEERING NOISE, AND LOUD SQUEALING NOISE FROM THE DRIVE BELTS. *JB UPDATED 07/24/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

IRREGULAR OCCURRENCES OF STEERING PROBLEM, LEAKING POWER STEERING RACK. *BF SINCE THE INITIAL REPAIR OF THE POWER STEERING RACK, THE CONSUMER HAS CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING, HOWEVER THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE CONSUMERS CONCERN. THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED IN THE MORNINGS, THERE WAS A SECOND DELAY IN THE TRANSMISSION. *JB

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE BRAKES LOCKED. THE CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO UNLOCK THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED COMPLETELY. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE BRAKES NEEDED TO BE FIXED AND ORDERED A PART. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB THE CONSUMER DID NOT APPLY EXCESSIVE PRESSURE TO BRAKES VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY OUT OF CONTROL. *TC

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH VEHICLE SUDDENLY DECELERATED AND WOULD NOT GO OVER 20 MPH. NO IMPACT REPORTED. AS A RESULT, THE CHECK ENGINE SIGNAL LIGHT STAYED ON. *AK

DEFECT: KIA OPTIMA 2004 MANUAL TRANSMISSION WHEN SHIFTING FROM SECOND TO THIRD GEAR, ENGINE OFTEN SURGES AFTER YOU REMOVE FOOT FROM GAS PEDAL CREATING AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITION. IT WILL SURGE TWO TIMES OUT OF THREE. DEALER STATES THAT THE MFGR STATES THAT THE ENGINE SURGE IS COMPUTOR CONTROLED AND NOTHING CAN BE DONE ABOUT IT. I CANNOT EMPHASISE ENOUGH WHAT A DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITION/SITUATION THIS CREATES. THIS IS A CONDITION THAT WILL RESULT IN DEATH AND INJURY. KIA SELLS SO FEW MANUAL TRANSMISSION OPTIMA'S THAT I DON'T THINK THEY CARE AND KIA WILL TRY TO IGNORE THE DEFECT. THIS IS NOT A SINGLE INCIDENT/THIS IS CONTINUAL.*AK

MY 2004 KIA OPTIMA PULLS TO THE LEFT. IT WILL PULL YOU INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. YOUR WEB PAGE DOESNOT HAVE KIA LISTED AS A VEHICLE CHOICE. *AK