2014 KIA OPTIMA Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. A LOCAL DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO SLUDGE BUILD UP. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE ENGINE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE OWNER'S NEGLIGENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 59,000.

VEHICLE PERIODICALLY WILL NOT CRANK AFTER SITTING. HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP 4 TIMES RECENTLY AND DEALER CANNOT FIGURE OUT THE ISSUE.

ON 09/19/2016 I PURCHASED A 2014 KIA OPTIMA LX FROM KIA OF CERRITOS. UNFORTUNATELY, THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN SATISFACTORY BECAUSE ON 09/19/2016 I GOT HOME, PARKED IT IN FRONT OF THE GARAGE (STILL ON), AND IT SHUT OFF BY ITSELF. I TURNED THE CAR BACK ON AND IT BLEW OUT WHITE SMOKE, I TURNED IT OFF IMMEDIATELY, AND CALLED KIA THIS NEXT DAY TO HAVE IT INSPECTED AT THE DEALERSHIP ON 9/20/16. THEY SAID THEY NEEDED TO REPLACED THE ENGINE. PRIOR TO THIS, THE CAR WAS WORKING NORMALLY, NO DASH LIGHTS, OR ANYTHING THAT WOULD SIGNAL THE CAR BREAKING DOWN, KIA OF CERRITOS IS UNWILLING TO FIX IT UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY'RE SAYING THE COST FOR REPAIRS IS $6,585 AND KIA MOTORS OF AMERICA DECLINED THE REPAIRS, I'VE BEEN WITH THIS CAR ONLY 2 1/2 YEARS.

FIRST OFF, HAD OUR KIA AT THE DEALER AT 27,000 MILES DUE TO OUR CAR NOT COMING OUT OF PARK SEVERAL TIMES. WE WOULD HAVE TO TURN OFF THE CAR AND TURN IT BACK ON. DEALER SAID THEY CHECKED IT AND NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND. A COUPLE WEEKS AGO AS WE WERE DRIVING ,OUR ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THEIR WAS A HORRIBLE KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM OUR ENGINE. OUR KIA ONLY HAS APPROX. 30,500 MILES ON IT. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER IMMEDIATELY AND SAID WE HAD A SPUN ROD AND WOULD NEED A NEW ENGINE. I COULD NOT LOCATE ALL OF OUR OIL RECORDS SO THEY REFUSE TO COVER IT UNDER WARRANTY. HOW DOES AN ENGINE GO THAT SOON! WE WERE CHARGED $222 FOR DIAGNOSTICS AND HAD IT TOWED HOME. I ASKED FOR AN ITEMIZED RECEIPT OF WHAT WAS CHECKED OR TAKEN APART AND HAVE YET TO RECEIVE IT. FURTHERMORE, WHEN THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER GOT TO OUR HOME IT HAD AN OVERWHELMING GAS SMELL COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND ALSO INSIDE THE CABIN. WE WERE WARNED NOT TO HAVE OPEN FLAME NEAR THE CAR. OUR HOUSE SITS CLOSE TO WHERE THE CAR WAS PARKED SO I WAS PETRIFIED. I CONTACTED THE DEALER TO FIND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AND 6 HOURS LATER, THEY FINALLY RESPONDED BACK TO ME. CAME TO FIND OUT THAT THE TECHNICIAN LEFT THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL LINE OFF AND THE VALVE COVER BOLTS. HE ALSO TOOK THE PUMP FUSE OUT. THE TECH ALSO FORGOT TO PUT THE UNDERBODY ENGINE COVER IN THE TRUNK. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE FOR THE TOW DRIVER AND US TO KNOW ABOUT THIS! I PAID TO HAVE IT PUT BACK TOGETHER AND NOW I HAVE TO RUN BACK UP THERE TO GET OUR UNDERBODY COVER??? I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON SOONER AND WHY WE HAVE ENGINE FAILURE AT SUCH LOW MILES!

CAR STARTED SMOKING SO TO HART KIA. THEY SAID THE ENTIRE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED DUE TO OIL BREAKING DOWN. SINCE I COULD NOT PROVIDE ALL MAINTENANCE RECORDS, KIA IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR HOLDING UP WARRANTY. THE CAR ONLY HAS 40,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS BAD ENGINE.

WHILE DRIVING WITH MY FAMILY OF 4 ON THE FREEWAY IN A DESOLATE AREA OF SANTA CLARITA ON 9/24/16 AT 3:15PM MY VEHICLE SHUT OFF WITHOUT ANY WARNING. WE WERE GOING 65 MPH, ALL LIGHTS ON THE DASH FLASHED AND THE CAR SHUT OFF. WE WERE IN THE 2ND LANE AND HAD TO USE THE MOMENTUM OF SPEED TO MAKE IT TO THE SHOULDER, WE WERE ALMOST HIT. ONCE WE MADE IT TO THE SHOULDER OF THIS BUSY FREEWAY, WE WERE UNABLE TO START THE CAR, PUT WINDOWS UP OR DOWN, OPEN THE TRUNK ETC. THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY DEAD. WE SAT WAITING FOR AAA AND HOPING NOT TO GET HIT. IT WAS 85 DEGREES OUT AND MY 74 YEAR OLD MOTHER AND DISABLED SISTER SAT IN THE CAR FOR 30 MINS UNTIL THE TOW TRUCK ARRIVED. IF WE WEREN'T SO LUCKY OR IF WE WERE IN THE RIGHTER LANES OF TRAFFIC 4 LIVES COULD HAVE BEEN LOST THAT DAY. I AM VERY ANXIOUS AND NERVOUS TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AGAIN HOWEVER; I HAVE NO CHOICE IT IS OUR FAMILIES PRIMARY VEHICLE. THE SERVICE REP AT THE DEALERSHIP TOLD BE PREMATURELY THAT IT IS THE MOTOR HOWEVER; THE DIAGNOSIS IS NOT FINALIZED. I FEAR FOR THE SAFELY OF MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS IN THE CAR NOW, AND REALLY DO NOT WANT TO DRIVE IT AGAIN. IT GIVES ME MAJOR ANXIETY ESPECIALLY SINCE I DRIVE FROM CA TO AZ 4 TIMES A YEAR AND NOW FEAR THIS HAPPENING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW A CAR 19 MONTH OLD WITH 48K MILES CAN HAVE THIS TYPE OF ISSUE. ACTUALLY I DON'T KNOW HOW ANY CAR ANY AGE AND MILES CAN HAVE THE ISSUE OF JUST SHUTTING OFF WITHOUT WARNING, IT IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN.

I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE THIS PAST WEEKEND WHEN I HEARD THIS KNOCKING SOUND AT ABOUT 70 PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR AND THE NOISE BECAME LOUDER. I THEN CALLED ROAD SIDE ASSISTANT AND ATTEMPTED TO MAKE TO THE CLOSET GAS STATION WHEN THE CAR JERKED HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND THE CAR SHUT COMPLETELY OFF AND WOULD NOT START, I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SHOULDER. LONG STORY SHORT CAR HAS BEEN SERVICED BY KIA SINCE I PURCHASED IT IN NOVEMBER 2015 WITH 16,725 MILES USED , IT CURRENTLY HAS LESS THAN 41,000 MILES (NOT KNOWING THAT THE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY IS ONLY 5 YEARS 60000 MILES IF YOU AREN'T THE ORIGINAL OWNER UNTIL THE CLAIM WAS FILED). WHEN THE KIA SERVICE MANAGER CALLED ME HE SAID THE ENGINE HAD SEIZED UP AND THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HOWEVER HE HAS TO WAIT ON AUTHORIZATION. I WAS 166 MILES AWAY FROM HOME THEY COULD NOT PROVIDE A RENTAL I HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET BUT WILL BE REIMBURSED. IT WILL TAKE A WEEK TO REPLACE WHICH MEANS PAYING FOR A RENTAL AND I HAVE TO GO PICK UP MY CAR ONCE IT IS REPAIRED SO I WILL BE TAKING OFF WORK. A DEFECTIVE MOTOR ALTHOUGH ITS COVERED BY THE WARRANTY IS COSTING ME. I WAS ENSURED THAT THE NEW MOTORS HAVE BEEN CHANGED SO THAT I WILL NOT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM 40,000 MILES LATER. I WONDER IF THE WARRANTY IS GOING TO BE EXTENDED WITH THE NEW MOTOR. A RECALL NEED TO BE ISSUED. THE CONNECTING ROD IN THE ENGINE BECOMES TOO HOT EITHER IT SIEZES OR BREAKS. MY OPTIMA IS A TURBO I AM NOT SURE ABOUT THE OTHERS.

CAR STALLING WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOPPED POSITION MAKING TURNS. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND COULD CAUSE MAJOR COLLISIONS. MY CAR DID IT A FEW TIMES BEFORE ENGINE BEGAN KNOCKING AND HAD TOWED. THE KIA DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID IT WAS A CONNECTOR ROD BEARING DEFECT AND ULTIMATELY CAUSED TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE. KIA IS PUTTING THE BURDEN ON THE CONSUMERS TO PROVE THE DEFECT WASN'T CAUSED BY POOR MAINTENANCE EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE EXTENDED WARRANTY TO DEALERSHIPS. THIS PROBLEM WILL NOT GO AWAY UNTIL KIA REPAIRS THE DEFECT IN THE ENGINE AND HUMAN LIFE WILL BE AT STAKE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD NOISE FROM THE ENGINE BAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS SLUDGE BUILD UP IN THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,000.

I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AND STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. MY CAR STALLED AND I HAD TO RESTART VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO LIGHTS ON BEFORE OR AFTER THE CAR TURNED OFF. WHITE SMOKE APPEARED. SO MUCH SMOKE I COULD NOT TELL IF IT WAS FROM BACK OR FRONT OF CAR. I DROVE THE CAR A COUPLE MORE BLOCKS AND HEARD AN EXTREMELY LOUD KNOCKING NOISE, CAR STARTED JERKING AND TRYING TO DIE/STALL AND AGAIN A TON OF SMOKE. I PARKED THE CAR AND HAD IT TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. SOMEONE FROM SERVICE DEPT CALLED AND SAID IT WAS A BAD BATTERY AND WOULD BE 350+ TO REPLACE THE BATTERY. HE LIED AND TOLD ME HE PUT A NEW BATTERY IN IT AND DROVE IT AROUND THE BLOCK AND IT WAS FINE. I SPOKE TO SERVICE MANAGER TO PROPERLY DIAGNOSE MY VEHICLE. I HAS OT PAY DIAGNOSTIC FEE AND WAS TOLD 5 DAYS LATER THAT IT WAS ENGINE FAILURE AND I NEEDED TO PROVIDE MAINTENANCE RECEIPTS. I TOLD THEM I HAD JUST MOVED AND THE ONLY RECEIPTS I COULD GET WERE THE ONES IN THE CAR UNTIL I COULD GET THROUGH THE BOXES IN STORAGE AND GARAGE. THEY SAID TO PROVIDE WHAT I COULD FIND. I WAS ABLE TO EASILY LOCATE 4 RECEIPTS (THEY WANTED 10, VEHICLE HAS 53,000 MILES) I EXPLAINED AGAIN THAT I KNEW THE CAR HAD A DEFECTIVE ENGINE AND EXPECTED IT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I WAS NOTIFIED 10 DAYS LATER THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT BE COVERED BY WARRANTY AND I ESCALATED MY CLAIM TO KIA CUSTOMER CARE. IN THE MEANTIME, I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THEY WILL FILE VEHICLE ABANDONMENT ON MY CAR IF I DO NOT REMOVE OR REPAIR. I HAVE YET TO BE GIVEN AN EXACT AMOUNT OF COST TO REPAIR. I PROVIDED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT KIA MAILED OUT ON JUNE 10, 2016. IT WAS PUSHED BACK AT ME AND I WAS TOLD "THEY KNOW ABOUT IT, BUT IT'S NOT COVERED" I WAS NOT INJURED, BUT I WAS NOT ON MAJOR HIGHWAY AND ONLY ON SIDE RESIDENTIAL STREET WHEN IT OCCURRED AND WAS ABLE TO SAFELY GET TO SIDE OF ROAD. KIA KNOWS OF THE DEFECT AND DANGER IT POSES & REFUSES TO RECALL THIS VEHICLE.