2011 KIA OPTIMA Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS WERE ACTIVATED HOWEVER, THE ILLUMINATION WAS EXTREMELY DIM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO INFORMED THAT BOTH HEAD LAMPS OVERHEATED WHICH CAUSED THE REFLECTOR TO MELT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE MADE A SQUEALING AND AN UNUSUAL POPPING SOUND THAT EMITTED FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE FRONT TIRES HAD SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE BLOCK BRACKET FRACTURED. AS A RESULT, THE TECHNICIAN RECOMMENDED AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,273.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP, THE VEHICLE HESITATED AND SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THE DEALER COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AT VARIOUS LOW SPEEDS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 21. UPDATED 8/11/14*CN

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I REPORT THIS UNINTENDED ACCELERATION, LAST MONTH HAPPENED ON MAY 4 , I DOCUMENTED IN MY PREVIOUS COMPLAINT, THEY RETURNED THE CAR 5-21-14 THEY DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING, ON JUNE 6 AGAIN THE CAR ACCELERATED WHEN I WAS STEPPED ON THE BRAKE AND READY TO PUT IT IN PARK, THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE THE CAR TO ANOTHER DEALER UNTIL NOW DON'T HEAR FROM THEM, CALLED KIA IN CALIFORNIA LEFT MESSAGES NO CALL BACK, TODAY A GOT A HOLD WITH ANOTHER PERSON JENNY, AND SHE REPEAT LIKE A BROKEN RECORD WE CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM BUT THEY STILL KEEP THE CAR FOR A LONG TIME, I HAVE A CASE # [XXX] THE NHTSA SHOULD INVESTIGATE THIS, LIKE I EXPLAINED TO THIS LADY ENGINEERS SHOULD LOOK AT THIS SITUATION NOT THE MECHANIC, IS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE COMPUTER, THEY JUST FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS AND THEIR MACHINE TELL THEM NOTHING IS WRONG, LIKE I MENTIONED BEFORE IN MY OTHER COMPLAINT THIS ONE IS THE FOURTH TIME THAT HAPPENED, WHAT ARE WE WAITING THAT SOME PEOPLE GOT KILL TO INVESTIGATE, LOOK AT THE PROBLEMS THAT TOYOTA AND GENERAL MOTOR HAD, THEY WAIT UNTIL PEOPLE DIED THEN START DOING SOMETHING, THANK YOU TO THIS SITE THAT WE COULD VOICE OUR CONCERNS. *TR INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) UPDATED 1/6/2015 *JS

ON 5-4-14 I WAS DRIVING FROM WISCONSIN WHEN WE DECIDED TO STOP AT WAL-MART, WHILE WE WERE WAITING FOR A PERSON TO MOVE OUT OF ITS PARKING SPOT, MY OPTIMA START TO ACCELERATE EVEN WHEN I HAD MY FOOT IN THE BRAKE, MY FIRST REACTION WAS TO MOVE THE GEAR SHIFT TO NEUTRAL AND THEN THE ENGINE START RACING UP THE RPM WERE VERY FAST (WAS IN NEUTRAL), AT THE MOMENT A LADY AND HER SMALL KID WERE CROSSING IN FRONT OF MY CAR, GOD KNOWS WHAT IT WOULD HAPPENED IF I WOULDN'T MOVE THE GEAR TO NEUTRAL. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME LAST YEAR IT DID THE SAME THING IN JULY WHEN I WAS AT THE STOP SIGN , THE SECOND TIME WAS THIS YEAR IN JANUARY WHEN I CAME BACK HOME FROM WORK THEN I WAS PARKING WHEN THE CAR STARTING ACCELERATING BUT I WAS HOLDING UP WITH CONCRETE BAR ON THE GROUND THAT IS IN MY PARKING LOT, AT THAT TIME I SHUT THE ENGINE OFF, BUT IT WAS NOT MUCH OF CONCERN BECAUSE I WAS NOT DRIVING THE CAR IN THE STREET. NEXT DAY (5-5-14) TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER, AND THEY CONTACTED KIA TO REPORT THIS ISSUE, ON MAY 7 AT 4:20 PM A GENTLEMAN FROM KIA HIS NAME WAS [XXX] CALLED ME TO GET SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THIS SUDDEN ACCELERATION AND TOLD HIM EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED AND GAVE A CASE #2706364, THEN ON 5-7-14 ANOTHER GENTLEMAN FROM KIA CORPORATION CALLED ME, HIS NAME [XXX], AND TOLD ME THAT HE IS IN CHARGE OF MY CASE NOW AND WILL CALL ME TO LET ME KNOW ABOUT THE OUTCOME OF THIS, WELL HE DIDN'T CALL SO I CALLED HIM BACK ON 5-15-14, (10 DAYS LATER), HE TOLD ME HE WAS WAITING FOR THE DEALERSHIP TO CALL HIM, I WENT TO THE DEALER AND I WAS INFORMED BY ED THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT THEY WERE DOING SOME TESTS, HE CALLED ME LATER SAYING THAT HE TALKED TO [XXX] IN KIA CORPORATION AND HE GAVE 11 POINT OF INSPECTION TO DO. SITUATION SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED BY NHTSA TO AVOID ANY FUTURE INCIDENTS THAT COULD CAUSE SOME SERIOUS INJURIES OR FATALITIES. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN A MILE TO A COMMUTER RAIL STATION FOR A DROP OFF AND BACK HOME. NOTHING UNUSUAL WAS NOTED DURING THE SHORT TRIP NOR HAD ANY PROBLEMS BEEN OBSERVED IN THE DAYS LEADING UP TO THE INCIDENT. SHORTLY AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE ON THE 5TH FLOOR OF THE PARKING GARAGE AND ENTERING THE RESIDENCE, THE COMPLEX FIRE ALARMS ACTUATED AND ALL RESIDENTS WERE ADVISED TO EVACUATE WITHOUT ENTERING THE COMMUNITY PARKING GARAGE. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, I WAS NOTIFIED BY THE COMPLEX MANAGER VIA MY CELL PHONE THAT MY CAR WAS ON FIRE IN THE GARAGE. THE ENTIRE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WAS BURNED AND WAS DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. (ALLSTATE). THE ENTIRE CAR WOULD HAVE BURNED IF IT HADN'T BEEN PARKED DIRECTLY UNDER A SPRINKLER HEAD IN THE GARAGE PLUS A SPEEDY RESPONSE FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. AN INDEPENDENT FIRE ORIGIN INVESTIGATOR WAS HIRED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. HIS PROFESSIONAL OPINION WAS THE FIRE STARTED AT THE RADIATOR FAN ASSEMBLY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2011 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT A STOP WITH THE BRAKES DEPRESSED, THE ENGINE RPMS INCREASED AS THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED SIX FEET. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP BY DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH FORCE. THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION WAS EXPERIENCED ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE DEALER PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC BUT WAS UNABLE TO GENERATE A FAILURE CODE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 18,100.

MOONROOF ON OUR 2011 KIA OPTIMA EX MODEL EXPLODED WHILE TRAVELING AT 60 MPH DECEMBER 25TH 2013 - EVENING. OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS 36 DEGREES F AT THE TIME. INCIDENT ALSO CAUSED BODY AND PAINT DAMAGE TO OUR TRUNK AS WELL AS PEPPERED VEHICLES BEHIND US WITH GLASS FRAGMENTS. UPON REVIEWING MULTIPLE FORUMS ON LINE IT APPEARS THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT FOR KIA/HYUNDAI AS I LEARNED MULTIPLE MODELS MADE BY THIS DUO HAVE ALSO SUFFERED SIMILAR SCENARIO'S. I'M SURE NHTSA IS QUITE AWARE THAT THE HYUNDAI VELOSETER HAS RECALLED SEVERAL THOUSAND VEHICLES MFG. FOR THIS POTENTIAL ISSUE AND WE'RE COINCIDENTALLY MADE DURING THE SAME TIME FRAME OUR VEHICLE WAS ASSEMBLED. *TR

FRONT DRIVER SEAT FEELS LIKE IT ROTATES/SLIDES UPPER RT CORNER ABOUT 3 INCHES FROM THE SIDE. THEN LOWER LT SIDE ABOUT THE SAME 3 INCHES FROM SIDE. 3 MONTHS FIGHTING KIA FOR WHAT I THINK IS A SAFETY REPAIR. STILL HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. I TEST DROVE ANOTHER HYBRID 5K LESS MILES, THAT DID NOT HAVE THE ISSUE. THE SECOND ISSUE IS THERE IS A DEAD ZONE THAT IS RANDOM TO REPRODUCE FOR THE DEALER IS TOUGH. IT OCCURS WHEN STOPPED, HIGHWAY SPEED, ETC. WHERE YOU PRESS THE PETAL AND NOTHING HAPPENS FOR ABOUT 4 SECONDS. THEN YOU HAVE FULL POWER BY THEN IT IS TOO LATE. IF YOU DO NOT KNOW THIS CAN OCCUR IT PLACE YOU IN A TOUGH DRIVING SPOT. *TR

WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A DEAD STOP, THE CAR HESITATED AND STOPPED UNTIL IT APPEARED TO SHIFT FROM ELECTRIC TO GAS POWER. I THOUGHT AT THE TIME THAT IT MAY HAVE BEEN A FREAK THING BUT THIS HESITATION HAS RECURRED A FEW TIMES SINCE THEN. *TR