2008 KIA OPTIMA Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO CHANGE GEARS WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V014000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE CLOCK SPRING ASSEMBLY FAILED. THE MECHANIC INDICATED THAT THE PART WAS ON BACKORDER AND THAT THE CLOCK SPRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR SUDDENLY DROPPED DOWN FROM ITS STOWED POSITION, DIRECTLY IN THE DRIVER'S LINE OF SIGHT WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 55MPH. THIS BLOCKED THE DRIVER'S VIEW OF THE ROAD AND OTHER TRAFFIC. THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO PUSH THE VISOR BACK UP TO THE ROOF, BUT IT WOULD NOT STAY AND AGAIN FELL, BLOCKING VISION. THE DRIVER ALSO TRIED TO PUSH THE VISOR UP TOWARD THE WINDSHIELD, BUT AGAIN, IT WOULD NOT STAY AND DROPPED BACK INTO THE LINE OF SIGHT. DURING THIS TIME, THE DRIVER WAS DANGEROUSLY DISTRACTED TRYING TO GET THE VISOR OUT OF THE LINE OF SIGHT, AND ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT. FINALLY, THE DRIVER HAD TO EXIT THE FREEWAY WHILE HOLDING THE VISOR WITH ONE HAND, AND THE OTHER HAND ON THE WHEEL, JUST TO BE ABLE TO SEE. THE CAR IS NOW UNSAFE TO DRIVE UNTIL THE VISOR IS REMOVED OR REPAIRED. A QUICK INTERNET SEARCH REVEALS THAT THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM WITH 2006-2008 KIAS AND HAS BEEN ENCOUNTERED BY NUMEROUS DRIVERS. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND SHOULD BE FIXED BY KIA BEFORE SOMEONE IS HURT OR KILLED AS A RESULT OF A DEFECTIVE VISOR BLOCKING THE VIEW OF THE ROAD AND CREATING A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. *TR

ON FEBRUARY 21 2015 I DROVE THE CAR TO THE STORE WHEN I TURNED THE CAR OFF THE KEY WOULD NOT COME OUT OF THE IGNITION. I CALLED KIA DEALER AND THEY HAD NO SOLUTION. THE KIA DEALER GAVE ME AN APPOINTMENT FOR TUESDAY FEBRUARY 24 2015. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR HOME AND PUT IT IN THE GARAGE. ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 22 2015 I WENT INTO THE GARAGE AND COULD SMELL SOMETHING BURNING. I DECIDED TO BACK THE CAR OUT OF THE GARAGE AND COULDN'T BECAUSE THE BATTERY WAS DEAD. ON TUESDAY FEBRUARY 24 2015 I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE KIA DEALER. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE SHIFTER RELEASE MECHANISM INOPERATIVE NOT ALLOWING THE KEY TO BE RELEASE IN SWITCH. THEY REPLACED SHIFTER ASSEMBLY AND THE BATTERY. THE COST FOR THE REPAIRS WHICH I PAID WAS $870. I PICKED UP THE CAR ON FEBRUARY 25 2015. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR LEVER WAS DIFFICULT TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT EXCESSIVE FORCE WAS REQUIRED WHEN SHIFTING OUT OR INTO THE PARK POSITION. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED, THE KEY REMAINED STUCK IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

MESSAGE: I HAVE A 2008 KIA OPTIMA THAT AFTER A SEARCH OF THE INTERNET THAT KIA MOTOR COMPANY HAS AN ISSUE WITH THEIR SUN VISORS ON THE CAR THAT I HAVE. I HAVE TAKEN IT BACK TO THE DEALER BUT THEY SAID THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THIS TYPE OF SAFETY ISSUE. I SEND YOU THIS EMAIL SO YOU CAN BE MADE AWARE OF THE SAFETY ISSUES INVOLVED WITH THE BLOCKED VISION OF A DRIVER WHEN THIS INCIDENT OCCURS WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. IT IS VERY SCARY WHEN YOU GET THE VISOR BACK UP AND SEE YOU ARE HEADED INTO ON COMING TRAFFIC. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ANY ASSISTANCE TO KIA OWNERS WHO HAVE THIS PROBLEM. IF THEY REPLACE THE VISOR AT THE DEALER THEY JUST PUT ANOTHER DEFECTIVE VISOR ON AND CHARGE YOU $180.00. WE NEED A FIX. THANKS. *TR

I TOOK MY CAR IN ON 4 SEP 2014 I GOT THIS CAR IN GOOD FAITH FROM [XXX] I HAVE HAD MY CAR BACK AT LEAST 3 TIME ALREADY AND I WILL BE TAKING IT BACK ON NOVEMBER 3, 2014 WHERE MY LIGHT HAVE BEEN FLASHING AND MY LIGHT IS OUT AGAIN. MY GAS PEDAL WHEN I AM GOING ABOUT 40 OR 50 AND I HAVE TO GET OUT OF THE WAY OF OTHER CARS AND IT'S LIKE I HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING. I DON'T EVEN WANT TO DRIVE MY CAR I DON'T EVERY NO WHEN MY LIGHTS ARE GOING TO GO OUT. I HAVE HAD TO COME OUT ON MY JOB BECAUSE OF BREAST CANCER. AND THE MONEY THAT HAD WAS MY 2000 CADILLAC DEVILED WHICH THE ONLY GAVE ME 1500 WISH I FOUND OUT THEY SHOULD HAVE GIVEN ME MORE WISH MY WARRANTY RUN OUT IN LEST THEN 90 DAYS. I WAS UNABLE TO GET ANOTHER WARRANTY SO WHAT DO I DO I NEED A CAR TO GET BACK AND FORTH TO THE DOCTOR. I NEED SOME HELP. SO PLEASE DON'T LET ME DOWN. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THIS IS THE 3RD TO 4TH TIME THE CAR LOOSING POWER STEERING AFTER DRIVING THRU A PUDDLE AT A LOW SPEED. WE HAVE TAKEN THIS TO OUR LOCAL MECHANIC TWO TIMES WITH REALLY NO KNOWN CAUSE. MECHANIC REPLACED THE BELT BUT APPARENTLY THIS DID NOT RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. *TR

TODAY, THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN MY 2008 KIA, I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO MY HOME. THIS IS A RECURRING ISSUE AND BUT USUALLY I CAN TURN THE STEERING WHEEL OR MOVE AROUND THE GEARSHIFT TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. ALTHOUGH TODAY MY KEY WILL NOT TURN AND I CAN MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL AROUND AND PUSH THE GEARSHIFT OVER AND IT DOES NOTHING. I CALLED KIA AND THEY SAID I WOULD HAVE TO COME IN TO GET A DIAGNOSTIC TEST FOR $107 , ALTHOUGH I TOLD THEM IT SEEMS TO BE THE KEY IGNITION. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE WHICH I AM SHOCKED THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL FOR IT AND ALSO MY CAR WILL COMPLETELY SHUT OFF AT RANDOM TIMES WHEN I START TO DRIVE AND TURN A CORNER .I ALSO FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE READ MANY COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT THE SAME ISSUES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SUN VISORS ON THE FRONT PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE FAILED TO REMAIN CLOSED. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT BOTH SUN VISORS WERE FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY RESTARTED AND RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000.