2011 KIA OPTIMA Complaints

ON 4/11/11, WE WERE DRIVING TO WORK AND HAD GONE FOUR MILES FROM OUR HOUSE, WHEN WE THOUGHT WE HAD HIT A DEER! THE CAR MADE A VERY LOUD SOUND AND LURCHED VIOLENTLY, AT HIGHWAY SPEED, FRIGHTENING US BOTH. THE LURCHING WAS SO VIOLENT THAT IT MAY WELL HAVE CAUSED OTHER DAMAGE. WE WERE EXTREMELY FORTUNATE NOT TO HAVE CRASHED. WE THEN FOUND THAT THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT GEAR. THE TRANSMISSION HAD GONE OUT OF OUR 2011 KIA OPTIMA EX. WE BOUGHT THE KIA NEW AT O'BRIEN AUTO PARK IN CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS, ON 1/8/11. THE CAR HAD 3600 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME OF THE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. THIS WAS OUR FIRST KIA PURCHASE, AND WE ARE VERY DISAPPOINTED. NEEDLESS TO SAY, WE WERE SHOCKED BY THIS DANGEROUS OCCURRENCE! WE VERY EASILY COULD HAVE HAD TRAGIC CONSEQUENCES FOR US AND OUR FELLOW COMMUTERS. WE ARE NO LONGER CONFIDENT IN THIS VEHICLE. WE FIND THIS TOTALLY UNSATISFACTORY AND ASKED KIA TO REPLACE OUR VEHICLE WITH AN IDENTICAL ONE. KIA REFUSED, BASICALLY SAYING 'WE DON'T OWN IT ANYMORE'. THEY DID REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION.

2011 KIA OPTIMA PULLS TO LEFT ALL THE TIME. I HAVE HAD IT BACK TO THE DEALER FOUR TIMES AND THEY STATE NOTHING IS WRONG AND IT IS WITHIN ALIGNMENT SPECS. THE CAR WILL CHANGE LANES IF YOU LET GO OF THE STEERING WHEEL. YOU HAVE TO HOLD TENSION ON THE STEERING WHEEL SO THAT IT WILL STAY STRAIGHT. THIS IS THE WORST CAR I HAVE EVER DRIVEN ON THE HIGHWAY. I DRIVE 50 MILES ONE WAY TO WORK AND BY THE TIME I GET TO WORK MY ARM HURTS. THIS CAR IS A DANGER ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE DEALER TOLD ME THEY ARE NOT AUTHORIZED TO DO ANYTHING MORE FOR ME. I SURE HOPE THIS GETS LOOKED INTO BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT OR DIES BECAUSE OF THIS. IF SOMEONE WOULD LET GO OF THE STEERING WHEEL FOR A SECOND THE CAR COULD CROSS OVER INTO ON COMING TRAFFIC. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS 2011 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON AN INCLINE WHEN IT ROLLED BACKWARDS. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE MANUAL BRAKE SHOULD ALWAYS BE APPLIED IN A MANUAL VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 626.

UPON DRIVING HOME FROM TAKING DELIVERY OF MY NEW 2011 KIA OPTIMA ON 2/11/11, MY HUSBAND I NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE PULLS TO THE LEFT SUBSTANTIALLY. IF YOU LOOSEN THE GRIP OF THE WHEEL THE CAR IMMEDIATELY PULLS TO THE LEFT. I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE ON 2/18, 3/5 AND 3/14. EACH TIME I HAVE RECEIVED THE CAR BACK FROM THE DEALER, THEY INDICATE THAT IT IS WITHIN KIA SPECS AND IS 'TRACKING' STRAIGHT. I PICKED THE VEHICLE UP LAST NIGHT AND THE VEHICLE IS STILL PULLING TO THE LEFT. *TR

IT'S HAPPENING ON MY BRAND NEW 2011 KIA OPTIMA. I DRIVE AN HOUR TO WORK BOTH WAYS, SO ANY PROBLEM WITH A VEHICLE CAN EASILY PRESENT ITSELF. ON MY FIRST DAY OF WORK, I REALIZED THE CAR PULLED LEFT. I THOUGHT IT COULD HAVE BEEN IN MY HEAD OR SIMPLY THE CROWN OF THE ROAD. AFTER A FEW DAYS OF IGNORANTLY THINKING IT WAS JUST ME, I NOTICED THAT WHEN I LET GO OF THE STEERING WHEEL, IT HOLDS SLIGHTLY LEFT. THUS, THE CAR PULLS LEFT. IT DOES THIS ABOUT 85 PERCENT OF THE TIME. I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAITED THREE HOURS. THEY ADJUSTED THE ALIGNMENT AND ROTATED THE TIRES BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE CAR STILL PULLED LEFT. I TOOK IT IN FIVE DAYS LATER. THEY GAVE ME A LOANER CAR FOR TWO DAYS WHILE THEY TRIED TO FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM. THEY CALL ME AND SAID IT WAS FIXED BECAUSE THEY READJUSTED THE STEERING WHEEL AND REPLACED A TIRE (AND REALIGNED IT AGAIN). I GO AND PICK IT UP, TAKE IT ON THE HIGHWAY, AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. I TAKE IT BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEIR HEAD TECHNICIAN RIDES WITH ME BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT I WAS CRAZY (THEY NEVER TOOK IT ON THE HIGHWAY). HE SEES THE PROBLEM AND COULDN'T BELIEVE THE CAR PULLED LIKE THAT. HE SAID SOMETHING WAS DEFINITELY WRONG. THE SERVICE MANAGER THEN TELLS ME TO TAKE THE CAR HOME FOR THE WEEKEND AND WE'D SET SOMETHING UP. I REFUSED TO DRIVE IT UNLESS IT WAS FIXED SO I AM STILL WITH THE LOANER CAR FIVE DAYS LATER. I AM STILL WAITING TO HEAR BACK. I'VE ALMOST BEEN IN ONE WRECK ALREADY BECAUSE OF THE HEAVY LEFT PULL. IT'S EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CONSIDERING THE TYPES OF ROADS I MUST DRIVE ON EVERYDAY. *TR

PURCHASED A NEW 2011 KIA OPTIMA SX WITH PREMIUM TOURING PACKAGE. THE CAR HAS PULLED TO THE LEFT SINCE I BOUGHT IT. SEEMS TO BE MORE NOTICEABLE THE FASTER YOU GO. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON A STRAIGHT ROAD I WILL BE IN THE NEXT LANE IN A SECOND OR TWO UPON LETTING GO OF THE STEERING REGARDLESS OF WHICH SIDE OF THE ROAD CROWN I AM ON. I ALSO NOTICED THE STEERING WHEEL DOES SHIFT LEFT DURING THIS AND IS OFF CENTER. *TR

CAR PULLS TO LEFT 100% OF THE TIME. CAR HAS BEEN INSPECTED BY KIA SERVICE AND MEETS ALL FACTORY SPECS. THIS APPEARS TO BE A DESIGN FLAW. KIA REQUIRES ALL 2011 OPTIMA'S TO BE REALIGNED PRIOR TO BEING SOLD. CUSTOMER SERVICE REP. SAID THAT ONE OF HER TEC. REPS. DRIVES A 2011 OPTIMA AND IT ALSO PULLS LEFT.

SINCE THE DAY THE CAR WAS DRIVEN OFF THE LOT, ON THE EXPRESSWAY, IT PULLED TO THE LEFT. BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER, AND AN ALIGNMENT WAS PERFORMED. DEALER DECLARED THAT IT WAS FIXED. ON THE DRIVE HOME, THE PULL TO THE LEFT PERSISTED AS IT HAD DONE PREVIOUSLY. RETURNED THE CAR TO THE SAME SERVICE DEALER. ANOTHER ALIGNMENT WAS PERFORMED. I SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED THAT THE DEALER PERFORM A THOROUGH TEST DRIVE TO ENSURE THAT THE ISSUE WAS REPAIRED. THE GENERAL MANAGER PROMISED THIS WOULD HAPPEN, AND ALSO PROMISED THAT THE SERVICE MANAGER WOULD RIDE ALONG WITH ME UPON PICKING UP THE CAR TO ENSURE THAT THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED. WHEN I WENT TO PICK UP THE CAR, THE SERVICE MANAGER HAD LEFT FOR THE DAY, AND WHEN I DROVE HOME, IT WAS STILL PULLING LEFT. RETURNED THE CAR TO SERVICE. UPON CALLING THE SERVICE DEPT. TO SEE IF THEY HAD FOUND A PROBLEM, THE SERVICE MANAGER DECLARED THAT THEY HAD FOUND A BAD TIRE, AND HAD SWAPPED IT TO THE BACK OF THE CAR. I HAD TO ARGUE WITH THE MANAGER THAT I DID NOT WANT A BAD TIRE LEFT ON MY CAR. HE FINALLY CONCEDED, AND SAID HE WOULD TAKE A NEW WHEEL AND TIRE OF A NEW CAR AND SWAP IT WITH THE BAD ONE. DROVE THE CAR HOME. SEEMED A LITTLE BETTER, BUT STILL WAS PULLING LEFT, AND JUST FELT UNSETTLED, WITH VERY POOR ON CENTER FEEL. CONTACTED KIA CONSUMER RELATIONS. THEY SENT OUT 2 ENGINEERS WHO VALIDATED THE HANDLING PROBLEMS. REPLACED LEFT STRUT, TIGHTENED REAR SUSPENSION, TALKED ABOUT SOFTWARE UPGRADES TO THE ELECTRONIC ASSIST POWER STEERING, BUT NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT THEY DID TO IT. DROVE THE CAR HOME. CAR PERFORMED BETTER THAN IT EVER HAD, BUT NOW THE STEERING WHEEL IS COCKED LEFT, AND THE MORE I DRIVE IT, THE MORE IT PULLS LEFT AGAIN, AND IS REVERTING TO THE VERY POOR ON CENTER FEEL. CONSUMER RELATIONS IS STARTING TO GET IRRITATED WITH MY CONTINUING PHONE CALLS. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN TO THE SHOP 4 TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AND IT IS STILL NOT FIXED. I FEEL I DESERVE COMPENSATION UNDER THE LEMON LAW. *TR

PURCHASED A NEW 2011 VEHICLE, WHEN WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE I WENT TO THE PARTS DEPT. AND ASK THAT THE ORDER SOME SEAT BELT EXTENDERS FOR ME. THE MANAGER SAID HE WOULD AFTER 5 WEEKS I CALLED THE PARTS DEPT. HE TOLD ME THEY HAVE NOT COME IN YET. ANOTHER WEEK GOES BY THEN I GET A CALL FROM THE REGIONAL PARTS MANAGER STATING THEY DID NOT OFFER THEM. PERIOD NO AND IF OR BUTS NO. IN YOUR FMVSS 209 REQUIRE MANUFACTURES TO PROVIDE LONGER BELTS OR SEAT BELT EXTENDERS TO ACCOMMODATE EXTREMELY LARGE PEOPLE. I WAS 480 LBS DOWN TO 360 BUT I STILL NEED SOME. I EVEN ASKED THE DEALER TO SEE IF THEY WOULD REIMBURSE ME. SENSE I AM ON SSI. THEY REFUSED BUT THEY DID TELL ME WHERE TO GO TO FIND THEM. SEAT BELT EXTENDERS, THE PART THAT THE SHOULDER BELT SNAPS IN TO THAT GOES IN THE LATCH, I AM A LARGE MAN AND HAVE EXTREME PAIN IN SHOULDERS AND ARMS. WITH BURCIDES AND AUTHORITIES, DEALER REFUSES TO SUPPLY EXTENDERS, ITS FUNNY EVERY OTHER VEHICLE DEALERS CARRY THEM. THEIR LINES OFFER THEM PLANES OFFER EXTENDERS. KIA DOSE NOT AND REFUSED TO HELP CONSUMERS WITH DISABILITIES. THE PARTS MANAGER EVEN SAID WHEN HE WORKED FOR MERCEDES THE CARRIED 6 INCH 8 INCH AND 12 INCH. EXTENDERS. I DO NOT HAVE THE 40.00 EACH I NEED TWO PASSANGERSIDE DRIVERS SIDE. NOTHING FOR THE BACK SEAT I CAN?T FIT THERE... THE PERSON THAT I HAVE BEEN TALKING TO IS [XXX]CONSUMER S AFFAIRS ANALYST SOUTHERN REAGION. KIA MOTORS KAIS CASE # [XXX] HER DIRECT NO IS 1-800-225-3193 EXTENSION OR OPTION 4. ANY HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED... I NEED A 8 INCH. PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR