2004 KIA OPTIMA Complaints

I WAS ON A WEEKEND TRIP AND WHEN I GOT TO MY DESTINATION I WAS UNABLE TO UNLOCK OR OPEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. I HAD TO CRAWL OUT THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. I AM BACK HOME NOW. I HAVE TRIED SPRAYING SOME LUBRICANT ON DOOR LATCH BUT I STILL CAN NOT GET IT TO OPEN. *JS

A CHILD WAS SITTING IN THE REAR CENTER SEAT WHEN A SNAPPING SOUND OCCURRED WHILE AT A STOP SIGN. UPON INVESTIGATION THE SEAT BELT MECHANISM BROKE, CAUSING IT TO NOT RETRACT OR LOCK. SECOND SEAT BELT TO BREAK ON THIS VEHICLE, A YEAR APART. *TR CONCERNED THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS SEAT BELTS ARE REQUIRED BY LAW. *TR

A 5 YEAR OLD CHILD WAS SITTING IN THE BACKSEAT BEHIND THE DRIVER WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH AND A LOUD POP OCCURRED. THE SEAT BELT MECHANISM BROKE. IT WAS TAKEN APART AND FOUND THAT THE INNER WORKINGS OF THE SEAT BELT ARE PLASTIC AND A SMALL PLASTIC CLIP THAT HOLDS THE SPRING BROKE, THUS A NON WORKING SEAT BELT. SEARCH TO SEE IF A RECALL WAS PRESENT. NO RECALL BUT TONS OF THREADS POSTED OF THE SAME THING OCCURRING ON OTHER KIA OPTIMAS. *TR

THE PASSENGER WHEEL CAME OFF THE CAR AS MY SON WAS BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE AT A GROCERY STORE. I BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW. THAT PART OF THE CAR HAD NEVER BEEN WORKED ON. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO A GARAGE FOR REPAIR. KIA USED GLUE ON LIFE A SUPPORT NUT ON A BALL JOINT, WHERE THEY SHOULD HAVE USED A COTTER PIN. I HAVE BOUGHT FOUR (4) KIAS. THESE CARS ARE STILL IN THE FAMILY. THE KIA I DRIVE DAILY IS IDENTICAL (EXCEPT BEING AUTOMATIC) TO THE ONE THAT THE WHEEL CAME OFF. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE EMITTED A LOUD POP. UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE SUB FRAME HAD FAILED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 09V183000 (SUSPENSION). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 110,000.

THE AIRBAG LIGHT STAYED ON SOLID. I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC AND HE PUT THE COMPUTER ON IT. HE SAID IT READ THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG WAS NOT FUNCTIONING. THIS LIGHT IS INTERMITTENT AS IT GOES OUT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, EVERY FEW DAYS. I DO NOT HAVE THE $1000 PLUS TO REPAIR IT. *TR

WHEN I STARTED TO LEAVE FOR WORK THIS MORNING; I COULD NOT GET INTO THE CAR FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE; THE DOOR WOULD NOT UNLOCK; I COULD NOT GET IT TO OPEN. THIS HAS NEVER HAPPEN BEFORE SO I LOOKED CAREFULLY AND SAW NO DAMAGE WAS DONE TO MY CAR SO I TRIED AGAIN TO UNLOCK AND OPEN MY DOOR. I PUT THE KEY IN THE KEYHOLE AS USUAL BUT I NOTICE THAT IT FELT LIKE IT WAS NOT FITTING CORRECTLY AND AS I TURNED THE KEY AND IT WAS HARDER TO TURN BUT I COULD HEAR THE SOUND OF THE DOORS UNLOCKING SO I PULLED THE HANDLE TO OPEN THE DRIVERS DOOR AGAIN AND IT STILL WOULD NOT OPEN. THE OTHER THREE CAR DOORS WORKS FINE; LOCKING AND UNLOCKING LIKE THEY SHOULD. I WAS THEN FORCED TO GET INTO THE CAR FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR. THERE I ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE DRIVERS DOOR FROM THE INSIDE BUT MY EFFORTS THERE ALSO FAILED; WHICH WAS VERY ALARMING. I COULD FEEL MY ANXIETY BUILDING (FEELING TRAPPED & NOT ABLE TO OPEN MY CAR DOOR AT ANYTIME) I WAS RUNNING OUT OF TIME AND HAVE TO GO TO WORK . I TRIED TO OPEN MY DOOR FROM THE INSIDE SEVERAL TIMES BUT NOTHING WORKED. I WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR AND LET DOWN ALL THE WINDOWS. I COULD BREATHE SOME FRESH AIR. ALL DAY I HAD TO GET IN AND OUT OF MY CAR FORM THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR. I TRIED TO OPEN THE DRIVERS DOOR SEVERAL TIME THROUGHOUT THE DAY BUT NOTHING WOULD WORK. MY DOOR BEING STUCK SHUT IS A HORRIBLE FEELING TO HAVE WHEN DRIVING KNOWING THAT ONE OF MY WAYS TO ESCAPE FROM THE CAR GONE ALMOST HELPLESS AT FIRST SO I HOPE THIS PROBLEM IS NOT A SMALL MATTER TO YOU BECAUSE IT IS PUTTING OUR LIFE IN A SERIOUS SITUATION; SO PLEASE TREATED THIS AS SUCH. THINK OF THIS: IF THERE WERE FIRE MARSHALLS FOR CARS, WOULD THEY EVER TOLERATE A FRONT DOOR THAT CAN'T BE OPEN WHEN PEOPLE ARE INSIDE? NO. *TR

THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK WITH THE KEY OR INSIDE SWITCH. ALL THE OTHER DOORS WILL UNLOCK EXCEPT THE DRIVER DOOR. AFTER TURNING THE KEY FOR ABOUT 10 MINS UP TO A DAY OR A WEEK IT WILL SOMETIMES UNLOCK, BUT ONLY USING THE KEY. THIS IS A VERY BAD SAFETY HAZARD. IT LOOKS AS IF THE PLASTIC PART INSIDE THE DOOR THAT CONTROLS THE LOCKING IS BROKEN . THERE WERE NO ACCIDENTS THAT MADE THIS OCCUR . I HAVE TALKED TO KIA ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS ABOUT THE MATTER AND THIS IS ONE FEATURE THAT THE CUSTOMER DOES NOT NEED TO PAY FOR. THIS IS A DEFECTIVE PART AND CAN TRAP SOMEONE IN A CAR . YOU HAVE TO CRAWL THROUGH PASSENGER DOOR TO EVEN TO GET IN AND DRIVE. SHAMEFUL ON KIA . SEEMS LIKE ITS GOING TO TAKE SOME ONE BURNING OR HAVE A FATALITY FOR KIA TO DO A RECALL ON THIS , BUT ALL ABOUT MONEY WHEN THEY PRIDE ON SAFETY. *TR

ON MY 2004 KIA OPTIMA WHEN I UNLOCK THE DOORS WITH THE KEY ALL DOORS UNLOCK EXCEPT THE DRIVERS DOOR REAL BIG SAFETY CONCERN, IF I GET STUCK IN MY CAR DURING AN ACCIDENT AN CANNOT GET OUT I WILL SUE KIA MOTOR COMPANY FOR NOT ISSUING A SAFETY RECALL, I HAVE ALSO NOTICE A LOT OF POSTINGS BASED UPON THIS ISSUE ON FIXYA.COM FOR THE 2003-2006 KIA OPTIMA NEED ATTENTION ASAP. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT THE RETRACTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 78,000. *TR UPDATED 03/27/13*LJ UPDATED 05/09/2013 *JS