2005 Kia Optima

Routine

Owners filed 144 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the latches/locks/linkages. No safety recall has been issued.

When it fails
020k40k60k90k120k200k

112 complaints record an odometer reading. Failures cluster around 60,00075,000 miles; the median is 77,000 miles.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Latches/Locks/Linkages50
000
Electrical System18
011
Air Bags18
301
Structure › Body12
000
Structure › Body › Door6
001
Fuel System, Gasoline6
000
Engine and Engine Cooling5
000
Unknown or Other4
000
Latches/Locks/Linkages › Doors › Latch4
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic2
000

What owners reported

Newest filings
Latches/Locks/Linkages › Doors › Latch
Filed Jun 22, 202282,000 milesGA

The contact owns a 2005 Kia Optima. The contact was unable to use the key to manually unlock the door to the vehicle. Additionally, the vehicle failed to open consistently from inside the vehicle. Due to the failure, the contact was unable to take the vehicle to the dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.

Structure › Body
Filed Apr 18, 2022TX

Driver side door lock does not open using the arm rest switch. wife was in the car could reach the switch but not the unlatch lever . Car was overheating with Ac on with keys in the ignition . Had to have her roll down the passenger door window to manually open the rear passenger side door . From the rear seat I could reach the lever and unlock the door. If I could not it would have been a fire hazard.

Structure › Body
Filed Nov 16, 2018AL

THE DRIVER DOOR BECOME JAMMED AND SOMETIMES WILL NOT OPEN. YOU HAVE TO CONTINUOUSLY/EXCESSIVELY JERK ON IT. DUE TO NOT OPENING, I HAVE TO CRAWL THROUGH THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR IN ORDER TO GAIN ENTRANCE INTO THE VEHICLE. NOT ONLY THAT, AFTER FINALLY GETTING THE DRIVER DOOR TO OPEN, I HAVE TO LEAVE IT CRACK TO AVOID THIS STRUGGLE.

Latches/Locks/Linkages
Filed Jan 2, 2018140,000 milesAL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO EXIT THE VEHICLE, THE DOOR'S FAILED TO UNLOCK. THE CONTACT HAD TO EXIT THROUGH THE SUN ROOF. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT HE WAS ABLE TO UNLOCK THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR FROM OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER, THE FRONT DRIVER'S DOOR WAS INOPERABLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

Structure › Body
Filed Sep 16, 2017AL

DRIVERS SIDE DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM MALFUNCTION. MECHANISM WILL NOT ALLOW THE DOOR TO UNLOCK, THEREFORE THE DOOR CAN NOT BE OPENED. DRIVER MUST CLIMB OUT OF PASSENGER SIDE.

Electrical System
Filed Aug 14, 2017146,156 milesTX

AFTER REPAIRING THE MASS AIR FLOW HOSE,PURGE VALVE,AND THE VALVE COVER GASKET. IT DIDN'T PASS THE STATE INSPECTION. I WAS TOLD TO DRIVE IT A LITTLE LONGER TO PUT MILES ON THE CAR. SO I DID.. AFTER SEVEN WEEK GOING BACK TO HAVE IT CHECK IT WAS STILL SHOWING NOT READY. THE MERCHANIC THERE COULDN'T TELL ME WHAT THE PROBLEM AND THEIR SUBJESTED TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER AFTER PUTTING 1175 MILES ON MY CAR

Air Bags
Filed Jun 22, 2017220,000 milesNC

THE LIGHT FOR MY AIR BAG HAS BEEN STAYING ON AND MY HORN QUIT WORKING FOR OVER A YEAR NOW. I FINALLY TOOK IT TO THE SHOP FOR THEM TO LOOK AT IT, THEY TOLD ME IT WAS A CLOCK SWITCH (I BELIEVE I SAID THAT RIGHT) WHICH IS SOMETHING IN THE STEERING CONNECTED TO THE AIRBAG AND HORN. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE AIRBAG MIGHT ACTIVATE WHILE I AM DRIVING WHICH WOULD NOT BE GOOD. MAYBE EVEN NOT WORK IF I GET IN A WRECK.

Electrical System1 injured
Filed Jun 6, 201799,000 milesWA

I AM A DISABLED WOMAN WHO BECAME TRAPPED IN HER OWN CAR BECAUSE THE LOCK MECHANISM ON THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN NOR COULD I ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. I TRIED TO CLIMB OVER THE GEARSHIFT TO TRY THE PASSENGER DOOR AND HURT MY BACK IN THE PROCESS. I CALLED 911 FOR HELP

Electrical System
Filed Jul 26, 2016178,000 milesNM

CLOSED DRIVER'S DOOR AND DOOR WOULD NOT REOPEN. I TOOK CAR TO AUTO SHOP AND MECHANIC FINALLY GOT DOOR TO OPEN AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF. HE THOUGHT HE HAD REPAIRED THE DOOR AND CLOSED IT, BUT WHEN HE TRIED TO OPEN THE DOOR FOR FINAL INSPECTION, AGAIN IT WOULD NOT OPEN NORMALLY AND UPON FURTHER INSPECTION HE FOUND THE DOOR LOCK MECHANISMS WERE NOT FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY FROM THE WAY THEY HAD BEEN MANUFACTURED. AND THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE KIA DOOR LOCK MECHANISMS INCLUDING MY CAR'S YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL. I AM CONCERNED THIS IS A SERIOUS HAZARD, ESPECIALLY SINCE I TRANSPORT SMALL CHILDREN, SOME IN CAR SEATS. MY CAR IS AN OLDER CAR AND I WOULD LIKE ALL FOUR LOCKS REPLACED WITH 'UP TO STANDARD' LOCKS.

Air Bags
Filed May 5, 201660,000 milesNC

MY AIRBAG CONTINUES TO HAVE PROBLEMS AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT WILL NOT GO OFF FOR OVER A YEAR NOW. THE CAR WAS JUST STARTED AND STATIONARY WHEN THE LIGHT WENT ON.

Air Bags
Filed Apr 11, 2016NY

ONE MORNING I TURNED THE CAR ON AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND HAS NOT GONE OFF! ; (

Air Bags
Filed Jan 29, 2016157,000 milesCT

AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON FOR NO REASON AND WILL NOT GO OFF. THE DRIVER SEAT AND SUNROOF HAVE AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE WHERE THEY WORK THEN DON'T, FOUND THAT THE SWITCHES ARE BAD AND WORK SOMETIMES.

Structure › Body
Filed Dec 31, 2015155,000 milesSC

LOCKED CAR AFTER BUYING IT USED DRIVERS DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK. MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. MY DAUGHTER WAS GOING TO DRIVE THIS THING. KIA DEALER DID NOT EVEN MENTION THIS TO ME, BUT DID SAY IT WAS 200 MINIMUM. I HOPE THIS GETS INVESTIGATED. IN AN ACCIDENT THE DOOR WILL NEVER OPEN. I DROVE THE CAR HOME AND AFTER 2 HOURS IT WILL NOT UNLOCK.

Structure › Body › Door
Filed Oct 5, 2015128,000 milesWV

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE IN PARK, THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS FAILED. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO USE THE REMOTE FOR ENTRY AND HEARD A CLICKING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000.

Air Bags
Filed Sep 9, 201585,500 milesKY

I STARTED THE VEHICLE THIS MORNING AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE LIGHT REMAINS ILLUMINATED AFTER TWO DAYS.

Air Bags
Filed Jul 20, 2015120,000 milesGA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CODES WERE CLEARED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

Unknown or Other
Filed Jul 14, 2015186,000 milesGA

NEITHER THE DRIVER DOOR OR PASSENGER DOOR WILL UNLOCK. THIS OCCURS FROM BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE CAR. VERY UNSAFE CONDITION.

Electrical System
Filed Jul 13, 2015AL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE LOCKS ON THE DOOR FAILED TO WORK. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED OR DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

Electrical System
Filed Jun 3, 2015120,000 milesKY

DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN, THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. WHEN YOU PULL ON THE OUTSIDE HANDLE IT WILL MAKE ALL THE DOORS LOCK SOMETIMES. I THOUGHT THIS WAS AN ISOLATED CASE, BUT THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER COMPLIANTS WITH THIS SAME ISSUE. THIS IS A SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE IF THE CAR WAS IN A CRASH.

Structure › Body
Filed May 12, 2015105,000 milesNY

FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR LOCK HAS NOT WORKED PROPERLY. IT WILL LOCK WITHOUT PROBLEM BUT THEN WILL NOT UNLOCK. IT CANNOT BE UNLOCKED FROM WITHIN THE VEHICLE AT ALL. TO UNLOCK IT FROM OUTSIDE REQUIRES THAT THE DOOR BE UNLOCKED AT THE SAME TIME THE DOOR HANDLES IS PULLED OPEN. IT REQUIRES MULTIPLE TRIES TO GET IT RIGHT - USUALLY IT TAKES A FEW MINUTES OF PLAYING WITH THE DOOR HANDLE AND KEY TO GET IT TO WORK PROPERLY.

20 of 144 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2013
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
2020145020Routine
2019206160Above average
20182322100Above average
2017255390Above average
20167545191Fatalities reported
20151,0074741Fatalities reported
20145857422Fatalities reported
20131,38191144Fatalities reported
20129195770High concern
20115935331Fatalities reported
201075120Routine
2009116141Fatalities reported
2008144348Fatalities reported
2007167250Routine
2006155210Routine
2005 — this page144010Routine
2004225130Above average
2003141220Routine
2002107340Routine
2001143300Routine

Compare every Optima year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.