2012 Kia Optima complaints

I OWN A 2012 KIA OPTIMA ON APRIL 5, 2016 I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AND MY SUNROOF EXPLODED. AT THE TIME I WAS DRIVING ON CLINE AVENUE (912). I WAS NOT DOING ANYTHING OUT OF THE NORMAL. THERE WERE NO CAR AROUND ME TO HIT ME THERE WAS NO FALLING DEBRIS FROM ANYWHERE. I HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION SOUND AND WHEN I LOOKED UP I SAW MY SUNROOF WITH A HUGE HOLE AND TWO MORE LOUD POPS CAME AFTER THAT. SINCE THAT TIME I HAVE CONTACTED KIA USA THE CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS AND HAVE NOT GOTTEN ANYWHERE WITH THEM. THEY HAVE NOT OWNED UP TO THE FACT THAT THIS IS HAPPENING IN THEIR VEHICLES (2011 -2015). I DISCOVERED THIS WHILE RESEARCHING ON LINE. ONCE THE EXPLOSION HAPPENED I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED IT AND WHERE I HAVE IT SERVICED ON A REGULAR BASIS. THEY HELD MY CAR FROM MONDAY, APRIL 11, 2016 UNTIL FRIDAY, APRIL 15, 2016. NOTHING WAS DONE TO IT. THEY CLAIM THAT THEY WERE INSTRUCTED TO HOLD IT SO THEY COULD AN INVESTIGATION OF THE CAR. I HAVE GIVEN 3 DEPOSITIONS OVER THE PHONE TO KIA WITH A PROMISE THAT SOMEONE WOULD GET BACK TO ME SOON. THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED YET. IN THE MEAN TIME I HAD TO GIVE THE DEALER SHIP A DEPOSIT SO THEY COULD ORDER THE GLASS TO FIX THE SUNROOF. THEY ARE TELLING ME THAT IT WILL COST $440.00 FOR THE CLASS AND $80.00 DOLLARS LABOR. THIS MAY NOT SEEM LIKE MUCH, BUT TO ME IT IS AND I FEEL LIKE THIS IS KIA'S RESPONSIBILITY. WHEN I WAS DOING MY RESEARCH ON-LINE I FOUND ARTICLE OF OTHERS CAR MAKERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM BUT THEY PAID FOR THE REPAIRS. I W

THE STEERING WHEEL MAKES A CLICKING SOUND AND STICKS EVERY TIME I TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. WHILE DRIVING IT CAN BE A CHALLENGE TO STEER WITH THE STEERING WHEEL AS IT WILL GRAB AND MAKE THAT CLICKING NOISE AND YOU HAVE TO USE SOME FORCE TO STEER.

THE FIRST THING WOULD HAVE TO BE THE STEERING WHEEL LIKE IT HAS BEEN NOTED BEFORE WHEN YOU SIT STILL IT HAS A CLICKING SOUND. AND ALL DRIVING THE HIGHWAY AT 75 MILES AN HOUR IT STICKS AND YOU HAVE TO JERK IT BACK WITCH IS NO SAFE I HAVE HAD IT ALIGNED MANY TIMES BUT DOES NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. MY CAR HAS 112,113 MILES ON I TAKE CARE OF REPLACE THING THAT NEED TO DONE AND OIL CHANGES EVERY 3,000 WELL AFTER I HIT THE 100,000 MARK MY CAR SOUNDS LIKE IT HAS NO OIL .. ARE I HAVE SEEN ON THE INTERNET THAT IT SOUNDS LIKE YOUR RPMS ARE REALLY HIGH BUT THERE NOT ... IT STARTS WHEN I'M GOING 20 MPH ANOTHER THING THAT IS WEIRD WHEN I'M TURNING LEFT THE NOISE GOES AWAY

AS REPORTED IN MANY PREVIOUS COMPLAINTS, WHEN I DRIVE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL GETS "STUCK" AND STIFFENS AND JERKS, REQUIRING ME TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL BACK TO CENTER SO THAT I CAN DRIVE STRAIGHT AHEAD. IT'S VERY DANGEROUS AND VERY TIRING. THE KIA SERVICE MANAGER SAID THIS IS THE WAY THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING IS SUPPOSED TO WORK AND I HAVE TO "LIVE WITH IT". I HAVE HAD THIS CAR FOR 4 YEARS, HAVE 33,000 MILES, AND THIS PROBLEM ONLY JUST STARTED. THE KIA USA CONSUMER ASSISTANCE AGENT SAID THERE'S NOTHING KIA CAN DO, IT OPERATES AS DESIGNED. HE SAID MANY OF THEIR CUSTOMERS LOVE THE WAY THE ELECTRONIC STEERING HANDLES. REALLY? WHAT'S TO LOVE ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO CONTROL THE STEERING OF YOUR CAR ON THE HIGHWAY AT 65-75 MPH??? THIS IS A TRAVESTY ON KIA'S PART. I NOTICE THAT THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ON THIS WEB SITE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, AND ZERO INVESTIGATIONS. HOW MANY COMPLAINTS DOES IT TAKE TO INITIATE AN INVESTIGATION? DOES THERE HAVE TO BE A MAJOR AUTO ACCIDENT TO GET ANYONE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE'S A DESIGN PROBLEM?

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD AREA NEAR THE VEHICLES ANTENNA WAS FRACTURED AND DETERIORATING. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT ONLY THE FIRST LAYER ON THE REAR WINDSHIELD WAS FRACTURED AS LARGE THE SIZE OF A BASEBALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL FEELS LIKE IT STICKS AND IT TAKES A BIT OF FORCE TO BREAK IT FREE. IT IS ALSO NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP IT GOING STRAIGHT DOWN THE ROAD. YOU MUST CONTINUOUSLY KEEP ADJUSTING THE STEERING WHEEL TO STAY IN YOUR LANE. I DID SOME SEARCHING AND THERE ARE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS PROBLEM. I DON'T INK THIS IS SAFE AND SHOULD BE FIXED. I TOLD THE DEALER ABOUT IT, BUT THEY SAID THEY DIDN'T FIND ANY MECHANICAL ISSUES AND MAYBE IT WAS THE ALIGNMENT. I HAD ALREADY HAD THE ALIGNMENT CHECKED, WHICH WAS OK. THEY SAID MAYBE IT WAS THE TIRES. I BOUGHT NEW TIRES WHICH DIDN'T HELP. I HAVE HAD THE CAR FOR ABOUT 1.5 YEARS, BUT DIDN'T REALLY DRIVE IT A LOT ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS ISN'T NEARLY AS NOTICEABLE WHEN DRIVING AT IN TOWN SPEEDS, JUST AT NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEEDS.

I HAVE A KNOCKING SOUND IN MY STEERING WHEEL. THE NOISE HAPPENS WHEN I TURN THE WHEEL BACK AND FORTH. ALSO, I HAVE NOTICED AN ODD GRINDING/SLIPPING SENSATION IN THE FRONT LEFT WHEEL WHEN I ACCELERATE ON A RIGHT TURN FROM DIFFERENT ELEVATIONS. PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT ON A "DECLINE" WHILE ACCELERATING TO THE RIGHT TO ENTER TRAFFIC IS A GOOD EXAMPLE. 73,000 MILES CURRENTLY BUT I'VE NOTICED THE GRIND/SLIP A LOWER MILEAGE.

ON MARCH 23, 2016 AT APPROXIMATELY 2:50 PM I WAS TRAVELING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC ON A HIGHWAY IN MY 2012 KIA OPTIMA EX WHEN THE PANORAMIC SUNROOF SHATTERED, IN A TRAJECTORY RESULTING THE THE GLASS POINTING UPWARDS CONSISTENT WITH AN EXPLOSION OUTWARDS. THE SUNROOF WAS NOT IN USE (AS IT AND THE ACCOMPANYING SUNSHADE WERE COMPLETELY CLOSED). I BECAME AWARE OF THE ISSUE AS IT OCCURRED VERY SUDDENLY, SOUNDING ALMOST AS IF A GUNSHOT HAD OCCURRED BEFORE THENTERING GLASS SHARDS LANDING ON THE SUNSHADE BECAME APPARENT BY RATTLING WHILE MY VEHICLE WAS DRIVING. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, I WAS TRAVELING AT NO MORE THAN 50 MPH AS TRAFFIC WAS HEAVY AND WE WERE TRAVELING THROUGH A ROAD CONSTRUCTION ZONE CHARACTERIZED BY REDUCED SPEED. THE WEATHER WAS SUNNY AND APPROXIMATELY 75 DEGREES. NO OTHER WINDOWS WERE OPEN AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. PASSENGERS IN THE VEHICLE INCLUDED MYSELF (DRIVER) AND MY TODDLER DAUGHTER WHO WAS SECURED IN HER REAR-FACING CARSEAT. THERE WERE NO OVERPASSES OR LARGE IMPROPERLY SECURED VEHICLES NEARBY (SUCH AS A DUMP TRUCK) FROM WHICH A PROJECTILE COULD HAVE ORIGINATED TO SHATTER THE WINDOW. AS STATED ABOVE, THE SHATTER PATTERN OF THE GLASS IS CONSISTENT WITH A TRAJECTORY OF THE BREAK FROM OUTWARDS FROM THE VEHICLE. I HAVE SEVERAL PICTURES ATTACHED DOCUMENTING THE DAMAGE. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THIS BREAK OCCURRED DUE TO A MANUFACTURING ERROR OR DEFECT IN THE GLASS OF THE PANORAMIC SUNROOF FREE FROM ANY PENETRATING OR PROJECTILE OBJECTS OR VARIABLES. I WAS NOT INFORMED

BACK UP CAMERA NEEDS REPLACED AT A COST OF $350 WITH A $99 DEALER LOOK AT FEE. AT LESS THAN 90,000 MILES THERE IS NO REASON THAT A CAMERA NEEDS REPLACED AT THIS POINT. RECALL NEEDS THROWN AS ITS APPARENT MANY 2012 KIA OPTIMAS ARE DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE.

"TAKATA RECALL" I HAVE A RATHER NEW KIA OPTIMA. AT 70,000 MILES MY HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP COMPLETELY WENT OUT. THIS AFFECTED MY ABILITY TO START THE CAR AND ACCELERATE AS IT WS VERY HESITANT AND SHAKY. THE CAR WAS STATIONARY WHEN I REALIZED THE PROBLEM. I WAS ATTEMPTING TO START THE CAR AND REALIZED THAT IT TOOK A VERY LONG TIME TO START. AFTER REALIZING THIS, I IMMEDIATELY TOOK MY CAR TO A MECHANIC TO HAVE IT INSPECTED AND TOLD THAT THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP WENT OUT. I ASKED HOW IT HAPPENED AND HE INFORMED ME THAT IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH MY DRIVING AND THAT IT IS VERY LIKELY THE PRODUCT OF A FAULTY FUEL PUMP BECAUSE THAT USUALLY DOESN'T HAPPEN WITH A CAR WITH ONLY 70,000 MILES ON IT.

ANOTHER PROBLEM WITH MY 2012 KIA OPTIMA EX. I STARTED MY CAR TWO WEEKS AGO FINE AND DROVE TO THE STORE 3.1 MILES AWAY. AFTER GETTING BACK TO MY CAR I CLICK PUSH BUTTON TO UNLOCK THE DOOR ON THE CAR, NOTHING HAPPEN. I HAD TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE KEY SWITCH I CARRY TO GET IN. I PUSHED THE BREAK TO START IT BUT NO START. WORDS CAME UP ABOVE THE MILEAGE TELLING ME TO INSERT KEY. WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR I WAS TOLD THAT IN THE GLOVE BOX WAS A KEY CHARGER AND THAT WAS IT. I GOT A PERSON FROM THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO COME OUT TO CHECK IT AND HE SAID IT COULD BE THE BATTERY IN THE KEY THAT MIGHT BE DEAD. HE REPLACED THE BATTERY IN WHICH THEY HAD ONE AND IT STILL WOULD NOT START. HE THEN SAID PUT THE KEY IN THE CHARGER, I DID SO AND IT STARTED. THIS MAKES THE SECOND PROBLEM AT THIS TIME THAT SEEMS TO BE A ELECTRIC PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR. ANY HELP OR HAS ANYONE HAD THIS PROBLEM ON A KEYLESS SWITCH?

AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE OVERPASS AND MERGING ONTO ANOTHER HIGHWAY MY CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE, I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND WAS ABLE TO VEER OFF THE FREEWAY TO A SIDE STREET WHEN I STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND A LOT OF SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. BEFORE THIS I HAD NO INDICATION THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. I HAD IT TOWED TO KIA WHERE I WAS TOLD THIS WAS DUE TO LACK OF MAINTENANCE AS THERE IS METAL DEBRIS IN THE OIL FILTER AND OIL PAN. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 71000 MILES ON IT AND I HAVE OIL CHANGE RECORDS TO PROVE MAINTENANCE EVERY 5000 MILES OR SOONER ON THE CAR. IT HAS NOW BEEN ALMOST 2 WEEKS AND I AM STILL WAITING FOR KIA TO RESPOND IF THEY ARE GOING TO FIX MY VEHICLE. SINCE I AM CONSIDERED THE 2ND OWNER (EVEN THOUGH THE FIRST OWNER WAS THE DEALERSHIP I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM) I ONLY HAVE A 60K MILE WARRANTY. I HAVE READ MULTIPLE STORIES ON 2012 KIA OPTIMA'S DOING THE SAME THING TO OTHER PEOPLE AND KIA NEEDS TO STEP UP AND FIX THIS PROBLEM!

LAST WEEK, DURING AN OIL CHANGE, I WAS TOLD THAT MY TRANSMISSION COOLER HOSE WAS LEAKING AND NEEDED TWO NEW ONES. IN ADDITION TO THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE COOLING SERVICE WHICH WOULD BE A TOTAL OF ABOUT $200. NO TELLING HOW LONG THE CAR WAS WITHOUT COOLANT, BUT MY CAR HAS NEVER OVER HEATED. COINCIDENTALLY, I RECEIVED AN EMAIL THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON THE KIA/2011 FOR THE SAME ISSUE! I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING KIA WOULD OVER IF IT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL WHICH IT MOST LIKELY SHOULD BE BY LOOKING AT ONLINE REVIEWS. PLEASE INVESTIGATE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE, IT HAD A HARD START. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO LOSE ACCELERATION AND THE PEDAL STIFFENED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WITH STEERING WHEEL AT 12 O'CLOCK POSITION, THE STEERING WHEEL FEELS LIKE IT IS STUCK OR LOCKED WHEN TRYING TO MAKE MINOR STEERING CORRECTIONS. I HAVE TO SOMEWHAT JERK THE WHEEL AT WHICH TIME THE STEERING APPEARS TO WAKE UP AND RESPOND. IT FEELS AS IF THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING MODULE SHUTS DOWN GIVING THE FEELING OF A LOCKED/STUCK STEERING WHEEL. BY JERKING THE WHEEL TO "WAKE UP" THE STEERING IT CREATES AN OVER COMPENSATED STEERING CORRECTION ISSUE AND A CONCERN FOR SAFETY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.

WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL THERE IS A KNOCKING NOISE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AND APPEARS VERY LOOSE WHERE I HAVE TO TURN THE WHEEL ALMOST AN EXTRA 1/8-1/4 TURN. THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOOSE AND THEN SEEMS TO LOCK UP AT SPEEDS OF 55-60. I FIRST NOTICED THIS ABOUT A YEAR AGO BUT AFTER TODAY THE KNOCKING NOISE BECAME WORSE.

THE STEERING WHEEL STICKS!!! HARD TO STAY IN YOUR LANE AND OVER CORRECTING HAPPENS EVERY DAY. JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSES. WHERES THE RECALL???? I'VE GOT BIDS FROM $450-$650 TO FIX THIS CRAP. KIA WILL COST PEOPLE THEIR LIVES.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN WAS DEFECTIVE. THE STEERING WHEEL EMITTED A LOUD CLICKING NOISE AND VIBRATED WHILE TURNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOOSE WHEN I HIT A BUMP FEELS LIKE THE CAR JUST WANTS TO TURN. SEEMS LIKE IF THE WHEEL COULD JUST LOCK UP OR WILL JUST COMPLETELY NOT TURN AT SOME POINT

IM HAVING INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL AND SUSPENSION PROBLEMS ALONG WITH SUDDEN INCREASES OF POWER INCREASE AND DECREASES. I WAS DRIVING TO MY LOCAL MALL BEFORE MY EVENING CLASS AND NOTICED MY CAR RADIO AND INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WHERE NOT OPERATING NO LIGHTS BUT CAR WAS RUNNING FINE. I HIT THE BRAKES WHILE COMING TO A STOP LIGHT IN A BUSY INTERSECTION HIT A SMALL BUMP THE CAR DECIDED TO ACCELERATE AND IT FELT AS IF THE SUSPENSION WAS LOOSE ON THE LEFT FRONT SIDE I HEARD IT RATTLE NOW THIS BUMP WASN'T BIG BY ANY MEANS AS I HIT THE BREAK I COULD FEEL THE BRAKES FIGHT WITH THE ENGINE THE BRAKE PEDAL ALSO SHOOK AT MY FEET. I QUICKLY PUT THE KIA IN NEUTRAL AND SHUT THE CAR OFF STILL AT THE LIGHT. PUT IT IN PARK AND RESTARTED MY CAR ALL LIGHT AND INSTRUMENT CLUSTER CAME ON ALONG WITH RADIO.MY OPTIMA FELT OK . BUT LATER I WENT TO CLASS GOT INTO MY CAR AND SHE WOULDN'T TURN OVER I HAD TO PRESS ON THE GAS TO GET IT TO START. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING BESIDES MY HIGH TEMP FUEL PUMP WAS GIVING LOW PRESSURE CODES. I ONLY HAVE 80K ON THIS VEHICLE BUT KIA SAID THEY WILL NOT COVER IT. THIS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WHY IF MY KIDS WHERE IN THE CAR AND I DID GET INTO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WITH THEM . THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE THERE IS A DEATH NO AFTER THE FACT.

DRIVING NORTH BOUND ON MAJOR HIGHWAY. CAR STARTS LOSING SPEED, I PULL OVER INTO A GAS STATION AND MY CAR DIES, IT RESTARTS INSTANTLY WITH NO SERVICE LIGHTS I CONTINUE DOWN THE ROAD ON THE SERVICE ROAD, THE CAR DIES AT A RED LIGHT. STARTS UP ONCE MORE. I HEAR A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM MY ENGINE. I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT HOME BUT NOW THE NOISE IS MUCH LOUDER, ITS COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE ENGINE ON THE RIGHT SIDE. I TAKE IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP. THE CONNECTOR ROD TO A PISTON IS DESTROYED. THE CAR HAS PLENTY OF OIL. I'VE READ ON FORUMS MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM.

I WAS DRIVING ON I10 DRIVING 70 MPH TODAY AND MY SUNROOF EXPLODED. THE ROAD WAS SMOOTH. NOTHING SEEMED TO HIT ME, IT JUST EXPLODED, LIKE A LOUD GUNSHOT ABOVE MY HEAD.

DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH ON THE PARKWAY, ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND WOULD NOT RE-START. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A SHOP WHERE THEY INFORMED ME THE ENGINE HAD SEIZED. THERE WAS DEFINITELY OIL IN THERE AS I HAD AN OIL CHANGE WITHIN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS,. THE CAR HAS 72K MILES ON IT AND I AM THE SECOND OWNER SO NOT COVERED BY KIA'S NON-TRANSFERABLE 10YR/100K MI WARRANTY. WORKING WITH KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE, WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM A SUPERVISOR.

MOTOR DRIVEN POWER STEERING COUPLER REPLACEMENT NEEDED

TAKATA RECALL

SUDDEN ENGINE FAILURE WITHOUT WARNING LIGHTS. KNOCKING SOUND. PARKED CAR AND HAD TOWED TO DEALER. CAR HAS 63,000 MILES ON IT. DRY OF OIL, AND OIL WAS CHANGED WITHIN PAST SIX WEEKS. SAME ENGINE (THETA II) FROM SAME PLANT (ALA) AS THE HYUNDAI SONATAS COVERED BY RECENT RECALL. SYMPTOMS ARE ALSO THE SAME. KIA REFUSING COVERAGE UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE NOT ORIGINAL OWNER. WORKING THROUGH THEIR CONSUMER AFFAIRS TO ESCALATE. SO FAR, NO RESULTS. I BELIEVE WE ARE SEEING AN IDENTICAL PROBLEM IN MY CAR WITH IDENTICAL ENGINE TO SONATA AND KIA SHOULD FIX

URGENT: STEERING WHEEL CONSTANTLY STICKS WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD!!!!!!!!!! I SEE THERE ARE DOZENS AND DOZENS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER OPTIMA OWNERS!!! DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO HAVE A FATAL ACCIDENT FOR THIS TO BECOME A RECALL ITEM ????

I'VE BEEN DRIVING MY CAR FOR SOME TIME NOW WHEN IT REACH 60,000 + MILES, I NOTICE THE CAR STEERING WOULD STICK WHEN SLIGHTLY TURN OR A FULL TURN. IT ALSO DRIFTS AND THERE IS A CLICKING NOISE WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNING LEFT AND RIGHT . I HAD FRONT END LINE MEANT DONE. THAT DID NOT STOP THE NOISE OR STICKING STEERING COLUMN. THIS HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING OR SITTING.

THE STEERING WHEEL STICKS, AND IT MAKES IT HARD TO KEEP THE CAR STRAIGHT. THERE'S NO SMOOTHNESS WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL. IT'S LIKE THE STEERING WHEEL TURNS IN INCREMENTS.

THE VEHICLE HIT 63,000 MILES DURING THIS INCIDENT. AS I WAS MERGING ONTO THE EXPRESSWAY AT 50MPH, I GOT THE VEHICLE TO 60MPH AND THE SPEEDOMETER GAUGE FROZE AT 60MPH. THEN, THE RPM GAUGE DROPPED TO 0. SUDDENLY THE ENGINE LOST POWER, THE BRAKES LOCKED UP AND BEFORE I GOT THE CAR OFF TO THE SHOULDER AT A COMPLETE STOP, THE ENGINE CUT OUT COMPLETELY. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START AT ALL AFTER IT CUT OUT. I THEN BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO A DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY DEEMED A NEW ENGINE AS THE CURRENT ENGINE BLEW.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 117,000. UPDATED 02/10/16.*JB UPDATED 04/08/16*LJ UPDATED 05/03/18*JB

URGENT: FROM WHEN I PURCHASED IT NEW, STEERING WHEEL CONSTANTLY STICKS WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD!!!!!!!!!! I FILED A REPORT WITH NHTSA WHEN I BOUGHT IT, BUT NEVER HEARD BACK FROM ANYONE. I SEE THERE ARE DOZENS AND DOZENS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER OPTIMA OWNERS!!! [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *JB*JB

UNSAFE LOOSE STEERING. I FIRST NOTICED THIS ISSUE WHILE DRIVING ON I75 SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING MY CAR IN JUNE OF 2012. THE CAR PULLS TO THE LEFT, WHEN CORRECTED, IT THEN PULLS TO THE RIGHT OR VICEVERSA. IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP THIS CAR IN A STRAIGHT LINE. I REPORTED THIS ISSUE TO MY LOCAL KIA DEALER ABOUT 4 TIMES (DURING EVER SERVICE VISIT) THEIR RESPONSE IS ALWAYS THE SAME: "THE CAR IS PERFORMING ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFICATIONS, WE COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT" I DISAGREE BUT COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. TODAY, 3 YEARS LATER, IT'S WORSE, I HEAR A LOUD CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN WHEN I TURN THE WHEEL. THIS SITUATION HAS ESCALATED TO SEVERE. I FEAR FOR MY LIFE WHEN DRIVING THIS CAR. PLEASE HELP!

WHEN CRANKING UP CAR ENGINE MAKES LOUD NOISE, THEN IF DRIVING AT A NORMAL SPEED THE CAR SLOWS DOWN ON IT OWN,ALSO THE DASH BOARD LIGHTS GOES FROM BRIGHT TO DIM TO ALMOST NO DASH BOARD LIGHTS AT ALL, DRIVING

WANDERS OFF CENTER, EITHER RIGHT OR LEFT. WILL NOT STAY STRAIGHT. WEARS YOU OUT CONTINUALLY CORRECTING THE DRIFT OR WANDERING.

JUST BOUGHT MY CAR THIS YEAR WITH 26350 MILES ON IT. WHEN IT GOT TO 30000 NEEDED NEW TIRES. THE CAR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. I HAVE TOOK IT TO THE SHOP AND THEY TURN IT OFF. THEN WHEN I DRIVE IT AND IT COMES BACK ON AGAIN. IT HAS BROKE DOWN ON THE ROAD FOUR TIMES. TWICE I CALLED ROAD SIDE HELP THE OTHER TWO TIMES SOMEONE HAS HELPED ME. IT RUNS HOT BECAUSE IT IS BUBBLING IF I DRIVE FOR MORE THEN A HOUR. BOUGHT THE CAR FROM POWER OF BOWSER

METAL DEBRIS IN ENGINE OIL, SCORCH ENGINE- SAME ENGINE PROBLEM AS PARENT CO. HYUNDAI MOTOR RECALL. ON SONATA. A 2.4 LITER ENGINE., MANUFACTURED BEFORE APRIL 2012. ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. ENGINE FAILED ON FREEWAY DURING NORMAL USE.

I WAS DRIVING ON I 95 ON OUR WAY HOME FROM FLORIDA. WE WERE PASSING FAYETTSVILLE ,NC WHEN MY CAR ENGINE MADE SOME KNOCKING NOISE AND THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, BEFORE I CAN PULL TO THE SHOULDER, THE CAR STALLED,LOST POWER AT 70 MLS PER HR. WE WERE LUCKY NO ONE HIT US AS I WAS SLOWLY NAVIGATING TO THE SHOULDER. I HAD IT TOWED TO A KIA DEALERSHIP IN FAYETTSVILLE,NC. THEY SAID ENGINE SEIZED UP AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACE. THE CAR HAS 71,000MLS BUT KIA DENIED MY WARRANTY CLAIM SO I END UP PAYING $5,700 FOR A REMANUFACTURED ENGINE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE REVERSING OUT OF THE RESIDENTIAL DRIVEWAY, AN ABNORMALLY LOUD CLICKING SOUND EMITTED FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS MALFUNCTIONING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

MY ENGINE SOUNDS LIKE A TRUCK ,I TOOK CAR TO KIA DEALER SHIP AND THEY CLAIMED IT WAS IT WAS SERPENTINE BELT TENSIONER LOOSING TENION AND IDELER PULLEY BEARING .SAID THEY FIXED THESE PROBLEMS BUT I'M STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM,AND SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL ON MY CAR.BUT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE THE ONE I BOUGHT.

EXITING HWY 71 EAST BOUND TO WOODWARD DECREASING SPEED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME HAD A CAR CUT IN FRONT OF HER. I HAD A SAFE DISTANCE AND SLAMMED MY BRAKES. MY BRAKES DID NOT GRAB AS USUAL MY CAR DID NOT STOP AND I HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I TRULY BELIEVE MY BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED. I WILL TAKE MY CAR INTO KIA WHEN I GET IT BACK.

NOTICED IN OCTOBER 2014 THE CAR STARTED DRIFTING AND THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO LOCK UP. IT HAS BECOME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AND NOW I'M HEARING A KNOCKING NOISE IN THE STEERING WHEEL. I WAS TOLD BY MY COWORKER WHO HAS A 2011 OPTIMA THAT HE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AND HE WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT IT WAS A PLASTIC GEAR IN THE STEERING COLUMN AND WOULD COST ROUGHLY $300 TO FIX. UPON RESEARCH WITH THIS ISSUE I HAVE COME ACROSS SEVERAL OWNERS THAT SEEM TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WHICH KIA KNOWS ABOUT. I FEEL THAT KIA SHOULD CORRECT THIS PROBLEM AT THEIR EXPENSE BEFORE THIS ISSUE KILLS SOMEONE.

I HAVE NOTICED A LOT OF PLAY IN THE STEERING OF MY 2012 OPTIMA IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS. I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE DEALER FOR NEW TIRES,ALIGNMENT AND BALANCE WHILE THE MECHANIC WAS PUTTING ON THE TIRES ,I ASKED HIM ABOUT THE PLAY IN THE STEERING WHEEL AND HE SAID IT WAS BECAUSE OF A FIBER GEAR IN THE STEERING MOTOR THAT IS ON THE STEERING COLUMN AND THAT IT WAS A WARRENTY PROBLEM AND WOULD BE REPAIRED FREE OF CHARGE THERE IS A SMALL FIBER GEAR ABOUT THE SIZE OF A QUARTER THAT THE TEETH BREAK OFF OF AND WILL CAUSE A CLICKING THAT I HAD HERD AND COULD CAUSE THE STEERING TO LOCKUP. WHEN THE UNIT WAS TAKEN APART, THE GEAR HAD A LOT OF TEETH BROKEN OFF AND AFTER IT WAS REPLACE THE STEERING WHEEL WAS FINE AGAIN WITH NO PLAY IN THE WHEEL I SAW NO RECALL OR WARNINGS BUT IT SEEMS THAT THIS HAPPENS AT ABOUT 25000 MILE GIVE OR TAKE. THOUGHT I WOULD SHARE THIS WITH OTHER OWNERS IT CAN BE REPAIRED AT NO COST ON A WARRENTY BASES

I WAS STOPPED AT A STOPLIGHT ON A SMALL STREET WHEN A VERY LOUD HISSING NOISE STARTED COMING FROM MY AIR CONDITIONER VENTS. AS I ACCELERATED THROUGH THE INTERSECTION, THE HISSING NOISE GOT QUIETER, BUT AS I STOPPED AT THE NEXT INTERSECTION, IT GOT LOUDER. BY THE TIME I PULLED INTO A NEARBY PARKING LOT AND STOPPED, MY AIR CONDITIONER WAS NO LONGER BLOWING COLD. THE HEAT INDEX IS CURRENTLY WELL OVER 100 DEGREES HERE, SO DRIVING HOME WITH NO AIR COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS TO MANY, ESPECIALLY IF WE HAD TAKEN THE CAR OUT OF TOWN, AS WE WERE INTENDING TO DO JUST A FEW DAYS LATER. LUCKILY, I WAS CLOSE TO HOME AND DID NOT HAVE MY CHILDREN WITH ME, SO I WAS ABLE TO ENDURE THE RIDE HOME, BUT OTHERS MAY NOT BE SO FORTUNATE. AFTER RETURNING FROM MY OUT OF TOWN TRIP (FOR WHICH I HAD TO USE ANOTHER CAR), I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHO SAID ORIGINALLY THAT FIXING A BROKEN A/C WAS UNDER WARRANTY, BUT THEN HE RETURNED AND SAID A ROCK OR DEBRIS HAD PUT A HOLE IN MY CONDENSER, AND IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED BY MY WARRANTY. INSTEAD, I WOULD NEED TO FILE AN INSURANCE CLAIM OR PAY ALMOST $900. I EMPHASIZED THAT THIS HAPPENED AS I WAS SITTING STILL AT A SMALL INTERSECTION, NOT WHILE DRIVING AT A HIGH SPEED. HE CLAIMED THAT IT IS POSSIBLE IT COULD'VE HAPPENED EARLIER BUT WAS JUST THEN UNDER ENOUGH PRESSURE TO PUSH THROUGH THE HOLE. I HAVE FOUND HUNDREDS OF KIA OWNERS ONLINE WITH SUPPOSED "PUNCTURED COMPRESSORS" THAT COULDN'T SEE THE PUNCTURE OR COULDN'T EXPLAIN WHEN OR HOW IT COULD HAVE HAPPENED, AN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT TO THE HOT SIDE AND SMOKE STARTED TO EMIT UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE COOLANT CLAMP ON THE RADIATOR WAS NOT PROPERLY FITTED, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO FAIL. THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 38,000.

I WAS DRIVING WITH MY WIFE AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH ON A FLAT, FRESHLY PAVED HIGHWAY WITH NO OVERPASSES OR OTHERS CARS NEARBY WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN AN EXTREMELY LOUD CRASH (SOUNDED LIKE A GUN SHOT) OCCURRED RIGHT ABOVE OUR HEADS. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE SUNSHADE ON THE INTERIOR ROOF STARTED FLAPPING AROUND WILDLY IN THE WIND AND HUNDREDS OF PIECES OF SHATTERED GLASS STARTED RAINING ON MY WIFE AND MY HEAD AND BODY. THE SOUND AND FALLING GLASS WAS SO SUDDEN AND DISTRACTING THAT I NEARLY SWERVED OFF THE ROAD, BUT LUCKILY WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE CAR. AS MY HEART BEAT OUT OF MY CHEST, I QUICKLY PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY TO CALM DOWN AND ASSESS WHAT HAD HAPPENED. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION IT LOOKED LIKE THE SUNROOF HAD SPONTANEOUSLY EXPLODED OUTWARD FROM THE CABIN. WE HAVE NO LOGICAL EXPLANATION FOR WHY IT OCCURRED OTHER THAN THAT IT WAS A PRE-EXISTING MANUFACTURING DEFECT, WHICH SOUNDS CONSISTENT WITH OTHER INSTANCES I HAVE READ ONLINE. DOING SOME ADDITIONAL RESEARCH I FOUND THAT THERE ARE APPARENTLY HUNDREDS OF CASES OF THIS OCCURRING IN KIA MODELS AND A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT IS BEING BUILT. DESPITE ALL OF THESE INSTANCES BEING REPORTED I WAS NEVER ALERTED BY KIA THAT THIS WAS AN ISSUE OR POSSIBILITY. MY CAR IS IN THE SHOP NOW AND KIA IS INVESTIGATING WHETHER OR NOT THEY WILL COVER THE REPAIR COSTS (THEY BETTER AFTER ALL WE WENT THROUGH). MY WIFE AND I BOTH SUFFERED SEVERAL PUNCTURES/SPLINTERS ON OUR HEAD, ARMS, AND LEGS FROM THE TINY GLASS SHARDS. MY WIFE ALSO RE

TL* THE CONTACTS OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STARTER NEEDED TO REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,000.

CAR WILL JERK HARD WHEN CHANGING GEARS. IT HAPPENS WHILE GOING IN SPEEDS BELOW 45 MPH. THE CAR WILL JERK REALLY HARD WHILE DRIVING AND THE RPMS WILL JUMP FROM 2-3 STRAIGHT UP TO 6. IT HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES IN THE LAST WEEK. I AM TAKING IT TO THE KIA DEALER TO SEE IF THEY CAN LOCATE AND FIX THE PROBLEM. BASED ON WHAT I HAVE READ HERE, THERE DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE A FIX. I AM REALLY CONCERNED IT WILL ACCELERATE AND CAUSE ME TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT.

JERKING AND LOSS OF ACCELERATION WHEN DRIVING AND WHEN SHIFTING IN PARKING/REVERSE. WHEN SHIFTING IN REVERSE IT MAKES A JERK AND MAKE A THUD. SAME THING IN DRIVE BUT A LITTLE MORE HARSH. JERKING ALSO JUST WHEN SHIFTING TO DRIVE AFTER STARTING THE CAR. EVEN WHEN I DRIVE IT WOULD GIVE A JERK A FEW TIMES WHEN SWITCHING GEARS, AND ALSO WHEN I BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN IT DOES IT. I ALSO REMEMBER THE CAR SHAKING ONE TIME WHEN I TURNED IT ON. IT ALSO LOST ACCELERATION WHILE DRIVING TO WORK IN A 45 MPG AREA. HAD TO PULL OVER AND SHUT/RESTART THE CAR A FEW TIMES. TAKEN IN TO KIA EACH TIME THIS HAPPENED. LAST NIGHT, JUNE 30, WAS THE FORTH TIME. KIA CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT. IT IS SCARY AND UNSAFE AS I FEEL IT CAN CAUSE A REAR-END ACCIDENT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD POP AND THE SUN ROOF SHATTERED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40,000.