Page 13 of 16 · complaints 601–650 of 760

2016 Kia Optima complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2016 record →

Electrical System
Filed Oct 7, 2020100,000 milesVA

SOMETIMES WHEN I START THE CAR IT ONLY RUNS AT ABOUT 500RPM AND THE DIGITAL SPEEDOMETER STARTS GOING UP IN NUMBERS WHEN I'M IN PARK AND I HAVE NO POWER STEERING. I CAN PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE AND PARK OR OPEN THE DOOR AND IT STARTS ACTING NORMAL. IT ALSO ACTS LIKE IT'S GOING TO SHUT OFF WHEN I COME TO A STOP. I AM AWARE THAT THE RPMS DROP WHEN YOU STOP ALMOST LIKE A GAS SAVER BUT WITH IN THE LAST 20 THOUSAND MILES IT HAS GOTTEN REALLY ROUGH. IT BURNS OIL LIKE CRAZY THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THIS BUT CAN'T DO ANYTHING WITH THE ENGINE TELL IT THROWS A CODE AND THEY CAN'T DUPLICATE ANY OF MY OTHER ISSUES, THE FRONT END HAS MADE AWFUL NOISES FOR THE LAST 50 THOUSAND MILES OR SO AND HAS HAD THE FRONT SUSPENSION REPLACED BUT THAT DIDN'T FIX THE ISSUE. IV HAS THE KNOCK SENSOR REPLACED BUT I'M CONVINCED IT WAS JUST A GIMMICK SO THE CAR WON'T THROW CODES ANYMORE BECAUSE IT SHOULD BE WITH THE ISSUES I'M HAVING. LIKE WHEN THE ELECTRONIC STEERING GOES OUT I GET NO DASH LIGHT. I WISH KIA WOULD OWN UP TO THEIR ISSUES

Electrical System
Filed Oct 5, 2020FL

I'LL START WITH THE WINDOWS. PRIOR TO COVID MY RIGHT REAR PASSENGER WINDOW MOTOR AND REGULATOR WENT OUT. CITRUS KIA FIXED IT. RIGHT AFTER COVID WAS ANNOUNCED MY FRONT RIGHT PASSENGER WINDOW WENT OUT AND I COULDNT GET MY CAR IN. 2 WEEKS LATER MY FRONT LEFT DRIVER WINDOW WENT OUT. WHEN I FINALLY GOT MY CAR IN THEY TOLD ME I WAS 200 MILES OVER ON MY WARRANTY TO FIX IT. I HAVENT HAD THE USE OF EITHER OF MY FRONT WINDOWS FOR MONTHS. THEY DROPPED RANDOMLY GOING DOWN THE ROAD. IF I DONT LEAVE SOMETHING WEDGED IN THE WINDOW THEY DROP SO FAR I HAVE TO USE DUCT TAPE TO ADHERE TO IT AND PULL UP ENOUGH TO GRAB IT. ITS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE THAT I CANNOT USE MY WINDOWS. AND I DONT KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE DRIVE TRAIN , AXLE AND SUSPENSION BUT I AM EATING THROUGH BRAND NEW TIRES EVERY COUPLE MONTHS. THE DEALERSHIP BLAMED IT ON ME AND SERIOUSLY ASKED ME IF I WAS JUMPING CURBS. I HAVE HAD SO MANY ISSUES WITH THIS CAR SINCE THE MOTOR GOT REPLACED. NOT TO MENTION MY HEAT DOESNT WORK UNLESS ITS IN DEFROST MODE. THE DEALERSHIP KNOWS ABOUT ALL THESE ONGOING ISSUES. KAREN IS MY SERVICE ADVISOR. I EVEN TRIED TO TRADE MY CAR IN WITH THEM AND THEY TURNED IT DOWN. THIS CAR IS FALLING APART AND I AM ONLY ONE MONTH AWAY FROM HAVING IT FOR 4 YEARS. I AM THE ONLY OWNER IT HAS HAD

Engine
Filed Sep 25, 202059,603 milesMD

OUT OF NO WHERE , MY CARS CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND LOST COMPRESSION. WOULDN'T GO OVER 40MPH AND I WAS ON A BUSY HIGHWAY SO I PULLED OVER GOT IT TOWED HOME , DID A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND GOT A P1326 CODE WHICH CAME BACK AS A KNOCK SENSOR PROBLEM.

Electrical SystemFire
Filed Sep 21, 202046,000 milesIL

MY 2016 KIA OPTIMA BURSTED INTO FLAMES WHILE STATIONARY IN FRONT OF MY HOME.

Exterior Lighting
Filed Sep 15, 202031,500 milesCA

HEADLIGHTS RANDOMLY TURN OFF WHEN SET TO "AUTO" POSITION WHEN SIGNALING. DOES NOT HAPPEN FREQUENTLY BUT ANY TIME IT HAPPENS IS TOO MANY TIMES FOR YOUR HEADLIGHTS TO RANDOMLY TURN OFF. HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT AND HAPPENS WHEN SIGNALING TO CHANGE LANES. - HEADLIGHTS SET TO "AUTO" - DRIVING AT NIGHT - SIGNALING TO CHANGE LANES - ISSUE OCCURS THE LIGHTS WILL TURN OFF AND THE INTERIOR INDICATOR GOES DARK FOR A SPLIT SECOND AND THEN COMES BACK ON AND IS STILL INDICATES "AUTO" AS THE SETTING. DOES NOT OCCUR FREQUENTLY ENOUGH FOR DEALER/MECHANICS TO IDENTIFY THE ISSUE.

Unknown or Other
Filed Sep 12, 202037,222 milesFL

SINCE I BOUGHT 2016 KIA OPTIMA EX, THERE HAS BEING WINDOWS PROBLEM ON THIS MODEL. EITHER WINDOW REGULATOR OR MODULE PANEL OR SOME THING ELSE CAUSE WINDOWS TO DROP DOWN WHILE YOUR DRIVING, OR MALFUNCTION DOES NOT OPERATE AT ALL. AT LEAST 4 TIMES I TOOK TO DEALER TO FIX IT, BUT IN SHORT PERIOD OF TIME HAPPENS AGAIN, IT IS NOT ONE WINDOW HAPPENS TO ALL OF THEM. I AM SICK & TIRED OF GOING TO DEALER TO WASTE MY TIME. IT IS SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH KIA AND SHOULD REDESIGN THE OPERATING WINDOW SYSTEM.

Unknown or Other
Filed Sep 12, 202030,034 milesFL

THE WINDOWS FALL ON THEIR OWN AND NOT OPERATIVE WHILE DRIVING. IT HAS HAPPENED TO ME TWICE SO FAR AND TOOK THE CAR TO DEALER. I AM TRYING NOT TO LOWER MY WINDOWS AT ALL FOR NOW. IT IS SERIOUS WHEN IT RAINS & WATER GETS INSIDE THE CAR, I LIVE IN FLORIDA AND IT RAINS A LOT. ANY SOLUTION ?

Exterior Lighting
Filed Sep 10, 20202 milesPA

THE HEADLIGHTS TURN ON WHEN ON AUTO ON THERE OWN ON A BRIGHT SUNNY DAY. THIS SEEMS TO HAPPEN INTERMITTENTLY. ALSO WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ON, THE PASSENGER BRAKE LIGHT GOES OUT. WHEN I TURN THE HEADLIGHTS OFF THE BRAKE LIGHT WORKS AGAIN. THIS SEEMS TO HAPPEN ALL THE TIME BOTH WHEN DRIVING AND PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY.

Electrical System
Filed Sep 8, 2020106,000 milesAZ

THE HEADLIGHTS WILL RANDOMLY TURN THEMSELVES ON AND OFF IN DAY AND NIGHT TIME. THIS ONLY HAPPENS IN THE 'AUTO' OPTION FOR THE HEADLIGHTS. I HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS OTHER REPORTS ON THIS ON HERE. IN ADDITION TO THAT THE CAR DOESN'T RESPOND TO THE KEY FOB MOST OF THE TIME EVEN WITH BRAND NEW BATTERY IN THE FOB. STEP DAD HAS THE SAME CAR WITH SAME ISSUES WITH THE KEY FOB.

Electrical System
Filed Sep 6, 2020FL

IN JUNE 2020 AFTER ORDERING FOOD AT A FAST FOOD DRIVE THROUGH MY DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WOULD ROLL BACK UP. I DIDN'T THINK MUCH THOUGHT MAYBE THE WINDOW WAS OFF TRACK. ABOUT A WEEK OR SO LATER WHILE DRIVING ON A LOCAL STREET IN MY TOWN MY DRIVER SIDE BACK PASSENGER WINDOW SLID DOWN I BEGAN HEARING AND FEELING WIND COME THROUGH THE WINDOW I CALLED MY DAD WHO LIVES IN MIAMI HE TOLD ME TO PUT A FLAT HEAD SCREWDRIVER DOWN IN THE WINDOW TO KEEP THE WINDOW FROM SLIDING DOWN AND POSSIBLE BREAKING AND TO CALL THE DEALERSHIP. I CALLED THE KIA DEALERSHIP I WAS TOLD TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE WINDOWS LOOKED AT. (WHICH I DID) A COUPLE DAYS LATER WHILE PICKING MY DAUGHTER UP FROM WORK I WAS BACKED INTO A PARKING SPOT. I ROLLED THE BACK PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW DOWN TO LET HER KNOW I WAS THERE SINCE SHE WAS MORE TO THE BACK SIDE OF THE CAR THEN THE FRONT AND ALL BEHOLD THE WINDOW WOULD NOT GO BACK UP. I CALLED KIA 1ST THING THE NEXT MORNING AND WAS TOLD MY CAR HAD A RECALL FOR THE ELECTRICAL BUT THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT MY WINDOWS UNLESS I PAID OUT OF POCKET BECAUSE THE RECALL DID NOT COVER THE WINDOWS. I'M UPSET BECAUSE I DO NOT HAVE MONEY TO FIX 3 WINDOWS HAD I NOT HAD THAT ELECTRICAL PROBLEM MY WINDOWS WOULD STILL BE WORKING.

Service Brakes
Filed Sep 6, 202056,000 milesTX

WHILE IN MOTION THE HEADLIGHTS TURN ON BY THEMSELVES AT RANDOM TIMES DURING THE DAY. ABS WARNING LIGHT, BSD WARNING LIGHT, AND TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHT ALL CAME ON AT THE SAME TIME. ON THE WAY TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY ALL WENT OFF. THE TECHNICIAN SAID HE SEES THAT THE WARNING LIGHT WERE ON, BUT THEIR COMPUTER IS NOT DETECTING A PROBLEM. IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN BRING IT BACK. WELL, THEY'RE ON AGAIN. THE CAR HAS BEEN STATIONARY SINCE FRIDAY AFTERNOON, SUNDAY EVENING MY SON SENDS ME A PIC OF MY CAR, THE LIGHTS ARE ON!

Power Train
Filed Sep 4, 2020100 milesNM

FROM A STATIONARY POSITION, UPON ACCELERATING THE CAR HESITATES, VIBRATES, FEELS AS IF IT MIGHT STALL BUT DOES NOT STALL. CAR, WITHIN A SECOND OR SO WILL CATCH AND ACCELERATE AS IT SHOULD. DRIVER IS VERY AWARE OF THE VIBRATION HESITATION. THE PASSENGER CAN ALSO FEEL THE HESITATION. SKIPPING SENSATION HAPPENS AT ANY STOPPED LOCATION, AT AN INTERSECTION OR STOP SIGN ETC. I T SEEMS TO HAPPEN ABOUT 75% OF THE TIME. OCCASIONALLY THERE WILL NOT BEEN A HESITATION EXPERIENCE. I HAVE TAKEN IT IN AT LEAST 2 TIMES TO DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND WAS TOLD THY COULD FIND NOTHING TO ACCOUNT FOR THE PROBLEM AND EVEN SUGGESTED THAT I USE A HIGHER GRADE FUEL. FUEL MILAGE IS GREAT, ALL OTHER DRIVING ASPECTS OF TH KIA ARE PERFECT.

Steering
Filed Sep 3, 202031,000 milesNJ

DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE CAR HAS VERY TIGHT STEERING AND CAR DRIFTS ALL OVER LANE. I AM ALWAYS MAKING CORRECTIONS. FEEL LIKE RACK AND PINION IS FAILING. CAR ONLY HAS 31,000 MILES ON IT.

Electrical System
Filed Aug 30, 2020111,440 milesGA

FOURTH WINDOW REGULATOR TO STOP WORKING IN THE PAST YEAR. THE WINDOW ROLLED DOWN AND WOULD NOT ROLL UP.

Engine
Filed Aug 29, 202076,337 milesCA

AIR CONDITIONING GOING OUT WITH POSSIBLE BREAKDOWN AT SEVENTY THOUSAND MILES AIR CONDITIONER TURNS ON BUT DON'T BLOW AIR

Engine
Filed Aug 28, 2020OK

WHEN I TRY TO START MY CAR IT'LL TURN ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ON BUT NOT MY ENGINE. I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO POWER STEERING WHEN THIS OCCURS. CAR WILL GO INTO GEAR BUT I CANNOT ACCELERATE. HAPPENS MORE OFTEN THAN NOT.

Electrical System
Filed Aug 28, 202037,222 milesFL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE REAR WINDOWS STARTED TO ROLL DOWN INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO ROLL THE WINDOWS BACK UP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LOCAL DEALER RICK CASE KIA LOCATED 14500 W. SUNRISE BLVD, SUNRISE, FL 33323, (954) 715-7580, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH NEEDING THE WINDOW REGULATORS TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPAIRED BUT CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,222.

Service Brakes
Filed Jul 31, 202051,346 milesCA

MY BREAK SERVICE LIGHT KEEP COMING ON AND IT'S MAKING A NOISE LIKE IT'S A HONDA I TOOK IT BACK TO GANAS SERVICE AND WEEK LATER THE BREAK LIGHT BACK ON

Exterior Lighting
Filed Jul 26, 202057,400 milesAL

MY HEAD LIGHTS HAVE TURNED OFF AND ON BY THEMSELVES THREE TIMES IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION. EACH TIME IT'S HAPPENED HAS BEEN IN DIFFERENT AREAS IN THE CITY I LIVE IN. I ALWAYS KEEP MY CAR'S HEADLIGHTS ON AUTO. THE FIRST TIME WAS AT NIGHT WHEN THEY RANDOMLY TURNED OFF BY THEMSELVES. I LOOKED AT THE DASHBOARD AND THE SCREEN FOR THE HEADLIGHT FUNCTION WAS SWITCHING FROM AUTO TO OFF BY ITSELF, SO I JIGGLED THE TRIGGER FOR THE HEADLIGHTS AND THEY CAME BACK ON. SAME THING THE LAST TWO TIMES. SCARY FOR ME BECAUSE MY ROUTE HOME FROM WORK IS PRETTY SCARCE WITH STREET LIGHTS.

Power Train
Filed Jul 17, 202067,000 milesMS

WHENEVER DECELERATING THE CAR JERKS TERRIBLY HARD ENOUGH THE THROW YOUR HEAD FORWARD. IT FEELS AS IF YOUR HITTING YOUR BREAKS REALLY HARD!

Exterior Lighting
Filed Jul 14, 202057,300 milesNC

WHILE DRIVING DURING THE DAY THE LIGHTS RANDOMLY GO OFF BY THEMSELF WHILE IN AUTO MODE. I'VE ALWAYS LET IT GO UNTIL I WAS DRIVING AT NIGHT AND THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT ALSO WHILE IN AUTO MODE. IF YOU SWITCH TO MANUAL IT WORKS PROPERLY, BUT IN AUTO IT'S TOTALLY RANDOM. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN THIS HAPPENS AT NIGHT ON BUSY ROADS. I ALSO NOTICED THAT ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD WENT OUT TOO WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT. I'VE SEEN WHERE OTHERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM

Structure › Body
Filed Jul 8, 202034,000 milesNY

AS DRIVING THE DRIVER'S DOOR POPPED OPEN (AS NOT FULLY CLOSED) AND THE OPEN DOOR LIGHT APPEARED ON A DASH. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE WHILE DRIVING. ONCE DURING NORMAL DRIVING AND ON THE SECOND OCCASION WHEN I HIT A POTHOLE. I ALSO NOTICED WHEN OPENING THE DOOR, IT DOESN'T OPEN AS SMOOTHLY. AS I PULL THE DOOR HANDLE, THE DOOR BASICALLY POPS OPEN AS IF THERE WAS A FORCE PUSHING IT TO OPEN. HAD THE CAR FOR 3 YEARS , NO ACCIDENTS AND THE PROBLEM STARTED TO APPEAR JUST NOW

Service Brakes
Filed Jul 8, 202064,000 milesFL

AB S SENSORS FAILURE

Exterior Lighting
Filed Jun 22, 202026,000 milesTX

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 9:40PM AND MY HEADLIGHTS TURNED OFF BY THEMSELVES. THEY WERE SET TO AUTO. I PULLED OVER AND TURNED THEM TO ON AND THANKFULLY THEY STAYED ON UNTIL WE MADE IT HOME. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS! I HAD MY SON IN THE CAR. WE ARE LUCKY TO BE ALIVE. *TR

Exterior Lighting
Filed Jun 22, 202062,000 milesAL

WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT THE HEADLIGHTS GO OFF. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. *TR

Engine
Filed Jun 15, 2020FL

MY ENGINE WENT OUT ON MY CAR EVEN THOUGH I HAVE OIL IN MY CAR AND I HAVE MAINTAIN EVERYTHING ON THE CAR. THE MECHANIC FOUND METAL SHAVINGS IN MY OIL. *TR

Electrical System
Filed Jun 7, 202055,000 milesMI

THE DRIVER DOOR LOCK DOES NOT WORK. IT IS THE ONLY DOOR THAT WILL NOT LOCK SOMETIMES. OTHER TIMES IT IS THE ONLY DOOR THAT WILL NOT UNLOCK. THE CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT ALWAYS WANT TO WORK. IT WILL SAY CRUISE BUT WILL NOT LET ME SET IT.

Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Jun 7, 202070,000 milesTN

SMELLS LIKE GASOLINE . MAYBE A DELIVERY HOSE .CAN SMELL GASOLINE RANDOMLY WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION.

Engine
Filed Jun 1, 2020146,357 milesGA

CODES P1326 P0011 P0012. *TR

Engine
Filed May 21, 202010 milesGA

THE CAR USES WAY TOO MUCH OIL TO ONLY HAVE 40K MILES ON THE MOTOR WITH NO LEAKAGE AT ALL. IT SMOKES WHITE CLOUDY SMOKE, MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AND IT ALSO MAKES A TICKING NOISE CONSTANTLY. TOOK IT TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP MULTIPLE TIMES. AND THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. *TR

Electrical System
Filed Apr 30, 202031,000 milesAZ

THE WIRING IN THIS VEHICLE IS SOY-BASED AND IS ATTRACTIVE TO RODENTS. I HAVE EXPERIENCED RODENT DAMAGE TWICE NOW TOTALING ABOUT $3000 IN DAMAGES. I HAVE CONTACTED KIA AND THEY SUGGESTED MAKING A CLAIM ON INSURANCE. THE FIRST TIME DAMAGE OCCURRED WAS IN 11/2019 WE MADE A CLAIM ON INSURANCE. THIS TIME WE WILL PAY OUT OF POCKET BECAUSE OF THE FEAR INSURANCE MIGHT DROP US FOR MAKING CONTINUED CLAIMS. THIS SEEMS TO BE A KNOWN FACT ABOUT THE SOY-BASED WIRING, YET KIA IS NOT WILLING TO ASSIST.

Electrical System
Filed Apr 21, 202054,000 milesAL

THREE OUT OF FOUR WINDOWS HAVE STOPPED WORKING. IT STARTED WITH THE REAR PASSENGER WINDOW ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO, THEN THE REAR DRIVER 3 MONTHS AGO, AND NOW THE FRONT PASSENGER ABOUT A MONTH AGO. DID SOME RESEARCH TO FIND IT'S A PRETTY COMMON PROBLEM ON KIA'S FOR THE REGULATORS TO BREAK. I DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY AT THE TIME TO FIX THE FIRST ONE, WAS SAVING UP AND THEN SECOND ONE STOPPED WORKING. DEFINITELY DIDN'T HAVE MONEY FOR TWO, WHEN THIRD QUIT. NOW JUST WAITING FOR THE LAST ONE TO KEEL OVER. I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT PROBLEM, BUT I DON'T HAVE MONEY TO FIX ALL FOUR WINDOWS AT ONE TIME ON A CAR THAT'S ONLY FOUR YEARS OLD.

Engine
Filed Apr 4, 202041,000 milesGA

SO I JUST TOOK MY WIFES CAR TO OUR LOCAL MECHANIC WHO NORMALLY DOES OUR OIL CHANGES. THE PRIOR WEEKEND I MOVED HER CAR TO MOW THE LAWN AND HER OIL LIGHT CAME ON THEN WENT RIGHT OFF. I LET IT GO BECAUSE WE WHERE DUE FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND DIDNT THINK ANYTHING OF IT( CONSIDERING IT'S A 2016 AND THOUGHT MAYBE THE OIL LIGHT WOULD COME ON STATING IT NEEDS AN OIL CHANGE). SO THE NEXT WEEK MY WIFE TELLS ME THAT HER OIL LIGHT CAME ON TWICE IN 1 DAY, I SAID OK I'LL CHECK THE OIL AFTER WORK AND ENGINE HAS COOLED DOWN. I CHECKED IT AND HAD NO OIL, GREAT! SO I BROUGHT IT TO OUR MECHANIC AND HE SAID THAT I NEED TO CALL KIA BECAUSE IT HAD 1/2 QUART OF OIL IN THE PAN AND SOMETHING JUST ISNT RIGHT. CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND NOBODY HAS HEARD OF THESE ENGINES BEING KNOWN FOR DRINKING OIL. SO I RESEARCHED THIS AND FOUND ALL THESE STORIES LEADING TO AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT. BUT EVERY NOW AND THEN( GETTING OFF SUBJECT) HER LIGHTS WILL JUST TURN OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. THANKFULLY I WAS DRIVING WHEN THIS HAPPENED AND WAS ABLE TO NOT RUN OFF THE ROAD. CALLED KIA AND ALL THEY SAID WAS BRING IT IN, WE WILL LOOK AT IT AND GO FROM THERE. I WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG, GOT AN OIL CHANGE AND WENT ON MY WAY. IT HAPPENED 7 TIMES AFTER THAT. IT'S A GREAT CAR! WE LOVE IT BUT NOW KNOWING WE WILL BE LOOKING AT AN ENGINE SWAP ISNT SETTING WELL WILL ME AT ALL! THIS IS NOT RIGHT AND REGARDLESS IF WE ARE THE ORIGINAL OWNER OR SECOND OWNER, KIA SHOULD BITE THE BULLET AND REPLACE ALL 2.4 ENGINES AND WIRING HARNE

Electrical System
Filed Mar 11, 2020107,110 milesFL

3RD WINDOW MOTOR THAT HAS FAILED IN JUST A FEW MONTHS! FIRST MY BACK TWO WINDOW MOTORS AND HOUSINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND NOW MY FRONT DRIVER SIDE WINDOW IS DOWN AND WILL NOT ROLL UP. ON THE WAY TO WORK THIS MORNING IT STOPPED WORKING AND NOW MY CAR IS SITTING OUTSIDE AT WORK UNSECURED. KIA CONTACTED ME REGARDING MY LAST COMPLAINT AND IS WORKING TO SEE IF I CAN BE REIMBURSED FOR THE SECOND WINDOW. I AM WAITING FOR A RESPONSE NOW TO MY EMAIL AND CALL THIS MORNING REGARDING THIS THIRD WINDOW.

Engine
Filed Feb 28, 202070,416 milesNJ

OIL IS BURNING TOO HOT CAUSING THE OIL TO BURN OUT FASTER THAN IT SHOULD. OVER TIME THIS ISSUE WILL LEAD TO ENGINE FAILURE

Electrical System
Filed Feb 25, 2020103,000 milesFL

MY REAR DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW STARTED FALLING DOWN ALL OF A SUDDEN. I HAD TO REPLACE THE REGULATOR AND THE MOTOR. NOW, JUST A FEW MONTHS LATER, THE PASSENGER REAR WINDOW IS DOING THE SAME THING. THIS SEEMS LIKE A DEFECT. I NEVER HAD TO REPLACE A WINDOW MOTOR IN MY 1997 TOYOTA 4RUNNER THAT I JUST TRADED IN IN JULY OF 2018.

Structure › BodyFire
Filed Feb 16, 2020110,000 milesGA

ON 1/12/2020, I WAS DRIVING MY CAR 2016 KIA OPTIMA FROM ALPHARETTA TO DECATUR TO ATTEND CHURCH. I PULLED INTO THE PARKING LOT OF THE CHURCH AND PARKED. A FEW SECONDS AFTER I PARKED, I BEGAN SEEING LOTS OF SMOKE COMING FROM THE RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. THE POLICE MEN WHO WERE IN THE PARKING LOT DIRECTING TRAFFIC ASKED ME TO GET OUT OF THE CAR QUICKLY AND BEGAN ATTEMPTING TO QUENCH THE FIRE WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. SHORTLY AFTER, THE DEKALB FIRE DEPT ARRIVED AND FOUGHT TO PUT OUT AND CONTAIN THE FIRE. IT WAS THEN TOWED TO THE TOW YARD. I CONTACTED MY INSURANCE COMPANY RIGHT AWAY AND AFTER A FEW DAYS OF INVESTIGATION, UNFORTUNATELY, MY CAR WAS DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS. NEXT DAY, I CHECKED MY VIN # TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY RECALLS BY KIA THAT I WAS NOT AWARE OF, BUT THE RESULTS CAME BACK SAYING 'NO RECORDS' AND '0 RECALLS FOUND'. ON 1/15/2020 AT APPROXIMATELY 12.50PM, I CONTACTED KIA CORPORATE AND FILED A COMPLAINT AND I WAS INFORMED WHEN I GAVE MY STATEMENT OVER THE PHONE THAT THERE WAS AN ' OPEN CAMPAIGN PI 1802 ECU UPGRADE' AND AS ADVISED BY THE KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE REP THAT HE WILL BE FORWARDING MY COMPLAINT TO A THE NATIONAL DEPT AND THEY WILL GET BACK TO ME. A KIA REP ASHLEY CONTACTED ME AND ADVISED KIA ENGINEERS WILL LIKE TO INVESTIGATE WHAT HAPPENED. AFTER 3 WEEKS OF WAITING, THE REP CONTACTED ME STATING THEY WILL LIKE TO PAY OFF REMAINING BAL ON MY CAR, AND PERSONAL ITEMS. THEY WILL NOT HELP ME WITH GETTING ANOTHER CAR AND I DECLINED BECAUSE I LOST EVERYTHING AND INCU

Engine
Filed Feb 14, 202077,678 milesOH

EXCESSIVE OIL USAGE. USING TWO QUARTS OF OIL IN A WEEK. NO LEAKS AT ALL, ANYWHERE.

Electrical System
Filed Feb 14, 202043,000 milesAL

I AM HAVING AN ISSUE WITH THE SECOND WINDOW MOTOR ON THIS VEHICLE. FROM READING REVIEWS, IT'S A COMMON PROBLEM.

Engine
Filed Feb 8, 202037,946 milesFL

MY DAUGHTERS 2016 KIA OPTIMA IS SHUTTING OFF WHILE DRIVING. SOMETIMES IT RESTARTS AFTER SHUTTING DOWN. SOMETIMES SHE HAS TO HURRY AND PUT IN NEUTRAL AND RESTART AS CARS BEHIND ME DON'T KNOW THE CAR HAS SHUT OFF. SHE FEELS VERY UNSAFE AND IS AFRAID SOMEONE IS GOING TO RUN INTO HER. TOOK IT TO KIA DEALER AND THEY RAN CODES BUT NOTHING CAME UP AND THEY COULDN'T GET IT TO DUPLICATE. HAPPENED TWO MORE TIMES, TOOK IT IN THEY RAN CODES WITH NO RESULTS AND UPDATED THE 1802 SOFTWARE. ONE DAY LATER IT SHUT OFF AGAIN WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT. NOT ALWAYS AT A STOP LIGHT SOMETIMES DRIVING 45 MPH OR TURNING A CORNER. THIS ISSUE SEEMS TO AFFECT MANY DIFFERENT KIAS VEHICLES ON INTERNET BUT THERE IS NOTHING LISTED BY ANYONE THAT HAS FIXED THE PROBLEM. AGAIN MY DAUGHTER FEELS UNSAFE AND DOESN'T WANT TO DRIVE THE CAR TILL IT IS FIXED. THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 7 TIMES. I AM SHOWING THE LATEST DATE BELOW.

SteeringCrash
Filed Jan 20, 202096,000 milesNC

STEERING WHEEL LOCKED CAUSING VEHICLE TO HIT CURB AND DAMAGE WHEEL WELL. VEH POSSIBLY WILL NEED NEW RIM.

Service Brakes
Filed Jan 17, 202018,500 milesOR

I WAS DRIVING IN THE EVENING AT 25-30MPH ON A CITY STREET. THERE WERE NO PARKED CARS, NO ONCOMING TRAFFIC, NO PEDESTRIANS OR BICYCLES FOR THREE BLOCKS AHEAD OF ME. WITHOUT ANY FORWARD COLLISION WARNING OR ROAD HAZARD, MY CAR'S AUTONOMOUS EMERGENCY BRAKING (AEB) SYSTEM INITIATED AND APPLIED FULL BRAKING FORCE TO MY CAR FOR NO REASON. THE CAR BEEPED CONTINUOUSLY AND FLASHED A RED "EMERGENCY BRAKING" NOTIFICATION IN THE DASH CONSOLE. THE VEHICLE ANTI-LOCKING BRAKING SYSTEM ENGAGED IN RESPONSE TO THE APPLIED BRAKING FROM THE AEB. I WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL OR STOP THE BRAKING DURING THE EVENT. ONCE THE CAR WAS FULLY STOPPED, THE RED DASH NOTIFICATION STOPPED, THE BEEPING STOPPED AND I WAS ABLE TO MOVE MY CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD SO TRAFFIC BEHIND ME COULD PROCEED.

Air BagsCrash
Filed Jan 10, 202050,800 milesCA

I WAS GOING WEST ON 210 IN REDLANDS, CALIFORNIA APPROXIMATELY AT 6:15 P.M. WHEN I WAS REAR ENDED BY A 2015 TOYOTA CAMRY. HIS RIGHT FRONT FENDER RAN INTO MY LEFT BACK FENDER CAUSING ME TO SPEND AND SETTLE ON THE LEFT SHOULDER OF THE FREEWAY. THE SIDE DRIVER AIR BAG DEPLOYED THE STEERING WHEEL AIRBAG DID NOT. MY CAR WAS TOTALED.

Unknown or Other
Filed Jan 9, 2020SC

MY DRIVER SIDE AXLE IS CLICKING AND POP WHEN I TURN AND THERE IS NO WAY THAT HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF AND IT CLEARLY STATES ON THIS SITE THAT ALL ARE RECALLS ON THE MODEL IS THERE ANYWAY THE RECALLS AN BE DONE NOW I BOUGHT THIS CALL AT 2018 PREOWNED WITH 38000 OR MORE MILES ON IT IT NOW HAS 82000 MILES ON IT AND IF A RECALL HAS NOT ENDED DONE WHY CAN'T THEY DO THEM NOW AND I DON'T FEEL THESE VEHICLE IS SAFE FOR ME TO BE IN AND I'M DISABLED!!! I WANTED TO SEE IF YOU ALL CAN HELP WITH THESE ISSUES WITH THE ENGINE AS WELL!!!ALL RECALLS ON THIS MODEL

Engine
Filed Jan 2, 202069,000 milesGA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST FORWARD MOMENTUM WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED TO THE FLOORBOARD; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO RICK CASE KIA (3190 SATELLITE BLVD, DULUTH, GA 30096, (678) 321-1590) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED AFTER LEAVING THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE INTAKE TUBE FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,000.

Electronic Stability Control (esc)
Filed Dec 31, 201975,000 milesWV

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR THE FUEL CONSUMPTION IN THE MOTOR WOULD BOG THE ENGINE DOWN TO WHERE IT WOULD BARELY GO OVER 40 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. AT THIS TIME THE ENGINE TROUBLE INDICATOR LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND NOT GO OFF. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP IN MT. HOPE, WV.. THE MECHANIC CHANGED OUT THE SENSOR THAT SHOWED UP ON HIS METER AND THE ENGINE SEEMED TO DO GOOD WHILE IN THE SHOP BUT WHEN THEY BACKED IT OUT OF THE SHOP BAY, ANOTHER SENSOR LIGHR CAME ON. WE HAD ALREADY PAID THE DEALERSHIP $206, THEY WOULD NOT RETURN OUR MONEY

Structure › Body
Filed Dec 23, 201968,000 milesIN

THERE WAS A NEW VIBRATION SOUND WHEN WE STARTED DRIVING OUR CAR YESTERDAY. IT SOUNDED LIKE A PANEL WAS A LITTLE LOOSE OR SOMETHING. WITHIN 15 MINUTES OF DRIVING IT ON THE INTERSTATE WE HEARD AN EXPLOSION AND IT WAS THE SUNROOF BURSTING INTO PIECES. FREAKED US OUT WITH THE LOUD NOISE. WE

Electrical System
Filed Dec 9, 201972,000 milesFL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL FOUR WINDOW REGULATORS FAILED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO GET THE WINDOWS TO MOVE UPWARD AND CLOSE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO KIA DELRAY (LOCATED AT 2255 S FEDERAL HWY, DELRAY BEACH, FL 33483, 561-637-5500) WHO STATED THAT THE WINDOW REGULATORS FAILED FOR ALL FOUR WINDOWS AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED AUTHORIZATION TO REPAIR THE REAR WINDOWS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 13306734. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000.

Engine
Filed Dec 5, 2019GA

LETTER FROM CONGRESSMAN EARL L BUDDY CARTER ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT, REGARDING ISSUES WITH A KIA PURCHASED IN SAVANNAH, GEORGIA. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED VARIOUS ISSUES INCLUDING THE BATTERY BEING REPLACED 5 TIMES IN 8 MONTHS, MULTIPLE ENGINE ISSUES, ELECTRICAL ISSUES AND A LACK OF ACCELERATION. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED, WHILE DRIVING WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, THE VEHICLE WOULD SPEED UP TO CATCH UP TO THE DESIGNATED SPEED AND COME IN TO CLOSE CONTACT WITH THE VEHICLE AHEAD. THE FAILURE IS INTERMITTENT. *JS

Engine
Filed Dec 2, 201973,550 milesAR

P1326 ENGINE CODE CAME ON WHILE DRIVING 60MPH ON THE INTERSTATE. LUCKILY WAS IN FAR LEFT LANE WHEN ENGINE SHUT OFF AND WAS SAFELY ABLE TO GET OFF FREEWAY TO A NEARBY GAS STATION.

Reading these

NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Full record for the 2016 Kia Optima → · Every Optima year → · How the figures are calculated →