I really liked my Optima, I thought it was a great, I bought my car used at 66,000 miles it ran great and had awesome gas mileage compared to my past cars so it definitely was a keeper for me up until August of this year. I was driving home from picking up my daughter from school and the car just completely died with no warning signs or anything. I regularly have my oil changed so i know i was taking care of my car but of course KIA will not do anything to help with the costs of the repairs because I am over the 100,000 mile warranty. KIA has quoted me $6500 to repair including labor but I am a single mother of two young kids so I cannot just pull that money out of the air, so here I am 2 months later and still car to drive.

Very disappointed as well as pissed at Kia. I bought a 2011 SX in November 2012 with 24000 miles on it from Warner kia in Parkersburg, WV. Great car, I really loved it. Since it was a used car, I was given a 5 yr 60,000 mile warranty fro the dealership. 2 1/2 years later at 72,000 miles the motor locked up. Since it was out of warranty, I had to bite the bullet and spend $7900 at the dealership for a new motor!! I wasn't happy about that especially after reading about the hundreds of people whom have had the same problem (should be a recall ?) After three weeks at the dealership, they called and said car ready to go. Yeah!! Imagine my surprise when I went to pick up my car and the new motor i was promised for $8,000 was actually a REMANUFACTURED MOTOR WITH A 12 MONTH 12,000 MILE WARRANTY!!!!! Whoa, I was told a NEW motor that should have come with a NEW MOTOR Warranty. What do you do? It's already in the car. Fast forward 12 months and 24000 miles later, this motor bit the dust!!! I limped it in to the dealer and they diagnosed it as having lost compression in #2 cylinder due to a hole that had burned through the piston! Their solution- pay another 8 grand for a motor replacement. Been talking to Kia Consumer Affairs and so far they refuse to help in any way !!

Another story of Kia Optima engine failure here. Mine is a 2011 with just under 118k miles on it. Was travelling at approximately 35MPH when a loud sound of two metal objects striking each other occurred, the car jerked back and forth, engine stopped completely, all dashboard warning lights lit up, and the power steering became unavailable.

I was able to guide my car to the side of a road and thankfully this occurred at 1AM, when nobody was on the road. I brought my car to the Kia dealer that I purchased the car from. They didn't even bother looking at the car and apparently just ordered the new engine. That's the good news.

The bad news is that there are two other Optimas at this dealership waiting for new engines. Mine makes three. The engine is on backorder with no ETA in sight for delivery. This once proud Kia owner (I've bought three brand new) is now not so proud. While Kia extended the warranty on the engine to 120k miles, its effectively useless if they cannot honor it in a timely fashion.

Now I'm stuck with a tough decision. Hope that Kia does the right thing and guarantees the loaner car at no cost in perpetuity until my car is fixed, or do I just buy a new car and cut my loss here?

3000 miles ago on my way to work all of the dashboard lights came on as I was entering a 50mph curve to the left and then continuing right onto the Southern State Pkwy when dash lights came on and I lost all power, while then miraculously not having a major collision was able to coast onto the grass after I had to honk the horn furiously for cars to move out of the way. I waited a few minutes, gathered my thoughts and restarted the car, it did start. I proceeded to work.

I checked the oil when I got to work and I was about a quart down, which was weird but I dealt with it by adding a new quart. I took the car for a synthetic oil change the next morning and they didn't report any problem as the car sounded fine.

Now, about 3k miles later I'm driving to work and all of a sudden when I reduced my speed I was able to hear this knocking, so I continued to work about 10 miles away. During lunch I checked the oil and was down about a quart, so I walked to buy some oil and put it in. Then I started it up and heard the same noise and knew I was screwed.

Bottom line, I received the Extended Warranty Letter after my final car payment was made in June but to my horror it was listed to 120k miles and I just passed 121k but I didn't have any problems in June. I drove the car to engine repair shop, after checking it out he says $5,000 plus after he opens it up. He thinks connecting rod and oil pump failure. So, I'm screwed just like you. What do we do?

I really liked my Optima, I thought it was a great, well-made vehicle. I bought it used from a nice dealership at 73k. My 6 year old son and I were coming back from out of town when my car started making a weird loud ticking sound and losing engine power up a hill so I pulled over... good thing I did because suddenly my car just died on me at 92k miles. I have no idea what we would have done if it had stopped in the fast lane since I barely made it out in time. My son and I were stuck on the side of the road in the Arizona heat for just over an hour before we were towed back to a Kia dealership in Scottsdale. They determined that, to no fault of mine, the engine had seized up due to a rod bearing or something to that effect. It has been a month since I have seen my car and due to this issue and so many people needing replacement engines the factories are back-ordered and i have NO ETA. I am supposed to move out of state and i am without my car indefinitely. Honestly, I don't even want the new engine. I do not trust them and they have not shown any effort to rectify the issue with these engines or even truly acknowledge that there is an issue. I have called their consumer affairs and escalated the issue and will take any steps necessary to make this problem known. Hyundai is Kia parent company and has issued a recall... on the same engine. Come on KIA ... I thought better of you, step it up a notch. I hope anyone who has this issue is able to get it resolved and I feel super bad for anyone who has to pay for this put of their own pockets. Shame on KIA.

I just purchased my 2011 Kia Optima T-GDI in February 2016, it was driving perfectly fine until May 22, 2016, then there was a slight knocking sound in the engine area. First thing the next morning I made an appointment to get the car looked at but while driving to the appointment the engine completely seized up on me and stalled out in the middle of the freeway. I waited about 10 minutes to try and restart and the car wouldn't even start. I called my roadside assistance and had them take it into a shop down the road. After the shop had my car overnight they evaluated that the engine oil had metal shavings in it which were running through the system and completely destroyed the interior portion of the engine causing the shut down. I haven't been able to get the repairs done on the engine because the estimate for repairs was $4,200 to replace the engine. After reading about all the other issues along these same lines, KIA should be issuing a recall on these cars!!

I purchased my 2011 Kia Optima in April of that same year. I needed a dependable vehicle to travel in because I had elderly parents in another state and I knew I would put a lot of miles of it. Other than the usual wear and tear I did not have any problems with the vehicle. I had the oil changed between 3,000 and 4,000 miles although the oil change interval was up to 5,000. My son called me me while out to tell me that the car just died. Thankfully he was only a mile from the house. I made it to the vehicle and tried to jump it off, but it wouldn't start. I removed the battery to have it tested and the store said that it was a good battery. Hoping it was the alternator, I had it towed to my local shop that evening for them to look at the next day. My vehicle is 5 years old, 160,000 miles, well maintained, but I was not ready for the news when the mechanic called me. The engine had seized. He thought it was because of low oil but that wasn't the case. There was no warning that there was a problem, no noise, no lights, nothing except the engine just died. I already had received the letter concerning the connecting rod and to listen for noises but it was a 10 year, 120,000 coverage. When I called Kia customer service they said there was NOTHING they could do. I was well outside ot the 120,000 miles. The vehicle is paid for and no one was injured when the engine seized is the only good I can see in this. OTHERWISE, I'm stuck with a vehicle in my driveway that I have no idea what to do with. I'm still in shock. I'm waiting for the class action suit against Kia because if they sent a letter, then they know there is a problem.

Update from May 14, 2017: I read about the recall that Kia will start sending letter to all of us whose engine have failed. I have 160,000 on my 2011 Optima and I am waiting to see what excuse they will give me since it has been out of commission since Aug 2016.

The initial problem that started before the turn of the worst, which was when one of the pipes burst in my car right before I was about to hit the highway. It secreted a milky brown fluid all over the engine and which consisted of oil and water. So i got that fixed which cost $1,000 and some change. A couple of weeks later I am driving on the highway and my freaking car shuts downnnnnnnn!! Luckily i was in the toll lane and could get over in just enough time before my car died. I had to pay for the tow truck and was carless for a couple of days. I somehow needed a new alternator. Not even two weeks later I hear a loud clicking noise from my engine. Now I hear the news that i need a new engine. I haven't even had my car for a full year! Don't forget that I am a full time student working part time. I can barely afford my bills let alone all of these car issues.

About a year ago I noticed engine noise coming from my wife's 2011 Optima. A trip to the dealer was answered with " these engines make this noise, its normal" Well i knew different but figured hey we have the Industry leading warranty 10 year 100,000 mile. I did not realize that is more crap than these engines. I need to mention that I am an amateur mechanic, I do all my own maintenance and repairs that are not covered under warranty My 2003 Honda Odyssey is pushing 200,000 miles and it is still going strong thanks to many repairs done by yours truly. Anyhow I change the oil myself with a KIA brand oil filter and Mobile1 full synthetic oil every 3000-4000 miles. With this i thought there should never be an engine problem as it has the best lucubration available ...I was wrong. On the 08/11/2016 my wife called me and said the car was making a loud noise and quite in the driveway. When she restarted it while I was on the phone the unmistakable sound of a lower engine problem was heard. I had it towed to the nearest Kia dealer where they told me it was a result of engine sludge and would not be covered under the Awesome power train warranty. I protested stating the my preventive maintenance schedule would not allow sludge build up. I had to authorize an engine tear down on my dime to determine there was no sludge. Kia would then cover it if I had receipts backing my purchases of filters and oil. Well crap, I buy my oil at Walmart as it is cheapest there and I am always rang out as a cash customer in there parts dept. I went to the Kia web site about warranties and in their own words it states you "Should keep receipts" and failure to provide them is not a basis for denying coverage. 2 weeks past with out them looking at the car as they were back logged with recalls and the vans, control arms i was told. A loaner car was not offered either at this time as it was not deemed their issue. After tear down and a Wow from the mechanic that said other than the metal filing in the oil and the broken connecting rod it was one of the cleanest engines he had seen. Buuuuuuut as there is a back order on these engines, replacement time can vary. Reading the recall on the Hyundai 2.4L switch is the same motor I do not see how there has been no recall for Kia. Hope this is helpful if anybody else has a similar issue. I believe a Toyota Camry will be in our future.

The engine in my 2011 Kia Optima EX seized last month. Given all of the complaints about this engine and Kia's failure to honor the powertrain warranty, I fully expected to have to replace the engine out of pocket. But to my surprise, Kia replaced it even without copious documentation re: oil changes (receipts). I just wanted to let folks know that it appears, at least in some cases, that Kia will replace the engine! According to the Kia dealership where my engine was replaced, if sludge is found in the engine, it wasn't maintained. This is the metric they rely on heavily in determining whether or not an engine replacement is under warranty.

Update from Aug 13, 2016: I also wanted to add that there was no evidence of impending engine failure - no knocking, no rough idling, etc. The engine just seized in the middle of making a left turn in a controlled (lighted) intersection.

I have a 2011 Kia Optima with 120,722 miles on it and it blew a bearing and has been sitting for 6 months. Kia sent me a letter verifying that there is an issue with the crankshaft, bearings, and pistons. They warranty the issue until 120,000. they say that l could be 1 mile over and they would not fix even though admitting there is an issue. they say the vehicle starts to knock at high rpms, when mine knocked that was the end of the engine. I have contacted consumer affairs and they told me to contact dealer and they contacted District Manager. Sounds like a lot of pass the buck bullshit to me. Any suggestions let me know if not in the long run it will cost them more then it will cost me. Because I will get on every social media site possible to expose there bullshit if not stand out side dealership and picket.

Heading to work when all of a sudden I hear a loud knocking sound . I was going around 50 miles per hour. I called my husband Tom Moore to tell him I was scared because it sounded like the engine was going to drop out from under the hood. It got so bad I told him I was going to turn around and take his truck for I work 50 miles from home and knew I wouldn't make it. Thank God I did. I made it around 4 miles down the road, right in the driveway of my house. It completely seized up. Would not start. My husband had to get a neighbors truck and strap to pull out of driveway so I could even make it to work. I loved my KIA!! Bragged all the time till this!

I traded my BMW 325i Convertible in on a 2011 Kia Optima in December of 2011 brand new. I have LOVED it. I am usually a person who trades cars in every few years but I didn't feel anxious to trade this one even after 4 1/2 years. I even paid it off early as I was retiring and didn't want a payment.

I was away from home on vacation and my car all the sudden made a clicking noise and was losing power absolutely no lights,nothing. I pulled to the shoulder and all lights came on and it totally stopped. Thank goodness I made it to the shoulder of the very busy freeway.

After waiting for an hour on the curve of the freeway I was towed to a Kia Dealership in Pomona, CA. After several days of waiting I was told the engine had failed and it was my fault and not covered under the warranty even though I was under 5 years and 60,000 miles. They said it was because either I had not changed my oil often enough or that whoever serviced my car had used the wrong oil and so it was not covered and would be $5300 to replace the engine. They offered $2000 to use the car as a trade-in on a new Kia.

What???? This was all too much to deal with. I still haven't to be honest. I saw all the complaints on the engines and that the Sonata whose engine is manufactured in the same factory that the Kia engines are manufactured in are recalling their engines. But Kia (who I previously loved and recommended to many people) seems to not have the same value for their clients.

I loved my car enough that if they had fixed it for me I would have purchased another one, and would have continued recommending the company and the car. But, unfortunately this has left an extremely bad taste in my mouth and I plan on posting every where I can that people should avoid purchasing a KIA. And I know I will never own another.

How is it in today's world, big companies like Kia do not have to answer for this! Driving down the interstate at 75ish miles and the engine made a few weird noises and then cut out altogether. I20 in Alabama is packed with 18 wheelers and we were almost run over and hit several times trying to get off. It was terrifying!! Thank goodness 18 wheelers can dodge and swerve a little bit better than you'd think!! We have a 7 month old, and knowing her little life could have been in dangerous was the worst moment of my entire existence. After we pulled over, we turned the car off and tried to restart. Nothing, and since the engine was seized, restarting it fried the starter. We had the starter replaced first for a nice little price tag, because the mechanic said they wouldn't be able to tell what was wrong until that at least was fixed. Then we got the news. Since it sounds like Kia refuses to answer for this issue, we're stuck. We're having to sell it for scrapped parts now, get a loan to pay off what we still owe, and cancel our honeymoon and use the money instead to help pay off this car and get another. I now feel so freaked out, that I'm terrified to be in the car by myself, and don't want to take my baby anywhere on the chance of things like this happening! If issues as major as this can be swept under the rug, what other issues with other cars have been hidden that I don't know about!? I will advocate against Kia for the rest of my life.

It looks like my first review has not posted yet but I wanted all my Kia owners to know that I just received a letter from Kia extending a warranty for engine problems on the Kia optima 2011-2014! I will be taking my car in tomorrow to get fixed. They also added a form for owners who have paid for an engine to get reimbursed. Kia must have gotten word that their cars are falling apart and they should do something about it. I'm glad they came to their senses and decided to help! I just wanted everyone to know.

FYI: sarcasm is the only language I speak:

Bought a KIA Optima (I was second owner). Had 51,000 km on the odo. Under a 5yr/100,000 warranty. Bought it because it was under warranty and did not want to go through repair costs for the next couple of years as I finish off my school. Anyways like 850 km into owning this gem of a vehicle, my engine blew on the highway. I almost got struck by a vehicle while waiting for a tow truck. Such a fun experience guys. I was not worried because I bought this car under warranty... right? So I got my car towed to KIA and it took a month and some days to get acceptance/denial of coverage on my broken engine. I got denied because they did not have paper work for the first 3 oil changes. If I knew before hand that KIA warranty needs every single paper work for every oil change, I wouldn't have bought their vehicle. They are as of now doing absolutely NOTHING for me. They do not stand behind their customers. How are second owners supposed to know every single detail? Thanks KIA for the lemon! Really appreciate it guys! xoxo

OH Quick Fact*** Kia has had my car in their possession longer than I have owned it. LOL. Good times.