This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
While driving on Hwy 19 the vehicle shut down. The motor turned off and I was able to slowly roll to the side of the road. The car did not start again.
When driving down the highway car will beep a message on dashboad to pull the car over and turn engine off. the HEV light will be flashing. you can turn engine off and re start in a minute or so. the check engine light stays on and tells me to check hybrid system this willl ocur at random once a week or two times in a month. Kia dealership has not fixed the issue. I dont trust driving the car or safe when pulling off a busy highway. ON hand held obd did get a trouble code P0A37 Generator Temperature Sensor Hi Range.
The contact leased a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the front passenger's side window, the rearview camera, and the brake lights were intermittently inoperable. Additionally, the contact stated while driving at approximately 10 MPH, the check engine warning light and several unknown warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle shut off. The contact shifted into neutral(N) and was able to push the vehicle to the side of the road with the assistance of several bystanders. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer where it was leased, and it was diagnosed that the engine had seized and needed to be replaced. The engine was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the battery warning light and the steering warning light illuminated, and the vehicle shut off. The contact was able to jumpstart the vehicle and drove to the residence, where the vehicle remained parked. The vehicle was not repaired. The Kia dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Engine failure & fuel leak. Also oil was burning extremely fast. I had taking it to the dealership while back ago for a recall and said it was fixed. Few months later gas started running out fast. A check light engine came on saying there was an evaporation leak. I did call the dealership to see what exactly they fixed, emailed them. They kept telling me they would call me back and never did. Wouldn-??t get any emails back. I took it upon headquarters to let them know about the oil burning fast and emailed. And called them. Apparently there was nothing they can do and told me I have to call the dealership. I took the car to my mechanic because I trust him more than the actual dealership at this point. And I brought up concerns about my safety being in that car. No one heard me out or seemed to care. And now forward months later after check light engines on and the pcv valve getting changed, purge valve. The light stopped coming on after changing the purge valve got change which linked to the code that showed up. I started seeing online that Kia optima-??s have so many engine problems, misfires etc. and now my Kia has an engine failure. I tried to contact Kia again by entering the info for a settlement and I was told there is nothing they can do about it. So now I-??m left with $5,500 to finish paying off my loan for the car and can-??t even drive the car anymore. I havnt felt safe In my car for months and no one would hear me out.
I was driving when the vehicle began to shake and then the check engine light came on. I stopped at a red light and when the light turned green and I processed to go the car shut off while in traffic. I then waited to see if the car would turn back on and it did just long enough for me to get out of the roadway. I had the car towed back to the dealer from whom I purchased the car from. He had his mechanic check the vehicle out and informed me that the engine seized. He then had it towed to a repair shop and they also confirmed the engine seized. When I purchased the vehicle 9 months ago it came with a warranty. The warranty company is now saying that I am responsible for the cost of the diagnostic testing which is $2,500 before they will replace the engine. I reached out to Kia and they are also saying that I am responsible for the diagnostic testing and that the warranty company can choose a new or used engine replacement. I asked Kia if the engine was ever replaced during the first engine recall but representative refused to say if it was or wasn't. My car is still at the repair shop. These matter needs to be addressed as there may be others going through the same issue. This is the second time this has happened to me. I previously had a 2011 Kia Sportage that did the same exact thing. I returned it to the dealer whom I purchased it from and that vehicle was added to my credit report as a repo and resold at an auction. I hope and pray the issue was repaired before it was sold.
- Hightstown, NJ, USA
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The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact pulled over to the side of the road however, the vehicle was not able to restart. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the contacts home. The vehicle had been diagnosed by an independent mechanic. The contact was informed that the failure was caused by the engine seizing. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 93,000.
Engine lost power and when restart was attempted, it could torn turn over. Tried restarting 3 times with no success. After this, smoke started coming from the hood. I opened the hood and noticed a small flame at the driver side bottom of the engine compartment. Flame intensified and grew and eventually I extinguished with a fire extinguisher. I had just replaced the starter that same week and replaced some wiring at a local car repair facility.
Bought car February 22 less than 5200 miles. Died on hwy October 6. Kia denied claim. Had no ideal of a software update. Never heard of that in my life. Almost lost my life with this car
Kia has a Nation Wide Campaign for faulty engines, that will display a code (consistent in the campaign), my daughter purchased a 2015 Kia Optima, 76,000 miles, that was a rebuilt title, however the damage was on the back passenger door, body damage only. Was surprised it was even totaled out from the insurance, however due to the high theft issues with Kia's insurance companies are paying them out to avoid the theft as well as the engine issues. Currently, Kia is telling us that they will not replace the engine (even though this is the campaign they are advertising) due to the rebuilt title, even though the defective engine is from the manufacture and nothing to do with the body damage to the back passenger door. This car was repaired in full and cleared to be re-titled as a rebuilt title. These engine issues can cause the vehicle to seize while driving, it goes into Limp mode (safety mode) which reduces the speed and power to the engine and there are reports that the engine can catch fire. Kia is doing these engine replacements under the MFG warranty and have stated they are lifetime replacements, due to the continued problems and yet they want to not replace hers when a insurance company decided to total the car our for damage that could have been repaired.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle slowed down and then became inoperable. The battery and check engine warning light were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer. The vehicle had been diagnosed. The contact was informed that the failure was due to a faulty engine block. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 96,000.
My engine locked while driving on the highway, I have got the car inspected twice since I purchased it and only had it for a year and it passed, everything worked fine and no hazard lights were on dashboard until it stopped then the battery and engine light showed when stopping! I had no problems with the car prior to it, just stopping on me I had my kids with me and we were going to another state so that-??s dangerous! I had to get it towed to a Kia dealership and was told they had 4 recalls on my car and the problem was the engine locked but I was told they would not do it free of charge or under warranty because the car has a salvage title overall the car was still drive able and in good condition up until that point.
My car started smoking while parked at work for no reason and I had to call the fire department. It stop smoking by the time the fire department came. I had it towed to the Dealer. My brakes are a mess but especially on a wet road you have to pump them to try to stop. I have taken it to the Dealer and of course they find nothing wrong. I told them to test drive it on a wet raining day and try to stop hard. Supposedly they could not but I have almost been it several accidents and had to run through a red light because I could not stop. So, I try to drive this car on a rainy day or drive slowly. This car has been trouble since I got it and the dealer will not listen.
Motor failed and Kia replaced the motor. Now my dim lights and fog lights will not work. All fuse, relay, etc.. has been tested along with bulb replacement-??
My Kia optima has been having engine issues regarding fluid spilling in different components of the vehicle, first started within spark plugs, then in the exhaust camshaft, once I fixed those two issues it's now spilling within my wiring hardness. I was told to fix my valve cover which I did but oil is still spilling out from the engine and into other components. The vehicle stalls while driving on the highway which is unsafe for myself and other drivers due to the speed slowing down without warning until after the decline in speed. I've went to an independent service center, but once new issues arouse I assumed he was just trying to get more money out of me but I even brought it to Kia and still seems to have issues occur. I received an engine light warning when the vehicle stalls, there is times where the car actually turns off but not completely ( I guess due to the car being in drive mode) and I have to actually push my engine start/stop button for the engine to start again.
Engine Rebuild/Replace: #4 CYLINDER WALL DAMAGE ALLOWING OIL INTO COMBUSTION CHAMBER I have kept very good care of my car and have provided appropriate maintenance including oil changes 3k-5k with synthetic oil and also recently had full tube up April 2023.
1st problem happened when I was at a complete stop, at a traffic light, in rush hour traffic. All the sudden steam started coming out from underneath my hood. I instantly looked at my temperature gauge and it did not show anything however I knew something was wrong when the light turned green I immediately pulled over, out of the street as far as I can get without being hit by other cars. I put on my hazard lights. Pop the hood. I had a gallon jug in my trunk. And I walked to a store to fill it up with water. Came back, poured the entire gallon into the radiator. Waited for at least 30 minutes. Started the car and made it home. After that incident, the problems with this 2015 Kia Optima has snowballed. It just amazes me that it has started happening 2000 miles after my extended warranty expired. I had to purchase and replace spark plugs, the coil packs, two other sensor things, which I do have the receipts for and now the car reeks a gasoline and it automatically kicks into overdrive and I lose my reading on my tachometer, this puts it into a disabled mode, I'm on the freeway in Russia traffic, trying to pull over without getting into an accident. Do I believe this is a safety concern? You're damn right I do am I mad yes. I am taking my k i a into the dealership. After doing my research on this make and model, is the dealership doesn't honor what the claims department and the media response to this problem. Will then I will leave the car with Kia because I cannot afford a new engine. I will have to call to finance company and let them know that I voluntary I'm letting them come repo this car, good luck selling
I was driving the car 30 mph and the engine just cuts off completely and dies in the middle of the road in traffic. It wouldnt start. There was no time given to pull off the roadway. I get to safely call a tow truck which took them 3 hours to get there. They took it to Kia and there Kia says it has 4 recalls and the engine is seized up. Even though Kia is responsible for motor replacement and has replaced motors in other Kia's they have denied me of a new engine die to their recall. I have paid dearly for that car for 6 years now that im a thousand away from paying it off and having my sanity Kia almost gets me killed on the street and took what sanity I have left. They say they are not going to fix any of the recalls on my car.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving after a stop, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that an unstated hose had failed, causing the engine to seize. The contact called an unknown local dealer and was informed that the warranty on the vehicle was under another person's name. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number 21V331000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 74,000.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Baker, LA, USA