4.6

definitely annoying
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
23,708 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

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.

2017 Kia Optima lights problems

lights problem

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2017 Kia Optima Owner Comments

problem #13

Feb 222024

Optima

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I drive with my lights on auto. Occasionally the lights go out for no apparent reason. Both inside and headlights. I then have to hold the high beam switch on until I can turn lights on and off or use directional. Sometimes using the directional will cause lights to go out as well. This can happen several days in a row or maybe once or twice a week. I have noticed a few times the box appearing in my dashboard saying lights were off. I had done nothing for them to go out. If a cop sees this happen I am sure to get pulled over. This has been going on for a year=3 trips to 2 different dealers. I brought my car to two different dealers and they both said without it happening when they have it they cannot do anything. I do not understand how a few years ago they fixed something incorrectly and I had to go back for a different part. Apparently this can't be done for this. So, I just risk my life every time I drive at night!!

- Plaistow, NH, USA

problem #12

Jun 012023

Optima

  • miles
I have my headlights on auto so they turn on but they turn on during the day and then off at night they turn on they have turn off when I'm diving at night on freeway and turn back

- Vallejo , CA, USA

problem #11

Sep 282023

Optima

  • miles
Headlights will randomly turn on and off throughout while driving. Radio has the same issue

- Las Vegas, NV, USA

problem #10

Sep 192023

Optima

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I was driving at night and the headlights suddenly turned off for about 5 seconds and then it will come back on. Don't know whats going on with its headlight.

- Normal, IL, USA

problem #9

Jul 012022

Optima

  • miles
1. Headlights randomly fail and yes. 2. Headlights will completely go out at night while driving. Not being able to see in the dark while driving can be fatal to me, my family, and any nearby innocent bystanders. 3. No. 4. No. 5. No warnings at all and it started almost 2 weeks ago.

- Smiths Station, AL, USA

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problem #8

Mar 012022

Optima

  • miles
I have been driving at night going 70 mph on major rural freeway, as well as 55 mph on a two lane rural country road when the auto headights went completely dark, including all the interior lights. I could see nothing in the dark at those speeds... not even the road. The first time this happened, I panicked because I could not see the road. I slammed on the brakes. I turned the auto light switch from auto to off and then turned to regular on. The headlights and interiors lights came back on. The second time this happened, I was going 70 mph on a rural highway. I immediately took my foot off the petal and turned the auto light to off and back on to regular on. I told the Kia Dealership and they said I would need to pay $138 to have them investigate the problem. The Service Center said they have heard of the problem before but were very vague. This is a MAJOR SECURITY TRANSPORTATION RISK.

- Hamilton, NC, USA

problem #7

Oct 202021

Optima

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The vehicle automatically turns the headlights off automatically (at night). While driving and not touching the multi function switch, the vehicle indicate that the headlights were switched manually to the "off" position from the "auto" position on the multi function switch. This happens randomly at random intervals and most noticeable at night when the car is driving and the lights are turned off and is not reproducible on demand. The safety of both myself and the other vehicles around me are put at risk if my headlights cannot turn on or turn off by themselves at night while operating the vehicle. I went to the dealer, and they told me that even though the car is under warranty since the problem cannot be reproduced I would need to pay a $175 diagnostic fee, the dealer told me that Kia will charge them if they can't prove that the multi functional switch is defective. I contacted Kia customer service, they opened a claim, but did confirm that if the issue is not re-creatable on demand the dealer can charge a fee and there isn't anything they can do to waive that. They told me since it's a safety issue they could escalate the issue, so I agreed to escalate it. Then I never heard back after that. The lcd in the control cluster indicated that the lights were turned off (even though the switch was physically not touched and remained in the "auto" position for the lights). Other Kia Optima owners are experiencing this issue as seen here: https://www.optimaforums.com/threads/headlights-turn-off-automatically-at-night.169987/

- Maple Grove, MN, USA

problem #6

Jan 162021

Optima

  • 100,000 miles
The headlights will go off no matter if the switch is on auto or normal on. The lights cut off while driving, it happens on the street, highway, and even if the car isn't moving. It started about a month ago. There hasn't been any damage or wrecks to my car.

- Nashville, TX, USA

problem #5

May 202020

Optima

  • 68,000 miles
Bought my Kia 1 ago & always had a problem w/headlights always turning on & off when in auto mode. Trunk latch had to be replaced due latch not locking when trying to close trunk. Dealership said they get 20-30 latch issues w/my make & model of Kia every week. After vehicle starts car just dies & engine light comes on. At times car will stay on but stutters like its going to die.

- Las Cruces, NM, USA

problem #4

Nov 012019

Optima

  • 73,200 miles
When car is driving, or sitting the head lights will go on and off by themselves. Like when its dark they will shut off. Then come back on, switch is on automatic mode. Then when you switch to turn lights on it will do on and off. Been happening for several months, finally did it on my husband he was thinking I had lost my mind.

- Camden, OH, USA

problem #3

Jul 202019

Optima

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I was driving to work at night time for about a week straight my head lights would randomly turn on and off by their selves while I'm driving and then my car would be sitting in my parking space and my neighbors told me my lights would just be on all night and my car would be locked and everything and one day I went out to start my car and I couldn't even unlock it to get in it so I thought it might've been my car remote battery died and so I asked a neighbor that works on cars to see what it could be they popped my hood and checked my car battery and it was completely dead, they tried to give me a jump which was just enough to allow me to unlock and get into my vehicle but my car battery was completely fried due to headlight sensor.

- Columbia, TN, USA

problem #2

Aug 242019

Optima

  • 55,000 miles
When on automatic mode, the headlights suddenly shut off. Sometimes they come back on after a moment, but sometimes they do not come back on until you turn the headlight switch from automatic to on. This is very dangerous. It has happened numerous times while driving, in both day and night conditions.

- El Campo, TX, USA

problem #1

May 012018

Optima

  • 12,000 miles
Takata recall break lights not coming on. I noticed I had a notification come on my dashboard that read ''check brake lights' and both of my break lights were flashing on the image of the car on the dash. It would come off and on randomly throughout the day. I can smack my break lights and they come back on, and once I press my break they go back off.

- Herrin, IL, USA

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