What 590 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Kia Optima

THIS KIA HAS A PUSH BUTTON START OPTION. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE NOT TURNING ON WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE COMPUTER LOOKS FOR A SIGNAL FROM THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH BEFORE IT STARTS THE ENGINE. I DISCONNECTED AND RECONNECTED THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH AND THE PROBLEM WAS TEMPORARILY CORRECTED. TWO DAYS LATER, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AGAIN AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE NOT TURNING ON. WE USED THE PROCEDURE TO BYPASS THE BRAKE SIGNAL (HOLD START BUTTON FOR 12+ SECONDS) TO START THE ENGINE. VEHICLE WAS NOW DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH NO BRAKE LIGHTS. THERE WAS ALSO A WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER INDICATING AN ISSUE WITH THE ESC SYSTEM. DEALERSHIP STATED THEY HAVE SEEN A FEW CARS WITH THIS ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10504117

I HAVE A 2011 KIA OPTIMA LX, ONE NIGHT WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ALOUD BOOM SOUND WITH A JERK OF THE CAR AND ALL POWER WAS GONE AT ONCE. THERE WAS NOTHING,LIGHTS OUT, IN AND OUT AND NO ACCELERATION, THEN AFTER ABOUT 10 SECONDS ALL POWER RETURNED, BEFORE AND AFTER THIS THERE WAS NO WARNING OF ANY KIND, IT HAS HAPPENED A TOTAL OF THREE TIMES SO FAR.2ND TIME AT AN INTERSECTION AND THE 3RD TIME IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, THE ONLY WAY I GOT OUT OF TRAFFIC THE CAR COASTED, ALL THE WHILE STEERING WAS VERY HARD , HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE POWER DID NOT RETURN. WHILE THEY WERE ABOUT TO CHECK, ONCE AGAIN THE POWER RETURNED ALL ON ITS OWN IN FRONT OF THEM, THEY RUN DIAGNOSTICS, STILL NOT SHOWING ANYTHING, SO THEY KEEP GIVING ME NO ANSWERS, AND PUTTING ME BACK INTO FEAR. 4 OTHER REPAIRS WAS MADE BEFORE THESE LAST 3 RECURRING INCIDENTS ;VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHUT OFF WITH REMOVAL OF THE KEY; HORNS QUIT WORKING; BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH, BECAUSE COULD NOT GET CAR INTO GEAR; FUSE TO THE PHONE CHARGER. BACK TO THE SHUT DOWNS THE SERVICE TECHS.SAID THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO FIX! AND THE KIA CORP. STAND BEHIND THE SAME ANSWER. THEY KNOW HOW TO MAKE THESE CARS WHAT'S WRONG WITH FIXING THESE PROBLEMS ESPECIALLY ELECTRICAL ISSUES LIKE THIS! I SUGGEST TO ANYONE WHO'S READING THIS DON'T BUY A KIA OF ANYKIND! *TR

NHTSA ODI 10503513

I WAS LEAVING WORK @ 5:45 PM AND GOT IN MY CAR, BUT IT WOULD NOT START. I TRIED FOR 20 MINUTES BEFORE I CALLED KIA LEDGEN DEALERSHIP FOR HELP. THEY TOLD ME WHERE TO PUT THE AUX KEY STARTER INSIDE THE GLOVE BOX AREA. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS THE CAR STILL WOULD NOT START. THEY TOLD ME A WOULD HAVE TO CALL THE 800 NUMBER TO GET A JUMP OR HAVE MY CAR TOWED. I FOUND A CO-WORKER WHO GAVE ME A JUMP AND THE CAR STARTED RIGHT UP. I PROCEEDED TO A FIRESTONE STATION AND GOT A NEW BATTER ($146.00). STARTED RIGHT UP AND HAD NO PROBLEMS UNTIL MY WIFE AND I WENT TO THE MALL TODAY (DEC 28) AND MY CAR WOULD NO START AGAIN. I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO GET STRANDED OR NEEDED TO FIND A JUMP. AFTER 5 ATTEMPTS IT FINALLY STARTED AND I TOOK MY CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM SO THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. AFTER STATING THAT I READ ABOUT OTHER KIA OWNERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM THEY DECIDED TO KEEP IT OVER NIGHT. ARE THERE OTHER OWNERS WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS THAT CAN LEAD ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO GET THIS PROBLEM FIXED? *TR

NHTSA ODI 10490406

THIS IS UPDATE TO ODI #10453907. OPTIMA HYBRID STILL EXPERIENCING POWER LOSS PROBLEMS. LATEST IS AT COLD START, WHEN IT STARTS IN EV MODE, SYSTEM INDICATES READY, SHIFT INTO REVERSE OR DRIVE, CAR DOESN'T MOVE. IF WE TURN IT OFF AND RE-START IT, IT OPERATES NORMALLY. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, DASH ICON INDICATES HYBRID SYSTEM MALFUNCTION. AT RE-START LIGHT GOES OFF. DEALER CAN FIND NO TROUBLE CODES STORED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10470843

THE FIRST EPISODE WAS A DEAD BATTERY. THE CAR HAD 13 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THE SECOND INCIDENT, CAR WOULD NOT START, IGNITION ISSUE, BUT LATER STARTED (AFTER 1HR). TAKEN TO DEALER, SECONDARY TO IGNITION ISSUES. PROBLEM RESOLVED UNTIL TODAY. WOULD NOT START AGAIN. TRIED TWO DIFFERENT KEY FOBS AND STILL DID NOT START. THIS IS THE THIRD INCIDENT SINCE HAVING THE VEHICLE. I WILL NEED TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED FOR THE SECOND TIME. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10464256

THE INTERIOR OVERHEAD LIGHTS PERIODICALLY COME ON AND GO OFF WHILE OPERATING OUR 2011 OPTIMA. THIS OCCURS WITH THE SWITCH IN BOTH ON AND OFF POSITION AND THE LIGHTBULBS TEND TO BECOME OVERHEATED.THEY DO NOT RESPOND TO MANUAL OPERATION, BUT GO OFF ON THEIR OWN AND THIS MALFUNCTION REPEATS SEVERAL TIMES IN A TEN MINUTE DRIVE. BEST-CASE SCENARIO RESULTS IN THE BULBS BURNING OUT PREMATURELY, BUT I BELIEVE THERE IS A REAL CHANCE OF A MORE SERIOUS SHORT-CIRCUIT AND POTENTIAL INTERIOR FIRE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10460012

HAD JUST FINISH BRINGING MY WIFE HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL, AFTER SURGERY, AND NEEDED TO STOP AT THE PHARMACY. AFTER PICKING UP A COUPLE OF PRESCRIPTIONS WE GOT IN THE CAR, AND TRY TO SWITCH THE CAR ON, BUT IT WOULD NOT START. I COULD TELL THAT THE BATTERY HAD PLENTY OF POWER, BUT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT EVEN TURN. IT WAS ALMOST AS IF THE IGNITION WAS DISCONNECTED FROM THE REST OF THE CAR. I EVEN PUT IT ON NEUTRAL TO SEE IF I WOULD START, BUT NOTHING HAPPENED. I KEEP ON TRYING FOR ALMOST HALF HOUR, AND WHEN I WAS ABOUT TO CALL A TOW TRUCK I ATTEMPTED TO START IT AGAIN, AND IT FINALLY TURN AND STARTED. RIGHT NOW I HAVE A CAR WITH LESS THAN 20,000 THOUSAND MILES THAT I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE BECAUSE I'M AFRAID IT WILL LEAVE ME STRANDED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10454024

THIS IS THE SECOND COMPLAIN REGARDING THE SAME ISSUE CAR FAIL TO START' THIS TIME THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO, AND DROPPED AT THE KIA DEALER. AT THE END OF THE DAY WE CALLED THE DEALER TO SEE IF THEY HAD FOUND WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT. THE TECHNICIAN THAT WAS WORKING ON IT, MENTION THAT AS SOON AS THE CAR WAS UNCOUNTED FROM THE TOW TRUCK, THEY TRY AND SWITCH THE CAR; NEVERTHELESS, THE CAR STARTED WITHOUT ANY ISSUES. HE SAID THAT THEY SWITCH IT OFF AND ON THROUGHOUT THE DAY, AND WERE NOT ABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. WHAT AM I TO DO? ALL I WANT IS FOR THE PROBLEM TO BE TAKEN CARE OF. I WANT TO DRIVE MY CAR WITHOUT THE FEAR OF BEING STRANDED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10454025

PURCHASED MY BRAND NEW KIA OPTIMA IN MAY 2011. FROM THE ONSET THE REMOTE START NEVER WORKED ON THE FIRST TRY, EVENTUALLY IT DIDN'T WORK AT ALL. IN AUG NOTICED THAT THE HORN WASN'T SOUNDING RIGHT, EVENTUALLY IT DIDN'T WORK AT ALL. I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR THE HORN TO BE REPAIRED AND THEY STATED THAT IT WAS A BAD FUSE. 1 WEEK LATER HORN WAS OUT AGAIN. I RETURNED TO THE DEALER WHO SAID THEY WOULD ORDER 2 NEW HORNS AS THEY WEREN'T SURE WHAT WAS THE CAUSE. BOUGHT THE CAR IN TO HAVE HORNS INSTALLED THEY SAY "WE NEED TO ORDER A NEW MODULE FOR YOUR CAR" ALTHOUGH THE HORNS WERE WORKING, I FIGURED THE MODULE WAS THE REASON THE HORNS WENT BAD IN THE FIRST PLACE. I CALL TO WEEKS LATER, THEY STILL HAVEN'T RECEIVED THE PARTS (STRANGE). I MENTION THAT NOW THE REMOTE START IS COMPLETELY OUT THEY SAY "WE KNOW, THAT IS WHY WE ORDERED THE MODULE" (WHY WASN'T THIS EXPLAINED TO ME??). OCT 2011 I SPEND YET ANOTHER SAT MORNING AT THE DEALER. AN HOUR AND A HALF IN THEY SAY WE CANT FIGURE THIS OUT WE NEED TO ORDER THE SCHEMATICS ON THIS CAR...YOU WILL NEED TO DROP THE CAR OFF NEXT WEEK. I LEAVE THE CAR FOR OVER A WEEK, THEY CALL TO SAY THEY ARE ORDERING A WHOLE NEW REMOTE START SYSTEM. WHEN I PICK UP THE CAR THE REMOTE START IS STILL WORKING INTERMITTENTLY, THE ALARM IS GOING OFF AT RANDOM AND THE SUNROOF WILL NOT CLOSE. I RETURN THE CAR THE FOLLOWING WEEK THEY SAY THEY ARE NOT HAVING ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE REMOTE START, ALARM HASN'T SOUNDED AND THEY JUST NEEDED TO REPLACE THE FUSE FOR THE ROOF. I AM NOT SURE WHAT THEY DID BUT THEY DID SOME SORT OF REPAIR, NO PROB WITH EITHER SINCE THEN. TODAY DEC 12, 2011 I HAVE CALLED TO TELL THEM THAT THE HORNS ARE COMPLETELY OUT AGAIN, "THEY SAY BRING HER IN AND WE WILL TAKE A LOOK AT HER". I HAVE NO DESIRE TO SPEND A DAY AT KIA DEALER ONCE A MONTH. IN FACT, I NO LONGER HAVE A DESIRE FOR KIA PERIOD. I AM CONTACTING BBB'S LEMON LAW ASSISTANCE TODAY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10439736

PURCHASE AS A NEW CAR ON JUNE 20,2011 FROM KIA DEALERSHIP. FIRST PROBLEM OCCURRED WITHIN FIRST MONTH. THE REMOTE START CONTINUALLY FAILED AT STARTING THE VEHICLE. WHEN PRESSING THE REMOTE START BUTTON THE CAR WOULD NOT START AND THE CAR ALARM WOULD SOUND OFF IMMEDIATELY. SECOND PROBLEM THAT OCCUR WITHIN FIRST MONTH IS THE GAS DOOR ON OUTSIDE WOULD NOT OPEN WHEN PRESSING THE GAS BUTTON ON THE INSIDE OF THE CAR. IT REQUIRED YOU TO KEEP PRESSING GAS BUTTON REPEATEDLY BEFORE IT WOULD OPEN THE OUTSIDE DOOR TO PUMP GAS. THIRD PROBLEM THAT OCCURRED WITHIN THE THIRD TO THE FOURTH MONTH OF THE PURCHASED VEHICLE IS THE SOUND TO THE CAR HORN FAILED. WHEN I WENT TO BLOW MY HORN, THERE WAS NO SOUND WHICH ALSO LEAD TO NO SOUND ON THE CAR TO INDICATE THAT I HAD LOCKED THE VEHICLE WITH THE REMOTE CAR-LOCK. THE LOST SOUND TO THE HORN AND TO THE VEHICLE HAS RECENTLY FAILED FOR A SECOND TIME AFTER RECENTLY BEING REPAIRED BY THE DEALERSHIP. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10435670

DEFECTIVE KEY FOBS. THEY CANNOT BE REPROGRAMMED AND YOU BECOME STRANDED WITH NO WAY OF STARTING THE AUTO. DEALERSHIP HAS TRIED FOUR TIMES TO REPROGRAM THE KEY FOB WITHOUT SUCCESS. THERE IS NO WAY TO START OR OPERATE THE CAR WITH THE MECHANICAL KEY. CAN BECOME A DANGEROUS SITUATION IF YOU ARE IN AN ISOLATED AREA! *TT

NHTSA ODI 10432995