What 590 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Kia Optima

On May 28th I was on my way home and out of nowhere my steering wheel locked up and the car died while in motion. A week later we notified Kia about it and they had me tow my car so they could find out what was going on with my vehicle. We waited 12 days to find out was wrong with it and they told us the engine was seized and we had just found out that they had a recall for seized engines. After finding that out we tried to get the vehicle fixed through them and they told us that they could not fix it because it doesn’t no longer have an warranty and that they sent out an report about the recall on my car. We never received any information about a recall and we bought the vehicle March 2020. We have been making phone calls to Kia and they denied to fixing my vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11427800

The contact owns a 2011 Kia Optima. The contact stated that upon entering an interstate highway at 65 MPH, the vehicle ceased with the battery and oil warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. As the vehicle shut-off, the contact was able to coast the vehicle to the shoulder of the highway. After the vehicle failed to start up after multiple attempts, the contact had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was diagnosed with engine failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the recall for the failure had expired and referred her to a Kia dealer for inspection. Upon investigation, the contact linked her failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V224000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle remained in possession of the independent mechanic unrepaired. The failure mileage was 116,000.

NHTSA ODI 11422734

Driving down Highway car shut off won’t start back up

NHTSA ODI 11422703

The contact owns a 2011 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the steering wheel failed. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic who replaced the steering column however, the repair failed to correct the failure. The contact stated that extra effort was needed while attempting to turn the steering wheel. The traction control warning light illuminated whenever the failure occurred. The vehicle was taken back to the mechanic for inspection. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 200,000.

NHTSA ODI 11420908

Unknown. I just checkes the VIN # on this vehicle because I just bought it and saw that it has 4 recalls. But recently I have been smelling gasoline when I drive it long distances and sometimes when I am in town. It gets bad, even my kids complain about the smell. Im not sure if there is a problem but if so I would like for it to be corrected.

NHTSA ODI 11419079

ON JANUARY 4TH 2021 MY CAR STOPPED WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE AUTO REPAIR IN MY CITY AND THEY INFORMED ME MY ENGINE HAD A RECALL ON IT. THE AUTO SHOP THEN INFORMS ME THEY DON'T WORK ON ENGINES SEND IT TO A KIA DEALERSHIP SHIP I DID THAT. NOW THE KIA DEALERSHIP TELLS ME THERE WAS NO RECALL DIDN'T EXPLAIN MUCH SAY YOU JUST NEEDED AN BATTERY AND THE FRONT O2 SEN-OR REPLACED I PAID THE $450 THE CAR WAS UP AND RUNNING I DIDN'T THINK NOTHING ELSE WOULD GO WRONG. MARCH 19 2021 MY CAR STOPS AGAIN WHILE DRIVING GET IT TOWED TO THE REPAIR IN MY CITY THEY SAY I HAVE A BAD ENGINE THAT WAS ALL THE HELP THEY COULD GIVE ME. NOW MAY 3 2021 MY CAR IS CURRENTLY DOWN IT'S NOT IN THE AUTO SHOP AT THE MOMENT BECAUSE THE ONLY THING THE AUTO REPAIR SHOPS WAS SAYING IS THIS WOULD COST ME $4500.IN JANUARY I WAS INFORMED I HAD A RECALL ON MY ENGINE.

NHTSA ODI 11414987

2011 KIA OPTIMA. CONSUMER WRITES REGARDING ENGINE SAFETY RECALL. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WERE DISCREPANCIES CONCERNING THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THAT THE CONSUMER WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE INSPECTION FEE. *JS THE CONSUMER STATED THE OIL LEAK HAD NOT BEEN CORRECTED.

NHTSA ODI 11407658

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR ON A HIGHWAY AT TRAFFIC TIME WHEN I NOTICED A SMALL GAS ODOR MY BRAKES GOT REALLY HARD AFTER THAT I PULLED TO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND WHEN I PULL THE HANDLE TO OPEN MY HOOD SMOKE AND FLAMES IMMEDIATELY CAME OUT, THE CAR ITS TRASH NOW POLICE TOOK IT TO IMPOUND BECAUSE OF THE FLUIDS THE CAR WAS LEAKING AND SAFETY ISSUES.

NHTSA ODI 11413542

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED NOTIFICATION NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V224000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BERT OGDEN MISSION KIA (2307 E EXPRESSWAY 83, MISSION, TX 78572) WHERE THEY INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND NO FAULT WITH THE ENGINE. THE RECALL CLASSIFICATION WAS THEN REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE CONTACT. MONTHS LATER, THE CONTACT STATED THAT AN ABNORMAL KNOCKING SOUND WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE KNOCKING GREW LOUDER, AND THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL UPON ACCELERATION, WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT CALLED THE SAME DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO ASSIST HIM SINCE THE RECALL WAS ALREADY SERVICED ON THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000.

NHTSA ODI 11413080

I CONSTANTLY HAVE TO REPLACE HEADLIGHT BULBS,BRAKE LIGHT BULBS AND FOG LIGHT BULBS LIKE 2 TO 3 TIMES A YEAR AND MY LIGHTS ON DIM IS TOO DARK AND NOT ALIGNED CORRECTLY,FOR THE HEADLIGHTS ONE SIDE SHINE UP AND THE OTHER SHINE DOWN ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS I HAD TO REPLACE THE WHOLE HEADLIGHT FIXTURE BECAUSE THE BULB GOT SO HOT IT MELTED INTO THE FIXTURE AROUND IT

NHTSA ODI 11406166

MY KIA HAS A LONG ACCELERATION LAG. IT IS SO DANGEROUS TO OPERATE THIS VEHICLE. WHEN I PRESS GAS PEDAL VEHICLE DOESN'T ACCELERATE RANDOMLY, SOMETIMES ACCELERATE BUT SOMETIMES NOT. I DON'T HAVE ANY WARNING LIGHTS SHOW UP. NO CODES. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS WARM NEVER WHEN COLD. WHEN WARMER OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE THE MORE OFTEN I FEEL THIS ISSUE. LAST MY VISIT TO THE KIA DEALER DOESN'T RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM. THEY SAID NO CODES NO DIAGNOSIS. IN MY POINT, THIS IS A SOFTWARE OR CONTROL MODULE ISSUE. READING A LOT OF FORUMS I FOUND THAT OTHER OWNERS HAVE THE SAME ACCELERATION LAG PROBLEM. ALSO, I'M FEELING THAT THIS ISSUE IS A SERIOUS CONCERN THAT CAN CAUSE A FATAL ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ODI 11405448

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD MY CAR KIND OF SPUTTERED AND SHUT OFF...NO PREVIOUS PROBLEMS UNTIL THIS...REPLACED THE BATTERY AND STARTER TO NO AVAIL

NHTSA ODI 11405165

HEADLIGHTS ARE VERY DIM. REFLECTOR ON THE LOW BEAMS ARE PEELING AND NOT REFLECTING THE LIGHT TO THE STREET. VERY SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN. CANT SEE 6' IN FRONT OF THE CAR THUS RENDERING THE VEHICLE USELESS DURING NIGHT HOURS. KIA WONT ACKNOWLEDGE OR GO TO A RECALL. DEALER SAYS NOTHING IS WRONG.

NHTSA ODI 11403985

THE ENGINE SEIZED. IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS RECALL. KIA HAS HAD TIS VEHICLE FOR A MONTH AND I CAN'T SEEM TO GET THE APPROVAL FOR THE CURRENT RECALL. IT WAS IN MOTION DRIVING AT 30 MILES PER HOUR SMOKE CAME FROM THE ENGINE AND NEVER TURNED ON AGAIN.IT WAS 300 DOWNTOWN SALT LAKE CITY. A CITY STREET. WE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED HOME. THE DEALERSHIP SEIZED THE ENGINE AND QUOTED US 6500.00 TO FIX THE ENTIRE CAR. REPLACE THE ENGINE.

NHTSA ODI 11403352

I DID A OIL CHANGE ON THE CAR AFTER THAT THE OIL JUST KEPT LEAKING. I HAD TO PUT 2 TO 3 QUARTS OF OIL IN EVERY WEEK. THEN ON MY WAY HOME FROM TAKING MY DAUGHTER TO HER APPOINTMENT THE CAR SHUT DOWN ON ME ON THE HIGHWAY WITH A SEMI BEHIND ME WHICH ALMOST HIT ME. I DON'T DIVE IT ANYMORE I GOT ANOTHER CAR BECAUSE OF IT.

NHTSA ODI 11400105

CODE SHOWING IS P1326 - KSDS - ROD BEARING WEAR. ENGINE LIGHT IS FLASHING AND VEHICLE HAS WENT INTO LIMP MODE/LOSS OF POWER.

NHTSA ODI 11400114

WHEN I GO TO FILL UP WITH FUEL IT WON'T ALLOW ME TO PUMP BUT VERY LITTLE FUEL BEFORE IT SPILLS OUT. I HAVE TO PUT VERY LITTLE IN AT A TIME BEFORE THE PUMP CLICKS OFF. I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO COMPLETELY FILL UP MY TANK SINCE MAY WITHOUT IT TAKING 45 MINS OR SO AND IT SPILLING OUT. I WAS PARKED AT THE GAS STATION WHEN THIS HAPPENED, WITH THE CAR OFF.

NHTSA ODI 11396380

CAR STARTED TO KNOCK SHUT OFF CALLED TOW TRUCK.CHECKED CODE SAID KNOCK SENSOR REPLACED STILL KNOCKS CHANGED OIL AGAIN AFTER TWO MONTHS AND FOUND PIECES OF MEDAL IN OIL THAT LOOKS LIKE BASS AND METAL I WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON ROAD RT.322 IN NO

NHTSA ODI 11394771

I HAD PURCHASED THIS CAR ON THURSDAY JANUARY 14, 2021THE CAR STARTED JERKING AND TURN IT OFF AND ONE TURNED BACK ON I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD TOLD ME IT'S NOT THEIR PROBLEM IN A VERY RUDE WAY. SO I ASKED THEM CAN I HAVE THE OWNERS NUMBER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY CAN'T GIVE IT TO ME AND IF I KEEP ASKING THEY'RE GOING TO CALL THE POLICE ON ME. SO I TOOK THE CAR TO KIA TO SEE WHAT THEY CAN DO FOR THE CAR ABOUT THE RECALL AND THEY TOLD ME THEY IF THE PART IS COVERED BUT I LOOKED ONLINE AND IT IS ON RECALL.

NHTSA ODI 11388743

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT STALLED ON ME. IT WON'T TURN OVER OR ANYTHING. IT STILL HAS ALMOST 1500 MILES ON UNTIL THE NEXT OIL CHANGE AND THE OIL PLUG IS ON AND TIGHT. WHEN I CHECKED THE OIL IT WAS NOT READING ANYTHING ON THE DIP STICK. THE HAS NOT BEEN ANY OIL LEAKING ON THE GROUND. I WAS DRIVING ON A MAJOR STREET IN MY TOWN GOING STRAIGHT

NHTSA ODI 11387431

I WAS DRIVING FORWARD, IN MOTION, MY KIA OPTIMA 2011 ON A HIGHWAY WHEN I BEGAN TO NOTICE A LOUD TICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. I IMMEDIATELY BECAME CONCERNED, SLOWED DOWN, AND STUCK TO THE RIGHT LANE. THEN, 15 MINUTES AFTER FIRST HEARING THIS LOUD NOISE, I COULD NOT ACCELERATE ANYMORE AS THE NOISE BECAME LOUDER. THEN I HEARD A SMALL CRASH/EXPLOSION, SMOKE CAME OUT FROM THE HOOD, IT BEGAN TO SMELL TERRIBLE AND I WAS TRULY SCARED FOR MY LIFE IN TRYING TO STOP THE CAR ON THE CURB, UNABLE TO SEE WHERE I WAS DRIVING BECAUSE OF THE SMOKE AND UNABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR. THANK GOD I WAS ABLE TO STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED BY GEICO. MY CAR HAS ONLY 88K MILES AND I HAVE HAD IT SINCE 2014'THIS IS UTTERLY ACCEPTABLE TO HAVE AN ENGINE BLOW OUT SO SUDDENLY, AT SO LITTLE MILEAGE, AND PUT MY LIFE IN DANGER. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IN INVESTIGATING THIS.

NHTSA ODI 11387218

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE HER SON WAS DRIVING 60 MPH, SEVERAL UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE INDEPENDENTLY. THE DRIVER PULLED OVER AND PARKED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROADWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF FAILURE. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V224000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 138,000.

NHTSA ODI 11385586

LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ILLUMINATE SO LITTLE, ONLY LIGHTING APPROXIMATELY 10 FEET IN FRONT OF THE CAR. THIS HAS BECOME EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 11384894

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NHTSA ODI 11378289

WHILE OPERATING AT 65+ MILES PER HOUR ON THE INTERSTATE MY KIA OPTIMA HYBRID HAD A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE CAUSING MY CAR TO HAVE TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. I HAD TO SAFELY PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD DUE TO THIS. THIS ENGINE FAILURE OCCURRED AT APPROXIMATELY 97300 MILES, WHICH WOULD STILL BE UNDER THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY, HAD I BEEN THE ORIGINAL OWNER. A LOCAL MECHANIC TOLD ME THE ENGINE WAS SEIZED. AFTER DOING RESEARCH ABOUT THESE SPECIFIC TYPES OF CARS I LEARNED THAT THE REGULAR, NON-HYBRID, KIA OPTIMA HAD RECALLS FOR ENGINE FAILURES SO I CALLED KIA CORPORATE TO SEE IF I HAD COVERAGE. KIA CORPORATE INITIALLY TOLD ME THAT MY CAR WOULD POSSIBLY BE COVERED IF A SPECIFIC PART FAILED (ROD BEARINGS). IF THIS WAS TRUE THEN I WOULD HAVE GONE THROUGH A CLAIMS PROCESS TO GET WARRANTY COVERAGE FOR MY CAR. BECAUSE OF THIS I DECIDED TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED TO A KIA DEALERSHIP. AFTER A FEW DAYS AT A DEALERSHIP I WAS AGAIN INFORMED THAT MY ENGINE HAD SEIZED (WITHOUT DETERMINING WHY/ WHAT PART FAILED), BUT THE STORY CHANGED. KIA THEN TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS ZERO CHANCE THAT MY CAR WOULD BE COVERED EVEN IF THE SPECIFIC PART HAD FAILED ( WHICH WE DIDN'T KNOW). I CALLED CORPORATE AGAIN UPON HEARING THIS NEWS AND SPOKE TO SOMEONE WHO LOOKED AT THE TRANSCRIPT/SUMMARY FOR MY INITIAL CALL AND TOLD ME THAT WHAT I WAS INITIALLY TOLD DIDN'T HAPPEN. THEY TOLD ME THAT I WAS LYING TO THEM AND THAT WHAT I WAS TOLD IN MY FIRST CONVERSATION WITH CORPORATE DIDN'T HAPPEN. KIA QUOTED ME A NEW ENGINE FOR 10000+ DOLLARS (THOUSANDS MORE THAN THE CAR IS WORTH) AND BILLED NEARLY 200 DOLLARS FOR A DIAGNOSTIC THAT LIKELY TOOK MERE MINUTES. ULTIMATELY I DECIDED TO HAVE ANOTHER MECHANIC PUT IN A REFURBISHED ENGINE FOR ABOUT HALF THE PRICE. I BELIEVE THAT THE DECEPTION THAT KIA PUT ME THROUGH WAS WRONG AND THAT IT IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE FOR A WELL-CARED FOR CAR TO SUDDENLY DIE WITHOUT WARNING.

NHTSA ODI 11377038