What 590 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Kia Optima

The contact owned a 2011 Kia Optima. The contact stated that after his wife started the vehicle, she smelled a burning odor within the interior of the vehicle, prompting her to quickly exit. After a visual inspection of the exterior of the vehicle, the contact's wife observed flames emanating from the engine compartment. Local emergency services arrived and were able to extinguish the flames. A police and fire report was filed, with no injuries reported. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and deemed a total loss. No warning lights were illuminated; however, the contact stated that he observed an intermittent check engine light in the months prior to the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the high-pressure fuel pump, and the vehicle was repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulics), and the VIN was included, but parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 115,000.

NHTSA ODI 11556465

The wheel fell off when I was driving the key axle completely broke the pipe off but I still don’t have it fixed I only had liability

NHTSA ODI 11515715

KIA OPTIMA 2011 TOOK A TURN FOR THE WORST ON JULY 2 2018, MY KIA OPTIMA CAUSED ME TO PLUMMET INTO TRAFFIC AFTER MY BRAKE DIDN'T PERFORM L. THAT'S CAR HAD BEEN TAKEN TO KIA FOR ALL SERVICE NEED AND CAR STILL PERFORM POORLY. HAVE TO RESTART MY CAR MULTIPLE TIME JUST FOR IT TO ACT RIGHT. CAR STOPS ONE ME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET ONE DAY. I HAVE A 3 OLD AND THAT DAY SHE COULD HAVE BEEN WITH ME. I LOST MY LICENSE AND MY MONEY I INVESTED FOR A SAFE CAR FOR ME AND MY CHILD. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11326474

TAKATA RECALL- WHILE TRAVELING TO WORK GOING 40MPH I ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN MY CAR APPROACHING A RED LIGHT ON BURLINGTON AVE/ MO-9. AS I PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE BRAKES MADE A THUMPING NOISE BUT DID NOT SLOW OR STOP THE CAR. I LIFTED MY FOOT AND PRESSED DOWN ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AGAIN, AND AS BEFORE THE BRAKES MADE A THUMPING NOISE BUT DID NOT SLOW OR BRAKE MY VEHICLE. THERE WERE CARS STOPPED AT THE RED LIGHT THAT I WAS APPROACHING THUS I TURNED MY WHEEL TO THE RIGHT AVOIDING HITTING THE CARS AT THE RED LIGHT, JUMPED THE MEDIAN, AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. BOTH VEHICLES HAVE BEEN TOTALED OUT.

NHTSA ODI 11088812

TRAVELLING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH (HAD JUST TURNED ONTO ROAD)WHEN ENGINE SEEMED TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. PRESSED BRAKE PEDAL (HARD) AND DID NOT SLOW CAR AT ALL. CONTINUED TO PRESS BRAKE AND ALSO PUMPED BUT NOTHING SLOWED VEHICLE. ALTHOUGH SAW TRUCK WELL AHEAD OF ME STOPPED, I COULD DO NOTHING TO STOP OR EVEN SLOW DOWN. I WRECKED INTO BACK OF TRUCK STOPPED AHEAD OF ME WAITING TO TURN. APPROX 8000.00 DAMAGE TO MY CAR MOSTLY DUE TO TRUCK HAVING A SIZABLE TRAILER HITCH ON BACK THAT BUSTED THROUGH A LOT OF FRONT END PLASTIC, COOLING SYSTEM, ETC AND BUCKLED HOOD. NO INJURIES BUT IF WOULD HAVE HAPPENED AT HIGHER SPEED IT WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAGIC. OFFICER UPON ARRIVAL ALSO NOTICED THATBRAKES SEEMED TO FAIL AND NOTED IT ON HIS POLICE REPORT. I HAVE SINCE FOUND INTERNET SOURCES INDICATING THAT SOME 2011 KIAS HAD IN FACT HAS A TSNB ISSUED FOR UNINTENTIONAL ACCELERATION PROBLEMS. I NEVER RECEIVED SUCH A BULLETIN AND HAVE HAD NUMEROUS SERVICES PERFORMED AT KIA DEALERSHIP. ALSO, HAVE HAD BRAKES CHECKED MULTIPLE TIMES AT DEALER AND DELAER INSPECTION NEVER INDICATED ANY PROBLEMS. I HAV EALSO FOUND DOCUMENTATION ONLINE THAT SAYS IF YOU HAVE AN UNINTENTIONAL ACCELLERATION, PRESSING THE BRAKE HARD IS THE FIRST STEP TO DO, BUT ONCE YOU LET OFF THE BRAKE, YOU TOTALLY LOSE BRAKE PRESSURE. WHO POSSIBLE WOULD KNOW THAT ? THIS ACCIDENT IS TOTALLY THE RESULT OF A SYSTEM FAILURE OF THE VEHICLE AND I AM ASKING FOR ASSISTANCE IN PERSUING MY DAMAGES AS A RESULT OF THIS FAILURE.

NHTSA ODI 10823248

ON APRIL 25TH, 2013, I DROVE FROM THE ATLANTA AREA TO SHANNON, GA. NEAR ADAIRSVILLE, GA. I STOPPED A THE GATE PUT THE CAR IN PARK, SET THE BRAKE. BEFORE I COULD GET OUT THE CAR SURGED FORWARD SMASHING THE GATE. I HIT THE BRAKE, BACKED IT UP, PUT IT IN PARK, SET THE BRAKE AND AGAIN BEFORE I COULD GET OUT IT SURGED FORWARD. THIS TIME WHEN I BACKED UP PUT IT IN PARK I TURNED OFF THE MOTOR. JUMPING FORWARD IN MY STORY, I CALLED KIA AND FOUND OUT THE CAR WAS ON RECALL. I LOOKED IT UP ON THE INTERNET ONLY TO SEE THE NOTICES WOULD NOT BE SENT OUT UNTIL MAY 2013. KIA. IS REPLACING THE PART BUT WILL NOT FIX THE FRONT END DAMAGE. THEY TOLD ME TO CALL MY INSURANCE COMPANY. KIA RAN SOME TEST AND SAID IT SHOWED NOTHING WRONG WITH MY CAR. I WOULD HAVE BEEN RUN DOWN AND KILLED OR IN THE HOSPITAL. ALL I ASK IS FOR THEM TO FIX THE FRONT END OF MY CAR AND REPLACE THE GATE. THEY STILL HAVE MY CAR SO THE MILEAGE IS AND ESTIMATE. I DID USE CRUSE CONTROL. CASE #[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI 10510837