Jun 4, 2026Electrical systemFire
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked in a parking lot, he noticed the vehicle started smoking heavily from under the hood, and shortly thereafter, the vehicle fully ignited into flames. The vehicle was occupied during the fire. The contact stated that he noticed smoke emerging from the driver-side section of the hood. Furthermore, the contact noted that the power door locks failed to unlock automatically, requiring him to manually unlock the door to exit the vehicle safely. The color of the smoke started off light and quickly turned black. The contact stated he noticed a burning electrical odor during the fire. The fire started at underneath the hood, and stayed in the engine bay. No property damage. The location of the fire was the engine compartment. The fire was extinguished by the local fire dept by water. A Fire Department report was not filed. No police report was filed. The vehicle was totaled. No injuries occurred. The vehicle was towed to a independent auto shop. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage on the odometer was 219,000, but the vehicle had a previous engine replacement.
NHTSA ODI 11742198
Sep 22, 2019Electrical systemLightsFire
RIGHT LOW BEAM NEEDED CONSTANT CHANGING (1 EVERY 4-6 MONTHS). WITHIN THE LAST 6 MONTHS, I HAD CHANGED THE BULB, 2 WEEKS LATER, THE LOW BEAM LIGHT WAS NOT WORKING AGAIN. NOTICED A WHITE FILM ON INSIDE OF LIGHT ASSEMBLY. UPON INVESTIGATION, I DISCOVERED THE WIRING CAUGHT FIRE AND MELTED THE CONNECTOR FOR THE LIGHT BULB. I PURCHASED A NEW ASSEMBLY, ONLY TO HAVE THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPEN. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN. FIRSTLY, THE LOW BEAM LIGHTING IS ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE IN THIS CAR TO BEGIN WITH, NOW I'M RUNNING OFF OF ONE LIGHT. AFTER LOOKING INTO COMPLAINTS ONLINE, I SEE THIS PROBLEM IS PREVALENT ACROSS THE BOARD WITH THIS CAR. KIA IS A MULTI MILLION DOLLAR COMPANY, YOU NEED TO STAND BEHIND YOUR PRODUCT AND HAVE THE MINDSET OF PUTTING YOUR CUSTOMERS SAFETY AS A PRIORITY. I WORK AS A FIREFIGHTER/EMT AND I'D HATE TO ARRIVE ON SCENE OF SOMEONE THAT WAS KILLED DUE TO KIA'S FAULTY UNSAFE PRODUCT. ESPECIALLY OF ONE THAT COULD BE PREVENTED BY FIXING THESE PROBLEMS THAT YOU KNOW IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. SHAME ON YOU KIA FOR PUTTING PEOPLE AT RISK.
NHTSA ODI 11257248
Aug 3, 2019Electrical systemBody & structureEngineFire
ENGINE DIED WHILE DRIVING ON PUBLIC STREET AND WOULD NOT RESTART AND WITHIN MINUTES FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. DESTROYED FRONT OF CAR AND DAMAGED INTERIOR
NHTSA ODI 11241543
Mar 19, 2019Electrical systemEngineFire
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2011 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CONTACT SMELLED A BURNING ELECTRICAL ODOR. SECONDS LATER, BLACK SMOKE APPEARED AND FLAMES ROSE FROM THE HOOD. THERE WAS NO WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO COAST THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND EXITED THE VEHICLE WITHOUT INJURY. THE VEHICLE THEN BURST INTO FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A TOW LOT. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,300.
NHTSA ODI 11190052
Nov 23, 2017SuspensionElectrical systemEngineCrash
MY CAR CUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET CAUSING A ACCIDENT
NHTSA ODI 11048146
Oct 13, 2016Electrical systemFire
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS COASTED OFF THE ROAD AND WAS UNABLE TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE AND THE MOTOR LOCKED UP WITH THE PRESENCE OF SMOKE FROM THE STARTER WHEN THE CONTACT MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND THEN TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 131,000.
NHTSA ODI 10915744
Nov 23, 2015Electrical systemFire
WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE CAR JUST QUIT RUNNING. HAD TO PULL TO SHOULDER AND USE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP. CAR TOWED, FIRST REPAIR SHOP SAID IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. THEN TOWED TO KIA DEALER WHO WOULDN'T REALLY COMMIT ON CAUSE. BLAMED SLUDGE ON MOTOR. HAVE SERVICE RECORDS. REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND OIL CHANGES.
NHTSA ODI 10806344
Nov 9, 2015Electrical systemEngineFire
WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY MY 2011 KIA OPTIMA ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AND THE BRAKES WOULD NOT FUNCTION. LUCKILY, I SAFELY MADE IT TO THE FAR SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY ONLY TO FIND THAT MY CAR WAS SMOKING AND SMELLED LIKE SOMETHING WAS BURNING. HAD TO GET THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY INFORMED THE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND THE STARTER IS ALSO FRIED. I HAVE SEEN FOUR COMPLAINTS SO FAR OF 2011 KIA OPTIMA'S WITH THE SAME ISSUE AND AM SURE I WILL FIND MORE. THAT SEEMS LIKE TOO MUCH OF A COINCIDENCE THAT IT HAPPENS SO FREQUENTLY WITH THESE MODELS AND THERE ISN'T ANY SORT OF RECALL. NO BREAKS AT 70 MPH IS PRETTY DANGEROUS. I HAVE CONTACTED MY ATTORNEY AND HOPE THIS MANUFACTURER WILL DO THE RIGHT THING.
NHTSA ODI 10789435