What 107 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid

I WAS INVOLVED IN A HIGH SPEED, REAR END COLLISION IN WHICH I WAS TRAVELING AT APPROX 55MPH WHEN ANOTHER LARGE VEHICLE CHANGED LANES FROM RIGHT TO LEFT, RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME CAUSING ME TO COLLIDE WITH THEM. THE RESULT WAS SIGNIFICANT FRONT END DAMAGE TO MY CAR AND SIGNIFICANT BODILY INJURY TO MYSELF BECAUSE OF THE FAILURE OF MY BRAKES TO ADEQUATELY STOP MY CAR AND THE FAILURE OF THE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY RESULTING IN MY BODY AND HEAD RAPIDLY FLYING FORWARD INTO THE STEERING WHEEL.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND SMOKE QUICKLY ENTERED THE VEHICLE. ALSO, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE AND CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO PREMIER KIA OF BRANFORD (205 NORTH MAIN STREET, BRANFORD, CONNECTICUT 06405, (203) 315-2050) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE SEIZED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ENGINE UNDER WARRANTY, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. FOUR MONTHS LATER, WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS HIGH SPEEDS, THE CONTACT HEARD A CLICKING NOISE AND SMOKE ENTERED THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AGAIN WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INTERNAL ENGINE SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED DUE TO THE LACK OF WARRANTY COVERAGE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED FOR EITHER FAILURE. DURING BOTH OCCURRENCES, THE SMOKE WENT AWAY ONCE THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF A FIRE, BUT A LOUD POPPING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 75,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. *JB CONSUMER ATTACHED DIAGNOSTIC AND INVOICE REPAIR TO THE CAR SHOWING THE PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE. 'PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *JB

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WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY UPON ACCELERATION THE RPMS SPIKED AND THERE WAS A CLICKING NOISE. AFTER RELEASING THE ACCELERATOR THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE LIKE A BROKEN MUFFLER THEN THE CAR LOST POWER. PULLING TO THE SHOULDER THE CAR BEGAN TO SMOKE AND SHORTLY AFTER STOPPING THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE FROM SOMEWHERE UNDER THE HOOD WHICH SPREAD TO THE ENTIRE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WHICH THEN BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES BEFORE A FIRE CREW COULD EXTINGUISH.

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TODAY I JUST GOT MY CAR BACK FROM THE DEALERSHIP YESTERDAY FOR THE BRAKES FAILING IN THE HYBRID SYSTEM THEY TOLD ME EVERYTHING WAS FINE BUT THE MECHANIC SAID TO ME THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE CAR SO THEY LET ME LEAVE WITH IT I WAS IN LAKE WORTH TODAY DOING 45 MILES PER HOUR AND IT DID IT AGAIN AND SAID CHECK BRAKE CAR SHUT OFF MY BRAKES FAILED AND I RAN INTO A MEDIAN TO STOP MY CAR. KIA CORPORATION IS NOT DOING NOTHING ABOUT THIS THE DEALERSHIP DOES HE EVEN HAVE AN ANSWER FOR ME AND THAT IS GUNTHER KIA. I BELIEVE THAT I AM GOING TO DIE IF I DRIVE THIS CAR ANYMORE AND I HAVE A 4 YEAR OLD CHILD THAT THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT I HAVE COMPLAINED TO THE KIA CORPORATION 5 TIMES ALREADY

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ENGINE LOST POWER STATED SMOKING ALL OVER TRUNK ENGINE GOING 60 MPH ON RT15 THURMONT MARYLAND OUTSIDE OF CAMP DAVID, OIL WAS EVERYWHERE LOUD BOOM, MY GRANDSON WAS IN THE BACK SEAT AT THIS TIME AS WELL, DEALERSHIP TELLING ME THEY ARE NOT AT FALT OR REPLACING ENGING,AS I SEE A FEDERAL INVESTIGATION ON THIS ISSUE AS WELL, I NEED MY CAR REPAIRED OR REPLACED ASAP,.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE MADE A THUMPING NOISE AND A LOUD BOOM SOUND WAS HEARD FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT NOTICED BROWN SMOKE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. EVENTUALLY, THE SMOKE TURNED BLACK AND APPEARED FROM THE FRONT AND REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED OIL LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, MARK KIA, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT SLUDGE WAS IN THE ENGINE AND THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 12369116. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL BANGING NOISE UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE MOMENTARILY LOST POWER AND THE CONTACT NOTICED BLACK SMOKE AND FLAMES COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DEEMED DESTROYED. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FIRE WAS DUE TO A CONNECTING ROD MALFUNCTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 87,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WHILE IN PARK AND CRASHED INTO A GARAGE DOOR, WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE CONTACT REVERSED THE VEHICLE AND PLACED THE VEHICLE IN PARK. THE CONTACT MENTIONED WHEN EXITING THE VEHICLE, IT BEGAN TO SHAKE, JERK AND ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON THREE OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000.

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I WAS DRIVING IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD AND A LADY PULLED IN FRONT OF ME. I SLAMMED ON MY BRAKES AND SWERVED TO THE RIGHT SO I WOULD AVOID HITTING HER. THE NEXT THING I KNEW I SMACKED INTO A POLE. FOR THE PAST YEAR I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW AND WHY I HAD SO MUCH DAMAGE TO MY CAR WHEN I WAS ONLY GOING 25 MPH. I FINALLY REALIZED THAT THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE I COULDN'T STOP MY CAR EVEN WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES. THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED JULY 10, 2013 AND ONE YEAR LATER ON THE SAME DAY JULY 10, 2014 MY BRAKES FAILED ON MY CAR WHILE I WAS WAITING FOR A GATE TO OPEN. I HEARD A TERRIBLE CRUNCHING NOISE, A WARNING SIGN CAME ON SAYING HYBRID SYSTEM WARNING SAFELY STOP AND DO NOT DRIVE AND THE ONLY WAY I COULD STOP THE CAR WAS TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THE SAME WARNING SIGN CAME ON DURING THE ACCIDENT. I REMEMBER MY CAR WOULDN'T STOP AND ACTUALLY SEEMED LIKE IT GAINED A LITTLE SPEED. I HIT THE POLE AND THE CAR STILL WOULDN'T STOP SO I HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP IT. I SAT THERE IN SHOCK OVER WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED. I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY I HIT THAT POLE AND WHY THERE WAS SO MUCH DAMAGE TO MY CAR. NOW I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND WHY THIS HAPPENED. IT WAS DUE TO MY BRAKES NOT WORKING THAT DAY. ON JULY 10, 2014 WHEN THE BRAKES FAILED FOR THE SECOND TIME, I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP DOWN THE STREET AND THEY KEPT IT FOR 7 WEEKS AND SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR SO I PICKED IT UP. I COULD TELL SOMETHING WAS STILL WRONG WITH IT BUT THEY WOULDN'T LISTEN TO ME. NOT EVEN 1K MILES LATER THE BRAKES WENT OUT FOR THE 3RD TIME. THIS TIME KIA PICKED UP SEVERAL ERROR MESSAGES. THEY STILL HAVE MY CAR AND ITS BEEN 4 WEEKS. THEY SAID THEY NEED TO REPLACE THE HYDRAULIC POWER UNIT. THIS IS WHAT THEY TOLD ME 2 WEEKS AGO AND ITS STILL NOT DONE. THIS IS NOT A SAFE CAR TO DRIVE AND I DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING IT ANYMORE! *TR

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ON 11/3, MY WIFE WAS IN ACCIDENT IN OUR OPTIMA, WHEREIN SHE WAS T-BONED. SHE WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30MPH, WHEN ANOTHER DRIVER DROVE THROUGH A STOP SIGN AND, PRESUMABLY, ACCELERATED INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE DRIVER SIDE OF OUR CAR. NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, AND WE'RE CONVINCED THAT ONE SHOULD HAVE. AFTER SPEAKING TO THE BODY SHOP, THEY TELL ME THAT "THE SENSORS ARE DESIGNED TO DEPLOY ONLY WHEN THE CAR IS HIT JUST THE RIGHT WAY." LIKEWISE, KIA RESPONDED THAT, "IT'S OUR OPINION (BASED ON A PHOTOGRAPH I PROVIDED) THAT THE LOCATION OF THE IMPACT AND ITS FORCE WOULDN'T HAVE TRIGGERED THE DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAGS." IN RESPONSE TO THAT, I ASKED, "CLEARLY, YOU KNOW WHAT DOESN'T CONSTITUTE THE DEPLOYMENT, BUT WHAT CRITERIA WOULD BE NECESSARY FOR THE AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY." EVERY TIME I ASK, THEY SAY THERE IS NO HARD-AND-FAST ANSWER. I'VE ALSO ASKED IF IT MAKES SENSE FOR KIA TO SEE THE VEHICLE OR ASK THE BODY SHOP FOR THE RESULTS OF THEIR SENSOR-TESTING BEFORE MAKING AN OPINION. TO THAT, THE KIA REP SAID, "NO, WE WOULDN'T DO THAT. OUR AIRBAG-SPECIALIST'S OPINION IS CONCLUSIVE." *TR

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