What 578 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Kia Optima

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE REVERSING AT 5 MPH, SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED SCRAPS AND BRUISES FROM ESCAPING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO JIM MARSH KIA (8555 W CENTENNIAL PKWY, LAS VEGAS, NV 89149 (702) 946-1000) BUT A CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS NOT PROVIDED TO THE CONTACT. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V224000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) AT THE SAME DEALER BEFORE THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000.

NHTSA ODI 11144563

FIRE! MY 2014 KIA OPTIMA CAUGHT FIRE WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT ON THE HIGHWAY. FIRST, I COULD SMELL SOMETHING BURNING. THEN, SMOKE QUICKLY FILLED MY CABIN. I PULLED OVER LOST STEERING AND BRAKES, PUT CAR IN PARK. GOT OUT LOOK BEHIND ME. SEE SPARKS ON GROUND. GET IN CALL 911 AND WITH IN SECONDS MY CAR SNAP, CRACKLED, AND POPPED AND FLAMES ENGULFED MY VEHICLE. I GRABBED MY PURSE AND RAN. I HAD TO WATCH MY CAR BURN. I AM VERY THANKFUL I MADE IT OUT.

NHTSA ODI 11139148

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. ALL THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATORS ILLUMINATED AND THERE WAS A STRONG ODOR OF SMOKE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT OPENED THE HOOD AND NOTICED FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE CONTACT WAS UNSURE IF POLICE OR FIRE REPORTS WERE FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO BAILEYS WRECKER SERVICE TOW LOT WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS A COMPLETE LOSS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 91,000.

NHTSA ODI 11132973

CAR STALLED ON ME AS I WAS DRIVING. NOW MAKES CYCLIC NOISE WHEN I DRIVE. I DON'T DRIVE IT AT ALL HAD MECHANIC CHECK IT AND HE SAID I NEED A NEW ENGINE.

NHTSA ODI 11121559

I WAS HEADING NORTH BOUND, CRUISE CONTROL SET AT 55 WHEN MY 2014 KIA OPTIMA THERA II MOTOR STARTED MAKING A GRINDING SOUNDS, LOST COMPLETE POWER AND STALLED OUT. CAR WOULD NOT TURN ON ANYMORE, A TEXAS STATE TROOPER AND SMALL TOWN COP HELPED ME PUSHED THE CAR INTO A PARKING LOT AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR, THE CAR STARTED SMOKING AND CAUGHT FIRE FROM THE ENGINE BAY. LUCKILY NO ONE GOT HURT BUT THE CAR IS A TOTAL LOSE AND I HAVE A FEELING KIA IS GOING TO GIVE ME THE RUNAROUND. THE THETA II DOES HAVE AN OPEN RECALL. THE MOTOR WAS CHECKED TWICE AND PASSED BOTH TIMES.

NHTSA ODI 11113500

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN HIGH SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE. AFTER RESTARTING THE VEHICLE, ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT THEN NOTICED FIRE AND SPARKS UNDER THE HOOD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A TOW YARD. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 130,000.

NHTSA ODI 11097934

DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHEN MY 2014 KIA OPTIMA STARTED TO MAKE A KNOCKING SOUND WITH SMOKE COMING FROM ENGINE. PULLED OVER AND TURNED VEHICLE OFF AND NOT LONG AFTER ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. MY CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS. FOUND OUT AFTER THE FACT THAT CAR HAD RECALL ON IT. CONTACTED KIA CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND THEY DID NOTHING TO EXPLAIN WHY THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED. * (RECALL RELATED INCIDENT) TS

NHTSA ODI 11074148

MAY 9TH 2016, DRIVING TO WORK ON I-44 HEADING TO WORK, MY VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING SHUTS OFF AND DIES, I START TO SEE WHITE SMOKE COME FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, I SAFELY PULL THE CAR OVER TO SHOULDER BECAUSE IT WAS STILL ROLLING. EXIT THE VEHICLE AND OPEN THE HOOD, AND THE ENGINE CATCHES FIRE ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE ENGINE. I HAVE SPOKEN TO MANY CERTIFIED MECHANICS ALL WITH THE SAME ANSWER THAT IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. I HAVE SINCE COMPLETED THE TOTAL LOSS PROCESS WITH MY INSURANCE. I HAVE CONTACTED KIA CONSUMER AFFAIRS WHO WERE ABSOLUTELY ZERO HELP. THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AS IT ONLY HAD JUST OVER 36000 MILES.

NHTSA ODI 10873251

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE ENGINE OIL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND BLACK SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE EXHAUST. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE OIL NEEDED TO BE REPLENISHED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,550.

NHTSA ODI 10873241

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, BLACK SMOKE APPEARED FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO PROVIDE A PERMANENT REMEDY FOR THE REPAIR DUE TO EXCESSIVE SLUDGE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

NHTSA ODI 10836751

I WAS IN A PARKING STRUCTURE, STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN. I CONTINUED A FEW FEET TO MY DESIGNATED PARKING STALL AND WHEN I TURNED THE WHEEL THE CAR ACCELERATED AT WHAT FELT AND SOUNDED LIKE FULL THROTTLE ON IT'S OWN. THE SURGE OF THE VEHICLE FORCED THE CAR TO CRASH INTO A CONCRETE WALL CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND BODILY INJURY TO MYSELF. THE VEHICLE IS ONLY A FEW MONTHS OLD. THIS CAR HAS SOME VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUES. SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. NOW I AM TERRIFIED TO EVER DRIVE IT AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10683947