What 748 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Kia Optima

The paint is peeling or delaminating from the car. It is happening in many places. The paint is Snow White Pearl. The car now has about 110,000 miles. The paint warranted for only for 36 months. But it is obvious that this is a quality issue and latent defect. The paint shop says he has seen this a lot with Kias. The paint is not sticking to the primer. I keep hoping there will be a recall on the paint. Even the dealer says it is a problem but Kia corp will not pay to fix the cars with this issue.

NHTSA ODI 11469909

I have a 2016 Kia Optima Pearl White and the paint on the hood just started peeling! It looks awful. What should I do to get this problem fixed?

NHTSA ODI 11454998

THE ANTENNA COVER ON MY CAR FLEW OFF ON THE HIGHWAY. I'VE NOTICED AS I WASH(HANDWASH ONLY) WHEN I WIPE AROUND THE ANTENNA IT MOVES. THOUGHT THIS WAS ODD, BUT ASSUMED IT WAS NORMAL. I WAS DRIVING BACK TO WORK ON THE HIGHWAY(03/17/21) THE LEGAL SPEED LIMIT(65MPH)WHEN A TRACTOR-TRAILER PASSED ME CAUSING A WIND GUSH. I HEARD SOMETHING HIT THE HOOD OF MY CAR. WHEN I ARRIVED AT WORK, I SAW THAT THE ANTENNA COVER WAS COMPLETELY GONE. NOTICED THE PLASTIC AROUND THE MOUNTING SCREWS WERE ALL BROKEN OFF PARTIALLY OR COMPLETELY. I WENT ON THE INTERNET TO FIND A REPLACEMENT ANTENNA. I FOUND A GROUP CHAT WITH MANY KIA OWNERS COMPLAINING OF THE EXACT ISSUE. ONE OWNER POSTED A TSB(SA272) FOR 2016 KIA OPTIMA BEING RECALLED FOR DEFECTS IN THE ANTENNA FIN ASSEMBLY FOR SCREWS LOOSENING OR BREAKING. THE BULLETIN STATED THAT OWNERS OF SAID KIA OPTIMA COULD BRING THE VEHICLE TO A KIA DEALERSHIP AND THE ANTENNA WOULD BE REPLACE FREE OF CHARGE BY KIA MOTORS FOR PARTS AND LABOR. I CALLED TWO KIA DEALERSHIP AND LATER KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE. THE CSR SAID THAT SHE DID NOT PULL UP A RECALL ON MY VEHICLE. I GAVE HER THE TSB NUMBER. A POSTER SAID HIS KIA DEALERSHIP REPLACED HIS 2016 KIA OPTIMA BROKEN ANTENNA WITHOUT CHARGE. THE CSR SAID THAT YOUR ORGANIZATION WOULD HAVE TO INITIATE/ORDER THE RECALL AND LIST MY MODEL OF THE 2016 KIA OPTIMA IN ORDER FOR THEM TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE ANTENNA AT NO COST. I HAVE THE EXPENSIVE MODEL, THE 2016 KIA OPTIMA(SXL TURBO) W/TECHNOLGY PACKAGE WHY WASN'T MY 2016 MODEL NOT LISTED WITH THE OTHER 2016 KIA OPTIMA? THE DEALERSHIP SAYS IT COSTS OVER $500 TO REPLACE THE ANTENNA. SAID THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY HAS TO BE REPLACED. A CHEAP PLASTIC ANTENNA COVER FOR $600? YOUR QUICK REPLY AND SOLUTION TO RESOLVE THIS SERIOUS ISSUE WITH KIA ANTENNA WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU [XXX] CELL : [XXX] WORK: [XXX](MON-THU) EMAIL : [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ODI 11403625

I BOUGHT MY 2016 PEARL WHITE KIA OPTIMA IN MAY OF 2016. RECENTLY, I NOTICED THE PAINT CHIPPING AND PEELING OFF MY HOOD. IT STARTED OUT THE SIZE OF A PEA BUT NOW IS BIGGER THAN A QUARTER AND CONTINUES TO GET BIGGER BY THE DAY. I NOW HAVE ANOTHER SPOT THAT IS CHIPPING ON THE HOOD DUE FROM HEAVY RAIN THIS PAST WEEK. THE PAINT IS ALSO PEELING OR CHIPPING ON THE ROOF RIGHT ABOVE WHERE THE FRONT WINDSHIELD MEETS. I EXPECT NICKS AND CHIPS FROM DEBRIS WHEN HIT WHILE DRIVING OR PARKED, BUT NOT PAINT PEELING OFF AND CHIPPING WHILE IT SITS IN MY DRIVEWAY WITH NO THREAT OF DAMAGE.

NHTSA ODI 11390207

WHEN I TOOK MY VEHICLE INTO THE CAR WASH, AS SOON AS I PULLED IN, I HEARD A SOUND THAT DIDN'T SOUND THE BEST. ONCE I GOT TO THE END OF IT, WHEN THE AIR WAS BLOWING OFF MY CAR, I SAW SOMETHING FLY OFF MY CAR. THIS WAS MY MANUFACTURE FIN SHARK ANTENNA THAT HAD SOME HOW BROKE OFF. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH, I HAVE DISCOVER THIS COMMON OCCURRENCE WITHIN THIS VEHICLE. BOTH, MOST COMMONLY WHILE IN CAR WASHES AND WHILE DRIVING. SO, IT THIS COULD POSSIBLY BE INSPECTED AND RECALLED, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

NHTSA ODI 11386849

REAR DRIVERS SIDE DOOR HANDLE FELL OFF, LOOKING ON THE INTERNET THIS SEEMS TO BE A HUGE PROBLEM WITH THIS 2016 KIA OPTIMA AND VEHICLES. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH. THE PART IS MADE WITH CHEAP PLASTIC. YOU CAN TELL IT IS MADE TO FAIL. I WAS JUST GOING TO LOAD GROCERIES BACK SEAT WHEN HANDLE FELL OFF. NOW CAN NOT USE THAT DOOR.

NHTSA ODI 11373686

AS DRIVING THE DRIVER'S DOOR POPPED OPEN (AS NOT FULLY CLOSED) AND THE OPEN DOOR LIGHT APPEARED ON A DASH. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE WHILE DRIVING. ONCE DURING NORMAL DRIVING AND ON THE SECOND OCCASION WHEN I HIT A POTHOLE. I ALSO NOTICED WHEN OPENING THE DOOR, IT DOESN'T OPEN AS SMOOTHLY. AS I PULL THE DOOR HANDLE, THE DOOR BASICALLY POPS OPEN AS IF THERE WAS A FORCE PUSHING IT TO OPEN. HAD THE CAR FOR 3 YEARS , NO ACCIDENTS AND THE PROBLEM STARTED TO APPEAR JUST NOW

NHTSA ODI 11338177

ON 1/12/2020, I WAS DRIVING MY CAR 2016 KIA OPTIMA FROM ALPHARETTA TO DECATUR TO ATTEND CHURCH. I PULLED INTO THE PARKING LOT OF THE CHURCH AND PARKED. A FEW SECONDS AFTER I PARKED, I BEGAN SEEING LOTS OF SMOKE COMING FROM THE RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. THE POLICE MEN WHO WERE IN THE PARKING LOT DIRECTING TRAFFIC ASKED ME TO GET OUT OF THE CAR QUICKLY AND BEGAN ATTEMPTING TO QUENCH THE FIRE WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. SHORTLY AFTER, THE DEKALB FIRE DEPT ARRIVED AND FOUGHT TO PUT OUT AND CONTAIN THE FIRE. IT WAS THEN TOWED TO THE TOW YARD. I CONTACTED MY INSURANCE COMPANY RIGHT AWAY AND AFTER A FEW DAYS OF INVESTIGATION, UNFORTUNATELY, MY CAR WAS DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS. NEXT DAY, I CHECKED MY VIN # TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY RECALLS BY KIA THAT I WAS NOT AWARE OF, BUT THE RESULTS CAME BACK SAYING 'NO RECORDS' AND '0 RECALLS FOUND'. ON 1/15/2020 AT APPROXIMATELY 12.50PM, I CONTACTED KIA CORPORATE AND FILED A COMPLAINT AND I WAS INFORMED WHEN I GAVE MY STATEMENT OVER THE PHONE THAT THERE WAS AN ' OPEN CAMPAIGN PI 1802 ECU UPGRADE' AND AS ADVISED BY THE KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE REP THAT HE WILL BE FORWARDING MY COMPLAINT TO A THE NATIONAL DEPT AND THEY WILL GET BACK TO ME. A KIA REP ASHLEY CONTACTED ME AND ADVISED KIA ENGINEERS WILL LIKE TO INVESTIGATE WHAT HAPPENED. AFTER 3 WEEKS OF WAITING, THE REP CONTACTED ME STATING THEY WILL LIKE TO PAY OFF REMAINING BAL ON MY CAR, AND PERSONAL ITEMS. THEY WILL NOT HELP ME WITH GETTING ANOTHER CAR AND I DECLINED BECAUSE I LOST EVERYTHING AND INCURRED A GREATER DAMAGE. THEN THE KIA REP WROTE ME STATING THAT THEY ILL NO LONGER PURSUE INVESTIGATING SINCE I REFUSED ACCEPTING $1001 MY LEFT OVER BALANCE OWED TO THE LENDER. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED ON HOW KIA HAS TREATED ME LEAVING ME HANGING AFTER SUCH A GREAT LOSS. I AM SEEKING LEGAL ACTIONS SINCE KIA HAS REFUSED TO COME TO A SUITABLE RESOLUTION.

NHTSA ODI 11309450

THERE WAS A NEW VIBRATION SOUND WHEN WE STARTED DRIVING OUR CAR YESTERDAY. IT SOUNDED LIKE A PANEL WAS A LITTLE LOOSE OR SOMETHING. WITHIN 15 MINUTES OF DRIVING IT ON THE INTERSTATE WE HEARD AN EXPLOSION AND IT WAS THE SUNROOF BURSTING INTO PIECES. FREAKED US OUT WITH THE LOUD NOISE. WE

NHTSA ODI 11290817

THE HOOD IS STUCK. THE CABLE SEEMS TO BE STRETCHED. WHEN I DID GET IT OPENED THE CABLE WAS ATTACHED AND COULD SEE IT WORKING BUT IT'S NOT UNLATCHING HOOD. HOOD IS STILL STUCK.

NHTSA ODI 11258735

WE HAVE OWNED THE CAR ABOUT 2.5 YEARS. 2 DAYS AGO I TOOK IT THROUGH A TOUCH LESS CAR WASH. TODAY I NOTICED THE ANTENNA COVER/ SHARK FIN IS MISSING. I'M NOT SURE IF IT CAME OFF DURING THE WASH OR WHEN I WAS DRIVING. IT APPEARS THE PLASTIC SCREW HOLES HAVE ALL BROKEN OFF. THE CIRCUIT BOARD FOR THE ANTENNA IS EXPOSED. LOOKS TO BE A BIG FLAW IN MANUFACTURING.

NHTSA ODI 11196807

SHARK FIN ANTENNA COVER EASILY COMES LOOSE OR COMPLETELY WHILE HAND WASHING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY IN DRIVEWAY WHILE WASHING.

NHTSA ODI 11170412

I WAS REAR ENDED WHILE STOPPED IN BREAKDOWN LANE OF A SECONDARY HIGHWAY (40 MPH) PROBLEM THAT I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS IS THE INADEQUATE CUSHIONING IN THE HEADRESTS OF THIS CAR AND PROBABLY MANY OTHERS. SUFFERED A CONCUSSION THE EFFECTS OF WHICH ARE STILL ONGOING. I THINK THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE STANDARDS APPLIED TO HEADRESTS TO HAVE ENERGY ABSORBING CUSHIONING. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11121826

I GOT CAR ACCDINET AND THREE AIRBAG JUST POP OUT SO THAT MEANT NEED REPLACE?

NHTSA ODI 11039683

ON MAY 30, 2017 AT APPROXIMATELY 1200HRS EST, WHILE DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS WITH VERY LIGHT TRAFFIC THE SUNROOF EXPLODED. COMPLETE INSPECTION WAS NEGATIVE FOR THE ANY EXTERIOR DEBRIS AS CAUSE. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON HIGHWAY. PHOTOS ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.

NHTSA ODI 10992202