What 228 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 Kia Optima

I was rearended, all air bags deployed except steeringwheel

NHTSA ODI 11701751

My cars bulbs have been blowing on a regular basis for two years..some of the bulb connections are catching fire and exploding .Ive changed on numerous occasions but doesn’t matter even with new fittings…obviously an electric problem

NHTSA ODI 11681636

The contact called on behalf of his son who owned a 2018 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 25 MPH, the front of the vehicle crashed into the rear end of the vehicle that was in front of him whom made a sudden stop. The contact was concerned that the air bags were not deployed. No warning lights was illuminated. A police report was filed. No medical attention was sought, and no injuries were sustained. The vehicle was pronounced totaled at the scene. The contact attempted to contact the manufacturer however, received no response. The failure mileage was 96,145.

NHTSA ODI 11662673

I drove the car to the park about 6 miles round trip with family. I came back home and started having lunch for about 25 minutes. I then attempt to start the engine to go to my appointment but then car didn't turn on. On third attempt I had a weird noise coming out of the hood and I went back inside the house to get my gloves. When i came outside of the house, the hood of the car was in flames. I called 911 to turn off the fire. The car is now at a total loss.

NHTSA ODI 11628268

Took my vehicle for an oil change next day my vehicle was not working well stopped on me could start didn’t want to do damage so I stopped driving and had it told to a shop found out there is METAL IN THE ENGINE

NHTSA ODI 11595516

Was driving on the interstate. The only light on was the ABS light and the car started smoking. Had to come to a stop as they were sparks coming from out under the car through it into park at around 15 mph steel jumped out of the car and within a minute the car was fully engulfed in flames.

NHTSA ODI 11551076

I slowly pulled into the parking lot at work coming around a corner with my break song slowly to see if anything was coming from the other side, pull it around to THE back looking straight ahead to pull into my parking spot as I pulled into my parking spot mind you I have had my foot on the break before. I got there and I got into the park spot. I hit the brakes and the brakes went to the floor multiple times and the car just searched straightforward into the brick wall of the building.

NHTSA ODI 11550544

The car caught on fire in our driveway

NHTSA ODI 11510727

2018 KIA OPTIMA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO ILLIMINATED OIL LIGHT. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE CONSUMED OIL QUICKLY, BUT WITHOUT ANY LEAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE DEALER SUGGESTED DRIVING 1000 MILES AND THEN RETURN TO THE DEALER TO BE FURTHER INSPECTED. AFTER LEAVING THE DEALER, THE VEHICLE BEGAN SMOKING. THE DEALER STATED IT COULD BE DUE TO SPILLED OILED THAT OCCURED DURING THE OIL CHANGE. THE CONSUMER CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AND IT CAUGHT FIRE AND EXPLODED.

NHTSA ODI 11468187

I WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT AS I WAS DRIVING ON I65 AND MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND MY SEAT BELT DIDN'T LOCK UP

NHTSA ODI 11376266

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STARTED TO MAKE AN UNKNOWN NOISE, THE CONTACT COSTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND CHECK UNDERNEATH AND AROUND THE VEHICLE TO SEE WHERE THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM BUT DID NOT FIND ANYTHING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE STATED THAT SHE WAS ON A WAY TO TAKEN THE VEHICLE FOR AN OIL CHANGE. THE TECHNICIAN HEARD THE NOSE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT HE WAS WOULD NEED TO CHECK EVERYTHING BEFORE HE CAN COMPLETE AN OIL CHANGE. THE TECHNICIAN REMOVED THE PROTECTIVE SHIELD UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED OIL WAS ALL OVER AND METAL SHAVING WAS IN THE OIL AROUND THE OIL PRESSURE SENSOR. THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE CONTACT IT MAYBE WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT CALLED NAPLETON'S MID RIVERS KIA, 4955 VETERANS MEMORIAL PKWY, ST PETERS, MO 63376, AND INFORMED THEM OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED TO SCHEDULE AND APPOINTMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO AUFFENBERG HYUNDAI, 1300 CENTRAL PARK DR, O'FALLON, IL 62269, AND THE TECHNICIAN COULD NOT FIND A FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE MANUFACTURER WOULD SEND AND ENGINEER TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED YET. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT SHE WAS EXPERIENCING ELECTRIC SHACK FROM THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. AND THAT THE ACCELERATOR WAS LOSING PRESSURE AND THAT SMOKE WAS COMING THROUGH THE VENT OF THE CABIN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 27,573.

NHTSA ODI 11353033

CAUGHT FIRE WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA ODI 11350846

THE CV AXLE ASSEMBLIES SNAP LIKE THE 2016 MODELS DO KIA'S RECALL NUMBER SC139.

NHTSA ODI 11291095

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE CONTACT WAS NOTIFIED BY OTHER MOTORISTS THAT FLAMES WERE PRESENT UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SMOKE APPEARED UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT AND A PEDESTRIAN EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS WERE AT THE SCENE, BUT THE CONTACT WAS UNSURE IF REPORTS WERE FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO NORTHSTAR KIA (46-05 NORTHERN BLVD, LONG ISLAND CITY, NY 11101, (877) 244-0989) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS AN ENGINE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000.

NHTSA ODI 11287474

ON NOVEMBER 18, 2019 @ 6:38 PM IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA ON 59TH AVE HEADING WEST I WAS IN A VERY TERRIBLE CAR COLLISION WHERE I WAS AT A STAND STILL AT A RED LIGHT AND WAS REAR ENDED BY A TOYOTA TACOMA GOING 45-60 MPH, UPON IMPACT I WAS FORCED FORWARD AND HIT THE BACK OF A FLAT BED TOW TRUCK AND COMPLETELY DESTROYED THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT.

NHTSA ODI 11287036

WHILE I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE ON THE STREETS; ITS AN 2018 KIA OPTIMA.ON AUGUST 2,2019 MY CAR ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE.PEOPLE WALKING ON THE SIDEWALK AND OTHER DRIVERS STOP TO ALERT ME THAT THEY SAW FIRE FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR.THEN WHILE DRIVING I START TO NOTICE EXTREME SMOKE COMING FROM THE HOOD SO MUCH I COULDNT NO LONGER LOOK WHERE I WAS GOING.I PANICKED AND MIND WAS RACING Q HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN I GOT THIS CAR NEW LAST YEAR MAY 1,2018. WHEN I JUMPED OUT TO LOOK AT THE HOOD I SAW MY ENGINE ENGULFED WITH FLAMES.NEARBY DRIVER THREW ME A BOTTOLE OF WATER,LUCKILY I HAD JUST BOUGHT 24 CASE OF WATER, ANOTHER DRIVER PULLED OVER AND WAS HELPING ME POUR WATER TO REDUCE THE DAMAGE OF THE FIRE.NO ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON OR ANY OTHER WARNING LIGHTS BEFORE OR AFTER THE FIRE AND I HAD MY RECENTLY OIL CHANGE.

NHTSA ODI 11254060

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2018 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE DRIVER WAS TOLD TO PULL OVER BECAUSE THERE WAS SMOKE EMITTING FROM THEIR VEHICLE. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND WAS ABLE TO PUT OUT THE FIRE. THE FIRE WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO NORTHSTAR MITSUBISHI PARTS (41-05 34TH ASTORIA, NY 11101) AND AWAITING KIA INSPECTOR FOR A DIAGNOSES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000.

NHTSA ODI 11245776

TAKATA RECALL. I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE I WAS COMING OFF THE HIGHWAY, SLID ON WATER AND CRASHED INTO A STEEL POLE. THE BREAKS DID NOT WORK AT ALL AND WHEN I GOT OUT TO LOOK AT THE DAMAGE THE BREAK PADS WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET LIKE THEY HAD JUST FALL OFF. NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND MY FRIEND'S HEAD CRACKED THE WINDSHIELD. CAR WAS TOTALED.

NHTSA ODI 11153087

TL* THE CONTACTS DAUGHTER WAS A PASSENGER IN A 2018 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE FRONTAL DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER AND THE DRIVER WERE INJURED AND TREATED AT A HOSPITAL. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WERE UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI 11122109

SATURDAY, JANUARY 20, 18:55(APPROXIMATELY) AMHERST MASSACHUSETTS, 39 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT PARKED CAR, PULLED KEYS AND EXITED CAR TO HELP MY MOTHER EXIT. PARKED ON INCLINE, VEHICLE STARTED ROLLING BACK DOWN DRIVEWAY HAD KEYS IN POCKET AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION VEHICLE TRIED MOVING BACK TO DRIVER DOOR WHICH HAD LOCKED OR WAS STUCK USED ALL STRENGTH TO TRY TO KEEP VEHICLE STATIONARY, WITHOUT MUCH H SUCCESS FINALLY, MOTHER WAS ABLE TO OPEN DRIVER DOOR FROM INSIDE I AM 53, WITH MILLIONS OF MYLES UNDER MY BELT....MOTHER IS 73 BOTH OF US STRAINED OURSELVES, KEEPING VEHICLE FROM MOVING. VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON PRIVATE, SLIGHTLY DESCENDING DRIVEWAY VEHICLE RENTED FROM ADVANTAGE RENT A CAR CALLED RENTAL COMPANY AND WAS NOT HELPED WE ARE STILL VERY SHAKEN FROM THE EXPERIENCE WILL NOT DRIVE VEHICLE AGAIN NO VIDEO FOOTAGE, JUST MY MOTHER AND I EXPERIENCED MALFUNCTION

NHTSA ODI 11063913