Kia Optima Reviews

I recently purchased a 2013 Kia Optima. I am constantly having drivers approaching me from the opposite direction flash their bright lights at me to dim my lights. I took the car to the dealer where I purchased it and was told that there is no adjustment for the headlights. This is a safety issue not only for me but for the other approaching drivers.

I purchased a used 2010 Kia Optima in November 2010 with only 13,000 miles. As the warranty for the second owner drops to 60,000 miles, I purchased the extended warranty. In December of 2012, while my husband was driving, the engine blew. I brought the Kia to the local Kia dealer as it only had 54,000 miles. Unfortunately, it was still under the Kia warranty. I was told in order to honor the warranty, I needed to provide all my service and oil change records, which I gave them. Even though I had bank statements to verify the service records, I was told they would not honor them because we used a small mechanic that didn't have computerized receipts and he knew of no mechanic that didn't have computerized receipts.

In 2006, I bought a used 2004 Kia Spectra GSX. I still own that car and have had little mechanical problems. So because of the satisfaction of the 1st Kia, I bought a brand new 2008 Kia Optima from the Kia Store East Louisville, KY. This car has been one problem after the next. The two biggest problems that I have had are the rotors and tires. Six months after purchase, I had a problem with the rotors and had to fork out $300+ for rotors that they (Kia Store East) said were not covered by warranty. The rotors had to be replaced/rotated/"fixed" the second time for another $300+. When asked why they are going bad so quickly and how to prevent them from doing so, I was told "Try not to get them wet."

Top this one. I purchased a 2013 Kia Optima last month. Part of the incentives was a competitive bonus - you show your registration for a car you currently own, they take $2000 off the purchase price of the car. Simple, right? Well, the registration was in my name, prior to marriage. I gave the dealership, Motion Kia, in Hackettstown, NJ my old driver's license along with my new one (the old one was invalidated by the DOT). A week later, I am getting harassing phone calls stating my bonus will not be realized unless I present a copy of my marriage certificate, for their files. I argued that one, the DOT is quite stringent in showing the necessary documents in order to change a driver's license name.

I have a 2005 Kia Optima that I have had since like 2006. My mother gave me this car about 2 years ago. When she had the car, she had to get about $700 worth of work done to it. Since I have had the car, I have replaced the camshaft position sensor 2x. The valve gasket cover has been replaced. Just a few weeks ago, it started to stall. When I start it, it won't stay on now. My dad is a mechanic and has replaced, just in the past week, the camshaft position sensor and ignition coil. That did not solve the problem. He had it towed to the shop and they replaced the crankshaft position sensor, the starter, and the valve gasket cover. The car still will not start. Based on all the tests they have ran and all the parts they have replaced, it should be working. They even called Kia who could not give a logical reason for the mishap. They are stumped and don't know where to go from here. All I know is, I would not recommend buying a 2005 Kia Optima. I have spent more money on this car than I can afford to. It's just pitiful. My 1989 Honda Civic that I had in 2007 worked better and was more reliable than this piece of crap car!

In 2004, my wife purchased a new Kia Optima from Big Red Sports and Imports in Norman, Oklahoma, with an extended warranty. At 100k miles, the oil pump stopped functioning, and the engine ceased. The engine was replaced at Big Red Sports and Imports in Norman, under the Kia 10 years 100k miles warranty. Fifteen thousand miles later, the "balance rod" has broken and knocked a hole in the side of the engine. Kia states that the 10-year, 100k warranty was void when the engine was replaced at Big Red. Big Red states the warranty for that work was only valid for one year. So long story short, Kia approved Big Red to perform warranty work on our vehicle, but by doing so, I voided my warranty.

In May 2012, I took my 2006 Optima in to find out why the A/C had stopped working. It took Southwest KIA "Mesquite Texas" six days to find a problem and repair it. Less than seven days later, the A/C went out again and I was told that I would need to pay an additional large amount of money for more repair work. I had just paid $273 a week before to have the A/C repaired. After speaking with the Service Manager, I was still given the same answer as the service technician told me (I needed to pay an additional $580 that I did not have). Why should I have to pay more money for a problem that they should have found during the initial checking process? I was told that their Electrical Specialist was checking every part under the hood and in the dash. If that is the case, then, why weren't all problems located and repaired at the same time? To date, my A/C is still not working and the CD player stopped working the same week as well. As a first time owner, I am very dissatisfied!

2009 Kia Optima - My 9-year old granddaughter was in the car on the passenger side to get some papers out of it. She pulled on the gearshift, which went into gear and caused the car to roll down the driveway, across the road and into a drainage ditch. She was not injured but the car was damaged as it hit the drainage ditch. The policeman and the towing company both verified that the gearshift is free-moving. A call to a local KIA dealer got me the answer that I had not put it into park properly and the key was in, so yes it would go into gear. It had been parked properly and my granddaughter had no key. She did not touch the steering wheel.

I contacted KIA's consumer's line twice regarding a safety issue with our 2004 KIA Optima. The driver's side door will not open with the key or when you are inside the car with the doors unlocked. KIA said the car is out of warranty due to the mileage. They were rude and not helpful at all. The rep told me that I have to pay for it myself. This is a safety issue. I only had the car for less than two years. We kept up on all the maintenance. I feel ripped off as this car has been giving me problems from day one. During the first 30 days, I had to take the car to get serviced every week - replacing the battery, the alarm system, plus the normal services. To be trapped in the driver seat of my car is beyond crazy. This is a big safety problem! KIA needs to step up, take responsibility and rectify this issue. I want to be done with this car and KIA.

I contacted KIA via their website regarding a safety issue with our 2004 KIA Optima. The driver's side door will not unlock with the key or when you are inside the car. KIA called us back and said the car is out of warranty due to the mileage. This person was not helpful at all. This is a safety issue, and the car is only 8 years old. We kept up on all the maintenance with KIA and paid money out of our pockets to do what was recommended by KIA.

I bought a Kia Optima and shortly after, I was offered a government position with the US Army in Korea for a 3-year tour. I contacted Kia Leasing and found out I couldn't take the car overseas. I, therefore, traded in the lease and bought another Kia. Conclusion: The second Kia was financed with a bank who said I couldn't take the car overseas. I, therefore, got back into the lease. Now, if I was active duty, I could get out of the lease, but being a civilian government employee, that same option isn't granted through Kia Financial. I feel this is plain discrimination. I'm an Army vet with 4 honorable discharges, a disabled vet, and after the loss of my previous position with the Army that was due to BRAC in 2011, and, finally, I get a good job with the Army that takes me overseas. To have this burden over me is an absolute shame on Kia. If I turn in the car, it will be like a repossession and I'll be stuck with thousands of dollars to pay back. If the car is paid off by the dealership, I'll be stuck with the difference of thousands of dollars. This is a no win situation unless someone buys the car at the pay-off rate, which is very difficult these days.

I was exiting on an off ramp and going 30 mph when I ran over a rock approximately 4" in diameter left by a construction vehicle. The tire did not fail. However, the wheel catastrophically failed at the center of the wheel at a casting parting line. I immediately lost control of the car. This is a 2012 Kia Optima SX that is 2 months old with 18" wheels from the factory. This is an obvious casting defect and makes me concerned that if I were to hit a pot hole on the thruway, the potential for loss of control leading to loss of life is great! Kia is not being responsive and very rude to us as we ask them to review this. Please help!

2011 Kia Optima - My steering wheel started to peel last year and the dealer replaced it. A month ago, the new one started to peel also. I brought it back to the Kia dealer in Waldorf, MD where I purchased the vehicle and take it for all service appointments, and was told that it will just do the same thing. I want to have it replaced again. Has the material used for the steering wheels been upgraded? As long as it’s peeling, I want to have it replaced.

I have a 2011 Kia Optima that I purchased in October 2011 and I took it to be serviced at Midas in Seaside, CA yesterday, Sunday, June 3, 2012. I normally take it to Kia Stevens Creek but I didn't have time this time because it’s so far away. After Midas completed routine maintenance (oil change, tire rotation and balance), they did their 101 point inspection and noticed seepage around the mounting of the pan, and suggested that I take it to Kia to have a seal replaced since it’s still under warranty.

I purchased my Kia Optima in October 2011. The loan for the car has since been paid off and I currently have the title. I had no idea that I would have unresolved issues with a brand new car. I have had issues with a ticking sound and a jammed rear seat belt. The seat belt got stuck and I had to cut it in order to get my 2-year-old nephew out of it. Kia did replace the seat belt.

This is an extremely bad experience. You people took my license copy, gave me trial for the vehicle liked by my son, took my final offer, took sign on the same, took my credit card and then tell me the vehicle is already sold at almost the same price that I offered! Anyone in my place will have the right to feel cheated by KIA, and I have all the more, as this was my 1st vehicle purchase in Canada. It was going to be a first vehicle for my son. It was the only vehicle seen by him and he had liked and the sum of offer I made was just by chance meeting with his birthdate (coming soon). I thought and expressed to you that by chance this is a special number that I had offered as final number.

I was watching Iron Chef with my little girl, and all was fine until your Optima commercial aired. Do you really still need to degrade women and show scantily dressed women to sell your cars? I am disgusted at your lack of consideration toward educated women and mothers who do want their little girls flashed with sex symbols who stroke some guy's ego due to a choice in cars. I was actually considering a Kia next but not anymore, not until you represent a respectful company and product in your commercials. Thank you in advance for making a better choice to reach customers.

I have a new 2012 Kia Optima SX turbo with 3k miles and three months old. All of the seats are coming apart at the seams. Kia warranty is telling me that it is wear and tear and refusing to take care of the problem. The warranty is terrible and only looks to refuse all claims. I have gone to two dealers and as far as the regional manager and they are refusing to fix it. Don't believe the warranty claims. 10 year 100k miles is just a lie to get you to buy the car. What a shame when they looked like a company that was building quality products finally gets away from their poor reputation.

I've been trying to get replacement parts for a 2012 Kia Optima. Their distribution center sent 3 shipments and all 3 were damaged. I was told that Kia ships parts in plastic bags (stupid) and they are not packaged in corrugated boxes. Of course, when I called their customer service hotline I got someone from another country. Their logistics needs an overhaul.

401 Dixie Kia is the dealership I dealt with and I'm not sure the name really matters given all the negative Kia comments here. Initially, Kia wasn't viewed as a player in a competitive industry, only a car for the economically challenged. Somehow, JD Power started to actually give some of the Kia models an award, or two, and sales improved—even landing a former Audi designer Peter Schreyer and the current designs reflect it. The Sportage SX reflects a bit of the Q5 exterior, and has some German tuned handling. The Optima premium hybrid has A6 lines and the panoramic roof on both is stunning.

My 2011 Kia Optima Hybrid came with an outdated navigational database, not listing the selling dealer or the street it was on. The streets that were renamed over 7 years ago are still listed under old names. I cannot rely on the built-in navigation system. I reported this to Kia corporate but they were not much help. They referred me to the subcontractor Mapinsoft for a costly database upgrade. I ordered and received a memory stick that was supposed to contain the update. The update process was unsuccessful and it involved Kia, Mapinsoft, and radio/nav system hardware manufacturing. Everyone is pointing fingers toward each other.

I purchased a brand new 2006-1/2 Kia Optima, in 2006. Since then, I had to have a new ignition switch put in, because the key was sticking all the time. Then, I have been putting brakes and radars on, about every 6 months. I would not recommend a Kia, of any kind, to anyone. Has there been any recalls on brakes for the Kia Optima?

My sister purchased a 2004 Kia Optima new in 2004. Early this month, after picking up my niece from school, she completely lost control of the car, barely missing a telephone pole, and numerous other vehicles, people, and objects. After this traumatic experience, she had the car towed to her mechanic, who mentioned that this car "had to be recalled", as the axle had snapped, and that the sub-frame was completely corroded.

I bought a new 2007 Kia Optima. I had the car for one month and the brake light went. Kia charged me $40 to replace it. The only reason I bought a Kia was for their warranty. The dealer told me that everything was under warranty. I asked him what that includes and he said everything, including windshield wipers. Every time I have a problem with this car, they want to charge me $90 to check it out. My airbag light is on and I feel that it is a safety issue. Kia wants me to pay $90 to look at it. The car shakes when I do 60mph. I only have 42,000 miles on the car. I do not recommend Kia to anyone. They do not stand by their warranty.

I purchased my 2006 Kia Optima LX nearly two years ago from a used car dealer, with 50,400 miles on it. It was actually pretty reliable until the engine mysteriously failed on October 8, 2011, at 75,684 miles, while I was out of state. I was returning to Connecticut with some of my family when it developed a loud clatter. Soon, the oil warning light came on, along with the "check engine" light. And there was a loud "bang" from the hood, with accompanying debris and a smell of burning oil. When my mechanic looked at the car, he confirmed that there was a hole in the side of the engine.

Our car is 4 years old. It is Kia Optima and has 76,000 miles and a dead engine. The engine was blown. We took it to the dealership, months before as the engine was ticking. They did an oil change and sent us on our way. We returned the car again a month later. Then Kia Service kept our vehicle for more than two weeks, and in the end, they did not even look at the car, let alone help us with the issue of the ticking sound. They will not stand by the warranty so we are stuck with a car that has a blown engine for which we are still making payments on.

We purchased a new 2008 Kia Optima from the dealership. Three years later and 75,000 miles later, the engine began to rattle. I took it into the dealership and found out that the engine block was bad. The corporate district manager fought it tooth and nail. The service staff at the dealership rallied for me so it would be covered under warranty. They finally paid for the engine block but I was stuck with a $700 rental car bill. What car engine gives out at 75,000 miles? I will never buy a Kia again. Stick with a Honda, Toyota, GMC or Chevy! Kia's are horrible cars! Kia is a horrible company!

I was driving down the road going about 40mph and a child ran out in front of me. I swerved to miss him and hit a light pole on the right front-end of my 2010 Kia Optima. The pole broke in half. The airbags did not deploy and my seatbelt did not lock when breaks where hit. The airbag sensor and seat belt had to be replaced along with a list of other things. $9,000 plus worth of damage.

Grand West KIA's TV commercial states that they appreciate their customers but they surely do not value them or their safety. Back in 2006, I bought a 2005 KIA Optima. I was the first owner of this car and this was my second KIA. I was excited to purchase a car where I felt that my family would be safe. After all, that's their pride right? Buy an affordable car that is just as safe as any others.

On 2/8/11, the subframe of my 2001 Kia Optima broke. After investigating, I found out there was a recall for subframe issues. I had it towed to Extreme Kia in Bloomington, Illinois where it was confirmed that it was the subframe and was covered under the recall. On 2/17/11, I picked up my car and upon driving it, the front end was shaking extremely bad. I took the car back and they said I needed a tie rod. I drove the car home, 35 mi, shaking like that and had the tie rod replaced. The car still shook like crazy, I had the 1/2 shaft replaced; Problem fixed. All repairs due to the recall.

Starting May 10 2010, I had to take my 2008 Kia Optima into the dealership for a constant check engine light issue, as well as car stalling and/or not starting at times. The code that was always pulled from day one had to do with timing. At this time, I was in Maryland. They told me it was because I didn't have a Kia authorized oil filter. I changed the oil at my expense. I paid for a rental car, at my expense, for them to fix this issue. They didn't fix it. They replaced the CVT assembly as recommended by the Kia tech hotline. It was fine for about 2 weeks; then same thing started happening again. I took it to the local dealership numerous times. I was told it was a dead battery so, I replaced the battery.

I have been trying to get a faulty transmission fixed for over a year on my 2009 KIA Optima. The car is jumping when it shifts up or down at 20mph all but putting us through windshield every time. And all they want to do is keep reprogramming the transmission computer. In the meantime, damage is being done to both car and passengers with bad neck pain from the snap upon shifting. All we have asked is for them to fix it properly so it does not happen again. And after 12 months and 6 to 8 test drives with two reprograms, the car is still not fixed. All the dealer can say is his hands are tied until KIA instructs them on repair. Everything adds up to a lot of lost time at work and income since they don't do loaners.

I purchased a KIA Optima 2003 and while it was still under warranty, the engine blew. It was taken to KIA of Greer who confirmed this. It sat on the lot for months with no results. We were told to come and pick it up. We towed it home and she sits in the yard since 2005. Their warranty meant nothing. This was a brand new vehicle, right off the lot. We made many calls to no avail. It is the consumer who pays the price for products that are defective. It was a living nightmare.

In 2005, I purchased a New Kia Optima with 12000 miles from Action Motors in Danbury, CT. On 12/05, my remote which controlled my keylock entry and alarm system stopped working. Kia service said that the unit de-programed itself and that they had to reprogram it. Good, until 1/06 when remote system stopped working again and Kia service stated that the remote keeps losing programing. Now, this went on back and forth with the Kia service center from 9/06, 10/07, 2/08, 4/08, 5/08, 6/08 and 8/08. They replaced the module twice and the key entry remote, but it still kept stop working.

I purchased a 2002 Kia Optima in 2004. It ran fine for 3 years, then in 2007 it just died while driving. I had it worked on by a local mechanic who said the timing had gone bad and paid over $500 to have it fixed. It ran for a few weeks then once again died while driving. I called the mechanic, there's no warranty on parts or service. So we took it to another mechanic that was recommended by a friend. They also worked on the timing as well as replaced some sensors. It ran again for a few weeks and then died again after another $500+ in repairs.

I purchased my Kia Optima from Bramlett Kia in August 2009. This is July 2010, and my Optmia has been in the shop 5 times for the transmission shifts which is very hard when it shifts from first. They reset the adaptive per Kia's instructions. Well, 5 times later, we are back to square one. All I want for Kia to do is buy the car back.

I am contacting anyone that will listen regarding the issues I have had with my 2006 Kia Optima because I am beyond frustrated with the amount of money I have had to spend to continue driving a vehicle that I purchased brand new less than 4 years ago. To date, I have spent $5000 in repairs that include replacing the entire engine, and most recently both passenger side windows. My most recent issue is this: the rear passenger window shattered while I was driving down the freeway several weeks ago. I would have left the issue alone because I have no proof that it is a flaw in the vehicle (although there is no other explanation, as no BB, pellet, or rock was found that could've explained the shattering), but it happened again to the passenger front window only weeks later.

My Kia Optima had gone into this dealership for multiple repairs in April. Since I brought the car back, I had nothing but problems. The antenna was snapped off. The car shook at speeds over 55 mph. My car now does not want to brake when I want it to brake, and when I put it in park, the car accelerates like the gas is being pressed. Sometimes when I hit the brake, it stops, but on other times it doesn't. Also, when I start it, most days, it will idle high, until I hit the gas to get it back down below 2000 RPM. Ridiculous. I will never go back to that dealer. Once I am rid of this Kia, I will never buy another one.

I bought a 2004 Kia Optima. At 59K miles, the transmission went on the car. The dealership voided my warranty and made me get a timing belt in order for them to put in a transmission. Now, the car transmission went again and I called Kia and they said that the car isn't under warranty so they are not helping me with a transmission. As far as I am concerned, the car I was sold is a lemon and I have had no car, have a transmission go twice in 108K miles.

I just wanted to share good news from my battle with Kia. I just received a check back from them for a problem that I had experienced with a 2001 Kia Optima LX. I experienced the same problem as Phillip in TX (March 18, 2010) in which the subframe of the car rotted out from being in a northern state that had been exposed to road salt. I never received notification for the June 2009 recall since the car was registered in a state that was not part of intial 21 states that were affected but was originally purchased in one of the 21 states. I have the names, email and tel # of the persons I had dealt with. I paid my own mechanic to make the repairs and submitted the paperwork to Kia for reimbursement. I received a check within four weeks from the onset (January 24, 2010). If you'd like to share my email with Phillip and have him contact me, I'd be happy to share this info with him.

I bought a 2004 Kia Optima, thought it was a great car, for a very short period of time. The thing was broke down more than it was on the road, every time I tried to use the great "warranty", nothing was covered, it was belts, exhausts and alternator. I would be driving along and it would just stop running several times, a few thousand dollars later it died. It is now sitting in my driveway which has been for a year. I didn't want to get rid of it. Tt was almost paid off, but couldn't afford to get it fixed. It was cheaper to buy another car.

Where do I begin? I have been buying Kias since 2001. Mostly Rios. My latest is an '09 Optima. Gas odors plague me lately. The dealer naturally can't find the source. Reading your complaint column leads me to believe I may have induced this problem myself. I am a religious top 'er off kind of dude. Other problems I encountered have been a high speed stall in a '06 Rio. No idiot light record led to no resolution at the dealer. Computers don't have brains, and neither do most mechanics. Can't blame them. We all have problems.

I have a 2001 Kia Optima lx v6 4door sedan. The front sub-frame has completely rusted through, causing the vehicle to be unsafe to drive and a total loss if not covered by the recall which Kia Motors issued. They are trying to get out of covering repair by claiming that this problem is only valid for vehicles in northern states because of the application of road salt. However, my car was originally sold out of Massachusetts, and can reasonably be considered to have spent its first years in northern road salt states.

We bought a 2004 pre-owned Kia Optima in 2006, for our university bound son. We bought the bumper to bumper extended warranty. We had the car in for oil change, and service on February 26, 2010, and was told it needed new drive belts. Since they are not covered under the warranty, we chose to have it done at our personal mechanic's shop. We scheduled an appointment for March 12, 2010. On March 4, 2010, my son was driving through the parking lot of his university, and lost steering. He could turn the wheel, but it did not control the direction of the tires. I had it towed to Kia, and was told that two bolts had fallen out of the steering column. They say it is not a manufacturing error, but a maintenance issue, so it is not covered under the warranty.

My daughter drives a 2003 Kia optima. She has had problems with her front driver side door and front passenger door, front driver side she can't get in or out of. The only way in through the front passenger is if she keeps that door unlocked. If she locks it, she has to climb in through the back rear door. Those two are the only ones that work. I have read online a lot of complaints about this. I called a dealership and he stated that because she did not have a warranty anymore that she would have to pay. This sound like a defect and should be fixed by Kia! I hate to think about my daughter being trapped in her car and has no way out! Look online about all the other blogs about this problem.

I bought a 2004 KIA Optima back in 2004. The first 2 months of having this vehicle, we were already in the shop having problems with the vehicle. They assured us that everything would be okay because we had 100,000 mile warranty on the car. At this time, I was residing in Hampton, VA. There were several different problems with the vehicle. Each time, we took the vehicle back to the dealership they would address the problem and send us on our way. Needless to say, these problems have consistently escalated down through the years. I still owe $3800 on this vehicle. I am sort of a backyard mechanic and have been doing my own oil changes for years.

I purchased a 2009 Kia Optima last May. After 38K miles, the transmission went. I took the car in for the first time about the down shift complaint on December 29, 2009 and took the car back on February 1, 2010. The dealer took three days to diagnose problem due to computer code problems with Kia, and Kia Motors took eight days to agree to put a new transmission in the car.

My complaint is with the vehicle itself. My car, 2002 Kia Optima 4 cylinder with only 52,681 miles on it, needed two new coils, 2 arcing boots, wires and plugs at a cost of $502.84. Any car with that few miles on it, no matter what the year, should not have needed those parts. So I am very disappointed with the quality of my Kia. I have kept the oil changed and did everything I am supposed to do, but not always at the Kia dealer. Also, the radio quit working properly after three years. The result is $502.84. I’m a widow and don't have that kind of money.

I bought a new 2003 Kia Optima in 2003. I am disabled and only drive it a couple of times a week within a 12 mile radius. As of December 2009, the Kia only had 36,000 miles on it. I have had a couple of annoying problems but nothing significant. The passenger door will not open without a key in it to turn the lock. The steering wheel is kind of loose and makes noises sometimes. I bought the car when I lived in SC and then moved to MD where there was no Kia dealer to have it repaired. I did not know there were any recalls. When one recently opened in our area, I called to see if there were any. I found out that there were two. So I took the car in and had the recalls done. When I got in the car and drove it back home, the clutch felt very funny and it kept stalling. I asked the dealership if they did anything to the clutch and they swore they didn't touch it.

I own a 2005 Kia Optima and the car seems to break at least once a year. I keep taking the car in to get fixed at Ewalds Chevrolet in Oconomowoc, WI. Every year since we bought the car (4years ago), it seems that there were transmission problems from the start and these problems keep occurring intermittently over the past 4 years. Now the car’s speedometer cluster went out on the Kia and I have to pay $900+ to get it fixed. Plus, the part has already been sent to a Kia dealer in New York and then they realized that they no longer deal with that type of problem. Now the part for the Kia is being shipped back to Wisconsin only to now have to be shipped out to California to see if they can fix it. I'm sick and tired of this car breaking down and costing me thousands of dollars that I can't afford. I think that Kia needs to pay for this bill due to the fact that it breaks down every year and I have to keep paying for car rentals when this could all be avoided. Please contact Curt in the service department or the General Manager ** to discuss these problems. The # is 1-262-567-5555.

We bought a 2004 Kia Optima in June 2008. When we test drove the car, we told the salesman and the service department that we thought something was wrong with the clutch. They claimed we just needed to get used to it, because every car is different. We had several cars with clutches and this one seemed loose, but they denied anything was wrong with it. We trusted them. Two months later, we took it to the dealer and told them again about the clutch and that it was occasionally stalling. They said the battery was going bad. I complained, because I was told we had bumper to bumper warranty coverage and anything that was wrong with the car would be covered when I bought it.

I am currently leasing a used 2004 Kia Optima from my local Kia dealership since November of 2007. Since I bought the car, I have put in more money in repairs than the car's worth. First of all, the rear tires were bald when I got it, which they said were fine and worked good in the snow. Being a young inexperienced blonde, they got me I guess. Within the first month, the headlights blew out which I learned would be the first of many times I would replace the headlights. When I changed them, I realized they were missing a tiny pin to hold the bulb in place which I was told by the dealership I cannot purchase without buying the while headlight assembly. I had a guy friend craft one out of a safety pin, which is holding up for now after 3 light bulb replacements.

I took my 2004 Kia Optima to be inspected. It would not pass because the "flex" on the converter assembly is leaking. OK, now the converter itself is covered for 8 years or 80,000 miles. The flex is not, but the flex converter and pipe is all one piece. I cannot replace just the "flex" but since the converter is not the part that is leaking, I have to pay. The cost of this repair is over $1,000.00. That seems like a pretty shady business to me. I don't know how that is legal or ethical.

I bought a '07 Kia Optima with 19,000 miles. At 30,000 a sensor went bad, leaving me stranded for 4 days. The dealership jacked me around until I finally got the car back, saying they had to replace the entire gas pedal. Needless to say, I also was not allowed a rental. Now, 2 days and 100 miles later, the car just doesn’t seem to be running right. Never, ever, ever buy a Kia is all I have to say. And yes, this is my first new car. What a bad taste this has left in my mouth…

In February 2008, I purchased a 2003 Kia Optima 4-door Sedan from a Dodge dealership. I was unaware of any timing belt issues at purchase. In July 2008, the timing belt broke while my family was on vacation passing through Iowa. At the Lake Manawa Dealership I was told the engine would have to be replaced. Meanwhile, I rented a vehicle and finished the vacation. The extended warranty I had purchased through Chrysler Corp. covered the repairs, but because we needed to get home right away, we traded the vehicle for a 2006 Kia Spectra 5 with 44,500 miles at Lake Manawa Kia on July 31, 2008. Even though the car was still under the 60,000-mile warranty, we purchased the aftermarket extended warranty made available through the dealership.

I have a 2003 Kia Optima SE V6 2.7L. Every once in a while, the car used to sputter and runs very shaky and hesitates when pulling off from a stop. Also when it would go finally, it would kick every time it shifted. Then today, the car stalled out when I was driving about 65. I hit the gas to speed up right before it stalled and it acted like I hadn't touched the gas. Then I floored it and it just shut off. I got towed home (luckily, I was right down the street) and took off the timing cover, the timing belt was fine and the cover says it was replaced at 74,000 miles. The car now has 118,000 miles and the warranty ran out 3,000 miles ago. Anyway, I pulled out a spark plug wire to check to see if it has fire and it started up. With no serpentine belt of timing cover installed, I assembled everything and tried to start it. Nothing. I'm afraid there is no solution after reading this page of dissatisfaction. If anybody has figured out the stalling, shaking and hesitating problem, please email.

I bought this car new in 2003, a Kia 2003 optima V-6. I have had many problems out of the electric door locks. It will lock you in and out of the car! I was locked out of my car for 30 minutes while my daughter was still in the car and she couldn't get out. My wife said she doesn't feel safe in this car. She said what if I needed to escape danger and I couldn't get into the car or what if it caught fire and I couldn't get out? Plus, the car goes through headlights every four months! The transmission downshifts for no reason when driving real hard. Kia refused to fix it while it was under warranty. They wanted to pay $350 to change the filter when it has done this the first month of owning it. The car will also stall when driving for no reason. Basically, this car has been nothing but a Korean lemon!

I bought a 2007 Optima in Aug. 2007. Just last month, the key wouldn't turn in the ignition. We called Kia Roadside, and the car was towed to the dealership. The guy at the service department said that there was probably some water on the key when we put it in the ignition; it left water in there and it froze. He put some antifreeze in there, and it never cost us a dime! We are very happy with Kia Roadside service, and the dealership that did the repairs!

I bought a 2002 Kia Optima in January '04. I was told this car was certified etc., but within one month, I had to take it to fix the alternator. Consistently after that, the car was having major mechanical breakdowns. When I bought the car, it had 19,00 miles on it--not very many. I read some information on the Kia when my timing belt went, and found out that every tear the mileage to replace the belts went down. After we repaired it the third time in 4 months, we noticed that after the 60,00 mile service that Kia did themselves, they did not replace bolts and put the wrong size spark plugs in my car. Just recently, approximately 4 days ago, my car threw a rod up in the motor at 120,000 miles--and yes, it had plenty of oil and other fluids.

I bought a Kia optima from Kia on July 30, I returned it back to them on august 4, and complained about a burning smell coming from the engine. The service people took about 1 hour to examine the car, the finally report said that they could not find anything wrong. I returned the car on December 1 or 2, the service man Danny called me back and informed me that the clutch was burned out in the car and I was responsible for paying $3000, because the clutch was not cover under the warranty.

I purchased my vehicle from Dick Edwards KIA in Junction City, KS in March of 2006. It was a KIA Optima with 13K on it at time of purchase. Being the second owner, it came with factory warranty. At about 48K miles (a month ago), the transmission would down-shift when i let off the gas, causing the rpm's to rise to 4K. Also, at stop lights the car would stall. I brought the vehicle into the kia dealership twice before they diagnosed the problem (causing me to use their rental car and pay for it because they couldn't diagnose the problem). The third time i waited while they looked at the vehicle, because i couldn't afford to spend another $40 a day in rental fees. After the vehicle being in the shop no more than 10 minutes, they told me i needed a new transmission.

I've been having trouble with my car making noises etc. Had my mechanic look at my car and to his surprise on my 2001 Kia Optima, my whole A-Frame was all rusted out which basically meant this was to hold my engine in place and could fall out at any time. My vehicle is only 7 years old and should not be rusting that quick and now the company is telling me that there's nothing they can do. I have had several people tell me that they have seen this happen on these vehicles. Which comes down to the 2001 kia optima's being a piece of junk and worthless never mind dangerous. I'm a grandmother who drives her grandchildren everywhere, so basically there in a death car. I want them to take responsibility for this.

Bought a 2004 KIA Spectra new and within a couple months the Check engine light came on. Brought it back to the dealership who said that it was an O2 sensor which they replaced. At least a dozen times since having to go back and forth to the dealership for the same recurring O2 sensor issue and dealing with the regional KIA offices I've given up. The check engine light still periodically comes on but goes out on its own. Now I have a scraping noise when making low speed sharp turns. I plan to deal with that problem myself and never go back to that dealership or ever by any KIA product again. My ex-wife had a 2002 KIA Optima that started making a squeeling noise. The same dealership said they couldn't find anything wrong. Within a week after that diagnosis the timing belt went and ruined the engine. The car had 80,000 miles on it. Neither the dealership nor the company would repair the vehicle and only offered her $500 in trade. I won't mention what she said to them. She now has a Toyota Camry.

On 9/14/07,I bought a 2,007 KIA Optima LX, charged at $21,288.00. This includes a $1,9000 maintenance service agreement. My oil changes are paid for and some of my other maintenance services are paid for. Yet, I am receiving only a small discount on these maintenance services. I went to my SCState Credit Union in Florence,SC to try to refinance this car at a lower payment and interest rate, but the rep printed out a NADA sheet that showed the retail value as of 5/14/08 is only $13,400.00 or less. She said the bank won't refinance a car that I owe $20,445.00 on, which is far more than it's worth. Anderson Brothers Bank of Aynor,S.C, KIA Finacial, nor the Florence KIA Dealership will refinance this vehicle ! I'm stuck with this interest rate and payment, which poses a hardship on me.

I drove my 2007 Kia with appx.50 miles off the showroom floor on February 18th 2008 and on February 20th my car would not crank. Brian Tiller came to retrieve my car himself with top-notch customer service. He left me with a loaner car (Optima) and returned my car on the 25th of February. We offered to wash the loaner car but Brian Tiller refused to let us. Once again top notch customer service. I live in Jones County which is a farming county so all the roads are dirt therefore the car was indeed dirty underneath. The following week, my car would not crank once again, the following week after that which is now on the 4th of March would not crank, so my husband called Brian Tiller and he told his representative that the one stipulation of coming to get the car was for the loaner they left me to be clean when they picked it up, they now refuse to bring me a loaner per Wayne Gordy, but we could come get one ourselves from the dealership if we liked. It is unacceptable for my brand new car not to run, but it is even more unacceptable for them to be angry with me for complaining about it. If I could talk to the factory I would, I want a new car that actually runs. This is the worst customer service I have ever received in my life. Someone needs to get back with me immediately.

Bought a 2002 Kia Optima SE V6 2.7L new back in 2002. Had been in for transmission sensor recalls a couple times. Had asked about the brakes which 'pulse' when applied lightly or heavily, and applied at highway speeds nearly shake the front end apart. I fear for my life. Have been told ABS are like that, have had brake jobs, alignments, and major front end work like struts and stuff, but the problem not only persists, it's gotten worse. It feels like a deathtrap, but not to worry, now it won't run at all. Have to take off the intake manifold to change plugs and wires (what a brilliant design).

I purchased a nw Kia Optima December 7 2001 from Kia on Boston Road in thee Bronx. I called for an appoitment in October. I informed them that my power steering pump needed to be replace, the chck engine light is on, air bag light is on, the transmission jerks and the locs lock automatically. I infomred them that my inspection expires in November. I was told by mechanics that these problems would fail inspection. They gave me an appointment for Dec. 30. My car was inspected Nov 30 and failed due o emissions/check engine light on. I had to take it to the dealer.

I purchased a 2006 KIA Optima 2 months ago and it has a stalling problem. Before I purchased the vehicle the dealership had problems with the car and had to replace the fuel pump. Since I have owned the vehicle it has stalled several times on me while driving and slowing down in emergency stops. One time I almost hit a billboard. Since the dealer could not verify the problem on there 4 mile test drives they said there is nothing they can do for me. The factory rep. did not offer any help. When I told him I had a 17 year old daughter that drives the car he replied. I guess she should drive some other car and that was it. I should also say that I work at the dealership that looked at the car. I do not feel safe driving the car or to let my daughter drive it. The car has 1500 miles and they blew me off like no big deal. I have been in the car buisness for almost 20 years and never seen such a disregard for a customers safety.

I purchased my 2001 Kia Optima SE in December 0f 2000. The car was presented as a 170 HP 4 cylinder engine, midsize sedan. First of all the company lied about the horse power. Settling a Class Action lawsuit admitting the car was really only 140 HP and blaming it on the engine maker...But since purchasing the car it has been in the repair shop more than 150 days and counting again today.

I brought my 2003 Kia Optima in for service on 9/1/05 at Auburn Valley Kia in Auburn, WA after the "Air Bag" light came on and stayed on. The receptionist, without hearing anything more than the air bag light was on, said that it's an easy fix of a loose wire. She was correct, but a fix that "takes just a minute" cost $92 to diagnose. This struck me as odd since the receptionist diagnosed it from her chair behind a desk without even knowing what kind of Kia I owned. She originally claimed that the problem comes in a lot, but when asked why Kia doesn't do anything about it if it's so common and simple that a receptionist could fix it, she realized she said too much and referred me to the Service Manager.

It was a wonderful day, buying my KIA Optima! Beautiful wood grain interior, Sport shift, Leather, Sunroof, all automatic... That was until the transmission began slipping just a week later. Took the car into the dealer. They said they couldn't reproduce the problem. Over the next few thousand miles, there was a sound from under the hood scraping, The gas door wouldn't stay closed, the windshield wiper fluid dispenser would not dispense, the shifting problem got worse and the windows were slow going down and up.

Purchased new 2001 Kia Optima in Jan 2001. Unacceptable wind noise from beinging. After 6-7 attempts to correct over a 14-mo. period, Kia replaced with new vehicle but new car had same problem. New vehicle has been repaired twice and Kia now says if I am unhappy, go to BBB for resolution.