2014 Kia OPTIMA problems and owner complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 50 MPH WHEN THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN FOR INSPECTION OR DIAGNOSIS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100.

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10561751 at NHTSA ↗

VEHICLE WANDERS FROM SIDE TO SIDE ON THE HIGHWAY, AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (60+ MPH) AND REQUIRES CONSTANT CORRECTION FROM LEFT TO RIGHT TO MAINTAIN LANE POSITION. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FROM THE TIME WE PURCHASED IT NEW LESS THAN 3 WEEKS AGO. THE STEERING IS VERY HYPER-SENSITIVE AT SPEED AND A CORRECTION TO THE RIGHT REQUIRES A CORRECTION TO LEFT WITH NO APPARENT "GRAY" OR MIDDLE CENTER AREA WHICH WOULD KEEP THE VEHICLE IN A STRAIGHT LINE. MOST OF THIS IS ON VERY STRAIGHT SURFACES WITH LITTLE TO NO CROWN & CAMBER ON THE ROAD. STEERING MODE WAS CHANG…

Owner-reported narrative. 612 miles reported. Look up ODI 10564794 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE TO ACCELERATE AND WOULD ATTEMPT TO STALL. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD ACCELERATE INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10608739 at NHTSA ↗

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

Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10683947 at NHTSA ↗

HI MY NAME IS [XXX]I HAVE 2014 KIA OPTIMA LX. I HAVE THE CAR SINCE IT HAD 2 MILES AND NOW HAS 14700. WHAT IS RIDICULOUS IS THE STRUTS MAKE CLUNKING NOISE OVER SPEED BUMPS. THE CAR CHANGES LANE BY ITS SELF. YOU CAN HOLD THE STEERING WHEEL CENTER AND THE CAR GOES TO THE LEFT. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID IT'S NORMAL. LIES ALL LIES . PLEASE TELL ME HOW MY STRUTS HAVE A SMALL LEAK BUT NOT ENOUGH TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT I THOUGHT IT WAS A NEW CAR. IT SEEMS LIKE THE CAR WAS MADE POORLY AND RUSHED. I ALSO FEEL AS IF KIA IS LYING ABOUT GAS MILEA…

Owner-reported narrative. 5 miles reported. Look up ODI 10671498 at NHTSA ↗

I WAS TRYING TO BACK IN BETWEEN2 VEHICLES IN THE CHURCH PARKING LOT. AND WHILE DOING SO, WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE THE CAR LUNCHED BACKWARDS WITH A JERKING MOTION, LIKE IT WAS TRYING TO DO 2 DIFFERENT THINGS ATONE TIME, AT FULL RATE OF SPEED AND DOING SO, IT BACKED INTO THE VEHICLE TO MY LEFT, THE CAR ACTED LIKE IT HAD A MIND OF IT'S OWN. I REPORTED THE ACCIDENT AND WHEN THE POLICE ARRIVED ON THE SIGHT, HE INFORMED ME THAT HE HAD SEEN AN ISSUE LIKE THIS HAPPENING ON THE NEWS. I HAD NEVER HEARD OF AND I WENT ONLINE TO REPORT THIS INCIDENT. I W…

Owner-reported narrative. 44,233 miles reported. Look up ODI 10758899 at NHTSA ↗

WE HAD TAKEN OUR CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR A REGULAR OIL CHANGE. THEY ADVISED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL AND FIXED WHATEVER THE PROBLEM WAS. WE FOUND THE FUSE COVER ON THE DASHBOARD. 1 DAY LATER, THE SYMBOLS ON THE DASHBOARD BEGAN TO LIGHT UP AND THE CAR FROZE, LOCKED AND DIED. I WAS ABLE TO GET IT OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE ALTERNATOR. THIS CAR HAS 7800 MILES ON IT AND IS A YEAR OLD. IT WAS FORTUNATE I WAS NOT ON A HIGHWAY. THERE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I COULDN'T EVEN GET MY FLASHERS ON…

Owner-reported narrative. 7,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10706237 at NHTSA ↗

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 ABSOLUTEL…

Owner-reported narrative. 36,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10873251 at NHTSA ↗

LESS THAN 30,000 AND MY ENGINE IS SHOT! I TOOK MY CAR FOR SERVICE IN JANUARY 2016, TOLD THEM I WAS SEEING BLACK SMOKE AND I WAS TOLD IT WAS NOTHING. I ACTUALLY WAS TOLD TO PUT FUEL INJECTOR CLEANER IN WITH EVERY FILL-UP. I CONTINUED TO HAVE THE PROBLEM AND TOOK IT BACK IN FEBRUARY 15, 2016. NOW THEY SAY I HAVE SLUDGE IN MY ENGINE AND WARRANTY WON'T COVER, BECAUSE WE USED THE WRONG OIL DOING OUR OWN OIL CHANGES. I PROVIDED COPIES OF THE PAGES FROM THE OWNER'S MANUAL SHOWING THAT WE USED THE CORRECT OIL, BUT NO LUCK. AFTER A WEEK I WAS TOLD THE E…

Owner-reported narrative. 28,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10850847 at NHTSA ↗

FIRST OFF, HAD OUR KIA AT THE DEALER AT 27,000 MILES DUE TO OUR CAR NOT COMING OUT OF PARK SEVERAL TIMES. WE WOULD HAVE TO TURN OFF THE CAR AND TURN IT BACK ON. DEALER SAID THEY CHECKED IT AND NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND. A COUPLE WEEKS AGO AS WE WERE DRIVING ,OUR ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THEIR WAS A HORRIBLE KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM OUR ENGINE. OUR KIA ONLY HAS APPROX. 30,500 MILES ON IT. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER IMMEDIATELY AND SAID WE HAD A SPUN ROD AND WOULD NEED A NEW ENGINE. I COULD NOT LOCATE ALL OF OUR OIL RECORDS SO THEY REFUSE TO COVER IT U…

Owner-reported narrative. 30,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10913626 at NHTSA ↗

WE STARTED REPORTING ISSUES THIS PAST JULY TO OUR DEALERSHIP, KIA RIVERGATE IN MADISON, TN. THEY HAVE HAD OUR CAR IN THREE TIMES AND KEEP TELLING US THERES THINGS "WE" NEED TO FIX.MY CAR IS STILL ON WARRANTY AND IS UNDER A TOTAL ENGINE RECALL. THE CAR STARTED WITH A KNOCKING SOUND IN THE ENGINE AND HAD ISSUES WHEN WE WOULD ACCELERATE. THE CAR DID NOT WANT TO ACCELERATE AT ALL CAUSING US TO STALL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY SEVERAL TIMES. THEY TOLD US NOTHING WAS WRONG BUT THEY REPLACED A SENSOR. THE CAR CONTINUED TO KNOCK AND STALL. I ASKED T…

Owner-reported narrative. 75,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11058059 at NHTSA ↗

CAR WILL NOT START OCCASIONALLY- THERE ARE SEVERAL INTERNET COMMENTS ABOUT THIS HAPPENING TO MANY KIA OWNERS- SOME REMEDY IS TO START IT IN NEUTRAL- SHIFT GEAR FROM PARK TO DRIVE BACK TO PARK AND THEN TRY TO START IT- WIGGLE GIFT SHIFT ETC- DEALER CLAIMS THEY NEED TO REPRODUCE IN ORDER TO REPAIR BUT THEY ARE IGNORING THE FACT THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE IF SOMEONE GETS STRANDED - I HAVE EXTENDED WARRANTY YET THEY REFUSE TO TRY TO REPAIR

Owner-reported narrative. 61,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11066795 at NHTSA ↗