2015 Kia OPTIMA problems and owner complaints

RECURRING, INTERMITTENT LACK OF ENGINE RESPONSE TO PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR; PARTICULARLY NOTICEABLE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO TURN LEFT AT A BREAK IN ONCOMING TRAFFIC. ENGINE ACTS AS IF STALLING, THEN RECOVERS AFTER A SECOND OR TWO DELAY. KIA DEALER SERVICE ADVISES THAT THIS IS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE AND NOT ADJUSTMENT IS POSSIBLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. VEHICLE MAY BE STATIONARY OR MOVING A LESS THAN 5 MPH WHEN THIS OCCURS. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND NOT APPARENTLY RELATED TO FUEL OR CLIMATIC CONDITIONS. RESULTS IN DRIVER UNCERTAINTY IN …

Owner-reported narrative. 14,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10861429 at NHTSA ↗

DRIVING HOME FROM THE STORE LAST NIGHT AND MY CAR STARTED SPUTTERING AND STALLING, A CLOUD OF WHITE SMOKE CAME FROM MY EXHAUST PIPES. I PARKED IT CALLED MY DAD AND HE TOLD ME TO CHECK THE OIL. THERE WAS BARELY ANY OIL ON THE DIPSTICK EVEN THOUGH I HAD JUST GOT MY OIL CHANGED 10 DAYS EARLIER. I HAD THE COMPANY THAT CHANGED MY OIL CHECK IT OUT. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS SOMETHING INTERNALLY CAUSING THE OIL TO BURN OFF THEREFORE IT WAS A MANUFACTURERS ISSUE AND IT SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE CLOSEST KIA DEALERSHIP AND WAITING…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10914298 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND BEGAN DRIVING ON THE SIDEWALK. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRES EXPLODED AND DESTROYED THE RIM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,200. UPDATED 8/31/15*CN UPDATED 10/26/2017*CN

Owner-reported narrative. 6,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10726237 at NHTSA ↗

THIS HAS BEEN A GREAT CAR UNTIL SUDDENLY I SAW SMOKE. CHECKED MY OIL & IT WAS LOW. I ADDED OIL. I BEGAN TO HEAR RATTLING IN THE ENGINE AND HUGE WHITE PUFFS OF SMOKE EMIT FROM MY ENGINE, SO BAD THAT CARS BEHIND ME ON THE FREEWAY (ALL 4 LANES) HIT THEIR BRAKES AS THEY CANNOT SEE. THE 101 FREEWAY DURING RUSH HOUR - THIS IS VERY BAD AND COULD GET SOMEONE KILLED, INCLUDING ME IF MY ENGINE SEIZES AT 75 MPH. I CHECK MY OIL EVERY OTHER DAY OR SO AND SEEMS TO BE LOW ONCE A WEEK. I'VE BEEN WAITING TO DROP MY CAR AT MY MECHANIC. WHEN I GOT THERE HE SAID …

Owner-reported narrative. 95,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11089647 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING ON A BUSY INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, SUDDENLY A BATTERY WARNING LIGHT FLASHED ACROSS MY DASHBOARD AND MY VEHICLE BEGAN LOSING POWER. I DRIFTED TO THE RIGHT WITHIN SPEEDING TRAFFIC TRYING TO REACH THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. I DIDN'T MAKE AND MY VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND COULD NOT BE RESTARTED IN THE MIDDLE OF AN EXIT OFF RAMP. ONCOMING TRAFFIC WAS SWERVING AND COMING TO ABRUPT STOPS TO AVOID SLAMMING INTO THE REAR OF MY VEHICLE. I GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND STOOD ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, IN FEAR OF BEING KILLED INSIDE THE VEHIC…

Owner-reported narrative. 18,561 miles reported. Look up ODI 10966161 at NHTSA ↗

I HAVE TWO KIA, ONE 2013KIA SOUL, AND KIA OPTIMA 2015, FIRST THE KIA SOUL WON'T START, LOOKS LIKE NO BATTERY AT ALL, DEALER SAY IT WAS A BAD BATTERY, BUT THE PROBLEM START AGAIN, JUST THIS TIME LOOSE ALL POWER WHEN RUNNING, THEY TOWING BACK TO THE DEALER THIS TIME, THEY SAY THIS TIME WAS CRANK PISTON SENSOR, NO COST AT THIS TIME, THIS HAPPEN ON 08/01/2016, NOW THE KIA OPTIMA, SAME, I DRIVE ALL MORNING, THE DAY WAS HOT, AND I STOP AT THE STOREFOR WATER, DON'T TAKE MORE THEN 5MIN. WHEN I GET BACK TO MY CAR, CARS UNLOCK THE DOOR, BUT HAVE NO POW…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10971243 at NHTSA ↗

AS THE FIRST OWNER OF THE CAR, I HAVE EXPERIENCED STEERING ISSUES THAT COULD BE DESCRIBED AS FEELING AS IF THE STEERING DOES NOT PROPERLY CENTER. I CONSTANTLY HAVE TO MAKE STEERING ADJUSTMENTS TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT TO KEEP THE CAR GOING STRAIGHT DOWN THE ROAD. THE ISSUE BECOMES MORE PRONOUNCED AS THE VEHICLE SPEED INCREASES. THIS RESULTS IN A FEELING OF LACK OF SAFETY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, ESPECIALLY IN MODERATE - HIGH TRAFFIC SITUATIONS OR ON NARROW ROADS. I INFORMED THE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT AT THE DEALERSHIP FROM WHICH I PURCHASED THE …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10651606 at NHTSA ↗

THIS IS A KNOW PROBLEM , BUT STEERING CONTROL IS REALLY BAD. AS I AM GOING DOWN THE ROAD,(WORSE AS SPEED INCREASES) THE CAR WANDERS LEFT TO RIGHT WITH NO MIDDLE GROUND. SO IT IS NOT AN ALIGNMENT ISSUE AS I AM ALL OVER AND NOT JUST PULLING TO ONE SIDE. I HAVE TO KEEP ARMS LOCKED ON STEERING WHEEL TO TRY TO KEEP GOING STRAIGHT AND STILL JUST ISN'T ENOUGH. DEALER SAYS THAT'S WHAT KIAS DO.THIS IS A SERIOUS CONCERN , AS SERIOUS ACCIDENTS WILL CONE FROM THIS AND THE MAKER DOES NOTHING ABOUT IT. LOOKING IN REAR OR SIDE VIEW MIRROR FOR A SECOND AND I C…

Owner-reported narrative. 750 miles reported. Look up ODI 10682816 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN I AM DRIVING MY 2010 KIA OPTIMA AND GO TO SLOW DOWN AT 20 MPH (ONLY AT 20 MPH AND ONLY WHEN SLOWING DOWN) MY CAR DOES A JERK OR LURCHING MOTION, WITH A HARD DOWN SHIFT TO 1ST GEAR.THIS HAPPENS NO MATTER WHERE IM DRIVING. FROM WHAT IVE BEEN TOLD THERES A TRANSMISSION UPDATE SOFTWARE WHICH WHEN UPDATED. AFTER BEING UPDATED THE DEALER HAS TO RSET/LEAR THE RELEARN PROCEDURE. BOTH STEPS MUST BE DONE TO ELIMINATE THE LURCHING/JERKING. I FEEL THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM.

Owner-reported narrative. 87,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10864167 at NHTSA ↗

RECENTLY MY TRANSMISSION CASE CRACKED AS IT PASSED OVER A MANHOLE COVER ON A STREET BEING RESURFACED. MY DEALERS SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID THIS HAS HAPPENED A LOT. I WAITED NINE WEEKS FOR THE PART TO COME IN. I LOST $1,100.00ON CAR RENTALS. CAR'S TRANSMISSION CASE IS TOO LOW TO THE GROUND.

Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10956873 at NHTSA ↗

TAKATA RECALL. AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, MY CAR STOPPED ON ME DURING TRAFFIC FLOW. THIS HAS HAPPENED MORE THAN FIVE TIMES AND I WAS ALMOST KILLED WITH MY SMALL CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE. WE HAVE BEEN SUFFERING WITH THIS ISSUE FOR OVER A WHOLE YEAR. ON JULY 3,2017 MY MOTHER AND I WAS COMING HOME ON THE FWY AND ONCE AGAIN, DURING TRAFFIC FLOW, MY CAR SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO GET A SAFE SPOT BEFORE I CRASHED BECAUSE THERE WERE SO MANY CARS COMING BEHIND ME SO FAST AND THE SIDE RAMPS WE'RE VERY N…

Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11003710 at NHTSA ↗

AT APPROXIMATELY 4:30 A.M. ON NOVEMBER 12, 2018, THE ENGINE BECAME FULLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED ON THE STREET IN FRONT OF OUR HOUSE AND TURNED OFF. NO ONE HAD DRIVEN THE CAR FOR SEVERAL HOURS. THE FIRE DESTROYED THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF THE CAR, MELTED THE TIRES AND FILLED THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR WITH SMOKE. FORTUNATELY, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND PUT OUT THE FIRE BEFORE IT SPREAD TO THE GAS TANK.

Owner-reported narrative. 62,555 miles reported. Look up ODI 11151352 at NHTSA ↗