2004 Kia OPTIMA: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
225 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
82,500 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2004 model year. Data snapshot: . 187 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Latches/Locks/Linkages is the most frequently named component, appearing in 73 of 225 complaints (32.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 16 | 7.1% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 10 | 4.4% |
| Steering behavior | 9 | 4.0% |
| Engine operation | 6 | 2.7% |
| Fuel system concerns | 6 | 2.7% |
| Transmission and shifting | 5 | 2.2% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Latches/Locks/Linkages | 73 |
| Electrical System | 41 |
| Structure:Body | 28 |
| Air Bags | 21 |
| Unknown Or Other | 12 |
| Suspension | 11 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 8 |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch | 8 |
Latches/Locks/Linkages: 73; Electrical System: 41; Structure:Body: 28; Air Bags: 21; Unknown Or Other: 12; Suspension: 11; Engine And Engine Cooling: 8; Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch: 8
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 22 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 22 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 35 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 43 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 56 |
| 150,000 and above | 9 |
Under 25,000: 22; 25,000 to 49,999: 22; 50,000 to 74,999: 35; 75,000 to 99,999: 43; 100,000 to 149,999: 56; 150,000 and above: 9
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (56). 38 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2004 | 6 |
| 2005 | 9 |
| 2006 | 5 |
| 2007 | 8 |
| 2008 | 15 |
| 2009 | 9 |
| 2010 | 30 |
| 2011 | 28 |
| 2012 | 20 |
| 2013 | 18 |
| 2014 | 20 |
| 2015 | 29 |
| 2016 | 12 |
| 2017 | 8 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2025 | 1 |
2003: 1; 2004: 6; 2005: 9; 2006: 5; 2007: 8; 2008: 15; 2009: 9; 2010: 30; 2011: 28; 2012: 20; 2013: 18; 2014: 20; 2015: 29; 2016: 12; 2017: 8; 2018: 2; 2019: 1; 2021: 1; 2022: 2; 2025: 1
Pattern summary
Latches/Locks/Linkages leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 16 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 10 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 9 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10049492 · 2003-12-09 (December 9, 2003)
MY 2004 KIA OPTIMA PULLS TO THE LEFT. IT WILL PULL YOU INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. YOUR WEB PAGE DOESNOT HAVE KIA LISTED AS A VEHICLE CHOICE. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 30 miles reported. Look up ODI 10049492 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10060184 · 2004-03-02 (March 2, 2004)
DEFECT: KIA OPTIMA 2004 MANUAL TRANSMISSION WHEN SHIFTING FROM SECOND TO THIRD GEAR, ENGINE OFTEN SURGES AFTER YOU REMOVE FOOT FROM GAS PEDAL CREATING AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITION. IT WILL SURGE TWO TIMES OUT OF THREE. DEALER STATES THAT THE MFGR STATES THAT THE ENGINE SURGE IS COMPUTOR CONTROLED AND NOTHING CAN BE DONE ABOUT IT. I CANNOT EMPHASISE ENOUGH WHAT A DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITION/SITUATION THIS CREATES. THIS IS A CONDITION THAT WILL RESULT IN DEATH AND INJURY. KIA SELLS SO FEW MANUAL TRANSMISSION OPTIMA'S THAT I DON'…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10060184 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10067025 · 2004-04-12 (April 12, 2004)
HORN FAILED. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10067025 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10081896 · 2004-07-14 (July 14, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH VEHICLE SUDDENLY DECELERATED AND WOULD NOT GO OVER 20 MPH. NO IMPACT REPORTED. AS A RESULT, THE CHECK ENGINE SIGNAL LIGHT STAYED ON. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 114 miles reported. Look up ODI 10081896 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10096741 · 2004-10-05 (October 5, 2004)
IRREGULAR OCCURRENCES OF STEERING PROBLEM, LEAKING POWER STEERING RACK. *BF SINCE THE INITIAL REPAIR OF THE POWER STEERING RACK, THE CONSUMER HAS CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING, HOWEVER THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE CONSUMERS CONCERN. THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED IN THE MORNINGS, THERE WAS A SECOND DELAY IN THE TRANSMISSION. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 4,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10096741 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10097086 · 2004-10-03 (October 3, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE BRAKES LOCKED. THE CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO UNLOCK THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED COMPLETELY. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE BRAKES NEEDED TO BE FIXED AND ORDERED A PART. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB THE CONSUMER DID NOT APPLY EXCESSIVE PRESSURE TO BRAKES VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY OUT OF CONTROL. *TC
Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10097086 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10102349 · 2004-12-08 (December 8, 2004)
BOUGHT KIA OPTIMA ON JUNE 22, 2004 VIN# [XXX] AND HAVE SINCE HAD SEVEN SERVICE APPOINTMENTS, REPLACED TWO SETS OF DRIVE BELTS, REPLACED A LEAKING POWER STEERING RACK, REPLACED A LEAKING FUEL REGULATOR, MACHINED THE FRONT ROTORS, LOST TIME FROM WORK, LOST PRODUCTIVITY FROM WORK AS WELL AS JEOPARDIZED MY WIFE'S WORK FROM CAR POOLING FOR FIVE MONTHS, COMPLETED SCHEDULED ARBITRATION WITH THE BBB WITHOUT SUCCESS FOR FOUR PROBLEMS: ACCELERATION DELAY, LOW GRINDING BRAKE NOISE, LOW VIBRATION STEERING NOISE, AND LOUD SQUEALING NOISE FROM THE DRIVE BELT…
Owner-reported narrative. 3,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10102349 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10109795 · 2005-02-03 (February 3, 2005)
WHILE DRIVING, A FIRE STARTED FROM THE DASHBOARD. THE CAUSE OF FIRE WAS UNDETERMINED.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10109795 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
09V183000 · Suspension:Front
Reported: 2009-05-27 (May 27, 2009)
KIA MOTORS CORPORATION (KMC) IS RECALLING 36,538 MODEL YEAR 2001-2004 OPTIMA VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. ROAD SALT APPLIED IN THESE STATES DURING THE WINTER MONTHS MAY RESULT IN PROGRESSIVE, INTERNAL CORROSION OF THE FRONT SUBFRAME. OVER TIME, SUCH SUBFRAME CORROSION NEAR THE CONNECTION TO THE LOWER CONTROL ARM CAN LEAD TO WHEEL MISALIGNMENT AND/OR OTHER NOTICEABLE STRESS IN STEERING, OR ACCELERATED ABNORMAL TIRE WEAR.
Consequence: CORROSION OF THE FRONT SUBFRAME COULD LEAD TO SEPARATION, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: KMC WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE VEHICLES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 15, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA'S CONSUMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-333-4542.
NHTSA campaign record ↗