2009 Kia OPTIMA: complaints, problems and recalls

KIA MOTORS, 2009, OPTIMA, DASHBOARD, SPECIFICALLY THE SPEEDOMETER, ODOMETER AND OTHER COMPONENTS OF THIS AREA DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS TO VIEW WHILE DRIVING, CREATING HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS FROM SPEEDING TOO FAST TO FATAL ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE DESIGN DEFECT REGARDING THE INABILITY TO SEE THIS IMPORTANT ELEMENT THE SPEED THE VEHICLE IS TRAVELING. ALSO, SOLD THIS VEHICLE WITH A STICKER CLAIMING A MISLEADING STATEMENT OF CONTENT EQUIPPED IN THE VEHICLE AN "ECO-MINDER" THAT WAS NOT OR INTENDED TO BE ON THE VEHICLE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10280163 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA OPTIMA . WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AND UP, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DRIFT TO THE RIGHT. HE HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES, AND THE VEHICLE WAS REALIGNED SIX TIMES. THE REPAIR HAS NOT REMEDIED THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER REFERRED HIM TO AN INDEPENDENT AUTO BODY SHOP TO HAVE THE FRAME READJUSTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 1500. UPDATED 11/10/09 *BF THE VEHICLE PULLED EXTREMELY HARD TO THE RIGHT, THE VEHICLE WAS RE-ALIGNED AND THE TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE CONSU…

Owner-reported narrative. 123 miles reported. Look up ODI 10286895 at NHTSA ↗

BOUGHT A KIA OPTIMA A FEW MONTHS AGO AND RECENTLY IT HAS DEVELOPED A DANGEROUS SHIFTING PATTERN WHEN DOWN SHIFTING FROM 2ND TO 1ST ABOUT 20MPH IT JERKS THE !@#$%'.OUT OF YOU AND IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE BRAKING AT THE TIME YOU MEET A SNAP FROM SEAT BELT AS YOU FLY TOWARDS WINDSHIELD CAUSING SEVER NECK AND BACK PAIN THIS IS GETTING WORSE , DEALER WILLING TO FIX BUT KIA IS IGNORING THE ISSUE AS I HAVE HEARD OF OTHERS HAVING SAME PROBLEM , I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY DEALER ITS PROBABLY JUST COMPUTER ORIENTED BUT KIA HAS TO AUTHORIZE THE REPAIR , CONTACTED KIA…

Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10311766 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RED WARNING LIGHTS, FUEL LEVEL INDICATOR, RADIO CONTROLS, CLOCK, OIL GAUGE, AND TEMPERATURE COMMUNICATION LIGHTS WERE DIFFICULT TO READ IN DAY LIGHT. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THE ISSUE AND WAS ADVISED THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED IN THAT MANNER AND WERE UNABLE TO PROVIDE A REMEDY. THE CONTACT STATED AT TIMES, THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 11,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10334503 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH DURING THE DAY THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO READ DUE TO THE LIGHTS. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO READ THE SPEEDOMETER, THE CLOCK, OR THE RADIO WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WORKED BETTER AT NIGHT SINCE THE BACK LIGHT WAS EASIER TO READ. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO FIND A PROBLEM WITH INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD CAUSE A TRAFFIC FAILURE IN THE EVENT SHE WAS UNAWARE OF THE SPEED THE V…

Owner-reported narrative. 5,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10348323 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA OPTIMA. WHENEVER THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE ON A SUNNY DAY HE NOTICED THAT THE GLARE FROM THE SUN WAS BLOCKING THE VIEW OF THE DASHBOARD. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 5000.

Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10354445 at NHTSA ↗

MY CONCERN INVOLVES ILLUMINATION OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. WHEN DRIVING ON A BRIGHT DAY, THE PANEL ILLUMINATION IS SO DIM THAT THE ODOMETER CANNOT BE SEEN WITHOUT MOVING MY HEAD ALMOST NEXT TO THE STEERING WHEEL. THE SPEEDOMETER, AND OTHER GAUGES, ARE ALSO DIMLY ILLUMINATED. AT NIGHT AND ON OVERCAST DAYS, THE PROBLEM IS LESS SEVERE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 914 miles reported. Look up ODI 10360753 at NHTSA ↗

THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED IN MARCH 2010 AND HAD ONLY 2400 MILES ON IT WHEN THE OIL PUMP FAILED. IT TOOK CITRUS MOTORS IN ONTARIO, CA ALMOST TWO WEEKS TO ACQUIRE THE PART AND REPLACE IT. UPDATED 01/20/11 *BF

Owner-reported narrative. 2,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10372764 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2013-04-01 (April 1, 2013)

Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year 2007-2009 Amanti, and model year 2009 Borrego vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Kia recalled 623,658 model year 2007-2010 Rondo and Sportage, model year 2007-2011 Sorento, model year 2007 Sedona, model year 2010-2011 Soul, and model year 2011 Optima vehicles. In September 2013, Kia informed the agency that it was adding an additional 356,719 vehicles to this campaign. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 980,377. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake-transmission shift interlock feature preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.

Consequence: Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of PARK without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Kia will send an interim notification to owners in May 2013. When parts are available, owners will receive a second notification and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's recall campaign number is SC098.