2010 Kia OPTIMA: complaints, problems and recalls

TL* THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING A RENTED 2010 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONSUMER STATED SHE STOPPED THE VEHICLE WHILE THE GEAR WAS IN DRIVE, TURNED OFF THE IGNITION AND ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION, BUT IT WOULD NOT RELEASE. THE GEAR SHIFT HAD LOCK UP AND SHE WAS UNABLE TO MOVE THE GEAR INTO NEUTRAL OR THE PARK POSITION. SHE STATED THE MANUAL READ TO START CAR, THE GEAR SHIFT MUST BE IN THE PARK POSITION AND THE FOOT MUST BE ON THE BRAKE. THE CONSUMER STATED AS SHE SLIGHTLY MOVED THE KEY, THE VEHICLE STARTED WITH HIGH SPEED AND CRASHED HEAD …

Owner-reported narrative. 1,750 miles reported. Look up ODI 10334436 at NHTSA ↗

I WAS PARKING MY CAR IN A LOT WHEN IT SURGED FORWARD (ACCELERATED SUDDENLY) WITHOUT MY DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF MY CAR AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE, SEVERELY DAMAGING THE OTHER VEHICLE AND MINE. MY CAR WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR FACILITY. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10340860 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN INSERTING A CD INTO THE CD PLAYER IT BECAME EXTREMELY HOT TO THE TOUCH AND HE WAS AFRAID IT COULD START A FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO INFORMED HIM THAT IT WAS NORMAL. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 54. UPDATED 01/11/11*LJ UPDATED 01/31/11 *BF UPDATED 02/14/11

Owner-reported narrative. 54 miles reported. Look up ODI 10368530 at NHTSA ↗

PURCHASED A SUNSHINE KIDS RADIAN XTSL AND INSTALLED IT REARFACING IN THE BACK CENTER SEAT OF A 2010 KIA OPTIMA. THE LATCH LOOSENS BY ITSELF, THIS WAS/IS INSTALLED PROPERLY. (RELATED VEHICLE INFORMATION: MODEL YEAR=2010, MAKE=OPTIMA, MODEL=KIA). *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10379712 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A RESIDENTIAL DRIVEWAY AND AS HE CLOSED THE DOOR, ALL OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO ADVISED THAT THEY WOULD REPLACE THE AIR BAGS UNDER WARRANTY. THE PARTS WERE ON BACKORDER AND THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THEY WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO ADVISED THAT THEY WOULD REPAIR THE VEHICLE UNDER THE WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 09/15/11 *BF …

Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10415342 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THAT IT WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A SPARE TIRE, JACK, OR LUG NUT WRENCH. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT SUPPLY THE CONTACT WITH THE MISSING ITEMS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE EXHIBITS BETTER FUEL EFFICIENCY WITHOUT THEM. THE CONTACT DID NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITHOUT THE MISSING EQUIPMENT. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 1,500.

Owner-reported narrative. 1,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10446151 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN SLOWING DOWN, EITHER WITH OR WITHOUT BRAKING ASSISTANCE, CAR JERKS AS THE TRANSMISSION DOES A HARD DOWNSHIFT FROM 2ND TO 1ST GEAR WHEN REACHING 20 MPH. THE FORCE OF THE DOWNSHIFT IS ENOUGH TO JOLT THE DRIVER. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 32,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10448625 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN SLOWING DOWN WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE OF USING THE BRAKES, THE CAR JERKS AS THE TRANSMISSION DOES A HARD DOWNSHIFT CAUSING ENOUGH JERK TO THE DRIVER. THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10450072 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.