2011 Kia OPTIMA: complaints, problems and recalls

PURCHASED A NEW 2011 VEHICLE, WHEN WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE I WENT TO THE PARTS DEPT. AND ASK THAT THE ORDER SOME SEAT BELT EXTENDERS FOR ME. THE MANAGER SAID HE WOULD AFTER 5 WEEKS I CALLED THE PARTS DEPT. HE TOLD ME THEY HAVE NOT COME IN YET. ANOTHER WEEK GOES BY THEN I GET A CALL FROM THE REGIONAL PARTS MANAGER STATING THEY DID NOT OFFER THEM. PERIOD NO AND IF OR BUTS NO. IN YOUR FMVSS 209 REQUIRE MANUFACTURES TO PROVIDE LONGER BELTS OR SEAT BELT EXTENDERS TO ACCOMMODATE EXTREMELY LARGE PEOPLE. I WAS 480 LBS DOWN TO 360 BUT I STILL NEED SOME…

Owner-reported narrative. 25 miles reported. Look up ODI 10384800 at NHTSA ↗

SINCE THE DAY THE CAR WAS DRIVEN OFF THE LOT, ON THE EXPRESSWAY, IT PULLED TO THE LEFT. BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER, AND AN ALIGNMENT WAS PERFORMED. DEALER DECLARED THAT IT WAS FIXED. ON THE DRIVE HOME, THE PULL TO THE LEFT PERSISTED AS IT HAD DONE PREVIOUSLY. RETURNED THE CAR TO THE SAME SERVICE DEALER. ANOTHER ALIGNMENT WAS PERFORMED. I SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED THAT THE DEALER PERFORM A THOROUGH TEST DRIVE TO ENSURE THAT THE ISSUE WAS REPAIRED. THE GENERAL MANAGER PROMISED THIS WOULD HAPPEN, AND ALSO PROMISED THAT THE SERVICE MANAGER WOULD …

Owner-reported narrative. 74 miles reported. Look up ODI 10384874 at NHTSA ↗

PURCHASED A NEW 2011 KIA OPTIMA SX WITH PREMIUM TOURING PACKAGE. THE CAR HAS PULLED TO THE LEFT SINCE I BOUGHT IT. SEEMS TO BE MORE NOTICEABLE THE FASTER YOU GO. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON A STRAIGHT ROAD I WILL BE IN THE NEXT LANE IN A SECOND OR TWO UPON LETTING GO OF THE STEERING REGARDLESS OF WHICH SIDE OF THE ROAD CROWN I AM ON. I ALSO NOTICED THE STEERING WHEEL DOES SHIFT LEFT DURING THIS AND IS OFF CENTER. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 10 miles reported. Look up ODI 10386363 at NHTSA ↗

IT'S HAPPENING ON MY BRAND NEW 2011 KIA OPTIMA. I DRIVE AN HOUR TO WORK BOTH WAYS, SO ANY PROBLEM WITH A VEHICLE CAN EASILY PRESENT ITSELF. ON MY FIRST DAY OF WORK, I REALIZED THE CAR PULLED LEFT. I THOUGHT IT COULD HAVE BEEN IN MY HEAD OR SIMPLY THE CROWN OF THE ROAD. AFTER A FEW DAYS OF IGNORANTLY THINKING IT WAS JUST ME, I NOTICED THAT WHEN I LET GO OF THE STEERING WHEEL, IT HOLDS SLIGHTLY LEFT. THUS, THE CAR PULLS LEFT. IT DOES THIS ABOUT 85 PERCENT OF THE TIME. I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAITED THREE HOURS. THEY ADJUSTED THE ALIGNM…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10386636 at NHTSA ↗

CAR PULLS TO LEFT 100% OF THE TIME. CAR HAS BEEN INSPECTED BY KIA SERVICE AND MEETS ALL FACTORY SPECS. THIS APPEARS TO BE A DESIGN FLAW. KIA REQUIRES ALL 2011 OPTIMA'S TO BE REALIGNED PRIOR TO BEING SOLD. CUSTOMER SERVICE REP. SAID THAT ONE OF HER TEC. REPS. DRIVES A 2011 OPTIMA AND IT ALSO PULLS LEFT.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10387028 at NHTSA ↗

UPON DRIVING HOME FROM TAKING DELIVERY OF MY NEW 2011 KIA OPTIMA ON 2/11/11, MY HUSBAND I NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE PULLS TO THE LEFT SUBSTANTIALLY. IF YOU LOOSEN THE GRIP OF THE WHEEL THE CAR IMMEDIATELY PULLS TO THE LEFT. I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE ON 2/18, 3/5 AND 3/14. EACH TIME I HAVE RECEIVED THE CAR BACK FROM THE DEALER, THEY INDICATE THAT IT IS WITHIN KIA SPECS AND IS 'TRACKING' STRAIGHT. I PICKED THE VEHICLE UP LAST NIGHT AND THE VEHICLE IS STILL PULLING TO THE LEFT. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 68 miles reported. Look up ODI 10390605 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS 2011 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON AN INCLINE WHEN IT ROLLED BACKWARDS. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE MANUAL BRAKE SHOULD ALWAYS BE APPLIED IN A MANUAL VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 626.

Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10393812 at NHTSA ↗

2011 KIA OPTIMA PULLS TO LEFT ALL THE TIME. I HAVE HAD IT BACK TO THE DEALER FOUR TIMES AND THEY STATE NOTHING IS WRONG AND IT IS WITHIN ALIGNMENT SPECS. THE CAR WILL CHANGE LANES IF YOU LET GO OF THE STEERING WHEEL. YOU HAVE TO HOLD TENSION ON THE STEERING WHEEL SO THAT IT WILL STAY STRAIGHT. THIS IS THE WORST CAR I HAVE EVER DRIVEN ON THE HIGHWAY. I DRIVE 50 MILES ONE WAY TO WORK AND BY THE TIME I GET TO WORK MY ARM HURTS. THIS CAR IS A DANGER ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE DEALER TOLD ME THEY ARE NOT AUTHORIZED TO DO ANYTHING MORE FOR ME. I SURE HOP…

Owner-reported narrative. 61 miles reported. Look up ODI 10396858 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.

Reported: 2017-03-31 (March 31, 2017)

Kia Motor Company (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Optima, 2012-2014 Sorento and 2011-2013 Sportage vehicles. Machining errors during the engine manufacturing process may cause premature bearing wear within the engine.

Consequence: Bearing wear may result in the engine seizing, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine assembly, and replace the engine if necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 20, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC147.

Reported: 2018-06-01 (June 1, 2018)

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Kia Forte, Forte Koup, 2011-2013 Kia Optima and 2011-2012 Kia Optima Hybrid and Sedona vehicles. In the event of a crash, the air bag control unit (ACU) may short circuit, preventing the frontal air bags and seat belt pretensioners from deploying.

Consequence: If the frontal air bags and seat belt pretensioners are disabled, there is an increased risk of injury to the vehicle occupants in the event of a vehicle crash that necessitates deployment of these safety systems.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners. For model year 2011 Sedona vehicles, Kia will instruct dealers to verify the ACU part number and, if necessary, install an extension wire harness kit between the ACU Connector and the Vehicle Harness Connector. For all other affected vehicles, Kia will instruct dealers to install the extension wire harness kit. The recall began September 28, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC165.

Reported: 2018-12-19 (December 19, 2018)

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product Improvement Campaign. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, possibly causing a fuel leak.

Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC172.

Reported: 2023-09-25 (September 25, 2023)

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.

Consequence: An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed November 14, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2024 through June 18, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC284.