2002 Kia Optima

FRONT DOOR FAILS TO UNLOCK AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS. DOOR MUST BE UNLOCKED WITH A KEY, USING THE POWER LOCKS OR MANUALLY FLIPPING THE DOOR LOCK DOESN'T DO IT, AND THE KEY ONLY UNLOCKS IT APPROXIMATELY 1 OUT OF EVERY 20 TRIES. THERE ARE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ONLINE, SEE FOR INSTANCE: HTTP://WWW.KIA-FORUMS.COM/1G-2G-2001-2006-MAGENTIS-OPTIMA/47179-2004-OPTIMA-DOOR-LOCK-FAULT.HTML. *TR

WE HAVE HAD ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH A 2002 KIA OPTIMA, INCLUDING TIRE WEAR, BRAKE PROBLEMS, ELECTRICAL ISSUES, EXCESSIVE BATTERY WEAR. THIS WEEK WE WERE NOTIFIED BY OUR AUTO SHOP THAT THERE IS EXCESSIVE RUST ON THE SUBFRAME AND THAT A RECALL EXISTS FOR THIS CONDITION. WHEN I CONTACTED BOTH OUR LOCAL DEALER AND KIA CORPORATE, I WAS TOLD THAT THIS PARTICULAR VIN IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, ALTHOUGH THE RECALL CLEARLY STATES THAT IT DOES MEET THE PARAMETERS. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH, IT APPEARS THAT MANY OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEMS AND BEEN GIVEN THE SAME INFORMATION. CURRENTLY, WE ARE LEFT WITH A CAR THAT IS A DANGER TO DRIVE AND ENORMOUS PERSONAL EXPENSE TO RESOLVE. *TR

WHILE I WAS DRIVING I HAD NOTICED THAT THE CAR WAS PULLING TO THE RIGHT. I HAD NEW TIRES AND AN ALIGNMENT DONE 5-6 WEEKS PRIOR, SO I RETURNED TO THE SHOP AND THEY LOOKED AT EVERYTHING AND THE FRONT END WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT. THE SHOP LOOKED FURTHER TO SEE WHAT CAUSED THIS AND FOUND THAT THE RIGHT FRONT FRAME AREA WAS RUSTED AND CRACKED. THEY ADVISED ME THAT THE CAR WAS NOT SAVE AND THAT I SHOULD CONTACT KIA. I WAS DRIVING THE CAR HOME AND THE CAR PULLED DRASTICALLY TO RIGHT AND I HEARD A CRUSHING NOISE FROM THE RIGHT TIRE AREA. I PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND SAW THAT THE TIRE WAS NOT POSITIONED PROPERLY. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MY RESIDENCE AND AM IN THE PROCESS OF CONTACTING KIA. I WAS LUCKING TO NOT HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT, AFTER READING SOME OF THE OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A NATIONAL RECALL ON THIS SITUATION. ACCORDING THE RECORDS THAT I HAD CHECKED I AM ONLY THE 2ND OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE. I HOPE THAT KIA MAKES GOOD ON THIS SITUATION. *TR

CAR WAS MAKING STRANGE NOISE. TOOK TO MECHANIC TO HAVE CHECK. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE SUBFRAME IS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH ON PASSENGER SIDE AT FRAME MOUNTS AND ALMOST RUSTED THROUGH ON DRIVERS SIDE. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT DUE TO THE SEVERITY OF PROBLEM VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND WILL NOT ALLOW BACK ON ROAD UNTIL NECESSARY REPAIRS ARE MADE. I CONTACTED KIA AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS PARTICULAR YEAR VEHICLE WAS IN A RECALL DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THIS PARTICULAR VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS ORIGINALLY PURCHASED IN THE STATE OF WEST VA, AS STATED IN THE RECALL. VEHICLE IS STILL PARKED AT MECHANICS GARAGE AND I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE COMMUNICATION REGARDING THIS MATTER. I WAS TOLD BY KIA REPRESENTATIVE THAT I WOULD NEED TO CONTACT YOUR ORGANIZATION. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING SHE HEARD AN UNFAMILIAR SOUND COMING FROM THE UNDER CARRIAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE SUB FRAME WAS SEVERELY RUSTED WHICH CAUSED IT TO FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

MY 2002 KIA OPTIMA, VEERED OF THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE DUE TO A FLAT TIRE. THE TIRES HAD BEEN REPLACED THAT MORNING AND WITHIN 130 MILES ON THE HIGHWAY THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE POPPED. AS I TOOK A CLOSER LOOK I NOTICED MY WHEEL WAS SLANTED IN. I THEN HAD IT TOWED TO THE NEAREST REPAIR SHOP WHO INFORMED ME THE ENGINE CRADLE WAS RUSTED AND CORRODED. WHEN I CONTACTED KIA ABOUT THE ISSUE THEY BASICALLY SAID SORRY ABOUT YOUR LUCK. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT MY VIN IS NOT INCLUDED. NO ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN BY KIA IN ANY OF MY ATTEMPTS TO HAVE THEM RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM. I AM, AND HAVE BEEN, STRANDED OUT OF TOWN FOR 3 WEEKS NOW WAITING ON THEM TO MAKE SOME KIND OF DECISION. THEY HAVE OVERLOOKED EVERY WORD I HAVE SAID TO THEM ABOUT THE SALT IN MY LOCATION AND THE CARS PREVIOUS LOCATIONS WHICH CAUSES SUCH CORROSION TO A POORLY MAKE VEHICLE. THE CAR ORIGINATES FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WHERE SALT IS PRESENTLY IN THE AIR. IT THEN WAS REGISTERED IN OKLAHOMA AND THE TEXAS PANHANDLE, BOTH HAVING HARSH SNOWY WINTERS. THE CAR CLEARLY HAS BEEN EXPOSED TO ENOUGH SALT TO HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THIS IS KIA'S RESPONSIBILITY, YET THEY ARE DOING NOTHING ABOUT IT. WHEN I CRASHED MY CAR INTO THE DITCH ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY, MY LIFE WAS PUT AT RISK. THERE VERY EASILY COULD HAVE BEEN A CAR TO MY LEFT OR RIGHT OR A POLE IN THAT DITCH. KIA SHOULD HAVE FIXED THIS PROBLEM IN ALL OPTIMA'S PUT OUT DURING THE YEAR OF THE RECALL. IT IS A SERIOUS DANGER TO ANY UNAWARE DRIVER OF A 2001-2004 KIA OPTIMA. LEGAL ACTION NEEDS TO BE TAKEN AGAINST KIA. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE SUB FRAME SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC STATED THE SUB FRAME, TIE ROD, FRONT TIRE AND RIM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND A COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER ALSO STATED THERE WAS A RECALL (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 09V183000 COMPONENT: SUSPENSION: FRONT) BUT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

I HAVE A 2002 KIA OPTIMA THAT THE VIN IS NOT ONE OF THE VEHICLES THAT IS COVERED BY YOUR RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 09V183000 WHICH STATES "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...". YOU HAVE IT LISTED AS STATES WITH DIFFICULT WINTERS AND THE USE OF ROAD SALT. I LIVE IN LOUISVILLE, KY. NOT ONE OF THE NAMED STATES. BUT. I GUARANTEE YOU THAT THIS SAME CORROSION CAN BE CAUSED BY THE WATER COMING FROM THE AIR CONDITIONER RUNNING DIRECTLY ONTO THESE PARTS. THE BACK SIDE OF SUBFRAME HAS RUST HOLES IN IT. THIS RECALL NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED TO ANY AND ALL KIA OPTIMAS THAT HAVE THE AC WATER RUNNING THERE DUE TO MANUFACTURE DESIGN. I HAVE PICTURES THAT I CAN SEND TO YOU SHOWING THIS CORROSION. I TRIED TO GET IT ALIGNED AT A KIA STORE AND THEY SAID "LOWER CONTROL ARM BRACKET ON PASS SIDE IS RUSTED AND BROKEN. PASS SIDE WHEEL IS PUSHED BACK AND TIRES ON FRONT ARE ANGLED." HOW WAS THE 36,538 VEHICLES DETERMINED ? WAS IT FROM THE STATE THAT THE CAR WAS SOLD IN ? *TR