NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
107 reports44,185 miles · Aug 1, 2005
Air BagsElectrical SystemService Brakes, HydraulicCrashInjury
DT: 2002 KIA OPTIMA LX. THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. THE LIGHTS WILL START TO FLICKER, AND THEN THE VEHICLE WILL LOSE POWER AND SHUT EVERYTHING DOWN. WHEN THE TEMPERATURE WAS AROUND 80-90 DEGREES AND AT LONG DISTANCES THIS PROBLEM WILL HAPPEN. THE DEALERSHIP CHANGED THE BATTERY TWICE, THE ALTERNATOR TWIC…
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DT: 2002 KIA OPTIMA LX. THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. THE LIGHTS WILL START TO FLICKER, AND THEN THE VEHICLE WILL LOSE POWER AND SHUT EVERYTHING DOWN. WHEN THE TEMPERATURE WAS AROUND 80-90 DEGREES AND AT LONG DISTANCES THIS PROBLEM WILL HAPPEN. THE DEALERSHIP CHANGED THE BATTERY TWICE, THE ALTERNATOR TWICE, THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS, AND THE MAIN COMPUTER FOR THE VEHICLE. THIS STILL DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WHEN THE POWER WENTOUT ON 7-14-05. THIS CAUSED CONSUMER'S VEHICLE TO RUN A STOP SIGN , AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE, CAUSING BOTH VEHICLES TO BE TOTALED. THE BRAKES WENT OUT AS A RESULT OF THE POWER OUTAGE, AND COULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE. ALSO, THERE WAS NO STEERING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT OVERHEATING. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. EVERYTHING ELECTRICAL FAILED WITH THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DISCONNECTED BOTH BATTERIES TO PREVENT FIRE FROM HAPPENING. WHEN THEY DID THIS IT DELETED ALL THE CODES THAT WOULD HAVE TOLD DEALER WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. THE MECHANIC SAID THAT THERE WAS BATTERY ACID ALL OVER THE COMPUTER, THEY STILL WERE UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN HAPPENING SINCE PURCHASE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE KIA MANUFACTURER AT LEAST TEN TIMES, COMPLAINT NUMBERS FOR THE FIRST WAS 24306, ON 7-18-03, AND THE LAST WAS ON 9-13-04, COMPLAINT . 56482. WHEN THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURE AFTER THE ACCIDENT THEY SAID THEY WANTED A COPY OF THE POLICE REPORT AND PICTURES OF THE VEHICLE AFTER THE ACCIDENT. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10130843
Mileage unknown · Jun 6, 2005
Latches/locks/linkages
DT: CONTACT STATES WHEN HE LOCKS THE DOORS ON VEHICLE IT WILL NOT UNLOCK.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10124269
Mileage unknown · Apr 28, 2005
Air BagsCrash
WHILE DRIVING AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE FLIPPED AFTER HITTING A POLE. UPON IMPACT, THE FRONTAL/SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK *SC THE CONSUMER HAD A DIABETIC EMERGENCY AND COLLAPSED AT THE WEHEL. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10113241
Mileage unknown · Mar 30, 2005
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train
2002 KIA OPTIMA EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION AND TIMING BELT.*MR THE CONSUMER STATED EVEN THOUGH THE TRANSMISSION AND TIMING BELT WAS REPLACED THE VEHICLE STILL MAKES A NOISE. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10117343
45,300 miles · Mar 29, 2005
Parking Brake
RECENT CATROSTROPIC FAILURE OF THE EMERNGENCY BRAKE
NHTSA ODI #10115994
36,000 miles · Mar 5, 2005
Engine And Engine Cooling
I ALWAYS HAD MY OIL CHANGED IN THIS CAR AND THIS PAST THURSDAY I WENT TO THE DOCTOR AND WAS IN THERE FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES AND WENT TO LEAVE AND MY CAR WOULD NOT START. MY MOTOR IS LOCKED UP. I ALSO HAVE HAD A POPPING NOISE IN MY GAS PEDAL WHEN IT IS FIRST DROVE IN THE COLD. I ALSO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH MY BRAKES LIKE JUMPING WHEN T…
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I ALWAYS HAD MY OIL CHANGED IN THIS CAR AND THIS PAST THURSDAY I WENT TO THE DOCTOR AND WAS IN THERE FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES AND WENT TO LEAVE AND MY CAR WOULD NOT START. MY MOTOR IS LOCKED UP. I ALSO HAVE HAD A POPPING NOISE IN MY GAS PEDAL WHEN IT IS FIRST DROVE IN THE COLD. I ALSO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH MY BRAKES LIKE JUMPING WHEN TRYING TO SLOW DOWN WHEN GOING FAST SAY 50 MPH. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10112561
47,000 miles · Jan 27, 2005
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
WHEN BRAKING VEHICLE VIBRATED SEVERELY. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO EXCESSIVE WEAR.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10109091
52 miles · Jan 7, 2005
Electrical SystemEquipmentExterior LightingCrash
WHILE DRIVING MY 2002 KIA OPTIMA, MY STEREO,HEADLIGHTS,DASHLIGHTS WOULD CUT OUT WHILE DRIVING. I TOOK IT IN TO A KIA DEALERSHIP, THE INSTRUCTED ME TO GET A NEW BATTERY. I DID, AND THAT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 1RST,2005 I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY DOING ABOUT 60 MPH, MY CAR LOST ALL POWER AND STALLED IN T…
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WHILE DRIVING MY 2002 KIA OPTIMA, MY STEREO,HEADLIGHTS,DASHLIGHTS WOULD CUT OUT WHILE DRIVING. I TOOK IT IN TO A KIA DEALERSHIP, THE INSTRUCTED ME TO GET A NEW BATTERY. I DID, AND THAT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 1RST,2005 I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY DOING ABOUT 60 MPH, MY CAR LOST ALL POWER AND STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY. I COULD NOT WARN OTHER DRIVERS BEHIND ME BECAUSE MY HAZARD LIGHTS WOULD NOT TURN ON, I HAD NO ELECTRICAL POWER TO MY CAR. IT ALMOST CAUSED PEOPLE BEHIND ME TO SLAM INTO ME. SINCE THE DEALERSHIP WAS CLOSED ON SUNDAY, I TOOK THE RISK OF GOING TO THE STORE, AND ONCE AGAIN I LOST ALL POWER TO MY CAR HITTING A NEAR BY GARBAGE CAN AND DENTING THE FRONT LEFT SIDE OF MY CAR. I TOOK IT INTO KIA OF TACOMA, THEY TOLD ME TO GET A TUNE UP. NOT LIKING THAT ANSWER, I HAD IT TOWED TO KIA OF PUYALLUP..THEY ARE UNABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM AND WANT ME TO COME PICK THE CAR UP AND DRIVE IT AROUND AGAIN. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS ON THE INTERNET, I FOUND THERE ARE MANY OTHER PEOPLE THAT THIS IS HAPPENING TOO, AND THERE HAS NOT YET BEEN A RECAL ON THIS CAR. THIS CAR IS A DANGER TO MY LIFE, AND OTHERS AROUND ME. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS RIGHT AWAY BEFORE IT COSTS SOMEBODY THEIR LIFE.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10105909
71,000 miles · Dec 16, 2004
Air Bags
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10103914
64,399 miles · Oct 19, 2004
Back Over PreventionParking Brake
CONSUMER STATED THE ALARM SYSTEM FAILED . AS A RESULT, A CHILD WAS TRAPPED INSIDE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE DOORS LOCKED.*AK VEHICLE WAS IN PARK AND STARTING TO SLIP OUT OF PARK AN ROLL WHILE CHILD WAS TRAPPED INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. *TC
NHTSA ODI #10091556
Official recalls
3May 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 & remedy
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.
Apr 12, 2004
SOME PASSENGER VEHICLES MAY CONTAIN A FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY VALVE THAT MAY NOT CLOSE PROPERLY. IF A VEHICLE WITH A FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY VALVE THAT IS NOT PROPERLY CLOSED WERE TO ROLL OVER, FUEL SPILLAGE MAY OCCUR.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: FUEL SPILLAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN ADDITIONAL FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY VALVE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 25, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.
Mar 4, 2003
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.5 AND 2.7 LITER V6 ENGINES, THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR (CKP) CASES DID NOT MEET DIMENSIONAL SPECIFICATIONS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: INTERNAL GAPS WITHIN THE CASES ALLOWED EPOXY TO CONTACT THE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD, WHICH RESULTED IN CRACKING OF THE CIRCUIT BOARD CAPACITOR. A DAMAGED CKP CAPACITOR COULD RESULT IN ENGINE STALLING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CKP. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 28, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
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