I PURCHASED A NEW KIA OPTIMA IN 2004. IN 2005 THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE SMELLED LIKE BURNT RUBBER. I TOOK THE CAR INTO DORSCHEL AUTOMOTIVE GROUP. THEY STATED THAT THE BRAKES NEEDED GREASE AND I WAS ALL SET. THE REAR BRAKE CONTINUED TO SMELL LIKE SMOKE INTERMITTENTLY AND SHRUGGED IT OFF DUE TO LUBRICANTS. IN 2007 I COMPLAINED …
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I PURCHASED A NEW KIA OPTIMA IN 2004. IN 2005 THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE SMELLED LIKE BURNT RUBBER. I TOOK THE CAR INTO DORSCHEL AUTOMOTIVE GROUP. THEY STATED THAT THE BRAKES NEEDED GREASE AND I WAS ALL SET. THE REAR BRAKE CONTINUED TO SMELL LIKE SMOKE INTERMITTENTLY AND SHRUGGED IT OFF DUE TO LUBRICANTS. IN 2007 I COMPLAINED OF THE PROBLEM OF SMELL OF SMOKE AND A SOUND OF MEDAL ON MEDAL EVERYTIME I MADE A TURN. DORSCHEL INSPECTED THE BRAKES AND STATED I NEEDED NEW ROTORS AND NEW BRAKE PADS IN THE REAR. THE CAR ONLY HAD 14,230 MILES ON IT. WE ARGUED THAT A CAR WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE SHOULD NOT HAVE A BREAK JOB DONE SO SOON. DORSCHEL DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE AND BASICALLY STATED THEY HAVE CUSTOMERS WAITING. WE RELUCTANTLY DID THE BRAKE JOB IN ORDER TO PASS INSPECTION. HOWEVER, WE ASKED FOR THE PARTS. UNDER INSPECTION OF THE ORIGINAL BRAKES, THE BRAKES SEPARATED AND THE PADS DO NOT LOOK WORN. WE CALLED KIA TO FILE A COMPLAINT. WE RECEIVED A CASE NUMBER K1384334. KIA CLAIMS THIS IS OCCURRING DUE TO THE CAR SITTING. WE STATED TO KIA THAT THE CAR IS ON THE ROAD ON A DAILY BASIS IN ALL TYPES OF WEATHER. KIA STATED IT IS OUR FAULT, CLOSED THE CASE, AND DID NOT RESOLVE THE BRAKE ISSUE. WE LET THIS ISSUE GO, UNTIL RECENTLY. WE TOOK THE CAR BACK IN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM OF SMOKING BRAKES AND MEDAL ON MEDAL SOUND, BUT THIS TIME WE TOOK IT TO VISION KIA. AGAIN, I CONTACTED KIA ABOUT THE SAME BRAKE ISSUE TO HAVE THEM WORK DIRECTLY WITH VISION KIA TO SEE IF KIA TRULY HAS A DEFECT IN IT'S PARTS. VISION KIA IS STATING THAT I NEED FRONT AND BACK BRAKE JOBS. AGAIN, KIA IS STATING THIS IS OUR ISSUE BECAUSE THE CAR IS SITTING. AGAIN I EXPLAINED TO KIA THAT THE CAR IS ON THE ROAD ON A DAILY BASIS. THE CAR HAS 21,417 MILES. THERE ARE CARS THAT ARE OLDER THAN MY CAR WITH LOW MILEAGE THAT NEVER HAD TO HAVE BRAKE JOBS DONE. I BELIEVE THE ISSUE IS THAT THE KIA GENUINE PARTS ARE OF POOR QUALITY. WITH THE BRAKE PADS SEPARATING, I BELIEVE TO BE A DANGER OF BRAKE FAILURE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10282522
80,000 miles · Jun 12, 2008
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT HEARD A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SHOP THE FOLLOWING DAY FOR AN OIL CHANGE, AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER CALIPER WAS FROZEN AND WOULD NOT RELEASE. THE ROTOR AND CAL…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT HEARD A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SHOP THE FOLLOWING DAY FOR AN OIL CHANGE, AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER CALIPER WAS FROZEN AND WOULD NOT RELEASE. THE ROTOR AND CALIPER WERE REPLACED. APPROXIMATELY 8,000 MILES LATER, THE PADS AND ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. THERE IS NO RECALL REGARDING THIS FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 17,080 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
NHTSA ODI #10230837
Mileage unknown · Jan 5, 2006
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
I RECENTLY PURCHASED A KIA OPTIMA 2004, ON DECEMBER 28,2005 I NOTICE A PIERCING NOISE COMING FROM THE BACK OF MY CAR. I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHO INDICATED THAT I NEEDED NEW BRAKE PADS AND THAT MY ROTORS WERE RUSTED. MY QUESTION IS HOW CAN A CAR THAT IS BRAND NEW AND ONLY DRIVEN FOR 14 MONTHS HAVE RUSTED ROTORS…
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I RECENTLY PURCHASED A KIA OPTIMA 2004, ON DECEMBER 28,2005 I NOTICE A PIERCING NOISE COMING FROM THE BACK OF MY CAR. I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHO INDICATED THAT I NEEDED NEW BRAKE PADS AND THAT MY ROTORS WERE RUSTED. MY QUESTION IS HOW CAN A CAR THAT IS BRAND NEW AND ONLY DRIVEN FOR 14 MONTHS HAVE RUSTED ROTORS. ISN'T THERE SAFETY STANDARDS ON MATERIAL USED SO THAT THIS DOES NOT OCCUR IN SUCH SHORT OF A TIME. IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY WHICH RESULTED IN A BILL TOTALING $659.00. MY PURPOSE OF PURCHASING A NEW CAR WAS TO AVOID CONSTANT REPAIRS RIGHT AWAY. I FEEL THAT ALL OF THE FINE PRINT WAS NOT DISCLOSED WHEN KIA ADVERTISES A BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY FOR A CAR UP TO 100,000 MILES. I EVEN CALLED THE NATIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE HOTLINE FOR KIA AND THEY HAD NO EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THIS COULD HAVE OCCURRED IN SUCH SHORT OF A TIME. THE CAR HAS ONLY SEEN 1 WINTER. *JB
BOUGHT KIA OPTIMA ON JUNE 22, 2004 VIN# [XXX] AND HAVE SINCE HAD SEVEN SERVICE APPOINTMENTS, REPLACED TWO SETS OF DRIVE BELTS, REPLACED A LEAKING POWER STEERING RACK, REPLACED A LEAKING FUEL REGULATOR, MACHINED THE FRONT ROTORS, LOST TIME FROM WORK, LOST PRODUCTIVITY FROM WORK AS WELL AS JEOPARDIZED MY WIFE'S WORK FROM CAR POOLI…
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BOUGHT KIA OPTIMA ON JUNE 22, 2004 VIN# [XXX] AND HAVE SINCE HAD SEVEN SERVICE APPOINTMENTS, REPLACED TWO SETS OF DRIVE BELTS, REPLACED A LEAKING POWER STEERING RACK, REPLACED A LEAKING FUEL REGULATOR, MACHINED THE FRONT ROTORS, LOST TIME FROM WORK, LOST PRODUCTIVITY FROM WORK AS WELL AS JEOPARDIZED MY WIFE'S WORK FROM CAR POOLING FOR FIVE MONTHS, COMPLETED SCHEDULED ARBITRATION WITH THE BBB WITHOUT SUCCESS FOR FOUR PROBLEMS: ACCELERATION DELAY, LOW GRINDING BRAKE NOISE, LOW VIBRATION STEERING NOISE, AND LOUD SQUEALING NOISE FROM THE DRIVE BELTS. *JB UPDATED 07/24/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA ODI #10102349
500 miles · Oct 3, 2004
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE BRAKES LOCKED. THE CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO UNLOCK THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED COMPLETELY. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE BRAKES NEEDED TO BE FIXED AND ORDERED A PART. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *J…
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WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE BRAKES LOCKED. THE CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO UNLOCK THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED COMPLETELY. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE BRAKES NEEDED TO BE FIXED AND ORDERED A PART. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB THE CONSUMER DID NOT APPLY EXCESSIVE PRESSURE TO BRAKES VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY OUT OF CONTROL. *TC
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.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0
No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
2004 Kia Optima Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year