IllustrationCANNOT ADD FUEL BECAUSE THE PUMP STOPS FROM FILLING UP THE TANK. IT TOOK ME ABOUT 7 TIMES TO GET IN $7 WORTH OF GAS. EVEN THOUGH THIS CAR ONLY HAS 25,830 MILES ON IT. IT HAS HARDLY BEEN USED. WE PUT GAS IN ABOUT EVERY 3 OR 4 WEEKS - NOT THAT OFTEN.
2004 Kia Optima
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2004 Kia Optima do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 186.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Optima years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
220–25K
2225–50K
3550–75K
4375–100K
56100–150K
9150K+
187 reports with mileage · 38 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Latches/locks/linkages. Review the 81 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 45 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 42 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
8 crash reports3 fire reports7 injury reports
Unknown Or Other complaints
12 reportsDRIVER'S DOOR LOCKING SYSTEM WILL NOT UNLOCK, ALL OTHERS DO. THE DOOR LOCKS ITSELF IMMEDIATELY AS YOU TRY TO UNLOCK EITHER WITH THE KEY (OUTSIDE) OR PRESSING THE CENTRAL LOCK BUTTON (WHEN INSIDE). THIS WOULD BE A SERIOUS PROBLEM IF THE CAR WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND/OR FIRE WAS AN ISSUE. RIGHT NOW IT IS INCONVENIENT TO CLI…
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DRIVER'S DOOR LOCKING SYSTEM WILL NOT UNLOCK, ALL OTHERS DO. THE DOOR LOCKS ITSELF IMMEDIATELY AS YOU TRY TO UNLOCK EITHER WITH THE KEY (OUTSIDE) OR PRESSING THE CENTRAL LOCK BUTTON (WHEN INSIDE). THIS WOULD BE A SERIOUS PROBLEM IF THE CAR WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND/OR FIRE WAS AN ISSUE. RIGHT NOW IT IS INCONVENIENT TO CLIMB OVER THE CENTER CONSOLE. I SEE THIS IS NOT THE FIRST COMPLAINT ON THIS SUBJECT AND THE PROBLEM SEEMS ENDEMIC TO THIS CAR. THE PROBLEM STARTED INTERMITTENTLY FROM SEPTEMBER 2016 AND NOW IS PERMANENT AS OF NOVEMBER 30.
DRIVERS DOOR LOCK WILL NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE AT ALL & ONLY 10%OF THE TIME FROM OUTSIDE WITH KEY. PULLED FUSE ON ACTUATORS & LOCK CONTINUES TO MALFUNCTION. CAN NOT EFFICIENTLY GET IN OR OUT OF THE CAR. HAVE TO SLIDE OVER CENTER TO REACH PASSENGER DOOR TO GET OUT. I AM 6'4" SO THIS IS A REAL SAFETY HAZARD.
MY DRIVERS SIDE DOOR AUTOMATIC LOCKS LOCK AND EVEN AFTER MANUALLY UNLOCKING THEM I AM UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR. HAVE TO ENTER AND EXIT THE VEHICLE THROUGH PASSENGER DOOR. MANY OTHER KIA OPTIMA OWNERS ONLINE HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. THIS POSES A SERIOUS SAFETY RISK IF I CAN'T EXIT THE VEHICLE IN AN EMERGENCY. PLEASE FORCE KIA TO MA…
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MY DRIVERS SIDE DOOR AUTOMATIC LOCKS LOCK AND EVEN AFTER MANUALLY UNLOCKING THEM I AM UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR. HAVE TO ENTER AND EXIT THE VEHICLE THROUGH PASSENGER DOOR. MANY OTHER KIA OPTIMA OWNERS ONLINE HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. THIS POSES A SERIOUS SAFETY RISK IF I CAN'T EXIT THE VEHICLE IN AN EMERGENCY. PLEASE FORCE KIA TO MAKE THIS RIGHT!
OUT OF NOWHERE MY DAUGHTER'S CAR DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN, TRAPPING HER INSIDE. IT WON'T OPEN WITH THE KEY OR REMOTE. I CALLED KIA AND THEY SAID MY WARRANTY RAN OUT AND THERE IS NO RECALL DESPITE THIS BEING A COMMON ISSUE-- A VERY DANGEROUS SAFETY ISSUE I MUST SAY, SINCE THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS COULD POSSIBLY BE TRAPPED AND DIE IN …
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OUT OF NOWHERE MY DAUGHTER'S CAR DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN, TRAPPING HER INSIDE. IT WON'T OPEN WITH THE KEY OR REMOTE. I CALLED KIA AND THEY SAID MY WARRANTY RAN OUT AND THERE IS NO RECALL DESPITE THIS BEING A COMMON ISSUE-- A VERY DANGEROUS SAFETY ISSUE I MUST SAY, SINCE THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS COULD POSSIBLY BE TRAPPED AND DIE IN AN EMERGENCY.
SUB FRAME ROT LEADING TO POOR HANDLING , TIRE WEAR, BAD ENGINE PERFORMANCE. THE ROTTED SUPFRAME IS SEPARATING FROM BODY, CAUSING POOR PERFORMANCE. THE CAR IS PERFORMING POORLY AT ALL SPEEDS. NOT SAFE...
DRIVER DOOR FAILS TO OPEN. WHEN WILL SOMETHING BE DONE ABOUT THIS? THERE ARE COMPLAINTS EVERYWHERE ONLINE ABOUT THIS EXACT ISSUE ON THIS EXACT MODEL AND OTHER YEARS TOO. I CAN'T GET IN OR OUT OF MY CAR THROUGH THE DRIVER DOOR. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN!
KIA OPTIMA PROBLEM MODEL YEARS AFFECTED: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013 THE DRIVER FRONT DOOR LOCK ON MY 2004 KIA OPTIMA STARTED GIVING ME PROBLEMS. IF I AM IN THE CAR AND LOCKED THE DOOR, I COULD NOT UNLOCK IT. IF I WAS OUTSIDE AND TRY TO USE THE KEY TO UNLOCK THE DOORS, IT WOULD NOT UNLOC…
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KIA OPTIMA PROBLEM MODEL YEARS AFFECTED: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013 THE DRIVER FRONT DOOR LOCK ON MY 2004 KIA OPTIMA STARTED GIVING ME PROBLEMS. IF I AM IN THE CAR AND LOCKED THE DOOR, I COULD NOT UNLOCK IT. IF I WAS OUTSIDE AND TRY TO USE THE KEY TO UNLOCK THE DOORS, IT WOULD NOT UNLOCK. IF I TRIED TO USE THE KEY, IT FELT LIKE SOMETHING WAS JAMMING, AND THE ACTUATOR WOULD AUTOMATICALLY RELOCK. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP AND THE SHOP TOLD ME THAT IT WAS A FAULTY DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR.THE MECHANIC DID NOT OPEN THE DOOR BUT SAID THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. THEY ESTIMATED COST IS $300+ INCLUDING LABOR TO REPAIR. AS AN INTERIM SOLUTION, THE MECHANIC TOLD US TO "TURN THE KEY AND PULL THE HANDLE SIMULTANEOUSLY". THE TRICK WORKED ABOUT 30% OF THE TIME. IT STILL DOES NOT SOLVE THE FACT THAT ONCE YOU'RE INSIDE, YOU HAVE TO CRAWL OUT THROUGH THE PASSENGER SIDE TO EXIT OR GO DUKES OF HAZARD ON IT. *TR
THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK FROM EITHER THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. THE KEY WON'T WORK. I HAD TO CRAWL OVER THE PASSENGER SEAT RISKING POTENTIAL INJURY . THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I NOTIFIED THE DEALER WHO SAID BASICALLY THAT IT WASN'T HIS DEALERSHIP'S PROBLEM AND TO CALL KIA CONSUMER NUMBER. I DID CALL AND HE ALSO SAID BA…
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THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK FROM EITHER THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. THE KEY WON'T WORK. I HAD TO CRAWL OVER THE PASSENGER SEAT RISKING POTENTIAL INJURY . THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I NOTIFIED THE DEALER WHO SAID BASICALLY THAT IT WASN'T HIS DEALERSHIP'S PROBLEM AND TO CALL KIA CONSUMER NUMBER. I DID CALL AND HE ALSO SAID BASICALLY THAT IT IS NOT KIA'S PROBLEM, IT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE, AND TOO BAD FOR YOU. THERE ARE MANY DOCUMENTED INSTANCES OF THIS DOOR LATCH FAILING. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE DESPITE WHAT THE CONSUMER REP SAID AT KIA. $50.00 DIAGNOSIS COST PLUS , WHEN THE PART FINALLY COMES IN, ANOTHER $230.00 DOLLARS. IT IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR KIA TO IGNORE THIS SAFETY ISSUE. *TR
DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN WITH THE POWER LOCK OR BY KEY, I HAVE BEEN GETTING IN AND OUT OF MY CAR BY USING THE PASSENGER FRONT DOOR. MY HUSBAND FOUND A WAY TO UNLOCK MY DRIVER SIDE DOOR, NOW I CAN NOT LOCK MY CAR AGAIN.
Official recalls
109V183000 · Suspension:front
May 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.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.