2004 Kia Optima

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH OUT OF A PARKING LOT, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE LOWER BALL JOINT AND AXLE DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CONTROLLED THE VEHICLE UNTIL IT CAME TO A STOP TWELVE FEET FROM THE INCIDENT. HER INSURANCE COMPANY PROVIDED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION SHOP. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT INFORMED THE DEALER OF A GRINDING NOISE SHE HEARD. THEY STATED THAT THEY WERE TOO BUSY TO CHECK THE VEHICLE, BUT THREE HOURS LATER THE AXLE AND LOWER BALL JOINTS FAILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,954.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA OPTIMA. THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE ELECTRIC WIRE FOR THE FUEL PUMP HAD BURNED INSIDE THE GAS TANK. THESE WERE THE PLUGS FOR THE FUEL PUMP. THE DRIVER WAS FORTUNATE THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START BECAUSE AN EXPLOSION COULD HAVE OCCURRED. THE DEALER ADVISED HIM TO CALL NHTSA AND FILE A COMPLAINT BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT ASSIST. THE CONTACT IS A MECHANIC AND REPAIRED THE VEHICLE HIMSELF. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,600. UPDATED 12/11/08. *LJ UPDATED 12/11/08.*JB

DASHBOARD AIRBAG INDICATOR LIT. CODE B1378 PULLED BY THE DEALERSHIP - DRIVERSIDE SIDE AIRBAG RESISTANCE HIGH. $1,020 TO FIX (REPLACE SEATBACK) . THIS CAR HAS 26,400 MILES ON IT. WAS TOLD NONE OF THE 4 AIRBAGS WILL WORK BECAUSE THIS ONE BAG HAS FAILED. I UNDERSTAND DEVICES FAIL BUT TO DESIGN AN ENTIRE SAFETY SYSTEM TO DEACTIVATE BECAUSE ONE PART OF IT GOES BAD IS NEGLIGENT ENGINEERING. ALSO, FACTORY WARRANTIES COVERING EMISSION SYSTEMS LONGER THAN SYSTEMS RESPONSIBLE FOR BODILY SAFETY IS BAD POLICY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA OPTIMA. IN JUNE OF 2004, THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING FAILED WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED. IN ADDITION, THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT LOCK AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONSISTENTLY ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE DOOR WAS NOT BECAUSE IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. AFTER THE REPAIR WAS MADE, THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING CONTINUED TO FAIL AS WELL AS THE OTHER ISSUES. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER APPROXIMATELY FOUR TIMES TO REPAIR THE SAME FAILURES, BUT THE ISSUES KEPT PERSISTING. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED SINCE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 93,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,195. UPDATED 10/05/08 *CN THE HEADLIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHTS WERE REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. THE DIMMRE SWITCH ALSO FAILED. UPDATED 11/06/08. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA OPTIMA. THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. WHENEVER THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, SHE HEARD A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE CLOCK SPRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE SAME FAILURE HAS OCCURRED MORE THAN FIVE DIFFERENT TIMES AND STILL PERSISTS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 48,016 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL BECAME INOPERATIVE AND DISPLAYED INACCURATE READINGS. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER AND SHE IS IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE VEHICLE INSPECTED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 64,000. UPDATED 09/16/08 *BF UPDATED 09/19/08. *JB

HELLO I HAVE A FEW ISSUES WITH MY 2004 KIA OPTIMA THAT I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO GET RESOLVED. THE 1ST IS MY AIR BAG LIGHT IS CONSTANTLY ON. I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE SHOP FOR THIS WHILE IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS FIXED. THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON AND NOW THE CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. I WAS TOLD THAT IN ORDER TO HAVE IT FIXED I HAVE TO SPEND A COUPLE HUNDRED DOLLARS TO HAVE MY PASSENGER SEAT REMOVED AND SOME WIRES WOULD HAVE TO BE SPLICED TO CORRECT THE ISSUE. I'M NOT COMFORTABLE PAYING TO HAVE A PROBLEM FIXED THAT SHOULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN FIXED AND THE RESPONSE I GET AS TO THE SOLUTION INVOLVES SPLICING OF WIRES FOR MY AIR BAG. I HAVE BEEN ON SEVERAL WEBSITES AND HEARD MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE WITH THIS YEAR/MODEL. ISSUE #2 INVOLVES MY HEADLIGHTS. I HAVE OWNED MY CAR SINCE I PURCHASED IT IN 2005. I HAVE BLOWN AT LEAST 5 SETS OF HEADLIGHTS IN THE VEHICLE. THIS IS SETS AND NOT JUST BULBS. MY MOST RECENT ONE HAS BLOWN AND HAS NOT EVEN BEEN INSTALLED FOR 3 MONTHS. IN ORDER TO GET THIS FIXED I WILL HAVE TO TAKE IT TO THE SHOP AND SPEND ALMOST $100 JUST TO HAVE SOMEBODY TEST THE SYSTEM AND TELL ME WHAT'S WRONG AND THEN PAY TO GET IT FIXED. IT HAS BEEN BAD ENOUGH THAT ONCE THEY BOTH BLEW AT THE SAME TIME AND LEFT ME WITH NO HEADLIGHTS AT ALL EXCEPT FOR MY HIGH BEAMS. I HAVE ALSO SEEN MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE ALSO WITH THIS MAKE/MODEL. IF SOMEBODY COULD PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT THESE ISSUES AND ASSIST ME WITH GETTING THEM ADDRESSED. MY CAR CURRENTLY WILL NOT PASS AN INSPECTION DUE TO THE AIRBAG LIGHT BEING ON. *TR

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.