2002 Kia Optima
3 recalls and 110 owner complaints on record for this model year.
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This page describes the model. To see how one particular car is equipped, and whether its identifier is valid, decode its VIN.
Decode a VIN3 recalls and 110 owner complaints on record for this model year.
This page describes the model. To see how one particular car is equipped, and whether its identifier is valid, decode its VIN.
Decode a VINAlmost all of this describes the model year, not the individual car. Nothing here can tell you about this vehicle’s mileage, accidents or ownership — no identifier encodes those.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Published by model year, not by VIN — may not apply to this vehicle, or may already have been done. Confirm with a dealer.
Due to an internal leak of brake fluid, a short circuit may occur in the electrical circuit for the ABS/ESC (anti-lock braking system / electronic stability control) system. This may lead to an increase in current and overheating in the fuse box, increasing the risk of the engine catching fire, irrespective of whether the vehicle is parked or being driven. The product does not comply with the Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles.
Due to an internal leak of brake fluid, a short circuit can occur in the electrical circuit for the ABS/ESC (Anti-lock Braking System / Electronic Stability Control) system. This can lead to an increase in current and overheating in the fuse box, increasing the risk of the engine catching fire. The product does not comply with the Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles.
Due to an internal leak of brake fluid, a short circuit can occur in the electrical circuit for the ABS/ESC (Anti-lock Braking System / Electronic Stability Control) system. This can lead to an increase in current and overheating in the fuse box, increasing the risk of the engine catching fire. The product does not comply with the Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles.
Matched on brand and model name — Safety Gate publishes no VIN. Check the production dates, and quote the recall code to a dealer.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WERE TWO ACCIDENTS WITH THE VEHICLE WHERE THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. IN THE FIRST ACCIDENT, IN 2003, NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. IN THE SECOND OF THESE ACCIDENTS WHICH WAS MORE SEVERE, THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED, AND NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED EITHER. IN THE BOTH ACCIDENTS, THE OCCUPANT WERE WEARING THEIR SEATBELTS HOWEVER THE CONTACT EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT THERE MUST BE A PROBLEM AIR BAG SENSOR OF THE VEHICLE.
FEB. 14, 2003, DRIVING A 2002 OPTIMA KIA AND APPLIED BRAKES HARD ABOUT 70 MPH AND CAR WAS COMPLETLY UNCONTROLLABLE SENDING ME OFF THE ROAD INTO VARIOUS TREES EVENTUALLY HITTING A TREE HEAD ON. CAR CAUGHT FIRE AND COMPLETELY BURNT DOWN. I WAS SENT TO A TRAUMA UNIT AT FOREST GENERAL IN HATTIESBURG MS WITH A PUNCTURED LUNG , SPLEEN REMOVED AND EXTREME DAMAGE TO THE RIBS WHICH I AM PRESENTLY IN PAIN MANAGEMENT FOR AND ON LTD. *AK
JAN. 10TH- BRAKED TO AVOID ACCIDENT ON I-59 AT 70 MPH AND CAR WAS COMPLETELY UNCONTROLLABLE-RAN OFF I-59 AND COLLIDED WITH TREE FEB. 14- BRAKED AGAIN AT HIGH SPEED TO AVOID ACCIDENT AND CAR WAS UNCONTROLLABLE. HIT TREE AND ALMOST LOST LIFE. WOULD HAVE LOST LIFE HAD NOT SOMEONE PULLED ME FROM VEHICLE, VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNED DOWN COMPLETELY. *NLM
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
MY 2002 KIA OPTIMA WAS IN AN ACCIDENT ON AUGUST 30TH 2004. MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING WEST BOUND, A SCHOOL BUS DRIVING EAST BOUND MADE A LEFT TURN IN FRONT OF MY DAUGHTER. SHE HIT THE BUS AT ABOUT 50 MPH. NO AIR BAG DEPLOYED. I AM INTERESTED IN KNOWING IF THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE. IT WAS A FULL FRONTAL IMPACT. THANK GOD FOR SEAT BELTS. *AK
WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP BECAUSE OF ROAD CONSTRUCTION, THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 40 MPH. UPON IMPACT, NONE OF THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT. ALSO, DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BACK RECLINED BACKWARDS ONTO THE REAR SEAT. DRIVER SUSTAINED SEVERE BRUISES TO CHEST/BREAST BONE/LUNGS/HEART/LOWER ABDOMINAL, AND LEFT LEG. *AK *LA
PURCHASED CAR BRAND NEW ON APRIL 30, 2003 - INCIDENT #1: JULY 15, 2003, I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 30-35 MILES PER HOUR EXITING THE MASS PIKE EXIT AT ROUTE 30. ALL TRAFFIC WAS SLOWING TO EXIT - I APPLIED THE BRAKES - WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN - REALIZED THAT THE BREAKS WERE NOT WORKING - PANICKED - IMPACTED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT WORK. INCIDENT #2: AUGUST 8, 2003, WHEN VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED THE OWNER OF BUCCI'S AUTO BODY TOOK THE CAR IN THE PARKING LOT FOR A TEST DRIVE. AT ABOUT 15 MILES PER HOUR - WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED THE FRONT FREEZED UP AND THE BACK PUSHED FORWARD TO CREATE A LUNGE FORWARD EFFECT. I CONTACTED KIA MOTOR AMERICA IN IRVINE, CA AND HAVE A COMPLAINT FILE NUMBER. AFTER ABOUT 1 MONTH OF DOING NOTHING I DEMANDED, ON AUGUST 8TH, THAT THEY TOW THE CAR FROM THE BODY SHOP TO BOCH KIA (WHERE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED)AND CHECK OUT THE MASTER CYLINDER/PROPORTIONATE VALUE SYSTEM. THEY DID SO AND ON AUGUST 12TH I WAS TOLD THAT AN ENGINEER LOOKED AT THE CAR AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG. KIA REFUSES TO STAND ACCOUNTABLE AND ALLEDGES THAT THE VEHICLE HAS NO PROBLEM. I AM FORCED TO DRIVE A CAR THAT HAS BAD BRAKES UNTIL 2 MORE INCIDENTS HAPPEN IN ORDER TO PROCEED UNDER THE MASSACHUSETTS LEMON LAW. EVERY MODEL OF KIA IN 2002 HAS HAD HYDRAULIC AS WELL AS ABS BREAK FAILURE. SEEMS TO ME THAT KIA NEEDS TO REDESIGN THE BRAKING SYSTEM - OR - PERHAPS TRY THIS NEW TAG LINE IN ADVERTISING: KIA - BUY OUR CAR - JUST DON'T EVER HAVE TO STOP FAST!
WHILE SLOWING DOWN TO EXIT OFF MASS PIKE, I WAS DOING ABOUT 30-35 AND SO WERE THE OTHER CARS, I BRAKED TO CONTINUE TO SLOW - THE CAR DID NOT STOP AND APPLIED THE BRAKES ALL THE WAY DOWN AND THE CAR STILL DID NOT STOP AND I PANICKED KNOWING THE CAR WAS NOT STOPPING AND FINALLY MADE IMPACT INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. *JB
THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION, AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.*JB....*AK
WHILE DRIVING ON A PAVED SURFACE GOING APPROX. 40 MPH, MY DRIVER SIDE SEAT AIRBAG WENT OFF FOR NO REASON. I SUSTAINED SEVERE BRUISING AND BURNING SCABS ON MY LEFT SHOULDER AND CURRENTLY HAVE A SCAR THERE. *NM
2002 KIA OPTIMA AIRBAG DRIVER'S SIDE DEPLOYED GOING 35 MILES PERHOUR WHILE IN A RIGHT HAND CURVE. WHEN THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED IT HIT THE LEFT SHOUDER CAUSING MY DAUGHTER TO TURN THE WHEEL MORE AND GO OFF THE ROAD. THERE WHERE NO IMPACTS ON ANY PART OF THE CAR .WE ARE LUCKY NO ONE WAS HURT OTHER THAN A STRAINED NECK AND A HOLE IN THE OIL PAN. KIA RECALLED SOME 2001 FOR THE SAME PROBLEM .*AK
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA OPTIMA. AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, FLAMES STARTED TO EMIT FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD DUE TO THE WIRING NEAR THE STARTER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 220,000.
A FIRE STARTED INSIDE THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR PANEL FILLING THE CAR WITH HEAVY BLACK SMOKE MY WIFE OPENED THE DRIVERS SIDE ELECTRIC WINDOW TO GE RID OF THE SMOKE OUT OF THE CAR. SHE DROVE THE CAR INTO HER BACK YARD AND STARTED SCREAMING FOR HELP SINCE THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. HER HUSBAND RAN TO THE BACK YARD AND WAS ABLE TO OPEN THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AND SHE HAD TO CLIMB OVER THE GEAR SHIFT AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO GET OUT OF THE CAR. SHE WAS ON OXYGEN AT THE TIME. HER HUSBAND GOT A WATER HOSE AND PUT OUT THE FIRE. THE INVESTIGATION LED TO THE FIRE STARTING IN A ELECTRICAL ACTUATOR KIA NUMBER ACT " R ASSY KMC 9530-3C000. THE DOOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. I NOTIFIED KIA CORP HEADQUARTERS AT 1-877-220-3189 AND SENT PICTURES MY CASE # [XXX]. AS OF THIS DATE 07/24/2014 KIA HAS NOT GOT BACK WITH ME. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS FILLED WITH THE SMELL OF BURNING RUBBER. THIS WAS CLOSELY FOLLOWED BY AN APPEARANCE OF WHITE SMOKE. THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE SEAT BELT HARNESS AREA ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHERE THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2002 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE HYDROPLANED AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 219,000.
Filed by owners of this model year and unverified by NHTSA — one person’s account, not an established fact.