2004 KIA Optima engine problems

ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND SEVERAL INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN AND WAS PUSHED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH THE HELP OF THE STATE HIGHWAY PATROL. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING BELT FRACTURED AND THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 163,000.

NHTSA complaint #10955343 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

MY CAR COMPLETELY TURNS OFF WHILE IM DRIVING IT, MOST OF THE TIME WHEN I USED IT THE FIRST TIME OF THE DAY AND TRY TO USED IT AGAIN IT TURNS OF AND LOOSE POWER, I CAN'T TURN IT ON AGAIN IN THAT MOMENT I NEED TO WAIT AND THEN IT WORKS AGAIN BUT IF HAPPENS REALLY FREQUENTLY AND ITS REALLY DANGEROUS BECAUSE IM ON THE FREEWAY AND CARS ARE BEHIND ME AND I CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR ANYTHING WORSE. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP SO THEY COULD INSPECT MY CAR BUT THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING AT THAT MOMENT.

NHTSA complaint #10683010 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

THE CAR WAS RUNNING FINE UNTIL AFTER A FEW HOURS OF DRIVING IT JUST STOPPED RUNNING. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED. THE ENGINE RPM DROPPED TO ZERO AND THE CAR COASTED. AFTER SITTING FOR LESS THAN AN HOUR THE CAR STARTED UP AGAIN. I TOOK IT TO THE KIA DEALER AND THEY SAID, EVEN THOUGH THE CAR HAD LESS THAN 60,000 MILES, THEY WOULD HAVE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND CHARGE US $200 TO DO SO, AND THE ELECTRONIC PARTS WERE NOT COVERED.

NHTSA complaint #10470101 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 35 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AFTER RECEIVING A JUMP START TO THE BATTERY. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE CRANK SHAFT SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WAS 80,034.

NHTSA complaint #10438616 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 70 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. HE WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED SHORTLY AFTER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN FOR DIAGNOSIS OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 68,000.

NHTSA complaint #10382968 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

I WAS COMMUTING. I GAVE MY CAR REGULAR OIL CHANGES AND TUNE UPS. THEN THE ENGINE COILS WENT OUT. THE CAR WOULD NOT GO OVER FORTY. REPLACED THAT. HEARD FUNNY NOISES COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE CAR WAS AT 70K AT THIS POINT. THE MANUFACTURERS WARRANTY SAID TO REPLACE THE TIMING BELT AT 110K. SO I DECIDED TO HOLD OFF AS THAT PROBABLY WASN'T THE PROBLEM AND A MANUFACTURER WOULDN'T LIE TO ME AS THEY ARE REGULATED BY THE GOVERNMENT. THEN I AM DRIVING AND THE CAR DIES IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY INTERSECTION. I GET THE CAR TOWED. THE TIMING BELT IS CHANGED AND THERE ARE HALF THE TEETH LEFT ON THE TIMING BELT. HOW IS THE CAR STILL RUNNING YOU MAY ASK? IT IS A MAGICAL CAR AND IS LIKE THE LITTLE TRAIN THAT COULD. THEN I AM DRIVING ON A BUSY SCARY MOUNTAINOUS HIGHWAY AND THE CAR DIES AGAIN AT A BLIND CORNER. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BUT THERE ARE PLENTY OF CARS THAT WANT TO HIT ME. THE CAR TURNS BACK ON. THE FEAR FOR MY LIFE AND THOSE AROUND ME HAS SUBSIDED FOR A MOMENT. THE CAR IS ABLE TO TURN BACK ON... SOMEHOW. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON. THE CRANK SENSOR IS THE PROBLEM. THE CRANK SENSOR WAS THEN FIXED. THIS CAR IS A HAZARD TO HAVE ON THE ROAD. THE AIR BAG LIGHT HAS ALSO BEEN ON FOR A YEAR AND WON'T GO OFF. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE ENGINE COILS, DOOR LOCKS, TRUNK ALIGNMENTS AND PROBABLY SOME OTHER THINGS THAT MADE ME FEAR FOR MY LIFE. THE SPEEDOMETER ALSO BROKE AND SAID I WAS GOING 0 MPH WHEN IT WAS REALLY 80 MPH. AS OF RIGHT NOW THE CAR IS RUNNING OKAY. I EXPECT BY NEXT OCTOBER THAT SOMETHING WILL GO WRONG AS THAT IS THE MONTH THAT EVERYTHING DOES WITH THIS CAR.

NHTSA complaint #10370509 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

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.

NHTSA complaint #10243177 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK AND MY CAR JUST STOPPED RUNNING WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. I GOT IT TOWED, IT IS THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR, THE COST TO REPAIR $460. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR. ALSO EARLIER MODELS HAVE BEEN RECALLED.

NHTSA complaint #10227927 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE RUNS WELL, BUT THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES INTERMITTENTLY. THE FAILURE BEGAN ON MAY 12, 2007 AND HAS BEEN OCCURRING EVER SINCE. SHE REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID AND THE LIGHT, BUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUES TO ILLUMINATE. THE ENGINE SIZE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 96,000.

NHTSA complaint #10190959 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AND THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOT CONTACTED. UPDATED 08/29/06.

NHTSA complaint #10165162 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS

MOTOR MOUNTS AND PULLEYS DEFECTIVE. THIS WILL BE MY THIRD TIME TO THE SHOP IN LESS THAN A MONTH. THE PULLEYS AND MOUNTS ARE BOUND TO CAUSE OTHER DAMAGE.

NHTSA complaint #10144213 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

I PURCHASED A BRAND NEW 2004 KIA OPTIMA AND PAID IN FULL. I PURCHASED FOR THE 10 YR WARRANTY AND EXTENDED WARRANTY I BOUGHT. THE A/C HAS ALWAYS OVERHEATED , CAR SEATS IN THE LOCKED POSITIONMOVING WHILE DRIVING OUT OF THEIR POSITION, LOCKS MALFUNCTIONING WHEN NO ONE IS TOUCHING THEM, TRANSMISSION JUMPING. VARIOUS OTHER PROBLEMS. THE BIG BELL ROAD KIA IN PHOENIX, LOCATED AT 2121 EAST BELL ROAD,

NHTSA complaint #10126773 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE)

RY TIME IT RAINS AND OUR COUNTY DIRT ROAD GETS WET AND MUDDY. MUD SPLASHES UP INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND INTO THE EGR VALVE AND CAUSES IT TO MALFUCTION DUE TO THE WAY IT WAS DESINED. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERS SHOP AND WAS TOLD IT WAS A MAINTENCE PROBLEM AND THAT THE DEALER WOULD FIX IT ONLY ONCE AND AFTER THAT I WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR ANY REPAIR IF IT FAILS AGAIN. AS OF THIS DATE ( 03/24/05) THIS CAR HAD 23760 MILES OF A 100,000 MILE WARRANTY ON IT.

NHTSA complaint #10114770 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH VEHICLE SUDDENLY DECELERATED AND WOULD NOT GO OVER 20 MPH. NO IMPACT REPORTED. AS A RESULT, THE CHECK ENGINE SIGNAL LIGHT STAYED ON.

NHTSA complaint #10081896 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.