2003 Kia Optima
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Latches/locks/linkages is the leading concern among 144 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 16th highest complaint count among 20 Optima model years with reports.
Of the 2003 reports, 8 involved a crash and 2 involved a fire. 6 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Suspension, frontMay 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.
CORROSION OF THE FRONT SUBFRAME COULD LEAD TO SEPARATION, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
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.
Campaign 09V183000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, storage, tank assemblyApr 12, 2004
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.
FUEL SPILLAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN ADDITIONAL FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY VALVE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 25, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.
Campaign 04V180000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
144 reports, newest first.
Fuel system, Gasoline, Electrical system, Nov 22, 2004
THE ENGINE AND AIR BAG LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND OFF. THE ENGINE OXYGEN SENSORS WERE REPLACED. THE AIR BAG ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WERE SEVERAL OTHER PROBLEMS. *BF THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT HE GAS CAP WAS THE PROBLEM. REFERENCE TO RECALL#04V180000. THE DOOR ON THE DRIVER SIDE CONTINUED TO LOCK WITHOUT PRESSING. *SC
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Nov 5, 2004
THE VEHICLE'S BRAKES DID NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. *NM THE CONSUMER HAD TO PRESS THE BRAKE ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE BRAKES MADE A DEEP DRUM LIKE NOISE THAT LASTED FOR A FEW MINUTES UNTIL THE BRAKES STARTED TO REACT NORMALLY. *TC *JB
Air bags, Oct 4, 2004
AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON. DEALER ORDERED THE PART. HOWEVER, THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO OBTAIN THE PART, THIS MAKES DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG INOPERABLE. *AK
Electrical system, Jul 20, 2004
THE CONSUMER NOTICED WHILE DRIVING, THAT THE DOORS LOCKS UNLOCKED AND LOCKED WITHOUT PRESSING THE LOCK BUTTON WHICH WAS FOLLOWED BY THE DASH BOARD LIGHTS FLASHING. PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *JB
Air bags, Jul 15, 2004, crash
THE CONSUMER REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER WAS WEARING HIS SEAT BELT, HOWEVER THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DEALER CLAIMED THAT THE COLLISION WAS UNDER THE TRUCK'S BUMPER. THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE CONSUMER SUFFERED SHOULDER AND HEAD INJURIES IN THE COLLISION. *JB
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 15, 2004
IT WAS RAINING HARD IN OUR AREA( 1 INCHES IN 1 OUR). I LIVE 3 MILES IN ON A COUNTY DIRT ROAD AND IT WAS MUDDY WITH STANDING WATER. WHEN ALL THE WATER AND MUD WAS SPLASTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT THE WAS IDLEING ROUGH. THIS IS THE (2) SECOND TIME THIS HAPPENED. THE FIRST TIME WAS ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO IN APRIL WHEN WE HAD SAME TYPE OF WEATHER. TOOK THE CAR TO MY DEALER SERVICE DEPT AND WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT FIND NOTHING WRONG AND THAT I HAD WATER IN MY GAS. I PUT ATLEAST TWO BOTTLES OF DRY GAS IN TANK. CAR RAN FINE UNTIL THE EVEING OF 6/14/03 WHEN AGAIN WE HAD ALOT OF RAIN AND THE SAME 3 MILE WET, MUDDY, STANDING WATER DIRT ROAD. *AK
Latches/locks/linkages, May 25, 2004
WHEN PULLING THE DOOR LOCK UP TO GET OUT OR PULL THE DOOR HANDLE, THE LOCKING MECHANISM FAILS TO DISENGAGE. THE CONSUMER WAS TRAPPED INSIDE THE VEHICLE. A TOW COMPANY WAS CALLED TO ASSIST THE CONSUMER IN GETTING OUT OF THE VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM
Power train, Jan 15, 2004
I JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR AUGUST 14. THAT NIGHT IT WOULD NOT START. I HAVE NOT HAD THIS CAR OVER 4 HOURS AND PUT ABOUT 60 MILES ON IT.
Power train, Dec 10, 2003
WHILE TURNING IN EITHER DIRECTION THERE WAS HEAVY VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONSUMER ALSO HEARD A LOUD CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP/MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT FAILURE. DEALERSHIP MECHANIC DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
Engine and engine cooling, Nov 12, 2003
WHILE DRIVING , THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE ENGINE COILS BURNED OUT. *AK ENGINE PROBLEMS WITH O-RING LEAKING GAS INTO THE AIR VENTS. *LA *JB
Engine and engine cooling, Oct 28, 2003, crash
WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND HIT THE GUARD RAIL. THE DRIVER WAS INJURED AND TRANSPORTED BY AMBULANCE TO THE HOSPITAL. INJURIES UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR ANALYSIS. MECHANIC DETECTED BOTH FRONTAL UPPER BALL JOINTS CRACKED. *AK
Electrical system, Sep 23, 2003
CONSUMER TURNED ON THE IGNITION SWITCH AND HEARD A CLICKING NOISE, AND THEN LIGHTS/RADIO, AND AIR CONDITIONER WENT OFF. A BURNING SMELL CAME FROM THE AIR CONDITIONER VENTS. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. DEALER STATED NOTHING COULD BE FOUND WRONG WITH THE CAR. *AK
Exterior lighting, Jun 27, 2003
THE VEHICLE CAME EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOMATIC SWITCH TO TURN THE HEADLIGHTS ON OR USE THE MANUAL SWITCH. WHEN THE AUTOMATIC SWITCH WAS USED, THE HIGH BEAMS WERE INOPERATIVE. *JB IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO TURN ON THE HIGH BEAMS. THE DEALER STATED IT WAS NORMAL. ALSO, THE POSITION OF THE REAR VIEW MIRROR SIZE/HEIGHT OF THE DRIVER SEAT LIMITED FRONT VIEW ON THE RIGHT OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE CONSUMER ALMOST HIT A PASSING VEHICLE AS HE WAS GOING INTO THE DEALERS LOT AND COULD NOT SEE IT UNTIL IT WAS DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. *SCC *JB
Visibility, Jun 27, 2003
THE DESIGN OF THE LARGE OVER VIEW MIRROR, ONLY ALLOWED THE CONSUMER TO SEE HALF OF THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. *JB THE FRONT WINDSHIELD VISIBILITY TO THE RIGHT WAS BLOCKED BY THE FRONT REARVIEW MIRROR DUE TO LARGE SIZE OF THE MIRROR AND INABILITY TO LOWER THE DRIVERS SEAT ENOUGH AND ALMOST HIT THE OTHER VEHICLE. THE REAR VIEW MIRROR BLOCKED THE VISIBILITY OF THE RIGHT HALF OF THE WINDSHIELD AND DID NOT SEE THE VEHICLE TRAVELING FROM RIGHT TO LEFT UNTIL IT WAS IN FRONT OF THE CONSUMER. SCC *JB
Exterior lighting, May 30, 2003
VEHICLE COMES EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOMATIC OR MANUAL OPERATED HEADLIGHTS. WHEN THE AUTOMATIC HEADLIGHT ARE ENGAGED VEHICLE'S HIGH BEAMS ARE INOPERATIVE. *AK
Visibility, May 30, 2003
THE LOCATION OF THE DRIVER SIDE MIRROR AND SUN VISOR IS OBSTRUCTING THE VIEW THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. THIS RESULTS IN POOR VISIBILITY, ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. SEAT CANNOT BE LOWERED TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM.*AK
Air bags, Feb 24, 2003, crash
THE AIR BAG SENSOR WAS DEFECTIVE.*AK *JB
Engine and engine cooling, Vehicle speed control, Feb 4, 2003
THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL STICKS AND THE VEHICLE RANDOMLY STARTS. *JG PH
Exterior lighting, Jan 24, 2003
CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING THE CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO USE HIGH BEAMS. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS