2009 Kia Optima
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Power train is the leading concern among 116 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 18th highest complaint count among 20 Optima model years with reports.
Of the 2009 reports, 5 involved a crash and 4 involved a fire. 5 people were injured and 1 person died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Exterior lighting, brake lights, switchApr 1, 2013
Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year 2007-2009 Amanti, and model year 2009 Borrego vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Kia recalled 623,658 model year 2007-2010 Rondo and Sportage, model year 2007-2011 Sorento, model year 2007 Sedona, model year 2010-2011 Soul, and model year 2011 Optima vehicles. In September 2013, Kia informed the agency that it was adding an additional 356,719 vehicles to this campaign. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 980,377. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake-transmission shift interlock feature preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.
Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of PARK without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.
Kia will send an interim notification to owners in May 2013. When parts are available, owners will receive a second notification and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's recall campaign number is SC098.
Campaign 13V114000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: power train
33 reports, newest first. Show all
Power train, Jan 24, 2013
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT, THE VEHICLE DOWN SHIFT WITH EXTREME FORCE. THE DEALER REPROGRAMMED THE TRANSMISSION COMPUTER AND THE GEAR SHIFT FAILURE WAS CORRECTED; HOWEVER, THE COMPUTER REPROGRAMMING AFFECTED THE VEHICLES ACCELERATION. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE AFTER THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS RELEASED AND THE ENGINE BECAME IDLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR A TEST DRIVE WHERE THE FAILURE WAS DUPLICATED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE CORRECTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,553 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 43,240. UPDATED 3/25/13 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED IT TOOK MONTHS TO FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM. KIA DENIED THERE WAS EVEN A PROBLEM. IT WAS FINALLY DISCOVERED, WHEN THE DEALER REPROGRAMMED THE TRANSMISSION FOR A HARD SHIFT, THEY INADVERTENTLY CREATED A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE CONTROLS.
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, May 12, 2012
THE FIRST SIGNS OF ANY TROUBLE WITH THE VEHICLE STARTED IN FEBRUARY/MARCH OF 2011 WHEN THE SHIFTING ON THE VEHICLE WAS ERRATIC ON TAKEOFF AND ESPECIALLY BAD WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SLOWING DOWN, ROUGHLY SHIFTING IN AND OUT OF GEAR. IT TOOK TWO OCCASIONS TO "FIX" THE ISSUE EVEN THOUGH A FEW WEEKS LATER THE SHIFTING APPEARED TO SUBSIDE IT STILL HAD THE OCCASIONAL ISSUE ON TAKE-OFF. THE ISSUE PROGRESSIVELY GOT TO THE POINT WHEN I LOST TOTAL ENGINE POWER WHILE CROSSING LANES OF TRAFFIC, ALMOST GETTING HIT. I STEPPED ON THE ACCELERATOR BUT NO MATTER WHAT I DID I COULD NOT GET THE VEHICLES RPM??S ABOVE 1500 (ABOUT 5MPH). TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY STATED THEY "FIXED THE PROBLEM". RETURNED TO DRIVING THE VEHICLE UNTIL MY WIFE HAD THE SAME ISSUE HAPPEN TO HER ABOUT 9 DAYS LATER COMING WITHIN INCHES OF GETTING HIT WHILE TURNING INTO A BUSINESS. TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK AGAIN AND WAS TOLD IT WAS "FIXED" TWO DAYS LATER. STARTED IT UP THE DAY AFTER IT WAS RETURNED AND HAD THE LOSS OF POWER ISSUE AGAIN. BESIDE THE POWER LOSS EVEN THE SHIFTING CONTINUED TO BE ROUGH AND ERRATIC. RETURNED IT YET AGAIN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD IT WAS FIXED. CUSTOMER SERVICE DID NOT TAKE MY SAFETY CONCERNS SERIOUSLY. I AM STILL UNSURE OF THE STATUS OF THE VEHICLE AND I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THIS VEHICLE. I WILL FIND OTHER MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION UNTIL THIS VEHICLE IS RETURNED. BEWARE THAT THE POWER LOSS CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME CREATING VERY SERIOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS THAT COULD LEAD TO ACCIDENT OR INJURY. *TR
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Power train, Jan 11, 2012
WHEN I BRAKE TO 20 MPH MY CAR JERKS FORWARD. I CALLED THE KIA CONSUMER LINE AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE PROBLEM HADN'T BEEN HEARD OF. *TR
Power train, Dec 19, 2011
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE JERKED FORWARD WITH EXTREME FORCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE COMPUTER WOULD NEED TO HAVE A RE-LEARN PROCEDURE PERFORMED. AFTER THE PROCEDURE, THE FAILURE CONTINUED AND WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED AND WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER A THIRD TIME. THE TECHNICIANS STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE TRANSMISSION WAS ALSO REPLACED BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000.
Power train, Nov 30, 2011
WHEN DRIVING CAR IS OK, BUT WHEN YOU SLOW DOWN TO AROUND 20 MPH THE CAR JERKS , BUT AFTER CAR I DRIVEN FOR AROUND 10-15 MILES IT DOESN'T DO IT. *KB
Power train, Apr 2, 2011
I HAVE A 2009 KIA OPTIMA LX WHEN I GO TO BRAKE AROUND 20 MPH IT FEELS LIKE THE CAR IS DOWNSHIFTING HARD CAUSING ME TO JERK IN THE SEAT. IT DOES THIS ALL THE TIME I DO FEEL THIS IS THE TRANSMISSION AND I AM TAKING IT TO THE DEALER TO BE SERVICED. *TR
Power train, Jan 14, 2011
2009 KIA OPTIMA LX/EX SEDAN 4 DOOR TRANSMISSION 15,000 MILES EXTREME HARD DOWN SHIFT WHEN SLOWING TO A STOP FROM SECOND TO FIRST., ALMOST LIKE IT THROWS THE CAR INTO PARK, ENOUGH THAT IT COULD THROW YOU INTO WINDSHIELD IF NOT WEARING A SEATBELT. THE DEALER CAN NOT FIND THE PROBLEM, IT ONLY HAPPENS 20% OF THE TIME ON ICE AND SLICK ROADS IT CAN CAUSE YOU TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME SEVERAL TIMES. *TR
Power train, Feb 18, 2010
BOUGHT A KIA OPTIMA A FEW MONTHS AGO AND RECENTLY IT HAS DEVELOPED A DANGEROUS SHIFTING PATTERN WHEN DOWN SHIFTING FROM 2ND TO 1ST ABOUT 20MPH IT JERKS THE !@#$%'.OUT OF YOU AND IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE BRAKING AT THE TIME YOU MEET A SNAP FROM SEAT BELT AS YOU FLY TOWARDS WINDSHIELD CAUSING SEVER NECK AND BACK PAIN THIS IS GETTING WORSE , DEALER WILLING TO FIX BUT KIA IS IGNORING THE ISSUE AS I HAVE HEARD OF OTHERS HAVING SAME PROBLEM , I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY DEALER ITS PROBABLY JUST COMPUTER ORIENTED BUT KIA HAS TO AUTHORIZE THE REPAIR , CONTACTED KIA AND AS EXPECTED THERE COMPUTER WAS DOWN AND THEY COULD NOT HELP ME! *TR