2002 KIA OPTIMA — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
N/A
Safety Rating
168
Owner Complaints
3
Recalls
2
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 2002 KIA OPTIMA
The 2002 KIA OPTIMA has received a total of 168 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). There have been 3 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with SUSPENSION:FRONT, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY. 2 technical service bulletins have been issued by Kia America, Inc. for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Suspension (18 complaints), Air Bags (13 complaints), and Structureframe And Members (13 complaints).
Recalls for the 2002 KIA OPTIMA
NHTSA has recorded 3 recalls for the 2002 KIA OPTIMA, potentially affecting up to 73,842 vehicles.
Recall 09V183000 — SUSPENSION:FRONT
| 36,538 vehicles affected
Defect: 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...
Consequence: CORROSION OF THE FRONT SUBFRAME COULD LEAD TO SEPARATION, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
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.
View full details →Recall 04V180000 — FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
| 25,803 vehicles affected
Defect: 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.
Consequence: FUEL SPILLAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
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.
View full details →Recall 03V067000 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY
| 11,501 vehicles affected
Defect: 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.
Consequence: INTERNAL GAPS WITHIN THE CASES ALLOWED EPOXY TO CONTACT THE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD, WHICH RESULTED IN CRACKING OF THE CIRCUIT BOARD CAPACITOR. A DAMAGED CKP CAPACITOR COULD RESULT IN ENGINE STALLING.
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...
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 2002 KIA OPTIMA
168 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2002 KIA OPTIMA. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
Most Recent Complaints
locked the car as most people do, then went to unlock the car heard it unlock but the door would not open. I could hear the door sound like it was locking/unlocking like it was stuck. I tried to climb through the passenger side to open the door from the inside and it will not open. The door appears to be "unlocked" but it is not and will not open creating a hazard if in an accident there is no way to get to safety. In researching online this is a common problem and there is a part in the lock mechanism that gets stuck so the door does not unlock and cannot open. It appears it has been reported several times on the year of my car and other years but nothing has been done. There is no warning that this will happen, you just lock the doors and then it doesn't unlock.
locked the car as most people do, then went to unlock the car heard it unlock but the door would not open. I could hear the door sound like it was locking/unlocking like it was stuck. I tried to climb through the passenger side to open the door from the inside and it will not open. The door appears to be "unlocked" but it is not and will not open creating a hazard if in an accident there is no way to get to safety. In researching online this is a common problem and there is a part in the lock mechanism that gets stuck so the door does not unlock and cannot open. It appears it has been reported several times on the year of my car and other years but nothing has been done. There is no warning that this will happen, you just lock the doors and then it doesn't unlock.
The contact owns a 2002 Kia Optima. The contact stated that after he replaced all four tires, the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for an alignment; however, the mechanic was unable to perform an alignment due to the subframe corrosion. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 09V183000 (Suspension) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 111,000.
The contact owns a 2002 Kia Optima. The contact stated that after he replaced all four tires, the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for an alignment; however, the mechanic was unable to perform an alignment due to the subframe corrosion. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 09V183000 (Suspension) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 111,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WERE HOLES FROM CORROSION DUE TO SUB-FRAME RUST. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH NEEDING THE SUB-FRAME TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AS OF YET. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V183000 (SUSPENSION) HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 160,000.
Safety Rating for the 2002 KIA OPTIMA
NHTSA has not yet tested the 2002 KIA OPTIMA in its New Car Assessment Program.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 2002 KIA OPTIMA
Kia America, Inc. has issued 2 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 2002 KIA OPTIMA. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.
037 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
A SERVICE CAMPAIGN FOR POSSIBLE O2 SENSOR MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL) ILLUMINATION. KIA WILL REPROGRAM THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) AND REPLACE THE OXYGEN SENSORS AS NEEDED. *TT
012 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
OPTIMA CHARGING SYSTEM - V6 ENGINE. *TT
NHTSA Investigations for the 2002 KIA OPTIMA
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the KIA OPTIMA
- 2001 KIA OPTIMA — 231 complaints
- 2002 KIA OPTIMA (current)
- 2003 KIA OPTIMA — 190 complaints
- 2004 KIA OPTIMA — 306 complaints
- 2005 KIA OPTIMA — 180 complaints
- 2006 KIA OPTIMA — 214 complaints
- 2007 KIA OPTIMA — 217 complaints
Other KIA Models
- KIA SORENTO — 13,451 total complaints
- KIA SOUL — 7,147 total complaints
- KIA SPORTAGE — 6,540 total complaints
- KIA FORTE — 3,450 total complaints
- KIA SEDONA — 3,334 total complaints
- KIA SEPHIA — 3,080 total complaints
- KIA TELLURIDE — 2,109 total complaints
- KIA RIO — 1,784 total complaints