2002 KIA OPTIMA Structurebody Problems
10 NHTSA complaints on file
Structurebody Issues in the 2002 KIA OPTIMA
10 structurebody complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2002 KIA OPTIMA. Of these, 1 involved a crash, 1 involved a fire, and 0 resulted in injury.
10
Complaints
1
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
All Structurebody 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...
OVER A WEEKS TIME,I NOTICED MY STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED LIKE MAYBE I NEEDED AN ALIGNMENT AND IT STARTED PULLING TO THE LEFT SO BAD THAT I HAD TO FORCE THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT SO I WOULDN'T WRECK INTO THE MEDIAN ON THE INTERSTATE. I COULD ONLY GO ABOUT 45 OR 50 MPH OR IT WOULD START SHAKING THE ENTIRE CAR AND WAS ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL IT ON THE ROAD. HAD IT LOOKED AT AND AT THE BOTTOM CONTROL ARM THAT BOLTS TO THE SUBFRAME HAD RUSTED OUT AND THE RIGHT SIDE WAS ON THE VERGE OF DOING THE SAME! THE FL AND FR TIRES, THAT I HAD GOTTEN BRAND NEW 5 MONTHS AGO, WERE WORE DOWN TO THE WIRE!!! I'M SURPRISED I HAD THE CHANCE TO GET IT HOME AND GET IT LOOKED AT BEFORE IT RUSTED ALL THE WAY THROUGH! I WAS SO BLESSED I...
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED, THE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS RUSTED OUT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, STEPPED ON BRAKES AND FRONT FRAME BROKE INTO TWO PIECES, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, NEARLY CAUSED A PILE UP ON THE ROAD. *JS
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...
MY TIRE HAD STARTED BENDING INWARD AT THE TOP, AND OUTWARD AT THE BOTTOM. MY CAR STARTED GOING OUT OF ALIGNMENT. I TOOK IT TO A SHOP, AND THEY FOUND OUT MY SUB FRAME WAS RUSTED AND WORN OUT. THEY ALSO FOUND OUT THAT THE SUB FRAME HAD BEEN RECALLED IN 2009, BUT APPARENTLY NOT ON MY EXACT VEHICLE. *TR
FRONT DOOR FAILS TO UNLOCK AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS. DOOR MUST BE UNLOCKED WITH A KEY, USING THE POWER LOCKS OR MANUALLY FLIPPING THE DOOR LOCK DOESN'T DO IT, AND THE KEY ONLY UNLOCKS IT APPROXIMATELY 1 OUT OF EVERY 20 TRIES. THERE ARE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ONLINE, SEE FOR INSTANCE: HTTP://WWW.KIA-FORUMS.COM/1G-2G-2001-2006-MAGENTIS-OPTIMA/47179-2004-OPTIMA-DOOR-LOCK-FAULT.HTML. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING SHE HEARD AN UNFAMILIAR SOUND COMING FROM THE UNDER CARRIAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE SUB FRAME WAS SEVERELY RUSTED WHICH CAUSED IT TO FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
MY 2002 KIA OPTIMA, VEERED OF THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE DUE TO A FLAT TIRE. THE TIRES HAD BEEN REPLACED THAT MORNING AND WITHIN 130 MILES ON THE HIGHWAY THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE POPPED. AS I TOOK A CLOSER LOOK I NOTICED MY WHEEL WAS SLANTED IN. I THEN HAD IT TOWED TO THE NEAREST REPAIR SHOP WHO INFORMED ME THE ENGINE CRADLE WAS RUSTED AND CORRODED. WHEN I CONTACTED KIA ABOUT THE ISSUE THEY BASICALLY SAID SORRY ABOUT YOUR LUCK. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT MY VIN IS NOT INCLUDED. NO ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN BY KIA IN ANY OF MY ATTEMPTS TO HAVE THEM RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM. I AM, AND HAVE BEEN, STRANDED OUT OF TOWN FOR 3 WEEKS NOW WAITING ON THEM TO MAKE SOME KIND OF DECISION. THEY HAVE OVERLOOKED EVERY WORD I HAVE SAID TO THEM ABOUT THE SALT IN MY...
THIS IS CONCERNING MY 2002 KIA OPTIMA, AND THE SUBFRAME RECALL THAT WAS ISSUED ON THIS CAR. . THE SUB FRAME WAS REPLACED DUE TO CORROSION BUT THE GARAGE HAS DONE SOMETHING WRONG BECAUSE THE GRINDING NOISE THAT IS COMING FROM UNDER THIS CAR IS JUST RIDICULOUS! I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE KIA DEALER WHO REMOVED THE RUSTED SUB FRAME AND REPLACED IT WITH THE NEW, TO FIND OUT WHY ITS MAKING THIS HORRID NOISE,OH YES THEY ALSO FORGOT TO PUT A BOLT IN. AND STILL DON'T KNOW WHY THE PART IS GRINDING SO. SO THEN I CALLED THE KIA CORPORATION TO LET THEM KNOW THAT MY CAR IS NOT RIGHT AND SOMETHING IS WRONG. AND THEY DID NOTHING BUT PUT IT ON THE COMPUTER I WAS NOT SATISFIED. NOW I HAVE TO TAKE THIS CAR TO A BODY SHOP AND PAY FOR THIS TO BE REPAIRED OUT...
Other 2002 KIA OPTIMA Problem Areas
Suspension
18 complaints
Air Bags
13 complaints
Structureframe And Members
13 complaints
Electrical System
9 complaints
Latcheslockslinkages
9 complaints
Steering
6 complaints
Structureframe And Membersunderbody Shields
6 complaints
Wheels
5 complaints
Engine
4 complaints
Structure
4 complaints
Air Bagsfrontal
3 complaints
Engine And Engine Cooling
3 complaints
Fuel System Gasoline
3 complaints
Latcheslockslinkagesdoorslatch
3 complaints
Power Trainautomatic Transmission
3 complaints
Service Brakes Hydraulicfoundation Componentsdiscrotor
3 complaints
Suspensionfront
3 complaints
Air Bagsfrontalsensorcontrol Module
2 complaints
Air Bagssidewindow
2 complaints
Electrical Systemstarter Assembly
2 complaints
Electrical Systemwiring
2 complaints
Engine And Engine Coolingengine
2 complaints
Engine And Engine Coolingenginegasolinebelts And Associated Pulleys
2 complaints
Fuelpropulsion System
2 complaints
Parking Brake
2 complaints
Service Brakes Hydraulic
2 complaints
Service Brakes Hydraulicantilocktraction Controlelectronic Limited Slip
2 complaints
Vehicle Speed Control
2 complaints
Visibilitypower Window Devices And Controls
2 complaints
Back Over Preventionwarningsexternalpedestrian Alert
1 complaint
Electrical System12v24v48v Battery
1 complaint
Electrical Systemwiringfront Underhood
1 complaint
Electrical Systemwiringfuses And Circuit Breakers
1 complaint
Electrical Systemwiringinteriorunder Dash
1 complaint
Equipment
1 complaint
Equipmentapplianceair Conditioner
1 complaint
Equipmentelectricalradiotape Deckcd Etc
1 complaint
Exterior Lighting
1 complaint
Exterior Lightingheadlightsswitch
1 complaint
Fuel System Gasolinefuel Injection System
1 complaint
Power Train
1 complaint
Power Traindriveline
1 complaint
Power Trainmanual Transmission
1 complaint
Seat Belts
1 complaint
Seat Beltsfrontretractor
1 complaint
Seatsfront Assemblyrecliner
1 complaint
Service Brakes
1 complaint
Service Brakes Hydraulicfoundation Componentsdisc
1 complaint
Service Brakes Hydraulicfoundation Componentsdiscpads
1 complaint
Service Brakes Hydraulicfoundation Componentshoses Linespiping And Fittings
1 complaint
Steeringelectric Power Assist System
1 complaint
Steeringlinkagestie Rod Assembly
1 complaint
Suspensionfrontcontrol Armlower Ball Joint
1 complaint
Tirestreadbelt
1 complaint
Unknown Or Other
1 complaint