2014 KIA OPTIMA Engine Problems
269 NHTSA complaints on file
All Engine Complaints — Page 6
WHILE DRIVING WITH MY FAMILY OF 4 ON THE FREEWAY IN A DESOLATE AREA OF SANTA CLARITA ON 9/24/16 AT 3:15PM MY VEHICLE SHUT OFF WITHOUT ANY WARNING. WE WERE GOING 65 MPH, ALL LIGHTS ON THE DASH FLASHED AND THE CAR SHUT OFF. WE WERE IN THE 2ND LANE AND HAD TO USE THE MOMENTUM OF SPEED TO MAKE IT TO THE SHOULDER, WE WERE ALMOST HIT. ONCE WE MADE IT TO THE SHOULDER OF THIS BUSY FREEWAY, WE WERE UNABLE TO START THE CAR, PUT WINDOWS UP OR DOWN, OPEN THE TRUNK ETC. THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY DEAD. WE SAT WAITING FOR AAA AND HOPING NOT TO GET HIT. IT WAS 85 DEGREES OUT AND MY 74 YEAR OLD MOTHER AND DISABLED SISTER SAT IN THE CAR FOR 30 MINS UNTIL THE TOW TRUCK ARRIVED. IF WE WEREN'T SO LUCKY OR IF WE WERE IN THE RIGHTER LANES...
CAR STALLING WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOPPED POSITION MAKING TURNS. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND COULD CAUSE MAJOR COLLISIONS. MY CAR DID IT A FEW TIMES BEFORE ENGINE BEGAN KNOCKING AND HAD TOWED. THE KIA DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID IT WAS A CONNECTOR ROD BEARING DEFECT AND ULTIMATELY CAUSED TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE. KIA IS PUTTING THE BURDEN ON THE CONSUMERS TO PROVE THE DEFECT WASN'T CAUSED BY POOR MAINTENANCE EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE EXTENDED WARRANTY TO DEALERSHIPS. THIS PROBLEM WILL NOT GO AWAY UNTIL KIA REPAIRS THE DEFECT IN THE ENGINE AND HUMAN LIFE WILL BE AT STAKE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD NOISE FROM THE ENGINE BAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS SLUDGE BUILD UP IN THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,000.
I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AND STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. MY CAR STALLED AND I HAD TO RESTART VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO LIGHTS ON BEFORE OR AFTER THE CAR TURNED OFF. WHITE SMOKE APPEARED. SO MUCH SMOKE I COULD NOT TELL IF IT WAS FROM BACK OR FRONT OF CAR. I DROVE THE CAR A COUPLE MORE BLOCKS AND HEARD AN EXTREMELY LOUD KNOCKING NOISE, CAR STARTED JERKING AND TRYING TO DIE/STALL AND AGAIN A TON OF SMOKE. I PARKED THE CAR AND HAD IT TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. SOMEONE FROM SERVICE DEPT CALLED AND SAID IT WAS A BAD BATTERY AND WOULD BE 350+ TO REPLACE THE BATTERY. HE LIED AND TOLD ME HE PUT A NEW BATTERY IN IT AND DROVE IT AROUND THE BLOCK AND IT WAS FINE. I SPOKE TO SERVICE MANAGER TO PROPERLY DIAGNOSE MY VEHICLE. I HAS OT PAY DIAGNOSTIC FEE AND WAS...
CAR COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN DOING 40 MILES PER HOUR--- -WAS TOLD ENGINE SEIZED --ENGINE BEING REPLACED NO POWER STEERING NO BRAKES BARELY AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT ON A HIGHWAY HEAVY TRAFFIC DUE TO CONSTRUCTION
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70MPH THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER. THE ENGINE TURNED OFF, LOSS OF POWER STEERING, LOSS OF POWER BRAKING, AND IMMEDIATE DECELERATION OF THE VEHICLE. THIS INCIDENT POSED A HAZARDOUS CONDITION FOR BOTH THIS VEHICLE AND OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAS RESTARTED. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT OR INJURIES RELATED TO THIS INCIDENT. THE KEY WAS IN THE ON POSITION, NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS TRIGGERED. BASED ON OTHER COMPLAINTS, IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURER ENGINE ISSUE FOR WHICH THE MANUFACTURER IS NOT ISSUING A RECALL OR HONORING THE MANUFACTURER WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE HAS ~22,000 MILES AND ALL MANUFACTURER SUGGESTED MAINTENANCE HAS BEEN PERFORMED ON TIME PER THE MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFICATIONS.
MAY 9TH 2016, DRIVING TO WORK ON I-44 HEADING TO WORK, MY VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING SHUTS OFF AND DIES, I START TO SEE WHITE SMOKE COME FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, I SAFELY PULL THE CAR OVER TO SHOULDER BECAUSE IT WAS STILL ROLLING. EXIT THE VEHICLE AND OPEN THE HOOD, AND THE ENGINE CATCHES FIRE ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE ENGINE. I HAVE SPOKEN TO MANY CERTIFIED MECHANICS ALL WITH THE SAME ANSWER THAT IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. I HAVE SINCE COMPLETED THE TOTAL LOSS PROCESS WITH MY INSURANCE. I HAVE CONTACTED KIA CONSUMER AFFAIRS WHO WERE ABSOLUTELY ZERO HELP. THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AS IT ONLY HAD JUST OVER 36000 MILES.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE ENGINE OIL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND BLACK SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE EXHAUST. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE OIL NEEDED TO BE REPLENISHED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,550.
ONE MORNING I TURNED THE CAR ON AND SAW BUNCH OF WHITE LIGHT BLUE SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE TAIL PIPE AFTER RUNNING THE ENGINE FOR FEW MINUTES SMOKE WENT AWAY DROVE IT AROUND NOTHING DROVE GOOD SO MONDAY I CALLED WEST COVINA KIA TOLD ABOUT THE SMOKE AND SAID IT WAS A BAD BATCH OF GAS SO THEY SAID PUT EJECTOR CLEANER IN THE TANK AND THAT SHOULD HELP IT OUT SO I DID RAN GOOD FOR A WHILE AND THE SMOKE STARTED UP AGAIN BUT NOW THE ENGINE MADE A RATTLING SOUND SO CALLED KIA OF WEST COVINA AND SAID BRING IT IN SO LEFT IT THERE THEY DID A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND SAID I HAD SLUDGE IN MY ENGINE AND THAT THE ENGINE WAS STARVING FOR OIL SO THE BAD NEWS IS NO RECEIPT NO WARRANTY IT WOULDN'T BE COVERED SO THIS HAS TO COME OUT OF...
LESS THAN 30,000 AND MY ENGINE IS SHOT! I TOOK MY CAR FOR SERVICE IN JANUARY 2016, TOLD THEM I WAS SEEING BLACK SMOKE AND I WAS TOLD IT WAS NOTHING. I ACTUALLY WAS TOLD TO PUT FUEL INJECTOR CLEANER IN WITH EVERY FILL-UP. I CONTINUED TO HAVE THE PROBLEM AND TOOK IT BACK IN FEBRUARY 15, 2016. NOW THEY SAY I HAVE SLUDGE IN MY ENGINE AND WARRANTY WON'T COVER, BECAUSE WE USED THE WRONG OIL DOING OUR OWN OIL CHANGES. I PROVIDED COPIES OF THE PAGES FROM THE OWNER'S MANUAL SHOWING THAT WE USED THE CORRECT OIL, BUT NO LUCK. AFTER A WEEK I WAS TOLD THE ENGINE WOULD BE REPLACED VIA A "GOODWILL GESTURE", BUT A RENTAL WILL NOT BE COVERED. I WAS ALSO TOLD MY CAR WOULD BE OUT WITHIN 7 DAYS....FFWD 35 DAYS...STILL NO CAR AND WHEN I GET SOMEONE ON THE PHONE FROM THE...
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, BLACK SMOKE APPEARED FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO PROVIDE A PERMANENT REMEDY FOR THE REPAIR DUE TO EXCESSIVE SLUDGE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.
CAR CUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING, DOESN'T MATTER IF GOING 40 MPH OR 80 MPH.......ENGINE TACH DROPS TO "0"........FOOT FEED DOESN'T RESPOND........YOU KEEP TRYING TO GIVE GAS UP AND DOWN.......FINALLY WILL BUCK AS TRYING TO RESPOND ......AS CUTTING IN AND CUTTING OUT.....FINALLY WILL THEN DRIVE AS NORMAL........YOU MAY COAST DOWN TO FROM 80 TO 20 MPH BEFORE IT GOES AGAIN. NO DASH LIGHTS INDICATED, DO NOT HAVE TO TURN KEY TO START, DOES NOT......CAUSE A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, NO CODES INDICATED...........DAUGHTER ALMOST GOT REAR END ON THE INTERSTATE......SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET KILLED!!!! WITHOUT A DOUBT A MAJOR "SAFETY ISSUE"..................READING NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF OTHER KIA MODELS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE.................THIS NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO, HOW MANY LIVES HAVE BEEN LOST FROM KIA'S CUTTING OFF WHILE DRIVING??????
VEHICLE EXPERIENCES THE SAME ISSUES THAT ARE ALSO HAPPENING ON HYUNDAI SONATAS WITH THEIR ENGINE RECALLS. WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS OF 50-60 MPH AND THEN ACCELERATING, THE ENGINE MAY SOMETIMES JERK/SPUTTER AS IF ABOUT TO STALL. THIS MAY BE DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE ENGINES WERE NOT CLEANED PROPERLY WHILE BEING MANUFACTURED, LEAVING MECHANICAL DEBRIS WITHIN, AS STATED BY THE HYUNDAI ENGINE RECALL INVESTIGATION.THIS CAN BECOME A MAJOR CONCERN AS THE CAR COULD POTENTIALLY BECOME UNRESPONSIVE ON THE HIGHWAY OR EVEN SLOW DOWN/ STOP SUDDENLY IN THE CASE THAT THE ENGINE MAY STALL.
I WAS IN A PARKING STRUCTURE, STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN. I CONTINUED A FEW FEET TO MY DESIGNATED PARKING STALL AND WHEN I TURNED THE WHEEL THE CAR ACCELERATED AT WHAT FELT AND SOUNDED LIKE FULL THROTTLE ON IT'S OWN. THE SURGE OF THE VEHICLE FORCED THE CAR TO CRASH INTO A CONCRETE WALL CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND BODILY INJURY TO MYSELF. THE VEHICLE IS ONLY A FEW MONTHS OLD. THIS CAR HAS SOME VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUES. SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. NOW I AM TERRIFIED TO EVER DRIVE IT AGAIN. *TR
I PULLED OFF A FRONTAGE ROAD ON TO THE HIGHWAY INTO A CONSTRUCTION ZONE. WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 25-30 MPH MY HAZARD LIGHTS CLICKED ON WHEN MY BLINKER WENT OFF, I REALIZED MY POWER STEERING WAS GONE AND I WAS LOOSING CONTROL. I COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND REALIZED MY ENGINE HAD SHUT OFF ON ITS OWN. SCARED ME TO DEATH! IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN DRIVING FASTER OR GOING AROUND A TURN I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN SERIOUS DANGER! I GATHERED MY THOUGHTS AS TO WHAT HAPPENED, CALLED MY HUSBAND AND HE SAID TO TRY AND SIMPLY RESTART THE CAR. IT STARTED ON THE FIRST TURN W/ NO HESITATION. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER THE FOLLOWING DAY AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WERE NO CODES SHOWING AND IT WAS PROBABLY JUST A GLITCH AND THEY TRIED TO SEND ME HOME IN IT! THAT IS A...
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE TO ACCELERATE AND WOULD ATTEMPT TO STALL. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD ACCELERATE INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000.
PURCHASED MY NEW OPTIMA ON 4/14/2014 (MONDAY) AND LATER THAT SAME WEEK AND FIRST OF THE FOLLOWING WEEK HEARD A NOISE BEST DESCRIBED AS A DIESEL ENGINE IDLE SOUND AT STARTUP. TOOK IT INTO MY DEALERSHIP ON 4/24/2014 TO FIND OUT IT WAS IN NEED OF A NEW ENGINE. AFTER LOOKING ON A FORUM FOR THESE CARS, THIS SITE AND OTHERS, THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE WITH THE TURBO MODEL OF THIS CAR AND YEAR. I BELIEVE THAT KIA NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE DUE TO IT'S SEVERITY. *TR
I HAD MY CAR KID OPTIMA 2014 2 WEEKS (800 MILES ON MY NEW ).THE ENGINE WAS MAKING A KNOCKING NOISES TOOK IT BACK TO DEALERSHIP IT WAS THE PISTON NOT WORKING FULLY THEY SAID I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE ENGINE REPLACED .I DON'T WANT THE CAR ! I'M NOT HAPPY. *TR
MY KIA OPTIMA 2014 STARTED A NOISE NEAR THE ENGINE THAT SOUNDS LIKE A CLAPPING NOISE. THE FIRST KIA DEALER I TOOK IT TO SAID THAT IT IS NOT TO WORRY AND IS PART OF THE KIA ENGINEERING DESIGN. THE SECOND KIA DEALER I TOOK IT TO SAID THAT THE NOISE IS BAD NEWS AND AFTER FURTHER DIAGNOSTICS, THEY DETERMINED THAT THE ENTIRE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. JUST 5,000 MILES INTO THE LIFE OF MY BRAND NEW KIA OPTIMA 2014. I WANT PEOPLE TO BE AWARE THAT IF YOU HEAR A CLAPPING NOISE NEAR THE TOP OF THE ENGINE THAN PLEASE TAKE IT INTO A KIA DEALER IMMEDIATELY WHILE IT IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. IT IS NOT CURRENTLY A KIA RECALL BUT I FEEL IT SHOULD BE SINCE THIS CAN LEAD TO REPLACING THE ENTIRE ENGINE. THANK YOU. *TR
Other 2014 KIA OPTIMA Problem Areas
Steering
90 complaints
Unknown Or Other
86 complaints
Electrical System
56 complaints
Structurebody
48 complaints
Fuelpropulsion System
37 complaints
Service Brakes
25 complaints
Vehicle Speed Control
20 complaints
Power Train
19 complaints
Exterior Lighting
18 complaints
Service Brakes Hydraulic
16 complaints
Air Bags
15 complaints
Engine And Engine Cooling
11 complaints
Suspension
10 complaints
Electronic Stability Control Esc
6 complaints
Fuel System Gasoline
6 complaints
Visibilitysunmoon Roof Assembly
6 complaints
Seats
5 complaints
Visibilitywiper
5 complaints
Wheels
3 complaints
Engine And Engine Coolingengineoillubricationsumptankdrain Plug
1 complaint
Engine And Engine Coolingexhaust System
1 complaint
Forward Collision Avoidance
1 complaint
Hybrid Propulsion System
1 complaint
Power Trainautomatic Transmissioncontrol Module Tcmpcmtecm
1 complaint
Seat Belts
1 complaint
Steeringelectric Power Assist System
1 complaint
Tires
1 complaint
Traction Control System
1 complaint
Vehicle Speed Controlcruise Control
1 complaint
Visibilityglass Siderear
1 complaint
Visibilitywindshield
1 complaint