2015 KIA OPTIMA Electronic Stability Control Esc Problems

Electronic stability control activates (flashing light on dash) inappropriately; when not actually experiencing a traction issue. Most often occurs when accelerating from a stop at an intersection with any type of “dip” or unevenness between the roadways, such as lip from driveway to street. When it activates in these situations the engine power reduces significantly resulting in little to no torque and the vehicle is unable to properly accelerate. This becomes very dangerous when pulling onto roadways with through-traffic, as it is not possible to clear the intersection in the anticipated timeframe had the electronic stability control had not improperly engaged. My common reaction when this happens is to provide more acceleration, which the vehicle responds to once the roadway becomes even and results in an instant burst of engine power. This causes the tires to spin, reduced ability to control steering and a total loss if in a turn.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE HIS WIFE WAS PARKING THE VEHICLE, THE IGNITION WAS TURNED TO THE OFF POSITION AND MADE AN ABNORMAL SOUND. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS WIFE WAS DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE HESITATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DRIVER CONTINUED TO DRIVE TO THE DESTINATION. SEVERAL DAYS LATER, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT RETRIEVED SEVERAL UNKNOWN DTC CODES USING A DTC SCANNER TOOL. THE CONTACT REACHED OUT TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE CODES WERE INCORRECT. A DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 119,402.

I PURCHASED MY CAR IN BELLEVUE NE I TRIED TAKING IT BACK WITHIN THE FIRST WEEK. THEY TOLD ME EVERYTHING WAS FINE AND SENT ME TO EDWARDS KIA IN COUNCIL BLUFFS IA. MY BRAKES AND ROTORS WERE HORRIBLE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED THEY IN NE SAID THEY WERE COMPLETELY FINE. IT COST $600 TO REPAIR. THE BELLEVUE MANAGER ASKED ME WHAT I EXPECTED HIM TO DO ABOUT IT. THEY LET ME LEAVE THE LOT WITHOUT INSPECTION MY CAR. THEN I HAD A MOTOR RECALL MY ENGINE LIGHT WAS FLASHING AND IT WOULDN'T ACCELERATE THIS HAS NOW HAPPENED 3 TIMES IN THE LAST 30 DAYS. EDWARDS KIA IN COUNCIL BLUFFS CURRENTLY HAVE HAD MY CAR FOR 2 WEEKS AND TELL ME THAT IT COULD BE AN ADDITIONAL 6 WEEKS BEFORE I GET IT RETIRED TO ME

WHILE DRIVING, BELOW SPEED LIMIT, THE BACK TIRE SLID ON SOME SLUSH. WHEN I TAPPED THE BREAK THE ELECTRONIC SLIP CONTROL KICKED ON, LOCKING THE STEERING WHEEL, CAUSING THE THROTTLE TO CUT OFF WITHOUT SLOWING DOWN OR CHANGING GEARS, AND THE BREAKS INSTANTLY STARTED JUMPING, I AT THIS POINT HAD ABSOLUTELY NO CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE. THE CAR WENT OFF THE ROAD, HITTING A CEMENT POST, MY HEAD BOUNCED OFF OF THE STEERING WHEEL, CONTINUED TO CRASH FORWARD COMING TO A REST ON TOP OF A ROCK WALL, THAT IS WHEN THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED CAUSING A SEVERE NECK SPRAIN. AT THIS TIME THE REAR WHEEL WAS NOT EVEN ON THE GROUND AS I HAD BEEN LAUNCHED TO A TEETERING POSITION, THE ENGINE HAD BEEN CRACKED, FLUIDS LEAKING EVERYWHERE WHEN I NOTICED A STRANGE COLORED SMOKE AND THE ENGINE STILL RUNNING. A WITNESS QUICKLY ADVISED ME TO CUT THE ENGINE OFF...

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE DASH LIGHTS FOR THE STEERING WHEEL AND TRACTION CONTROL COME ON AND THE STEERING GETS HARD AS IF NO POWER STEERING. I PULL OVER TURN CAR OFF, CHECK POWER STEERING FLUID AND BELT, NO ISSUES. TURN CAR BACK ON NO AFOREMENTIONED DASH LIGHTS TURNED OFF AND STEERING IS FINE. THIS HAS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES WITHIN THE LAST TWO MONTHS.

"HALF" OF THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED IN JULY 2019. NOW BURNS OIL LIKE CRAZY. ON OCTOBER 29TH 2019 WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 40 MPH THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHUT OFF LEAVING ME WITH NO POWER STEERING. I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE ROAD SAFELY AND CALL FOR A TOW. I AM SECOND OWNER SO WARRANTY IS OUT BY ABOUT 2,600 MILES. DEALER HAD I FOR A WEEK AT ONE POINT THEY SAID IT WAS FIXED WHEN THEY WERE PULLING IT AROUND FRONT FOR ME IT STOPPED.

THE FOLLOWING HAPPENS ANYTIME WHILE DRIVING THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT AND SOFTWARE, SENSORS, ACTUATORS, WARNING LIGHTS, FAULT CODES, AND PERFORMANCE RELATED CONCERNS OF THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM. MY PASSENGER WINDOW WON'T GO UP ONCE YOU PUT IT DOWN WITHOUT A FIGHT. I BEEN TO THE DEALER 4 TIMES AND IT'S NOT FIXED.

TAKATA RECALL JUST PULLED INTO MY JOB CAR WAS IN PARKED. CAR WAS STILL RUNNING HAD ABOUT 45MINS TO SPARE BEFORE CLOCKING IN. NOTICE THE CAR BEGIN TO SMOKE AS I'M SITTING PREPARING MY SELF FOR WORK. NO WARNING SIGNS APPEARED TO NOTIFY ME THAT THE CAR WAS OVERHEATING. TURNED THE ENGINE OFF TO SEE IF CAR WILL COOL DOWN. SMOKE SEEMED TO GET HEAVIER. I GOT OUT THE CAR AND SEEN THERE WAS FIRE UNDERNEATH. IMMEDIATELY I NOTIFIED EMERGENCY OFFICIALS. GOOD SAMARITANS HELPED PUT OUT THE FIRE. EMERGENCY OFFICIALS SAY IT WAS ELECTRICAL THAT CAUSED IT.

WHILE DRIVING LONG DISTANCES THE STEERING WHEEL TENDS TO "STICK" AND THE WHEEL HAS TO BE JERKED A LITTLE TO MAKE STEERING FLUID ONCE AGAIN. I HAD THE WHEELS CHECKED TO MAKE SURE I DIDN'T NEED AN ALIGNMENT AND IT IS BEING CHECKED NOW FOR THE STEERING ISSUE. *TR

BOTH ESC AND AUTO HOLD LIGHTS OCCASIONALLY GO YELLOW AT THE SAME TIME. USUALLY GOES BACK TO NORMAL AFTER SOME PERIOD OF TIME. THIS STARTED MAYBE COUPLE MONTHS AGO. BROUGHT TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY COULDN'T DETECT ANY ERROR CODES.