Safety Score
75
Safe
Recalls
1
Complaints
50
NCAP Stars
—
Recalls (1)
| Date | NHTSA ID | Component | Units | Completion | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-05-27 | 09V183000 |
SUSPENSION:FRONT | 36,538 | — | Details |
Owner Complaints (showing up to 50)
| Date | Component | Crash | Injuries | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-11-12 | STRUCTURE:BODY | No | 0 | 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… |
| 2022-11-04 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | The contact owns a 2002 Kia Optima. The contact stated that after he replaced all four tires, the vehicle was taken to … |
| 2020-11-20 | STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS | No | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WERE HOLES FROM CORROSION DUE TO SUB-FRAME RUST. … |
| 2019-10-07 | STRUCTURE:BODY | No | 0 | OVER A WEEKS TIME,I NOTICED MY STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED LIKE MAYBE I NEEDED AN ALIGNMENT AND IT STARTED PULLING TO THE… |
| 2019-10-03 | AIR BAGS | No | 0 | AIR BAG LIGHT ALL OF SUDDEN,AFTER JUST STARTING UP |
| 2017-10-15 | AIR BAGS | Yes | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2002 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE HYDROPLANED AND CRASHED INTO A … |
| 2016-08-20 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | No | 0 | MY 16 YEAR OLD JUST PURCHASED A 2002 KIA OPTIMA SEDAN ON SATURDAY 8/20/2016 FROM A USED CAR DEALERSHIP. VERY FIRST CAR,… |
| 2016-08-19 | STRUCTURE | No | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH AND MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE FRONT DRIVER SID… |
| 2016-05-20 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | No | 0 | 2002 KIA OPTIMA DRIVER DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK WITH KEYLESS ENTRY OR FROM IN SIDE OF CAR ONLY AFTER LOCKING AND WAITING SE… |
| 2016-04-06 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE LOWER SUBFRAME DETACHED DUE TO CORR… |
| 2016-03-04 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | I JUST GOT MY 2002 KIA OPTIMA AND IT JUST RECENTLY STARTED HAVING ISSUES. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND MY CAR STARTE… |
| 2016-01-22 | STRUCTURE:BODY | No | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED, THE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE SUBFRAME WA… |
| 2015-07-15 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | WE OWN A 2002 KIA OPTIMA- FOUND OUT THERE WAS A RECALL- THE RECALL WAS CORRISION TO THE SUBFRAME THAT COULD LEAD TO PRO… |
| 2015-06-24 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | DRIVING UP THE ROAD ,PUT ON BRAKES ,AXLE AND SUBFRAME BROKE CAUSING MY CAR TO SLIDE AND STOP IN MIDDLE OF ROAD.THANK GO… |
| 2015-03-27 | ENGINE | No | 0 | I WAS DRIVING ON FREEWAY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON VEHICLE STOPPED ENGINE SHUT OFF I HAD TO COAST TO SIDE OF ROAD. IT QUIT S… |
| 2015-03-25 | ENGINE | No | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA OPTIMA. AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, FLAMES STARTED TO EMIT FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD DUE… |
| 2015-02-05 | STRUCTURE:BODY | No | 0 | DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, STEPPED ON BRAKES AND FRONT FRAME BROKE INTO TWO PIECES, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, NEARLY CAUSE… |
| 2014-06-19 | STRUCTURE:BODY | No | 0 | A FIRE STARTED INSIDE THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR PANEL FILLING THE CAR WITH HEAVY BLACK SMOKE MY WIFE OPENED THE DRIVERS SID… |
| 2014-05-05 | STRUCTURE:BODY | No | 0 | MY TIRE HAD STARTED BENDING INWARD AT THE TOP, AND OUTWARD AT THE BOTTOM. MY CAR STARTED GOING OUT OF ALIGNMENT. I TOOK… |
| 2014-05-01 | STEERING | No | 0 | SUBFRAME IS RUSTING OUT AND MY TIRES ARE GETTING ABNORMAL WEAR AND MY FRONT TIRES ARE ANGLED IN. *TR |
| 2014-03-15 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO DRIVE IN A STRAIGHT LINE. THE VEH… |
| 2014-02-15 | LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | No | 0 | FRONT DOOR FAILS TO UNLOCK AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS. DOOR MUST BE UNLOCKED WITH A KEY, USING THE POWER LOCKS OR MANUALLY… |
| 2014-02-09 | STEERING | No | 0 | I RECEIVED A CALL FROM MY 16 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER THAT SHE HAD A FLAT TIRE ON HER FRONT DRIVER SIDE. SHE IS ON THE SID… |
| 2014-01-29 | ENGINE | No | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LAMP ILL… |
| 2013-11-25 | STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS | No | 0 | WE HAVE HAD ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH A 2002 KIA OPTIMA, INCLUDING TIRE WEAR, BRAKE PROBLEMS, ELECTRICAL ISSUES, EXCESSIVE … |
| 2013-09-14 | STEERING | No | 0 | WHILE I WAS DRIVING I HAD NOTICED THAT THE CAR WAS PULLING TO THE RIGHT. I HAD NEW TIRES AND AN ALIGNMENT DONE 5-6 WEEK… |
| 2013-08-06 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | No | 0 | WHEN YOU TURN MY CAR ON IT DOES NOT WANT TO TURN OFF. WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING THE CAR IT SUDDENLY SHUTS OFF AND STOPS. I H… |
| 2013-04-01 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | No | 0 | I HAVE ALSO BEEN STATED AS "NOT INCLUDED". 2002 KIA OPTIMA V6 LX. THE VEHICLE SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY UPON BRAKING. RADIO… |
| 2012-10-31 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN AND AT ONE POINT THERE WAS A NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE IN STEERING AND THE CAR PULLED TO THE RIGHT. … |
| 2012-10-04 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | CAR WAS MAKING STRANGE NOISE. TOOK TO MECHANIC TO HAVE CHECK. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE SUBFRAME IS COMPLETELY RUSTE… |
| 2012-10-03 | STRUCTURE:BODY | No | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING SHE HEARD AN UNFAMILIAR SOUND COMING FROM… |
| 2012-07-15 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | No | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE REFUELING, FUEL SPILLED OUT OF THE FUEL FILLER NE… |
| 2012-06-11 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | No | 0 | UPON ROUTINE INSPECTION OF VEHICLE, MY REPAIR GARAGE NOTED THAT BRAKE LINES WERE QUITE RUSTED, AND STATED THAT THEY COU… |
| 2012-05-28 | LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | No | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT UNLOCK WITH THE … |
| 2012-04-13 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC FOR ROUTINE S… |
| 2012-03-06 | SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT | No | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE NEA… |
| 2012-02-13 | STEERING | Yes | 0 | MY 2002 KIA OPTIMA, VEERED OF THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE DUE TO A FLAT TIRE. THE TIRES HAD BEEN REPLACED THAT MORNING A… |
| 2011-10-31 | SUSPENSION | No | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE VEERED … |
| 2011-07-26 | LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | No | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN AFTER IT WAS LOCK… |
| 2011-05-23 | LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | No | 0 | DOOR LOCKS WHEN USING THE DOOR HANDLE TO OPEN THE DOOR AFTER THE DOOR HAS BEEN UNLOCKED USING KEY OR KEYLESS ENTRY. SO… |
| 2011-01-05 | STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | No | 0 | TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE SUB FRAME SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE. TH… |
| 2010-12-01 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | No | 0 | TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 03V067000 (… |
| 2010-10-31 | SUSPENSION:FRONT | No | 0 | TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FRONT SU… |
| 2010-10-01 | AIR BAGS | No | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS … |
| 2010-09-13 | LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | No | 0 | TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT UNLOCK BY USING THE KEY … |
| 2010-08-15 | STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | No | 0 | I HAVE A 2002 KIA OPTIMA THAT THE VIN IS NOT ONE OF THE VEHICLES THAT IS COVERED BY YOUR RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBE… |
| 2010-06-01 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | No | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA OPTIMA. SHE STATED WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 30 MPH, THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND WOULD… |
| 2009-11-27 | STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | No | 0 | MY SON WAS DRIVING OUR 2002 KIA OPTIMA AND WHEEL ASSEMBLY FELL OFF. THE WHOLE FRAME RUSTED FROM INSIDE OUT CAUSING THE … |
| 2009-09-22 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | No | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE … |
| 2009-07-22 | STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | No | 0 | THIS IS CONCERNING MY 2002 KIA OPTIMA, AND THE SUBFRAME RECALL THAT WAS ISSUED ON THIS CAR. . THE SUB FRAME WAS REPLACE… |