Home/ Kia/ Optima/ 2003

2003 Kia Optima

Safety Score
68
Average
Recalls
1
Complaints
50
NCAP Stars

Recalls (1)

Date NHTSA ID Component Units Completion
2004-04-12 04V180000 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY 25,803 Details

Owner Complaints (showing up to 50)

Date Component Crash Injuries Summary
2025-02-01 STEERING No 0 While driving on the roadway, I was almost to a four way intersection, as i was going to get into the left turn lane, I…
2019-10-07 STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS No 0 TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT. THE CONTACT TOOK THE…
2019-07-24 STRUCTURE:BODY No 0 THE FRAME IS RUSTED THROUGH CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BE UNSAFE, THOUGH IT HAD A RECALL FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM AND IT WAS …
2017-12-25 UNKNOWN OR OTHER No 0 AT 24,000 MILES MY VEHICLE STARTED LOCKING DOORS WHEN TEMPERATURES REACH 32 DEGREES OR LOWER. VEHICLE OUTSIDE ON CITY S…
2017-06-16 STRUCTURE No 0 TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DULLES MOTORCARS LOCATED AT 107 CAT…
2016-08-29 AIR BAGS No 0 AIR BAG LIGHT ON DASHBOARD IS LITE, FOR NO REASON! THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 48K MILES , NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT NOR HIT …
2016-04-29 STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR No 0 TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. WHEN UTILIZING THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HANDLES, THE…
2016-04-13 STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR No 0 TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR FAILED TO UNLOCK FROM EITHER SI…
2016-04-11 SUSPENSION No 0 KIA HAS ISSUED A RECALL (09V183000) HOWEVER IT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE STATE IN WHICH I RESIDE, BUT ALL BORDERING STATES T…
2015-11-22 SUSPENSION Yes 0 TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SWERVE AN…
2015-03-15 STRUCTURE:BODY No 0 TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE DOOR LOCK FAILED. THE CONTACT ATTEMPT…
2015-02-09 TIRES No 0 I STOPPED TO HAVE MY TIRE PRESSURE CHECKED AND THE MECHANICS WERE VERY CONCERNED WITH THE PASSENGER TIRE'S SIDEWALL SEP…
2015-01-29 SUSPENSION No 0 TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER SID…
2014-12-08 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM No 0 DRIVERS DOOR IS JAMMED LOCKED. THE REMOTE WORKS THE LOCKS MOVE WITH REMOTE AND KEY. THE DOOR DOES NOT OPEN. MULTIPLE…
2014-12-01 LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES No 0 THE AUTO DOOR LOCK WOULD SNAP SHUT FROM INSIDE OR OUT. MY DAUGHTER HAVE TO CRAWL THROUGH THE PASSENGER SIDE. *TR
2014-09-22 AIR BAGS No 0 THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE DOORS WOULD LOCK WITHOUT ANY PROMPTS. THE HORN WOULD HONK WHILE PARKED IN THE GARAGE. …
2014-08-20 AIR BAGS No 0 TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP FLASHED AND REMAINED ILLUMINAT…
2014-07-17 STRUCTURE:BODY No 0 TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR FAILED TO UNLOCK. THE CONT…
2014-05-09 AIR BAGS No 0 TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE …
2014-05-01 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM No 0 THE DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK WITH A KEY FOB, KEY OR MANUALLY. YOU ARE LITERALLY LOCKED IN THE CAR AND CANNOT OPEN THE DOOR…
2014-04-16 UNKNOWN OR OTHER No 0 THE PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL OF CAR IS WITH THE DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM. IT STARTED IN APRIL WITH A PROBLEM WITH…
2014-04-14 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM No 0 FIRST: IN THE AFFECT PARTS SECTION OF THIS COMPLAINT THERE IS NO WHERE TO MARK DEFECTIVE LOCKS. I HAVE 2003 KIA OPTIM…
2014-01-01 STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR No 0 I HAD PARKED AT THE GROCERY STORE ONE NIGHT AND MY CAR DOOR WOULDN'T SHUT. IT APPEARED AS THOUGH THE LATCH WAS STUCK IN…
2013-12-31 SUSPENSION No 0 TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO COMPLETE A RIGHT TURN, TH…
2013-12-30 POWER TRAIN No 0 MY WIFE NOTICED THE CAR PULLING TO THE RIGHT AND CALLED HER BROTHER. HE LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE THAT EVENING 12/30/2013.…
2013-10-07 STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR No 0 TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. THE VEH…
2013-07-01 LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES No 0 TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR FAILED TO UNLOCK AND COULD NOT B…
2013-05-31 STRUCTURE:BODY No 0 TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THE FRONT DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN …
2013-04-26 LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES No 0 PASSENGER DOOR LOCKS AND WILL NOT UNLOCK WITHOUT PUSHING THE UNLOCK BUTTON AND PULLING THE DOOR HANDLE AT THE SAME TIME…
2013-04-26 LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES No 0 I PARKED MY CAR FOR THE DAY TO GO TO WORK. AT THAT POINT IN TIME THERE WERE NO ISSUES WITH THE CAR. UPON RETURNING TH…
2013-03-11 FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM No 0 FOR SOME TIME NOW WE HAVE HAD TO VERY SLOWLY PUMP GAS IN TO TANK, IT KEEPS SPLASHING BACK AND SHUTTING OFF THE GAS PUMP…
2013-02-13 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM No 0 DOOR LOCK FOR THE DRIVERS SIDE DOES NOT WORK AND ALSO DOES NOT UNLOCK. THIS PRESENTS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN, DRIVER CAN…
2013-01-17 STEERING No 0 I WAS LEAVING MY DRIVEWAY AND DROVE APPROXIMATELY 2 CAR LENGTHS, MY CAR STOPPED AND STARTED SHAKING, IT WOULDN'T GO FOR…
2012-12-23 FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM No 0 AS I FILL THE TANK, GASOLINE FORCEFULLY SPITS BACK OUT ONTO THE PERSON FILLING THE TANK. THIS IS GETTING WORSE. I HAV…
2012-12-20 FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM No 0 CAR WILL NOT START AFTER ADDING FUEL. AFTER REVIEWING THIS ISSUE ONLINE, I FOUND THAT HUNDREDS OF OTHER OWNERS HAVE TH…
2012-11-30 LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES No 0 TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS TRYING TO EXIT THE VEHICLE BUT THE DOORS WOULD N…
2012-10-23 STRUCTURE:BODY No 0 TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER DOOR FAILED AND AS A RESULT, THE DOOR DOES N…
2012-10-10 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE No 0 MY MAIN ISSUE IS THE DOOR LOCK ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. I CAN NOT OPEN MY DRIVERS SIDE DOOR FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE THE VEHI…
2012-09-11 LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES No 0 THE DOOR(S) HAVE LOCKED AND WILL NOT UNLOCK WITHOUT MANY ATTEMPTS TO PULL ON THE HANDLE WHILE TURNING THE KEY. WHEN IT…
2012-08-13 LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES No 0 TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOORS COULD NOT BE UNLOCKED AND HE HAD TO EXIT THE …
2012-08-07 LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES No 0 KIA OPTIMA 2003. CAN NOT OPEN DRIVER DOOR. LOCK DOES NOT DISENGAGE WITH KEY OR POWER LOCK BUTTON. LOTS OF COMPLAINTS…
2012-07-07 LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES No 0 I OWN A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO UNLOCK THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR. I HAVE HAD TO EITHER CLIMB OUT THE WINDOW O…
2012-07-02 STRUCTURE:BODY No 0 ALL OF A SUDDEN, WITHOUT ANY EXTRA/ABNORMAL STRESS, DAMAGE OR ACCIDENT... THE PASSENGER-SIDE DOOR LOCK WOULD NOT ENGAGE…
2012-06-07 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM No 0 DOORS (ALL) WILL LOCK AFTER UNLOCKING WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO GET IN. I UNLOCK THE DOOR, EITHER MANUALLY OR WITH THE KEY …
2012-05-17 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC Yes 0 I HAD PROBLEM WITH BRAKES LOCKING UP ON 2003 KIA OPTIMA, HAD IT AT A DEALERSHIP TO GET FIXED. THEY SAID THEY FIXED IT, …
2012-03-25 LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES No 0 DRIVERS SIDE DOOR LOCK LOCKS UNATTENDED, TRAPS DRIVER INSIDE CAR. CAN NOT OPEN WITH KEY OR SWITCH. SAFETY ISSUE. ALSO; …
2012-02-06 STRUCTURE:BODY No 0 THE DOOR HANDLE(S) ARE DEFECTIVE TO POINT WHERE EVEN THOUGH THE DOOR IS UNLOCKED, THE DOOR CANNOT BE OPENED. UPON TAKIN…
2011-11-04 STRUCTURE:BODY No 0 TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO OPEN THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR, THE VEHI…
2011-11-01 LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES No 0 TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WAS UNABLE TO UNLOCK THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR. THE CONT…
2011-10-27 STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR No 0 PASSENGER SIDE DOOR DID NOT UNLOCK. THIS FORCED PASSENGER TO COME OUT FROM THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR. *TR