2002 Kia Optima Recalls & Complaints

Incident: November 12, 2025 · Filed: November 13, 2025

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 then it doesn't unlock.

Incident: November 4, 2022 · Filed: November 14, 2022

The contact owns a 2002 Kia Optima. The contact stated that after he replaced all four tires, the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for an alignment; however, the mechanic was unable to perform an alignment due to the subframe corrosion. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 09V183000 (Suspension) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 111,000.

Incident: November 20, 2020 · Filed: January 28, 2021

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WERE HOLES FROM CORROSION DUE TO SUB-FRAME RUST. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH NEEDING THE SUB-FRAME TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AS OF YET. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V183000 (SUSPENSION) HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 160,000.

Incident: October 3, 2019 · Filed: October 23, 2019

AIR BAG LIGHT ALL OF SUDDEN,AFTER JUST STARTING UP

Incident: October 7, 2019 · Filed: October 11, 2019

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 DIDNT HAVE A HORRIBLE ACCIDENT.

Incident: October 15, 2017 · Filed: October 23, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2002 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE HYDROPLANED AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 219,000.

Incident: August 19, 2016 · Filed: August 29, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH AND MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE CONTROL ARM, TIE ROD, AND CV AXLE FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE SUBFRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE DRIVER SIDE CONTROL ARM, TIE ROD, AND CV AXLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V183000 (SUSPENSION). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 133,313.

Incident: August 20, 2016 · Filed: August 23, 2016

MY 16 YEAR OLD JUST PURCHASED A 2002 KIA OPTIMA SEDAN ON SATURDAY 8/20/2016 FROM A USED CAR DEALERSHIP. VERY FIRST CAR, HIS OWN EARNED SAVINGS. UPON FINALIZING THE PAPERWORK, WE LITERALLY WALKED OUT THE DOOR & IMMEDIATELY WERE UNABLE TO UNLOCK HIS DRIVER'S DOOR WITH THE KEY FOB. THE CAR WAS STATIONARY, NOT RUNNING, PARKED IN ALL INSTANCES IN REGARDS TO THIS COMPLAINT. COINCIDENTALLY, IT WORKED PERFECT FOR OUR TEST DRIVE. I DO ALSO HAVE SIGNED DOCUMENTATION STATING THE CAR LOT DOES NOTHING TO THE CAR ELECTRONICALLY, MECHANICALLY OR OTHERWISE AS WELL IF NEEDED. I WAS HOPEFUL IT WAS THE KEY FOB BATTERY, BUT IT'S BEEN REPLACED & STILL NOT WORKING. WE'VE HAD THE SAME ISSUE WITH ALL THE LOCKS SINCE & NO SUCCESS TO UNLOCK WHEN NEEDED. HE USES THE DRIVER'S SIDE THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE TIME, BUT ALL WITHOUT WARNING WILL NOT LOCK OR UNLOCK WITH NO RHYME OR REASON. HE'S HAD TO CRAWL OVER FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE TO GET IN EVERY TIME. MY NIGHTMARE AS ANY PARENTS IS GOD FORBID A FIRE START OR HE ACCIDENTALLY GOES INTO A BODY OF WATER & IS TRAPPED. I REALIZE IT'S AN OLDER CAR BOUGHT USED, BUT I SEE THERE ARE DOZENS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE LOCKS, NOT JUST ON YOUR SITE. EVEN A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT THAT WAS MYSTERIOUSLY "VOLUNTARILY DISMISSED" BY THE PLAINTIFF IN 2015. CASE NO. [XXX] FROM WHAT I CAN SEE. WHERE IS THE RECALL? WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO HAVE ONE ISSUED? WE DON'T HAVE THE FINANCIAL CAPABILITY TO PAY FOR A MANUFACTURER DEFECT THAT IS ALREADY BEEN UNCOVERED YET AMAZINGLY NO ONE IS REQUIRED TO REPAIR? NOR DO I FEEL WE SHOULD HAVE TO. ANOTHER POINT TO NOTE IS EVERY SINGLE VIN # I'VE SEEN COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE, ARE IN VERY CLOSE NUMERICAL SUCCESSION WITH OURS. I HAVE TO SAY IT SEEMS VERY UNLIKELY IT'S SHEER COINCIDENCE. I UNDERSTAND COMPANIES NEED TO GUARD THEIR "BOTTOM LINE" BUT WHAT COST? I SINCERELY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME & FEEDBACK. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Incident: May 20, 2016 · Filed: July 30, 2016

2002 KIA OPTIMA DRIVER DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK WITH KEYLESS ENTRY OR FROM IN SIDE OF CAR ONLY AFTER LOCKING AND WAITING SEVERAL MINUTES TO HITTING UNLOCK ABOUT 20 TIMES TO GET THE DOOR TO UNLOCK HAVE BEEN LOCKED IN CAR AND CRAWL THREW CAR OR OUT WINDOW. CAR HAS 142000.MILIES

Incident: July 15, 2015 · Filed: July 11, 2016

WE OWN A 2002 KIA OPTIMA- FOUND OUT THERE WAS A RECALL- THE RECALL WAS CORRISION TO THE SUBFRAME THAT COULD LEAD TO PROBLEMS WITH THE CONTROL ARM. I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR WAS INSPECTED IN 2010 AND THE RECALL WAS TAKEN CARE OF AT THAT TIME. WE BOUGHT THE CAR FROM A PRIVATE OWNER IN 2014. 2015 WENT TO GET NEW TIRES ON THE CAR AND DISCOUNT TIRE TOLD US THAT THEY COULDN'T DO AN ALIGNMENT BECAUSE THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE CONTROL ARM. WE FOUND OUT TO REPAIR THE CONTROL ARE IT WOULD BE OVER $500. WHEN I CALLED THE KIA HOTLINE TO INQUIRE ABOUT THE RECALL, I WAS TOLD THAT WE WOULD NEED TO TAKE THE CAR TO A KIA DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE CAR REVIEWED BY THEIR SERVICE MEN TO SEE IF THERE IS ANY ISSUES WITH THE SUBFRAME AND CONTROL ARM. I'M CONCERNED MY CONCERN IS NOT GOING TO GET ADRESSED. 7/11/2016 JP