NHTSA vehicle safety data

2003 Kia Optima Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

The 2003 Kia Optima has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns and 141 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Kia dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2003 Kia Optima, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

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2003 Kia Optima owner complaints

Owners have filed 141 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Kia Optima, describing incidents dated May 3, 2003 to February 1, 2025.

Most-cited components

Latches/Locks/Linkages 53 complaints
Electrical System 25 complaints
Structure 25 complaints
Air Bags 17 complaints
Fuel/Propulsion System 12 complaints
Engine 9 complaints

Of the 141 complaints on file, 8 report a crash and 2 a fire; across all 141 complaints, owners report 6 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11640256 · Filed February 3, 2025
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 turned the steering wheel slightly to the left as the steering wheel turned but the car almost did little adjusting to turn into the left turn lane. As this occurred you could here…
ODI #11278319 · Filed November 5, 2019
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT AN ALIGNMENT COULD NOT BE PERFORMED BECAUSE THE SUBFRAME WAS FRACTURED. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER…
ODI #11240321 · Filed July 29, 2019
THE FRAME IS RUSTED THROUGH CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BE UNSAFE, THOUGH IT HAD A RECALL FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM AND IT WAS ONLY INSPECTED AND NOT REPLACED. THE CAR WAS INITIALLY TAKEN TO A LOCAL AUTO REPAIR SHOP FOR AN ALIGNMENT AS IT PULLED TO THE RIGHT, THE SHOP SAID THE FRAME WAS RUSTED SO BADLY THAT…

Read all 141 complaints

Owner-reported

2003 Kia Optima mileage at failure

105 of the 141 complaints on file for the 2003 Kia Optima give the vehicle's mileage when the problem happened.

Mileage at failure by component, from owners' complaints to NHTSA
Component	Median	Middle half	Based on
Latches/Locks/Linkages	Median 90,000 miles	Middle half 70,000–105,000 miles	Based on 41 complaints

A component's median is its 50th percentile, and its middle half runs from its 25th to its 75th percentile.

Owners give the mileage themselves, often as a round number, and NHTSA doesn't check it. A complaint that names several components counts under each one, and mileages that can't be right, such as 999,999, or 50 miles on a five-year-old car, are left out.

These figures describe the complaints owners filed. They don't predict when a particular vehicle will have a problem, and vehicles that never had one aren't counted.

Mileage from NHTSA's complaints file of October 31, 2026. How these figures are worked out

FRONT SUB-FRAME CORRIOSION

NHTSA #09V183000 · Suspension — Front · NHTSA notice

Reported May 27, 2009 · KIA MOTORS CORPORATION

Potentially affected: 36,538 vehicles

Kia campaign SC075 · Owners notified June 16, 2009 · Vehicles built October 6, 2000 – November 19, 2003 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

KIA MOTORS CORPORATION (KMC) IS RECALLING 36,538 MODEL YEAR 2001-2004 OPTIMA VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. ROAD SALT APPLIED IN THESE STATES DURING THE WINTER MONTHS MAY RESULT IN PROGRESSIVE, INTERNAL CORROSION OF THE FRONT SUBFRAME. OVER TIME, SUCH SUBFRAME CORROSION NEAR THE CONNECTION TO THE LOWER CONTROL ARM CAN LEAD TO WHEEL MISALIGNMENT AND/OR OTHER NOTICEABLE STRESS IN STEERING, OR ACCELERATED ABNORMAL TIRE WEAR.

Safety consequence

CORROSION OF THE FRONT SUBFRAME COULD LEAD TO SEPARATION, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Manufacturer remedy

KMC WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE VEHICLES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 15, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA'S CONSUMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-333-4542.

Notes

KMC'S RECALL CAMPAIGN NO. SC075.OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO <A HREF=HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV>HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV</A> .

KIA/FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY VALVE

NHTSA #04V180000 · Fuel System, Gasoline — Storage — Tank Assembly · NHTSA notice

Reported April 12, 2004 · KIA MOTORS AMERICA, INC.

Potentially affected: 25,803 vehicles

Kia campaign SC038 · Owners notified June 25, 2004 · Vehicles built October 1, 2001 – November 9, 2002 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

SOME PASSENGER VEHICLES MAY CONTAIN A FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY VALVE THAT MAY NOT CLOSE PROPERLY. IF A VEHICLE WITH A FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY VALVE THAT IS NOT PROPERLY CLOSED WERE TO ROLL OVER, FUEL SPILLAGE MAY OCCUR.

Safety consequence

FUEL SPILLAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN ADDITIONAL FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY VALVE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 25, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.

Notes

KIA RECALL NO. SCO38.CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

2003 Kia Optima 4-DR

—

out of 5

Overall Safety Rating

Not Rated

Frontal Crash

Not Rated

Driver: 4, Passenger: 4

Side Crash

Not Rated

Driver: Not Rated, Passenger: Not Rated

Side Pole

Not Rated

Rollover

Not Rated

Safety Technology

141 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2003 Kia Optima.

Steering; Suspension; Engine

ODI #11640256

Incident: February 1, 2025 · Filed: February 3, 2025

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 turned the steering wheel slightly to the left as the steering wheel turned but the car almost did little adjusting to turn into the left turn lane. As this occurred you could here a noise underneath the vehicle . As I wasn't sure exactly what had happened, I attempted to limp the vehicle down the road to a friend's. As I did the steering got worse and as I could nearly stear the vehicle something was in the road which because of the steering I couldn't avoid it as it was late at night and raining and I ran over something that gave me a flat on the passenger side front tire . I got to my friends drive a few feet away and almost didn't get it pulled in because of the steering. As I took a look at my car, I noticed that two bolts on the driver side on the rack and pinion were almost about to fall out, two ball joints were bent and one nut was completely missing from the lower ball joint, as well as the sway bar was out of place and If I would have been driving down the highway, I do belive I would have wrecked.

Suspension; Structure

ODI #11278319

Incident: October 7, 2019 · Filed: November 5, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT AN ALIGNMENT COULD NOT BE PERFORMED BECAUSE THE SUBFRAME WAS FRACTURED. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V183000(SUSPENSION). THE CONTACT CALLED BOB ROHRMAN KIA (801 SAGAMORE PKWY S, LAFAYETTE, IN 47905, 765-746-7301) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE RECALL REPAIR HAD ALREADY BEEN PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT ASSIST SINCE THE RECALL REPAIR HAD BEEN COMPLETED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 168,531.

Structure

ODI #11240321

Incident: July 24, 2019 · Filed: July 29, 2019

THE FRAME IS RUSTED THROUGH CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BE UNSAFE, THOUGH IT HAD A RECALL FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM AND IT WAS ONLY INSPECTED AND NOT REPLACED. THE CAR WAS INITIALLY TAKEN TO A LOCAL AUTO REPAIR SHOP FOR AN ALIGNMENT AS IT PULLED TO THE RIGHT, THE SHOP SAID THE FRAME WAS RUSTED SO BADLY THAT AN ALIGNMENT COULD NOT BE DONE. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT A RECALL HAD BEEN MADE FOR THIS VEHICLE. RECALL #09V183000. GURLEY LEEP KIA IN MISHAWAKA, INDIANA WAS CONTACTED AND AN APPOINTMENT WAS MADE. THE TECHNICIAN SAID THE FRAME WAS RUSTED BUT KIA WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE AS THE RECALL HAD ALREADY BEEN MADE.

Structure; Unknown or Other; Service Brakes

ODI #11101795

Incident: January 1, 2009 · Filed: June 14, 2018

DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK WITH KEY OR INSIDE DOOR LOOK SWITCH. THIS IS A REAL SAFETY HAZZARD.

Unknown or Other

ODI #11056734

Incident: December 25, 2017 · Filed: December 27, 2017

AT 24,000 MILES MY VEHICLE STARTED LOCKING DOORS WHEN TEMPERATURES REACH 32 DEGREES OR LOWER. VEHICLE OUTSIDE ON CITY STREET OR DRIVEWAY. WHEN TEMPERATURES GET TO 32 DEGREES, DOORS LOCK AND DO NOT UNLOCK TO ALLOW ACCESS. IF YOU ARE INSIDE OF CAR IT LOCKS YOU INSIDE OF CAR, AS WELL AS OUT OF CAR. LOCKS UNLOCK THEN LOCK INSTANTLY EVEN WHEN USING KEY, NOT KEY FOB TO UNLOCK CAR~ NO ACCESS TO ENTER VEHICLE UNTIL ABOVE 32 DEGREES. IN CASE OF EMERGENCY...YOU HAVE NO VEHICLE. THIS HAS HAPPENED EVERY YEAR WHEN TEMPERATURE GETS BELOW 32 DEGREES. I HAVE REPORTED THIS PROBLEM IN PAST.RECALL AND FIX IT PLEASE!!!

Structure

ODI #11003026

Incident: June 16, 2017 · Filed: July 5, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DULLES MOTORCARS LOCATED AT 107 CATOCTIN CIR SE, LEESBURG, VA 20175, PHONE NUMBER: (703) 777-7077, FOR A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE AND SAFETY INSPECTION, THERE IT WAS INFORMED BY THE TECHNICIAN OF SEVERE CORROSION AND CRACKS IN THE SUB FRAME AND THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO BE DRIVEN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT THE DEALER FOR SEVERAL WEEKS WITHOUT REPAIRS BEING COMPLETED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V183000 (SUSPENSION). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 123,000.

Structure

ODI #10960160

Incident: August 1, 2007 · Filed: March 11, 2017

DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN IF LOCKED WHEN CLOSED. MECHANISM WORKS FINE TO LOCK AND UNLOCK WHEN OPEN, HOWEVER. A PART IN THE LOCK ASSEMBLY APPEARS TO BE ROTATING TOO FAR AND GETTING STUCK. AS A RESULT, THE DOOR CANNOT BE OPENED IF LOCKED WHEN THE DOOR IS CLOSED OR THE DRIVER WILL HAVE TO CLIMB OUT OF THE PASSENGERS SIDE DOOR OR THROUGH THE WINDOW.

Fuel System, Gasoline; Latches/Locks/Linkages

ODI #10917282

Incident: October 10, 2012 · Filed: October 19, 2016

MY MAIN ISSUE IS THE DOOR LOCK ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. I CAN NOT OPEN MY DRIVERS SIDE DOOR FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE AND THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN ALL OVER THE INTERNET FOR YEARS. EVERYONE THAT I KNOW THAT HAS A 2003 AND 2004 KIA OPTIMA HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. I BET EVERY VEHICLE KIA SOLD FOR THESE YEARS HAS THIS PROBLEM. MY OTHER ISSUE IS I AM UNABLE TO FILL MY FUEL TANK AS I NORMALLY COULD DO. I HAVE TO TRICKLE THE FUEL IN THE TANK BECAUSE IF I PUMP IT TOO FAST THE PUMP WILL CUT OFF. I'VE EVEN HAD THE FUEL SPILL OUT OF THE TANK BEFORE THE TANK WAS EVEN FULL (IT WAS AT ABOUT 3/4 FULL). PLEASE DEMAND THAT KIA RECALL THESE PROBLEMS. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S TAKING THIS LONG FOR THIS RECALL TO BE ISSUED. I JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS FORM AND THAT IS WHY I HAVE TAKEN SO LONG TO PROCESS THIS FORM. THANKS AND I HOPE THAT YOU CAN HELP ASAP. [XXX] PS. AS OF TODAY MY VEHICLE HAS APPROXIMATELY 53,000 MILES. I'VE DRIVEN IT IN ONE WINTER SO FAR (LAST WINTER) AND IT STARTED HAVING THE DOOR LOCK PROBLEM AT AROUND 33,000. THE FUEL ISSUE STARTED AROUND 2 YEARS AGO. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Air Bags

ODI #10905149

Incident: August 29, 2016 · Filed: September 9, 2016

AIR BAG LIGHT ON DASHBOARD IS LITE, FOR NO REASON! THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 48K MILES , NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT NOR HIT ANYTHING . I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE NOR HAVE ANYONE IN THE CAR WITH ME BECAUSE , IT'S WITHOUT AN AIRBAG THERE IS NO PROTECTION

Structure; Latches/Locks/Linkages

ODI #10864345

Incident: April 13, 2016 · Filed: May 11, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR FAILED TO UNLOCK FROM EITHER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE WAS PERSISTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE SAME FAILURE OCCURRED ON THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 147,433.

Other Kia Optima model years

Check your 2003 Kia Optima VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Kia Optima at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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