Is This A Lemon?

Year · Make · Model

2001 KIA Optima

What the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration knows about this vehicle: every recall, every consumer complaint, every defect investigation, every NCAP crash test. Sourced directly from NHTSA data feeds.

3
Open recalls
143
NHTSA complaints
2
Defect investigations
25
Service bulletins

Consumer complaints

143 filed
15
Crashes
0
Fires
7
Injuries reported
0
Fatalities reported

What people complain about

  • STRUCTURE:FRAME AND Members
    21
  • AIR Bags
    17
  • SUSPENSION:FRONT
    17
  • LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
    11
  • Suspension
    10
  • Power TRAIN:AUTOMATIC Transmission
    10
  • Electrical System
    9
  • Service BRAKES, Hydraulic
    7

Recalls

3 campaigns
09V183000·SUSPENSION:FRONT2009-05-27

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.

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

FixKMC 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.

03V067000·ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY2003-03-04

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.5 AND 2.7 LITER V6 ENGINES, THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR (CKP) CASES DID NOT MEET DIMENSIONAL SPECIFICATIONS.

RiskINTERNAL GAPS WITHIN THE CASES ALLOWED EPOXY TO CONTACT THE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD, WHICH RESULTED IN CRACKING OF THE CIRCUIT BOARD CAPACITOR. A DAMAGED CKP CAPACITOR COULD RESULT IN ENGINE STALLING.

FixDEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CKP. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 28, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.

01V156000·AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW2001-05-01

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE SIDE AIR BAG WIRE HARNESS FOR THE DRIVER POSITION COULD BE MIS-ROUTED, WHICH COULD RESULT IN IT BEING PINCHED OR CUT BY THE SEAT CUSHION TILT MECHANISM.

RiskDAMAGE TO THE WIRE HARNESS COULD RESULT IN THE SIDE AIR BAG NOT DEPLOYING IN AN ACCIDENT.

FixDEALERS WILL CHECK FOR PROPER ROUTING OF THE SIDE AIR BAG WIRE HARNESS AND SECURE IT IN PLACE WITH A PLASTIC TIE-WRAP. IF THE WIRE HARNESS IS DAMAGED, IT WILL BE REPLACED. OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MAY 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.

NHTSA investigations

2 actions
EA04030·LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH2004-11-04 → 2005-11-07

POWER DOOR LOCK FAILURE

PE04050·LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH2004-07-07 → 2004-11-04

POWER DOOR LOCK FAILURE

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