Is This A Lemon?

Year · Make · Model

2006 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.

2
Open recalls
155
NHTSA complaints
3
Defect investigations
37
Service bulletins

NCAP safety

Overall
Not rated
Frontal
Not rated
Side
Not rated
Rollover
Not rated

Consumer complaints

155 filed
3
Crashes
1
Fires
2
Injuries reported
0
Fatalities reported

What people complain about

  • AIR Bags
    32
  • LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
    24
  • Electrical System
    20
  • AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL Module
    10
  • Exterior Lighting
    10
  • Power Train
    10
  • Unknown OR Other
    9
  • Visibility
    9

Recalls

2 campaigns
12V014000·AIR BAGS:FRONTAL2012-01-17

KIA MOTORS AMERICA, INC. (KIA) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2008 KIA OPTIMA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 29, 2005, THROUGH JANUARY 29, 2008, AND MODEL YEAR 2007 AND 2008 KIA RONDO VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 13, 2006, THROUGH MARCH 21, 2008. THE CLOCK SPRING CONTACT ASSEMBLY FOR THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS) MAY BECOME DAMAGED THROUGH USAGE OVER TIME. IF THE CLOCK SPRING CONTACT ASSEMBLY BECOMES DAMAGED, THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT WILL EXPERIENCE A HIGH RESISTANCE CONDITION POTENTIALLY CAUSING THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG TO NOT DEPLOY.

RiskIF THE CLOCK SPRING DEVELOPS HIGH RESISTANCE, IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE DRIVERS AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY AND WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PROPERLY PROTECT THE DRIVER, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURIES.

FixKIA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE VEHICLE'S AIR BAG CLOCK SPRING CONTACT ASSEMBLY, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 11, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-333-4542.

11V153000·POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT2011-03-09

KIA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2008 OPTIMA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 29, 2005, THROUGH JUNE 13, 2007. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE SHIFT CABLE MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED INCORRECTLY, CAUSING TENSION IN THE CABLE. IF PRESENT, THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE CABLE TO DETACH FROM THE SHIFTER ASSEMBLY'S DOWEL PIN PREVENTING THE TRANSMISSION FROM BEING SHIFTED. THE SHIFT LEVER CAN THEN BE MOVED INTO THE PARK (P) POSITION WHILE THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION IS STILL IN THE LAST USED GEAR BEFORE DETACHMENT.

RiskIF THE DRIVER LEAVES THE VEHICLE WITHOUT ENGAGING THE PARKING BRAKE, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE VEHICLE CAN ROLL INJURE A PERSON IN ITS PATH OR CAUSE A CRASH.

FixDEALERS WILL INSPECT THE SHIFT CABLE AND REINSTALL IF NECESSARY FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 23, 2011. OWNER MAY CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.

NHTSA investigations

5 actions
DP22003·ENGINE2022-09-12 → 2023-12-12

Loss of Motive Power

DP21003·VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:THROTTLE 2021-11-12 → 2023-06-20

Throttle control system vulnerabilities

PE10046·POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)2010-11-22 → 2011-04-05

Transmission Shift Cable Detachment

Led to recall11V153000

PE10046·POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT2010-11-22 → 2011-04-05

Transmission Shift Cable Detachment

Led to recall11V153000

PE10046·POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION2010-11-22 → 2011-04-05

Transmission Shift Cable Detachment

Led to recall11V153000

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