Manufacturer: HYUNDAI-KIA AMERICA TECHNICAL CENTER INC (HATCI)
Manufacturer Id: 1034
Model: Optima
Model Year: 2003
Plant City: Whasung
Plant Country: South Korea
Seat Belts All: Manual
Valve Train Design: Dual Overhead Cam (DOHC)
Vehicle Type: PASSENGER CAR
Model year
COMPONENT
Complaint
2006
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
WENT TO DRIVER SIDE DOOR TO GET INTO THE VEHICLE. ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE DOOR AND WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. THE DOOR WOULD UNLOCK BY THE KEY BUT WHEN YOU PULL THE HANDLE THE DOOR WOULD LOCK BACK AND NOT COME AWAY FROM THE DOOR FRAME. THE ONLY WAY THAT YOU COULD GET IN THE CAR WAS TO OPEN THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AND CRAWL ACROSS TO THE DRIVER SIDE. EXITING THE VEHICLE WAS THE SAME PROCESS. THE CAR WAS PUT INTO THE SHOP WHERE THE MECHANIC OPENED THE DOOR BY UNLOCKING THE DOOR AND PULLING THE POWER LOCK FUSE AND OPENING THE DOOR. THE ACTUATOR (OR AJITATOR, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE SPECIFIC NAME BUT IT WAS ONE OF THE TWO) HAD TO BE REPLACED AND THEN THE DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM HAD TO BE REPLACED AS WELL BECAUSE IT WARPED DUE TO THE ACTUATOR GOING OUT. WITH THE CAR BEING APPROX 3 YEARS OLD, THE DOOR LOCKING MECHANISMS SHOULD NOT HAVE GONE OUT SO SOON. NOT BEING ABLE TO EXIT THROUGH THE DRIVER DOOR AND EXITING THROUGH THE PASSENGER DOOR IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY. *TR
2003
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR LOCKED AND SHE WAS UNABLE TO UNLOCK IT MANUALLY OR BY USING THE KEY FOB. SHE WAS FORCED TO CLIMB INTO THE BACK SEAT IN ORDER TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE FAILURE RECENTLY RECURRED ALL OF THE DOORS FAILED TO UNLOCK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE LOCKS; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,000. UPDATED 2/11/14*CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE TRUNK AND IGNITION WOULD NOT UNLOCK. THE IGNITION AND TRUNK LOCK WAS REPLACED. ALSO, THE ALTERNATOR, FUEL TANK SENSOR AND TIMING BELT WERE REPLACED. THE HIGH BEAM LIGHTS WOULD COME ON, WHEN SHE MADE TURNS.