Manufacturer: HYUNDAI-KIA AMERICA TECHNICAL CENTER INC (HATCI)
Manufacturer Id: 1034
Model: Optima
Model Year: 2011
Plant City: Hwasung
Plant Company Name: Kia Motors Corporation
Plant Country: South Korea
Seat Belts All: Manual
Series: GL
Series2: TF HEV
TPMS: Direct
Trim: Hybrid
Valve Train Design: Dual Overhead Cam (DOHC)
Vehicle Type: PASSENGER CAR
Model year
COMPONENT
Complaint
2004
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY CAR DOORS DO NOT OPEN EITHER INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. THIS PROBLEM STARTED WITH MY FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AND NOW IS AFFECTING MY DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE ELECTRICAL AND WILL HAPPENS RANDOMLY. THE PASS. DOOR IS NOW 100% AFFECTED AND THE DRIVERS SIDE JUST STARTED TODAY. SO THE END RESULT IS I AM LOCKED INSIDE MY CAR UNLESS I CRAWL THROUGH THE WINDOW. I GOOGLED THIS PROBLEM ONLINE AND APPARENTLY THIS PROBLEM IS RAMPANT. I CALLED KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY SAID THAT THERE IS NOT A RECALL AND BECAUSE MY CAR IS A 2004 (WITH ONLY 39,000 MILES) THEY WILL NOT COVER IT. I TOLD HIM HOW DANGEROUS THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM WAS AND HE REALLY DIDNT SEEM TO CARE. II ASKED HIM WHO ISSUES RECALLS AND HE SAID IT WAS YOUR ORGANIZATION, WHEN I SAID THAT I WOULD CALL YOU TO TRY AND GET A RECALL HE THEN SAID "WELL YOU COULD BRING IT INTO KIA AND SEE WHAT THEY FIND, ALTHOUGH NO GAURANTEE I WOULD GET IT PAID FOR BY THEM EVEN THOUGH IT HAS HAPPENED TO MANY KIA CARS. I THEN TOLD HIM I WOULD BE CONTACTING YOUR ORGANIZATION AND HE DIDNT SEEM TO HAPPY. * WHEN MY PASSENGER DOOR STARTED WITH THIS PROBLEM APPROX. 2 MONTHS AGO I CALLED THE LOCAL DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO FOR ME. I SHOULD ADD THAT THE NEAREST KIA DEALER IS APPROX. 2.5 HOURS ONE WAY AWAY FROM ME. *CN
2011
AIR BAGS
I WAS SITTING IN A TURN LANE, TO TURN LEFT. THERE WERE TWO LANES TO MY RIGHT FOR TRAFFIC. I WAS WAITING FOR A CAR COMING FROM THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. I HAPPENED TO LOOK IN MY REAR VIEW MIRROR AND IT WAS COMPLETELY TAKEN UP BY THIS RED OBJECT, WHICH HAPPENED TO BE A CAR. IMMEDIATELY I FELT A TERRIBLE SHOCK AND MY CAR WAS LIFTED UP IN THE REAR AND THE FRONT END POINTED AT THE ROAD. THIS CAR DROVE ME APPROXIMATELY 40 YDS. UP THE ROAD. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY...NONE OF THEM AND THERE WAS $12,000 WORTH OF DAMAGE DONE TO MY CAR. I STILL HAVE LOWER BACK PAIN AND SEVERE CRAMPS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF NECK AND HEAD. OF COURSE THE DRIVER WAS DUI, NO LICENSE, NO INSURANCE AND LEFT THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT. ON 10/22/12 MY WIFE HAD DRIVEN HOME FROM FLORIDA TO TN. SHE TURNED ON A STREET HEADING UP A HILL TOWARD OUR HOME. SHE WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 25 MILES PER HOUR, WHEN AN OLDER GREY TRUCK COMING DOWN THE HILL CROWDED HER OFF THE ROAD. SHE SWERVED TO HER RIGHT AND HIT A 700 LB. MAILBOX(CEMENT & BRICKS) THIS ACCIDENT TORE THE RIDE SIDE FRONT END BACK BY 4 FEET, ALSO BUCKLING THE HOOD AND POPPING RIVETS IN THE MOTOR. THE AIR BAGS AGAIN FAILED TO DEPLOY. THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE 2011 KIA OPTIMA'S AIR BAGS. SHE BLOODIED HER NOSE AND HAD A GASH IN HER RIGHT WRIST. THERE4 IS ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE OF HAVING AIR BAGS WHEN THEY DON'T DO AS THEY SUPPOSED TO. THIS MUST BE EXPLORED AND THE REASON FOUND! THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION IN THIS MATTER. *TR
