13 complaints reported

2003 Kia Optima Air Bags

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
13
Crashes
5
Fires
0
Injuries
4

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Sep 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

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Aug 2016
Oct 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Sep 2014
May 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP FLASHED AND REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 11/04/15*LJ UPDATED 2/1/2016*JS UPDATED 04/05/16.*JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Aug 2014
Jan 2009

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG INDICATORS REMAINED ILLUMINATED IN HER VEHICLE. THE DEALER PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC, BUT NO CODES APPEARED. THE DEALER RESET THE COMPUTER AND THE INDICATORS REMAINED DIM FOR A FEW DAYS; HOWEVER, THEY WOULD EVENTUALLY ILLUMINATE AGAIN. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jul 2009
Apr 2008

2003 KIA OPTIMA HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT STAYING ON. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICE FOR THIS ISSUE BUT IT KEEPS RECURRING. *NJ

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2005
Apr 2007 Crash Injury

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH THE VEHICLE WAS STRUCK FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A WOODEN FENCE AND ROLLED OVER THREE TIMES. THE DRIVER WAS INJURED BECAUSE THE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS ARRIVED AT THE SCENE AND FILED A FULL REPORT. THE CRASH OCCURRED IN DRY CONDITIONS. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER ABOUT THE AIR BAG FAILURE, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE SIDE IMPACT WAS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO DEPLOY THE AIR BAGS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 84,000.*AK THE CONSUMER HAS PROVIDED MULTIPLE PICTURES OF THE ACCIDENT. UPDATE 05/10/07*TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Mar 2007
Jul 2006 Crash Injury

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED, WHILE TRAVELING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION AT 25 MPH., THE VEHICLE WAS STRUCK ON THE DRIVER'S FRONT DOOR BY A POLICE VEHICLE RUNNING A RED LIGHT, WITHOUT THE EMERGENCY LIGHTS ON. BOTH FRONTAL AND SIDE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. INJURIES WERE INCURRED IN THE COLLISION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND PICTURES WERE TAKEN AT THE SCENE. THE AIRBAG SENSOR LIGHT WAS REPLACED BY A SERVICE DEALER, APPROXIMATELY ONE-YEAR PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2006
Apr 2006

2003 OPTIMA AIR BAG DEPLOYED WHEN SWERVING TO AVOID A MANHOLE. *TS WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED ON A DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE IT REGISTERED THAT THERE HAD BEEN A COLLISION. THE MANUFACTURER SENT A DISTRICT PARTS AND SERVICE MANAGER TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE MANAGER CONCLUDED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG PROPERLY DEPLOYED IN THE INCIDENT EXPERIENCED BY THE CONSUMER. *NM

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2005
Nov 2005

DT: THE CALLER STATED THAT AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON ALL THE TIME. DEALER CLAIMED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG WAS DEFECTIVE, AND DID NOT HAVE THE PART TO FIX IT. MANUFACTURER SAID DID NOT HAVE THE PART ANYWHERE. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Nov 2005
Sep 2005 Crash Injury

I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE THE FRONT AND SIDE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. MY CAR WAS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE SITE OF IMPACT WAS ON THE LEFT FRONT END BUT SUBSTAINED MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE ENTIRE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. I HAVE SEVERAL PHOTO'S OF THE CAR, WHICH WAS TOTALED BY MY INSURANCE ADJUSTER. MY CONCERN IS IF THERE IS A DEFECT WITH THIS CAR REGARDING THE AIRBAGS. A CLOSE MALE FRIEND, WHO WAS A MECHANICAL ENGINEER FOR CHYSLER, COULD NOT EXPLAIN/UNDERSTAND WHY THE AIRBAGS FAILED. PLEASE HELP ME GET TO THE BOTTOM IS THIS MATTER.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2005
Jul 2004 Crash Injury

THE CONSUMER REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER WAS WEARING HIS SEAT BELT, HOWEVER THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DEALER CLAIMED THAT THE COLLISION WAS UNDER THE TRUCK'S BUMPER. THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE CONSUMER SUFFERED SHOULDER AND HEAD INJURIES IN THE COLLISION. *JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Aug 2004
Apr 2004

AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON. DEALER ORDERED THE PART. HOWEVER, THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO OBTAIN THE PART, THIS MAKES DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG INOPERABLE. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Sep 2004
Feb 2003 Crash

THE AIR BAG SENSOR WAS DEFECTIVE.*AK *JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2003 Kia Optima has 13 Air Bags complaints on file. 5 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.