2004 Kia Optima Suspension

Had some noise coming from the front of the car, had my mechanic look at it, he said we needed a control arm. When he took off the cover to replace the control arm, he found the sub frame had rotten and was cracking. As I looked online, I saw that KIA had a recall for this issue. When I contacted KIA, their response was "as my car is not under warranty, they are not required to repair the car" The car in question has 70, 558 miles on it. We are the 2nd owner.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED INSPECTION DUE TO SEVERE CORROSION OF THE SUBFRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V183000 (SUSPENSION) AS A POSSIBLE SOLUTION TO THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 57,000. ..UPDATED 05/05/17 *BF *CN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V183000 (SUSPENSION). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE RIGHT. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUSPENSION FRAME ON THE PASSENGER SIDE TIRE WAS RUSTED AND THE TIRE WAS DISCONNECTING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V183000 (SUSPENSION). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000. UPDATED 2/24/15*CN UPDATED 03/02/15*JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD DRIFT WHEN DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE MECHANIC DISCOVERED THERE WAS SEVERE CORROSION ON THE SUB FRAM WHICH WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALER THAT THE REMEDY FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 09V183000 (SUSPENSION) HAD ALREADY BEEN PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THE CONTACT'S PURCHASE. THE REMEDY INCLUDED AN INSPECTION OF THE SUB FRAME, DRILLING HOLES INTO THE SUB FRAME AND APPLYING A SEALANT COATING. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE REMEDY WAS INSUFFICIENT AND DID NOT PREVENT THE DEFECT FROM OCCURRING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND NO SOLUTION WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,603.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY NOTICED RUST ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SUBFRAME RAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY INSPECTED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 09V183000 (SUSPENSION) BUT NO REPAIR WAS REQUIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,615. ..UPDATED 12-30-13 *BF

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD MAKE A LOUD NOISE AND THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD VIBRATE VIOLENTLY. A LOCAL MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONTACT OF THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 09V183000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT). AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WAS THEN NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 67,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH OUT OF A PARKING LOT, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE LOWER BALL JOINT AND AXLE DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CONTROLLED THE VEHICLE UNTIL IT CAME TO A STOP TWELVE FEET FROM THE INCIDENT. HER INSURANCE COMPANY PROVIDED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION SHOP. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT INFORMED THE DEALER OF A GRINDING NOISE SHE HEARD. THEY STATED THAT THEY WERE TOO BUSY TO CHECK THE VEHICLE, BUT THREE HOURS LATER THE AXLE AND LOWER BALL JOINTS FAILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,954.

RT BALL JOINT/AXLE BROKE WHILE DRIVING ON 10 OCT 08. MY VEHICLE IS A 2004 KIA OPTIMA. *TR

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A SINGLE CAR ACCIDENT IMPACTING A FIXED MEDIAN CURB. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP IDENTIFIED BY MY INSURANCE COMPANY. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER REMARKED THAT THE FRONT SUSPENSION APPEARED TO HAVE BOLTS MISSING. THIS WAS INDEPENDENTLY VERIFIED BY THE BODY SHOP. IN THEIR DAMAGE ASSESSMENT, THEY FOUND THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM TO BALL JOINT BOLTS WERE MISSING AND THE 2 HOLES WERE ROUNDED OUT IN A WAY THAT WOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH THE BOLTS FALLING OUT. THE BOLTS FALLING OUT CAUSED THE LEFT FRONT SUSPENSION TO COLLAPSE THEREBY CAUSING THE ACCIDENT. A COMPLAINT WAS FILED WITH KIA MOTORS AMERICA. THEY REQUIRED THE INSURANCE COMPANY OR MYSELF TO PROVIDE ALL OF THE EVIDENCE TO SHOW THAT THEIR CAR WAS AT FAULT. AFTER SUBMITTING THE REPAIR ESTIMATE AND PICTURES FROM BOTH THE SCENE AND FROM THE REPAIR SHOP, KIA MOTORS AMERICA AND THEIR LEGAL DEPARTMENT DETERMINED THAT THEY ARE NOT AT FAULT. THE REPAIR SHOP MANAGER COULD NOT BELIEVE THAT THEY WOULD MAKE A DETERMINATION WITHOUT EVER LOOKING AT THE CAR. ACCORDING TO JENNIFER AT KIA, THE COMPLAINT IS CLOSED AND I HAVE NO FURTHER RECOURSE OTHER THAT TO CONTACT A LAWYER. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AS IT WILL BE SHOWN AS A CLAIM AGAINST MY INSURANCE POLICY AND THEN CAUSE MY RATES TO INCREASE. I FEAR THAT THIS PROBLEM MAY BE PRESENT ON OTHER 2004 KIA OPTIMAS OR OTHER MODELS THAT BOTH KIA AND HYUNDAI MAKES. *JB UPDATED 01/11/06. *JB

MY 2004 KIA OPTIMA PULLS TO THE LEFT. IT WILL PULL YOU INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. YOUR WEB PAGE DOESNOT HAVE KIA LISTED AS A VEHICLE CHOICE. *AK