13 complaints reported

2005 Kia Optima Structure

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

Reports
13
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Apr 2022

driver side door lock does not open using the arm rest switch. wife was in the car could reach the switch but not the unlatch lever . Car was overheating with Ac on with keys in the ignition . Had to have her roll down the passenger door window to manually open the rear passenger side door . From the rear seat I could reach the lever and unlock the door. If I could not it would have been a fire hazard.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2021
Nov 2018

THE DRIVER DOOR BECOME JAMMED AND SOMETIMES WILL NOT OPEN. YOU HAVE TO CONTINUOUSLY/EXCESSIVELY JERK ON IT. DUE TO NOT OPENING, I HAVE TO CRAWL THROUGH THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR IN ORDER TO GAIN ENTRANCE INTO THE VEHICLE. NOT ONLY THAT, AFTER FINALLY GETTING THE DRIVER DOOR TO OPEN, I HAVE TO LEAVE IT CRACK TO AVOID THIS STRUGGLE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Oct 2017
Sep 2017

DRIVERS SIDE DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM MALFUNCTION. MECHANISM WILL NOT ALLOW THE DOOR TO UNLOCK, THEREFORE THE DOOR CAN NOT BE OPENED. DRIVER MUST CLIMB OUT OF PASSENGER SIDE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Feb 2015
Dec 2015

FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR LOCK HAS NOT WORKED PROPERLY. IT WILL LOCK WITHOUT PROBLEM BUT THEN WILL NOT UNLOCK. IT CANNOT BE UNLOCKED FROM WITHIN THE VEHICLE AT ALL. TO UNLOCK IT FROM OUTSIDE REQUIRES THAT THE DOOR BE UNLOCKED AT THE SAME TIME THE DOOR HANDLES IS PULLED OPEN. IT REQUIRES MULTIPLE TRIES TO GET IT RIGHT - USUALLY IT TAKES A FEW MINUTES OF PLAYING WITH THE DOOR HANDLE AND KEY TO GET IT TO WORK PROPERLY.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Nov 2015
Dec 2015

THE FRAME IS EXTENSIVE RUSTED TO THE POINT WHERE THE VEHICLE'S STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY HAS LIKELY BEEN COMPROMISED. NOTHING UNUSUAL HAS HAPPENED THAT WOULD CAUSE SUCH RUST, SUCH AS BACKING INTO SALT WATER, ETC. IT HAS BEEN DRIVEN ON SALTED NY ROADS BUT STILL, THE RUST IS EXTREME ON THIS VEHICLE EVEN WITH THAT TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION. THE BODY HAS RUSTED EXTENSIVELY AS WELL, TO THE POINT WHERE THE REAR QUARTER PANELS BY THE REAR WHEEL ARCHES HAVE RUSTED COMPLETELY THROUGH.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2013
Apr 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR WAS LOCKED AND FAILED TO OPEN FROM THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. THE CONTACT HAD TO GO THROUGH THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AND CLIMB OVER THE SEAT TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE FAILURE RECURRED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Apr 2012
Mar 2015

KEY WILL NOT UNLOCK DRIVER'S DOOR AND DRIVER CANNOT UNLOCK DOOR FROM INSIDE VEHICLE. KIA MOTORS WILL NOT ISSUE A RECALL EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. CLIMBING OVER THE CENTER CONSOLE IS REQUIRED TO ENTER OR EXIT THE VEHICLE. THIS IS A FREQUENT ISSUE WITH KIA OPTIMA CARS, WELL KNOWN AND OFTEN WRITTEN UP ONLINE, THE PART REQUIRED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE IS SOLD ON EBAY BY MULTIPLE SELLERS ALWAYS. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Oct 2015
Jan 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR COULD NOT BE OPENED FROM INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAD TO EXIT THE VEHICLE FROM THE PASSENGER'S SIDE DOOR. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THE DOOR LATCH AND ACTUATOR WAS DEFECTIVE. THE CONTACT HAD THE ACTUATOR REPLACED PREVIOUSLY BUT THE REPAIR DID NOT REMEDY THE DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 107,038.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2014
Jul 2013

THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN AFTER THE DOORS ARE LOCKED . IF YOU UNLOCK THE DOORS THE DRIVER SIDE WILL UNLOCK AND THEN RE LOCK ITSELF. IF THERE WAS TO BE A VEHICLE FIRE OR OTHER PROBLEM, THE DRIVE WOULD HAVE TO CLIMB OUT OF A WINDOW OR CROSS OVER THE CENTER CONSUL TO EXIT THE VEHICLE . THIS IS WITHOUT A DOUBT A SAFETY ISSUE THAT THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURE SHOULD BE MADE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRING. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2013
Jul 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE DOORS COULD NOT BE LOCKED. THE CONTACT COULD HEAR THE LOCKS ATTEMPTING TO LATCH, BUT THEY FAILED TO DO ACTUALLY ENGAGE. THE CONTACT HAD TO CLIMB IN AND OUT OF THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE REAR DOORS. THE CONTACT HAD NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN, BUT THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 158,338.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Nov 2011
Mar 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DOORS DID NOT OPEN WHEN USING THE KEY, KEY FOB, OR FROM THE INTERIOR. THE CONTACT HAD TO ENTER THE VEHICLE FROM THE REAR. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75,000. THE VIN WAS NOT ACCEPTED.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Mar 2012
Dec 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA OPTIMA LX. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE IDLE POSITION, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR. HE COULD NOT OPEN IT FROM THE OUTSIDE WITH THE KEY OR EVEN USING THE HANDLE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAD TO CLIMB OUT THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 89,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Oct 2010
Jan 2010

I HAVE A 2005 KIA OPTIMA. I HAVE NOT EVEN HAD THE CAR FOR THREE YEARS AND AM HAVING A MAJOR PROBLEM. APPROXIMATELY SIX MONTHS AGO MY DRIVER SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. I COULD NOT AFFORD TO HAVE THE CAR REPAIRED UNTIL LAST WEEK. I PICKED THE CAR UP YESTERDAY AND DID NOT DRIVE IT FOR HALF AN HOUR WHEN THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN AGAIN. I PAID ALMOST $400 AND THE DOOR STILL WILL NOT OPEN. IT IS BACK IN THE SHOP AND MY MECHANIC DOES NOT SEEM TO BE ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. CAN ANYONE TELL ME HOW TO FIX THIS BEFORE SOMETHING TRAGIC HAPPENS TO ME AND MY SON BECAUSE OF THIS VEHICLE? I CANNOT AFFORD TO BUY ANOTHER ONE!*CW

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2009

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2005 Kia Optima has 13 Structure complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.