8 complaints reported

2006 Kia Optima Power Train

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

Reports
8
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Jul 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE REVERSING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO REVERSE AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATED THAT THE SHIFTER WAS IN PARK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFTER WOULD SHIFT OUT OF PARK INTO REVERSE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED KIA OF LYNCHBURG (3400 OLD FOREST RD, LYNCHBURG, VA 24501, (434) 847-3292) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION COULD BE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 171,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jul 2019
Oct 2016

SC088:11V-153,I CAN'T PUT MY CAR IN PART NOR CAN I GO IN REVERSE. MY KEY IS STUCK IN THE IGNITION. I SEE IT WAS A RECALL ON THIS MATTER FOR THE KIA OPTIMA. TOOK MY CAR TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP,THE TOLD ME MY VIN# WASN'T ON THE LIST. IT'S A 2006 KIA OPTIMA. AM TRYING TO GET THIS REALIZE.ARE THERE CERTAIN VIN#UNDER THE RECALL FOR THIS IF NOT WHERE I NEED TO TAKE MY CAR TO HAVE IT FIX. I WAS STATIONARY WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURRED I COULDN'T BACK UP NOR PUT IT IN PART AGAIN IT WANT ALLOW ME TOO DO SO.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Feb 2016
Jan 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 11V153000 POWER TRAIN RECALL REPAIR WAS PERFORMED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT GEARS OR PLACE THE GEAR SHIFT INTO PARK. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 58,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2014
Jan 2014

I PURCHASED A 2006 KIA OPTIMA 1 MONTH AGO. USED CAR DEALER DID NOT DISCLOSE ANY PAST RECALLS OR MECHANICAL OR ELECTRICAL DEFECTS. YESTERDAY, WHEN I WAS ABOUT TO LEAVE HOME I NOTICED THE STEERING WHEEL SEEMED LOCKED IN PLACE, TRANSMISSION WAS IN P. - A LITTLE JIGGLING ON THE STEERING ALLOWED THE IGNITION TO FIRE AND I COULD MOVE TO R. TODAY.AS I TRIED TO LEAVE HOME, THE CAR STARTED WITHOUT PROBLEM. WHEN I SHIFTED TO R TO BACK OUT OF DRIVE, THE CAR DID NOT MOVE.AFTER FURTHER ATTEMPTS IT WAS CLEAR THAT NO MATTER WHAT GEAR I WAS ABLE TO SHIFT THE GEAR INTO ONLY THE NEUTRAL WAS ENGAGED. I CALLED MY USED CAR DEALER WHO SAID TO CALL KIA WHO SAID ! THAT''S WHAT YOU GET WHEN YOU BUY A USED CAR! HOW RUDE! THE AGENT NAMED [XXX] SAID THE RECALL HAD BEEN CLOSED AND WAS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE IF THIS CAR (VIA VIN) HAD OR HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR FIXED AND, BESIDES! THE RECALL PERIOD ENDED IN 2011 (END OF SERVICE CAMPAIGN OFFER. ACCORDING TO US DOT AND NHTSA RECURRING DEFECTS WITHIN 10 YEARS FROM THE DATE OF PURCHASE BY THE ORIGINAL OWNER, THIS RECALL DEFECT SHOULD BE FIXED AT NO COST TO ME EVEN IF I AM THE SECOND OWNER. SINCE ONLY 8 YEARS HAVE PASSED I EXPECT THE RECALL DEFECT WITH THE CABLE AND SHIFT ASSEMBLY WHICH PREVENTS THE TRANSMISSION FROM SHIFTING GEAR. SO FAR I'VE BEEN TOLD (IN EFFECT. TOO BAD) TAKE IT TO KIA DEALER FOR ANALYSIS AND COST AND PAY FOR IT MY SELF. PLEASE ADVISE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).*TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2014
Jul 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE SHIFTED FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE WHEN THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ROLL AWAY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP AND SHE HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE SHIFTER CABLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2011
Oct 2011

THE VEHICLE IS AN OPTIMA 2006.5 MODEL YEAR. WHEN SLOWING (BRAKING) AND THEN RESUMING (ACCELERATING) IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, THE CAR FREQUENTLY GOES INTO A 'NEUTRAL' STATE WHERE IT DOESN'T GO FORWARD ON ACCELERATION. WHEN THE GAS PEDAL IS PRESSED THE ENGINE REVS UP, BUT THE TRANSMISSION DOESN'T ENGAGE TO DRIVE FORWARD. ONCE THE CAR COASTS DOWN TO A SPEED OF ABOUT 30 MPH OR LESS THEN THE TRANSMISSION WILL RE-ENGAGE - AT LEAST SO FAR THAT HAS BEEN THE CASE. AS THIS IS HAPPENING I HAVE TO KEEP DEPRESSING THE GAS PEDAL TO KNOW WHEN THE DRIVE GEAR ENGAGES. I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DETERMINE EXACTLY WHAT STEPS NEED TO HAPPEN TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM, ALTHOUGH IT DOES OCCUR FREQUENTLY NOW. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS ~55,000 MILES. THE SITUATION IS VERY FRIGHTENING AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WHEN IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. IT'S TERRIFYING TO BE COASTING DOWN TO A LOW SPEED WAITING ON THE TRANSMISSION TO RE-ENGAGE WHEN VEHICLES ARE QUICKLY APPROACHING FROM THE REAR. IF THE TRANSMISSION DOESN'T RE-ENGAGE, THE RESULT IS LIKELY TO BE DEADLY FOR ALL PASSENGERS IN THE CAR. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN RETURNED TO THE DEALER FOR THIS PROBLEM SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY ARE UNABLE TO REPLICATE IT. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Aug 2006
Oct 2008

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA OPTIMA. WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT DOWNSHIFT. THE FAILURE OCCURS EVERYDAY, BUT WORSENS IN INCLEMENT WEATHER. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER SEVEN OR EIGHT TIMES AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED IN THAT FASHION AND NOTHING COULD BE DONE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 36,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,220.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2008
Mar 2007

MY 2006 KIA OPTIMA IS NOW IN THE KIA DEALER FOR REPAIR OF THE CLUTCH, BALL BEARING, SOME TYPE OF PLATE, AND THE FLY WHEEL. THE CAR IS JUST OVER 13 MONTHS OLD AND HAS 19,000 PLUS MILES. THE COST OF THIS REPAIR IS OVER $1,700.00 WHILE THE CAR IS STILL UNDER FULL FACTORY WARRANTY. I HAVE INQUIRED ABOUT THIS TO MANY MECHANICS (BOTH CERITFIED AN NON CERTIFIED) AND NO ONE EVER HEARD OF THIS TYPE OF FAILURE ON A CLUTCH FOR A NEW CAR AT 20,000 MILES. IS THIS A CONTINOUS PROBLEM - I AM A LOST AT WHAT TO DO. I HAVE CALLED A SPOKE WITH THE DEALERSHIP REPAIRING THE CAR AND THEY SAY IT IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND THERE IS NODEFECTIVE PARTS IN THE CAR. IT WAS FIRST BROUGHT IN FOR REPAIR ON FRIDAY MARCH 9, ON MARCH 12 I WAS TOLD FROM THAT THE CLUTCH IS TO BE REPLCED FOR 1000.00 AND WILL TAKE FEW DAYS. WHEN I CALLED AT 3:40PM OON THURSDAY MARCH 15 AND WAITED ON HOLD FOR OVER FIVE MINUTES AND HAD TO CALL BACK I WAS THEN TOLD THE FLY WHEEL FOR AN ADDITIONAL 700.00 NEEDS REPLACEMENT. I AM STUCK WITH NO 1 YEAR OLD CAR THAT TH 10 YEAR 100,000 MILE WARRANTY (AND A PURCHSED EXTENDED WARRANTY) DOES NOT COVER

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Sep 2006

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2006 Kia Optima has 8 Power Train complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.