2007 Kia Optima Exterior Lighting

My headlights are preventing me from passing motor vehicle inspection low beam are on doesn't look like their on so I have to drive with high beams and with that no one flashes me. Because all four are on but u can't tell if the low ones on it looks like I just have my parking lights on.

headlights very dim . replaced bulbs . replaced wiring harness. replaced alternater . still dim . cannot see more than a few feet at night. have heard this is a common problem . would like any info to correct problem .no longer safe to drive vehicle at night. please reply asap.

HEAD LIGHT ARE DIM AND HAVE NO VISABILTY

I WAS AT THE GAS STATION AND MY SON NOTICED THAT MY BRAKE LIGHTS WERE STILL ON, THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY CUT OFF. THEY WOULD NOT GO OFF. I HAD TO TAKE OUT THE FUSE TO CUT THEM OFF WHEN I GOT HOME LATER THAT NIGHT. I NOTICED THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE BRAKE SWITCH, BUT, THE RECALL STARTED FOR 08. I HAVE AN 07. WHY WASN'T THE 07 INCLUDED IN THE RECALL?

LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ARE TOO DIM. TRIED REPLACING THE BULBS, BUT NO CHANGE. CLEANED THE OUTER LENS TO IMPROVE CLARITY AND GET RID OF YELLOWING. BUT DID NOT HELP. THE OUTER LENS LOOKS JUST FINE. WHEN I REMOVED THE ASSEMBLY TO CHECK IF THERE'S ANYTHING WRONG INSIDE, I WAS SHOCKED. THE PROJECTOR BOWL HAD CAUGHT RUST ON BOTH SIDES, THUS CAUSING POOR REFLECTIVITY AND LOW LIGHT ON THE ROAD. TURNS OUT EVERY 2006/2007 OPTIMA OWNER HAS HAD THE SAME ISSUE. I FOUND THIS OUT WHEN I LOOKED ONLINE TO PURCHASE A NEW ASSEMBLY.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA OPTIMA. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, THE HEADLIGHTS BECAME EXTREMELY DIM, FORCING THE CONTACT TO TURN ON THE HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHTS TO SEE PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 139,000.

HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY TO DIM

UNLESS THE BRIGHTS ARE ON I CAN HARDLY SEE AT NIGHT. I AVOID DRIVING AT NIGHT BECAUSE OF THIS.

LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS EXTREMELY DIM, PROBLEM REVIEWED BY DEALER. NO RESOLUTION. SEEMS A ELECTRICAL SITUATION. SAME PROBLEM NOTED BY MANY OTHER 07 OWNERS. PROBLEM HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE OVER TIME. ONLY LOW BEAM AFFECTED. REVIEWED BY MANY DEALERS WITH NO SOLUTIONS. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION AS VIRTUALLY NO LOW BEAM LIGHT EMITTED . BULBS HAVE BEEN CHANGED. CIRCUITS CHECKED BY DEALER.... NO CHANGES IN PROBLEM. NEED A SOLUTION... NO LIGHTS

FREQUENT LOW BEAM AND HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHT FAILURES OVER LAST 4 YEARS..LAST MONTH I HAD TO REPLACE THE WHOLE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY..MY LEFT HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY IS CURRENTLY OUT ON THE LOW SETTINGS..

OEM HEADLIGHTS GO BAD. LIGHTS GOT PROGRESSIVELY DIM WITH TIME. GOT TO THE POINT I COULD BARELY DRIVE AT NIGHT. DANGEROUS! STARTED LEAVING LIGHTS ON HIGH BEAMS - NOBODY WOULD FLASH ME BECAUSE THEY WERE BARELY ADEQUATE. CHECKED VOLTAGE/GROUND WAS OK. REPLACED FACTORY HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES WITH AFTERMARKET UNITS - FIXED THE PROBLEM. CAN NOW DRIVE AROUND SAFELY AT NIGHT. KIA SHOULD RECALL THE DEFECTIVE HEAD LIGHT ASSEMBLIES.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE EXTERIOR HEADLIGHTS WERE EXTREMELY DIM. THE LIGHTS HAD TO BE ON THE HIGH BEAM SETTING IN ORDER TO SEE ANYTHING. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE WAS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE VISIBILITY WAS IMPAIRED WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 126,805. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

THE LOW BEAMS ARE VERY DIM. THE FOG LIGHTS LIGHT UP THE ROAD BETTER THAN THE LOW BEAMS. I REPLACED THE LOWBEAM BULBS WITH SYLVANIA SILVERSTAR ULTRA BULBS WHICH ARE VERY BRIGHT IN MY OTHER CAR, THEY STILL ARE VERY DIM.

LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS, KEEP REPLACING BULBS, EXACT BULBS REQUIRED BY KIA. ALTERNATING EITHER THE DRIVER'S SIDE OR THE PASSENGER. BESIDE THIS PROBLEM, THE HEADLIGHTS ARE SO LOW THAT AT NIGHT I HAVE BEEN RUNNING WITH HIGH BEAMS ON FOR OVER A YEAR NOW; ON-COMING CARS DON'T SEEM TO BE BOTHERED BY THE HIGH BEAMS. USUALLY HIGH BEAMS CAUSE ON COMING VEHICLES TO FLASH THEIR HIGH BEAMS, BUT THIS IS NOT THE CASE, WE'VE DISCUSSED WITH FIRESTONE, THEY TESTED THE BULBS AND BELIEVE IT IS ELECTRICAL. SINCE REVIEWING YOUR ON-LINE COMPLAINTS ON THIS ISSUE, WE'D EXPECT A RECALL BY KIA! WE'D LIKE TO SEE THAT, AT NO COST, INSTEAD OF IT BEING OUR EXPENSE. I HAD SEVERAL CHEVY CAMARO FOR YEARS, NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. ONLY RECALLING HEADLIGHTS BEING REPLACED ONE OR TWICE! *TR

I HAVE A 2007 KIA OPTIMA AND IT HAS TERRIBLE EXTERIOR HEADLIGHTS. THE HEADLIGHTS ARE SO DIM THAT I HAVE TO DRIVE WITH HIGH BEAMS ON AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. PER FORUM DISCUSSIONS I HAVE SEEN ONLINE THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE EXTERIOR HEADLIGHTS WERE EXTREMELY DIM. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE WAS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE VISIBILITY WAS IMPAIRED WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,000.

THE HEADLIGHTS ARE VERY DIM,WAS REPORTED TO KIA AT THE TIME AND THE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY AT THE TIME, KIA WOULD NOT ADDRESS THE PROBLEM THEY JUST TOLD ME TO PAY TO HAVE THEM REPLACED. I FEEL LIKE KIA SHOULD TO REPLACE THEM AT THERE COST NOT MINE, THE REPLACEMENT HEADLIGHTS ARE $360.00 A PIECE. WE HAVE TRIED RESTORING THEM AND HAVING THEM ADJUSTED THIS DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM { FEELING HOPELESS }. *TR

HEADLIGHT PROBLEMS, THE LIGHTS ARE SO BAD AT NIGHT, THAT YOU CAN NOT EVEN DRIVE ON DARK ROADS AT ALL . NOT HAD AN ACCIDENT AS OF YET, ONLY DRIVE AT NIGHT AND VERY SCARED, CAREFULLY ONLY IF IT IS NECESSARY. I BOUGHT THIS CAR IN USED CONDITION, ONLY HAD IT FOR ABOUT THREE MONTHS NOW, HAD THE LIGHTS REPLACED AND WORKED ON BUT THEY STILL DON'T WORK PROPERLY, I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR OVER FORTY YEARS WITH MANY DIFFERENT VEHICLES BUT THIS ONE IS THE ONLY ONE IN MY LIFETIME THAT HAS EVER HAD A HEAD LIGHT PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM COULD CAUSE A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENTS, IF ITS NOT TAKEN CARE OF, ITS DANGEROUS TO PEOPLE OUT WALKING AT NIGHT, ANIMALS, AND TO THE DRIVER W/PASSENGERS. I AM A SENIOR CITIZEN, BORROWED THE MONEY TO PURCHASE THIS CAR, SO DISAPPOINTED IN IT, DID NOT PERSONALLY EVEN OWN A CAR UNTIL NOW. MY DREAM WAS TO BE ABLE TO TAKE VACATIONS AND LONG TRIPS IN MY LATER YEARS BUT THIS HAS PUT AN END TO THAT DREAM. I KNOW I WANT BE ABLE TO GET HELP WITH THIS MATTER, BUT WOULD LIKE TO LET OTHERS KNOW BEFORE THEY PURCHASE A 07 KIA OPTIMA, DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS, FOR ALL TO BE AWARE AND DO NOT BUY A CAR UNTIL YOU'VE DRIVEN IT AT NIGHT. *TR

I PURCHASED A 2007 KIA OPTIMA LX LAST FRIDAY [8/5/11] AND WHEN I DROVE IT THAT NIGHT, IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THE ROAD. THE HEADLIGHTS ARE A DANGEROUS AND POSSIBLY A FATAL HAZARD, WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. I AM WRITING TO INFORM YOU ABOUT THIS MATTER. I WOULD LIKE TO EXPLAIN WHAT THE PROBLEM IS AND A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. I SENT AN EMAIL TO KIA ON 8/5 ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE. I HAVEN'T RECEIVED A REPLY YET. PLEASE LET ME EXPLAIN. THE KIA MODEL I PURCHASED, HAS TWO HEADLIGHTS ON EACH SIDE. THERE IS A TOP LIGHT AND A BOTTOM LIGHT. THE TOP LIGHT IS THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT ON THE CAR AND THE BOTTOM LIGHT IS THE HIGH BEAM. THE BOTTOM LIGHT POINTS OUT IN THE CORRECT DIRECTION, AS WITH CARS THAT ONLY HAVE ONE HEADLIGHT ON EACH SIDE. THE LOW BEAM LIGHT IS LOCATED'UP AND TO THE SIDE OF THE CAR! IT IS ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE TO HAVE LIGHTS WORK CORRECTLY, WHEN THE LOW BEAM LIGHT IS LOCATED'UP AND TO THE SIDE OF THE CAR! THERE IS A 'BLACK SPOT' AREA'ON THE ROAD, ANYTHING IN FRONT OF THE CAR, TO CARS IN FRONT OF YOU, AND TO THE SIDES OF THE ROAD IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE. THE 'BLACK SPOT' AREA MEANS JUST THAT'EVERYTHING IN THAT AREA IS BLACK. THE BLACK AREA IS IN ALL THE PLACES WHERE YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO SEE WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING WITH THE HEADLIGHTS ON. IN ORDER FOR THE LIGHTS TO WORK CORRECTLY, HERE IS AN UNCOMPLICATED AND INEXPENSIVE WAY TO FIX THEM. HERE IS THE IDEA, FOR THE HEADLIGHTS TO WORK CORRECTLY: THE TOP LIGHT (LOW BEAM) STAYS ON ALL THE TIME. THE BOTTOM LIGHT SWITCHES FROM LOW BEAM TO HIGH BEAM! THE TOP LIGHT IS AIMED TOWARD THE BEAM IN THE BOTTOM LIGHT. THIS GIVES EXTRA LIGHT WHEN THE LOW BEAMS ARE ON. THE LOCATION OF THE BOTTOM LIGHT WILL PROVIDE THE CORRECT LIGHTING WHEN USING HEADLIGHTS. HAVING THE BOTTOM LIGHT SWITCH FROM LOW BEAM TO HIGH BEAM WILL CORRECT THE PROBLEM. HOW WERE THESE HEADLIGHTS EVER APPROVED? A RESPONSE AND REPLY WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. *TR

WE HAVE A 2007 MODEL KIA OPTIMA AND HAVE HAD CONTINUOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE TURN INDICATOR BULB ON THE TAIL LIGHT BLOWING. ALSO THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE LEFT FRONT HEADLIGHT BURNING OUT. WE HAVE REPLACED THE REAR BULB THREE TIMES AND THE LEFT HEADLIGHT TWICE ALREADY SINCE WE HAVE HAD THE CAR. I WAS CURIOUS AS TO WHETHER THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT OTHER KIA OWNERS WERE HAVING. THE TURN SIGNAL BULB WENT OUT IN JUNE OF 2009 AND AGAIN IN OCTOBER OF 2009. THE LATEST INCIDENT WAS ON JANUARY 4TH IN 2010. *TR