2012 Kia Optima UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Doors unlock while driving

My steering wheel coupler has obviously gone bad and needs to be replaced. This was an issue with this year Kia Optima and my car and Kia has extended the warranty to 10 years/unlimited milage. I need this fixed because it sounds like my steering wheel is going to completely fall apart. Please help!!!

my snow white pearl paint is peeling on several sections of the car. I obtained quotes from 2 body shops and its recommended to repaint the entire car. peeling started in 2018 and has continued to become worse every day.

Kia sent out a safety recall notice (23V652). The letter clearly states the remedy is now available for my vehicle; that an engine compartment fire while parked or driving is the primary risk of the default; and that the recall service will take approximately 1-2 hours. I called two dealerships. Both said Kia won't send them the parts until an inspection has occurred - potentially resulting in requiring two different appointments prior to this safety recall being addressed - contrary to the verbatim language in the safety recall. I called Kia's customer service line and they confirmed that although the letter is written as described above, they won't provide parts to service centers until an inspection has been performed. I filed a complaint with them but know it won't matter unless someone with more authority gets involved. Considering this is a genuine life-safety issue - with the risk being a fire to the engine compartment - and the language in the recall notice - that the remedy is now available and the service will take 1-2 hours (no implication of multiple visits/appointments) - I think this is absolutely unacceptable. Someone needs to ensure Kia prioritizes human lives above cost when it comes to safety recalls.

Paint is coming off all over the car. You may look at it at any time. This is a safety concern for our environment and to the child in my home. She likes to attempt to eat or at least put everything in her mouth. It is very visable. No No, The first bit of paint started coming off around a year ago and has progressively gotten worse.

UNKNOWN....I just know it has a fire risk.

AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE WHILE PARKED OR DRIVING CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF INJURY. I transport my child in that car and kia is not working fast enough to be fixing the problem or giving people rental cars till they get the part.

2012 Kia Optima snow white pearl paint. A few months ago the paint started bubbling and then flaking off. There are areas all over the car with bubbles and missing paint. This is a latent defect in the paint process, not a warranty issue. Every area of the car is affected. Kia needs to accept responsibility for their defect and fix this paint problem.

Paint is peeling off top of my car and also along windshield and hood of my car.

THE CAR JUST SHUTS DOWN FOR NO APPARENT REASON AND WILL NOT RESTART. IT JUST DIES IN THE ROAD WITH NO WARNING. MECHANIC SAID THERE IS A WIRING ISSUE AND NOONE CAN SEEM TO FIND IT BECAUSE IT STARTS AND THEY CANT FIGURE OUT WHY AND MOST OF THE TIME IT WONT START

The white Pearl paint on my 2012 Kia optima ex is peeling all over the car. There are 4 spots that are peeling and getting worse. I’ve read numerous online forums about this issue and there is a latent defect with the paint

MY 2012 PEARL WHITE KIA OPTIMAS PAINT IS PEELING IN VARIOUS AREAS. LARGE AREAS OF PAINT WAS JUST MISSING WITHOUT PREVIOUS CHIPS. MY VEHICLE LOOKS HORRIBLE AND IS STARTING TO RUST IN SOME PLACES. BELOW YOU WILL FIND AN UPLOAD OF THE LARGEST PEEL ON MY VEHICLE, HOWEVER THERE ARE MORE!!

available for inspection front door latches, Driver and passenger, stick in down position and prevent closing of doors to latch. Someone who does notice could have a collision, be ejected, suddenly suprised and crash, break latches permanently. I contacted kia dealer, they said on Soul was recalled for same problem. Inspected by my insurance broker. Passenger side was December 2021, and driver side latch gave out june 2022.

Paint keeps chipping and the car bounces I have got it fixed twice and it’s still doing the same thing

I was coming home from work doing around 75 mph on cruise control when all of the sudden the car jerked violently and lost all power, the car behind me would’ve rear ended me if they weren’t paying attention. I just hold the throttle down to get home, misfiring terribly, and the best way I can describe, it smelled hot if that makes sense. I had it looked at and was told it doesn’t have compression in one of the cylinders and that it wasn’t covered under warranty or recall. So now I’m paying for a car that I can’t drive.

The contact owns a 2012 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while turning the steering wheel in either direction, the steering wheel seized in either direction with the electric power steering warning light illuminated. The contact had initially taken the vehicle to the dealer however, the mechanic was unable to diagnose the cause of the failure. After multiple repeated failures, the contact took the vehicle back to the dealer and the mechanic duplicated the failure. The vehicle was diagnosed with a defective steering column. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but there were no recalls on his vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 79,000.

While driving approximately 55 mph, the vehicle produced a grinding noise then lurched a few times every couple of minutes and then the engine shut down. Luckily I was able to safely coast to a stop while going downhill and stop the vehicle at the side of the road. Turned the engine off, waited one minute, then pushed ignition button. Hybrid system started but engine did not. Shifted to Drive, pressed accelerator, but vehicle would not proceed. Turned everything off and waited five minutes. Pushed ignition button and hybrid system and engine started and shifted to drive. Vehicle would drive at underpowered speed and was able to drive 2 miles home at 35 mph. As I drove into driveway, the engine shutdown again. This occurred just a few hours ago, so it has not been serviced by anyone.

I was at a stop sign when my car shut off. Now it won't start. Took it in to check it out and found out that the motor seized up. I know that there is a recall on the engine for the same problem on other models. Not safe to be driving the cars. Could cause a major accident resulting in possible loss of lives. This model needs to be recalled before this happens to anyone else.

I was driving normal and started to hear a hissing noise in the front of vehicle. A vehicle cut in front of me I hit the brakes and another vehicle didn't slow fast enough and I went to hit the accelerator and had no power as usual and swerved to avoid the collision. I called dealership they said possibly my wastegate is out of normal voltage or need new turbo. I had a second opinion and they noticed the bolts and nut to service wastegate are rounded showing an attempt to maybe service or repair but unsuccessful. The turbo shows full function just inadequate boost.. The manufacturer has a bulletin and testing procedure Released on WASTEGATE test and adjusting procedure if needed as possible remedy. But I saw no recalls for my vehicle so reporting what I almost experienced and glad I have good driving experience to avoid an accident or life threatening situation behind the wheel of this vehicle now I don't feel safe until its proven resolved not just temporary fix.

My pulley and belt went bad but still my engine making noises and my mechanic said it sounds like bearings are loose in my engine.

MY 2012 KIA IS SHUTTING OFF WHILE I AM DRIVING. I LIVE IN A BUSY AREA AND THAT'S VERY DANGEROUS. I JUST GOT THE CAR FROM A USED DEALERSHIP AND MY MECHANIC CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR IT HAPPENED ABOUT 6 TIMES AND NOW IT WILL NOT START.

MOST RECENTLY WHILE DRIVING MY CAR WITH VEHICLE IN MOTION ON CITY STREET (A STRAIGHT ROAD) IT ALL OF A SUDDEN DROPS POWER AND I AM UNABLE TO GET THE CAR TO ACCELERATE WITHOUT PUSH DOWN VERY HARD ON THE PEDAL UNTIL IT FINALLY DECIDES TO SPEED UP, ONCE THIS OCCURS THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT APPEARS ON THE DASH AND DOES NOT DISAPPEAR AND WILL NOT DISAPPEAR UNTIL THE CAR IS SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED AND THE LOSS OF POWER CONTINUES TO HAPPEN UNTIL THE CAR IS POWERED OFF. AFTER REALIZING THIS ISSUE I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND LET IT SIT A FEW MINUTES AND WHEN I POWERED BACK ON AND DROVE AGAIN THE SAME ISSUE OCCURRED AND THE TRACTION LIGHT REAPPEARED ON MY DASH. I AM CONCERNED THIS COULD BE A FAULTY PROGRAMMING ISSUE THAT IS TELLING THE CAR THE TRACTION IS NEEDED WHEN IT IS IN FACT NOT. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AS THERE IS NO WAY TO PREDICT WHEN THIS POWER LOSS WILL HAPPEN AND DOES SO IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING WHICH SLOWS THE CAR WAY DOWN AND COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT AND ALSO HAVING TO CONTINUOUSLY KEEP THE ACCELERATOR DOWN UNTIL IT DECIDES TO REGAIN POWER IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT WILL SUDDENLY RAMP UP THE RPM AND TAKE OFF. THIS IS A MAJOR CONCERN AND COULD BE HAPPENING TO OTHER CONSUMERS.

DRIVING CAR FOR NO LONGER THAN 45 MINUTES. WHEN APPROACHING A GREEN LIGHT MY CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE LIGHT TURNED RED SO I HAD TO COME TO A STOP. AS I DID, ALL MY DASH LIGHTS CAME ON AND MY CAR SPUTTERED. THE CAR THEN TURNED OFF. I TRIED TO RESTART, BUT NOTHING. IT BEGAN TO SMOKE BADLY AND I RUSHED OUT OF MY VEHICLE. THERE WAS A COP, CONVENIENTLY CLOSE, WHO STOPPED AND POURED WATER WHERE THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM. IT CONTINUED TO SMOKE BUT NOT AS BAD AS BEFORE. THE CAR WOULD NOT TURN OVER STILL AND I WAS FORCED TO PAY TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED OUT OF THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. AFTER SITTING, WITH ENGINE OFF, THERE IS STILL A STING BURNT SMELL COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND INSIDE MY CAR.

CLICKING NOISE IN STEERING WHEEL

I HAVE INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR STARTING. I HAVE READ THROUGH SOME OF THE FORUMS AND SEE OTHERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. IF I HAVE THE POWER "ON" AND PUT IT IN DRIVE THEM BACK IN PARK IT STARTS AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. I HAVE HAD THE STARTED AND BATTERY TESTED AND THEY ARE NOT MALFUNCTIONING. THIS HAPPENS ALMOST EVERYDAY FOR THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS.