2012 Kia Optima UNKNOWN OR OTHER

AC AIR CONDITIONING UNIT: WE HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE SINCE DAY 1. WHEN UTILIZING AC AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM DURING HOT TEMPERATURES, FAN BEGINS TO BLOW HOT AND HUMID AIR EVEN AT THE LOWEST TEMPERATURE SETTING. THIS HAS OCCURRED THROUGHOUT THE TIME WE HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE AND WHEN REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY ALWAYS STATE THAT THE UNIT IS WORKING AS IT IS DESIGNED. THEIR ONLY SOLUTION IS TO BRING IT IN EACH TIME IT HAPPENS, WHICH IS ABSURD SINCE IT SOMETIMES HAPPENS AFTER THEY ARE CLOSED. WHEN I ASKED TO DIAGNOSE THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM THAT CORRELATES WITH THE AC UNIT, THEY STATE THAT I WOULD NEED TO AUTHORIZE THE WORK AND THEY DO NOT KNOW HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE. IT COULD TAKE 2 OR 4 HOURS. AT MECHANICAL RATE, THAT WOULD BE AROUND $500. THE MOST RECENT EVENT WAS ON AUGUST 28, 2019 WHEN THE CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY 88000 MILES. I WILL TAKING IT BACK FOR WARRANTY ISSUE ON THE CLICKING OF THE STEERING AND WILL HAVE THEM DO THEIR BASIC DIAGNOSIS BECAUSE A TEAR OWN WOULD BE AT MY COST. BECAUSE I MAINTAIN MY CARS TO KEEP THEM BEYOND 100K MILES, I AM CONCERNED AT THE COST OF AN AC UNIT THAT HAS SHOWN TO NOT WORK PROPERLY. I WAS WILLING TO LIVE WITH LOOSE STEERING ISSUE, BUT THIS IS MORE PROBLEMATIC SINCE MY WIFE IS IN MENOPAUSE.

BEEN HAVING ISSUES WITH THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW FOR SOME TIME. WHEN PUSHING THE WINDOW UP, IT KEEPS GOING BACK DOWN. AFTER MENTIONING IT TO THE KIA DEALER THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. WELL, JUST YESTERDAY THE ENTIRE WINDOW MADE A CRACKING SOUND WHILE TRYING TO ROLL IT UP WHILE DRIVING. THEN THE ENTIRE WINDOW JUST FELL ALL THE WAY DOWN AND NOW IT WON'T GO UP AT ALL WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. NOT SURE IF IT CAME OFF THE TRACKS OR IF IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE MOTOR. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH I HAVE NOTICED THAT A LOT OF KIA OWNERS HAVE OR HAD THAT SAME ISSUE. THIS IS DEFINITELY SOME KIND OF DEFECT/PROBLEM IF SO MANY HAVE THE SAME ISSUE AND IT SHOULD BE RECALLED SINCE IT SEEMS LIKE A PROBLEM WITH THE MANUFACTURER.

THE 2012 KIA OPTIMA EX CONTINUOUSLY SHUTS OFF AT RANDOM TIMES WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT WARNING. I HAVE DONE BASIC MAINTANCE AND NON HAVE SOLVED THE ISSUE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THERE IS NO WARNING AND IT COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AMONGS OTHER INVOLVING ME AND MY CAR.

LOCKED OUT OF CAR AUTOMATICALLY WHILE KEY IS IN THE CAR ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. IN THE FIRST INSTANCE (JULY 2018), I WAS EN ROUTE AND STOPPED BRIEFLY, GOT OUT OF THE CAR WITH IT RUNNING WHILE THE KEY WAS STILL IN THE CAR. AS SOON AS I CLOSED THE DOOR, THE CAR DOORS LOCKED ME OUT AUTOMATICALLY. THIS WAS INCONVENIENT AND CAUSED MUCH DISTRESS BECAUSE I WAS AWAY FROM HOME PICKING UP MY INFANT CHILD FROM PRESCHOOL, AND DID NOT HAVE THE SECOND KEY AVAILABLE. THIS WAS ALSO EMBARRASSING AS MY PHONE ALSO WAS LOCKED IN THE CAR. IN THE SECOND INSTANCE (DECEMBER 2018), I USED THE REMOTE START TO START THE CAR IN MY DRIVEWAY. AFTER I PUT MY INFANT CHILD IN THE CAR SEAT AND CLOSED THE DOOR, THE CAR TURNED ITSELF OFF AND ALL THE DOORS LOCKED AUTOMATICALLY. MY KEY WAS LOCKED IN THE CAR WITH MY CHILD. THIS WAS A TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE AND IT WAS COLDER THAN 40 DEGREES OUTSIDE. I HAD TO WAIT OVER 30 MINUTES TO GET MY CHILD OUT OF THE CAR. THIS IS NOT JUST CONCERNING, IT IS NEGLIGENT FOR THE MANUFACTURERS OF THIS CAR TO PUT UNSUSPECTING CAR OWNERS IN THIS DANGEROUS AND UNSAFE POSITION. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE I THOUGHT WAS A FREAK ACCIDENT, BUT THEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN. I RESEARCHED THE ISSUE AND FOUND MANY ISSUES AND COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER OWNERS SIMILAR TO MINE. THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY. THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME OWNER AWARENESS ISSUED ON HOW TO RECTIFY THIS AND RESOLVING THIS ALL TOGETHER.

THE MORNING OF JULY 19TH, 2018, I WAS DRIVING MY KIA OPTIMA TO WORK. I HAD JUST GOTTEN ON INTERSTATE 20 AND WAS DRIVING IN THE RIGHT MOST LANE DURING RUSH HOUR. MY SUNROOF SHADE WAS OPEN BUT MY ACTUAL SUNROOF WAS CLOSED. SUDDENLY I HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A SHOTGUN GOING OFF IN MY CAR WITH THE WINDOWS CLOSED AND SOMEHOW, I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE FAIRLY STRAIGHT WITHOUT JERKING THE STEERING WHEEL AND CAUSING A MULTI CAR PILEUP. GLASS WAS FLYING AROUND INSIDE MY CAR, ALL OVER ME, THE SEATS, FLOORBOARDS, AND CONSOLE. I PULLED THE CAR OVER INTO THE EMERGENCY LANE SO THAT I COULD FIGURE OUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED. AFTER I EXITED THE CAR AND LOOKED AT THE TOP, I NOTICED THAT THE SUNROOF HAD A HOLE THE SIZE OF A SOFTBALL PROTRUDING OUTWARD. I LOOKED AROUND INSIDE THE CAR AND NOTHING BUT SHARDS OF GLASS COVERED MOST OF THE INTERIOR. I THEN GOT BACK IN THE CAR AND SHUT THE SUNROOF SHADE SO NO MORE GLASS WOULD FALL INSIDE THE CAR AND PULLED OFF THE NEAREST EXIT, WHICH WAS VERY CLOSE TO MY OFFICE LOCATION. ONCE AT WORK I SEARCHED ONLINE TO FIND OUT IF THIS WAS A COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH OTHER KIA OPTIMA OWNERS AND AS IT TURNS OUT IT APPEARED TO BE A WELL-KNOWN AND DOCUMENTED PROBLEM. I THEN CALLED THE NEAREST KIA DEALERSHIP AND ASKED IF THERE WERE ANY SAFETY RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH EXPLODING SUNROOFS AND WAS TOLD 'NO'. HE SAID THAT HE WAS AWARE THAT THEY SOMETIMES OCCUR BUT IT WAS NOT A RECALL. EVEN THOUGH I HAVE NOT INCURRED INJURY'S OR EXPENSES (JUST AGGRAVATION AND INCONVENIENCE BECAUSE I HAD A SECOND VEHICLE TO DRIVE) I FEEL THAT IT IS NECESSARY TO REPORT THIS OCCURRING DUE TO IT BEING VERY UNSAFE. THE AVERAGE DRIVER PROBABLY WOULD HAVE PULLED THE WHEEL AND POSSIBLY BEEN KILLED OR INJURED THEMSELVES OR AND OTHERS. APPARENTLY, KIA DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE ISSUE AND THE SAFETY OF OTHERS, THEREFORE SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE TO FORCE THEM TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM.

MOTOR IS LOCKED UP,SHOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED

THE PASSENGER SIDE OF CAR IS FLOODED DUE TO A CLOGGED PIPE OR DISCONNECTED PIPE. WATER IS POURING OUT INTO MY CAR AND NOT SMALL AMOUNTS BUT LARGE AMOUNTS OF WATER ON THE BASE OF MY FLOOR.

THIS STARTED A WEEK AGO THAT WHEN I WOULD TURN RIGHT, BY DOOR OPEN INDICATOR WOULD COME ON FOR MY DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT DOOR. NOW IT IS CONSTANTLY COMING ON AND OFF, MORE ON THAN OFF. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT IS INTERSTATE DRIVING OR IN TOWN. AND IF I AM STOPPED IT WILL OCCASIONALLY COME ON, THEN UNLOCK MY DOORS BECAUSE OF THEKEY BEING IN THE IGNITION. WHAT IS CAUSING THIS?

AIR CONDITIONING QUITS WORKING WHILE SITTING STILL. DANGEROUS FOR CHILDREN AND OTHERS. QUITS IMMEDIATELY AT RED LIGHT OR IN PARK.

I BROUGHT MY CAR INTO HERB CHAMBERS KIA SERVICE CENTER (BURLINGTON, MA) ON 6/22 FOR OIL CHANGE AND REPAIR OF 2 RECALL ITEMS. ON THE SUMMARY THEY GAVE ME AFTERWARDS IT SAID, "PART IS BEING ORDERED WILL CONTACT CUSTOMER WHEN PART ARRIVES" SO IT IS NOW ALMOST 7WKS LATER AND HAVE NOT HEARD FROM THEM RE MY PART COMING IN TO FIX THE RECALL ..SO I JUST CALLED THEM. THEY SAID IF THERE'S A BACK ORDER THEY SOMETIMES "CANCEL" THE ORDER AND WILL REORDER THE PART TOMORROW. WELL I AM MOVING ON AUG 31 (TO NEAR NH LINE) AND STILL DON'T KNOW IF MY PART IS ON BACK ORDER OR THEY CANCELED AND NEED TO ORDER THE PART AGAIN. WHEN I ASKED, THE LADY SAID THEY WON'T KNOW "UNTIL TOMORROW OR THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW" I ASKED IF THEY WOULD CALL ME TOMORROW FOR AN UPDATE. I THINK IT IS A CANISTER I NEED (NOT SURE - SEE PHOTO OF SERVICE SUMMARY). ANYWAY STILL WAITING (MEANWHILE GETTING LOTS OF LETTERS RE IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL SAYING MY CAR NEEDS SERVICE TO BE SAFE!)

CLOCKSPRING MALFUNCTIONING IN STEERING WHEEL WHICH IS IMPACTING THE AIR BAG FUNCTIONALITY.

LEATHER ON DOOR HANDLES ARE PEELING.

PURCHASED A USED 2012 KIA OPTIMA ON 5/18/15 WITH 20,000 MILES ON IT FROM A KIA DEALERSHIP WHICH CERTIFIED THAT THE ENGINE WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. CAR WAS SERVICED FOR OIL CHANGES AT THE RECOMMENDED INTERVALS. THE LAST OIL CHANGE OCCURRED ON 5/24/2016 FOR WHICH I PROVIDED A JIFFY LUBE RECEIPT. THE ENGINE FAILED ON 7/4/2016 AT WHICH TIME THE CAR HAD 39,520 MILES. PRIOR TO THE OIL CHANGE ON 5/24/2016 I HAD THE OIL CHANGED ON 2/26/2016 FOR WHICH I PROVIDED A HAND WRITTEN RECEIPT AS THE GARAGE IS NOT A NATIONAL CHAIN AND DOESN'T HAVE COMPUTERIZED RECEIPTS. KIA MOTORS IS REFUSING TO HONOR THE WARRANTY BECAUSE THEY SAID I DON'T HAVE SUFFICIENT PROOF OF REGULAR MAINTENANCE. I PROVIDED THEM WITH THE PROOF I HAD REGULARLY MAINTAINED THE VEHICLE BUT THEY REFUSED TO ACCEPT IT. THIS CAR SHUT OFF AT A MAJOR INTERSECTION. A NOTICE FLASHED TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL OR PARK AND RESTART THE ENGINE WHICH I DID. THE CAR RESTARTED AND I DROVE ANOTHER 10 MILES AND IT CUT OFF AGAIN IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY HIGHWAY AND WOULD NOT RESTART . I WENT ON THE INTERNET AND DISCOVERED THAT THERE IS A WARRANTY BULLETIN 2016-09 ON THIS ENGINE EXTENDING THE WARRANTY TO TEN YEARS 120,000 MILES . THEY EXTENDED THE WARRANTY BECAUSE THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE AND ARE DENYING CUSTOMER'S WARRANTIES BY REJECTING PROOF OF REGULAR MAINTENANCE THUS NOT FULFILLING THEIR WARRANTY . THEY POSITION IS THE OIL WAS DARK BUT I LOOKED AT THE OIL AND ENGINE AND IT LOOKS FINE TO ME... IT'S DARK BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN DRIVEN NOT BECAUSE OF NEGLECT.

I OWN A 2012 KIA OPTIMA ON APRIL 5, 2016 I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AND MY SUNROOF EXPLODED. AT THE TIME I WAS DRIVING ON CLINE AVENUE (912). I WAS NOT DOING ANYTHING OUT OF THE NORMAL. THERE WERE NO CAR AROUND ME TO HIT ME THERE WAS NO FALLING DEBRIS FROM ANYWHERE. I HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION SOUND AND WHEN I LOOKED UP I SAW MY SUNROOF WITH A HUGE HOLE AND TWO MORE LOUD POPS CAME AFTER THAT. SINCE THAT TIME I HAVE CONTACTED KIA USA THE CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS AND HAVE NOT GOTTEN ANYWHERE WITH THEM. THEY HAVE NOT OWNED UP TO THE FACT THAT THIS IS HAPPENING IN THEIR VEHICLES (2011 -2015). I DISCOVERED THIS WHILE RESEARCHING ON LINE. ONCE THE EXPLOSION HAPPENED I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED IT AND WHERE I HAVE IT SERVICED ON A REGULAR BASIS. THEY HELD MY CAR FROM MONDAY, APRIL 11, 2016 UNTIL FRIDAY, APRIL 15, 2016. NOTHING WAS DONE TO IT. THEY CLAIM THAT THEY WERE INSTRUCTED TO HOLD IT SO THEY COULD AN INVESTIGATION OF THE CAR. I HAVE GIVEN 3 DEPOSITIONS OVER THE PHONE TO KIA WITH A PROMISE THAT SOMEONE WOULD GET BACK TO ME SOON. THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED YET. IN THE MEAN TIME I HAD TO GIVE THE DEALER SHIP A DEPOSIT SO THEY COULD ORDER THE GLASS TO FIX THE SUNROOF. THEY ARE TELLING ME THAT IT WILL COST $440.00 FOR THE CLASS AND $80.00 DOLLARS LABOR. THIS MAY NOT SEEM LIKE MUCH, BUT TO ME IT IS AND I FEEL LIKE THIS IS KIA'S RESPONSIBILITY. WHEN I WAS DOING MY RESEARCH ON-LINE I FOUND ARTICLE OF OTHERS CAR MAKERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM BUT THEY PAID FOR THE REPAIRS. I WAS TOLD THAT MY WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER GLASS AND SINCE THE TOTAL COST IS $520 AND MY INSURANCE DEDUCTIBLE IS $500. SO THIS IS MONEY I HAVE TO PAY OUT OF MY POCKET AND PRESENTLY I AM DRIVING AROUND WITH A PIECE OF PLASTIC FOR A ROOF.

ON MARCH 23, 2016 AT APPROXIMATELY 2:50 PM I WAS TRAVELING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC ON A HIGHWAY IN MY 2012 KIA OPTIMA EX WHEN THE PANORAMIC SUNROOF SHATTERED, IN A TRAJECTORY RESULTING THE THE GLASS POINTING UPWARDS CONSISTENT WITH AN EXPLOSION OUTWARDS. THE SUNROOF WAS NOT IN USE (AS IT AND THE ACCOMPANYING SUNSHADE WERE COMPLETELY CLOSED). I BECAME AWARE OF THE ISSUE AS IT OCCURRED VERY SUDDENLY, SOUNDING ALMOST AS IF A GUNSHOT HAD OCCURRED BEFORE THENTERING GLASS SHARDS LANDING ON THE SUNSHADE BECAME APPARENT BY RATTLING WHILE MY VEHICLE WAS DRIVING. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, I WAS TRAVELING AT NO MORE THAN 50 MPH AS TRAFFIC WAS HEAVY AND WE WERE TRAVELING THROUGH A ROAD CONSTRUCTION ZONE CHARACTERIZED BY REDUCED SPEED. THE WEATHER WAS SUNNY AND APPROXIMATELY 75 DEGREES. NO OTHER WINDOWS WERE OPEN AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. PASSENGERS IN THE VEHICLE INCLUDED MYSELF (DRIVER) AND MY TODDLER DAUGHTER WHO WAS SECURED IN HER REAR-FACING CARSEAT. THERE WERE NO OVERPASSES OR LARGE IMPROPERLY SECURED VEHICLES NEARBY (SUCH AS A DUMP TRUCK) FROM WHICH A PROJECTILE COULD HAVE ORIGINATED TO SHATTER THE WINDOW. AS STATED ABOVE, THE SHATTER PATTERN OF THE GLASS IS CONSISTENT WITH A TRAJECTORY OF THE BREAK FROM OUTWARDS FROM THE VEHICLE. I HAVE SEVERAL PICTURES ATTACHED DOCUMENTING THE DAMAGE. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THIS BREAK OCCURRED DUE TO A MANUFACTURING ERROR OR DEFECT IN THE GLASS OF THE PANORAMIC SUNROOF FREE FROM ANY PENETRATING OR PROJECTILE OBJECTS OR VARIABLES. I WAS NOT INFORMED BY KIA NOR MY SERVICING KIA DEALERSHIP THAT THIS IS A RESULT OF ANY DEFECT OR RECALL AND THAT ALL REPAIRS WOULD NEED TO BE MADE OUT OF POCKET BY MYSELF.

BACK UP CAMERA NEEDS REPLACED AT A COST OF $350 WITH A $99 DEALER LOOK AT FEE. AT LESS THAN 90,000 MILES THERE IS NO REASON THAT A CAMERA NEEDS REPLACED AT THIS POINT. RECALL NEEDS THROWN AS ITS APPARENT MANY 2012 KIA OPTIMAS ARE DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE.

I WAS DRIVING ON I10 DRIVING 70 MPH TODAY AND MY SUNROOF EXPLODED. THE ROAD WAS SMOOTH. NOTHING SEEMED TO HIT ME, IT JUST EXPLODED, LIKE A LOUD GUNSHOT ABOVE MY HEAD.

I WAS HIT IN THE BACK WHILE STOPPED IN TRAFFIC. *TR

I WAS DRIVING THE 2012 KIA OPTIMA AND TURNED A CORNER AND MY KNEE PRESSED ON DRIVERS DOOR AND THE INTERIOR DOME LIGHT CAME ON AND THIS HAS CONTINUED TO HAPPEN EVER SINCE. IT IS AN ISSUE WHEN IT HAPPENS AT NIGHT. WE HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO A DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY SAID DOOR WAS NOT ADEQUATELY INSTALLED. IT WAS FIXED FOR A FEW WEEKS AND NOW IT IS DOING IT AGAIN. THE BATTERY COMPLETELY DIED A FEW MONTHS AGO BECAUSE OF THE SENSOR WHICH WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO LOCK THE DOOR.