Vehicle complaints | FREE VIN Decoder and Lookup tool

We found the following complaints for KIA OPTIMA (2006)

Read complaints for KIA OPTIMA (2006)

The contact owns a 2006 kia optima. The contact stated that the air bag warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was told that the clock spring needed to be replaced, but that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa recall campaign id number: 12v014000 (air bags; frontal). The failure mileage was unknown but the current mileage was 80,000.

I have my vechile for a few months i kepted up with mantaince. Never been in an accident and all of sudden the air bag light came on. I wasn't for sure which side it was for soi got it looked at and i was told that i would need to replace passenger seat back assembly

Called both service dealerships and main kia offices about recalls to my car concerning airbags and transmission linkage. No help given on recalls to vehicle. Denied such a recall existed and my car wasn't covered under recall. I'm located in frederick md.[xxx]information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

One day the door on the driver side of the car wouldn't open from the inside or outside.i called kia and they informed me that there is nothing they could do because the car was out of warranty.i took the car to the dealership and they couldn't figure out what was wrong with it.after researching the problem on the internet, this seems to be a common occurrence with this particular car.i called and notified kia consumer relations and again was given the speech of it's not covered under warranty and basically they didn't want to hear about it.i also in conjunction with the telephone call, filed a written complaint with kia and have yet to hear anything from them about this.i have also included in this complaint the air bag light that the dealer cannot find out what's wrong with it.i did a very simple search and it was able to find many people having the same issue and maybe you can force kia to do a recall and fix this faulty parts before someone gets killed in these vehicles.thank you!

Air bag light on dash will not go off. Passenger air bag on/off light not always working. Dealer says $115 for test. If warranted they will pay. If not i will pay. Read of many reports like this. 87,000 miles.

Driver side air bag light on and does not turn off. Called kia consumer affairs and they stated my vehicle is not covered by their current recall for this obvious on going problem with the air bags. My case number with kia is [xxx]. This seems to be a real safety problem if the air bags do not deploy in an accident.information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

I got a letter back in 2012 about a recall on my air bag light is on itook it to the dealership on covington pike in memphis tenn. And they said they replaced the part but my air bag light is back on as of 04/03/2013 being back on for 5 or 6 months. I do not think they replaced with a new part because in about 20 minutes or less they was finish with me.

I had a recall on airbags took it twice to dealer and thelight is still on will not go off. Also when i stop and get gas and after i finish pump on the inside it smell so loud just like i waste it on me i have took it to let them check it out cannot find out where it come from

I had a recall on my airbag had took the car twice to dealership to be fix each time they told me it was fix but the airbag light came right back on and still on.they also need to go back and do a fuel investigate on 2006 model too.

My airbag light came on a few months ago when i was driving to work the light came onand have not gone off yet. I took it to get a diagnose and was told it was a sensor in the seat and i should have it replaced. Well i had someone put in a different seat and the airbag light did not go off. Now it's time for my inspections and i can't even get it done because the airbag light is still on.

The passenger air bag light was coming on and off from the first month of taking new car delivery. I immeditely reported to the dealership and they did not take any action, since it would happen randomly.a recall was done on the 2006.5 optima in 2012.the check air bag light on the drivers dash that comes on ignition fail to go off for the first time on 03/30/2014.i took it my original dealer, who said the whole system would no longer work, because the passenger seat air bag was not working.the wants me to pay $1750 to repair the whole air bag system, that was defective from the fist month of taking delivery.

The contact owns a 2006 kia optima.on august 3, 2008, the contact was involved in a three vehicle crash.her vehicle crashed into the preceding vehicle and the air bag failed to deploy.on two occasions, the contact took the vehicle to the dealer because the air bag light kept illuminating.during the first repair, the dealer replaced a wire shortage.during the second repair, the wiring harness was replaced.the vehicle is currently at the tow yard.the manufacturer will be notified.the contact was injured.the speed was unknown.the current and failure mileages were 46,000.

I also have the driver's side airbag warning light came on and stays on. I checked and found out there is a recall for driver side airbag on 2006 kia optima, but the dealership said my car is not covered under this recall. This recall need to cover all 2006 kia optimas since so many have the same problem.

I received my recall letter for the clock spring replacement, mind you the illuminatelight wasn't on, made the appointment to get the part replaced from my local kia dealership they said it will take two hours so i leave the car there they call me on my cell phone ramping about other issue with the car which are not dot problems so i say no thanks i can handle them myself , go pick up the car and they tell me the air bag light is on and there's a problem and its gonna cost 110 dollars to diagnose the problem,,, wouldn't this be covered by the recall??? why should i pay for manufacturer defect my pregnant wife drives this car so needs to be safe, help with this issuesincerelythanks

The contact owns a 2006 kia optima. The contact stated that while parked, the air bag light illuminated. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 12v014000 (air bags). The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 24,000.

The contact owns a 2006 kia optima. The contact stated that when the vehicle was turned on the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local repair shop for diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was contacted andconfirmed that the vin failed to qualify for the recall under nhtsa campaign id number: 12v014000 (airbags:frontal). The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 60,000 and the current mileage was 65,000.

The contact owns a 2006 kia optima. While driving approximately 30 mph, the air bag warning light illuminated continuously until the engine was turned off. The failure recurred on a separate occasion. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. The contact was uncertain what type of repair was performed. The failure recurred and the dealer stated that the battery would need to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired.in addition, the front driver side door failed to latch properly and an independent mechanic performed the repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The failure mileage was unknown.

The contact owns a 2006 kia optima. The contact stated that the air bag light would continuously illuminate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer several times where the air bag light was reset but failure continued to occur. On a later date while driving 10 mph, the air bag unexpectedly deployed in the contact's face. The contact sustained severe swelling to the face. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer would not provide any assistance. Thefailure mileage was 52,298 .updated 12/10/10. *ljupdated 12/17/10

2006 kia optima.discovered "air bag" lighted icon on dash just past the warranty expiration. (driver-side bag). Paid $125 "diagnostic," only to be told "air bag doesn't work," --duh!dealer wants another some $500 to explore cause, and another some $500 to "maybe" fix it.[xxx] rip-off! (warranty expired at 60,000 miles because i am the 2nd owner---another rip-off by kia).can't afford the repairs, so my life is in kia's hands!!!!.i will never buy nor recommend another kia. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Air bag lights won't turn off constantly on all the time

I own a 2006 kia optima and the air bag light is on and does not go off even you are in the seats this is a hazard if you have a accident you do not know if the air bag will work or not could be deadly ,also doors will not unlock if you lock them will not unlock with the key or from inside vehicle ,have to crawl over to passenger side to get this can be deadly if you get in a accident .

On 1/11/16, i took my optima to the kia dealership (lokey in clearwater florida) because the air bag light suddenly came on and i wanted an update on all applicable optima models and years. I paid $135.29 for them to just look at the problem. They informed me that my optima has no recalls and that my driver`s side seat back needed to be replaced in order to repair the airbag problem. Parts for this alone were quoted to me to be over $1248.71their repair order (#26083616/1) noted that the airbag problem was "a loose connection."

Kia currently has a recall on 2006 optimas for an air bag issue and warns consumers with this vehicle to contact kia if the air bag light comes on.in my car, the light came on on 4/1/12 and is still on.i contacted kia of columbus, ga where the car was purchased and they said to bring it in and we did to only be told the car was not covered because it was a few months old than the campaign.kia needs to investigate and include all of 2006 optimas, as they are having the air bag issue as well.kia has never honored any repair on the car even when brand new and had issues with headlights which we still have to do this day.

Keyless entry on driverside only locked me in and out of the car. Lock will only open 1/2 of the way.airbag light came on and will not go off. I can not get an inspection. They say the system is unstable.transmission has slippeda couple of times.

We bought our kia with less then 10 miles on it, right off the show room floor, we have had to replace passenger side headlamps (total to date 5/15/2015) 15 times, both rear turn signals bulbs and rear brake lights. The air bag light would appear on the dashboard when ever the passenger seat would be moved and now the air bag light on the dashboard flickered driving home from work last night and remands on.

Your nhtsa campaign id no. 08v161000, concerning the airbag system on 2006-08 hyundai sonatas, should be expanded to include kia optimas.i just had the exact same problem with a 2006 kia optima,, which i purchased from enterprise car sales and then returned within the 7-day return period due to discovery of this problem. The software did not recognize a 120-pound adult as an adult on the passenger side, as a result of which we got the signal that the passenger side air bag was off.

I purchased my 2006.5 kia optima on november 6, 2014. Before my test drive the air bag light illuminated but then turned off, i said something to the dealership (not a kia dealer) and they diagnosed it and told me it was the airbag module and that they would order a new one and replace it free of charge. After waiting 3 months for the new module to come in, i did some research and found that the 2006-2008 kia optima's have an air bag recall, so i contacted a kia dealership and was told that my car was not part of the recall and that if i wanted them to look at my car at all it would be $99 plus the hourly fee (i don't even wanna know what yhr hourly fee is). But since my car falls in that year range and is having the airbag issue, should it be kia's responsibility to investigate and if needed, correct the problem?

The contact owns a 2006 kia optima. The contact stated that while parked the air bag warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. There was a recall under nhtsa campaign id number: 12v014000 (air bags: frontal) that may be related to the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure who stated that the vin was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 73,000.

Airbag- we started the car up and the airbag light came on and has not went off (other than when the car is shut down). After research discovered that an airbag failure was part of a recall for this model, but only for optima's manufactured from sept 2005 forward. This one was manufactured a few weeks prior, yet has the same problem. After a google search, the issue can be found on optima's with a manufacture date as far back as april of 2005. The recall needs to be expanded to all 2006 models.driver door locks- when the door is locked, it will not unlock without a lot of playing with the fob or using key and 'getting lucky' to grab the handle at the correct time while doing so, otherwise it locks back immediately upon pulling the handle. This is a safety issue on 2 levels. 1-if for whatever reason your travels take you through rough neighborhoods, the ability to lock the doors could save your life if you come across the wrong people. However, you can not lock them because if you have an accident and the car catches on fire or you need to escape the vehicle quickly, the door will not unlock so you can open it leaving you trapped in the vehicle. After performing a search on google, this issue seems to be with the lock actuator and is effecting optima's dating back to the 2002-2003 models. Both of these issues seriously need to be dealt with by kia. Either issue is setting up a scenario that will result in the death of the driver, if a severe accident occurs.

The driver's side airbag warning light came on and stays on.i checked and found out there is a recall for driver side airbag on 2006 kia optima, but the dealership said my car is not covered under this recall.this recall need to cover all 2006 kia optimas since so many have the same problem.

The contact owns a 2006 kia optima. The contact stated that since march 2011, she noticed the air bag warning light was illuminated on the instrumental panel. The vehicle was inspected by a dealer who stated that the vehicle was outside the warranty. The vehicle had not been repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 74,600. Updated 5/2/11 updated 05/11/11

The contact owns a 2006 kia optima. While driving approximately 60 mph the air bag warning indicator illuminated. The light remained illuminated until the engine was turned off. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer five times for the similar failure. The air bag module was replaced during the previous repairs; however, the failure continued to occur. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 2,000.

The contact owns a 2006 kia optima.the contact stated that the air bag warning light would sporadically illuminate on the instrument panel, which indicated that the driver's side air bag was inoperative.the failure could prevent the air bag from deploying in the event of a crash.the contact is in the process of having the vehicle inspected to determine the cause of the failure.the failure and current mileages were 43,000.

The passenger air bag warning light does not work properly. When a passenger sits in the passenger seat and buckle the seat belt, the passenger air bag warning light does not go out or it will go out and back on. It is necessary to shut the engine off and reset the computer for it to work properly.

2006 kia optima. Consumer writes in regards to recall notice and repairs concerning air bag clock spring contact assembly. *tgwthe consumer stated he was charged a $113.00 for diagnostic testing. However, according to the recall letter, in addition to providing a lifetime warranty for the driver's air bag clock spring contact assembly, kia was to replace the clock spring contact assembly free of charge.

In a 2006/2007 kia optima, "passenger airbag off" light continuously illuminates regardless of seated passenger weight or occupancy.this could lead to failure to deploy airbag in a frontal collision resulting in serious injury or death.resetting the computer temporarily deactivated the light, but problem persists.

- the contact stated he purchase a 2006 kia optimaon 11/30/06,with 377 miles on the vehicle at purchase.the contact states that after purchasing the vehiclehe notice that passenger side airbag sensor light would not turn off. The contact states that while no one is in passenger seat the light stays on and the airbag is off.the contact stated that while someone is in passenger seat the airbag light continues to stay on. He said that the airbag is malfunctioning.the contact states that he has informed dealership of the problem and they ordered the part.the contact stated that the dealership contacted him and told him to bring vehicle in today even though the part will not be in until after christmas.the contact stated that dealership has ordered the padding for the cushion on the passenger seat.the contact stated this is a safety issue and nhtsa should know about this problem.

We purchased a 2006.5 kia optima a few months back.this car is equipped with a feature, the de-activation of the front seat passenger airbag when the seat is vacant.my wife weighs about 104 lbs and does not always activate the switch as indicated by the fact the warning light does not go off, and therefore is unprotected if there was a frontal crash.the dealer checked and indicated that the switch is functioning as designed.this problem occurs about 50% of the time.sometimes she can get the indicator to go off by moving around and/or bouncing on the seat.the other fun fact is that we can be riding along and the indicator will come on or if it is on it will sometime turn off.there does not appear to be any rhyme or reason for the activation or de-activation of the sensor switch.i was told by the dealer that the sensor switch can not be by-passed because of federal regulations.

The contact owns a 2006 kia optima.the contact stated that the passenger side air bag indicator light remains illuminated when there is an adult over 100 lbs in the passenger seat.the dealer stated that the air bag needed to be reset to correct the failure.this meant that when a passenger entered the vehicle, the air bag sensor needed to be shut off and then reactivated for the air bag to work properly.this did not correct the failure and the vehicle was taken back to the dealer, however, the service technician was unable to perform the repair.the failure mileage was 181 and current mileage was 8,000.

Our concern relates to the safety of our vehicle. A nice feature of this car is the de-activation of the passenger airbag when that seat is vacant; however, there appears to be a malfunction. The dashboard lights up as passenger air bag off even when a passenger is seated there. This is a huge safety concern of ours.

The contact owns a 2006 kia optima.the contact called regarding theair bag sensor light.the front passenger sensor light illuminatedintermittently regardless if someonewas in the passenger seat.the mechanic stated that the failure occurred inapproximately 50% of these vehicles and may be prevented by sitting in a certain position.the current mileage is 9,000, and failure mileage was 500.

Dt*: the contact stated while a passenger weighing 125 pounds was properly restrained in the front passenger seat, the advanced airbag sensor light would not illuminate, which indicated a lack of airbag protection.the vehicle was inspected by a dealer who performed a diagnostic test, which did not produce any failure codes.the dealer referred to the vehicle owner's manual which indicated in some instances with lighter passengers, the advanced airbag system may not be active.the dealer determined the advanced airbag system was functioning accordingly to the manufacturer's specifications and all applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards.the manufacturer was alerted.

Purchased brand new 2006.5 kia optima,,,the passenger air bag does not turn on when a passenger is in the seat.my wife ways 170 so this is well above a 130 lb limit i have read about but not verified.this is an intermittent problem but quite frequent though.9 times in last 2 days...took it to kia and they could not get it to act up and no codes in computer.though i have witnessed this malfunction at least 100 times now in the last month.i told them this is a safety issue and needs to be fixed.they said they cant just throw money at it hoping to replace the bad part by luck as the sensors are $1200.00 a piece and they told me there were 5 sensors in the seat.i then told them that the safety aspect of the car was one of the main reasons i bought it, and now it is not dependable, i cant trust it to protect any passenger in that seat.

I just purchased a 2006.5 kia optima.my concern is when my wife sitsin the passenger seat; the air bag does not arm.kia states that thenew standard (nhtsa) states that one must be over 130 lbs.if true, ifind that unacceptable.there is no statements within the owners manual or is there a placard on the dashboard warning one must be over 130 lbs. Should i have an accident, who is liable, you or kia.please let me know the rules, the law and if this is so, whatindividual, felt individual less than 130 lbs do not deserve that safety feature.

- the contact called regarding a 2006 kia optima.the contact stated that thecontact's vehiclestruck another vehicle at 5 mph, and the airbags did not deploy.the road conditions were icy. The contact stated the airbag light stayed on.he took the vehicle to a kia dealer, and was told the airbag module would need to be replaced. The current and failure mileage were 7558. The consumer stated a ground wire was replaced. Updated 03/30/07.

The contact owns a 2006 kia optima.the contact stated that the air bag warning light remained illuminated no matter how much the passenger weighed.the dealer attempted to repair the failure on three occasions, but it continued to occur.the current and failure mileages were 2,791 starting 60 miles.the dealer stated hears a rattle from the sunroof and gasket on trunk. Updated 08/29/07

I have electrical problems. My same left turn signal burns out every month- month and a half. My head light keeps burning out at the same rate. My parking lights get stuck on even when the car is off and the switch is off. You have to turn the car on turn the lights on and off a couple of times to get them to go off. The alarm has just gone off with no one around it. I have taken it to the dealer twice to be fixed but they keep saying if they don't see it happen they cannot fix it.

The drivers side door lock will not unlock with the electrical button or manually.the lock only opens half way - pull handle to open - door automatically locks. Can't open door with key from outside. Must enter in passenger side door and climb over. Big danger as driving with children in the car.

I have an 06 optima (06.5/ ms) 2.4 engine but the problem im having juging from kia internet forums is spread acros meney years and models it is an intermitant engine stall it can happen at any time ive had it happen at 65mph on interstate this is followed by a series of start stallthen it will run fine for a while ive had a complete wire harness check reaced several sensors and other parts nothing has cured the problem it should be recalled and repaired by kia before some one gets hurt not after.this is a totally random happening

I brought a new 2006.5 kia opt. At less than 3000 miles parking lights would stay on when car was off, auto lights would not turn off, dash lights would flicker. Took to dealer about 4 times and they just played with the switches and said not to worry. At about 5500 miles and a day after the first year of owner ship the car was dead and needed a tow. New battery.two later same thing, then again 4 weeks later, replaced light switch and did wiring repairs, i now have 23500 miles on the car and have had over 12 tows or jump starts. Third battery, fuse box, alternator and other repairs. In 12/2009 with 23000 miles it dies again 4 times in 3 weeks and had to be towed, another new battery. Something unknown is draining the battery and they can't find it. Am worried that car will die out when driving it or the lighting will all go out causing me to crash.

My daughter was driving home from work when she first noticed smoke coming from the underneath the hood area.shortly afterward sparks began to shoot out and the car was engulfed in flames.

The contact owns a 2006 kia optima.while driving 45 mph, the tpms illuminated, which indicated that the tire pressure was low.the dealer stated that there was a sensor malfunction for the driver side rear tire.they replaced the sensor; however, the failure continued.she took the vehicle back to the dealer and they stated that the electrical system caused the failure.the dealer installed a new tpms indicator, but the failure still continued.the contact took the vehicle back several times and each time the dealer would replace the sensor and/or electrical system.however, the failure continued to occur.as of november 1, 2007, the dealer had not repaired the vehicle.they stated that her cell phone or radio frequencies may have caused the light to illuminate.the manufacturer inspected the vehicle and stated that the sensor caused the failure.the manufacturer replaced the sensor; however, the failure still persists.the powertrain was unknown.the failure mileage was 26,616 and current mileage was 29,413.

I was trapped inside the car when the drivers door would not open by activating the inside door handle, the inside door unlock lever or the remote key fob. When i used the door handle nothing happened. When i pressed the inside door unlock lever i could hear the power unlock mechanism activate but the door would not open. Nor would the door open when the remote key fob unlock was pressed even though i could hear the unlock mechanism activate.the door latch would not release and allow the door to open.i had to crawl across the front console to exit the car thru the passenger door. Due to the small size of the car this could easily have been impossible with an injury or for an elderly person. In case of a fire where the only exit was thru the drivers door this would be a fatal component failure.after exiting thru the passenger door i tried to unlock the door with the key but the latch would not release the door. I tried pressing and releasing the remote unlock with and without the key multiple times using multiple combinations of the door handle, door unlock lever and remote key fob, nothing worked.this is a very dangerous situation. The door handle and door key should always function to allow exit from the car.

My kia optima 2006 has had several problems: bad oxygen sensor, an electrical short, and most recently- will not shift out of first gear. Kia says my vin is not included in the current recall. I took the car to a kia dealer a few weeks before the gears quit shifting, but they couldn't find a problem. I have replaced six headlights and three tail lights. This car is a lemon! please ask kia to extend their current recall as, obviously more cars are affected than they are reporting. Please investigate!

Car will not always start. Sometimes i have to wait 24 hours and pick up the car wherever i had to leave it cause it wouldn't start. When trying to start there's a clicking sound and all panel light start to flash.replaced alternator and battery, still not fixed.seen a lot of reviews complaining about the exact some problem.

Front drivers side door will not unlock from inside of vehicle. You must use key and toggle lock while holding door nob out in order to unlock door, it may take a while to unlock door while doing this. I have read many responses to others having the same problem with this vehicle. This may be a serious issue if an accident occurs and the door is locked, trapping the driver inside the vehicle.

A co-worker followed me home and told me my right rear brake light was out. Then my right turn signal indicator on the dash started flashing real fast. Few days later my dash lights started flashing on & off.had a friend watch the exterior lights and he said they were flashing on & off with the dash. Said he had never seen anything like that!if my headlights are on the lights don't flash. Even though my lights come on, the brake & signal lights don't work when i apply them. I have not driven my car because of it.every one tells me with as little mileage as i have on my car - i should not be having these type of problems.i haven't taken my car to the dealer because i don't want to get a ticket or possibly cause an accident because my light don't work!i'm single mother and can't afford to have a mechanic tear my car up to see if he can find the problem.

Driver's side seat electric switch does not work driver's side mirror electric switch does not workboth keyless entry remotes keep losing their program.

I brought two new 2006.5 kia optimas (a red one and a black one) from our local dealer. Since i have had the cars, both of the vehicles have had electrical problems which started within a few months of the purchase.the tail lamps only last about 2-3 months before i have to replace the bulbs.first one side or the other will blow out, and then within weeks, the other side will go too.this has been happening with both cars ever since we bought the cars. When i call the dealer and ask about the problem, they just tell me i've been buying cheap bulbs. I have had to replace the head lamps on both vehicles at the rate of about one every six-months on both vehicles.i have also had to replace what they called the electronic throttle control on both vehicles.now there is a new problem with one of them.about 52,000 miles, i started having a problem with the parking lights.the parking lights would stay on when car was turned off and no matter what i do, the parking lights will not go off.the only way to keep the battery from going dead was to disconnect the negative battery terminal. About a month ago, we took the cars to our local kia dealer for an oil change.when we dropped them off for the service, i asked the representative ([xxx]), to also look into the parking light issue and explained the problem i had been having.to make a long story short, [xxx] said they forgot to look at the parking light issue, adding she would contact kia directly to investigate the problem and would call me when she has an answer, it has been a month . Today she told me it will cost $400 to fix the lights problem. I find it hard to believe it is not a manufacture defect. This is not fair to the consumers who invest money into purchasing a new car.please look into this matter as a matter of consumer rights and protection against manufactures known defects.information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

I own a2006 kia optima. When i use the remote key fob to unlock the doors they unlock.then when i pull on the handle the driver side, it automatically locks. If i am inside the car and hit the unlock button it unlocks but when i pull the handle it locks again.i can get out the passenger side.my car was bought new in 2006 so it is out of warranty.the failure and current mileage is 4400.

The drivers side door lock will not unlock with the electrical button or manually. Manually opened, the lock only opens half way - pull handle to open - door automatically locks. Can't open door with key from outside. Must enter in passenger side door and climb over. Big danger as driving with children in the car.

2006 kia optima needed a new timing belt within the next few thousand + miles (needs to be changed every 60,000 miles or sooner), but one the crankshaft pulley just came off and then the belt came off a couple pulleys because of this.the belt actually looks fine, but the pulley failure caused the belt to come off.this belt runs several things so the initial loose pulley caused the car to lose power steering, battery light to turn on, the a/c failed, etc., and then the inner part of the pulley came off and the outer ring (magnetized) fell and stuck to part of the car frame that is actually metal.my wife made it to work while the belt had to still be on but loose, and it now sits in her parking spot at her job (hospital parking ramp). I will probably have it towed tomorrow.this could have easily led to an extremely dangerous situation if it happened on the highway.i found the outer part of the lower pulley laying above the car frame close to the engine.if the car drove after this, engine damage would be most likely.i will hopefully have it towed to the nearest kia dealership by tomorrow to see if i just need the pulley and belt or if the engine is damaged.this is unbelievable, because i found many people that had the same issue with the crankshaft pulley bolt breaking off and sometimes causing engine damage immediately afterward.as a consumer, i shouldn't have to go under the vehicle and tighten a factory tightened bolt every now and then.i hope that the newer bolts actually hold like a grade 8 american bolt, because that wouldn't fail.rubber can't break steel, and i can't believe this obvious oversight by kia hasn't been recalled or in a technical service bulletin!!!!

2006 kia optima. Consumer writes in regards to a telephone request for the financial assistance and filing an injunction to recover damages for false odometer readings and/or fraud *tgwthe odometer moved slow. The consumer stated the dealer used a hand held device and stated nothing indicated a malfunction.

The contact owns a 2006 kia optima. The contact stated that he had to replace the headlights every six months since purchasing the vehicle new. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership where the dealer added an extra ground wire to the headlight assembly. However, the failure still occurred. The contact replaced the headlights again. The failure mileage was approximately 5,500. The current mileage was 65,983.updated 8/9/10 the consumer stated the wires were too small which prevented amp flow, which caused the bulbs to burn. Updated 08/11/10

I went to go shopping, and at the second stop sign in my neighborhood i stopped. When i tried to drive the gas pedal when pushed would not let the engine go fast enough to go above 20 mph, then i noticed that the check engine light was on. I pulled over and checked my engine and its fluids, could not find any thing wrong.so i started the car up again, and everything seemed to work fine. So i drove off and the car worked like it should have.i then went to a auto parts store, and they used their meter to check engine codes. The code was p2135, code definition: throttle pedal/position sensor 'a/b' voltage correlation.

My car stalled while driving then all sudden it stalled, i started again then stalled again. I called the tow truck and towed to the auto repair, my car has a vehicle recalls. The dealerships refused to fixed it the recalls, they told me i have to pay full costs about $5,000 for new engine. They won't fixed the recalls. I found out there was huge complaints against dealerships of kia . I filed a lawsuits against the dealerships for refused to fix my car. 2 recalls air bags/engine. The dealerships don't want to fix the recalls , they force me to pay for huge repairs. I had to pay rental car and towing services.

"first" time problem happened was july 3, 2016 with my 2006 kia optima. I was sb on hwy i25 in cs, co. Speedometer read 25mph as i was coming off the on-ramp. I accelerated to 40mph into flow of traffic. I felt a lurch & the vehicle automatically accelerated. Speed went from 40mph to about 60 mph withoutdepressing accelerator. Breaking did not slow it down. I felt car was going out of control. My passenger reached over & turned ignition switch off & on quickly, to decelerate & accelerate. This helped car slow down when key was turned off to the first click &helped maintain an adjusted speed as traffic was in-front & in-back. We kept doing this until car slowed down enough to pull over to right shoulder. Key was completely turned off & car was at a complete stop. Car was towed to mechanics. Diagnostic was performed using engine analyzer.it was road tested multiple times & didn't it duplicate my experience. This happened again sept.10, 2016 as i, again, entered hwy i25 so.i was driving alone. My speedometer was 40 mph, in heavy hwy traffic.i once again "felt" lurch of car. This time it "stuck" at 40 mph. It didn't slow down when i braked, it continued at 40 mph. I continued to brake & speed did slow a bit.my foot was totally down onbreak when it was still auto accelerating at the hwy exit ramp; now slowed to 26 mph as i continued holding brake down. Finally speed was down to 23mph as i drove into a parking lot (no cars were moving in & out at the time). I turned the key off completely; my foot was still on the brake & the car came to a lurching haul at that time in the middle of the parking lot.i waited about a minute & then started the engine again with my foot on the brake. I was able to pull into a parking slot. I started it & very slowly drove home, but not on the hwy. I maintained speed of25-30mph. It was only about 1k between the 2 incidents.

After a recent oil change, the car was running horribly, making a knocking sound. Had an episode where the oil light was flashing on and off and the engine about died, so i had made an appointment for the vehicle to get checked for monday morning. The saturday before, while running errands, had the episode occur again, but this time, the engine locked up and it has been sitting at the dealership every since because although i have a manufacturer warranty, kia won't honor it with all my oil change receipts. I am frustrated, because i know others have had the same issue i have and haven't complained loud enough or whatever, but this is an issue with the engine, not me. No car should blow an engine at 62k. It's ridiculous.

2006 kia optima. Consumer writes in regards to clutch and engine light turn on and off. *ld

- on 11/8/06, the contact stated she was driving down thehighway at approximately 75 mph.the road conditions were dry.the oil pump exploded and cracked the engine block.there were no warning signs.the vehicle is a 2006 kia optima.the mileage at the time of failure was 10,123 miles.the vehicle was towed away.the dealer replaced the short block on the engine.the contact received the vehicle back on 12/11/06 and on 12/14/06 the vehicle stalled in the road.the vehicle was taken back to the dealer and the engine head was replaced.the contact stated that she continues to have problems with the vehicle, she hears a tapping noise, the vehicle runs rough when driving at speeds over 40 mph.

My 2006 kia optima just stopped running yesterday, without any warning, in the middle of a high traffic street. It completely lost power and there was nothing i could do. Since there was no warning (check engine light not on, no stuttering, etc.), i wasn't able to get to the side of the road. The car behind me had to swerve to not hit me. I'm a 67 year old, disabled woman who was stuck on the side of that busy street for a half an hour until my car could be towed. Upon diagnostic testing, a mechanic found that the car needs a crank sensor (as well as an oxygen sensor). As he said, "we replace a lot of these on this model car". After extensive research, online, reading blogs from other kia owners, i've found that several people have had the same problem i've had. A friend of mine had the same problem on his way back from a trip. The sensor just goes out and the car dies right where it is, and even if it can be started again, it will only run for a short amount of time and dies again. This is a very scary problem. And very expensive also. If kia knows that this is a common problem, why isn't there a recall?

You can start it up. Drive it for a little bit, but as soon as you make a stop or slow down, it will stall. Changed the oil, all fluids. It still does the same thing. So i am afraid to drive it.

The contact owns a 2006 kia optima. The contact stated as she was driving at 60 mph all of the warning lights came on and the vehicle shut off in the middle of the road. The contact tried to drive the vehicle to the side of the road so that it could be towed to the dealer. The dealer would replaced parts on the vehicle but the vehicle would continue to shut off. The crankshaft sensor had to be replaced three times but that was not the cause of the failure. The kia manufacturer was called and stated that they do not cover any parts that are not under the warranty. Vin was unknown. The failure mileage was 2,000. The current mileage was 78,000.

After driving approx. 200 miles i stopped for a meal. Approx. 30 minutes later i started my kia optima (2006). It ran very rough then stalled & died. I had planned to stop at winery approx. 3-4 miles from cafe i ate at. I started car again. Drove to winery and as i pulled into parking slot, car ran rough & died again. I went back to shell station across from cafe i ate at. Called kia roadside asst. Car was taken to kia dealership in peoria,il. Service dept found misfire and changed crank sensor.also performed other tests with regards to fuel pressure, etc. Retrieved car the following sat 9/30/06. Approx. 100 miles later that day on way to indianapolis, we stopped at museum. Started car approx. 2 hours later, car ranexcessively rough at start up , but did not die this time. Drove back to indianapolis. Informed kia and took car to local kia dealer on 10/3/06. Car did not display symptoms until later in the day approx. 2-3 p.m. When i drove back in after start up while running errands. Service dept did notice misfire at that time. I am now waiting on a loaner car from kia, so my car can go in for testing to find problem. Kia authorized waiting ref#k1230868 on 10/4/06.

Ref the two previous complaints first. #10170291 & 10208029. This is the 3rd complaint on our 2006 kia optima lx. On 11/5/07 a new tensioner and drive belt were replaced. This made the 4th attempt to repair the same pulleys & belts system. The problem began @ mileage 5033 in sept 2006. Aprox 16,500 mileage and the problem continues and appears to be getting worse. On 12/5/2007 i took the car to dealership #113211 with same problem. Loud belt squeal at start up and constant chirp while driving. I was given a written receipt that stated the dealership drove the car 5 miles and heard a "slight chirp" coming from the belt area. Tech asst was called and the dealership was advised not to attempt repairs until a "platform manager" was contacted and spoke to service manager. It was put in writing that the car had no drivable issues or safety concerns and released to the owner. I expressed strong concern to the service manager about our reservations driving a car with the pulleys & belts system making such noises. I also explained that we were going out of state on 12/7/07 and would be traveling i-65 south from indianapolis, late at night and without a cell phone. We traveled with the car in the current state of disrepair. The problem has increased. I have expressed this to the dealership on 12/12/07. Since the car was released to me on 12/5/2007, i have heard nothing from the dealership. I have sent a certified letter requesting the car be repaired. The parts put in the car on11/5/2007 are under warranty. Today is 12/19/2007 and i have still not been contacted by kia or the dealership. If the pulleys & belts system fails we i will be left on the road & i do not carry a cell phone. If the car is repaired again this will make the 5th attempt to repair the same problem and the car qualifies for the in lemon law. I have consulted the consumer action handbook which is free to the public and has resources for consumers to involve agencies who take care of these problems for us.

Car purchasednew 3/1/2006. At mileage 5,033 and to current 16,675 belts and pulleys problem exists.. The problem has been confirmed by a tech expert that the mfr and customer agreed to allow inspect the car. A recurring drive belt tensioner and drive belt problem still exists after several belts and tensioner have been replaced.....5 confirmed repairs. It has been expressed to the manufacturer that we do not feel safe driving a car ina state of disrepair.we are afraid the tensioner or belt may fail during operation. If this happens, the motor can be severely damaged. Power steering, water pump and all electrical cease to function. This is the explanation i have from a kia rep on audio. The manufacture claims there are no verifiable warranty concerns and the loud noise at start up and constant squealing and chirping while driving are normal. The kia rep also claims on the audio that these parts have never failed on there cars. The technical expert also confirmed a surging problem still exists even though the mfr states they can not duplicate it. The first time the surge & stall problem was repaired (9/23/2006) it was already a tsb issued by mfr to nhsta in dec 2004 for model 2006 with regards to a canister vac.

The driver side door will not open either by key or by the remote control. This began randomly a few weeks ago, and would open if we jiggled the key a certain way. We could not lock the car since we didn't know if we could get it open again. We both work full time and are an hour away from a kia dealer. On thanksgiving day, it was accidentally locked and we haven't been able to get it open since. As a result, my husband, age 63 and i, age 62 have to crawl in through the passenger door, over the center console. The kia dealer contacted will not replace this at no charge, it will cost $200 just to be able to get into our car! it is past the bumper to bumper warranty and the customer service 800 number said it would be up to the district manager to fix it at no cost. The service dept. Tells me that there have been other complaints and knows which part to order without even seeing the car. Will it take an accident and not being able to get out of this car before something is done like the manufacturer taking the responsibility of fixing this defective door part? this is not only an inconvenience but a major safety issue since we have no way out should the passenger side be rammed and we can't afford to just quit driving this car that's not paid for! this is not an accessory, it's a basic car part!

I have a 2006.5 kia optima. I am experiencing the same problem with the brake light switch sticking as other kias currently under recall. My brake lights are always on. Am i out of luck on this one?

I have a 2006 kia optima which currently has 61,960 miles on it. For the pass 12 months i have replace a front headlight a total of 5 times on both the driver and passenger side. My mechanic has replaced the bulbs for me twice so far free of charge. I have also contacted the kia dealership where i purchased the car to inform them of the issue to see if maybe its something faulty with the car or maybe a recall that i may have missed. They were not as helpful or nice as they were when i signed my name on he doted line. They immediately informed me i needed to pay them 59.99 before they would even look at the car !! the nerve !! with me having 5 more payments to go, i feel i am going to see be investing in this car longer then necessary. This needs to be addressed and evaluated as a courtesy check up for us kia optima owners. Again i have replaced 5 headlight bulbs in 12 months !! this is not normal, nor should anyone have to deal with this on a consistant bases.please help !!

Left rear tail light works intermittently.

The contact owns a 2006 kia optima.she stated that the she was unable to see more than two feet in front of her when the headlights are engaged.the dealer stated that the vehicle was designed that way.the current mileage was 3,500 and the failure mileage was unavailable.

Headlights keep blowing out. Dealer tells me that after market bulbs will not work and original bulbs only last 1 year. Windshield molding came out while riding down interstate and airbag light keeps coming on.

The contact owns a 2006 kia optima.the contact stated that the headlight bulbs would constantly blow out.he has repeatedly changed the bulbs, but approximately 4-5 days later, the failure would recur.the failure has been ongoing for almost two years.the contact consulted the dealer, but he could not recall what they stated.the kia manufacturer has not been notified.the purchase date was unknown.the current mileage was 65,000 and failure mileage was approximately 1,000.

I have a kia optima and i called about a problem. It was that when you leave the headlight switch in auto on a darknight on low beam. Andsomething was to walk out from the side of the road you hit the highbeam switch. And bang you crash because all your headlights go out and leave you in the darkit could happen and they do go out. My car is 2006 optima. I have tried this on two hyundai's one year older and the same year as my kia both of them the headlights work fine can you make mine work like that? please george hurd, thankyou

Dt*: the contact stated while driving various speeds on dark country roads, the headlights were adjusted too low to see beyond 30 feet ahead.the vehicle was driven to the dealer, who determined the headlights were designed that way. Updated 11/14/2006 -there is a dark curtain that blocks half of the windshield.when driving with the low beams on there on a dark road the consumer could not see more than 30 feet in front of the vehicle due to the dark curtain.while driving in the city with ambient light the curtain is transparent.the dealer changed the headlight to brighter ones but that didn't help.neither the manufacturer the dealer thought this was a problem.

- the contact has a 2006 kia optima.the contact stated that at night while driving his vehicle at 25 - 35mph, he experiences an illumination problem with his left headlight.the contact stated that while the right headlight operating correctly, the left headlight casts a dark shadow, which hampers his ability to see.the contact also stated that this is not just a problem with his car, but with all of the kia model cars.the contact also stated that he had spoken with kia motors of america corporation on 01/11/2007 and was given a case number for his complaint (k1266127).kia motors of america has admitted that the problem exists in all of the models and is uncorrectable, and that the vehicle meets federal standards, and therefore a recall is not in order. The contact stated that the vehicle must be taken out on a dark road and a left turn made to see the shadow from the headlights.

I have a 2006 kia optima that was just purchased 2 months ago. It has a problem stalling when coming to a stop. I have had it looked at by the dealer several times and the could not duplicate the problem. I also work at the same dealership. One of the last times this happened i almost hit a business sign turning a corner. I believe the dealer and kia are not doing all they should since i work there. They only looked at the vehicle one time and only checked a couple of things. I have been in the car business almost 20 years and i am not satisfied with what they have done. The factory rep. For kia did not really care. His name is [xxx]. I do not feel safe driving this car. Before i purchased vehicle the dealer had already had to repair the fuel pump on the vehicle. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

In filling the gas tank when the pump shut off gasoline poured out of the gas tank.the first time i blamed the gas station.it happened again when my daughter was filling the tank.even after the fuel nozzle was taken out of the tank, a great deal of gasoline poured out of the tank.the dealer checked the car out and said everything was all right.its not!

Dt*: the contact stated when pumping fuel into the fuel tank, the fuel blew back out of the gas tank, after the auto shut off valve on the pump handle stopped.the sales/service dealer was unable to fix the problem after six attempts and when the manufacturer was notified, an offer to buy back the vehicle was made.

My vehicle keeps accelerating and slowing down randomly between gears. Can accelerate on. Its own and slow down when more pressure is applied to gas pedal. The check enginelight was not on for a month and now it has appeared. This can cause a serious accident.if a less capable person was driving. Many other kia owners of this.model report. The accelerator pedal position sensor has been the issue for countless owners of this model and have been replaced by the dealer.i have had a diagnostic test done and. It showed the same codes pointing to the accelerator.... My dealer stated that it is not covered under warranty. It is an $800 part plus labor. I think that if this problem persists in many of these models and the problem can cause injury or death, then it should. Be a recalled item. Thank you

The contact owns 2006 kia optima. The contact stated that the lock on the right passenger side door would not lock or unlock. Whenever a passenger was is in the vehicle the door would notunlock so that the passenger could get out of the vehicle. The warranty expired and the vehicle was not repaired. The failurewas not diagnosed by the dealer. The manufacturer was not notified.the failure mileage was 70,000.

Went to driver side door to get into the vehicle. Attempted to open the door and was unable to do so. The door would unlock by the key but when you pull the handle the door would lock back and not come away from the door frame. The only way that you could get in the car was to open the passenger side door and crawl across to the driver side. Exiting the vehicle was the same process. The car was put into the shop where the mechanic opened the door by unlocking the door and pulling the power lock fuse and opening the door. The actuator (or ajitator, i can't remember the specific name but it was one of the two) had to be replaced and then the door locking mechanism had to be replaced as well because it warped due to the actuator going out. With the car being approx 3 years old, the door locking mechanisms should not have gone out so soon. Not being able to exit through the driver door and exiting through the passenger door is a big safety issue in the event of an emergency.

The contact owns a 2006 kia optima. The contact stated that the driver's side door could not be opened with the keyless entry remote or manually when using the key. The contact had to exit the vehicle from the passenger's side of the vehicle.the contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was told that the small plastic door checker needed to be replaced.the vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown, but the current mileage was 98,000.updated 01/29/13*ljthe consumer stated the vehicle was taken to three different auto repair shops before finally getting the door to open with a coat hanger. The vehicle was repaired. Updated 1/31/2013

I have a 2006 kia optima. The electric locks lock you in the car. Should i have an accident or should something else electrical happen causing a fire i would be dead! kia has had this issue for years as i found looking on internet, they still have not corrected it.

The contact owns a 2006 kia optima. The contact stated that the front driver's door failed to unlock whenever entering or exiting the vehicle. The power locks neither would release open with the use of the key fob nor when attempting to engage the locks manually. The driver exited the vehicle from the front passenger's side. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for inspection. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had not been notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 78,000.

The contact owns a 2006 kia optima. While attempting to exit the vehicle, the front driver side door failed to unlock from the inside. The contact had to roll down the window and use the exterior door handle in order to unlock the door. The dealer was unable to diagnose the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 40,000.

I have a 2006 kia optima and started having problems with the driver's side door not wanting to unlock.the event started friday afternoon.after working with my door for about 10 minutes, it finally came unlocked.i drove to pick up my daughter and after getting her in on the passenger side, i could not get the driver's side door open.after multiple failed attempts, i had to climb into the car through the passenger side, which is no easy feat to accomplish.i ended up getting stuck in the vehicle until my husband was finally able to work the door open.this is a safety issue because if there was a fire, i would not have been able to promptly exit the vehicle and get my daughter out in a timely manner.now i cannot lock my doors.i have done research on this defect and have found numerous complaints stating to the same fact.i'm going to try and get this problem looked at but with the number of complaints over the same feature, something has to be done before a life is lost.

It is a well-known issue with kia optima cars that the door latch is faulty, and after various lengths of time, it will stop unlocking.by no longer unlocking, i mean under any condition.using a remote, using the key, even sitting in the vehicle pressing the button on the door or manually moving the indicator by the handle.this is a severe safety issue.in the event of a wreck or other emergency situation, it is impossible to exit the driver's side door on my kia optima.no matter what you attempt, the door will not open.when you unlock it using any of the aforementioned methods, the car will automatically re-lock the door as soon as you touch the handle, either interior or exterior.while i can understand normal wear and teareating away at the component, there is absolutely no reason for the car to default to the lock position in the case of such wear and tear.a simple solution would be to have the latch default to the open position, which will allow persons to exit the vehicle in case of emergency.if this has not already cost individuals their life,i am sure it is only a matter of time.this needs to be corrected immediately, before it costs me my family.

Door lock will not unlock thus door will not open.door lock will not unlock with the key on either door nor the automatic or manual door lock.this has resulted in having to exit the vehicle from the passenger door.this is sporadic and not on a regular basis.upon searching the internet this is a very common problem across the kia brand effecting numerous models and years.my main concern is under an emergency, there is no quick/safe way to exit the vehicle.

Power door lock on drivers side will not open with the remote button or key.the doors unlock when remote is used,but when you pull the drivers door handle all doors lock. When in car with locked doors, you frequently cannot open the driversdoor with door button or handle.in an accident, this door flaw could prevent the driver from escapingquickly.no action has been taken to correct problem to date. I will have the door latch system replaced as soon as possible.

Once the doors are locked, they can not be unlocked from the inside. The key must be inserted into the drivers side lock cylinder (outside) and manipulated for several minutes back and forth whileat the same time pulling on the handle until the right combination of force and timing allow the door to be opened.

Driver's side door will not unlock from the inside or outside.this is a major safety concern as someone would not be able to exit the vehicle in a timely manner in case of a fire or vehicle accident.i work as a paramedic and have first hand seen people not being able to exit their vehicles during a fire and it was not pleasant.i did an online search to find how to correct this issue and found thousands of similar complaints through all years and models of kia vehicles.even if you don't have enough to mandate a recall on one particular vehicle, i would hope that you look at the manufacturer as a whole and their unwillingness to correct a system wide manufacturing error in their product.please feel free to contact me if i can provide any further information. Please do something about this before someone is seriously injured, if no one has been killed by this defect yet...

The contact owns a 2006 kia optima. The contact stated that when using the remote key fob to unlock the doors, the vehicle would respond but once the contact physically pulled on the driver side door handle, the vehicle would automatically lock. The dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure but denied assistance with repairs.the vehicle was not repaired.the failure and current mileage was 35,000.

My 2006 kia opimal driver side door will not unlock.

The contact owns a 2006 kia optima. The contact stated that the drivers side door lock would not disengage. The contact tried to unlocked the door manually, with a key, and the key fob and it failed to unlock. The vehicle was taken to a dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 63,000.

06 kia optima power door lock problems; once locked the key will not work to open door correctly, neither will the door open manually from theinside. Dealer contacted but will not fix problem although vehicle is only a few hundred miles over warranty. Through personal research i discovered that this is a common and well known defect. Problem exists in the door latch (aka door checker) per kia. This defect assigns to this vehicle the title of " death trap". The fact that it has not been investigated and kia forced to rectify the problem is appalling and casts doubt on the service of the nhtsa.

Door jam on rightback doorand sun visors on right passenger over view just drops down in the passenger or child view thats causes one to become fearful.

Driver door will not unlock with key or from inside. This problem started randomly. I have to crawl thru passenger door at time to get into my car. After researching online i see that this is a common problem with the vehicle. This is very dangerous should a accident occur and the driver door be locked the driver could be trapped in the vehicle. This is a death trap and kia should fix it. I called my local kia dealership to find out if there was a solution to repair this and was told that they would give me a quote on the repairs. The safety of this vehicle is in question and this should be recalled asap.

The contact owns a 2006 kia optima. The contact stated that the front driver's side door would not unlock or open. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer were made aware of the failure. The failure was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 213,000 and the current mileage was 214,000.

The contact owns a 2006 kia optima. The contact stated that the keyless remote would not unlock the vehicle. The contact could not get out of the vehicle. The dealer was contacted and stated that the latch on the vehicle failed not the keyless remote. The contact was concerned that in the event of an emergency he may not be able to get out of the vehicle. The dealer has given him a new keyless remote that began working normally and then it failed again. The dealer would not repair the latch on the vehicle. There have beenno repairs to date. The failure mileage was 59,000 and the current mileage was 70,537.updated 3/10/10 updated 08/18/10

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.

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.

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.

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 attemptsit was clear that no matter what gear i was able to shift the gearinto 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 nhtsarecurring 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 tokia 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).

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.

The sun visor does not stay up.the sun visor on the driver side is vision impairment.the switch for the both seats does not work.the wheel bearing is bad.the tire pressure wheel sensor and the transmission speed adjustment sensor are bad on this2006 kia optima , constantly bulbs for taillight blow.

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 thekia optima. Took my car to the kia dealership,the told me my vin# wasn't on the list. It's a 2006 kiaoptima. 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.

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.

2006 kia optima. Consumer writes in regards to clutch and engine light turn on and off. *ld

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 15and 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

Air bag lights won't turn off constantly on all the time

The driver side power seat of my kia optima 2006 has stuck in a very awkward position and i have been using a couple of pillows to adjust my driving position. I have tried several auto repair shops in my locality but the parts for this particular problem is not available anywhere... Google, ebay, partsplus...there was no definitive cause of the problem since the power switch of the seat stopped functioning all of a sudden. I reported the problem to kia usa's customer service but they did nothing to address the problem.

Driver's side seat electric switch does not work driver's side mirror electric switch does not workboth keyless entry remotes keep losing their program.

I can not open the passenger door.

The contact owns a 2006 kia optima. The contact stated that he was unable to unlock and open the front driver's side door from the interior or exterior. After approximately twenty attempts, the contact was able to successfully unlock and open the door. The failure had since recurred on an intermittent basis. The vehicle was not taken to have the vehicle diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 45,000.

Driver's side door will not open from either the inside or the outside. This is the second time that this has occurred but i was able to finally get the door open before and disengaged the actuator. As long as no one locked the door, it worked fine, however; mother recently had work done on her car and when they returned it, they locked the door. I've spent numerous hours trying to get the door open so that i can replace the mechanism and actuator but have been unsuccessful. After looking online, this seem to be an ongoing issue with kia, this is a dangerous condition and needs to be looked into. Not sure how little elderly people are expected to safely get out of their vehicles in case of an emergency. (this happened while stationary on a flat, paved road).

Front passenger side door will mot open from the inside or outside causing you to be locked in the vehicle. Also when you try to open the door from inside the vehicle automatically locks the car. This is a safety hazard that needs to be address.

Hood released while in motion, folded back over windshield and roof top totally blinding driver while in motion.vehicle was in motion, traveling south on nc hwy 16 at a rate of 50 mph, two lane road.hood released and flew up, no known cause or effect.hood release and/or safety latch obviously released without cause or warning.

Door jam on rightback doorand sun visors on right passenger over view just drops down in the passenger or child view thats causes one to become fearful.

Rear lower control arm rusted through and broke in half causing it to drag on the ground and the tire to push outward

The contact owns a 2006 kia optima. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 mph, there was an abnormal noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. The contact pulled over and discovered that the rear passenger side of the vehicle was dragging on the ground. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the rear passenger side control arm had fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 129,000.

Oh rear lower swing arm supporting the spring broke letting the spring come out of position and letting the wheel tilt as if flat.the lower arm had rusted in two allowing this to happen.

Immediately after purchasing my 2006 kia optima, i noticed a distinct "clunking" sound emanating from the front suspension every time i encountered a sharp bump in the road. I complained to the dealer on several occasions and was told that "they are all like that." i do not consider this a satisfactory response.

Front suspension rattles, bounces not absorbing bumps and roadwell for a new car. Tires sound hollow over bumps, and ping also.tires have been replaced by kumho tire manufacture, but still havethe same problem. Dealer says there is no problem with the frontend of the car. I have been requesting help from dealer since i bought the car. The tire pressure monitoring system light is alwaysgoing on no matter if i have less air or more air in the tires, its become a real problem.

"takata recall"on or about october 16, 2015 i could not get out of my drivers side door...i was locked in.i am unable to unlock the door from the inside, or from the outside with my key.the door will not open and i have to climb across to the passenger side to get in and out.i don't know if it happened while i was driving down the road, or when i stopped.

I purchased my car brand new from the kia dealership and it has need the same repair on the same part 3 times (the clutch). The transmission in the 2006 kia optimais a vehicle defect.

Instrument panel is not working no speed no temp no rpm no fuel. Checked all fuses.

Auto lock issue. At 118,000 miles my autolocks started to automatically lock when i tried to unlocked them, essentially trapping me in the vehicle. As soon as i click unlock they immediately relook. If this isn't a safety issue in need of a recall i don't know what is. I've looked into the problem on other forums and it seems quite common. Yikes! please get this recall done!

My kia optima accelerator sensor went out about a week ago. It would not go above 20 miles an hour. I turned the ignition off and restarted it. When i did that, it took off like a jack rabbit without even touching the gas pedal. Dealership towed it for repairs. They said it was dangerous to drive. It was determined to be the accelerator throttle sensor. The defect was repaired and no further incidents have occurred to date.

Pulling out of my garage my car accelerated out of control at high speed backwards across the street into the side of my neighbor's house taking her electrical box, sprinkler motor and a/c unit down.the wire's were hot and i was advised to stay in the car until the firefighters arrived and the power shut down by the power company - scared to death of a fire or electrocution.

Driving down interstate and the car acts like im not giving it has i have to pull off road and cut off car and wait to restart sometime it clears up and sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it will do ok after restart and other to times it may go couple miles and do it again. Also my trunk latch doesn't work even when you try to pull the emergency open in trunk. My sister had same problem with her 07 optima.

The contact owns a 2006 kia optima. The contact stated that after fueling, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis. The technician stated that the throttle and the accelerator pedal would have to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 111,000. The vin was not available.

The contact owns a 2006 kia optima. The contact attempted to drive the vehicle after a cold start, the contact noticed that the vehicle would only accelerate at a very low speed and that the rpm's would not increase over 2000. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who stated that there was a loose connection on the throttle body or that the throttle body needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. There were no prior warnings. The failure mileage was 70000 and the current mileage was 73000.

After being lowered, the driver's side sun visor no longer can be returned to the up position and hangs in such a position as to obstruct the driver's vision.the sun visor has been little used and handled with care.it appears that the components of the sun visors are too fragile.

The visor on the passenger side won't stay up. This was fixed about 30,000 miles ago under warranty. It seems like a safety issue. I have driven a half million miles in my life and never had a problem with a visor. It must be defective. My passengers all hit their heads on it when entering and exiting the car. I have to remember to keep reminding them.it also blocks the visibility when making right turns.if i ever will have to stop short, i'm sure my passenger will hit his head on the visor. The company claims they are not responsible for anything after the warranty is up, even though it is a safety issue.there appear to be other similar complaints so maybe a recall should be issued.

Door jam on rightback doorand sun visors on right passenger over view just drops down in the passenger or child view thats causes one to become fearful.

Both sun visors would fall down while in the "up" position.dealer replaced both free of charge under warranty.

On my 2006.5 kia optima, on three separate occasions my sun visor mechanisms have broken internally, and would no longer remain in the up position, which has been a safety concern for methe passenger sun visor has broken at least once, and the driver side has broken at least twice.the first 2 times, the sun visor was replaced entirely under warranty.however, on the 3rd time, iwas out of warranty and had to purchase and install a new one myself. (purchased online for $80 shipped from a dealer.)this dealer offers the new sun visor replacement for a fair price, due to repeated requests, but many other parts vendors, including dealers and salvage yards, charge over $100 for the visor, even if used and taken off a wrecked car, as they know it is a frequently needed repair. Fortunately, it was not difficult to remove and replace, and i was able to do the work myself.

Both sun visors have failed working and will drop down in front of my face while i'm driving. I have never had an accident or misused them in any way. They just snapped upon opening. Many complains have been posted about this same problem on the internet and it's time someone steps up and reports this before an accident happens.

After being lowered, the driver's side sun visor no longer can be returned to the up position and hangs in such a position as to obstruct the driver's vision. The sun visor has been little used and handled with care. It appears that the components of the sun visors are too fragile. The dealership said the car now is not under warranty and wants $125.00 to fix it.this is the 2nd time this has happened. The firsttime was replaced under warranty.

Driver's side seat electric switch does not work driver's side mirror electric switch does not workboth keyless entry remotes keep losing their program.

The contact owns a 2006 kia optima.while driving approximately 10 mph in rainy conditions, the windshield wipers completely failed.prior to the failure, the contact detected a burning smell inside the passenger compartment.she was able to pull over and avoid a crash.she notified the dealer, but they have yet to inspect the vehicle.the contact has not filed a complaint with the manufacturer.the current and failure mileages were 16,803.

Oh rear lower swing arm supporting the spring broke letting the spring come out of position and letting the wheel tilt as if flat.the lower arm had rusted in two allowing this to happen.

Read more

2022-07-30 5 min.

Decoding Your Peugeot VIN Number: A Comprehensive Guide

2022-07-30 5 min.

Decoding Your Renault’s VIN Number: A Comprehensive Guide

2023-02-21 6 min.

Decode Your BMW's VIN: Discover Hidden Details

2023-02-19 5 min.

Do All Cars Have VIN Numbers? What You Need to Know

2023-02-20 5 min.

Learn How to Use CarVertical to Check Your Car’s History Like a Pro

2023-02-19 5 min.

What Is CarVertical And Why Is It Worth It

2023-02-22 5 min.

Smart Choice: Advantages & Tips for Purchasing Second-Hand Cars

2023-02-21 7 min.

CarVertical vs AutoDNA: Which Car History Check Service Is Better?

2023-02-18 5 min.

Safely Buying a Used Toyota Land Cruiser: Importance of VIN Check

2023-02-20 7 min.

Unravel Your SEAT Car: Detailed Guide for Decoding Your VIN Number

2022-07-30 5 min.

Expert Tips: Things to Consider When Buying a Used Vehicle

2023-02-21 5 min.

Unlock Your Mercedes' Secrets: Decoding the VIN Number Explained

About

This is the most popular VIN decoder tool website in the world, where you will find information about what a VIN code is, where to find a VIN code, what a VIN code means, etc., among other things, the basic VIN check on our website is free. We advise you to use CarVertical services to get accurate vehicle information.

CarVertical

It is the most popular VIN reporting provider in the world. The quality of CarVertical services is already taken advantage of by millions of people around the world. If you are interested in a good quality VIN check tool, then CarVertical is what you are looking for.

Enter VIN number

We found the following complaints for KIA OPTIMA (2006)

About

CarVertical

VIN check