Owner-reported complaints naming the interior system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2006 Kia Optima submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 31 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 31, in the owner's own words
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.
TL* 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.
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. *TR
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 WHILE AT THE SAME TIME PULLING ON THE HANDLE UNTIL THE RIGHT COMBINATION OF FORCE AND TIMING ALLOW THE DOOR TO BE OPENED. *TR
TL* 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.
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 TEAR EATING 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. *TR
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. *TR
TL* 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.
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. *TR
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. *TR
TL* 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*LJ THE 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 *JS
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... *TR
TL* 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.
TL* 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.
TL* 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.
MY 2006 KIA OPIMAL DRIVER SIDE DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK. *TR
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 DRIVERS DOOR WITH DOOR BUTTON OR HANDLE. IN AN ACCIDENT, THIS DOOR FLAW COULD PREVENT THE DRIVER FROM ESCAPING QUICKLY. NO ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN TO CORRECT PROBLEM TO DATE. I WILL HAVE THE DOOR LATCH SYSTEM REPLACED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. *TR
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 . *TR
TL*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 NOT UNLOCK SO THAT THE PASSENGER COULD GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE WARRANTY EXPIRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.
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. *TR
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. *TR
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. *TR
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 THIS 2006 KIA OPTIMA , CONSTANTLY BULBS FOR TAILLIGHT BLOW. *TR
DOOR JAM ON RIGHT BACK DOOR AND SUN VISORS ON RIGHT PASSENGER OVER VIEW JUST DROPS DOWN IN THE PASSENGER OR CHILD VIEW THATS CAUSES ONE TO BECOME FEARFUL. *TR
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 THE INSIDE. 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. *TR
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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