2007 Kia Optima Visibility Problems

MY LOW BEAM LIGHTS HAVE NO VISIBILITY AND I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING ONLINE USED HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY BECAUSE IT COSTS $400 FOR BOTH SIDES THAT I DONT HAVE I REPLACED MY LOW AND HIGH BEAM BULBS THE HIGH BEAMS WORK JUST FINE BUT AS I WAS DOING RESEARCH A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF THIS MAKE AND MODEL HAVE THE SAME REOCCURRING PROBLEM I SEEN WHERE THEY HAVE RECALLED 2011 AND UP FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT I GUESS DECIDED TO NOT WORRY ABOUT THE OLDER MODELS I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT BUT THAT IS MY ONLY MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION FOR WORK AND MY DAUGHTERS NOW IT IS GETTING DARKER EARLIER AND I CAN'T AFFORD TO DRIVE AROUND WITH MY BRIGHT LIGHTS ON AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT WILL NOT GO OFF

NHTSA ID

11372805

Incident

Apr 20, 2020

Mileage

200,000 mi

HEADLIGHTS VERY DIM NO MATTER WHAT BULB YOU PUT IT. CANNOT SEE MORE THAN 3FT IN FRONT OF YOU WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. VISITED DO NOT STAY UP FALL DOWN BLOCKING VIEW

NHTSA ID

11299444

Incident

Jan 14, 2020

Mileage

195,000 mi

THE AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME 1 THE PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT WILL SAY ON WITH AN ADULT SITTING IN THE SEAT!!1 VISORS DO NOT STAY UP! HEADLIGHTS ARE VERY DIM . I'VE CHANGED THEM OUT TO A FEW DIFFERENT TYPES STILL DIM CANNOT SEE AT NIGHT

NHTSA ID

11204235

Incident

Dec 20, 2012

Mileage

150 mi

PASSENGER SUN VISOR STOPPED WORKING AND STAYS DOWN AFFECTING VISIBILITY ON RIGHT SIDE.

NHTSA ID

10825899

Incident

Oct 16, 2015

Mileage

89,000 mi

KNAGE123575112607 I TOOK MY CAR IN TODAY BECAUSE OF A LETTER I RECEIVED FOR A SERVICE CAMPAIGN. THERE ARE ALL SEVERAL PROBLEMS REGARDING MY BRAKES LOSS OF FLUIDS SEVERE CORROSION FLAKING OR SCALING OF METAL BRAKE PIPES AND I WAS TOLD THE WEATHER HAS CAUSED THAT WHEN I CALLED THE CONSUMER KIA PHONE NUMBER. I HAVE OIL LEAK FROM THE BACK OF THE ENGINE AND ROGERS VERY VERY RUSTY. BOTH FRONT STRUTS LEAKING. I TOOK MY CAR BACK TO KIA SUMMIT PLACE IN WATERFORD MICHIGAN. THIS IS WHERE I BOUGHT MY CAR. THEY TOLD ME THAT ALL OF THAT CORROSION WAS BECAUSE I LIVE IN MICHIGAN.

NHTSA ID

10786044

Incident

Oct 26, 2015

Mileage

146,809 mi

I BOUGJT THIS CAR IN 2014. I HAVE REPLACED BOTH LOW-BEAM HEADLIGHTS, TWICE, A BRAKE LIGHT, BOTH REAR BLINKERS, A FRONT BLINKER, AS WELL AS BOTH HIGHBEAMS. I HAVE NEVER REPLACED EVEN HALF THE NUMBER OF LIGHTS IN THE ENTIRE LIFETIME OF OWNERSHIP OF ANY VEHICLE I HAVE OWNED IN THE PAST. THIS IS AN OBVIOUS RECALL ISSUE BASED ON SAFETY AS WELL AS QUALITY IF KIA CARED. WHEN THE LIGHTS ARE WORKING I HAVE TO DRIVE WITH MY HIGH-BEAMS ON AND I NEVER GET FLASHED OR PULLED OVER. IT IS EXTREMELY HARD TO SEE VS. ANY OTHER VEHICLE. I HAVE HAD MANY FRIENDS AND FAMILY IN THE CAR AND HAVE SHARED THE STORY. AND EVERYONE SAYS THE SAME THING, ITS LIKE THE BRIGHTS IN THIS CAR IS EVERYONE ELSE'S REGULAR LIGHTS. IN FACT, MANY PEOPLE SAY THE HIGH-BEAMS ARE NOT AS BRIGHT AS MOST VEHICLES LOW-BEAMS. IT IS RIDICULOUS AND UNFAIR THAT US OWNERS HAVE TO SPEND $10-$35 ON A BULB OR TWO AN AVERAGE OF EVERY 5-8 WEEKS. CRAZY....KIA STEP UP AND FIX THIS QUALITY AND SAFETY ISSUE. GOV'T I GUESS WONT STEP IN WITHOUT SOMEONE DYING FIRST AND IT MAKING THE NEWS BECAUSE I SEE I AM NOT THE FIRST BY ANY MEANS, AND WONT BE THE LAST!

NHTSA ID

10734994

Incident

Jun 23, 2014

Mileage

118,000 mi

THE VISOR ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE CAR FAILS TO STAY UPRIGHT LIMITING VISIBILITY. THE HEADLIGHTS ARE SO POOR THAT IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE WHEN DRIVING ON A DARK ROAD AT NIGHT. IT'S TO THE POINT WHERE I DON'T DRIVE THE VEHICLE AT NIGHT BECAUSE THE ROAD LEADING OUT PROVIDES LITTLE TO NO LIGHT AND I WOULD CONSTANTLY HAVE TO RIDE WITH THE BRIGHT ON TO BE ABLE TO SEE INCLUDING THE FOG LIGHTS. BOTH ARE SAFETY CONCERNS THAT COULD POSSIBLY LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT OR SOMEONE BEING SERIOUSLY HURT. I'VE SEEN SEVERAL COMPLAINTS BUT NO FURTHER ACTIONS HAVE BEEN INITIATED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10629866

Incident

Sep 1, 2014

Mileage

111,000 mi

BOTH THE DRIVERS SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE VISORS WILL NOT STAY UP. THEY HANG DOWN MAKING IT UNABLE TO SEE THE SIGNAL LIGHTS. I HAVE READ NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS BUT HAVE NOT SEEN A RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10618855

Incident

Jul 1, 2013

Mileage

77,000 mi

THE MECHANISM INSIDE THE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR BROKE AND THE VISOR WILL NO LONGER STAY UP. THIS BLOCKS VISIBILITY TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I SEARCHED FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET AND FIND THAT IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 2006-2008 KIA OPTIMA AND ALSO HYUNDAI THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL SO KIA REPLACES THESE VISORS BEFORE THEY BREAK AND EVEN AFTER WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. IF THE VISOR BREAKS WHILE SOMEONE IS DRIVING IT CAN CREATE A HAZARD AS THEY DRIVER CAN'T SEE OR NEEDS TO HOLD THE VISOR UP WITH ONE HAND WHILE TRYING TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10562477

Incident

Jan 25, 2014

Mileage

80,105 mi

DRIVER SIDE VISOR CEASED TO REMAIN UPRIGHT WHEN FLIPPED UP OUT OF THE WAY. ONLY WAY TO KEEP FROM BLOCKING MY VIEW WAS TO FLIP IT OVER TO THE LEFT SIDE. A FEW MONTHS LATER, SAME THING HAPPENED WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE SUN VISOR. KIA NEVER RECALLED THIS ITEM, BUT IT HAS FAILED ON THOUSANDS OF THEIR VEHICLES. DEALER WANTED OVER $500 TO REPAIR. INSTEAD, I SEARCHED ONLINE AND FOUND NEW REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR $206.50. I ORDERED THEM AND REPLACED THE VISORS MYSELF--I SEARCHED AND FOUND DIAGRAMS FROM KIA'S PARTS INVENTORY AND FOUND POSTS ONLINE FROM OTHERS WHO'D HAD TO REPLACE THEIRS WHO EXPLAINED THAT YOU POP OFF THE OVAL-SHAPED PIECE HOLDING THE ARM OF THE VISOR WITH A BUTTER KNIFE (SLIP IT UNDERNEATH) OR FLAT-BLADE SCREWDRIVER TO ACCESS THE SCREW UNDERNEATH AND UNSCREW TO REMOVE THE OLD VISOR AND SCREW IN THE NEW ONE IN ITS PLACE. MY CAR WAS OUTSIDE THE WARRANTY PERIOD AND YET ONLY HAD APPROXIMATELY 36,000 MILES ON IT (I ALTERNATE DRIVING ANOTHER VEHICLE); THIS PART SHOULD NOT HAVE FAILED SO SOON. GIVEN THAT SO MANY OF THESE FAILED SO EARLY ON, KIA SHOULD RECALL AND REPLACE THEM FREE AND THEY SHOULD REIMBURSE THOSE OF US WHO'VE ALREADY REPLACED THEM OR HAD THEM REPLACED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10532929

Incident

Aug 1, 2011

Mileage

36,000 mi

AFTER REGULAR USE, BOTH SUN VISORS HAVE LOST THEIR TENSION. ALSO ON THE DRIVER SIDE THE CYLINDER THAT CLIPS INTO THE HOLDER AT THE TOP JUST CRACKED AND BROKE OFF. THEY WILL NOT STAY UP, AND JUST FLOP AROUND. I CAN NOT SEE WHEN I AM APPROACHING A STOPLIGHT IF IT IS RED/YELLOW/ETC.IF I PUSH IT TO THE SIDE , IT HITS ME OVER THE SIDE OF THE HEAD WHEN I MAKE A TURN. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND KIA NEEDS TO STEP UP AND DO THE RIGHT THING HERE. TO REPLACE BOTH WOULD COST ME ABOUT $200 OR MORE, WHICH I SIMPLY DO NOT HAVE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10532102

Incident

May 1, 2013

Mileage

80,000 mi

PASSENGER SIDE VISOR WILL NOT FOLD UP OUT-OF-THE-WAY. THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME SORT OF TENSION PREVENTING THE VISOR FROM BEING PLACED IN THE FOLD-UP POSITION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10526155

Incident

Feb 1, 2013

Mileage

26,059 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR WOULD NOT REMAIN UPRIGHT, IMPAIRING THE CONTACT'S VISIBILITY OF THE ROADWAY. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SUN VISOR ALSO BEGAN TO PRESENT THE SAME FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE SUN VISORS WERE NOT REPLACED. THE FAILURE WAS REPORTED TO THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 77,000.

NHTSA ID

10524225

Incident

Jan 1, 2013

Mileage

75,000 mi

THE VISOR ON THE DRIVER SIDE ALL OF A SUDDEN DOES NOT STAY IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION. IT JUST HANGS OBSTRUCTING MY VIEW. THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED BECAUSE I HAVE READ THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM FOR KIA OPTIMA'S. THE DEALERSHIP IS GOING TO CHARGE ME OVER $200 TO REPLACE IT AND I DID NOTHING TO BREAK IT. I JUST USE THE VISOR NORMALLY AND DO NOT HANG ANYTHING FROM IT. I WAS DRIVING NORMALLY ONE DAY AND IT JUST FELL DOWN. MY CAR IS A LITTLE OVER 5 YEARS OLD SO IT IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND I JUST FINISHED PAYING IT OFF SO THIS IS VERY UPSETTING. I FEEL THAT IF THE DRIVER'S VIEW IS OBSTRUCTED THEN IT SHOULD BE RECALLED AND REPLACED WITH A NEW WORKING PART. IT IS VERY DISTRACTING TO DRIVE WITH THE VISOR DOWN ALL THE TIME. IT GETS IN THE WAY. MANY PEOPLE PROBABLY DO NOT REALIZE THEY CAN REPORT THIS ISSUE SO I AM PROVIDING SOME LINKS FOR FORUMS WHERE PEOPLE ARE STATING SIMILAR PROBLEMS. PLEASE REPORT THIS ISSUE. THIS PART NEEDS TO BE RECALLED BECAUSE IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE! HTTP://WWW.CARPROBLEMZOO.COM/KIAMOTOR/OPTIMA/WIPER-PROBLEMS.PHP HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/KIA/OPTIMA/2006/ACCESSORIES-INTERIOR/SUN_VISORS_WILL_NOT_STAY_FOLDED_UP.SHTML HTTP://WWW.ARFC.ORG/COMPLAINTS/2007/KIA/OPTIMA/VISIBILITY/PROBLEM.ASPX. *TR

NHTSA ID

10522645

Incident

Jun 3, 2013

Mileage

62,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SUN VISORS WOULD FALL FROM THEIR HOUSING SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS ADVISED THAT THE SUN VISORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 76,450. *TR

NHTSA ID

10514129

Incident

Mar 27, 2013

Mileage

76,000 mi

BOTH SUN VISORS ARE UNABLE TO STAY IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION. I WAS UNABLE TO USE BOTH VISORS AS THEY WOULD HANG LOOSELY DOWNWARD FLAPPING ABOUT AIMLESSLY WHILE DRIVING. I HAD TO ANCHOR THEM TO THE ROOF OF THE CAR TO DRIVE. DEALER STATES COST TO REPAIR IS ALMOST $500.00 AND THEY NEED MY CAR FOR THE DAY. PARTS MUST BE ORDERED TWO WEEKS IN ADVANCE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10504988

Incident

Mar 5, 2013

BOTH SUN VISORS BROKE AND WILL NOT OPERATE

NHTSA ID

10504177

Incident

Jan 3, 2012

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR CONTAINS A DEFECTIVE COMPONENT AND DOESN'T REMAIN IN A LOCKED POSITION. WHEN I TRY TO MOVE IT TO THE LOCKED POSITION AGAINST THE CEILING, IT FALLS DOWN INTO CLEAR SIGHT. THIS IS GREAT WHEN THE SUN IS IN YOUR EYES, BUT NOT DURING ALL OTHER TIMES. IT SEVERELY DECREASES VISION WHILE DRIVING. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ON THE WEB AND KIA SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE ISSUE, BUT THEY HAVE OFFERED NO RESOLUTION OR RECALL FOR THEIR DEFECTIVE SUN VISOR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10496212

Incident

Feb 1, 2013

Mileage

37,475 mi

KIA IS FULLY AWARE OF A PROBLEM WITH THEIR SUN VISORS. A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH WILL TURN UP THOUSANDS OF CASES. THE VISOR COMPONENTS BREAK CAUSING THEM TO HANG LOOSE, OBSTRUCTING VISION. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. THE DEFECT HAS EXISTED FOR A LONG TIME (MY WIFE?S 2003 SORRENTO EXPERIENCED THE ISSUE IN 2004) AND IT CONTINUES TODAY. MY 2007 OPTIMA HAS BOTH VISORS HANGING PRESENTLY. THERE IS NO RECALL ON THESE VISORS, AND THE COST TO REPAIR THEM IS 100-200 EACH. *TR

NHTSA ID

10487611

Incident

Oct 19, 2012

Mileage

83,000 mi

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR WILL NO LONGER STAY IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION. I DROOP ABOUT HALF WAY DOWN OBSCURING VISION. MUST BE HELD UP BY HAND. *TR

NHTSA ID

10481996

Incident

Oct 22, 2012

Mileage

60,300 mi

SUNVISORS BOTH WILL NOT STAY UP. *TR

NHTSA ID

10474498

Incident

Sep 10, 2012

Mileage

65,000 mi

MY 2007 KIA OPTIMA HAS HAD BOTH SUN VISORS BREAK MAKING THEM UNABLE TO REMAIN IN THE UPWARD POSITION. INITIALLY THE PASSENGER SIDE VISOR BROKE AND SEVERAL MONTHS LATER THE DRIVER SIDE BROKE. IT MADE IT DIFFICULT TO SEE TRAFFIC LIGHTS WHEN STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION SO I HELD THEM UP WITH THE EXTENDED VISOR IN THE VISOR. I WOULD REPLACE THEM BUT THEY ARE EXPENSIVE AND I FEEL THAT THIS PROBLEM SHOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED BECAUSE THEY WERE USED NORMALLY, I DO NOT ATTACH ANYTHING TO THE VISORS AND THEY WERE USUALLY UP. I HAVE READ MANY COMPLAINTS ON THIS ISSUE AND DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL ON THE VISORS. THIS IS A MATTER OF SAFETY IN MY OPINION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10465683

Incident

Apr 8, 2010

Mileage

35,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR FELL, OBSTRUCTING THE DRIVER'S VISION OF THE ROADWAY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THEY WOULD COVER THE REPLACEMENT OF THE SUN VISOR UNDER WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED SHORTLY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED A SECOND TIME FOR THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,000.

NHTSA ID

10457027

Incident

Jul 15, 2010

Mileage

33,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE SUN VISORS WOULD FALL FROM THEIR HOUSING SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE SUN VISORS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,000.

NHTSA ID

10455214

Incident

Jan 13, 2011

Mileage

59,000 mi

DRIVERS SIDE SUN VISOR WILL NOT STAY UP OR POSITION ... SHOULD BE WARRANTY ISSUE EVEN @ 80,000 MILES. NO EXCESS USE OR ABUSE. JUST NORMAL EVERYDAY USE! *TR

NHTSA ID

10449464

Incident

Jun 1, 2011

Mileage

80,000 mi