2009 Kia Optima Airbags Problems

The airbags did not deploy while the car was being driven at 65 mph on Interstate 275 S and crashed into a wall barrier. Since the airbags did not deploy, the driver's head was thrown around because the rest of his body was held firm by the seat belt. The driver was transported by ambulance to the hospital. After several tests, it was determined that the driver suffered a broken neck and spinal damage and must wear as an Aspen neck brace for 6 weeks and then be examined by a Neurosurgeon to determine if there is any further damage or additional medical care is required. The driver is unable to work until released by a Neurosurgeon. The car was declared a total loss.

NHTSA ID

11433866

Incident

Sep 8, 2021

TL* THE CONTACT CALLED ON BEHALF OF HIS DECEASED DAUGHTER WHO WAS DRIVING A 2009 KIA OPTIMA. THE DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED AND WENT INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC, WENT DOWN AN EMBANKMENT AND CRASHED INTO A TREE HEAD ON WHERE THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP. THE EXACT EVENTS WERE UNCERTAIN. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. AS A RESULT, THE DAUGHTER WAS TRANSPORTED TO A HOSPITAL WHERE SHE WAS PRONOUNCED DECEASED. THE FRONT PASSENGER SUSTAINED A FRACTURED FEMUR AND THE REAR PASSENGER SUSTAINED UNKNOWN INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION CENTER (RIVERSIDE COLLISION CENTER LOCATED ON 1441 SOUTH BRANCH RIVER RD, ROMNEY, WV 26757) WHERE THEY WERE REFUSING TO RELEASE THE VEHICLE UNLESS THE MANUFACTURER REPURCHASED IT. THE VEHICLE WAS CURRENTLY IN POSSESSION OF THE COLLISION CENTER. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. *LN*JB*DT*JB*DT*DT*JB*DT*DT*JB*DT*JB*DT*JB*DT*JB*DT*DT*DT*DT

NHTSA ID

11317876

Incident

Feb 25, 2020

THE AIRBAG (SRS) WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON AT ABOUT 88,200 MILES IN OCTOBER, 2018. I FIRST NOTICED THIS WHILE DRIVING BUT THE LIGHT STAYED ON EVER SINCE THEN. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A KIA DEALER WHO CHECKED THE VEHICLE'S DIAGNOSTIC CODE (B1346) AND TOLD ME THE AIRBAG CLOCK SPRING WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED . THIS WAS DONE AFTER THEY ORDERED THE PART FOR A TOTAL COST TO ME OF $329.72. THE CLOCK SPRING PROBLEM WAS COVERED UNDER A RECALL FOR 2008 OPTIMAS AND SOME OTHER KIA MODELS. SINCE THE SRS SYSTEM MAY NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY WITH A FAULTY AIR BAG CLOCK SPRING, THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY COMPONENT PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE COVERED BY KIA LIKE IT WAS FOR PREVIOUS MODEL YEARS.

NHTSA ID

11144815

Incident

Oct 1, 2018

Mileage

88,200 mi

SRS LIGHT CAME ON WHILE STATIONARY AND CONTINUED WHILE VEHICLE IS RUNNING..NOW IT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME. NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES THEY RESET IT COMES BACK NEXT DAY AND STAYS ON.

NHTSA ID

11112018

Incident

Jul 13, 2018

Mileage

114,856 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED (UNIVERSITY KIA, 6519 UNIVERSITY DR NW, HUNTSVILLE, AL 35806, (256) 217-1700) TO INSPECT AND DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,913.

NHTSA ID

11013923

Incident

Aug 7, 2017

Mileage

94,913 mi

AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON AND WE'VE BEEN TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT IT'S A FAULTY CLOCK SPRING IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THERE WAS A RECALL UP TO 2008 OPTIMA'S FOR THIS ISSUE BUT NOT THE 2009. THIS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AS A KNOWN ISSUE AS I'VE SEEN MANY COMPLAINTS. IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE THAT KIA SHOULD PAY SINCE THE AIRBAG MAY NOT DEPLOY AN IT'S AN EXPENSIVE REPLACEMENT AND SPECIAL ORDER. THE DEALER WILL NOT COVER THIS REPLACEMENT.

NHTSA ID

11011323

Incident

Jul 28, 2017

Mileage

88,000 mi

MY CAR HAS 60,603 MILES ON IT THE SRS LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED IT HAS REMAINED ON FOR THE PAST WEEK. I HAVE NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. AFTER EXTENSIVE ONLINE RESEARCH I'VE NOTICED THAT THERE WERE THOUSANDS OF KIA'S RECALLED ALL THE WAY UP TO 2008 FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM AS IT STANDS NOW ALTHOUGH IT'S A KNOWN PROBLEM IT WILL NOT BE COVERED UNDER ANY HUNDRED THOUSAND MILES WARRANTY.

NHTSA ID

10994142

Incident

Jun 2, 2017

Mileage

60,603 mi

AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON. THIS IS APPARENTLY AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH 2009 OPTIMAS

NHTSA ID

10913802

Incident

Sep 29, 2016

Mileage

75,000 mi

AIRBAG LIGHT CAME BACK ON, AFTER PASSENGER MAT REPLACED ON RECALL. THEY FOUND CODES B1346 AND B1481 FOR DRIVER'S AIRBAG RESISTANCE TOO HIGH FOR STAGES 1 AND 2. NEED TO DIAGNOSE IF AIRBAG IS FAULTY OR CLOCK SPRING.

NHTSA ID

10908403

Incident

Sep 21, 2016

Mileage

75,680 mi

TOOK 2009 KIA TO DEALERSHIP, TUESDAY, AUGUST 2, 2016 BECAUSE OF AIR BAG ILLUMINATION. WAS TOLD IT WAS TWO THINGS. THE OCS MAT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT WAS DEFECTIVE AND THE CLOCK SPRING ASSEMBLY LOCATED IN THE STEERING COLUMN. KIA ISSUED A RECALL ON THE 2008 OPTIMA FOR THIS VERY SAME ISSUE (CLOCK SPRING ASSEMBLY). THE RECALL SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO INCLUDE THE 2009 KIA OPTIMA. WE DID, HOWEVER, RECEIVE A LETTER FROM KIA REGARDING THE OCS MAT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. UNFORTUNATELY, KIA WILL NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIR EVEN THOUGH THEY KNOW IT IS A DEFECT ON THEIR PART. PRICES FOR REPAIR? OVER $1,500. THESE TWO ITEMS ARE CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE AND KIA NEEDS TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE REPAIR THESE SAFETY ISSUES. THESE ISSUES DID NOT OCCUR BECAUSE OF MISUSE - THEY ARE OCCURRING AND HAVE OCCURRED BECAUSE OF KNOWN DEFECTS.

NHTSA ID

10895227

Incident

Aug 2, 2016

Mileage

60,000 mi

THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT STAYS ILLUMINATED. RECEIVED LETTER FROM KIA IN JULY 2016 THAT IT WOULD EXTEND THE WARRANTY COVERAGE FOR THIS ISSUE. IT STATED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE IN AND HAVE IT CHECKED AND THAT IF ANY PROBLEMS IT WOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF. IN REALITY, THAT IS NOT TRUE. ONLY IF YOU PURCHASED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY WOULD THESE KNOWN AIR BAG ISSUES BE HANDLED BY KIA. THE COST TO REPAIR? $1,500.

NHTSA ID

10895023

Incident

Aug 11, 2016

Mileage

60,000 mi

SEATBELT LIGHT IS ON. DEALER SAYS IT'S A CLOCK SPRING THAT'S NOT UNDER MY WARRANTY OR EXTENDED WARRANTY AND WILL COST $335.00 ON TOP OF THE $84.00 I PAID FOR DIAGNOSIS. IT APPEARS THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON 2009'S AND THERE WAS A RECALL ON 2008'S FOR THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10885306

Incident

Jul 15, 2016

Mileage

65,000 mi

AIRBAG LIGHT HAS COME ON, WON'T GO OFF AND NOW EHICLE WON'T PASS STATE INSPECTION.

NHTSA ID

10883726

Incident

Jul 8, 2016

AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON. NOTHING HAPPENS ON THE VEHICLE

NHTSA ID

10873729

Incident

Jun 2, 2016

Mileage

5 mi

MY COMPLAINT REGARDS THE AIR BAG SYSTEM. THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON IN 2015 AND HAS REMAINED ON. MY CAR WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION WITH THE LIGHT ON AND WHILE KIA RECALLED THE 2008 MODELS, THEY HAVE NOT RECALLED THE 2009 MODELS DESPITE MULTIPLE REPORTS OF ISSUES WITH BOTH THE AIR BAGS AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT. LAST YEAR, THE DEALER FOUND A LOOSE SENSOR THAT THEY RECONNECTED, IN ORDER FOR THE CAR TO PASS INSPECTION. HOWEVER, THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON THE NEXT DAY. AT THIS POINT, I DON'T KNOW IF MY AIR BAGS ARE FUNCTIONING PROPERLY AND I'M STUCK BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WON'T PASS INSPECTION. THE DATE IS ESTIMATED AS IT HAPPENED BETWEEN JUNE 2014 AND JUNE 2015 WHEN I WAS UP FOR MY NEXT INSPECTION.

NHTSA ID

10864996

Incident

Jan 1, 2015

Mileage

68,000 mi

THE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON SINCE THE MIDDLE OF 2013 AND THE DEALERSHIP WHEN ASKED DURING EACH OIL CHANGE IS WE WILL CHECK IT OUT. EVER SINCE I HAVE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE THERE HAS BEEN PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

10839971

Incident

May 6, 2013

WHILE HITTING SEVERAL TREES IN MY KIA OPTIMA, GOING ABOUT 45MPH, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. MY INSURANCE COMPANY SAID FROM THEIR EXPERIENCE AND FROM LOOKING AT THE DAMAGE OF THE CAR, THEY ALSO THINK THE AIR BAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. HOWEVER, NOBODY WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED, NO THANKS TO THE AIR BAGS.

NHTSA ID

10789825

Incident

Sep 26, 2015

Mileage

95,000 mi

FOR A LONG TIME, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON. WE HAVE TAKEN THE KIA TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS. EACH ONE SAID THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE AIR BAG AND TURNED OFF THE WARNING LIGHT. BOTH DEALERSHIPS SAID THAT, IF YOU PUT A CELL PHONE ON A KIA CAR SEAT, THAT WILL SET OFF THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT EVEN THOUGH NOTHING IS WRONG WITH THE CAR SEAT. THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT COMES ON WHENEVER WE START THE CAR AND STAYS ON THE ENTIRE TIME, UNTIL WE TAKE IT TO A DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE LIGHT TURNED OFF DURING REGULAR SERVICE DEPARTMENT HOURS. THIS MEANS THAT WE DON'T HAVE AN AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT, BECAUSE, IF IT'S ON ALL THE TIME, WE WILL NEVER KNOW WHEN WE DO HAVE AN AIR BAG PROBLEM. SINCE OUR FORD AND OUR HYUNDAI NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM WHEN WE PUT A CELL PHONE ON THE CAR SEAT, THIS IS CLEARLY A DESIGN FLAW IN THE KIA AIR BAG WARNING SYSTEM. BECAUSE YOUR FORM ONLY ALLOWS ONE DATE AND MILEAGE ENTRY, I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE TOOK OUR KIA TO KING KIA ON 09/26/2014, WHEN THE MILEAGE WAS 68,239, AND TO HERSON'S KIA ON 10/21/2015, WHEN THE MILEAGE WAS 71,649. SO KIA HAS NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM. UPDATED 12/18/15*LJ *TR

NHTSA ID

10788142

Incident

Oct 21, 2015

Mileage

71,649 mi

THE AIRBAG LIGHT HAS BEEN CLEARED 3 TIMES AND IT KEEPS COMING ON. THEY RECALLED THERE 2008 MODELS AND MY CAR WAS MADE IT 2008, AND I SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE ONLINE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, THEY NEED TO RECALL 2009 MODELS.

NHTSA ID

10735238

Incident

May 1, 2015

Mileage

58,000 mi

THERE IS AN EXISTING RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM FOR THIS MODEL UP TO MANUFACTURE DATE OF JAN 2008 (SC094). HOWEVER, MY VEHICLE MANUFACTURED OCT 2008 EXHIBITS THE SAME FAILURE. I BELIEVE THIS RECALL SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO THE 2009 MODEL YEAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10668318

Incident

Oct 3, 2014

Mileage

78,000 mi

THE AIRBAG LIGHT COME ON AT AROUND 84000 MILES. WHEN THE ERROR CODE WAS READ, IT WAS CONSISTENT WITH FAULTY OCS MAT ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE (B1448). IT SEEMS TO BE AN EXTREMELY COMMON PROBLEM OF MANY KIA VEHICLES WITH POTENTIALLY SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERNS, YET THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT ISSUE A RECALL. THE ONLY SOLUTION SEEMS TO BE THE REPLACEMENT OF THE MAT ($1700-2000), WITH ABSOLUTELY NO GUARANTEE THAT IT WILL NOT MALFUNCTION AFTER 10 MILES (THE ELECTRIC SENSOR OF THE MAT CAN INTERFERE WITH ELECTRONIC DEVICES NEARBY). *TR

NHTSA ID

10666973

Incident

Nov 28, 2014

SHORTLY AFTER WE PURCHASED THIS CAR THE AIR BAG (SRS) LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. TOOK IT BACK TO DEALER. SCAN TEST FOUND CODE B1447 OC ECU DEFECT, FOUND POOR CONNECTION AT CONTROL UNIT. THEY CLEARED THE CODE AND STATED THE UNIT WAS WORKING NOW AS DESIGNED. EVERYTHING GOOD UNTIL 10/6/14, 57000MI., 52 DAYS OUT OF BASIC WARRANTY. CALLED KIA DEALER, WANTED TO SCAN IT FOR $95.00. SAID THEY WOULD APPLY SCAN FEE TO REPAIR BILL. (ILL BET THEY WOULD!) TOOK IT TO A LOCAL TECH. WHO HAS A HIGH TECH SCANNER. I DON'T HAVE THE CODE BUT HE TOLD ME IT HAS A DEFECTIVE PRESSURE SENSOR IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AND IT WOULD BE AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR. I THINK ITS HIGH TIME KIA DOES THE RIGHT THING AND OWNS UP TO ITS ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THIS LIFE-SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10650849

Incident

Jan 12, 2009

Mileage

4,018 mi

AIR BAG LIGHT FLICKERED ON AND OFF FOR A FEW DAYS THEN CAME ON PERMANENTLY. I LATER HEARD ABOUT THE RECALL: NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V014000, AIR BAG CLOCK SPRING ASSEMBLY. THAT ONLY COVERED KIA 2006 THRU 2008. IT APPEARS THAT 2009 SHOULD BE INCLUDED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10638736

Incident

Jul 13, 2014

Mileage

80,000 mi

THE BATTERY DIED IN MY 2009 KIA OPTIMA AND UPON REPLACING BATTERY THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. IT WAS TAKEN TO A KIA DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS BECAUSE WE CHANGED THE BATTERY. THE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS RESET. ABOUT A WEEK LATER IT CAME ON AGAIN AND WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND RESET AGAIN. IT CAME BACK ON THE NEXT DAY AND WAS AGAIN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AT WHAT TIME WE WERE TOLD THAT IT WAS THE B1382 & B1481 AIRBAG PROBLEMS AND THAT IT WAS GOING TO COST OVER $1200.00 TO FIX. WHY WOULD CHANGING THE BATTERY CAUSE THESE PROBLEMS? I HAD ONLY PURCHASED THE CAR 18 MONTHS BEFORE THIS INCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10559353

Incident

Aug 23, 2013

Mileage

70,100 mi

VEHICLE AIR BAG TROUBLE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON DASHBOARD. WHEN BROUGHT TO THE DEALER, WE WERE TOLD THAT A SEAT SENSOR WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF $1500. THIS IS ON TOP OF A RECENT $2700 TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT ON THE SAME VEHICLE ONE MONTH PRIOR. SINCE WE ARE STILL PAYING FOR THE TRANSMISSION REPAIR, WE CHOSE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE WITHOUT THE AIR BAG SYSTEM FUNCTIONING PROPERLY WHICH WE REALIZE IS A SAFETY ISSUE, BUT WE CANNOT AFFORD ANOTHER EXPENSIVE KIA REPAIR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10532072

Incident

Jun 4, 2013

Mileage

65,000 mi