RoadVitals

2009 Kia Optima Driver assistance Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Driver assistance reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
18
Latest Apr 13, 2016
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
16%
of 116 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2009 Kia Optima submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 18 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.

Owner reports naming driver-assistance

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Apr 13, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE VIOLENTLY JERKED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT EXCESSIVE FORCE WAS REQUIRED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO COME TO A STOP. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED WHILE APPROACHING A STOP SIGN, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND FAILED TO STOP. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID
10855265
Incident
Apr 13, 2016
BrakesDriver assistanceExterior lighting
Filed Dec 19, 2015

WHILE I WAS NOT NOTIFIED ABOUT A RECALL, UNTIL RECENTLY, THE DEALER ADVISED MY INFORMATION WAS PROBABLY NOT PASSED ON TO THE PROPER AUTHORITIES FROM THE PREVIOUS OWNER. I WENT TO THE KIA DEALER IN CRYSTAL RIVER AND THEY SUPPOSEDLY PUT A NEW BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH ON MY VEHICLE AND WHEN I LEFT THE DEALERSHIP MY ABS/ESC LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH AND MY CAR STARTED DOING ALL KINDS OF FUNNY THINGS LIKE VIBRATING AND SHUTTERING UNDER THE GAS PEDAL. YOU KNOW YOU COULD FEEL THE SHUTTERING ON THE GAS PEDAL. AT THAT POINT I HAD NO BRAKES AND BARELY STOPPED. I THOUGHT IT WAS ONLY A TEMPORARY THING BUT NOW ITS DOING IT ALL THE TIME AND I CAN'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE CAR AT ALL. I STILL OWE ALMOST 9000.00 DOLLARS AND CAN'T AFFORD A COSTLY REPAIR FROM A RECALL.. I HAVE SPOKE WITH SOME PEOPLE AND THEY ADVISED THAT THE RECALL HAS BEEN CAUSING THE ECS TO MALFUNCTION IN MANY CASES AND CAUSED THE STABILITY OF THE CAR AND ABS TO ACT UP.

NHTSA ID
10811256
Incident
Dec 15, 2015
Mileage
133,560 mi
BrakesDriver assistanceSteering
Filed Dec 2, 2014

THE ESC ALARM CAME ON AND THE CAR BEGAN SHUDDERING. I TRIED TO BRAKE BUT IT SEEMED TO MAKE THE SHUDDERING WORSE. IT BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER SO I COASTED THE VEHICLE.TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND WAITED A FEW MINUTES. I TURNED THE IGNITION AGAIN AND THE CAR CAME ON FIRST TRY BUT THE ESC ALARM WAS STILL ILLUMINATED AND USUALLY IS ALTHOUGH IT TURNS OFF FROM TIME TO TIME. *JS

NHTSA ID
10661501
Incident
Oct 15, 2014
Mileage
65,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Oct 1, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2009 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE HESITATED AND SUDDENLY ACCELERATED RAPIDLY. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO IMMEDIATELY ENGAGE THE BRAKE PEDAL AND STOP THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,858. ..UPDATED 11/17/14 *BF

NHTSA ID
10640596
Incident
Sep 1, 2014
Mileage
88,858 mi
BrakesDriver assistancePowertrain (other)
Filed Jul 12, 2014

WHEN I BRAKE AND SLOW DOWN MY KIA OPTIMA AND IT GETS TO 20 MPH OR LOWER, IT WILL JERK SUDDENLY AS IF THE TRANSMISSION IS CHANGING ABRUPTLY AND DANGEROUSLY. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE AND NOT JUST A RECENT OCCURRENCE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10610081
Incident
Jul 9, 2014
Mileage
83,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Feb 1, 2014

THE CAR JERKS VIOLENTLY FORWARD AS IT DOWNSHIFTS AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH. THE SHIFT IS STRONG ENOUGH TO THROW A PERSON THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD IF YOU WERE NOT WEARING A SEAT BELT. THERE ARE MANY OTHER PEOPLE WITH THIS SAME ISSUE AND KIA SHOULD FACE THIS ISSUE AND RECALL THESE CARS.. THEY ARE DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE FIXED. I COULD EASILY SEE THIS CAUSING AN ACCIDENT, ESPECIALLY IN BAD WEATHER. *TR

NHTSA ID
10562503
Incident
Dec 31, 2013
Mileage
28,500 mi
BrakesDriver assistanceElectrical+1 more
Filed Nov 23, 2013

PER NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 13V114 I TOOK MY 2009 KIA OPTIMA TO KOONS KIA IN WOODBRIDGE ON 11/21/2013 TO REPLACE MY VEHICLE'S STOP LAMP SWITCH. THE NEXT DAY I NOTICED THAT AFTER APPLYING THE BRAKES FOR THE FIRST TIME THE BRAKE LIGHTS ARE CONTINUOUSLY ILLUMINATED AND REMAIN ILLUMINATED AFTER I HAVE SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AND THE IGNITION SWITCH IS IN THE OFF POSITION. ANOTHER PROBLEM IS THAT THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY COMES ON. BOTH OF THE ABOVE PROBLEMS AROSE AFTER THE 11/21/2013 STOP LAMP SWITCH REPLACEMENT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10553555
Incident
Nov 22, 2013
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Sep 3, 2013

I WAS BACKING UP TO PART MY VEHICLE AND PULLED FORWARD TO STRAIGHTEN OUT THE CAR. WHILE PULLING FORWARD I APPLIED MY BRAKE AND THE ENGINE ACCELERATED - I THEN SLAMMED MY BRAKE AND THE CAR STOPPED. I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE AND PARKED. TURNED THE CAR BACK ON AND CAREFULLY MOVED FORWARD INCIDENT DID NOT REPEAT. TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP AT BURDICK DRIVERS VILLAGE IN CICERO, NY AND DIAGNOSTICS RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. THERE IS CURRENTLY A RECALL FOR HYUNDAI ELANTRA FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE FAULTY PART NUMBERS. I HAVE MY OLD BRAKE SWITCH AND IF IT MATCHES THE RECALLED ONES I WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED. MY SON ALSO HAS A 2009 OPTIMA AND IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS. *JB

NHTSA ID
10538464
Incident
Aug 30, 2013
Mileage
70,459 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Aug 7, 2013

THE ESC LIGHT HAS BEEN COMING ON FOR ABOUT 7 MONTHS. TOOK CAR IN TO COWBOY KIA AND WAS TOLD CAR IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, AND THERE WILL BE A $90.00 DIAGNOSTIC FEE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10534083
Incident
Jan 7, 2011
Mileage
60,000 mi
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Jul 24, 2013

1ST ESC OFF LIGHT CAME ON & STAYED ON, PRESSING ESC BUTTON DID NOTHING. CRUISE CONTROL BEGAN NOT WORKING. BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT WORK. BLINKERS WORK, BUT NO BRAKE LIGHTS. FUSES & BULBS HAVE BEEN CHECKED AND NONE ARE BLOWN. *TR

NHTSA ID
10531703
Incident
Mar 4, 2013
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Apr 8, 2013

THE VEHICLE LURCHES WHEN SLOWING DOWN BETWEEN 2ND GEAR AND 1ST GEAR. THE LURCH IS STRONG ENOUGH TO JERK PASSENGERS FORWARD IN THEIR SEATS. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP IN STAMFORD, CT ON APRIL 27, 2012. THEY REPLACED THE STOP LAMP SWITCH. THE FIX LASTED UNTIL 63,000 MILES, ALMOST 9 MONTHS LATER. IT IS HAPPENING AGAIN. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP IN PLANO, TX. THEY SAID IT WAS A COMPUTER UPGRADE ISSUE. THE UPGRADE DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. KIA IS NOW TELLING ME THERE IS NO REFUND, NO FIX, AND THAT I'M NOT PART OF THE RECALL FOR THIS SAME PART ON LATER YEAR MODELS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10507521
Incident
Apr 10, 2012
Mileage
46,810 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Apr 1, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A TRAFFIC STOP, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SURGE FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING NORMALLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5. UPDATED 5/9/13 *CN

NHTSA ID
10505197
Incident
Aug 19, 2009
Mileage
5 mi
BrakesDriver assistancePowertrain (other)
Filed Feb 21, 2013

IN THE PAST MONTH I HAVE NOTICED WHEN COMING TO A STOP AND APPLYING THE BRAKES ON MY 2009 KIA OPTIMA THAT THE CAR JERKS LIKE IT DOESN'T WANT TO STOP. I HAVE HAD MY BRAKE PADS CHECKED AND THEY ARE FINE. I HAVE HOWEVER NOTICED THAT WHEN I'M COMING TO A STOP AND PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL I STOP FINE WITH NO JERKING. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP AND THEY HAVE SAID THAT THEIR IS NO PROBLEMS THERE AND HAVE ALSO CALLED THE LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE PROBLEM LOOKED AT BUT THEY STATED THAT IF ITS SOMETHING NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY I HAVE TO PAY $100 JUST FOR THEM LOOKING AT THE VEHICLE REGARDLESS IF THEY FIND THE PROBLEM OR NOT. I HAVE SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND HAVE SEEN SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THIS PARTICULAR CAR BUT NO INFORMATION ON WHAT IS CAUSING THE ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10499505
Incident
Feb 1, 2013
Mileage
160,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Oct 30, 2012

WHEN BRAKING AT 25 MILES PER HOUR OR LESS THE VEHICLE HAS A VERY HARD JERKING MOTION. THE WAY YOUR VEHICLE JERKS CAN MAKE YOU OVERREACT AND IT CAN CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT ON THE ROAD. NOTICED THAT I WAS NOT THE ONLY 1 HAVING THIS ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE. WENT TO 2 OR 3 DIFFERENT TRANSMISSION PLACES . THEY ALL SAID THE SAME THING THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED SOME TRANSMISSION WORK . THEN I LOOKED ONLINE AND FOUND THAT SEVERAL OTHERS WERE HAVING THIS PROBLEM AND THAT THE VEHICLE JUST NEEDED TO BE RELEARNED OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. KIA SAID THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE CALLING THEM ABOUT THIS ISSUE THEREFORE IT IS NOT A KNOWN ISSUE YET I SEE OVER 20 TO 30 OTHERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM . *TR

NHTSA ID
10482678
Incident
Oct 1, 2012
Mileage
90,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Mar 17, 2012

ESC STARTS BLINKING WHILE DRIVING AT 40MPH AND THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE GOES DOWN ALL OF A SUDDEN. *TR

NHTSA ID
10452054
Incident
Mar 17, 2012
Driver assistanceSuspension
Filed Nov 15, 2011

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD I NOTICED THAT THE CAR STARTED HANDLING DIFFERENTLY AND NOTICED THAT THE ESC OFF LIGHT HAD COME ON. I CHANGED THE WAY I WAS DRIVING TO COMPENSATE FOR THE LACK OF STABILITY AND GOT TO WHERE I COULD STOP SAFELY. AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF AND THEN RESTARTING THE LIGHT WENT OFF BUT HAS SINCE COME BACK ON AGAIN TWICE IN THE LAST TWO DAYS. I AM CONCERNED THAT SOMETHING IS GOING WRONG WITH THE ELECTRONICS IN THE CAR OR THAT SOMETHING IS GOING WRONG WITH THE SUSPENSION CONTROL. *TR

NHTSA ID
10435701
Incident
Nov 1, 2011
Mileage
34,000 mi
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Sep 13, 2011

WHILE DRIVING ON A NORMAL DAY WITH OUT RAIN AND GOOD ROAD CONDITIONS ESC STARTS BLINKING AND KEEPS BLINKING AND THE SPEED KEEPS GOING DOWN. EVEN AFTER FLOORING THE ACCELERATOR. THIS HAPPENED 3 TIMES TWICE AFTER REPLACING A BRAKE SWITCH THAT WENT FAULTY. TECHNICIAN AT THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THAT HE COULD NOT FIND ANY CODE ON THE VEHICLE RECORDED. REALLY WORRIED OF THINKING IF THIS HAPPEND WHEN I GO ON TO A FREE WAY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10425243
Incident
Aug 3, 2011
Mileage
28,116 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Aug 11, 2009

KIA MOTORS, 2009, OPTIMA, DASHBOARD, SPECIFICALLY THE SPEEDOMETER, ODOMETER AND OTHER COMPONENTS OF THIS AREA DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS TO VIEW WHILE DRIVING, CREATING HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS FROM SPEEDING TOO FAST TO FATAL ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE DESIGN DEFECT REGARDING THE INABILITY TO SEE THIS IMPORTANT ELEMENT THE SPEED THE VEHICLE IS TRAVELING. ALSO, SOLD THIS VEHICLE WITH A STICKER CLAIMING A MISLEADING STATEMENT OF CONTENT EQUIPPED IN THE VEHICLE AN "ECO-MINDER" THAT WAS NOT OR INTENDED TO BE ON THE VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10280163
Incident
Jun 21, 2009

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .