Exterior lighting
Filed Oct 16, 2019
BRAKE LIGHT STAYS ON AND DRAINS BATTERY. REAR BRAKE LIGHT NOT FUNCTIONAL.
- NHTSA ID
- 11269021
- Incident
- Sep 27, 2019
- Mileage
- 50,000 mi
2009 Kia Optima Exterior lighting Problems
Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Exterior lighting 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.
8
Latest Oct 16, 2019
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.
7%
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.
1
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 headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. 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. 8 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 exterior lighting
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
BrakesEngineExterior lighting
Filed Apr 4, 2019
Fire reported
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2009 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V114000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT SENT NOTIFICATION OF THE VEHICLE BEING INCLUDED IN THE RECALL FROM MARCH 29, 2013. WHILE DRIVING HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. WHILE PULLING THE VEHICLE OVER, AN OFF DUTY FIRE FIGHTER FLAGGED THE CONTACT TO QUICKLY PULL OVER AND EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE FIGHTER REMAINED AT THE SCENE AS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. THE DRIVER WAS NOT INJURED. THE INSURANCE COMPANY TOWED THE VEHICLE TO A FACILITY, INSPECTED THE COLLISION DAMAGES, AND CLAIMED THE VEHICLE AS A TOTAL LOSS. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS NOT INVESTIGATED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
- NHTSA ID
- 11193878
- Incident
- May 20, 2015
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Jul 25, 2018
HEADLIGHTS REPLACED 6 TIMES.
- NHTSA ID
- 11113658
- Incident
- Jul 7, 2018
- Mileage
- 122,000 mi
AirbagsExterior lightingSeat belts
Filed Jul 17, 2018
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
Exterior lighting
Filed Apr 4, 2016
CONSTANTLY BLOWING THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS. HAVE REPLACED 4 BULBS IN 4 MONTHS. ON 04/03/16 I LEFT TO START MY CAR TO GO HOME AT APPROXIMATELY 9:30 PM TO DISCOVER I HAD NO LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS AND MY HIGH BEAM WOULD NOT STAY ILLUMINATED UNLESS I HELD THE LEVER THAT CONTROLS THE HEADLIGHTS. BOTH BULBS ARE OUT AGAIN! THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 HOURS.
- NHTSA ID
- 10853256
- Incident
- Apr 3, 2016
- Mileage
- 97,773 mi
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
Exterior lighting
Filed Mar 4, 2014
I RECEIVED A LETTER REGARDING A SAFETY RECALL FOR MY VEHICLE'S STOP LAMP SWITCH. I SUBMITTED A REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF MY REPAIRS ON JANUARY 22, 2014. I RECEIVED A CHECK FOR PARTIAL PAYMENT OF $101.34. THIS AMOUNT WAS JUST FOR THE INSTALLATION OF THE STOP LAMP SWITCH. HOWEVER, I SUBMITTED AN ADDITIONAL RECEIPT AND REIMBURSEMENT REQUEST FOR THE ACTUAL BRAKE LIGHT REPLACEMENT. THIS WAS DUE TO THE MALFUNCTION OF THE STOP LAMP SWITCH. THE TOTAL COST OF THE REPLACEMENT WAS $28.10. I CONTACTED KIA AT 1(800) 333-4542 WHICH WAS THE NUMBER INDICATED ON THE LETTER. I WAS TRANSFERRED TWICE WITH NO ASSISTANCE. I JUST WANTED CLARIFICATION AS TO WHY I WASN'T PAID THE ENTIRE AMOUNT OF $129.42 (THE COST OF THE INSTALLATION AND BULB REPLACEMENT). *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10567076
- Incident
- Feb 17, 2014
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
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
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .