2014 Kia Optima Airbags Problems

Check engine light was flashing and the car wouldn’t accelerate up to speed, wouldn’t turn over when tried to start.

NHTSA ID

11708082

Incident

Sep 30, 2025

The contact works as an investigator for the Utah Motor Vehicle Enforcement Division. The contact was investigating a 2014 Kia Optima with a salvaged title and reported that the air bags failed to deploy in a front-end collision. The contact stated that the air bags may have been removed or the air bag sensors were disconnected. The contact stated that while the driver was driving at 30-35 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed but the brakes failed to stop the vehicle. The vehicle crashed into another vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. No warning light was illuminated. The driver's face struck the steering wheel upon impact. The driver received medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard, where the insurance company investigated the crash, but had not yet deemed the vehicle totaled. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID

11706493

Incident

Dec 8, 2025

Clock spring broke causing airbag light to turn on. Clicking when turning steering wheel. Airbag will not deploy due to this issue. $800 cost of repairs

NHTSA ID

11567957

Incident

Jan 25, 2024

Airbag / SRS light came on. Took vehicle to the dealer service center for diagnostics. They found the issue is the Air Bag - Clockspring Assembly / Spiral Cable: 51K1Z01 : BODY ELECT CONCERN. With the airbag light on none of the airbags will deploy in the event of an accident. So the clock spring assembly must be replaced and is currently not under any manufacturer warranty.

NHTSA ID

11555273

Incident

Nov 15, 2023

Mileage

182,951 mi

Vehicle was in an accident on the highway. It rolled 3 times before landing on the roof and sliding from the highway to the grass. NONE of the airbags deployed.

NHTSA ID

11550372

Incident

Oct 2, 2023

SINCE PURCHASE THIS CAR HAS CONTINUED TO HAVE ENGINE ISSUES , OIL ISSUES AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON AND OFF. IT'S A REAL CONCERN TO ME AND SINCE THIS CONTINUES THE AIR BAG SENSORS KEEP COMING ON. THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED IN 2017 FROM DEALERSHIP. THIS STARTED OCCURRING MID JANUARY 2018 AND HAD GOTTEN PROGRESSING. THIS CANNOT BE NORMAL. I RECEIVED A RED RECALL NOTICE AND HAVE SINCE BEEN INFORMED THAT THERE ARE NO RECALLS ON THIS 2014 KIA OPTIMA. THIS IS VERY CONCERNING TO ME ! THIS CAR OBVIOUSLY HAS SERIOUS ISSUES. THE VEHICLE IS READING THIS AS THERE ARE MESSAGES ALERTING ME ON THE DISPLAY AND THROUGH THE DIGITAL SYSTEM.

NHTSA ID

11287788

Incident

Jan 15, 2018

AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON..CANNOT PASS INSPECTION

NHTSA ID

11281273

Incident

Jan 25, 2019

Mileage

124,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT WAS AN AUTO DETAILER WHO WAS SERVICING A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE SERVICING THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED/EXPLODED WITHOUT WARNING AND STRUCK THE CONTACT'S RIGHT LEG. THE IMPACT OF THE AIR BAG BURNED THE CONTACT'S RIGHT LEG. THE CONTACT DID NOT RECEIVE MEDICAL ATTENTION AND TENDED TO HIS INJURIES AT HIS JOB. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO CALL NHTSA. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT DID NOT KNOW IF THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,421.

NHTSA ID

11253639

Incident

Sep 6, 2019

Mileage

42,421 mi

THE AIRBAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ON IN MY CAR FOR AWHILE

NHTSA ID

11252065

Incident

Feb 3, 2018

Mileage

60,000 mi

I'M HAVING A PROBLEM WITH MY AIRBAG LIGHT STAYING ON. MY VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN IN A MAJOR ACCIDENT THAT CAUSED THE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY. I CALLED KIA TO REPAIR IT BECAUSE I'M STILL UNDER WARRANTY BUT THEY TOLD ME I WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR GETTING THE PROBLEM REPAIRED. I THOUGHT IF IT HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH AIRBAGS THAT WOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE THE COMPANY.

NHTSA ID

11173228

Incident

Dec 13, 2018

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR STALLED RESULTING IN A COLLISION WITH A TELEPHONE POLE. I HAD JUST MADE A TURN & THE CAR WENT DEAD. STEERING AND BRAKES LOCKED UP. NOW MY CAR IS COMPLETELY TOTALED NOT TO MENTION THE AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. MY FIANC WAS EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE RESULTING IN A FRACTURED HIP.

NHTSA ID

11165223

Incident

Jan 4, 2019

Mileage

48,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE DRIVER WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE CRUISE CONTROL STOP FUNCTIONING. THE CONTACT COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AFTER A FEW MINUTES, THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESUME DRIVING. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN INTO A PARKING LOT THERE WAS A RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE INTERIOR OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE RESIDENT OF THE CONTACT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER, LOCATED ON DELSEA DR, VINELAND NJ, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG CLOCK SPRING CABLE DETACHED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THEY COULD NOT ASSIST HER WITH THE FAILURE AND WAS TO GO THROUGH THE VEHICLE WARRANTY FOR THE REPAIR. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000.

NHTSA ID

11012363

Incident

Jul 27, 2017

Mileage

97,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 15-20 MPH IN A BACK-STREET WHEN I DROVE OVER A STEADY BUMP, WHICH CAUSED THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY. THE BUMP IN NATURE I WOULD SAY WAS NOT A ROUGH BUMP. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE CAR BACK TO DEALER AT SHAUMBURG KIA ADDRESS: 1100 E GOLF RD, SCHAUMBURG, IL 60173 PHONE:(847) 908-0502

NHTSA ID

10863469

Incident

May 3, 2016

Mileage

42,000 mi

I WAS T BONED BY A LADY IN A DODGE MINI VAN WHO RAN A STOP SIGN APPROX 30 MPH THERE WAS DAMAGE FROM THE FRONT OF MY CAR TO THE REAR WITH THE PASSANGER DOOR BEING RIPPED OFF DURING THE IMPACT. THE SIDE AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. THIS IS VERY CONCERNING TO ME AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED

NHTSA ID

10851883

Incident

Mar 26, 2016

Mileage

48,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS CRASHED INTO ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE BY A FIRE TRUCK. THE FRONTAL, SIDE, AND REAR AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE SPUN AROUND THREE TIMES AND CAME TO REST ON A CURB FACING ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER REQUESTED THAT THE CONTACT SEND THEM PHOTOS AND THE POLICE REPORT. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000. UPDATED 09/05/14*LJ UPDATED 12/3/2014 *JS..UPDATED 03/01/17 *BF UPDATED 10/30/2017*CN

NHTSA ID

10617634

Incident

Jul 26, 2014

Mileage

2,675 mi