Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2014 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
Vehicles Low-Beam headlights are very poor. Brought for service/adjustments and was advised that they were properly aimed and that nothing more could be done other than installing brighter headlights. While driving at night I need the fog lights or the high-beam lights on for proper visibility which could cause issues for other drivers on the road.
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving at night, the low-beam headlights were very dim. The contact stated that the high-beam headlights had to be used while driving in poorly lit areas. The contact had called a local dealer and was informed that a diagnostic test was needed to check the headlights. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic and was informed that the reflective coating in the headlight assemblies had deteriorated to the point that there was an accumulation of reflective material debris on the headlamp floor and that other reflective material was peeling away from the sides of both headlight assemblies. The contact was advised by the mechanic that the heat of the light bulbs was degrading the reflective material. The headlight assemblies were not replaced. The contact changed the light bulbs and both headlights were still dim. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000.
Car caught fire, parked in driveway, partially damaged the house.
The low beam (driving) lights are incredibly poor, almost non-existant. In order to actually see the road at night you need to use high beams, which is a problem for the drivers in front of you and on the other side of the road. It seems this is a widely know issue with this vehicle as I find multiple postings about it online. This has been going on for some time, and replacing the bulb does no good. I've gone to the dealership about it and they offer to "adjust" it at no charge, but there is no change and since they don't charge me for it there's no service ticket, which means there's no record. The consumer stated the form is outdated and has expired.
I was making a right hand turn and I noticed my turn signal was flashing very fast. So I pulled over once I had the opportunity to. I turned on my signal and checked to see if they were working and found my rear to be out. Went to the parts store purchased new bulbs and drove home. My husband changed the bulbs on both sides and it still did the same thing I checked the bulbs and they were the correct ones so we swapped it and still not working. Has a electrical issue in the tail light assembly.
The rear lights develop condensation which causes the brake lights/turn signals to fail. This failure could easily lead to accidents and appears to be a safety issue. Kia has known about this problem since at least December 1, 2014 as it issued a “Pit Stop” PS364 to dealers regarding remediation of the problem on that date, yet Kia has not issued a (safety or non-safety) recall. My left light developed condensation in mid-2020. My right light currently has condensation.
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, he noticed that the low beam headlights were significantly dim. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated he was able to continue to drive the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring while driving. The dealer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to take the vehicle to their location for diagnosis. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer for diagnosis. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 75,000.
RECALL ON ENGINE WAS REPLACED 2 YEARS AGO FOR HAVING METAL SHAVINGS IN THE OIL. THE SECOND MOTOR HAS 15,000 MILES ON IT AND IT'S BURNING OIL AND SMOKING TO WHERE YOU CAN'T SEE ANYTHING. I WAS GETTING ON I 65 GOING NORTH AND SMOKE CAME OUT. IT HESITATES TO GO. CAN'T DRIVE IT OVER 45-50. STEERING HAS A RECALL FOR A PLASTIC CUFFLING BEHIND STEERING WHEEL. IT WAS REPLACED LAST YEAR ACCORDING TO RIVERCHASE KIA IN PELHAM ALABAMA. IT IS NOW MAKING A POPPING NOISE AGAIN. CONDENSATION IS GETTING IN TAIL LIGHTS CAUSING THE BULBS TO BLOW. THE HEADLIGHTS WHEN ON DIM YOU CAN BARELY SEE.
THE TAIL LIGHT HAS BEEN REPLACE MULTIPLE TIMES BECAUSE IT GOES OUT ALMOST AS SOON AS I REPLACE IT ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT WATER IS IN THE LIGHT CAUSING IT TO SHORT. THIS HAS BEEN OCCURRING SINCE 2014 WHEN THE CAR WAS PURCHASED.
THE HEADLIGHTS FAIL, WHILE DRIVING. THE HEADLIGHTS WORK IN DELAY MODE, THE PARK LIGHTS CAN BE TURNED ON AND OFF, BUT THE HEADLIGHTS DO NOT WORK CONSISTENTLY. TURN SIGNALS WORK. THE HEADLIGHTS DO NOT ALWAYS WORK WHILE DRIVING. I'VE HAD THE VEHICLE TO 3 MECHANIC SHOPS THEY ALL AGREE IT SHOULD BE RECALLED BY KIA.
THE TAIL LIGHT'S ON MY VEHICLE CONTINUE TO COLLECT CONDENSATION CAUSING PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. I HAVE RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE FOR A REPAIR. ISSUE CONTINUES TO OCCUR, AND I'M AFRAID THAT THE LIGHTS WILL STOP WORKING CAUSING FOR MY VEHICLE TO BE HIT FROM THE REAR IF THE TAIL LIGHTS ARE WET AND NOT WORKING PROPERLY.
THIS HAPPENS WHILE I AM DRIVING OR WHEN I COME TO A STOP. THE CAR APPEARS TO STALL AND THEN THE GEAR INDICATOR LIGHTS IN MY CONSOLE AREA GO OUT AND THE LIGHT INDICATOR IN THE DASHBOARD GOES OUT AND THEREFORE YOU CANNOT SEE WHICH GEAR YOU IN. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE KIA DEALER THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG AND THAT IT APPEARED TO FIX ITSELF. IT APPEARED TO CLEAR UP BUT SINCE HAS STARTED BACK . *TR
I HAVE RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2014 KIA OPTIMA LX, AND THE HEADLIGHTS ARE SO DIM ON LOW BEAM IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. BRIGHT LIGHTS WORK GREAT. LOW BEAM WHEN YOU MEET ANOTHER ONCOMING VEHICLE YOU CAN BARELY TELL IF YOU ARE IN YOUR LANE OR NOT. ALSO IF YOUR BY YOURSELF ON THE ROAD, YOU CANNOT HARDLY TELL IF ANYTHING IS UP AHEAD IN THE ROAD OR ON THE SIDES OF THE ROAD.
MAIN HEADLIGHTS HAVE BECOME 1/2 BIGHTNESS SINCE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED. HIGH BEAMS DONT THE ISSUE, HAVE REPLACED BULBS THREE TIME IN LAST TWO YEARS, DEALERSHIP STATES THEY CANNOT SEE THE ISSUE. BUT THE CHROME REFLECTORS INSIDE THE HEADLIGHTS HAS PEELED COMPLETELY OFF. THIS MAKE DRIVING AT NIGHT DANGEROUS BECAUSE I HAVE TO USE THE HIGH BEAMS ALL THE TIME. I HAVE THROUGHLY RESEARCHED THE INTERNET AND GOVERNMENT WEBSITES. THIS ISSUE STARTED ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO.
BRAKE REAR LIGHTS WENT OUT, CHANGED BRAKE SWITCH AND FUSE AND LIGHTS STILL NOT WORKING. ONLY HAVE 49800 MILES ON THE CAR. WAS ON HIGHWAY AND A MAN STOOED ME AND LET ME KNOW THEY ARE NOT WORKING
MY HEAD LIGHTS KEEPS GOING OUT DUE TO THE LOOSE SOCKET/ POCKET IT SETS IN. FRUSTRATING..I'VE ALREADY HAD LEFT SIDE REPLACED.. RIGHT SIDE NEEDS REPLACED..IT'S THE DIM LIGHTS ONLY..PLEASE INFORM ME IF THERE IS OR WAS A RECALL...YOU CAN TURN IT AND IT COMES IN BUT WHILE DRIVING 7 MILES IT GOES OUT
MY TAILS LIGHTS GO OUT FOR NO RESULTS I WAS STOPPED BY ATL. POLICE GOT A TICKET
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO PROVIDE ENOUGH LIGHTING ON THE HIGHEST SETTING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE VOLTAGE ON THE BULB WAS NOT BRIGHT ENOUGH. THE VEHICLE WAS REPLACED WITH NEW BULBS HOWEVER, THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,722.
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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