2003 Kia Optima Service and Repair Manual

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED, WHILE TRAVELING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION AT 25 MPH., THE VEHICLE WAS STRUCK ON THE DRIVER'S FRONT DOOR BY A POLICE VEHICLE RUNNING A RED LIGHT, WITHOUT THE EMERGENCY LIGHTS ON. BOTH FRONTAL AND SIDE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. INJURIES WERE INCURRED IN THE COLLISION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND PICTURES WERE TAKEN AT THE SCENE. THE AIRBAG SENSOR LIGHT WAS REPLACED BY A SERVICE DEALER, APPROXIMATELY ONE-YEAR PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND HIT THE GUARD RAIL. THE DRIVER WAS INJURED AND TRANSPORTED BY AMBULANCE TO THE HOSPITAL. INJURIES UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR ANALYSIS. MECHANIC DETECTED BOTH FRONTAL UPPER BALL JOINTS CRACKED. *AK

THE CONSUMER REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER WAS WEARING HIS SEAT BELT, HOWEVER THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DEALER CLAIMED THAT THE COLLISION WAS UNDER THE TRUCK'S BUMPER. THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE CONSUMER SUFFERED SHOULDER AND HEAD INJURIES IN THE COLLISION. *JB

I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE THE FRONT AND SIDE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. MY CAR WAS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE SITE OF IMPACT WAS ON THE LEFT FRONT END BUT SUBSTAINED MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE ENTIRE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. I HAVE SEVERAL PHOTO'S OF THE CAR, WHICH WAS TOTALED BY MY INSURANCE ADJUSTER. MY CONCERN IS IF THERE IS A DEFECT WITH THIS CAR REGARDING THE AIRBAGS. A CLOSE MALE FRIEND, WHO WAS A MECHANICAL ENGINEER FOR CHYSLER, COULD NOT EXPLAIN/UNDERSTAND WHY THE AIRBAGS FAILED. PLEA

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH THE VEHICLE WAS STRUCK FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A WOODEN FENCE AND ROLLED OVER THREE TIMES. THE DRIVER WAS INJURED BECAUSE THE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS ARRIVED AT THE SCENE AND FILED A FULL REPORT. THE CRASH OCCURRED IN DRY CONDITIONS. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER ABOUT THE AIR BAG FAILURE, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE SIDE IMPACT WAS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO DEPLO

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SWERVE AND DROVE INTO A DITCH. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000.

I HAD PROBLEM WITH BRAKES LOCKING UP ON 2003 KIA OPTIMA, HAD IT AT A DEALERSHIP TO GET FIXED. THEY SAID THEY FIXED IT, BUT HAD SAME PROBLEM. THEY HAD IT TOWED, TOOK IT BACK TO FIX IT AGAIN, THEN PUT A GOVERNOR ON IT, SAID THE BRAKES WERE NOW FIXED. WELL, THIS EVENING, ENROUTE TO PICK MY DAUGHTER FROM THE DAYCARE FACILITY, I SAW TRAFFIC STOPPED, WENT TO SLOW UP BY APPLYING BRAKES AND GUESS WHAT? NO BRAKES! THIS DID NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME, BUT INTERMITTENTLY, NOW CAUSED ME TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT BE

THE AIR BAG SENSOR WAS DEFECTIVE.*AK *JB

2003 KIA OPTIMA WITH 70,000 MILES JUST BURST INTO FLAMES AND BURNED TOTALLY UP WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. FIRE STARTED SOMEWHERE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT PER THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. VEHICLE WAS RUNNING FINE PRIOR TO INCIDENT. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR PASSENGERS AND SURROUNDING PROPERTY. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE SMELLED SMOKE WHEN SHE APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES. SHE ATTEMPTED TO ACTIVATE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE SYSTEM, BUT IT FAILED AND DID NOT ACTIVATE. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE WAS RUSTED TO INCLUDE THE BRAKE HOUSING UNIT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE NOR WAS THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 69,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS TRYING TO EXIT THE VEHICLE BUT THE DOORS WOULD NOT UNLOCK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO CLIMB OUT OF ANOTHER DOOR IN ORDER TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 175,000.

AT 24,000 MILES MY VEHICLE STARTED LOCKING DOORS WHEN TEMPERATURES REACH 32 DEGREES OR LOWER. VEHICLE OUTSIDE ON CITY STREET OR DRIVEWAY. WHEN TEMPERATURES GET TO 32 DEGREES, DOORS LOCK AND DO NOT UNLOCK TO ALLOW ACCESS. IF YOU ARE INSIDE OF CAR IT LOCKS YOU INSIDE OF CAR, AS WELL AS OUT OF CAR. LOCKS UNLOCK THEN LOCK INSTANTLY EVEN WHEN USING KEY, NOT KEY FOB TO UNLOCK CAR~ NO ACCESS TO ENTER VEHICLE UNTIL ABOVE 32 DEGREES. IN CASE OF EMERGENCY...YOU HAVE NO VEHICLE. THIS HAS HAPPENED EVERY YE

THE PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL OF CAR IS WITH THE DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM. IT STARTED IN APRIL WITH A PROBLEM WITH THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT DOOR. WHEN YOU UNLOCKED THE DOORS WITH THE KEY FOB, ALL THE DOORS WOULD UNLOCK, BUT WHEN YOU GRABBED THE HANDLE OF THE DOOR TO OPEN IT, ALL THE DOORS TO THE CAR WOULD LOCK.IT COST ME $350.00 TO GET THAT FIXED. NOW THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK, EITHER FROM THE INSIDE OR OUT. THE KEY FOB WON'T UNLOCK IT, NOR MANUALLY USING A KEY. THIS IS A

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR LOCKED AND SHE WAS UNABLE TO UNLOCK IT MANUALLY OR BY USING THE KEY FOB. SHE WAS FORCED TO CLIMB INTO THE BACK SEAT IN ORDER TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE FAILURE RECENTLY RECURRED ALL OF THE DOORS FAILED TO UNLOCK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE LOCKS; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WA

PASSENGER SIDE DOOR DID NOT UNLOCK. THIS FORCED PASSENGER TO COME OUT FROM THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR. *TR