general problems of the 2004 Kia Motor Optima - part 2

Driver side door will not open, accidentally locked door now it will not open, have to climb over from passenger side to driver side, will not open from inside or outside, I am disabled and it's very difficult to have to climb over to driver side, for a long time now I have left the car unlocked for this reason, seems I am not the only one with this problem, a lot of people have placed posts about this issue. It's not only an inconvenience but a safety issue. I feel this is a major recall that needs to be addressed and fixed. Anyone in an accident (god forbid) is trapped, more so if there disabled, people should not have to pay out of pocket for this issue. Thank-you.

I own a 2004 kia Optima and I am recently experiencing problems with my drivers side door I am not the only one experiencing these problems because I have done much research on the topic. The drivers side door will not unlock from inside or outside of the vehicle there is something wrong with the locking mechanism. Resulting in many people having to crawl through there window or passenger door. If there was ever an emergency where somebody needed to get out of the car immediately they would not be able to which could be incredibly unsafe if the vehicle was ever on fire, submerged in water, or if in a bad accident it would take longer to get the medical attention needed.

Hi there, 2 weeks ago my kia Optima lx 2004 driver door got locked out and it is not unlock any more. I called dealer and was told it is not under the warranty and they need to order the parts and I have to pay for it. I understand this. But I found lot of similar complaints about the same make and model and all of those consumer got the similar kind of response when the contact their dealer. The question is since lot of consumers having the same issues with same make and model why there is no official re-call. Since this is known issue with kia Optima 2004 why consumer needs to pay if they did not create a good part or model. Please advise.

Kia Optima 2004. Driver-door locked up. Wouldn't open. Can't open the door either from inside or outside. I had to get out of the car from passenger door. Windows can't be opened!.

The driver side door on my 2004 kia Optima will not unlock from the inside or from the outside. The power lock system re-locks the door when I attempt to unlock the door. To enter or exit the vehicle, I must climb over the console to the passenger side and use that door. The problem began about 80,000 miles on the car. So far there has been no crisis, but in the event of a fire or submersion in water, it could lead to more harm since exit through the driver side door isn't possible.

The contact owns a 2004 kia Optima. The contact stated she used the keyless entry switch to unlock the automatic power doors. When she reached for the door handle to enter the vehicle, the doors independently locked. After repeated attempts, she was able to unlock the door and enter the vehicle. The contact stated the failure only occurred on the driver's door. The contact stated the only way to enter the vehicle through the driver's door was to pull on the door handle while unlocking it manually. The vehicle was not taken to be examined for the cause of the failure. The failure persisted. The failure and current mileages were 76,000.

The driver's side door of my 2004 kia Optima locks back everytime I unlock it and try to get out . This is an issue for me and a safety defect and I am afraid of not being able to get out of my car. All of a sudden one day I stopped at the service station to get gas and tried to open the door as fast as it unlock it would lock back trapping me inside the vehicle I had to beg someone to help me out on the passenger side. I have researched the internet as there are other consumers just like myself having the same problem and we are asking kia to do a recall on this problem because we believe it to be a malfunction within the door itself. I tried to override it by turning the key and pulling the latch at the same time until I got it to unlock and I left it unlock and then riding in the car on the next day it automatically locked and I freaked out thank god my husband was there because I had to pull over and get out of the car and this is the third day and it won't open. I cannot stand the feeling of being closed in. I cannot afford to get it fixed and I need to be able to use my car please investigate and see if it should be a recall issue. Thank you.

The contact owns a 2004 kia Optima. The contact stated the front driver side door was permanently locked and could not be opened from the inside or outside of the vehicle. The contact would have to enter the vehicle from the front, passenger side door and crawl over the middle console to get into the driver's seat. The vehicle was taken to a local repair facility where he was advised that the failure was mechanical. The manufacturer would not provide any assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileages were 48,015. Updated 10/27/10.

2004 kia Optima 140,000 miles. This failure happened without warning. I first noticed when I tried to unlock the driver's side door. The key was hard to turn and the unlock button moved slightly. Upon pulling the handle to open the door the lock automatically moved to the locked position and the door would not open. This happened repeatedly. From inside the car, if you manually lock the car or if the automatic locks engage while driving you can not open the driver's side door by any means. The locking mechanism failure causes 3 serious safety issues. 1) prevents the operator from entering the vehicle in an emergency situation 2) the driver can not lock the door for personal security while operating the vehicle because this will permanently lock the occupant inside. 3) the potential that an occupant would be locked inside the vehicle during an emergency and prevented from escaping the vehicle. From the number of complaints about this for kia vehicles this will eventually lead to a serious injury or a fatality if this issue is not escalated to a full recall of the locking mechanism. This should be an immediate recall for models including but not limited to 2001-2005.

Driver door will not unlock with the key, using the inside handle or electric lock control. The door constantly relocks when you try to unlock with the key or the toggle lever inside the car. It will not open in case of an accident. Even tried to disable the electric lock by removing the fuse. The electric doors did not work but the door did relock when I tried to open with a key (must be on another circuit - maybe security). Large number of identical complaints on the internet. This is a safety issue.

The event that lead to the failure was me simply locking the door to my 04 kia Optima to go into the store. The failure was when I attempted to unlock the door and was forced to climb over the console from the drivers seat. It most often occurs when the doors are locked from inside the vehicle, (power locks). Can only unlock vehicle to get in or out through the passenger or rear doors. It's consequences where described above. Please keep in mind this is not a new issue with this car. My wife did research on what was wrong. It is a lock mechanism that can only be purchased from the dealer. I have contacted the manufacturer who could only tell me I would be reimbursed if the ever is a recall. The problem is not yet fixed because of my recent neck surgery. To fix the issue you have to remove the door panel. The problem has yet to be fixed because it seems like a safety issue. The vehicle has 40,000 miles on it. How am I suppose to get out of me vehicle in an emergency?????????? or even worse my wife????????????? please help and do some research.

Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6). To whom it may concern, drivers side car door won't unlock. Has been replaced and serviced many times. Now it is out of warranty. I've done research and found that several people have had the same problem. Obviously if you can't get in and out of the drivers door (from the inside or outside of the vehicle) it is a safety issue. Please let me know your findings. Thank you for your cooperation in looking into this matter! I look forward to working with you to resolve this issue. I understand it is the locking mechanism that needs to be replaced, but how many times does it have to be replaced before it is fixed--that is the question. [xxx].

In July 2008 the left front door latch mechanism malfunctioned on my 2004 kia Optima. This malfunction made it unable to be unlocked. As the locking function of this mechanism works by moving the latch opening lever out of position, this malfunction makes it impossible for the occupant to open the door from inside. This presents a hazard to the occupant in case of crash or fire. The latch was replaced with a replacement unit. In Dec 2009, the replacement latch malfunctioned and has exhibited the same characteristic problems. I have not had the $ to replace it again. A quick internet search has revealed that this problem is shared by many kia and Hyundai owners. I hope my wife and kids are never in a crash and cannot exit the car.

The driver door failed to open by using the keyless entry or manually. You have to climb over the passenger seat to get into or out of the driver's seat. The driver's door will not even open using the handle from the inside of the car. There is not a choice of not having it fixed or not. You don't have the option of not using the keyless entry since the door will not work manually. Kia does not have this under warranty so you are forced to replaced both the latch and the actuator. The car had to taken to a kia dealer to be serviced unless climbing over the passenger seat was the way you would choose to enter and exit the car.

My car doors do not open either inside or outside. This problem started with my front passenger side door and now is affecting my drivers side door. The problem appears to be electrical and will happens randomly. The pass. Door is now 100% affected and the drivers side just started today. So the end result is I am locked inside my car unless I crawl through the window. I googled this problem online and apparently this problem is rampant. I called kia customer service and they said that there is not a recall and because my car is a 2004 (with only 39,000 miles) they will not cover it. I told him how dangerous this type of problem was and he really didnt seem to care. Ii asked him who issues recalls and he said it was your organization, when I said that I would call you to try and get a recall he then said "well you could bring it into kia and see what they find, although no gaurantee I would get it paid for by them even though it has happened to many kia cars. I then told him I would be contacting your organization and he didnt seem to happy. * when my passenger door started with this problem approx. 2 months ago I called the local dealer and they said that there was nothing they could do for me. I should add that the nearest kia dealer is approx. 2. 5 hours one way away from me.

2004 kia Optima (although all models and years are affected) - front door latch defective (research shows both sides affected; this complaint is specific to passenger-side); door will not open. Costly to fix; manufacturer aware of defect. Safety hazard; in the event accident involving drivers' side, no way to exit vehicle; would inhibit successful rescue attempts. There is no reason for the consumer to have to shoulder the cost of repair due to poor quality parts or workmanship. This is not only a safety issue, but also a widespread defect, as evidenced by numerous internet blogs on this subject, and dealer acknowledgment.

The front door lock on our 2004 kia Optima will not unlock, you cannot unlock it from inside or outside of the car, and the door will not open; therefore, you must climb to the otherside of the car to exit or climb out through the window, which I believe creates a safety hazard in the event of an accident. Noone would be able to remove you from the car in the event of serious injury, fire or a water rescue. The local kia dealership shop told us that it was a faulty door lock actuator and a common problem, but did not open the door for us. They estimated the cost to repair at $200 plus labor. If this is a common problem, then there should be a recall on this car, especially due to the unsafe nature in the event of an accident.

The door lock to the 2004 kia Optima have defects that the manufacturer should warranty. Hey go bad from 40 miles all the way beyond also the seat belts do not recoil when taken off the body.

Driver side door won't unlock. Went through a period when it would lock/unlock normally, then periodically we had to unlock with key and pulling door handle at same time, now the door will not unlock at all.

The contact owns a 2004 kia Optima. The contact was unable to unlock all four automatic door locks which prevented her to exit the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where they were able to unlock the front passenger and both rear doors. The driver side door would not unlock and the contact exit the vehicle through the front passenger side door. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

The contact owns 2004 kia Optima. The contact stated that the door locks would not function properly. The contact was locked in the vehicle and had to climb through the window to get out. The contact had been leaving the doors open but after a minor accident, the doors locked again and would not unlock. The mechanic at the local repair shop stated that they could not fix the door locks because it was a manufacturer's defect. The failure mileage was approximately 60,500 and the current mileage was approximately 130,000. Updated 12/29/10 updated 01/03/11.

The contact owns a 2004 kia Optima. Upon entering the vehicle, the doors independently locked. In addition, the front driver and rear passenger side doors failed to unlock in order to exit the vehicle on numerous occasions. The contact stated that the front passenger side window failed to open. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 10,000.

The contact owns a 2004 kia Optima. In June of 2004, the exterior lighting failed while driving at an unknown speed. In addition, the driver's side door would not lock and the check engine light consistently illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and the exterior lighting was repaired; however, the door was not because it was not under warranty. After the repair was made, the exterior lighting continued to fail as well as the other issues. She took the vehicle back to the dealer approximately four times to repair the same failures, but the issues kept persisting. The vehicle has not been repaired since. The current mileage was 93,000 and failure mileage was 19,195. Updated 10/05/08 the headlights and brake lights were replaced several times. The dimmre switch also failed. Updated 11/06/08.