Body problems of the 2005 Kia Motor Optima

13 problems related to body have been reported for the 2005 Kia Motor Optima. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2005 Kia Motor Optima based on all problems reported for the 2005 Optima.

1 Body problem

Failure Date: 08/12/2021

Driver side door lock does not open using the arm rest switch. Wife was in the car could reach the switch but not the unlatch lever . Car was overheating with ac on with keys in the ignition . Had to have her roll down the passenger door window to manually open the rear passenger side door . From the rear seat I could reach the lever and unlock the door. If I could not it would have been a fire hazard.

2 Body problem

Failure Date: 10/31/2017

The driver door become jammed and sometimes will not open. You have to continuously/excessively jerk on it. Due to not opening, I have to crawl through the passenger side door in order to gain entrance into the vehicle. Not only that, after finally getting the driver door to open, I have to leave it crack to avoid this struggle.

3 Body problem

Failure Date: 12/31/2015

Locked car after buying it used drivers door will not unlock. Multiple complaints online about this problem. My daughter was going to drive this thing. Kia dealer did not even mention this to me, but did say it was 200 minimum. I hope this gets investigated. In an accident the door will never open. I drove the car home and after 2 hours it will not unlock.

4 Body problem

Failure Date: 09/17/2015

Tl-the contact owns a 2005 kia Optima. The contact stated that while in park, the automatic door locks failed. The contact tried to use the remote for entry and all she heard was clicking. The contact tried to gain entry by using the key and still was not able to gain entry. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or diagnosed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 128,000. Ed.

5 Body problem

Failure Date: 06/02/2015

Drivers side door locking mechanism malfunction. Mechanism will not allow the door to unlock, therefore the door can not be opened. Driver must climb out of passenger side.

6 Body problem

Failure Date: 05/11/2015

For the last few years the driver's side door lock has not worked properly. It will lock without problem but then will not unlock. It cannot be unlocked from within the vehicle at all. To unlock it from outside requires that the door be unlocked at the same time the door handles is pulled open. It requires multiple tries to get it right - usually it takes a few minutes of playing with the door handle and key to get it to work properly.

7 Body problem

Failure Date: 03/10/2015

Key will not unlock driver's door and driver cannot unlock door from inside vehicle. Kia motors will not issue a recall even though this is a major safety issue. Climbing over the center console is required to enter or exit the vehicle. This is a frequent issue with kia Optima cars, well known and often written up online, the part required to repair the vehicle is sold on ebay by multiple sellers always.

8 Body problem

Failure Date: 01/16/2014

The contact owns a 2005 kia Optima. The contact stated that the driver's side door could not be opened from interior of the vehicle. The contact had to exit the vehicle from the passenger's side door. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer, who stated that the door latch and actuator was defective. The contact had the actuator replaced previously but the repair did not remedy the defect. The failure mileage was 107,038.

9 Body problem

Failure Date: 06/20/2013

The driver side door will not open after the doors are locked . If you unlock the doors the driver side will unlock and then re lock itself. If there was to be a vehicle fire or other problem, the drive would have to climb out of a window or cross over the center consul to exit the vehicle . This is without a doubt a safety issue that the vehicle manufacture should be made responsible for repairing.

10 Body problem

Failure Date: 04/30/2012

Tl-the contact owns 2005 kia Optima. The contact stated that while parked, the front driver's side door was locked and does not open from the inside or outside. The contact stated that in order to enter the vehicle she had to go through the front passenger side door and climb over the seat to the driver's side. The failure recurred continuously. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or diagnosed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000. Sg.

11 Body problem

Failure Date: 01/03/2012

The contact owns a 2005 kia Optima. The contact stated that the front doors did not open when using the key, key fob, or from the interior. The contact had to enter the vehicle from the rear. The vehicle had not been taken to the dealer. The failure mileage was 73,000 and the current mileage was 75,000. The VIN was not accepted.

12 Body problem

Failure Date: 07/11/2011

The contact owns a 2005 kia Optima. The contact stated that the front driver and passenger side doors could not be locked. The contact could hear the locks attempting to latch, but they failed to do actually engage. The contact had to climb in and out of the vehicle through the rear doors. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a dealer. The failure mileage was unknown, but the current mileage was 158,338.

13 Body problem

Failure Date: 10/20/2010

The contact owns a 2005 kia Optima lx. While the vehicle was in the idle position, the contact was unable to open the driver side door. He could not open it from the outside with the key or even using the handle inside the vehicle. The contact had to climb out the front passenger door. The vehicle had not been repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000 and the current mileage was approximately 89,000.


Other Structure related problems of the 2005 Kia Motor Optima


Safety Ratings of Optima Cars
Fuel Economy of Optima Vehicles
Optima Defect Investigations