general problems of the 2014 Kia Motor Optima - part 1

The contact owns a 2014 kia Optima. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 21v331000 (service brakes, hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost automotive power, and smoke was coming from under the hood. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer; however, the contact was informed that the recall could not be repaired because other unknown repairs had not performed prior to the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

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.

The contact owns a 2014 kia Optima. The contact received notifications of NHTSA campaign numbers: 20v10000 (fuel system, gasoline) and 21v331000 (service brakes, hydraulic). The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal fuel odor coming from the engine and entering the cabin of the vehicle through the a/c vents. The check engine warning light and abs warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The contact became aware that the vehicle was out of fuel. The contact added five gallons of fuel, and the vehicle stalled several miles down the road. The vehicle had again run out of fuel. The contact noticed that fuel was leaking from the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or inspected. The contact was informed that the fuel leak had nothing to do with the recall. However, the contact was informed that the battery portal was damaged and needed to be repaired before the recall repair was completed. The dealer asked the contact to pick up the vehicle. The vehicle remained at the dealer unrepaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

[xxx] , [xxx] [xxx] [xxx] email: [xxx] [xxx] [xxx] date: October 5, 2025 kia America, inc. Consumer affairs department [xxx] subject: request for goodwill repair – defective paint on 2014 kia Optima lx dear kia consumer affairs team, I am writing to formally request assistance regarding the defective paint on my 2012 kia Optima lx. The paint has begun to peel and flake on several areas of the vehicle, including [insert locations — e. G. , the hood and roof, if you want to specify], and the problem continues to worsen over time. My vehicle details are as follows: •year/model: 2014 kia Optima lx •VIN: [xxx] •mileage: 187,000 miles •color: silver after researching this issue, I learned that many other kia owners with similar models and colors have experienced the same paint defects. It appears to be a known issue related to the factory paint or clear coat used on certain kia vehicles from this period. I have always maintained my Optima properly and have not had any repainting or accident-related body work done. The paint defect significantly impacts the car’s appearance and resale value, and I respectfully request that kia provide a goodwill repair or repaint under its customer satisfaction or defect resolution policy. Please let me know how I should proceed to have the vehicle inspected or evaluated. I have photographs of the damaged areas available for your review upon request. Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. I look forward to your response. Sincerely, [xxx] [xxx] email: [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

While driving kia Optima, unable to turn steering wheel. No notice when first starting vehicle. While driving, a traction and steering wheel light turns on without a sound(ding) to notify driver. Then once driver attempts to turn, unable due to steering wheel locked. Unsafe to drive on the road. Dangerous for all passengers. Our safety is put at risk due to unable to turn steering wheel while driving. Must turn vehicle off in middle of road, then it resets so steering wheel to turn. Code c12 60 returns for power steering sensor malfunction.

Brake lights only work when car has lights off when libyans are on brake lights stay on entire time.

My car overturned/flipped over after I hit a very small bump in the road located on [xxx] in utica NY doing about 15 mph in a trailer park where I worked I have printed out all of my recalls on my 2014 kia Optima gdi there was some brake fluid on the ground around the area where my car landed in a ditch however the sheriff that came to the scene of the accident and the female state troopers failed to even check or smell the fluid after I informed both the officers and the deerfield fire department the only ones willing to give me any advice on how to handle this matter even though I could had lost my life then to show up to court for the tickets I got for literally driving 15 mph in a trailer park and my car flips over into a ditch and not be able to make a statement in court due to the paperwork not being in to the courthouses computer system in [xxx] at 6:00 to show the judge all my recalls as well as plead not guilty to them I find unprofessional and as for the damage sustained to my vehicle I need to find an independent property adjuster to do a investigation however it is set to go to the kia dealership located at 5056 commercial dr. , yorkville, NY, for the recalls on December 30, 2024 however due to the damage done in the roller I am unsure on what to do please help I paid for this car in full as a private sell and it had no issues with it at all no lights on the dashboard or anything was driving good at time of accident on [xxx] at [xxx] until I literally hit that bump in the road of the trailer park should anyone from your agency need to contact me to view the damage and pictures please contact me at [xxx] for I could not upload all documents and photos thank you very much [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Hit dig mark in road caused by a plow about a half inch to a 1 inch deep by 5 to 7 inches wide while driving 15 mph down the road into work on November 19,2024 around 1:03/1:10 pm next thing I know I am upside down in my car in a ditch about four to five feet wide by 3-4 feet deep.

The contact owns a 2014 kia Optima. The contact stated after the vehicle was started and warmed up, the engine made an abnormal loud knocking sound. The vehicle was towed to chavez automotive, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. Additionally, the dealer was contacted for the recall repair of NHTSA campaign number: 23v652000 (service brakes, hydraulic); however, the dealer informed the contact that the recall repair could not be performed due to the vehicle having a salvage title. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

Oil consumption issues. Was informed when check engine light appeared. Oil light also appeared. Over 3qts consumed in 20 days. Car shut off while driving. Engine noisy and shaky.

The contact owned a 2014 Optima hybrid. The contact stated while parked the vehicle caught fire. He noticed smoke and flames were coming from the engine of the vehicle. No one was injured during the fire and the vehicle was destroyed. The fire department was notified and extinguished the fire. A fire department report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the contact's insurance company. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired . The contact was relating the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 23v652000 ( service brakes, hydraulic) however the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure opened a case and the vehicle was inspected; however, the inspector did not find a defect with the vehicle. The failure mileage was 113,000.

The contact owns a 2014 kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle started losing motive power. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the battery needed to be replaced. However, while replacing the battery and starting the vehicle, there was white smoke coming from the front of the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 185,000.

The contact owned a 2014 kia Optima. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked in her garage the vehicle had begun to burn. The fire department was called and the vehicle fire was controlled using water to extinguish the flames. The contact stated that the fire department wrote a report. The contact stated that the vehicle was towed to an impound lot and had not been examined by a dealer or insurance adjuster. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The contact was aware of one recall associated to the VIN, NHTSA campaign number: 21v331000 (service brakes, hydraulic), however there were a total of three recalls - NHTSA campaign number: 18v907000 (fuel system, gasoline, engine), and NHTSA campaign number: 20v100000 (fuel system, gasoline). The contact stated that she was not aware of the other two recalls. The failure mileage was unknown.

Exact same issue happened to my 2014 kia Optima hybrid (NHTSA id number: 11556409). I was traveling on the freeway approximately 65mph and out of nowhere the engine turned off, brakes did not work and steering quality went to a manual operation. I almost got into a serious accident as I could not control my vehicle. The hybrid system warning light, to stop using the vehicle became illuminated for approximately 30 seconds. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer ( koons kia, 14208 richmond hwy, woodbridge, va 22191, united states). We are still awaiting diagnostics. A few years ago the standard hybrid light came on (not the same warning light) in which we took it to the same dealer to fix. It was still under warranty at the time, however took them weeks to fix the issue as I had to take it back multiple times. They eventually replaced something in the hybrid system that was worth around $5-6k, since then we have had no other issues. We conduct the routine maintenance on the vehicle, passes all inspections.

The contact owns a 2014 kia Optima. The contact stated while driving 35 mph, the contact depressed the brake pedal to slow for traffic however, the vehicle failed to properly respond. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated the vehicle drove off the roadway, jumped the curb and came to a stop. The vehicle was towed to a towing compound. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 79,000.

In accordance with kia recall sc212, client had hecu/abs module & multi fuse kit replaced/installed on September 10, 2021. The abs warning light began to show on 10/6/2023. Client was told by licensed kia dealer that the hecu needed to be replaced again due to fire risk. Dealer stated since there aren’t any active recall campaigns on vehicle, repairs would need to be paid by client. Client is seeking reimbursement for having the hecu replaced the second time since the recall replacement failed.

Vehicle is making a humming noise while the car is off. Both the brake light and abs lights are on. Based on year, make and model, vehicle is one of the cars included NHTSA id-23v-652000, however VIN does not show an active recall. Repairs will have to come out of pocket since there is not a recall by VIN, even though vehicle is having the same symptoms as recall aforementioned.

While driving my car an alan went off telling me to pull over and turn off the vehicle. Unfortunately, I had no steering, brakes or acceleration and me and my two little boys were almost hit. I checked and my car year, make and model had a recall for the exact issue and module but mine wasn’t listed in the recall and I think it should be!.

The contact owns a 2014 kia Optima. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The contact was informed that an unknown recall repair for the abs system had been completed; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a failed abs system due to an internal leak. The contact was informed that the abs system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and requested that the vehicle be taken to another dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

I was driving the kia Optima 2014 down the highway. Without any warning or indication that something was wrong my tires locked up, causing the car to chirp twice and then the engine just died. I had to pay 250$ for a tow company to pick up the car and bring it home. The whole situation was very dangerous. Now I am having trouble with the kia owner website. It will not even let me report the issue or schedule a maintenance appointment with any kia dealer to determine if this is due to a recall issue, or anything.

The car caught fire last night and burned up while parked.

Hev warning light comes on and says hev malfunction, stop car. Within seconds the car shuts off and has no brakes and then stops in road construction, blocking up an entire lane of traffic, as there was no shoulder because of barricades. I panic as I can’t get out without getting ran over. After sitting for 5 minutes, car restarts and drives away ok. Car has done this off and on for 2 years. After the first incident, I took it to kia of new bern who charged me $400 to “update software” according to a TSB, even though it was under warranty. After getting the car back, the next day the warning came back on. I called kia of new bern and they said they will charge another diagnostics fee I couldn’t afford, so I didn’t go back. There are many others who have had the same issue with their kia hybrids. These cars are a danger to their drivers and the unknowing public who share the roads with them. Kia should be ashamed of the amount of cars experiencing this issue and their lack of solutions to fix it.

The contact owns a 2014 kiia Optima. The contact stated they had taken the vehicle in to be repaired under a recall (number unknown) requiring a system update. The contact stated after receiving the remedy while driving approximately 45 mph when the brakes suddenly applied themselves without anything or persons to trigger the system to do so. The contact was able to coasted till they were able to press the accelerator and proceed forward. The warning lights to check the forward collision system, traction control abs system and blind-spot system had illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer again who confirmed the recall failure was the cause of the failure. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 64,000.

While driving around hand 35 miles per hour, I felt like the vehicles emergency brake came on. I had warning lights for auto hold, check brakes, stability control, e- brale, vehicle self diagshows electronic brake system check abs/esc condition. Breaks feel tighter and car doesn't brake as before plus you could feel the stability system not working. This has occurred 6 times in the last 2 weeks.

The contact owns a 2014 kia Optima. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 20v100000 (fuel system, gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the dealer stated that the contact would not be able to receive the remedy for their second recall NHTSA campaign number: 21v331000 (service brakes, hydraulic) till the parts for their first recall was available and the remedy was completed. The contact stated that their vehicle was leaking fuel and emitting a fuel odor within the cabin of the vehicle. The vehicle had not displayed any warning lights. The approximate failure mileage was 103,748. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and failure. VIN tool confirms parts distribution disconnect.

The contact owns 2014 kia Optima. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 21v331000 (service brakes, hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

The contact owns a 2014 kia Optima. The contact stated while driving at 30 mph, they noticed check engine warning lights illuminated on the vehicle and the vehicle stalled while driving. The contact got out of their vehicle and pushed their vehicle to the side of road and noticed smoke coming from the engine compartment the contact open the hood of the vehicle where more smoke was coming from the engine and fire coming from the passenger side of the engine. The contact ran to a near by business to get a fire extinguisher to extinguish the fire. The contact is in process of the vehicle towed to a local dealer. The contact concern after researching and founding out there was a recall on their vehicle that maybe the caused of the failure. Nhtsa campaign number: 21v331000 ( service brakes, hydraulic) the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage approximately 80,000.

The contact owns a 2014 kia Optima. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 21v331000 (service brakes, hydraulic) and 22v093000 (fuel system, gasoline), however, the parts to do the recall repairs were unavailable. The contact had taken the vehicle to two dealers for the recall repairs. The contact stated that one charged her a fee for the recall repair however, there was no evidence that the recall repair was completed. The contact was referred by the manufacturer to another dealer who did not perform the recall repair. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

The contact owned a 2014 kia Optima. The contact stated that as he attempted to merge onto a highway at 45 mph, the brake pedal and steering wheel locked up upon depression of the brake pedal without warning. Due to the failure, the contact hit an electrical box encased in concrete as the vehicle continued to roll into bushes before it came to a halt. The airbags deployed upon impact. The contact exited the vehicle and removed his son from the back seat. The contact was not treated for injuries at scene. The contact's son had a few lacerations on his neck that did not need medical attention. A police report was filed. A few days, his insurance towed the vehicle from the scene to an independent junk yard where the vehicle was deemed a total loss. A week later, the contact sought medical treatment for pain to his chest and right arm; the contact was diagnosed with a hairline fracture to his sternum. Upon investigation, the contact discovered that his vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign number: 21v331000 (service brakes, hydraulic). The contact attempted to reach out to the manufacturer by email but did not receive a response. The vehicle was destroyed. The failure mileage was approximately 151,000.

Traction control light has recently started coming on all the time and stays on. When you turn car off and it cools off then the light is off again. Another issue is when I place foot on brake the passenger side parking light comes on and the passenger brake light has had to be replaced 7 times since I bought car in February 2021.

The contact owns a 2014 kia Optima. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under two unidentified NHTSA recalls; however, the recall repairs failed to prevent the failures from occurring. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle failed to a stop as intended. The contact stated that the brake pedal felt spongey and depressed to the floorboard. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

Tl- the contact owned a 2014 kia Optima. The contact stated that she lost consciousness while driving at 65 mph which resulted in her vehicle rolling off the road and into an embankment and landed into a tree. The air bags did deploy upon impact. The contact had to be cut out of the vehicle through the driver side door and was immediately rushed to the hospital via ambulance. The contact sustained injuries to her back and chest; as well as lacerations to her right lower arm and lower abdominal area. The contact was uncertain if a police report was filed. The vehicle was totaled at the scene and was uncertain of its current whereabout. The manufacturer nor the dealer had yet to be made aware of the failure. Prior to the failure, the contact had received avnotice for NHTSA campaign number:17v224000(engine and engine cooling); however, she had not receive a notification for NHTSA campaign number: 20v519000(service brakes, hydraulic). The failure mileage was approximately 85,000. Jo.

The contact owns a 2014 kia Optima. The contact stated that the oil level was lower than expected. There was an unknown warning light illuminated. The vehicle vibrated while driving at various speeds. The vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign number: 17v224000 (engine and engine cooling); and the engine was replaced under the recall in September 2020. The contact stated that 5 years after the recall repair was completed, after approximately one month, the brake failure warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic who added brake fluid to the brake reservoir, and the brake warning light illuminated approximately 2 weeks later and remained illuminated. The contact spoke with the dealer, who confirmed that the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 294,000.

Hev light came on dashboard stating "check hybrid system. Stop vehicle and turn off engine". Vehicle was in motion in city on traffic light and suddenly got that and car stopped in 15 sec and could not move anymore. Luckily it did not happen on highway cause 15 sec is not enough for safely stopping! witnesses helped to push the card to the shoulder approximately 100 feet. Electric brake system was locked as well cause of hev system stopped suppling the power. Kia concord replaced the safety plug assy-male 125 amps to 150 amps (part # k 37586 4r002). Car had only 82k. As far I see this is a common issue and if manufacturer in all cases upgrades it to higher fuse, then this is a reason for recall. Now I warry about next electrical issue that can cause that fuse.

While driving, the engine raced causing the vehicle to speed up and when applying the brakes, the vehicle failed to stop.