2002 Kia Optima: jerking or lurching

5 of the 107 complaints about the 2002 Kia Optima describe jerking or lurching.

owner complaints: 5
of this car's complaints: 5%
typical mileage: 86,020
recalls: 0

Is there a fix? 1 service bulletin covers this area of the car. See below

Jerking or lurching by model year

2020
5
2019
4
2018
15
2017
8
2016
29
2015
25
2014
8
2013
23
2012
29
2011
16
2010
14
2009
26
2006
1
2005
1
2004
2
2003
1
2002
5
2001
2

What owners say

Filed Mar 11, 2016 · Suspension · 132,000 miles · NH

I just got my 2002 kia optima and it just recently started having issues. I was driving down the road and my car started to slightly wander to the left, I thought ok.. It needs an alignment. So then it started jerking to the right, so bad I got pulled off to the side of the road and couldn't control it. I parked my car in a parking lot til my bf could come look at it, and I had him drive it home and the same thing happened to him. He looked at every possibility at what it could be as he is a mechanic and said lower control arm. It has been sitting in my yard for a week. It is not safe to drive. I found out it had a recall back in 2009, so I called my local kia dealer and they said it was part of the recall but it has been fixed- I'm wondering how it was fixed if it is doing the same exact thing everyone's complaints I have seen is doing/ I am at a halt not knowing what to do with my car, I have small children and refuse to drive this car. Please help

Filed Feb 1, 2013 · Suspension · 120,000 miles · IL

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 kia optima. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle veered to the right in a jerking motion. The failure occurred whenever the brakes were depressed. The contact stated that the failure recurred several times. The vehicle was maneuvered to the side of the road. The contact noticed that the passenger's side tire was positioned outwardly. Also, both front tires had prematurely worn due to the defect. The vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer and repaired under the federal safety agency campaign id number 09v183000 (suspension). The manufacturer was not notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000.

Filed Dec 10, 2008 · Airbags, Fuel system · 86,020 miles · FM

After buying the vehicle from a auto dealer between july 2 and july 5 ...this vehicle began to have many problems like the audio receiver switch from radio to cd on its own,doors locks on its own,RPM runs to 4000 going 45mph after a hard jerk assuming that I was hit by a other car the air bag light came on after that 2 hard jerks while driving,,(they didn't even deployed) can not pump gas due to fuel keeps over flowing when its barely empty ....its been a living ?!@#$% and I'm still paying for the car....is it legal for a dealership to sell a vehicle like this.

Filed May 9, 2006 · Airbags · 48,000 miles · IA · crash

Dt*: the contact stated the driver side airbag deployed without warning while driving 35mph. The driver seat belt was in use at the time of the incident and the brakes were not being applied. The sudden deployment of the airbag startled the contact and the steering wheel was jerked in reaction to the airbag. The vehicle left the roadway and struck a curb, the vehicle sustained damage to the passenger side and the oil pan was ruptured. The vehicle was towed to a service dealer who determined the air bag sensor/actuator was set too high causing the air bag to deploy prematurely.

Filed Jun 7, 2004 · Brakes · 23,668 miles · CA

I bought a used kia optima 2002 in january of 2003. It had about 23000 miles on it. We took a trip to lake tahoe in feb.2003 and on the ride home every time I braked comming down the mountain the car would jerk and shake violently. When we got home I took the car into the dealer and they repaired it for me after I pleaded and argued with them. Less than 8 months later the same poblem started happening again so I took my in and they automaticaly placed the blame on me. They told me that I must be driving my car way to hard and don't know how to properly apply the brakes. That came from the service department manager. They then told me that thay are not reasponsible for repaires that are caused by bad driving. We'll here it is less than four months later and I'm about to pay another $700 for a problem that is not my fault and my brakes are the worst yet. Oh and by the way the last time that I had my car fixed they refused to show me the parts that they took off my car. Said that it is unusual to show the parts to the owner. I find that strange. Someone needs to refresh them on the laws. When I purchased my car I also purchased a 5 yr bumper to bumper warrenty which is good until 82000 miles and my car know has 47000 and about to go through its third complete brake job.