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Kia Optima seat belt problems

31 of the 7,544 owner complaints about the Kia Optima describe seat belt won't latch or retract, most of them for the 2013 model year.

owner complaints
31
worst model year
2013
typical mileage
84,000
Is there a fix? No recall or service bulletin covers this area of the car yet.

By model year

  • 2020
    1
  • 2018
    3
  • 2017
    2
  • 2016
    1
  • 2013
    7
  • 2012
    3
  • 2011
    1
  • 2010
    1
  • 2008
    1
  • 2007
    1
  • 2006
    1
  • 2005
    2
  • 2004
    4
  • 2002
    1
  • 2001
    2

What owners say

Filed Jul 19, 2026 · Airbags, Seat belts · PA · crash · 1 injury

I was run off the road by a drunk driver I hit a tree at 35MPH MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY NOR DID MY SEAT BELT LOCK!!!! I NOW HAVE MULTIPLE INJURIES I HAVE BROKEN BONES ALL THROUGHOUT MY FACE!!!!! A SEVERE CONCUSSION!!!!! Any time I call the the customer care center and try and get information or call someone I either get hung up or gave the run around and then hung up on my mother in law has also tried calling and have received the same response this is so unacceptable and unprofessional.

Filed Jun 18, 2026 · Seat belts · 130,000 miles · VA · crash · 1 injury

The contact owned a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed on the main road of a T-intersection, the contact blacked out before another vehicle crashed into the front passenger's side of the vehicle. The contact stated that the front of the vehicle sustained severe damages, and there was more damage on the front passenger's side of the vehicle. The air bags deployed. The contact stated that the seat belt retracted excessively, causing the contact to be pinned in the seat and to sustain severe injuries. The contact was assisted out of the seat and was partially unconscious. The contact was unsure if any warning lights were illuminated after the crash. A Police report was filed. The ambulance transported the contact to the hospital. The contact sustained a fractured L2 and back, ruptured bowel, and intestines and internal bleeding in the stomach. The contact underwent surgery and physical therapy. The vehicle was towed and deemed totaled by the insurance company. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in a related recall. A complaint was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

Filed Oct 17, 2025 · Airbags · 84,000 miles · NJ · crash · 1 injury

The contact owned a 2012 Kia Optima. The contact stated that, while stopped and attempting to complete a left turn an SUV failed to yield and collided with the front driver side of her vehicle. As a result, the contact lost control of the vehicle, spun across the intersection, and careened off the roadway only coming to a complete stop after colliding head-on with a tree. The contact also stated that the seat belt Emergency Locking Retractor failed to deploy allowing her to jolt forward violently and hit her head on the steering wheel. The air bags did not deploy. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a storage facility but had yet to deemed a total lost by the contacts insurance provider. A police report was filed, and injuries were reported. The contact was later transported to an area hospital and treated for chest pain and neck pain. The contact also received an MRI due to possible concussion. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 84,000.

Filed Feb 2, 2025 · Seat belts · MI

My driver's seat seatbelt has completely locked up rendering unusable. It neither retracts or goes out further so it is stuck in a state where it cannot buckle with a person in it. My car is only 7 years old and I have only had it for4 years.

Filed Oct 30, 2024 · Airbags, Seat belts · 42,860 miles · SC

The contact owns a 2020 Kia Optima. The contact received notification of New Vehicle Limited Warranty Extension (Illumination of Air Bag Warning Light); however, the part to do the repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the air bag warning light illuminated. The seat belt alarm chimed while the front driver seat belt was buckled. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 42,860.

Filed Oct 8, 2024 · Seat belts · MI

Drivers side seat belt will not click into latch

Filed Jan 26, 2024 · Airbags, Seat belts · CA

My air bag light has been on and I've check everything and my seat belt don't lock when its on and the light to the seat belt goes off contented, I've tried to go to the dealer to have them fix my airbags and senses I don't have recall on it they won't fix it ,The air bag is very important and so is the seat belt

Filed Oct 12, 2023 · Acceleration, Seat belts · MI · crash

My vehicle speed up and slow down all that itself. It will not maintain speed even with my foot steady on the gas. It will not accelerate, but the major problem is my seatbelt gets stuck all the time I’m afraid to get buckled. I am unable to remove my seatbelt multiple times so now I have buckled my seatbelt behind me so I can start getting tickets. I’ve gotten like four tickets because I’m scared to be buckled that it’s not gonna come on down when I need it to be I’ve got 40 bought tickets. I was going about 20 mph when I went to the brakes for my vehicle accelerated by itself crashing into a pillar at the mall. I did call the police.

Filed Aug 23, 2023 · Seat belts · 187,000 miles · SC

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated that upon entering the vehicle and fastening his seat belt, the seat belt warning light remained illuminated. After unfastening the seat belt, the seat belt warning light turned off. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the seat belt buckle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 187,000.

Filed Sep 5, 2021 · Electrical, Seat belts · CA

While driving, car in motion, Front Passenger Seat belt Audio Warning Periodically goes off without reason. Indicating seat is occupied & seat belt needs putting on. When seat has been unoccupied / clear from any type of weight on seat to trigger sensor. Audio warning will continue until seat belt is latched over the empty seat. Local KIA Service Dept was informed & could neither confirm or deny its faulty behavior for it did not present itself during time of service. They said, wiring looked fine but did no further testing. To be honest they showed no interest into seeing any real importance for my concern for them to feel any further investigation was warranted. Its happened again twice since that service visit be it last incident Aug 7th. My concern is.... if there is faulty wiring or sensor signals being crossed somewhere, whats to say there is a passenger or no passenger in that seat, to ensure the correct signal is getting to the passenger side air bags of when to correctly deploy if an accident should happen with passenger in seat? This situ is only recent starting about a year a go. So something has changed from being fine for 2 yrs up to the last year that's now showing some kind of seat belt / sensor failure. I'm unfamiliar with how that wiring system works & linked within it for me know what other things I might need to pay more attn to, looking for other signs that could be saying is direct cause to the prob. Unsure if this a simple solution or is something that others are experiencing with this year & model car & poss be a Manufacturer Part Default

Related recalls

No recalls on record for this model year.

Questions about the Kia Optima seat belt

Which Kia Optima years have seat belt won't latch or retract problems?

The model years with the most reports are 2013 (7 complaints), 2004 (4 complaints) and 2012 (3 complaints).

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