Kia Optima sudden acceleration problems

Filed Feb 28, 2024 · Electrical, Engine · CA

Heavy oil consumption , unintended acceleration , car jerks . Back window occasionally won’t roll down .

Filed Jan 22, 2024 · Engine · GA

Engine failure . Engine failed on highway car wouldn’t go past 15 MPH. Then suddenly accelerated

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 21, 2023 · Brakes, Engine · MO · crash

I was turning into some parking spots so i could put my car in reverse and park closer to building i needed. I did not get a chance to putin reverse, the vehicle surged forward and was accelerating. My foot was not on the gas pedal. I was trying to brake. I turned steering wheel so I didn't hit brick building. I swiped the building and 2 vehiles on my right AND still did not stop right away. I kept on the brake and the plants, rocks, landscaping I think helped it to stop. I can get police report in few days.

Filed May 12, 2023 · Acceleration, Engine · 114,000 miles · MA · crash

The contact owned a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated while her son was driving approximately 35-40 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated and was flashing; however, he continued driving the vehicle. The contact stated that she later took the vehicle to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the knock sensor and an unknown component needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, 6 hours later while her son was driving 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was unable to restart and was towed back to the independent mechanic. The independent mechanic then informed the contact that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then towed to the local dealer who confirmed that the engine needed to be replaced. The engine was replaced by the local dealer approximately in October of 2021. The contact then stated that on March 13, 2023, while her son was driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle crossed the center line and crashed into a tree on the other side of the road. The contact stated that the air bags deployed; however, her son was pronounced deceased at the scene. A Police report was filed. The contact stated that the Police Officer informed her that the speedometer was reading 90 MPH at the time of the crash and that the Event Data Recorder (EDR) was destroyed. The contact stated that the engine and transmission dislodged from the vehicle approximately 30-feet. The contact was concerned that the crash might have been caused by unintended acceleration. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 114,000.

Filed Apr 29, 2023 · NC

The issue with the car first occurred in 2021 when the vehicle had 109,000 miles. I was driving on the interstate returning from visiting my family when the car began to behave erratically. It started to seize, stall, and accelerated on its own. All of the lights illuminated on the dashboard with the error message hybrid engine, air pull over immediately. This was a serious event because my life as well as others were impacted. The car had just enough power to make it off of the shoulder when it died completely and had to be towed to the nearest dealership. They recommended I have the hybrid battery replaced which I did. That did not correct the issue because less than a year later in 2022 I was once again returning home and the car begin to do the same thing. Stalls, seizes, accelerates on its own and the same lights, the same warning message, and completely loses power when you’re driving! It was again towed to a dealership and this time they recommended I have the spark plugs replaced. The spark plugs were replaced and the day that the car was repaired and picked up it had to then be towed back just a few miles down the road with the same strange behavior, and the same issues. Clearly the recommended repairs are not fixing the root cause problem. And now three times my life as well as other motorists’ lives have been put in danger! I am tired of paying for recommended repairs that are not fixing the root issue when there are several hundred other persons who have been experiencing similar dangerous issues like mine with their vehicles. Kia needs to do something about this!

Filed Nov 15, 2022 · Fuel system, Transmission · 110,000 miles · CA

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated upon activating the heater while driving, she smelled an abnormally strong gasoline odor. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact related the failure to Kia Independent Recall Campaign Number SC172 (High Pressure Fuel Pump Outlet Inspection). Additionally, the contact stated while driving and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated to respond and then lunged forward abruptly. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring while driving. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and informed the contact that she needed to pay for a diagnostic test and the repair cost because the VIN was not included in any recalls. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

Filed Dec 28, 2021 · Acceleration · 46,900 miles · AZ

The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at a slow speed while at a fuel station, the vehicle suddenly experienced unintended acceleration while the brake pedal was being pressed. During the failure, the RPM's suddenly increased although the accelerator pedal was not being depressed. The vehicle was turned off and restarted four times before the vehicle operated as normal. On a second occasion, the failure had reoccurred while driving approximately 35 MPH while slowing to approach a stoplight. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, but no information was available. The manufacturer was not yet notified. The failure mileage was 46,900

Filed Nov 10, 2021 · MD · crash · 1 injury

I experienced sudden acceleration while attempting to park our car. The car was double parked waiting for my husband to move a car so I could park in that space. I put my foot on the brake to put the car in drive. I start to pull forward and the car takes off and I eventually crashed into my apartment building. I remember having my foot on the break to stop the car and could not. The sudden acceleration caused damage to the building inside and out. I did do some research and saw there are others who have experienced the same thing across different models of Kia.

Filed Apr 19, 2021 · Engine · 67,000 miles · OR

2013 kia optima sx turbo. While driving approx. 65 MPH on a hwy, the vehicle suddenly decelerated hard enough to make me lunge forward toward the steering wheel. I saw multiple warning lights come on the dash and when the gas pedal was pressed the car would not accelerate at all. I was able to get the car pulled off to the side of the road where I turned the vehicle off. I pressed the kia's start button, and the car would not start. The lights on the dash would all come on and there was a very strong odor of burnt electrical wires coming from the engine compartment. I had the car towed back to the dealership where they are currently diagnosing the problem. This is a very dangerous safety issue. Scary, to say the least.