2002 Kia Optima Airbags Problems

Your car hydroplaned and crashed into a tree at an unknown speed, but the airbags failed to deploy. Fortunately, there were no injuries, though the vehicle was destroyed. The airbag system may need inspection to determine why it didn't activate during the impact.

Your airbag warning light is turned on. This warning light indicates a potential problem with your airbag system that needs to be diagnosed by a mechanic. A faulty airbag system may not deploy properly in a crash, reducing your safety protection. The repair will likely involve a diagnostic scan of your airbag system and replacement of any failed sensors or modules.

Your airbag warning light turned on unexpectedly right after you started the car. This indicates a problem with your airbag system that needs to be diagnosed by a technician. The issue could range from a sensor malfunction to a wiring problem, and the system should be checked and repaired to ensure the airbags will deploy properly in a crash.

I PURCHASED A LOW MILEAGE KIA OPTIMA TWO YEARS AGO. SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING THIS CAR THE AIRBAG LIGHT DEPLOYED. I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL DEALER SERVICE DEPT @ GWINNETT PLACE KIA IN DUUTH GA WHO AT NO CHARGE MADE THE LIGHT GO OFF. DRIVING OUT OF THE DEALERSHIP THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON AND THEY AGAIN CORRECTED WHATEVER IT WAS THAT WAS MAKING THE LIGHT APPEAR, ASSURING ME JUST BECAUSE THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON IT WILL DEPLOY AND IT IS FINE. TWO MORE TIME IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS FOR NO REASON AGAIN THE LIGHT WOULD APPEAR AND AGAIN I RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE LAST TIME 9 MONTHS AGTO WHEN THEY INSTALLED A NEW AIRBAG AS THEY ADVISE THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS CAUSING THE LIGHT TO COME ON AGAIM REASSURING ME JUST BECAUSE THE LIGHT WAS ON THE AIRBAG WOULD STILL DEPLOY. I WAS FRUSTRATED AT THAT POINT AND ALTHOUGH THE LIGHT WAS ON A FEW DAYS LATER AGAIN, I FELT ASSURED I WAS IN NO DANGER AND PLANNED TO TRADE IN THE CAR IN THE NEAR FUTURE. NOW IT IS THE SAME PROBLEM AND WHEN I TOOK MY CAR TO A MECHANIC WHOM I TRUST AND WHO IS A TEACHER OF AUTO MECHANICS AT A LOCAL COLLEGE, HE INFORMED ME TODAY THEY GAVE ME THE RUN AROUND, ASSURING ME THIS IS REGULATED BY THE FEDERAL GOVENMENT AND I AM NOT SAFE; AS LONG AS THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON MY AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY AT THE TIME OF AN ACCIDENT. I AM NOW FEARFUL KIA HASL ARGUED WITH ME THAT DESPITE THE RECORDS OF THE MUMEROUS TIMES I HAVE SOUGHT HELP FROM THEM FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, THE CAR IS NOW OVER THE 50K WARRANTY AND IT IS NOT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME $50.00 TO JUST LOOK AT IT AND FROM THERE WILL CHARGE ME LIKE ANYONE ELSE. THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS. I'M A SINGLE MOM WITH KIDS AND NEED TO BE SAFE. I WILL NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER KIA PRODUCTS AGAIN AND AM CONSIDERING HIRING AN ATTORNEY TO INTERVENE FOR ME TO RESOLVE THIS. THEY NEVER "FIXED" THE PROBLEM TO BEGIN WITH AND NOW WANT ME TO PAY?

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WERE TWO ACCIDENTS WITH THE VEHICLE WHERE THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. IN THE FIRST ACCIDENT, IN 2003, NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. IN THE SECOND OF THESE ACCIDENTS WHICH WAS MORE SEVERE, THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED, AND NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED EITHER. IN THE BOTH ACCIDENTS, THE OCCUPANT WERE WEARING THEIR SEATBELTS HOWEVER THE CONTACT EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT THERE MUST BE A PROBLEM AIR BAG SENSOR OF THE VEHICLE.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.

WHILE DRIVING ON A PAVED SURFACE GOING APPROX. 40 MPH, MY DRIVER SIDE SEAT AIRBAG WENT OFF FOR NO REASON. I SUSTAINED SEVERE BRUISING AND BURNING SCABS ON MY LEFT SHOULDER AND CURRENTLY HAVE A SCAR THERE. *NM

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.

2002 KIA OPTIMA AIRBAG DRIVER'S SIDE DEPLOYED GOING 35 MILES PERHOUR WHILE IN A RIGHT HAND CURVE. WHEN THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED IT HIT THE LEFT SHOUDER CAUSING MY DAUGHTER TO TURN THE WHEEL MORE AND GO OFF THE ROAD. THERE WHERE NO IMPACTS ON ANY PART OF THE CAR .WE ARE LUCKY NO ONE WAS HURT OTHER THAN A STRAINED NECK AND A HOLE IN THE OIL PAN. KIA RECALLED SOME 2001 FOR THE SAME PROBLEM .*AK

WHILE DRIVING AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE FLIPPED AFTER HITTING A POLE. UPON IMPACT, THE FRONTAL/SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK *SC THE CONSUMER HAD A DIABETIC EMERGENCY AND COLLAPSED AT THE WEHEL. *JB

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

MY 2002 KIA OPTIMA WAS IN AN ACCIDENT ON AUGUST 30TH 2004. MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING WEST BOUND, A SCHOOL BUS DRIVING EAST BOUND MADE A LEFT TURN IN FRONT OF MY DAUGHTER. SHE HIT THE BUS AT ABOUT 50 MPH. NO AIR BAG DEPLOYED. I AM INTERESTED IN KNOWING IF THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE. IT WAS A FULL FRONTAL IMPACT. THANK GOD FOR SEAT BELTS. *AK

THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON 7 TIMES WHILE DRIVING. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT THAT CONTAINED THE SIDE AIR BAG BECAUSE IT WAS FAULTY, AND INSTALLED A NEW AIR BAG CONTROL MODULE. ALSO, THEY REPROGRAMMED THE AIR BAG SENSOR SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THE LIGHT STILL CAME BACK ON. VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN 2 FRONTAL COLLISIONS IN WHICH THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP BECAUSE OF ROAD CONSTRUCTION, THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 40 MPH. UPON IMPACT, NONE OF THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT. ALSO, DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BACK RECLINED BACKWARDS ONTO THE REAR SEAT. DRIVER SUSTAINED SEVERE BRUISES TO CHEST/BREAST BONE/LUNGS/HEART/LOWER ABDOMINAL, AND LEFT LEG. *AK *LA

PROBLEMS WITH AIR BAG EQUIPMENT ON 2002 KIA OPTIMA. *MR A LARGE PIECE OF RUBBER HAD COME OFF THE TIRE OF A SEMI-TRUCK AND WHEN THE CONSUMER TRIED TO AVOID HITTING IT, HE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND HIT A WALL DIVIDER. *SCC *JB

THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION, AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.*JB....*AK