2004 Kia Optima Other Problems

Your driver's side door won't unlock even though all other doors do. When you try to unlock it with the key from outside or use the central lock button from inside, the door immediately locks itself again. This forces you to climb over the center console to exit, and could be dangerous in an emergency situation like an accident or fire. The fix will likely involve repairing or replacing the driver's side door locking mechanism.

Your fuel pump stops working while you're trying to fill up the gas tank, making it very difficult to add fuel. It took multiple attempts (about 7 tries) to add just $7 worth of gas, even though your car has very low mileage and isn't driven frequently. The fuel filler neck or pump may need inspection or replacement to restore normal fueling.

DRIVERS DOOR LOCK WILL NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE AT ALL & ONLY 10%OF THE TIME FROM OUTSIDE WITH KEY. PULLED FUSE ON ACTUATORS & LOCK CONTINUES TO MALFUNCTION. CAN NOT EFFICIENTLY GET IN OR OUT OF THE CAR. HAVE TO SLIDE OVER CENTER TO REACH PASSENGER DOOR TO GET OUT. I AM 6'4" SO THIS IS A REAL SAFETY HAZARD.

MY DRIVERS SIDE DOOR AUTOMATIC LOCKS LOCK AND EVEN AFTER MANUALLY UNLOCKING THEM I AM UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR. HAVE TO ENTER AND EXIT THE VEHICLE THROUGH PASSENGER DOOR. MANY OTHER KIA OPTIMA OWNERS ONLINE HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. THIS POSES A SERIOUS SAFETY RISK IF I CAN'T EXIT THE VEHICLE IN AN EMERGENCY. PLEASE FORCE KIA TO MAKE THIS RIGHT!

DRIVER DOOR FAILS TO OPEN. WHEN WILL SOMETHING BE DONE ABOUT THIS? THERE ARE COMPLAINTS EVERYWHERE ONLINE ABOUT THIS EXACT ISSUE ON THIS EXACT MODEL AND OTHER YEARS TOO. I CAN'T GET IN OR OUT OF MY CAR THROUGH THE DRIVER DOOR. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN!

KIA OPTIMA PROBLEM MODEL YEARS AFFECTED: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013 THE DRIVER FRONT DOOR LOCK ON MY 2004 KIA OPTIMA STARTED GIVING ME PROBLEMS. IF I AM IN THE CAR AND LOCKED THE DOOR, I COULD NOT UNLOCK IT. IF I WAS OUTSIDE AND TRY TO USE THE KEY TO UNLOCK THE DOORS, IT WOULD NOT UNLOCK. IF I TRIED TO USE THE KEY, IT FELT LIKE SOMETHING WAS JAMMING, AND THE ACTUATOR WOULD AUTOMATICALLY RELOCK. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP AND THE SHOP TOLD ME THAT IT WAS A FAULTY DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR.THE MECHANIC DID NOT OPEN THE DOOR BUT SAID THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. THEY ESTIMATED COST IS $300+ INCLUDING LABOR TO REPAIR. AS AN INTERIM SOLUTION, THE MECHANIC TOLD US TO "TURN THE KEY AND PULL THE HANDLE SIMULTANEOUSLY". THE TRICK WORKED ABOUT 30% OF THE TIME. IT STILL DOES NOT SOLVE THE FACT THAT ONCE YOU'RE INSIDE, YOU HAVE TO CRAWL OUT THROUGH THE PASSENGER SIDE TO EXIT OR GO DUKES OF HAZARD ON IT. *TR

WE JUST PURCHASED IS CAR LAST SATURDAY AND WENT TO THE STORE AND LOCKED THE DOORS THEN WHEN WE WENT TO UNLOCK THE DOORS WITH THE KEY ON THE DRIVER SIDE THE DRIVER DOOR WOULD NOT UNLOCK. I WOULD TURN THE KEY AND PULL THE HANDLE AND THE DOORS WOULD LOCK BACK. I HAD TO GET IN AND BACK OUT THROUGH THE PASSANGER SIDE. WHEN I GOT HOME MY SON FINALLY GOT IT TO UNLOCK AND OPEN AND EVERYTIME WE WOULD LOCK IT IT WOULD NOT UNLOCK OR OPEN. WE JUST HAVE TO KEEP WORKING WITH IT UNTIL IT FIANLLY UNLOCKS AND THE DOOR OPENS. SO NOW I AM AFRAID TO LOCK IT. I READ ONLINE OF MANY REPORTS OF THIS SAME PROBLEM AND IT WOULD REALLY BE NICE TO GET A RECALL FOR IT. *TT

I HAVE A 2004 KIA OPTIMA WITH A BELT THAT SQUEAKS RATHER LOUDLY. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER. THEY SAID IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND WOULD COST $120.00 TO REPLACE IT IF I WANTED TO, BUT IT WAS NOT DANGEROUS. MY PROBLEM WAS THAT I HAD JUST BOUGHT THE CAR AND IT MADE THIS AWFUL SOUND. I EVEN CONTACTED KIA'S COMPLAINT DEPARTMENT, BUT NOTHING WAS EVER DONE. THIS IS MY FIRST AND LAST KIA. THIS JUST DIDN'T HAPPEN ONCE, BUT SQUEAKS ON A REGULAR BASIS. *JB